BMLT - Big Man Little Trailer 6x12 Build Thread

[khigh]

Just curious, what are you doing to secure those shelving units from tipping over?

Nothing fancy there - just going to screw them right into the wall studs through the bottoms of the shelves. The big one isn't completely dialed in for location, though - has to wait for the folding bed, so it's going to be held with cargo bars on the next outing.

Flipping those shelves over and reinstalling gives you a lip the keeps,stuff from sliding about

That would be nice but for two things - the structural ribbing would get in the way and the post mount holes are slightly conical - they depend on being right way up to make the structure of the unit. One good thing about the shelving, though - infinite bungee cord mounting points. Everything will be locked down in some form or other for transport.

[khigh]

I would LIKE to think that a microwave oven strapped to a piece of plywood with camo bungee cords is going to be the most redneck-engineered thing about this trailer, but honestly I'm not certain of that yet.

(I'm going to paint the plywood, and there will be a forward-restraining bungee cord while driving although it's already in there really good. You can shake the whole trailer with the microwave door).

[Gonefishin]

I love it. "Unlimited bungee" shelves are practical and simple. That's how I'd do a microwave if I had one! I said to myself I would paint the interior of mine when I got it five years ago. It's still just fine and I've grown accustomed to the "natural" wood look. I now think a camper should have that wood look, not be painted or "domestic."

[rebapuck]

Wait until it's dirty to paint it.

[khigh]

Ready to Roll!



I actually came out with more space than I'd expected. When I get the back done with the folding bed I'll have even tons more space.

I'm going to bolt the shelves in but wanted to hold off until I get the rest of the interior locked in. I'm not in a super big hurry now, though, because the cargo bars are awaesome, plus they solve how to secure the air conditioner and I have a hanging bar for clothes across the back when I get where I'm going.

[khigh]

Went over to a local welding shop today to talk to them about the folding bed. I was going to do it myself in wood but it struck me that steel would be lighter.

Neat shop - looking forward to it - we sketched and poked and prodded and came up with a plan and the initial estimate is $200! So I'm definitely going that route. I think doing it in lumber and plywood would be pushing half that and I should have a better system.

[khigh]

One corner done! Paint and flooring-wise, anyway. I'm going to stain the hardwood doors with a pecan stain/poly.

I got the back 2/3 painted (so I wouldn't have to empty it completely). I'm pleased with how it turned out. Next I'm putting in the flooring - got all the whole pieces done on one side - going to start tomorrow trimming the pieces for the other side and then moving my shelves back to the back and starting the front.

[rebapuck]

Nice color combo.

[Getting away with it]

looks good

[khigh]

Nice color combo.

Heh. I'm such a guy. I'll tell you how I arrived at the colors.

Ollie's has paint-N-primer for $17/gallon. One of the colors is not white. (I went on to put a coat of good Behr over it because I decided I wanted Semi Gloss, but I color matched it to what I already had).

The floor, after ruling out laminate because I was too lazy/floor space greedy to put in baseboards to cover the required gap, I went to the second cheapest option - peel and stick vinyl. I looked up at the display and picked the one that hid the seams best.

[khigh]

Paint and floor done!

And yes - it HAS taken me a month - but really a month on trying to wait for a day that wasn't almost 100 degrees or raining... or both.

[khigh]

Straightened up and cleaned up some before putting the bed back in. (I just had the shelving on sliders to move them around while I was working)

I'm super pleased with it.