Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Ok so I have been totally obsessed since the idea hit me to build my own travel trailer. Then I found this website and I can't get a good night's sleep all I do is think about it. Anyway, I have gone through several different designs on paper and in my head. I wanted to build the wanderer, but then I stumbled upon the shepherders wagon from a link I found on tnttt. http://www.schaeferwagen.de/oldtimer.html

Anyway, my question is how do I build the bowed roof like that. (ie what is the easiest way) I need the inside to have maximum headroom as it will be a standie. The interior roofline will match the exterior in shape.

I already have my eye on a couple of pop-up trailers. And I already cleared out my last hobby and cleaned out the garage. God I hope I can sleep tonight.

Thanks for your help.

That's basically a Vardo. Derykthepirate has built two. I would check out his build journals. If you go to the Hall of Fame photos you will find it there. That's a really cute trailer. A larger version (not on wheels) would make an awesome "tiny house".

Get out your router........



my radius jig

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



the barrel vaulted trusses for the tiny caboose build

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



threw away 20 of these as scrap

They were 5' 3" point to point and I thought "what a great little roof truss for a 5 wide"

Here is a really neat vardo build that I have been following.

http://buildingjourney.com/2010/09/20/drawing-the-vardo/



Not a simple build, but very neat.

Dan

Also check out Steve Cox's Gypsy Wagon build.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=26296



Dan

Welcome to the forum. Steve's vardo is what led me here oh so long ago I remember reading his build thread to the weee hours of the morning I like the link to the one that you posted...Be sure to chek out Derek's vardo as well his has really come around he even won awards for it..There are many designs on the internet for vardos I like to look at them and try to borrow ideas that I have seen done well for others so that when I build mine one day I could incorporate them in to it. Good luck in what ever you end up dping just please remember pictures so we can borrow some of your ideas

danlott wrote:Here is a really neat vardo build that I have been following.

http://buildingjourney.com/2010/09/20/drawing-the-vardo/

Not a simple build, but very neat.

Dan

I really enjoyed looking at this blog. My brain is cranking with ideas again. Love the laminated bowed roof.

I loved looking through the blog. The laminated bows for the roof are really beautiful and the siding idea using strips of overlapping ply are nice also. Lots of good ideas there.

Thanks for all the responses. I just read Steve's entire build on little gypsy. Awesome!!!

I was supposed to be working. You guys are not helping my new obsession.

Well, last night my dreams were inundated with woodworking and camper plans. I guess I'll have to start building soon to alleviate my mind. I'm sure that wont help. I guess I'll have to buy a truckload of clamps and a router now.

My wife will be so thrilled... NOT.

I will start my build as soon as I get the trailer.. hopefully on Friday. . I think I'll refer to it as the WölgieWägon....... Yes, I am aware that the umlauts are not necessarily correct but I think they look cool anyway...

I'll keep you posted.

[
s.

That's good information. I thought about just making support arches on the two end walls and one in the middle from 3/4 inch oak plywood. Do you think that will work? It would save me from making a jig and bending wood.

I think the jig and thin strips of wood is the best way to go with the roof bows. This would make the strongest bows possible. The are actually fairly easy to construct. Use slow setting epoxy and thin strips of wood. Glue all the strips together then place on the bending jig. Clamp in place and let it dry completely before removing from the jig.

Dan

wolgie wrote:That's good information. I thought about just making support arches on the two end walls and one in the middle from 3/4 inch oak plywood. Do you think that will work? It would save me from making a jig and bending wood.

So much depends on the ultimate strength of what you desire, You could cut the center arch of plywood, & might work fine with parallel stringers between the end walls and center arch. So much variables involved to this decision.. If your overall length is not too great and you have no desire to walk about on the roof, Possibly one arch & no stringers and it might work fine.

In my case its nearly 14' length and I needed the strength to walk about on the roof without concern too much over my exact foot placement.
As well I thought the interior would appear nicer if it were built with multiple arches verses one heavy center arch and parallel stringers.
(I have no insulation or interior paneling)

I just realized I never thanked everyone for the great ideas. I am planning on just going ahead with the arches on the ends since its only eight feet, and after if it seems flimsy I'll add a center arch. Paleo tool did it this way and it seemed good. We'll see. Thanks again

Here is a link to a pickup camper version of one I recently shown on Tiny House Talk, http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/custom-tru ... #more-8373 . Good shoots of the roof