Kind of like a Grumman

[ELM-TNT]

I have started my teardrop This going to be a modified Grumman. I've been working on it for a few weeks now and I've made some saw dust / shavings but not the kind you guys are used to.In this picture the walls are just clamped to the frame.

The frame is 2x2x1/8" and 2x3x1/8" tongue weight is 114.5 lbs
The walls are made 3/4 x 1 1/2 x .065 and 3/4 x 3/4 x .065 they weigh 82 lbs
Total is 196.5

 

[ELM-TNT]

Here's the frame is mostly welded up.

Here I'm working on the gutter under the hatch.

In this picture it's hard to see the bent 1/2"x 1" tube that I'm using for my gutter. I cut part of the tubing away to form my gutter.

Hatch frame 29 lbs
hatch gutters 6 lbs
tongue braces 6 lbs
battery tray 4 lbs
LPG tray 4 lbs
shoe box tracks 5 lbs
hitch hinge tube 5.8 lbs
Total 256.3

 

[Hepcat-TNT]

Looks like some serious craftsmanship here. What are the dimensions, and interior layout?

 

[scowan]

That really shows your metal fabricating skills.Was wondering the reason for the double curvature on top.Great work!

Steve

 

[KennethW]

Only one door? If you are building with a steel frame why one door?

 

[ELM-TNT]

Looks like some serious craftsmanship here. What are the dimensions, and interior layout?

Thanks. It's 110" X 60" and I'm still working on the inside layout. I'm almost done with steel work so I can prime and paint the steel and then I can start on the wood.

 

[ELM-TNT]

Only one door? If you are building with a steel frame why one door?

Yes only one door for now but if you look at the framing I have framed it for another door if I need one. Thanks

 

[ELM-TNT]

That really shows your metal fabricating skills.Was wondering the reason for the double curvature on top.Great work!

Steve

Thanks I've been working with steel most all my life. I did the double curve so I could do the inside out type of build.

 

[KCStudly]

You will find the overwhelming consensus, especially from people who started with one door, is that they wished they had done two doors from the begining. It's just so much easier to do it from the start.

There is a thread in the voting/poling forum asking what people would have done differently. The two most common things are building 5 wide not 4 (check), and building with 2 doors.

Just saying, you obviously have the skills, just do it.

Nobody wants to have to crawl over, or be crawled over in the night. Other inputs, including those from solo campers, are that it is harder to make the bed with just one door, and sometimes, depending on campsite arrangement it's nice to have the door on the other side.

Just saying, do it now.

 

[ELM-TNT]

You will find the overwhelming consensus, especially from people who started with one door, is that they wished they had done two doors from the begining. It's just so much easier to do it from the start.

There is a thread in the voting/poling forum asking what people would have done differently. The two most common things are building 5 wide not 4 (check), and building with 2 doors.

Just saying, you obviously have the skills, just do it.

Nobody wants to have to crawl over, or be crawled over in the night. Other inputs, including those from solo campers, are that it is harder to make the bed with just one door, and sometimes, depending on campsite arrangement it's nice to have the door on the other side.

Just saying, do it now.

Thanks KC for the input. I've framed it for another door so if we need it someday I can just get the rotor out with the trim bit and have an opening for a door in a few minutes. I really don't mind my wife crawling over or me crawling over her . KC I've read your holeeeeee build tread and you have a wonderful foamy your building. I love all the food porn in your build tread and all the help you give other people on this awesome site. Well I should be out working on it while the sun is out. I'm trying to get it primed and painted before we get rain and more cold weather.

 

[KCStudly]

Thanks. I will add that most of the lessons I have learned during my build were things that someone along the way had suggested from a point early on. If I had adopted some of those suggestions earlier I would have saved some rework and expense.

Why wouldn't you do it now?

BTW, the work you have done so far looks really good!

 

[ELM-TNT]

I finally have an update. I've been trying to figure out how to do my hatch supports and it only took a week to come up with an idea I like So now I can prime and paint the frame. Here's a few pictures

Any guesses on what it weighs as you see it in this picture OK it's 372.1 lbs

Ready to prime. I used my Ransburg Electrostatic sprayer I use this to paint my wrought iron fencing and trailers. The way it works is it puts paint on the wheel that spins it into a mist and puts a electric charge to the paint. I can paint down one side of a tube and the paint will wrap around the tubing on all sides. It's like powder coating but in a liquid form but you don't need to bake it. The paint is a single stage urethane. Here it is taped and ready to be primed

 

[ELM-TNT]

Here it is primed

This only took five minutes to prime once I had the paint loaded in the sprayer and ready to go.
And here it is painted black

And with tape removed. I taped where I'm going to glue the plywood to the steel so hopefully the Loctite will stick better to the bare steel.

 

[Mushin-TNT]

Wow!

 

[ELM-TNT]

Now I can start putting plywood in for good I also sprayed sander sealer on the floor and inner walls. A lot of painting in one day before the rain returns for a few days.

 

[ELM-TNT]

Today I put the floor back in and drilled and tapped for holes for 1/4-20 brass flat head screws to hold the floor to the steel tubing.I also used Loctite glue.

total weight here is 467.1 lbs

Also today I added Alder wood where I need it for attaching the 1/4" Baltic beach plywood walls and I refitted the inside walls before removing them again to give them there final coat of poly.

 

[JmsCaverly]

Well look at that you got some walls up! Looks nice. I like how you did a metal frame. Do you think it will raise the weight at all compared to wood builds. I.e. Like mine. I plan to get mine weight this week so I can file for my Vin number.

 

[ELM-TNT]

I'm weighing everything as I build. Our teardrops will be a good comparison because there about the same size and shape. It will be very interesting to here what your weighs. Why do you need to weigh it ? From what I've read on the DMV web site if it's under 16' long and you call it a camp trailer not a RV you can get the PTI plates. But thing do change once your at DMV

 

[jmascioni]

You have an awesome beginning.

I think that your craftsmanship in steel is amazing. Fantastic job so far.

 

[ELM-TNT]

You have an awesome beginning.

I think that your craftsmanship in steel is amazing. Fantastic job so far.

Thanks