Hello, also, from Colorado

[RPH]

Although we have not until now logged onto the forum to ask questions or make comments we have spent a lot of time researching it and have gained much valuable info.
We just completed building a slightly modified Widget 7 trailer. We lowered the height and built it with a footwell. Since I am 6'-3" tall there is no way I was going to attempt to achieve full headroom in a small trailer. Our modified Widget does however permit headroom in the galley area for my wife who is 5'- 3" tall.
We built the trailer primarily for winter use (staying near a local ski area). We can park it in a year-round park in a town about 8 miles from the area and use it a few days each week. The park has facilities for showering and other needs and charges a small monthly fee for storage and a daily fee when used. The walls, floor, and ceiling are well insulated and are a minimum of 2" thick. It is heated by a built-in electric heater complete with thermostat. We recently tested it at home when temperatures dropped to minus 13 degrees and had no problem bringing it up to and maintaining a comfortable inside temperature
We want to take this opportunity to thank "ANGIB", from "olde" England, for so generously supplying plans for the well designed small trailer . The plans were very helpful and gave us the confidence to undertake the project. Also we want to thank all the forum members who answered the many questions we had (without us needing to ask). Also we don't want
to forget "MADJACK" for info about bending edge trim. He was absolutely correct about its bending properties even though the people who supply it don't know about this and were reluctant to sell it to us for this application.
We have gained much knowledge in the coarse of building this trailer and are more than willing to share it with the forum
Pamela & Ron

[angib]

Pamela and Ron,

Welcome. That's a very fine trailer you've built with lots of nice workmanship and materials. I'm glad to have been of some help to you, though clearly there's a lot more of your own design work than mine in this trailer.

Bev should also take a bow, since it was for her that this design was first developed and now she gets to see it 'in the flesh'. You've even got separate, permanent bed and dinette like Bev wanted!

I would be interested to know any dimensions you changed, what material thicknesses you used for major parts and if you have weighed the trailer - having done a fairly detailed weight estimate for this trailer, it would be good to know if I got the answer somewhere close....

Congratulations on a good job,
Andrew

[Loader]

Welcome Pamela and Ron,

What a nice trailer! I love the multi use interior, dinette, sleep, and coffee!

Again, very nice!

[RPH]

Thank you all for the kind remarks.

Andrew,
I will send you a dxf file if you like when I get time. In the meantime I will say this. The headroom was dropped approximately 5.25 inches. The overall width was increased to 79 inches to accomodate more insulation without decreasing the bunk length. The axle was changed to a Dexter #9 66" wheel centers. The floor was 1x2 and 2x2 framing with 3/8" MDO on top and 1/4" AC fir under with the addition of the footwell. The sides were 1x2 and 2x2 and laminated 1/4x2 framing with 3/8" MDO outside and 5mm luan inside. The roof was 5mm luan on 1x2 and 2x2 frames with doorskin ply on the inside. The windows were built up of clear fir and glazed with two layers of 1/4" Lexan. They are fixed. The interior is 6mm and 9mm Baltic Birch with 1x1 clear pine cleats where needed. If your not familiar with MDO plywood; it is exterior fir plywood with a resin inpregnated parchment overlay. It was originally manufactured for exterior signs and takes a very nice finish.

We are planning to take the trailer to town (28 miles) tomorrow,weather permitting, to get it weighed . I'll let you know what it weighs when I know.
The tongue weight (bathroom scale) is approximately 150 lbs with the trailer not completely set up. When loaded with skiis and other gear (at rear of axle under bunk) I expect this figure to be slightly less.

Ron

[beverlyt]

Pamala and Ron,
Hello! I'm absolutely THRILLED to see the Widget built and what a SWEET trailer you've built, might I add!

I always felt a bit bad about all the work Andrew had put into my big plans of building a Widget, and then us changing our minds at the last minute............. (but it was a lot less building:


I love the size of the Widget. (A bit smaller than our Compact) I'll be interested to see what it weighs also. (Our Compact pictured above weighed 1400 on the scales)

You've done a wonderful job and again, I'm just so excited to see a REAL ONE!



Bev

[apratt]

RPH you did a super fine job on your trailer. I like how you have a full time bed and a full time dinette. What size is your bed. Also I like how you did the porta potty. And a niffy idea on the galley lights.

[dwgriff1]

I am really impressed with your problem solving. Good craftsmanship as well.

Seems like there is a whole world out there for small, really well designed and light trailers.

I really like my tear, but there are times when a solution like this would seems ideal.

dave

[halfdome, Danny]

Very nice job Ron . It's obvious this isn't your first woodworking project. Did you have a hand in that nice looking building too. Danny

[RPH]

Went to town today, as promised, to get her weighed. At the scales she was pretty much equipped for use: mattress; all bedding; TV; DVD player; microwave oven; electric stove; cooler (empty); water container (also empty); porta-potty (no comment); 30amp power cord; small throw rugs; and small box of spare parts (bulbs, fuses, etc). The good news is that she weighed in at 1240 lbs. Well within the allowable trailer weight for our RAV-4. For this trip, however, we towed her with our Chevy pickup. We traveled at speeds up to 60mph and noticed no negative behavior. We were even passed by on-coming semi's, on our two lane highway, at this speed which she totally ignored.

[RPH]

Bev,
Want to thank you. It was on your web site that we became aware of the larger Widget-7. It was just waht we were looking for. We had considered buying a small used trailer for our use but were concerned about the limited amount of insulation they usually contain. We had owned a late model Winnabago RV that we used in the winter. In spite of the additional insulation we added and its very good furnace we were constantly plagued by condensation. Condensation which usually appeared in the form of ice on the ceiling, walls and inside of lockers.

Danny,
Thank you, Yes my wife and I did build the shop/garage in the background. The plans came from an architect in your area (Port Townsend). We had lived in Friday Harbor for twenty years. We also built the log home we presently live in.

Arthur,
The bed contains a standard full size mattress 54"x75". Having lived on boats with odd sizes and shaped bunks for so long, we decided it was time to have a "proper" bed with standard size bedding.

[sid]

Excellent job Pamela and Ron. Wonderful craftsmanship.

She's a beauty.....

[angib]

1240lbs sounds like a very good weight for a trailer that's strongly built. Congratulations again. I'd love to get the DXF file.

Andrew

[asianflava]

That is one good looking trailer. I can't decide on what to do for a second project. This one shure is in the running, I keep finding myself going thru your album.

I have a couple of questions:

Is it difficult to get into the bunk?

What size is the bunk?

Are the pillars for the table required to support the roof?

Are your walls insulated sandwich? What thickness ply did you use?

Is the RAV a 4 or 6 cyl?

[RPH]

ANSWERS TO ABOVE QUESTIONS:
1) I don't find it difficult to climb into the bunk and I am 71 years old; 6'-3" tall and weigh 175 lbs. I would say that it isn't any more difficult than climbing into a teardrop trailer.
2) Read my post above specifying the bunk size (same as a full size bed).
3) I built the pillars for two reasons: 1-to support the table and 2-to handle any heavy snow loads that may accure when I am not present to remove them. The trailer is to be left in a place (in the winter) that gets quite a bit of snow. I don't believe the pillars are necessary under 'normal' conditions. I did quite a bit of climbing on the roof during construction before installing them without harm. The table could be supported by a post but this might interfere with access to the lockers below.
4) The Toyota is a 2004 RAV-4, 4 cylinder, automatic with a 2.362cc engine. It has a 1500 lb towing capacity. The older Rav-4's had a smaller engine and there is a newer Rav-4 with a 6 cyl engine option (and larger towing capacity). I have only towed the trailer around home with the RAV-4, so I'm not sure what the performance will be but I'm not a high speed driver and I always have the truck to fall bak on if I'm not satisfied with the car.

[MOKI SEAKER]

That looks like a perfect trailer for your needs, well built, can not find that in a factory build. I was wondering is that maple on the table top, Looks good. Jim G