1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

...ask your questions in the appropriate forums BUT document your build here...preferably in a single thread...dates for updates, are appreciated....

Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby jseyfert3 » Sun Jun 18, 2017 1:19 pm

I finally had some time today and popped in to take a look at what you've done. Looking good! :thumbsup:

Also I saw your comment on the OSB, and I now have pretty much decided to stop buying it. At the time, I had less money and more time than I do now. Now after using it for that and various shelves I've decided it's not worth the small savings over plywood, which I would use if I did this again.

...which may not be likely, given that (with the lack of time and all) we bought a cheap pop-up a few weeks back and the wife would like a hard sided camper at some future time. Buy a bigger vehicle and this is what happens (the opposite of the 25 MPG you got towing the teardrop!).

I'll be following this to see how it ends up!
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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby KCStudly » Sun Jun 18, 2017 8:39 pm

Hey jseyfert3, Sounds like life is treating you well. Nice to hear you touch base.

A used pop up? Really? Okay, yeah you are camping, but... ? (Just kidding... sort of). :lol:

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming. :oops:
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1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby SummittDweller » Wed Jun 21, 2017 10:35 pm

Greetings everyone. I've had lots of things get in the way of camping and teardrop construction lately, but I am back at the construction again in the last week or so.

Since my maiden voyage I have added a deep cycle battery and interior wiring for it. Today I completed installation of the interior LED lights and controls, and did some cleaning. I also got tired of tripping over the spare tire so I rigged a mount for it on the trailer tongue assembly.

Photos to follow...

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The interior electrical controls include a master cut off switch on the left, individual LED lamp switches in the center, and a 12 V dimmer to control the LED intensity on the right.

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Two of the LED fixtures are mounted on either side of the roof vent and the other is mounted forward of my headboard in the center of the trailer.

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These photos show the assembly I created to bolt the spare tire to the trailer tongue.



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1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby SummittDweller » Sat Jun 24, 2017 10:30 am

Last evening's construction focused on installing a curtain rod above my large window. I fabricated it from three-quarter inch PVC, bored holes in the foam and glued the PVC stubs in place. The end product is shown in the photo below without a curtain.

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1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby SummittDweller » Sun Oct 01, 2017 4:21 pm

Sorry it's been so long between posts... I have been camping a couple of times and the unit is performing nicely. I definitely have some catching up to do here so let's go...

Last weekend I installed the first of two gamma-seal openings into my rear storage area.

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Above are the two covers each mounted in a 1/4" thick flange. Note that before gluing these in place I roughed up the surface of the plastic gamma-seal lids and drilled small holes for the glue to expand into.

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The tools I used at first were my rotary drywall saw and the circle templates I used to cut my circles. These I made using a plunge router and circle jig.

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So I mounted a slightly undersized template where the opening would be cut, and made a 3/4 depth cut around it and then down into the center. This made removing the material pretty easy using a hot knife to finish the perimeter cut.

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Then I clamped my hole template around the opening and used an xacto knife and my hot knife to enlarge the opening for a tight fit.

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I used a Dremel tool to carefully remove excess glue from around the gamma-seal.

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Then I roughed up the canvas surface of the trailer around the opening and glued/clamped the flanged gamma-seal into place.

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It worked great so I have since installed another on the opposite side, and I paneled shut most of the opening on the inside. I now have plenty of storage space for lawn chairs and much more.


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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby SummittDweller » Sun Oct 01, 2017 4:53 pm

I thought I had covered most of this earlier but no longer see the posts so I took more photos today, inside and out, and will post them here...

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The above exterior shot shows the rear passenger side of the trailer with gamma-seal rear storage access, big window, re-built rear end, tail light and rear marker lamps, and my shore power connection.

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The above shot shows more of the new rear end. The whole thing will one day be this gray color with a black and white granite pattern eventually applied.

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Above is a look at the driver's side showing the marker light, storage opening, a new flush-fit door with its own gamma-seal window opening, and a louvered port up front where the air conditioner exhaust vent is.

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The view above shows more of the same. And below is a view inside the rear storage.

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The photo above shows the AC unit and my re-designed DC controls box.

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And the photos above show the forward interior and curtains covering the big window.

The plan is to paint and finish the interior this winter.


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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby Fiddlin'Billy » Wed Oct 04, 2017 6:48 pm

Hello from Cyclone Country! I am waiting on a trailer modification and will then be starting my own foam filled adventure. It would be neat to see yours in person some time. I live north of Des Moines and will be building in Elkhart.
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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby SummittDweller » Fri Oct 13, 2017 9:53 pm

Fiddlin'Billy wrote:Hello from Cyclone Country! I am waiting on a trailer modification and will then be starting my own foam filled adventure. It would be neat to see yours in person some time. I live north of Des Moines and will be building in Elkhart.


I was camping in Story City three weeks ago, headed to Lake Wapello next weekend and then planned to put it in storage for the winter. But I might end up camping at Saylorville the weekend of November 11 if the weather looks good. I will let you know if that happens.


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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby SummittDweller » Fri Oct 13, 2017 10:20 pm

Did a little interior work this week in the rain. It doesn’t look great yet but I think it’s a great functional addition. I fabricated and installed some cabinet doors. I made the lower door drop down with a mind to using them as fold-up shelves to support my laptop and similar devices. But my daughter got a new iPad so I inherited hers and found the perfect mount and place for it. See for yourself.

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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby aggie79 » Sun Oct 15, 2017 10:11 am

Well done! Very nice!
Tom (& Linda)
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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby pchast » Sun Oct 15, 2017 7:32 pm

looks good. :thumbsup:
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Re: 1st Build, COMPLETING a 5'x8' Foamie Teardrop

Postby PatrickM » Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:44 pm

Good to see this being used and the finishing touches -- I thing the rough finish look of the exterior canvas would go well with a camo paint job.
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