This is a copy of a reply he sent to a member of another forum. I have no 'dog in this fight' I just thought the camper looked decent, I missed the wrinkles in the roof.
"Thanks to everyone for the comments and thoughts. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time and it's been a lot of fun and very rewarding.
So as I've just recently started down this road of building campers for others - I haven't wanted to take any chances structurally. This is the main reason for not using reclaimed materials. My priorities have been structural integrity, staying lightweight (910 lbs as pictured), keeping them reasonably affordable ($8,500 as pictured) and as good looking as possible. Reclaimed cedar with great physical/mechanical properties is not only very expensive, but is nearly impossible to source in my area. Plus, I think there's probably case to be made for using western Red cedar and hemlock vs. the fiberglass, aluminum, plastics, etc. that conventional campers are made of.
I'd be happy to talk more about design, material choices, construction, etc with anyone wanting to know more or who might be interested in building their own camper. I'm not necessarily the authority on the subject, but I do have a good understanding of wood properties and engineering with wood. Thanks again for the interest and conversation.
Peter Pavlowich
casualturtlecampers@gmail.com
"
Courage is endurance for one moment moreโฆ
Unknown Marine Second Lieutenant in Vietnam