Make a Cardboard Model Caravan
A satisfying alternative to model kits. Make your own realistic looking model caravans from old cardboard, balsa wood etc. Blue Peter ? Never heard of it !
Contents
Steps
Create Outline of Caravan Trailer
- Get a breakfast cereal box.
- Cut it up.
- Make a sketch of what each side of the trailer will look like.
- Using a pencil, draw the outline shape on one of the sides of the box.
- Remember that one side won't have a door (a few caravans did have doors both sides, but most don't).
- Use the bare, unprinted side of the cardboard for the outside.
- This is easier to draw on and paint sticks to it much better because the primer soaks in and seals it as well.
- Once you've got the outline of one side of the caravan, use it as a template, and draw round it on the other piece of cardboard so you'll have the other side of the caravan.
- Mark out where the window holes need to be cut, and door for whichever side it's going on. Most have the door on what would be the passenger side of a car.
- Decide if you want an opening door or not. For a 'pretend' one, score out the shape using an empty ballpoint pen. The same pen can also be used to make any rivet marks (as you'd have on an old caravan).
Start Creating the Caravan Trailer
- Next, make the floor. Getting the caravan in proportion is important, and it's easy to make the floor too narrow. Test this with a few bits of paper to make sure it's how you want it. Very thick cardboard is good for this like cardboard from a ring binder folder. Be extremely careful not to amputate any fingers when cutting this. It does take a bit of time because you need a decent sharp Stanley knife. Scissors are not ideal because they will bend or crease this thick cardboard, or the scissors may even break.
- Once you have the floor shape cut out, you need to stick balsa wood all around the outside shape for both sides of the caravan. Follow the shape as closely as possible. When it's done, allow the glue to set, and then sandpaper off any excess so you've got a smooth shape (like it was before you added the balsa wood.
- Next job is the front and back ends of the caravan. These are easy, as it's just straight edges with holes for the windows. This can be just done with cereal box cardboard for now.
- Glue the sides to the floor. Allow the glue to set well before attempting to stick the ends on. And make sure the sides are aligned correctly before gluing the ends on, or the caravan might look like a crooked house or an insurance write off.
- By now it's probably starting to resemble a caravan. Now you have a choice. Do you want this caravan to have an interior or not. If you have the time and inclination, go for it. If not, it will look fine anyway, but you need to make some curtains. If you're going for an interior, plan it now. Definitely don't wait until you've stuck the roof on.
- Cut a piece of balsa to fit across the top of each end of the caravan. Glue this in and you're ready to start putting in the roof beams. These are the same size and length as the two you've just glued in at the top of either end. (parallel to the ends). 5 is a good amount. Distribute them evenly spaced apart all along the length of the roof. After this is done, you can cut sections of cardboard to use as the roof. If you want authenticity, and have a steady enough hand to cut very narrow strips of cardboard trim, do it. Also, this trim is good for covering up the joins in different sections of cardboard used to make the roof.
- It's best to wait until the caravan is finished and painted before making curtains or windows. This saves getting dust or paint on them. It's slightly tricky to fix curtains in position once the roof is on, but if you've got this far, you'll manage.
- When the main body of the caravan is finished, make the 'A' frame. For strength, it can be made to run far enough under the caravan so the suspension can attach to it, but it isn't essential.
- Caravan models can have cardboard wheels, but if you made more than one caravan, you might get bored because of the time it takes to make each one individually. Make a mould of one, using plastic padding car body filler, and then use glass fibre resin. Pour into the mould. The only problem with this is that it's hard to stop the resin from sticking so well to the mould that it breaks when you try to separate them. Use Copydex glue, painted into the mould, as this helps to get the wheel out afterwards.
- Paint everything with primer. Once it's properly dried, and if you want a nice smooth finish, lightly rub it down with some fine (1000 or 1200 grade) wet and dry sandpaper.
- Then the nice bit. Putting on the top coat. Take care to get rid of all the dust before you do this, or it will show through the paint and spoil the finish.
- Windows can be made by simply cutting the shape from clear plastic. To make them look like they have frames, cut thin strips of masking tape, and stick this around the outside edges of the plastic. You will need to do this on the inside as well as the outside because the glue holds them in better if there is masking tape on the inside where it fixes to the walls of the caravan. You can paint the masking tape with aluminum coloured Humbrol paint.
- Axle & Suspension: This can be purely functional, or you can make it look realistic as well. The quickest and easiest way is a single phone card with a piece of coat hanger wire attached. Put a slight bend in the phone card. A cigarette lighter works well for this, but you may have to experiment with a few until you get it right. Make two holes in one end of the card, attach the axle to the other. Fit the wheels. Fix them on (and to stop them coming off) using small strips of electrical wire insulation. You can expand this so it fits properly by sliding it over a wooden cocktail stick. A brief bit of heat from a lighter helps it to stay the size you need it to be. Once the wheels are on and you're happy that they're in the right position, you can put a tiny bit of glue on to hold them, but this is optional.
- Line up the suspension / axle assembly under the caravan. When the wheels are lined up with the wheel arches, mark the position, and then glue it on. To give it some extra strength, you could glue a layer of cereal box cardboard over this to hold it. You could use very short self tapping screws to hold this on.
Tips
- General note: If in doubt, improvise. If it works, do it.
Warnings
- These are models, not toys, so avoid letting young children play with them.
Things You'll Need
- Cereal boxes
- Tea bag boxes
- Balsa wood
- Balsa cement
- Red oxide primer
- Humbrol model paint
- Clear plastic (for windows)
- Metal coat hanger (for axle)
- Phone cards, or any other available plastic cards (for suspension)
- Sandpaper
- Masking tape
- Optional—car body filler and glass fibre resin for wheels.
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