Cross Bow / trolley / renamed little blue trolley

[Ron Dickey]

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=49872
up Date 3-3-2013 I am building the Cross Bow and gave my self 60 days for the 20th Dam Gathering or in my case the Damn Run....
Up Date .3-3-2013 .. I talk about many of my dreams below but not until page 2 do I get started. and my design has gotten pretty basic when you are in a hurry.

I am thinking of building a new trailer, thought my wife tells me I have not finished the BoxKite. On the Box Kite it was the doors that stopped me now it it the trailer frame. The Box Kite frame was an old boat trailer frame and has a fixed axel I can not move. So it took me 4 years to build the last one and now that I know how to build one it could take as little as a week to build but it will take me years to design.

The above thread is the start of what I want to do and I call it the Cross Bow because I want the curve to go left to right not up and down. I do not have a true galley in the Box Kite and there fore when driving down the road and stopping we can just open the back and get a snack. The Box Kite can be used as a Utility Trailer and a camper, The Cross Bow will be a purely camping trailer. Because it costs so little to insure and license a trailer it makes sense to have several. How ever I do have a friend who has 8 and his wife is about to kill him, one of which is a TTT.

In here I will place my research so I can catch up if I forget, you do that as you get older and our town is about to put in an $18,000,000 sewer so my funds will suffer soon, which means I may have to use spare change to buy the parts.
The Rain Drop starting my thinking in this direction

also manufactured with a bow front is the Airstream Base Camp

I have a drawing I will try and find and pull up too.
Ron Dickey

 

[Ron Dickey]

Here are some more examples
This is a pointed teardrop from southern California other shots are on my Gallery.

offers a side galley

 

[Ron Dickey]

I am not the first to try this someones build above
Raindrop body before assembly from Camp Inn all made from hand.

 

[Ron Dickey]

The Galley I want should look something like these guys
you tube pull out tables.

 

[mezmo]

Hi Ron,

Don't forget Irmo Atomic's Torpedo build, inspired by an early
1930s Airstream [pre-aircraft style]. Pretty much what you seem to
be aiming for.

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=51954

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

 

[Junkboy999]

This my favorite curved front TD build. I know it’s has been posted somewhere before. But.. here it is again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... 6telY&NR=1

 

[RandyG-TNT]

This is the same design I'm aiming for (I like the name crossbow, never heard it called that).
This clip shows some of the 560 under construction,

I was never able to find pics of it being built so this is the closest I found for reference from Camp Inn.

 

[Ron Dickey]

This my favorite curved front TD build. I know it’s has been posted somewhere before. But.. here it is again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... 6telY&NR=1

thanks that is amazing I am not thinking of doing a standy but it is tempting.
I wonder how they got the boards the bent steamed?

Ron

 

[Junkboy999]

Have you seen finleycraft Build thread, The Finley T1, It is nice and wide with a bow front as well.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=51053

And the CAD picture I posted above would of had windows in the front. It is just easier to model the body
and add windows later, and I have no idea where to buy curved windows if I did build it.

Bending wood
Most people get really thin plywood design to bend. ( some time called Barrel plywood ) All the fiber of
the layers run in the same direction. Steaming will work but hard to steam a full sheet + steaming plywood
can melt the glue. Keeping one side dry and heated while soaking the other side with ammonia and water
helps the bending as well. Dryer side shrinks wet side swells.

I bend steam wood ( not play ) all the time for my RC planes and woodworking hobbies.

 

[Ron Dickey]

as I research this Idea it is nice to know I am not the first

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=51357
They get into it here and have some side layout diagrams too.

Ron

 

[Ron Dickey]

I am thinking of instead of bending the wood which looks cool I could cut out an arch in the plywood floor and top and cut out inserts for each of the pieces of wood that would go up. That way the wood would have more strength.

I know I will have to draw my idea and post it. so it make more sense.
looking like half a diameter of this picture.

it would look a little like this horizontal wind mill before the sheet of oak gets glued on.

I am thinking of cutting it out of a second piece of arched with gear look of wood and gluing that to the top and bottom pieces for two reasons
1. I will have smooth surfaces for both top and bottom.
2. the inserted wood bars would be attached on sides and ends.

 

[Ron Dickey]

Hmm wonder what the inside could look like well I am not this skilled but it sure looks nice.

Dream on!!!!

 

[RandyG-TNT]

I too, have been thinking of how to curve the front. I pondered on the idea of cutting strips instead of bending the wood but I'm still on the fence. What is the radius of the front going to be on your trailer? Mine will be 12".

 

[Ron Dickey]

I am thinking of somewhere between a 15 degree and 20 degree angle I have know idea who long that is but it will be 4 feet wide.

 

[Ron Dickey]

lines to side showed size they are in 5 Degree units.
Beat angle is red, the green angle is 15 and 20 is purple. the light blue is 35 degrees.

I am also thinking of putting a box one the front much like the one on my old one but it's back will equal the same as the arch. I could go up to 25 but no box on front.

 

[KCStudly]

I have no idea what you are trying to relate.

 

[thisoldcamper]

Something like this....

but more rounded?

 

[KCStudly]

That part I got. It was the chart that was throwing me off.

 

[RandyG-TNT]

The purple line looks like a nice sweep!

 

[Ron Dickey]

my wife says I am not finished with the one I have but the frame it rides on is an old boat trailer which is about to get a 3rd expensive repair. And the cost might be better spent on a new rig.

Designing a trailer leads one is all directions.
I was looking at boat building today realizing that many bowed parts are several thin planks bent and then glued together.
Other wise one would take a wide plank or plywood and cut it to the same one needed.
The curves I have done to this point cutting plywood sides for the trailer attaching wood bars between each side then using 1/8th thick ply sheets glued to the bars in the shape of the angle. Meaning the front and top of a teardrop trailer. which is the way I intend to do the Cross bow only the 1/8th sheet will go left and right.

Then there are things I do not know how to do and want to figure out.
I have always loved the trolly top much like Doug has does on two of his teardrop trailers. What I would like to do is more like the old 1960 VW van top, in some those the little windows opened too it think?

where the windows on top are between the side and the center of the top is a little higher and flat so I can install a hatch or fan.

The part that concerns me is front top where the top little window area meets the front top???

I have seen great idea for new cars and when they come out they do not look anything like what was drawn, I can dream but it will take some time to work out what i can and can not do.