POD: Homebuilt foam core fiberglass skin pop-up camper build thread

[enelson]

Laminating directly to XPS or EPS directly is asking for delimitation. Normal construction with an EPS core is to bond a thin layer of high density foam, like Divinycell, to the EPS before the outside layers of fiberglass are laminated. This adds toughness to the composite panel. Also, most products that use EPS core also have vent plugs to keep them from delaminating due to heating/cooling.

 

[pods8]

There ya go, not recommended. Hindsight 20-20, its in the past mov'n on and not recommended for others.

 

[Dreamer]

Laminating directly to XPS or EPS directly is asking for delimitation. Normal construction with an EPS core is to bond a thin layer of high density foam, like Divinycell, to the EPS before the outside layers of fiberglass are laminated. This adds toughness to the composite panel. Also, most products that use EPS core also have vent plugs to keep them from delaminating due to heating/cooling.

I think everyone that followed this thread is curious how to do diy foam core fiberglass construction properly with the best value and least amount of labor. You seem knowledgeable. Do you mind sharing some good resources for learning more about it?

 

[enelson]

The easiest way would be to buy pre built panels and glue it together, like a Total Composites kit. There are several ways to build from scratch ranging from building your own panels to constructing a mold like a production boat. The mold making would be an insane amount of work. When I’ve considered building a camper I’ve bounced between getting a Total Composites kit and building similarly but making my own panels. My experience comes from working on sailboats and other water toys so I’d probably ignore the thermal R value of the materials and build with what I know how to work with, namely balsa or PVC foam core with vacuum bag laminated fiberglass or carbon fiber skins. The most affordable way would be to glass over marine plywood and you’d only need to glass the outside facing surfaces.

With any of the from scratch methods the finishing takes a huge amount of time. Sanding, fairing, and painting can be frustrating. The Total Composites kits are pre-finished and would save a ton of time.

 

[Dreamer]

Thanks. That FUSO on the Total Composites website is delux.

Balsa core and vacuum bag lamination sounds laborious and expensive. What intrigues me most about foam core fiberglass construction is the flexibility of shapes (aerodynamics, seamless corners, round shapes, etc), strength to weight ratio, and the insulation. Building the molds though is difficult and time consuming. I would love to find successful methods of using inexpensive foam that can be constructed first and then carved into smooth corners that become seamless after typical fiberglass application, requiring no molds. But I am dreaming. Delamination seems to be the single problem that prevents simple construction.

Total Composites is very intriguing. Thanks for sharing.

 

[enelson]

I have a bunch of left over vacuum bag consumables, so its free. I also have plenty of fiberglass and carbon cloth. Balsa core is pretty inexpensive compared to other core options. I’ve been modifying my Alaskan (interior) lately and carbon over balsa is my version of plywood. Finally, glueing Wilson Art laminate onto the carbon, which adds some weight. Just got back from a week around Bryce Canyon and the mods worked out great! I highly recommend Fleximake water bladders.

 

[rdmarshall]

Just picked up this thread (2 years later). Thanks for posting this it was super interesting, and even though your camper didn't work out there was still a lot of great ideas along the way. Engineering is just as much about design failure as it is success and documenting the way *not* to go (and why) also saves others a lot of trouble. Cheers