"The X-II" 5-Wide Convertible Teardrop

[absolutsnwbrdr]

wow looking good Zach you want to come to Canada and give me a hand with mine....you sure are working fast

Sure!! I'll be right there!

Amazing progress, Zach. And it looks really great. I love the lines, love the porch light. You do really good work.

Thanks Becky! Looking forward to seeing you and Lance again this year!


I got bored at work today (ssshhhh don't tell my boss) and I was looking through some pictures. I found a picture of my old teardrop that was quite similar to my new one, with regards to picture angle and distance. So I animated them together to show the size comparison of old vs. new, using the wheel as a reference point.

[parnold]

Zach:

Where's the picture of you driving this one around with the front jack stand down?

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Zach:

Where's the picture of you driving this one around with the front jack stand down?

HAHA not this time Paul!! I've learned from my mistakes

[absolutsnwbrdr]

So I've been working on a new paint scheme in Photoshop. I've abandoned the original because it was too close to my first teardrop. This new one seems more appropriate for the X-II.

Still not sure what I want to do with the hatch and the narrow "side roofs" yet. White would be cooler in the summer, but blue would match the rest of the trailer. The removable top will be the same white vinyl that I used last time, but I'm also planning on making a second vinyl top that will either be a darker brown or a darker gray (think solar heating in early Spring and late Fall). And I know I'm going to have to at least do some graphic(s) on the hatch. That thing is huge.

Opinions?

[Ratkity]

Totally like that Zach!!!

Hugs,
Ratkity

[Dewi]

It's good, but it's still too much like the original.

How about something a little more organic but with the same sort of theme? Maybe something that emphasises that it's XII more than just the 2 X's... drop shadow maybe?

You can go wild with ideas, because you're not limited to just paint... you can get a vinyl sheet printed cheap enough that can be overlaid onto the finished TD.... so why not explore some gradients?

Cheers, Dewi

[Rosey]

I like it!

[absolutsnwbrdr]

It's good, but it's still too much like the original.

How about something a little more organic but with the same sort of theme? Maybe something that emphasises that it's XII more than just the 2 X's... drop shadow maybe?

You can go wild with ideas, because you're not limited to just paint... you can get a vinyl sheet printed cheap enough that can be overlaid onto the finished TD.... so why not explore some gradients?

Cheers, Dewi

I asked a local sign company about doing a vinyl wrap, and they said it could be about $400+ for the whole thing, which is about $150-175 per side. As nice as that would be, I'm going to stick with paint for now. I do a lot of boondocking trips, where the dirt roads can get pretty narrow. Paint is much more durable when I have tree branches scratching down the sides. The paint is also relatively inexpensive (~$30/gallon) and readily available if I need to make repairs. Good ideas though! Just maybe not for me.

[Dewi]

What is the area of the side panels because that sounds a little expensive?

Vehicle wrapping and vinyls is what I do for a living... I wrap buses, vans... well, all sorts of vehicles.

It isn't for everyone though... just thought it might add more depth to the design.

Cheers, Dewi

[Forrest747]

Dewi,
Ok lets say i do a CPES as a prep and then order a vehichle wrap how much would it cost. lets say simple red nothing fancy. what is the UV protection like? can it go on wood? the sides are 4 X10. your thoughts.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

The "quote" I mentioned wasnt an official quote. I got my 4x10 sheets of MDO (the side walls) from a local sign company. When I was picking up the sheets I saw they were wrapping a vehicle and asked the guy what he throught it would cost to do a teardrop camper. So without any specific dimensions given to him, he threw a number off the top of his head. If I went back tomorrow with the trailer built, that number very well could be different.

[Martiangod]

So I've been working on a new paint scheme in Photoshop. And I know I'm going to have to at least do some graphic(s) on the hatch. That thing is huge.

Opinions?

I think it looks pretty cool
You could tie the two sides across the back and vinyl paint or have stitched in the top corrisponding stripe

[TJinPgh]

I like that.

Does the vinyl remain flexible after you paint it?

[S. Heisley]

I like it. The added gray helps subdue the primary blue color without distracting from the over-all design. Since this build is bigger than the last build, that's a good idea. The complimenting gray stripes also keep the white stripes from looking like a cross-road intersection.

[Dewi]

Dewi,
Ok lets say i do a CPES as a prep and then order a vehichle wrap how much would it cost. lets say simple red nothing fancy. what is the UV protection like? can it go on wood? the sides are 4 X10. your thoughts.

If the prices over there are comparible to here, and being that the surface is largely flat, you should be able to get a side printed for about $100 based on $25 per square metre of printed vinyl. Once printed, it would need laminating and this gives it the UV protection.

If all you wanted was red, you can buy vehicle wrap in red for around $10 a square metre and it'll last without lamination. You could still laminate it though to give it extra protection and make it easier to install.

You need to prep the surface of timber as it isn't going to adhere to bare wood, but a coat of primer should be enough for it to stick, then run over it with heat gun to activate the glue as is done with vehicle wrapping.

A much simpler method though would be to buy sheets of aluminium composite (a lightweight sheet material used for signs, consists of two thin sheets of aluminium sandwiching a plastic core). If this was used to skin the TD, there would be no need to primer it, you could just apply the vinyl directly to it.

If you haven't the confidence to stick it on dry, mix 1 part meths, 5 part water and a dash of washing up liquid... spray onto the panel and the back of the vinyl... line the vinyl to where you want it and squeegee out the excess water. Once its been given time to dry out a little, go over with a hot air gun and you should have a perfect finish.

Cheers, Dewi