Hand built hard-side, pop-up camper
- Thread starter Home Skillet
- Start date
Home Skillet
Observer
Sorry it didn't work out this time Allen, maybe I will drive out your way this summer and we can wet a fly together.
Home Skillet
First of all Home Skillet I love your screen name. It makes me feel like I'm back in Middle School askin "what up" to my buddy.
Secondly did you consider doing dove tail corners? It seems to me that the 90 degree corners are the "weak" point in the design, but then agian I'm not at all familiar with foam and fiber composite construction techniques. It just seems to me, comming from a wood working background that would be the strongest way to join the pieces. Though I understand that it could be a bit overkill.
Thirdly... Why the heck did I have to find this now, and not in a few months. I guess what I'm trying to say is I can't wait to see the finished product.
Secondly did you consider doing dove tail corners? It seems to me that the 90 degree corners are the "weak" point in the design, but then agian I'm not at all familiar with foam and fiber composite construction techniques. It just seems to me, comming from a wood working background that would be the strongest way to join the pieces. Though I understand that it could be a bit overkill.
Thirdly... Why the heck did I have to find this now, and not in a few months. I guess what I'm trying to say is I can't wait to see the finished product.
The core really isn't intended to be load bearing in the manner you are thinking. The skins take all those loads. The core is intended to keep the skins from buckling and in relation to each other. Sandwich construction is basically a big I beam except the center is full of foam instead of a strip of material (if that makes sense) but accomplishes the same task.
I was more thinking it would give the greatest binding area at the corner for each peice of foam to the fiber.
I guess I'm not following what you're talking about. In his build be built the whole core structure out of foam and then wrapped his carbon plys over it so they are one continuous skin over the corner. Where do the dovetails come into play in your mind, I'm assuming you're talking about jointing the core pieces together?
Right just the core peices. To me it allows the stress of possible core seperation to be spread over both sides of the 90 instead of just one, if that makes any sense. To me the joint itself is where there may be possible weakness in the design (where nonimpact caused delamination may be most likely to occur). While a dove tailed or finger jointed corner would increase the actual size of the join area by about 2-3 times, having it spread over both sides (basically doubling or so the surface area where the join contacts the fiber) would increase it's strength, by spreading out the forces that may cause delamination over a larger area (more fibers over the total join).
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Home Skillet
Observer
Pods8 is right, the foam has literally no structural integrity at all. I also came from a "wood" construction background and it did take some effort to get used to the idea that the skin is the strength.
There is absolutely no linear (or longitudinal) stretch or expansion of the carbon fiber skin at all. Torsional or lateral stresses will be the potential failure of this design. Impact would be the other weakness, but this is generally true of all sandwich composite designs.
Thanks for the props on the user name DEnd. "Home Skillet" is the name that Dirty Dog over at Wander the West gave me a long time ago and it stuck. Kinda fun.
If you want to see why the corners are so strong and the test that I video taped on a test corner, check out Hooked Up Films.
Home Skillet
Home Skillet
Observer
Major update on the build. Tons of things to report. Here is a snippet with pics.
1. All the lights are on, windows are in, and the exterior trim is mostly on.
2. The 12V actuation rams are installed........and they actually work (ya, I am amazed too).
3. Much of the electrical is run.
4. The interior materials are on the pop-up section (starting the bottom now).
5. New goodies are arriving every day. Fridge, stove, sink, heater, water pump, water heater are all the big pieces.
6. Overhead driving lights are on.
Much more at Hooked Up Films
Getting close gang!
Home Skillet
1. All the lights are on, windows are in, and the exterior trim is mostly on.
2. The 12V actuation rams are installed........and they actually work (ya, I am amazed too).
3. Much of the electrical is run.
4. The interior materials are on the pop-up section (starting the bottom now).
5. New goodies are arriving every day. Fridge, stove, sink, heater, water pump, water heater are all the big pieces.
6. Overhead driving lights are on.
Much more at Hooked Up Films
Getting close gang!
Home Skillet
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Home Skillet
Observer
Doh! :Wow1: I can't believe you caught that. Can't change it now though it is already indexed with the search engines.
Thanks for keeping me honest.
Home Skillet
Jeremysp1993
Observer
How heavy do you think it will be? Or at least how heavy is just the shell? Kinda making me curious haha, but not like i could do this, i would totally mess up haha. GOOD JOB!
Home Skillet
Observer
Thanks man. Shell weighs about 350 -400 lbs. with windows, lights, fan.
Home Skillet
JCMatthews
Tour Guide
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