What a mess!!

[ScouterMom]

Any good suggestion on an easier way to get rid of the foam without poking holes in the aluminum?  I started in on my moldy starcraft yesterday, and it is very difficult to get any chunks lager than, say, an oreo cookie.  the mold/ mildew seems to have worked it's way thru everything.  looks like black thread thru the styrofoam. Yet the foam was glued on really well and it's about an inch thick - I'm afraid to go at it too roughly for fear I'll puncture the aluminum skin.  

the mold set off my allergies bad - I had a miserable night trying to sleep all stuffed up last night. I really need to get as much of it out as I can - as the grandkids have worse allergies than mine.

I had two ideas -

one was to heat the outside skin of the camper - with, say, a regular iron or maybe a hair dryer or heat gun - hoping it would loosen the glue and make it come off easier.  

the other one - which I'm going to try first, is that I got a roto stripper to go on the drill - except that it's plastic, not metal, whip ends. I thought it would chew into the foam pretty fast without cutting the aluminum.  I'm going to try it tomorrow after church - we're having a very low-key Easter, and I plan to spend my extra day off working on the camper.

If anyone else has any good ideas for working the stuff loose - please share!

Laura

[roanoke91]

A wire wheel brush on your drill might work as long as you do not put much pressure on the other skin once you make contact with it. I would try and pull or scrape (putty knife) as much of it off first before using the brush. Don't worry so much about cleaning it down smooth with the skin. The glue will fill in any sunken spots if you put it on thick enough. I didn't have to remove much foam off my skirts, maybe an inch along the bottom. I had no apparent mold visible, but I cleaned with bleach anyway. I'll think on it some more and post if I come up with anything else.

[roanoke91]

One more thing!
Make sure the final thickness of the outer skin, 1st layer of glue, foam, 2nd layer of glue and interior paneling doesn't exceed a greater thickness than will allow it to fit snugly back into the bottom roof rail when finished. Make some measurements before you tear out the old.

[dirtracin]

I did take the measurements before I bought the supplies, the foam is 3/4 and the paneling is 1/4, off to Lowes tomorrow for the glue, the FIL wants to go to Cabella's tomorrow and it's on the way

Thanks

One more thing!
Make sure the final thickness of the outer skin, 1st layer of glue, foam, 2nd layer of glue and interior paneling doesn't exceed a greater thickness than will allow it to fit snugly back into the bottom roof rail when finished. Make some measurements before you tear out the old.

[dirtracin]

Ok I have replaced everything on one end, now i'm continuing on the side, any suggestion's on what to use for a brace for the sides?

Thanks