The Camp Box

Canvas covered foamies (Thrifty Alternatives...)

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The Camp Box

Postby CampBoxBoy » Sat Feb 03, 2018 10:34 am

Hello everyone. I have begun my own unique foamie project that was inspired by all the great work that has been done and shared previously by the imaginative people on this forum. I am really grateful for the foamie pioneers who first tried a foamie and those who have offered improvements and innovations. It has been fun reading the threads and dreaming up my own project.

I am in a unique situation and have some different challenges/requirements that have made camping and enjoying the great outdoors take some thought and trials over the years. I have six great kids and an amazing wife. In the first years of our marriage, we did a lot of tent camping and even a few years in an older tent trailer. As more children blessed our home, and my wife and I got older, we found that space and comfort became precious commodities. Now that my kids are getting older (ages 19-8), they really love camping, but my sweet wife, with her bad back, is less and less willing to sleep on anything other than a nice, regular mattress. We have recently tried another tent trailer, but the thin foam pad wreaks havoc on my wife's back. I have taken the kids camping without her, but that isn't any fun. We cannot afford a commercial RV/TV big enough for my family. So, the camp box idea was born!

I have a flatbed snowmobile trailer that I will use to attach the camp box, which will leave enough room to also load my 4-wheeler. The camp box will not be attached permanantly to the trailer, but clamped on with the ability to remove it easily. I made a crude model of the camp box.

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Re: The Camp Box

Postby CampBoxBoy » Sat Feb 03, 2018 10:57 am

I put together the frame and floor and then test fit it on the trailer. It is 5'x7' OD with 2x4 frames and 1/2" OSB for the floor. It fits just right when placed at the very front of the trailer with just enough room for the 4-wheeler on the back.

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Re: The Camp Box

Postby Socal Tom » Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:18 am

Nice idea, A couple of suggestions. If you make part of the bed flip up you could leave a space for a porta potti, to make night time urges easier to handle. You may also want to include provisions for wheels so you can easily roll it off and on. Even with Foam its going to be a few hundred pounds. At the very least build in some reinforced lift points
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Re: The Camp Box

Postby ghcoe » Sat Feb 03, 2018 2:14 pm

My concern is that the 4 wheeler is going to weigh more than the camp box and would suggest moving the camp box to the rear of the trailer and the 4 wheeler to the front. I know that you are probably thinking of using the bed of the trailer like a patio. You could make it so when you get to your camp spot you could slide it back to the forward position though.

Post lots of :pictures: . Good luck, George.
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Re: The Camp Box

Postby GPW » Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:41 pm

94645
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Re: The Camp Box

Postby CampBoxBoy » Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:08 am

Thank you for the suggestions and encouragement. I wasn’t very detailed with my plans with my first posts, but I have an idea for the interior space. I will build a two piece platform with 20” of clearance underneath for equipment storage. That will give me just enough room for bins, coolers, my camp chef, large tent, etc... The platform will be in 2 pieces so that I can remove it easily when needed. The interior space is just big enough for a regular sized double bed. I found a salvaged RV window for a good price, so one side will have a working window. I also plan on installing a small fan vented to the outside for extra ventilation. The electrical will be very simple: just an extension cord connected to a power strip. Everywhere we plan to camp will have ac hookups, so I’m not going to mess with a dc power system. I also am only going to have one door instead of two that the model shows.

I also am concerned with the weight distribution issue, George. With the camping gear for 8 people stored in the camp box and bicycles riding in the v-nose area, I’m hoping it will be enough to compensate for the 4-wheeler weight in the back. My wheeler isn’t especially heavy, but it might be too much for a foamie comp box. Luckily the configuration can be flexible because nothing is built permanently to the trailer.

On a side note, I am also thinking of setting the camp box up with hinged trap doors in the floor and removable ski’s so I can use it in the winter as an ice shelter. There are some nice ice fishing spots near where I live. The foamie seems perfect for that.

Thanks again for your replies. It is awesome to hear from you. I will keep you updated on my progress.


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Re: The Camp Box

Postby CampBoxBoy » Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:42 pm

I was able to cut and glue up three of the sides. I used a jigsaw for the cuts, sanded them flush and glued it up with Great Stuff. I also used packing tape to hold things together while the glue set up.

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Then I set them in place to make sure they fit.

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Re: The Camp Box

Postby ghcoe » Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:45 pm

Looking good. :thumbsup:
George.

Gorrilla Glue, Great Stuff and Gripper. The three G's of foamie construction.

My build viewtopic.php?t=54099
Working with flashing for foamie construction viewtopic.php?f=55&t=60303
Making a hot wire http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=55323
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Re: The Camp Box

Postby CampBoxBoy » Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:53 pm

Next I made a jig with a HF soldering tool and a coat hanger. I set it up with a scrap 2x4 and a scrap piece of OSB so that it cut a 3/4"x3/4" groove down the very center of the bottom ends of each side wall.

Here is the jig:

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Here is the jig at work:

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I screwed the 3/4"x3/4" stock to the floor then test fit the walls as they set down and over the key. I figure this gives much more gluing surface to attach the walls.

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Re: The Camp Box

Postby CampBoxBoy » Mon Feb 12, 2018 10:04 pm

The next step was to glue down the walls. Because of how cold my garage is right now, it took time for the glue to set up between the next wall. This part took three days to complete while I waited for each wall to set up. I kept a heater going during the day while I worked, but it only brought things up to about 50deg.

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I used 2x4's and ratchet straps to hold things in place while they set up. I also used bamboo skewers to hold some thing in place, especially the joints. GS was used throughout.
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Re: The Camp Box

Postby GPW » Tue Feb 13, 2018 5:35 am

Coming along nicely !!! :thumbsup:
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