Cascade by Ben Cox
13 November 2007
It has been a long time since I last posted but I have finished much of the camper. The outside is almost 100% complete. I used uncrimped steel for the skin. The total cost for the steel was $286 and it weighed about 200 lbs. I am pleased with the overall appearance except for a few “wobbles” and “bows” in it. I should have had 4 or 5 people helping me put it on so that we could have held it closer to the sides. I also put this on the top and it too worked pretty well. The batting insulation gave me some problems. If I had to do it again I might put thin paneling on top too. I used aluminum carpet molding for the corners and where the siding met. This worked great and looks pretty good. It was only $5 per 8 ft stick at Lowes. I put the clearance lights, out side lights, and back porch lights on too. Along with the windows, molding, and vents, this helps hold the tin in place. I found some tri-colored strips at JC Whitney in silver, charcoal, and black that are 5-6 inches wide. They look pretty good. I also found a great tailgate decal at decalstore.com for the front of the camper.
As for the inside, all is done except the bathroom. I have the shower pan with a built-in holding tank for the toilet. I am now waiting on the holding tank for the shower. I should be able to complete the restroom in a weekend. I installed plenty of 12 volt lights along with a converter, hot water tank, and breaker box under the sink. I used an exterior breaker box since it was under the cabinet. I used plywood for the cabinet doors and the table. Two vents were installed in the roof, one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. I used a pre-fab countertop in the kitchen and a bar sink so that it did not take up too much space. I did not install a stove because we do not use the one in our travel trailer. I did, however, put in a 12 volt range hood so the we can use an electric skillet and have it vented. My wife covered the cushions and I used the same material to make covers for the windows along with miniblinds. I changed plans on the air conditioner and used a portable unit so that we can use it elsewhere. I used a dryer vent to vent it to the outside.
I used a standard queen mattress for the bed and my wife made curtains for it.
The jacks have been installed and I use two metal saw horses to help support the camper with the jacks when it is off the truck.
I hope to have it completed next week.
Re. steel. I realize that the weight was more than the aluminum and at some point it may rust. Reed's calculated the weight for me at about 200 lbs. ( I cannot remember the exact figure.) For the problem with corrosion resistance, many homes are being roofed with this material and have held up fine. I do not know exactly what the shipping would have been on ordering the aluminum siding, but I am sure that it could approach the price that I paid for the material that I used. I was able to order one day and pick it up the next day. It does have a white enamel paint with a 25 year warranty, although I am sure that my application would void any warranty. I purchased the siding at Reed's Metals in Brookhaven MS. The company rolls out the tin and crimps it in several configurations of your choice. I simply asked that it not be crimped. There are several of these types of companies across the state, so I guess that there would be this type of material available in any area.
Ben
