Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

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

Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby GeekFisher » Fri Dec 28, 2018 9:58 am

I read the whole 25 pages. Nice building ans writing skills !
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:21 am

I'm glad you like! I hope the process was enlightening too. Rose is still going strong at 10+ years.
Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Sat Nov 09, 2019 7:31 pm

From the “a teardrop is never done” files.

I’ve never been enamored with the tongue on Rose. The C channel is fine for the occasional haul some bulky stuff home or to the landfill (ie, a cargo trailer), BUT the tongue jack has always torqued it sideways. I’ve never left the tongue jack as the sole means of support as a result.

Combine this with a new to me tow vehicle with a longer wheelbase than any previous one, and Rose became a handful to back into a campsite or the garage when a trip was done.

Viola, a mere $35 to buy some steel by the foot, and a 6 foot piece of tube steel followed me home recently. I’d have liked to get some a bit lighter, but to buy a 24 foot stick was overkill, so Rose will have a 2-1/2 inch square, 1/4 inch tongue. It only weighs 42 pounds. LOL.

Thenewtongue is also 22 inches longer. Easier to back up, and more space to mount the jack in the clear.

160142

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Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby NevadaBlue » Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:25 pm

I must thank you for this wonderful thread. I know it was a lot of work to maintain, but having such a build on record, WITH pictures that still exist is great. Thank you!
Your trailer is beautiful. Amazing work. :)
—-
Ken
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Tue Nov 19, 2019 7:03 pm

NevadaBlue wrote:I must thank you for this wonderful thread. I know it was a lot of work to maintain, but having such a build on record, WITH pictures that still exist is great. Thank you!
Your trailer is beautiful. Amazing work. :)


Thanks! I hope you found something helpful in here.

The photos are all hosted here. Kudos to Mike for making that possible. Also for making it so much much easier to add them now.
Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Tue Nov 19, 2019 7:10 pm

Rose sporting her new nose. The new tongue is 22” longer than the original. I had to push her further into the garage to close the door again.

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While making changes, I went ahead and gave her a new basket. These go on sale at harbor freight occasionally. I actually bought it months ago for this purpose.

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Instead of the hitch plug in member I simply used spacers the same width. That also allowed the basket to drop right over existing bolt heads.

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Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:16 pm

I realized just now I have not posted complete pics of Rose is a very long time. This past July, I went to visit Slowcowboy and several others in Wyoming. An 11 day trip overall, all off grid with no services beyond an outhouse.

Very early in the trip, note clean car. In the Rockies near Colorado Springs.
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Twilight in the Flaming Gorge, Utah. I was here 4 days.
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At 8,000 feet in the Wind River. Walk The Winds 2019. Slowcowboy was again a pleasure camp with. Another 4 days here.
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Square Top Mountain, Wyoming. In the Wind River. I climbed this one in 1998, and have been in love with the Winds since. This is also the mountain on the Wyoming license plates.
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Badlands in the center of Wyoming. Note not so clean car.
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Later the same day. The Snowy Range, on the continental divide. I actually couldn't camp at my planned spot, since there was 4 feet of snow behind the locked gates. Remember this is JULY.
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Even later the same day. The background ridge is the continental divide. There was some really cool lightning that night after sundown.
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Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:28 pm

I was answering a question about axle clearance in another thread, I figured an update was in order. I flipped the axle three years ago. Here’s some current pics.

Overview of the setup
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Clearance to the perch. Note frame is not notched.
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This has been my setup since mid 2016. Over 10,000 miles since and zero evidence of the ubolts touching the spring perch.
Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:28 pm

A while back I built some cabinets to get a bit more organized storage. The doors and faceframes were from scratch and dent clearance at Lowe's. They're over the fridge cabinets. I removed the junk backboxes, then built a new one to fit the curve of Rose's roofline.

Closed up, with the TV visible beyond. Usable when shore power is available.
160813

160814[code][/code]
Last edited by Sparksalot on Thu Dec 03, 2020 6:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:36 pm

Not quite so long ago, I decided to upgrade the door seals based upon a conversation I had with Cary Winch from Camp Inn. In a nutshell, I used regular ole T-molding, some flexible rubber seal, and a relief notch cut into the doors themselves to allow proper crush space.

What the inside of the opening has looked like since Rose was built.
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A before shot of the strike side.
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And a before shot of the hinge side.
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How did they ship that curve in a straight tube???
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Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:44 pm

The seal profile. Same spec Camp Inn uses.
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Relief notch in the door. Cut with a router.
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I took the opportunity while the door hardware was stripped to put a couple more coats of spar varnish on.
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With the T-molding in place along the interior edges of the door opening.
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Now with the seals in place attached to the T-molding.
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The entire finished seal.
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The finished interior look.
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Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Tue Jan 21, 2020 9:14 pm

I added a set load bars to create a roof rack. The main idea being to add an ARB or similar awning fixed on the curb side. The pop up canopy is getting to be a pain. Plus I’ve never liked the space it takes somewhere while traveling.

The rack will also give a convenient hanging spot for a solar shower, and perhaps a solar panel or two.

Lastly, I might mount a Road Shower or DIY equivalent on the street side.

Also shown, the bike rack and spare tire mount.

160943
Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby *Inside » Sun Nov 29, 2020 3:09 pm

How's the roof vinyl holding up? So far yours is the only one that I've come across that uses that material. It seems to be much easier & more economical to put on than aluminum, etc.
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby Sparksalot » Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:56 pm

It’s doing very well. I’ve kept Rose in a garage her entire life except when camping so that has helped.

The installation was very easy. There is a 1/8” foam underlay which is glued down. The vinyl is stapled at the edges only. Then trim to cover the staples.

You have to look a little harder to find widths over 54”, but it’s out there.
Holy cow, Rose is a teenager now! Done? Surely you jest. A teardrop is never "done".

The Compass Rose build thread: viewtopic.php?t=23213

Inspiration: http://tnttt.com/Design_Library/Trailer%20for%20Two.htm

It's got a cop motor, a 5.3 LS plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. ~ Elwood Blues
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Re: Rose Rolls - The unathorized Compass Rose autobiography

Postby rjgimp » Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:12 pm

Sparksalot, fantastic build! Three years or so I've been here and finally got around to reading through it - all in one day! Stepping back in time, the 2008 me is inclined to say that you and the Mrs S sure make some cute kiddos! Did Workingstiff go far in the BSA? I'm an Eagle and tend to have an eyebrow raise involuntarily when I hear of a kid crossing over from Cubs. Are you still homeschooling? We do that and it is awesome! No lines or crowds to fight with in late October.
-Rob


I hope to make it to a Procrastinators Anonymous meeting someday...
just as soon as the steering committee gets around to scheduling one!
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