Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I bought my trailer used for $3500.00. Altogether I have less than $6,000 in it.
New Hunting Trailer / Camper / Toy Hauler build - Follow along!
- Thread starter GOSHENGRUNTER
- Start date
Working on prepping the floor for coating today. Decided to leave the floor in place. Eventually, I will take it to my buddies shop, put it on a lift, and insulate the underside from there.
Prep work on the floor includes: Sanding a few rough spots, Filling cracks with paintable caulk, cutting out holes for d-rings and floor port.
I'll cut the plumbing holes in last because I'm not 100% sure where my drains will be and there is a lot im not sure of yet with the bathroom situation.
A question that I'm obviously getting asked a lot is how much something like this will cost. I'll update as I go but below is my estimated budget. I'm cutting zero corners on this project and probably going a little too intense on some things...but...My wife got lots of vacations in this summer and loves me so its ok ;-) Budget is rounded for ease.
Budget:
NEW Trailer, tax, tag, title- $3500
Electric System- $1200
Water System- $300
Floor coating and accessories- $200
Lights, vents, switches- $500
Insulation and walls- $400
New tires- $150 (Keeping old ones as spares)
Bathroom- $300
Total 'budget' $6,550- roughly.
We will see how close I stay. I'll update final numbers as I go. Its not cheap, but not unreasonable in my opinion either, considering I'll spend about 30 nights a year in it.
Prep work on the floor includes: Sanding a few rough spots, Filling cracks with paintable caulk, cutting out holes for d-rings and floor port.
I'll cut the plumbing holes in last because I'm not 100% sure where my drains will be and there is a lot im not sure of yet with the bathroom situation.
A question that I'm obviously getting asked a lot is how much something like this will cost. I'll update as I go but below is my estimated budget. I'm cutting zero corners on this project and probably going a little too intense on some things...but...My wife got lots of vacations in this summer and loves me so its ok ;-) Budget is rounded for ease.
Budget:
NEW Trailer, tax, tag, title- $3500
Electric System- $1200
Water System- $300
Floor coating and accessories- $200
Lights, vents, switches- $500
Insulation and walls- $400
New tires- $150 (Keeping old ones as spares)
Bathroom- $300
Total 'budget' $6,550- roughly.
We will see how close I stay. I'll update final numbers as I go. Its not cheap, but not unreasonable in my opinion either, considering I'll spend about 30 nights a year in it.
Lots of light showing in around the floor. Eventually, I'll caulk it in from underneath but I also want extra insulation. So I sprayed some great stuff all around the flooring sealing up gaps. I'll trim this before sealing and painting. I also pulled half the wood off the rear door so I can insulate and seal that. The springs are super well balanced so its impossible to keep the door down after taking off 20# of wood.
It's very stuff and hot in here! Going to cut in the roof vent tomorrow just to make it more bearable while working.
Next, I laid out the floor port. My kid helped drill the holes. He asked what the purpose of this hole was. I explained it was for sweeping dust out when we were camping but didn't want to open the door. More importantly, it's a nice hole to pee out of when its zero degrees outside...assuming I don't put in a bathroom. He then tried out the hole. Luckily he has good aim! You can also see the great stuff around the perimeter.
It's very stuff and hot in here! Going to cut in the roof vent tomorrow just to make it more bearable while working.
Next, I laid out the floor port. My kid helped drill the holes. He asked what the purpose of this hole was. I explained it was for sweeping dust out when we were camping but didn't want to open the door. More importantly, it's a nice hole to pee out of when its zero degrees outside...assuming I don't put in a bathroom. He then tried out the hole. Luckily he has good aim! You can also see the great stuff around the perimeter.
JimP
Administrator
I highly suggest that if it is too cold to let it dangle outside that you use a bucket or old coffee can and then dump it through the hole if you wish.
Even the best of us have a hard time aiming at 3am in the morning. And if you don't believe me just ask your wife.
On the heat in the trailer and trying to work in it, get a fan that will blow outside air into it while you are working in it. It will help a lot just with the air circulating.
Even the best of us have a hard time aiming at 3am in the morning. And if you don't believe me just ask your wife.
On the heat in the trailer and trying to work in it, get a fan that will blow outside air into it while you are working in it. It will help a lot just with the air circulating.
Finished insulating the door tonight. I trimmed the excess great stuff from the floor and stuffed it into the door. The latches were going to be difficult to remove and get back in the correct position so I left them on and used several cans of great stuff to fill and seal the remainder of the door. After it's epoxied, I'll caulk the perimeter as well. Once I got the cavity filled, I filled the remaining door section...
After the insulation, I screwed the boards back in and started to fill all the holes and cracks with paintable caulk. I wanted to use a stronger filler but I'm concerned with the ability of the epoxy to bind correctly.
Last project for the night was painting the floor, door and trim pieces I'll use later with Kilz. I got one coat on and it feels a little thin. Going to add a second thick coat tomorrow before putting down the epoxy. I purchased SuperCoat floor epoxy knowing I'd be using Kilz on the floor. It's one of few epoxies that work with wood AND Kilz. Luckily I knew this from past projects, but if any of you try this, be sure to read the labels because the most popular brands dont work on wood and sometimes don't bind to Kilz primer/sealer.
Tomorrow's projects- Last coat of Kilz, epoxy the floor and ramp door. Might get the vent fan in too but the epoxy needs cure time. Very possible I have to take a couple days break for it to cure all the way. G'night!
After the insulation, I screwed the boards back in and started to fill all the holes and cracks with paintable caulk. I wanted to use a stronger filler but I'm concerned with the ability of the epoxy to bind correctly.
Last project for the night was painting the floor, door and trim pieces I'll use later with Kilz. I got one coat on and it feels a little thin. Going to add a second thick coat tomorrow before putting down the epoxy. I purchased SuperCoat floor epoxy knowing I'd be using Kilz on the floor. It's one of few epoxies that work with wood AND Kilz. Luckily I knew this from past projects, but if any of you try this, be sure to read the labels because the most popular brands dont work on wood and sometimes don't bind to Kilz primer/sealer.
Tomorrow's projects- Last coat of Kilz, epoxy the floor and ramp door. Might get the vent fan in too but the epoxy needs cure time. Very possible I have to take a couple days break for it to cure all the way. G'night!
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
- 3,815
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That must have cost a fortune in spray foam.
Did you look into using the closed cell stull for the walls and spray foam the edges to get airtight?
Did you look into using the closed cell stull for the walls and spray foam the edges to get airtight?
Only cost $13 in foam. I have some of the closed cell 2part but my thinking is that its too heavy for the door. Because I'll end up caulking it, it'll seal airtight anyway.
Tip for buying great stuff- They package their product horribly and lowes/depot usually have damaged cans if you ask. I paid $2 per can and bought all the damaged ones they had.
Got the second coat of kilz on the floor, door and trim pieces. Taped up and ready for epoxy-
Next, the epoxy floor from SuperCoat went down. Pretty easy application. Don't get this stuff anywhere you don't want it forever. Mineral Spirits seem to remove most of what I didn't want covered. Finished product looks pretty good. You can still the seems where i the plywood meets but otherwise its smooth.
Next, the epoxy floor from SuperCoat went down. Pretty easy application. Don't get this stuff anywhere you don't want it forever. Mineral Spirits seem to remove most of what I didn't want covered. Finished product looks pretty good. You can still the seems where i the plywood meets but otherwise its smooth.
dirtclod Az.
Veteran member
Thanks! I'm happy with it. I think it'll hold up pretty wellThat Epoxy turned out pretty darn good.
archeranthony
Active Member
JimP
Administrator
Have you thought about putting a 2 inch receiver hitch on the rear of it? A simple bolt on one would work. It would be nice for some of the accessories that you can mount on it.
Got the vent fan cut in and installed today. I saved room if i want to put an actual AC unit in later, but this Maxx air fan had great reviews. Waterproofing is a huge concern, so after cutting and fitting the hole, I cleaned the area with alcohol. Then, I used Butyl tape under the frame. After the screws went in, I covered everything with self-leveling Dicor sealant.
A feature I liked about this particular fan is its low profile in transit but can raise and get more airflow depending on the needed use.
After getting the fan in, I started with the biggest project of this whole build.....The solar system! Step 1 was installing the 2- 100w Renogy solar panels. Only one came in and the second was backordered so I measured, spaced and put it down. Again, I drilled, cleaned and put butyl under the brackets. I'll add Dicor over the whole thing once its hooked up 100%. I also got an adapter to wire the panels in parallel. The it goes into the roof with a rubber gasket. Butyl and dicor again here.
Once I got the panel on, I ran the wires inside. I installed the MPPT charge controlled to the wall and hooked up the solar wires. This is pretty much where the easy part of the solar system stops so I'm calling it quits here for today. I plan an entire day finishing the solar setup and wiring. The blue thing on the floor is a 3000w inverter/charger. This will turn my 12v DC power in AC and alos allow me to charge the batteries when under shore power. The 2x3 on the floor marks where the front cabinet will start.
A feature I liked about this particular fan is its low profile in transit but can raise and get more airflow depending on the needed use.
After getting the fan in, I started with the biggest project of this whole build.....The solar system! Step 1 was installing the 2- 100w Renogy solar panels. Only one came in and the second was backordered so I measured, spaced and put it down. Again, I drilled, cleaned and put butyl under the brackets. I'll add Dicor over the whole thing once its hooked up 100%. I also got an adapter to wire the panels in parallel. The it goes into the roof with a rubber gasket. Butyl and dicor again here.
Once I got the panel on, I ran the wires inside. I installed the MPPT charge controlled to the wall and hooked up the solar wires. This is pretty much where the easy part of the solar system stops so I'm calling it quits here for today. I plan an entire day finishing the solar setup and wiring. The blue thing on the floor is a 3000w inverter/charger. This will turn my 12v DC power in AC and alos allow me to charge the batteries when under shore power. The 2x3 on the floor marks where the front cabinet will start.
JimP
Administrator
One more suggestion for you, on the solar panels if you go camping somewhere that there is a possibility of snow that won't melt off for a while have some way to get up on top where you can brush them off. My brother in law has them on the top of his slide in camper and when it snows I am the lucky one to take a broom up to get the snow off of them so that they can do their job. It isn't bad since he has a ladder on the back of his camper.
Pluggin away on some piddly tasks today. Windows came in the mail so I got both lined out. Only had time to cut and install one of them today:
Drilled a few wire holes in the exterior for 12v lights. Nothing worth showing there yet. Mounted the Inverter/Charger to the wall and wired up the shore power. Going to get the batteries this weekend, so I'm kind of at a stand still until I get those. Second solar panel came in also. I changed the wiring from parallel to series. Getting a hair over 40 volts so I'm pretty happy with that. Spent the rest of my work time watching caulk dry and putting up some insulation.
The whole thing is starting to look like a mess....so I know I'm on the right track! Tomorrow I hope to get the second window in and get them both sealed. Then I'll insulate 36" up the wall so I can get the lower plywood back up. Still need to run wiring on the top half. Water system should be in stock any day now so I'll knock that out when it comes in. This thing has been a lot of work but its a really enjoyable project!
Drilled a few wire holes in the exterior for 12v lights. Nothing worth showing there yet. Mounted the Inverter/Charger to the wall and wired up the shore power. Going to get the batteries this weekend, so I'm kind of at a stand still until I get those. Second solar panel came in also. I changed the wiring from parallel to series. Getting a hair over 40 volts so I'm pretty happy with that. Spent the rest of my work time watching caulk dry and putting up some insulation.
The whole thing is starting to look like a mess....so I know I'm on the right track! Tomorrow I hope to get the second window in and get them both sealed. Then I'll insulate 36" up the wall so I can get the lower plywood back up. Still need to run wiring on the top half. Water system should be in stock any day now so I'll knock that out when it comes in. This thing has been a lot of work but its a really enjoyable project!
king1886ranch
New Member
- Aug 25, 2019
- 3
- 0
Man you're making progress fast! I've been kicking around the idea of making a mobile walk-in cool room. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your process.
LCH
Very Active Member
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
- 3,815
- 3,011
Slugz
Veteran member
Looks awesome. Whole thing looks great!
Something I thought of while looking at pics. I used to haul horses alot when the kids were younger all over west of the Mississippi. Anything that was plastic on top got destoyed one trip or another by hail. I used to have an extra vent cover as that seemed to always break first.
Thanks for the posts!!
Something I thought of while looking at pics. I used to haul horses alot when the kids were younger all over west of the Mississippi. Anything that was plastic on top got destoyed one trip or another by hail. I used to have an extra vent cover as that seemed to always break first.
Thanks for the posts!!