POD: Custom camper - design stage

[pods8]

Paint is quite a ways out but I'm trying to think ahead on that. The exterior surface I'll fill/fair out to be visually appealing and likely hit with some sort of two part paint for durability.

However on the interior I was thinking I probably don't need to put the time/energy/money into a similar finish. In reality if I feather everything out with a random orbital sander I don't need to go nuts with filling/fairing as you're not likely to be eying up this finish like you would the exterior. Also I'm curious if a decent interior/exterior 100% acrylic latex or a floor/porch type epoxy modified acrylic latex might be a decent route to go (cost, ease of use, etc.). I'd likely spray it on with an airless sprayer for quick application and then maybe back roll it with a short nap roller to leave a little texture to things which would play into not fairing the hell out of everything to complete uniformity and instead just feathering things.

The interior paint needs to wear well and be moisture/uv resistant but isn't going see the full on elements.

Thoughts?

 

[pods8]

Hi Pods8

I am following your build as i want to do something similar

This is one of your images and i was wondering what you will be doing to stop failures at the marked points?

It seems to me that there will not be a lot of strength in points A & B and even point C could also fail.

Great build so far, i will be using your idea of 2" wide ply at joins and around openings.

I shall be using a 2 part epoxy swimming pool / Boat paint system for my final covering as its avaiable in colours and clear

So Birder I can comment a bit more on this query. I haven't yet load tested my cantilever since I'm still working on doing the panel to panel laminations. However I have glassed the exterior side of the joints on the cabover so far and decided to go ahead and pull my 200lb up by the front of the cabover. The rails hold the weight however I did notice I was getting a bit of flexing rearward of point "C" (the doorway opening) which I didn't car for as it would affect the fit of my door.

So I'm going to beef up the floor stiffness in this area. So along the side of the floor I've cut in a recess in which I'm going to embed a fiberglass u-channel. The backside of the channel should be about flush with the surface skins. Then over top of that I'm going to add some laminations of unidirectional carbon fiber running parallel with the channel. These laminations will be on the bottom & inside of the floor extending a few inches inward, along the side of the floor, and along the door threshold. Probably will overlap the areas the floor is stiffened by the walls a foot or so.

 

[frank06365]

Nice job on design and build, pods8. I just discovered your forums and I am enjoying reading them. I found a couple of answers for you that I haven't seen answers/conclusions, yet.

You said you couldn't do aluminum welding. See http://durafix.com/ I have used this (or similar) with great results. You only need a propane torch and stainless steel wire brush, as I remember, and your good to go. Easy to do and strong. This price is double what I paid 20 years ago. but still a lot cheaper than TIG or whatever. They sell at discount at car/truck flea markets & shows as well, saving shipping.

For filling your potable water tank, have you thought about the standard RV city water connection? You can get integrated connections, see http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-pumps-water/rv-city-water-connection.htm for one, that allow the hose connection to be below the tank and the integrated check valve keeps the water in. Just make sure to have an adequate vent line to prevent bursting your tank and don't aim the vent/overflow towards the fill connection.

Keep up the good work
Frank

 

[RobD]

C-3PO and his mates go camping...

Oh, I know that's an old post, but it made me laugh out loud. Damn, that's funny.

 

[Hoosier 45]

Hi, Great job on this project. Have you made any new headway?

Martin