After I realized the fond memories of waking up to frost on my sleeping bag weren't really enhanced by a few yards of nylon hung from fiberglass poles, the camper trailer bug hit me. I ran across diesel heaters and that only made it worse. Owning a 5x8 added to the delusion I could build something. I determined it was actually a 3,500 gross weight utility instead of my mistaken notion of being a half ton and down the rabbit hole I went.
Very basic principles of camping shelter to protect and preserve human life from the environment, plus how we aren't really the elegant beings we like to think we are, coupled with 22 years in the military reserves, I've discovered I have a different view of how we abuse them.
A camping trailer is really a lot like a horse trailer, just for humans, and like livestock trailers, needs to be hose down capable. LIterally, open the door, drag it in and hit the nozzle wash out proof. Just like rubber mats in working pickup trucks, vs carpeting and Bose Stereo, you can use your vehicle or you can dance around trying to keep it pristine and lose the battle. This is why we see seat covers, mats over the carpets, etc trying to protect all the luxury while we slip into the seat dripping wet from a storm with mud up to our ankles after changing a flat.
Life happens, and when you deliberately choose to get off the asphalt it happens according to Mother Nature's rules. Many who have similar experiences understand it's not all glamping.
So, the proposed camper pod I envision sliding onto the 5x8 - because its what I have and my generation deals with challenges for the fun of it - not only needs to be warm enough for November use, but also capable of some severe weather abuse I will drag into it. And child resistant isn't a bad thing, either. Who knows when grand kids get involved.
You can see why this might lead to the next conclusion, no natural cellulose building materials. We, as homeowners, by and large, tend to drag into our building plans what we know, to exploit what skills we have in construction. All too often tho, the results aren't all that - we are attempting a log cabin and expecting it to lift off and fly. This is where the original camper builder took that leap in design. Airstream got started at a time when the leading edge in mobility fabrication was the huge leap forward from canvas and spar biplanes to metal struts and aluminum skin. He made the right decision - trailers are anything but static and subject to a lot of forces while in motion. So, I'm investigating steel stud construction. Lighter than 2x4s and lots of room for insulation.
There i also dynamics involved. if you installed a coffee maker in a jet fighter, would you just plug it in and sit it on the floor? I don't think a hot pot dumped in Tom Cruise's lap would be a good thing. This is why we research what cabinet drawer pulls with locks or door catches are needed. There is also the importance of keeping the camper vertical on it's wheels while cruising down the Interstate. They do explode when they go turtle at 70 mph. Approaching all this over the last 6 months, there are a lot of inputs of a very basic nature that seem to be lacking when the big picture is considered. I won't say those building with plywood or luan paneling are doing it wrong, Im suggesting that perhaps ABS glass filled sheets - same kind used in commercial restrooms - might be considered.
Hose down proof.
There is a lot more to consider, but it would ramble on. Basic foundational concepts, tho, tend to get ignored in the race to get something constructed. These are the ones Im highlighting, for others, they may not rank highly. We all have our priorities, the point is to get them down - in writing, if necessary - so that as the project proceeds there are measuring sticks to control selection of design and materials. Like, money. Another significant issue, ie, debt free? Or, weight, which isn't always as significant as it needs to be until that day the rolling assembly is parked on a scale and Oh My.
But first, I need to rebuild the old trailer and give it a coat of paint. It's showing some neglect over the last 20 years. And BTW, it's a tilt, that has to go and in a way to correct the dynamics of axle placement. It's always something.
Very basic principles of camping shelter to protect and preserve human life from the environment, plus how we aren't really the elegant beings we like to think we are, coupled with 22 years in the military reserves, I've discovered I have a different view of how we abuse them.
A camping trailer is really a lot like a horse trailer, just for humans, and like livestock trailers, needs to be hose down capable. LIterally, open the door, drag it in and hit the nozzle wash out proof. Just like rubber mats in working pickup trucks, vs carpeting and Bose Stereo, you can use your vehicle or you can dance around trying to keep it pristine and lose the battle. This is why we see seat covers, mats over the carpets, etc trying to protect all the luxury while we slip into the seat dripping wet from a storm with mud up to our ankles after changing a flat.
Life happens, and when you deliberately choose to get off the asphalt it happens according to Mother Nature's rules. Many who have similar experiences understand it's not all glamping.
So, the proposed camper pod I envision sliding onto the 5x8 - because its what I have and my generation deals with challenges for the fun of it - not only needs to be warm enough for November use, but also capable of some severe weather abuse I will drag into it. And child resistant isn't a bad thing, either. Who knows when grand kids get involved.
You can see why this might lead to the next conclusion, no natural cellulose building materials. We, as homeowners, by and large, tend to drag into our building plans what we know, to exploit what skills we have in construction. All too often tho, the results aren't all that - we are attempting a log cabin and expecting it to lift off and fly. This is where the original camper builder took that leap in design. Airstream got started at a time when the leading edge in mobility fabrication was the huge leap forward from canvas and spar biplanes to metal struts and aluminum skin. He made the right decision - trailers are anything but static and subject to a lot of forces while in motion. So, I'm investigating steel stud construction. Lighter than 2x4s and lots of room for insulation.
There i also dynamics involved. if you installed a coffee maker in a jet fighter, would you just plug it in and sit it on the floor? I don't think a hot pot dumped in Tom Cruise's lap would be a good thing. This is why we research what cabinet drawer pulls with locks or door catches are needed. There is also the importance of keeping the camper vertical on it's wheels while cruising down the Interstate. They do explode when they go turtle at 70 mph. Approaching all this over the last 6 months, there are a lot of inputs of a very basic nature that seem to be lacking when the big picture is considered. I won't say those building with plywood or luan paneling are doing it wrong, Im suggesting that perhaps ABS glass filled sheets - same kind used in commercial restrooms - might be considered.
Hose down proof.
There is a lot more to consider, but it would ramble on. Basic foundational concepts, tho, tend to get ignored in the race to get something constructed. These are the ones Im highlighting, for others, they may not rank highly. We all have our priorities, the point is to get them down - in writing, if necessary - so that as the project proceeds there are measuring sticks to control selection of design and materials. Like, money. Another significant issue, ie, debt free? Or, weight, which isn't always as significant as it needs to be until that day the rolling assembly is parked on a scale and Oh My.
But first, I need to rebuild the old trailer and give it a coat of paint. It's showing some neglect over the last 20 years. And BTW, it's a tilt, that has to go and in a way to correct the dynamics of axle placement. It's always something.