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making the arch on the front, top, and rear of my ttt I ....

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:25 pm
by Ron Dickey
So how did you do it .... the arches that is!

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 4:24 pm
by Guest
Ron,
Take a look at Andrew's site.
He has a nice section on drawing an ellipse.
The formula for locating the Loci Points is a good way to go as far as getting a full size template.
Just be sure that your string doesn't stretch or use wire.
It's easy to check for accuracy by seeing if both lines drawn from each Loci Point to a given point on the ellipse always add up to the same length.

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:36 pm
by SteveH
I used Andrew's method with the string, two points, and a pencil for the rear. On the front, mine is just a radius.

I honestly don't believe I could have built my teardrop without all the information from Andrew's site. :thumbsup:

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:57 pm
by purplepickup
I'm no good at math so I used some plastic lath strip that was quite flexible. The trailer frame I bought had sides on it already but wanted taller sides and didn't want the weight of the steel.

I clamped the lath to the bottom of a side then clamped a piece of OSB on the top of the side.
I let the lath bend until it formed an arc that I liked.

Image

I put a few screws at key points to guide the arc but not put enough pressure to create bumps.
Image

Then I added end supports to the OSB to complete a piece big enough to make a pattern from.
I traced the profile onto the OSB.

Image

Then I cut most of the profile out but left the bottom for support and further design.
I'm moving my axle from on top of the springs to under them to get more tire clearance,
so the bottom of the pattern will be made to match where the fenders end up. I'll use
lath to finish the profile then too. This is close to where I had to leave it before I had
surgery. I did take off the remainder of the old sides. Since then I've done a lot
of scale drawings on graph paper too.

Image

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:14 pm
by Chip
ditto on the George method of drawing an outline,,, except I used nails for my guid points

chip

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:48 pm
by Steve Frederick
George, That frame looks familiar...Did you buy it from Sumner???

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:58 pm
by Guest
You beat me to it Steve, that sure looks like Sumner's start that he sold.

PostPosted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:52 am
by purplepickup
Yes I did get it from Sumner. He's a good friend and when I was at his place last summer I looked close at it but didn't take it. Then when I got home I thought more about the design, with the dropped front and told him I'd take it. He was coming to Michigan anyway and dragged it here for me. I apologized to him the other day for tearing the sides off but he didn't care, he's heavily involved in building a lakester to race at Bonneville.

I'm even going to drop the floor another 10" between the bed and the galley and I'll still have 10" of ground clearance. I'll almost be able to stand up in it. I'll still have a hatch in the back to access the under the floor battery & watertank compartment and overhead storage. I'm raising the bed so it will be a full 5' wide and that will give me a 8" storage compartment under the bed for canopy, tire, etc accessible from the back too.

PostPosted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:30 pm
by benjamin
I have the advantage of being able to print my template. Being I work in an architectural office I have plotted off the profile of my tear drop. I have had to tape a few sheets together but it will guaranty that my final shape looks like my design.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 11:44 am
by Ron Dickey
SteveH wrote:I used Andrew's method with the string, two points, and a pencil for the rear. On the front, mine is just a radius.

I honestly don't believe I could have built my teardrop without all the information from Andrew's site. :thumbsup:


I see what you mean

for those who do not know where to look
Here is Andrew's site

http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear80.htm

I must admit the plastic Lath used near the beginning of this poll seemed like real simple math too.

Ron :thumbsup: