Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Probably a somewhat better idea than I had about using a hollow core door for the bed platform.

I'm curious what you had in mind for the "reinforcing strips."

I'd think that anything strong enough to provide any real structural support in that sort of configuration would also be quite heavy. By the time you'd placed enough of them around the frame to be effective you might negate any benefit you'd gain by using the foam.

Reinforcing strips .... canvas , fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar ... not that heavy ...

The above drawing ^ was posted in an attempt to design a STRONG torsion box assembly , for the entire “box” portion of the trailer cabin ,the part that would fit within the steel “box”/railings on a carry on trailer . The upper part would be traditional Foamie construction (already proven ) , and the ENTIRE shell would be over covered with a strong skin ... With the proper wood selection , weight would be minimized without compromising the “structural” integrity ... Hybrid Foamie construction is fully Acceptable , and a great compromise between strength vs. weight ...

One has only to peruse the Vintage plans pages on this site to realize the benefits of Canvas or fabric coverings... The Old Timers used them with great success many years ago , without the benefit of modern adhesives and coatings... Pretty much a standard thing for them , tradition lost due to the introduction and marketing of fiberglass..
The skins are an essential part of the Foam "torsion box”/ panel , the reinforcing strips just make it that much Stronger ... Remember about what “twice as thick “ means ...

This morning I got a chance to study a carry on trailer up close ... (parked next to one ) seems the box uprights were square tubing with angle iron welded to the top ... Lots of ways possible to bolt a “floorbox + lip “ to it ... Looked Easy !!! Even easy to bolt some angle braces outside the box , if needed ... Their floor was the mesh that somebody put a plywood floor over , the plywood already showing signs of deterioration (obviously Not waterproofed)
Nice to be able to get a close look ... all was revealed ...

GPW wrote:This morning I got a chance to study a carry on trailer up close ... (parked next to one ) seems the box uprights were square tubing with angle iron welded to the top ... Lots of ways possible to bolt a “floorbox + lip “ to it ... Looked Easy !!! Even easy to bolt some angle braces outside the box , if needed ... Their floor was the mesh that somebody put a plywood floor over , the plywood already showing signs of deterioration (obviously Not waterproofed)
Nice to be able to get a close look ... all was revealed ...

I'm not fond of how they do the tongue on it but they are much better built than the HF ones you have to put together and not much higher in price either. Louella got the bigger one with the 13" tires and an actual A shaped tow bar and jack included which is a much better built trailer than the ones with the single rectangular tube coming out tow bar. Suggestion for anyone that has the single tube one look at where the tow bar ends at one of the inner cross rails. When you put your frame over it make sure you drill and bolt through across that cross member and it will strengthen your tow bar a lot more as if you get it loaded it can bend if not bolted.

actually this one has the 15" tires.

That's going to be a pretty heavy trailer then. Is the rail height 9" or 12"?

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eaglesdare wrote:wow, just look at all that foam!
yes, please keep up updated on this.

You betcha on the foam ........ sad the supplier of the foam panels is now gone with economy downturn a few years ago
I have only ten panels left for the enlarging of the trailer soon .... well I hope soon.
This box made from this bunch of panels have over Thirty Thousand Miles on them
It is Spartan on the inside at this time; but the widening later will change that






I will take more pictures as I redo the trailer

FOAMIES ARE GREAT Warm in the winter and Cool in the hot Summer

I will take more pictures a Beaver Bend ...... now If I can add the pictures to Sketckup and super-impose the changes I would post



Pat

Eagle , what’s the story ? How’s it going ? Weather holding you up ? Just Curious !!!!

weather not good here. rain most weekends and during the week. too darn cold, with rain. yesterday snow and too darn cold. but they say we should be getting back up to the 70's by thursday? haven't checked this weekends weather report yet. not much happens during the week here, so we count on the weekends with nice weather. although, hubby is still working on his shed, so that puts the wood removal off a bit. (this is something too hard for me, so has to do it. )
but we both want to go back to lowes this week. i will probably leave simba home so i can shop.
now if that weather does get back up close to 70 i will go out back and see what foam i can salvage and start working on the wings, and making the level area for the build weekend. its not too far away you know.

QUOTE: " its not too far away you know.” .... I Know !!!!

i should go out there and take a pic of the doors for the shed hubby built. they are his foam doors tb2'd convered in canvas

Hubby’s doors ... ??? ...