The Back Country Camper Build, small & simple

[Gunslinger1]

I am new to the expo sight and have been scanning the pop up truck camper section for 12 pages looking for a plywood build slide in pop up to no avail. The plywwod composite method of building is very easy once you build a small project to get use to it and seems it would be the best way to build a project pop up which is my plan. I built a small 14ft plywood coposite boat with great results from epoxy resin and plan to build the camper with polyester resin which is much cheeper and just as easy to work with. Polyester resin is made for above the water line in boat construction. I found a couple threads that were started then stopped after the build got started. Has anyone on here built a slide in pop up with the stich and glue method start to finish. I need to know what thickness plywood and where the braces will have to be. Would be nice to have some plans to go by like on the boat. That made the build real simple. Im not sure where the stress points will be on the camper. My build will be a slide in that pops up in the back with canvas in between. My plan is to have a couch down one side that folds out to a double bed with porta potty then a counter top down the other side with sink at rear and a portable stove beside it. Its for a reg cab 2011 Tacoma 4x4 and will need to be off road tough. Any construction help would be greatly appreciated. My build sheet at this point has 1/4" exterior plywood on a 2x2 frame resin covering the outside with cloth on all corners. I plan to have a 18" overhang on the cab using one 8ft sheet of plywood down each side so as not have any seems. Each panel will be a solid piece of plywood. Resin then paint no need for aluminum siding.

 

[pods8]

Closest that comes to mind is this thread (hardsided): http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/34402-Project-1x1

Plans are whatever you think is needed these are custom projects here and there. No nice plans floating around like the boat world.

 

[Gunslinger1]

No plans ?

Humm maybe I need to draw some up as this buid goes along. Just bought the first plywood and framing materials this week to get started on the tub. Guess I will keep drawing on them plans and make my own.

 

[Gunslinger1]

wall construction

Does anyone know if the walls are constructed of 2x2 or 2x4 frames on the high end off road campers. My plan is to build completly out of wood for flexing, ease of build and cold temp use. I cant weld aluminum anyway and every camper I have had with an aluminum frame sweats in the corners when its cold out and you have heat on inside. My plan is to make each wall as a complete frame 1/4" plywood out and luan inside with insulation in the middle then screw them all together when done to make a complete unit. That will give me a 2" thick wall if I lay the 2x4s down. No wiring or plumbing will be inside the walls so I can cut or drill at will for the windows and plumbing. Maybe all the campers have a alu frame, I dunno ?

 

[pods8]

Does anyone know if the walls are constructed of 2x2 or 2x4 frames on the high end off road campers. My plan is to build completly out of wood for flexing, ease of build and cold temp use. I cant weld aluminum anyway and every camper I have had with an aluminum frame sweats in the corners when its cold out and you have heat on inside. My plan is to make each wall as a complete frame 1/4" plywood out and luan inside with insulation in the middle then screw them all together when done to make a complete unit. That will give me a 2" thick wall if I lay the 2x4s down. No wiring or plumbing will be inside the walls so I can cut or drill at will for the windows and plumbing. Maybe all the campers have a alu frame, I dunno ?

I don't think any of the "high end off road campers" are using 2x anything. All the ones I'd consider in that description are using aluminum or composites. That said I'd think 2x4's would likely be overkill in the bulk of a camper structure. I'd very seriously consider gluing & screwing the 1/4ply to your 2x members if you are building in this manner. You aren't just relying on a limited number of screw connections and also it will structurally tie the 1/4" ply to the 2x members so you'll get strength out of them. (P.S. Also I'd personally be inclined towards using a pneumatic stapler over screwing for the skin attachment if I were to build in this manner.)

All that said have you punched up weight numbers at all yet on your plan? You might be surprised how heavy what you are proposing will quickly add up to on your tacoma platform. Between the 1/4" ply and 1/8" luan you'll be looking at ~1.1lb/sqft not accounting for the weight of the insulation/2x framing/resin/paint/etc. (which will also add up on you over the number of square feet needed).

 

[Gunslinger1]

wieght

Im not sure how to figure the weight but after building one mock up panel the floor 35.5" wide so the side panels can drop down beside them and 73.5 inches long so the end panels can drop down to the bed as well which has plywood top and bottom for extra strength w/2x4 perimeter and 2x2 on 16" center, its pretty heavy. I was figuring 600 pounds for the empty camper. My outside dementions are 6ft wide above bed, 6 1/2 ft long and 48" tall plus the top that I have not finished designing yet. I hope Im not off to far and hit the 800lb mark. Im going to stay with the 2x4 perimeter and 2x2 stud design for each panel. That seems super strong. I have sanded plywood for the sides, front and back and reg non sanded plywood for the rest of the out side panels. Luan for the inside and it looks so good it wont even need paint or stain. I think I have all the wood, screws and resin purchased for the shell finished inside at a little under $400.00 bucks. I just hope that weight thing dont get me.

 

[pods8]

The way you're describing it it is a non-cabover right?

So including the roof I've interpreted ~170sqft. Which is probably about 250lb of 1/4" plywood, 1/8" luan, and 1.5" ridgid foam. I've interpreted about 100' of 2x4 and 100' of 2x2 from your description which is probably another ~190lb assuming pine. So that's ~440lb without accounting for glue, fasteners, resin/paint for coating the exterior. So your 600lb assumption is probably not too far off for an empty box. However if you add a cabover you're numbers are going to jump up.

Then you have whatever internals or gear you intend to carry to factor in obviously (that part is easily underestimated). Good luck.

 

[Gunslinger1]

weight calculations

Thanks for the weight calculations. Im only going to have a 18" cab over about 7" high just to push my front hinge as far forward as possable so as to not have to raise the top at such a steep angle to get 6ft headroom. Also it will give me a rifle/ fishing rod storage area when closed and a small TV shelf when open. The top I may make from luan luan both sides and just 2x2 framework to make it as light as possible. Also my build method is from pre fab panels that I am making up ahead of time, then I will screw and glue them togeather with 3 and 4" coated deck screws.

 

[eugene]

2x4 and 2x2 is way overkill, most campers are 1x2. I'm looking at 1x2 and 1/8" plywood in and out with the nice hard ping insulation in between. I used liquid nails and the wood will break before the glue does. I don't care for nails and staples after seeing how factory built campers come apart due to the nails and staples wearing out their holes while flexing. I glue and screw and use bolts for load bearing.

 

[Gunslinger1]

Thats all I have ever run into as well 1x2 or 2x2s in the walls and a roof that you think will cave in if you walk on it. I am still going to over build just to make sure it will stand up to a pounding on the trail. Im not going to haul anything up top so a light roof will be a plus. Just luan both sides with a risen coating and cloth and resin on the corners. I cant think of anything that would be easier to fix a leak in, just a little sanding to rough it up and paint on some resin. If it needs to be extra tough add a little cloth.

 

[eugene]

I'm not a mechanical engineer, my degree is in electronics engineering and i borrowed my father's mechanical engineering handbook and have been studying up on the strength or material and static and dynamic loads and weight. I think if you use wood as large as 2x4 the weight of the walls and roof will put more stress on the corner joints than a thinner wall would. i.e. the weight of the components will do more harm than good. Thats where the dynamic weight comes into play of a moving object verses the static weight of a house.

 

[pods8]

If you want to get into strength design, etc. then glue the exterior plywood to the foam and frame pieces and also glue the interior luan to the foam/framing to create a sandwich. You'll get much more strength out of the combined components.

 

[Gunslinger1]

glue and screw

I have made up most of my panels except for the top and cab over shelf. I glued with liquid nails, and screwed all the 1/4" plywood and luan to the 2x4 peremeter frame as well as the 2x2 16" center frame studs. I will have to say the panels are a little heavy but you can stand them on the corners and jump up and down on them.They dont give. I started with 1 1/4" decking screws but am changing over to 1 5/8" decking screws. I plan to replace all the 1 1/4" screws with the 1 5/8" screws. They hold a lot better and Im in no hurry.
I wont this to be a tough trail camper that dont fall apart while in the back country. I picked up the rest of my materials yesterday and found some new Glidden paint that is a gel made outdoor trim paint, ex high gloss for doors and shutters that you can put on with a brush and it leaves no brush marks and does not run easy. My plan is to paint all my panels while laying on the saw horse and let them dry. Then all I will have to do is fiberglass the corners and paint them when I put it all togeather. The Glidden was $17.00 per quart and boat hull paint at west marine was $38.00 a quart. The resin lays flat with no brush marks as well so the finish should be as good as any RV, I hope.

 

[pods8]

If you're using that type of paint product, glidden also makes a floor & porch paint in both latex and oil based. I used the oil base to recoat the floor of my FWC and was pleased.

 

[eugene]

One thing I did for mine was I found a woodworking place to buy the plywood. Same cost as a box store but better quality.
I'm using a gloss exterior paint too, though it could be a little smoother and shinier. I haven't had good luck with glidden paint, we've use it in the house and their normal paint peels off and their 0voc doesn't mix well. Lowes now has a 0 voc I used at home and it works better, going to check them for a nice outdoor paint.
post a pic of how you stand them them when jumping up and down and I'll try with my 1x2 and 1/8" ply and see how it compares.