Lonnie Mac's "Two Phun" Sparks!

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Lonnie Mac's "Two Phun" Sparks!

Postby Lonnie Mac » Sat Nov 24, 2012 10:27 pm

In the design phase! Got my side profile from Grant. Man, that is the coolest thing ever.

My friends would ask, what is this teardrop you are going to build. Well I would tell them that it is just basically a rolling mattress.

Well, after about 20 hours in CAD designing, and 19 of that designing cabinets, I will change that! A teardrop is a rolling cabinet that you sleep under!! I see now that that is where the real work is going to be.

I am getting there. As a designer by trade, I couldn't resist working this up. Here I am so far. Not long before I put the stick to the weld on the frame I hope!

Image

Image
Last edited by Lonnie Mac on Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:12 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Build Thread (Almost): http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=53596
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby Lonnie Mac » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:26 pm

Was it something I said?

:)
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby mikeschn » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:31 pm

It's looking good Lonnie!

But the cabinet are not as complex as they could be. Check out my Benroy plans, here: http://www.mikenchell.com/images/GenericBenroyPlans.pdf

I've got 3 drawers to your 2! :lol: :lol: :lol:

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The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten, so build your teardrop with the best materials...
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby Lonnie Mac » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:38 pm

Thanks Mike! I have studied your plans to where my wife say's I talk about them in my sleep! Such helpful work. I think I have spent more time in the last two days on axles actually. Starting angles, Dexter, Flexride half axles, hub face, Gawd...

I think I am more thinking about the Flexiride half axles now, except I can't seem to find a link to actually "purchase" them. At first I was really set on leaf's, but I didn't realize the original Benroy had a drop axle until very recently, and I think I should get with the times.

Thanks!
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Build Thread (Almost): http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=53596
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby mikeschn » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:47 pm

My current build is using a full flexiride axle. I'm happy with it so far. Plus I don't have to add a cross member where the axle is.

I also had a flexiride on my Lil Diner. It towed like a dream!

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Re: Benroy build...

Postby mikeschn » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:50 pm

My current build has 6 drawers! ;)

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Re: Benroy build...

Postby Lonnie Mac » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:54 pm

I would have no problem at all with a full flexiride. Is there a common dealer where most are purchasing these? The only link I can seem to find is to the flexiride manufacture itself. I see many on here are using them. I figured I would find a dealer over in Houston, but no luck so far!
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby mikeschn » Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:57 pm

I went directly to southwestwheel.com I don't recall that shipping was that expensive, and I had it within 2 days of ordering it!

And it was built to my specs!

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Re: Benroy build...

Postby Lonnie Mac » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:01 pm

Thanks! I have saved that link! I make my way up to Dallas at times so this is great!
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby LarryJ » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:26 pm

I second southwestwheel.com.

They are very helpful/knowledgeable. You should know the width of your trailer and the hub face to hub face distance (distance from inside of one wheel to the other), so they can build it correctly. Shipping from Texas to No. California cost about $40. Took seven days from order to delivery.
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby Lonnie Mac » Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:06 pm

LarryJ wrote:I second southwestwheel.com.

They are very helpful/knowledgeable. You should know the width of your trailer and the hub face to hub face distance (distance from inside of one wheel to the other), so they can build it correctly. Shipping from Texas to No. California cost about $40. Took seven days from order to delivery.


Thanks Larry. my skin to skin will be 57.0640". :)

So my issue is I guess I don't have the knowledge yet of the tire I need so I can figure out the hub face to hub face. I can see that this could be the catch 22 in deciding on a tire size, then figuring out the tire width, so you can order your axle in the proper dimensions, only to find out the the tire isn't really what you want, or looks horrible, etc...

I have been following Ted's postings here: [url][url]http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=51509[/url][/url]

I LOVE the way his 215 75/R15 Hankook's look on his Benroy. I am thinking that is the way I want to go, but still with my noobness of hub face to hub face knowledge, I am leery that I may order the wrong thing! I am not sure how much room I should/want to leave between the skin and the tire as well.

And I design your airplanes for a living! lol!
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby Junkboy999 » Thu Nov 29, 2012 12:20 am

Looking good so far.

I know the feeling about tires. I’m planning a Benroy. I want it wide enough for a Full size mattress 54”.
My design will have thicker wall because I want my Benroy to have a pop-up section. Next will be tires and
fenders. All of that has to fit in between my house and my neighbor privacy fence @ 79”. Might have to get
the tires and axle first before starting my frame.


Oh and my I suggest something. On your front shelf. Make it strong. I find myself using my shelf as a hand hold
and had to beef mine up a bit. My Little woody interior is the same as your design.
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby TRP » Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:08 pm

Hey Lonnie,

Good design so far. Smart move working out the plans and design of the interior. I really didn't spend a lot of time planning the cabinets on mine. In hindsight, maybe I should have. :)

I did find that after I built the first the cabinet above the head of the mattress I had to take it out and redo it. It had to be pretty thin to allow my wife and I to sit up comfortably. The end result was a rather thin cabinet which will be used to possibly store our personal items (shaving kit/bathroom items/etc). I also used that area to house the 12v cigarette lighter style charger ports and two 12V USB charging ports. These came in handy for charging my Kindle Fire on my first and only camping trip. Gotta have reading material! Need to keep it charged. Which brings up something I didn't see in your design. Are you going to run a 12v system for fan/lights/etc? If so where will you place the battery and fuse panel?

Oh, promise me one thing - if you do build a Benroy profile, please remember to do the lower radius corners for the lower front and rear? In my most humble opinion these lower corners really help refine the overall design of the Benroy. ;)

Lonnie Mac wrote:
LarryJ wrote: I am not sure how much room I should/want to leave between the skin and the tire as well.


I can measure the distance between my outer skin and the edge of the tire if' you'd like.

Let me know,
Ted
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Re: Benroy build...

Postby Lonnie Mac » Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:26 pm

TRP wrote:Hey Lonnie,

Good design so far. Smart move working out the plans and design of the interior. I really didn't spend a lot of time planning the cabinets on mine. In hindsight, maybe I should have. :)

I did find that after I built the first the cabinet above the head of the mattress I had to take it out and redo it. It had to be pretty thin to allow my wife and I to sit up comfortably. The end result was a rather thin cabinet which will be used to possibly store our personal items (shaving kit/bathroom items/etc). I also used that area to house the 12v cigarette lighter style charger ports and two 12V USB charging ports. These came in handy for charging my Kindle Fire on my first and only camping trip. Gotta have reading material! Need to keep it charged. Which brings up something I didn't see in your design. Are you going to run a 12v system for fan/lights/etc? If so where will you place the battery and fuse panel?

Oh, promise me one thing - if you do build a Benroy profile, please remember to do the lower radius corners for the lower front and rear? In my most humble opinion these lower corners really help refine the overall design of the Benroy. ;)

Lonnie Mac wrote:
LarryJ wrote: I am not sure how much room I should/want to leave between the skin and the tire as well.


I can measure the distance between my outer skin and the edge of the tire if' you'd like.

Let me know,
Ted



Thanks Ted! That would be very helpful to have that dimension from your sides to the tire. It would also be great to have your fender radius, and dimensions as well, seeing how I am going to go with your tires too! I absolutely will have the radius lower front and back too. In fact, I modeled the ribs using your pics! LOL. I agree with the upper front shelf. I have really debated making it a small cabinet like you have in the original. My plans for sitting up may be a bit different than I have seen. I'll have to finish modeling that up and show it here. Basically, I will have a backboard, that is mounted on the front wall, flush (under the shelf). It will actually resemble a headboard like you would have on a regular bed, but it will look "Benroy'ish" I hope, covered with a thin padding, and leather. This backboard will hinge out from the front wall, the top being even with the upper shelf (so our heads don't hit the shelf), and at an angle that will be comfortable for sitting on rainy days.

Your pics are kinda the whole model I have been using as my guide, and the plans I received from Grant!

Thanks to Dave, his thread, http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=35081 and a bit of private discussion, I will be going with the Flexiride half axles instead of springs. I really wanted the look of the leafs, and the drop axle, but I felt I didn't have enough info on your drop axle to make a sound decision. I may yet change my mind again.

Now on to the welding!

Here are the ribs. :)

Image
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Build Thread (Almost): http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=53596
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The Benroy stance...

Postby Thawley » Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:17 pm

TRP wrote:Oh, promise me one thing - if you do build a Benroy profile, please remember to do the lower radius corners for the lower front and rear? In my most humble opinion these lower corners really help refine the overall design of the Benroy.

Agree.

The other often overlooked Benroy design element is sidewall/frame height relationship. The Generic Benroy and many others place the bottom edge even with the frame. Hard to argue with the simplicity and space efficiency of that method. But it just doesn't look like a Benroy, IMHO. The Benroy stance is what "makes" the design, for me...

TRP – would you mind sharing the measurement on your original from bottom wall edge to top of frame (bottom of floor)?
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