Compact builder??

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Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:39 pm

I'm currently living in Clarksburg, West Virginia :thumbdown: . I am about to build a Compact out of the design library. I plan to make it a foamie to reduce weight.
I have a HF trailer that I am looking to lengthen. I have lengthened it to just under 11'. (Yeah, I know...where's the pics..) This week I HOPE to have the trailer reinforced and the floorboards cut.
My big question at this point is how to wire it. There is so much info on this site it would take a lifetime to read it all. lol I have read through about 1/2 of the "big" post under foamies.
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby JaggedEdges » Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:01 pm

Maybe look at some of the small cargo trailer wire ups, it's about that size.
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Fri Mar 24, 2017 2:50 pm

My initial plan was to extend my floor over the "A" portion of the tongue by 12". Now I am thinking this is a bad idea. My plan is based on the Compact. I have squared off the bottom and have the extension riding on the "A" portion of the frame. I am now thinking I should cut that back. If I remove 8" of floor and the front 2x6 support, that would cut off a few pounds.

Thoughts?
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Fri Mar 24, 2017 2:51 pm

Not a great pic, but here is what I have so far.....
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Fri Mar 24, 2017 2:52 pm

HOLY SMOKES THAT'S A BIG PIC! How do I post it "normal" size?
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby QueticoBill » Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:21 pm

Extending the tongue?

Between extending the trailer front and back along with moving axel versus extending floor all to front and extending tongue, I think the latter is easier. I see a piece of tuve in your photo so maybe you are extending tongue. I just reached a decision on mine and have to pick up the steel.
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:23 pm

QueticoBill wrote:Extending the tongue?

Between extending the trailer front and back along with moving axel versus extending floor all to front and extending tongue, I think the latter is easier. I see a piece of tuve in your photo so maybe you are extending tongue. I just reached a decision on mine and have to pick up the steel.


I've extended the tongue 18" and moved the axle back.



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Re: Compact builder??

Postby S. Heisley » Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:52 pm

If you are building a Compact, you have room to run the wires in the stationary ceiling portions:

Image

You only run the wires down the side where you need to. Leave as much as you can in the ceiling area and it's out of the way yet convenient.

The other thing that you might do is build a wire runway, so you can always get at your wires if you want to. A lot of teardrop builders build a runway between their cabin area and their galley area. A compact doesn't have the advantage of an adjoining wall; but, you could still build a runway along a side or sides, if you're so inclined.

Of course, a lot of how you run your wires depends on where you plan to connect to your battery and to shore/land power.

Best Wishes on your build.
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby S. Heisley » Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:08 pm

5150red wrote:My initial plan was to extend my floor over the "A" portion of the tongue by 12". Now I am thinking this is a bad idea. My plan is based on the Compact. I have squared off the bottom and have the extension riding on the "A" portion of the frame. I am now thinking I should cut that back. If I remove 8" of floor and the front 2x6 support, that would cut off a few pounds.

Thoughts?


You should not be using 2x6's at all. It'll be way too heavy. Use 1x2's for the walls; and, believe it or not 1x1's for the cross beams/spars in the lifting roof. The strength of the build is not in the individual parts but in the whole of the unit. Remember, you aren't building a house. You're building a tiny trailer. ...Okay, 2x4's should be used for the portion of the floor/deck that extends beyond the original chassis; but that's about the only place that you should use them and 2x4's are plenty strong enough.
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby JaggedEdges » Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:32 am

But what if he wants to add a couple more storeys later? :D
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Sat Mar 25, 2017 10:53 am

J.E.
There's only one 2x6 & it is trimmed down to about 2x4.5. Looking back, the 2x4's are probably overkill. I probably could have gotten away with a strip of plywood instead of the 2x4.
Also, there will be very little wood above the floor. My walls and roof will be out of foam.


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Re: Compact builder??

Postby S. Heisley » Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:28 pm

You're lucky. It appears that your trailer can weigh up to 3,000 lbs without brakes in W. VA.
Did you check to see how much your tow vehicle can stop? It's quite often less than the amount that the vehicle can tow.

When I first started building, I was driving a '96 Toyota Tacoma (gone, now). It was rated to tow 3,500 lbs but could only stop 1,200 lbs.
I weighed everything that I could!. The 5x8.5' trailer's initial weighing came in at 1,127 lbs. ( I've since added a couple more things, bringing it up to about 1,160 lbs. )

My build was made with a 1/8" plywood sandwich with3/4" Styrofoam as the "meat". A 4x8' piece of 1/8" plywood weighs approximately 9 lbs. Figuring 36 lbs for the two sides (9 lbs x4) and another roughly 20 lbs for the front and back 5' wide plywood walls; plus, let's say...a generous 30 lbs for the roofing system plywood adds up to only 86 lbs of that 1,127 lbs.

So, what I am saying is, even though you have a very generous state allowance of 3,000 lbs and are planning on building a 5x11(?) foamy, the weight can add up quick. It's kind of like stepping on the scales after an "a little won't hurt" Christmas and suddenly, you're saying, "Holy Smokes!"

The above said, Forum member, Alligator, built a 6x11" foamy with a lifting roof and it came in at 1640 lbs; so, you'll probably do just fine. In case you're interested, his build thread is here: viewtopic.php?f=55&t=49879
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:38 pm

S. Heisley wrote:You're lucky. It appears that your trailer can weigh up to 3,000 lbs without brakes in W. VA.
Did you check to see how much your tow vehicle can stop? It's quite often less than the amount that the vehicle can tow.

When I first started building, I was driving a '96 Toyota Tacoma (gone, now). It was rated to tow 3,500 lbs but could only stop 1,200 lbs.
I weighed everything that I could!. The 5x8.5' trailer's initial weighing came in at 1,127 lbs. ( I've since added a couple more things, bringing it up to about 1,160 lbs. )

My build was made with a 1/8" plywood sandwich with3/4" Styrofoam as the "meat". A 4x8' piece of 1/8" plywood weighs approximately 9 lbs. Figuring 36 lbs for the two sides (9 lbs x4) and another roughly 20 lbs for the front and back 5' wide plywood walls; plus, let's say...a generous 30 lbs for the roofing system plywood adds up to only 86 lbs of that 1,127 lbs.

So, what I am saying is, even though you have a very generous state allowance of 3,000 lbs and are planning on building a 5x11(?) foamy, the weight can add up quick. It's kind of like stepping on the scales after an "a little won't hurt" Christmas and suddenly, you're saying, "Holy Smokes!"

The above said, Forum member, Alligator, built a 6x11" foamy with a lifting roof and it came in at 1640 lbs; so, you'll probably do just fine. In case you're interested, his build thread is here: viewtopic.php?f=55&t=49879


Ha ha ha!!! That's a GREAT analogy!
Thanks SO MUCH for your input!


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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:06 pm

Well, I had to go to Ann Arbor, MI for work this week so the wife won't be able to complain about me spending time on the.....(OH NO SHE NEEDS A NAME)....uh, TTT? However, before I left I got to put the first layer of under coat. It's kinda exciting to see it progress! I did leave about 4-5" unpainted to make it easier to glue my side pannels (hopefully next week).
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Re: Compact builder??

Postby 5150red » Sat Apr 01, 2017 10:58 am

I'm back!!
My plan for today is to:
1) Put additional coats on the bottom of the floor, so I can flip it and start going up!!
2) Glue my walls to the correct size.
3) Purchase canvas to cover my walls! I found some 11 1/2 X 14 1/2 in 8oz and 10 oz. I am leaning towards getting the 8oz. Any objections (why)?

4) Consider a name for her.....
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