Has anyone checked out this teardrop yet?

[caddabby]

I find this design pretty interesting:
http://www.vistabule.com/teardrop/Welcome.html

[angib]

The combined side tables and window privacy screens are a neat idea (though they wouldn't work with opening windows):

[caddabby]

I'm wondering about the strength/ stability of the large Lexan window. How would you build it to be strong enough and stay leak proof? I particularly like the folding bed/ couch feature.

[NathanL]

Strength won't be an issue with the Lexan, you can buy replacement windows for cars in Lexan in situations where you don't want a glass that will shatter - like racing etc...

[caddabby]

Not so concerned about the strenght of the lexan, but the overall camper since the window takes up so much of the roof. The spars that are normally placed there are missing.

[NathanL]

The spars are there to hold up the roof and the lexan is self supporting. If you had a self supporting material you could throw out about 75% of your spars with only needing the other 25% to space the walls

[caddabby]

Ok makes sense. Thanks

[Gage]

Plus your working on a curve, which in itself is stronger than a flat. Like NathanL says, the lexan takes the place of the spars.

[doug hodder]

Reminds me of having a car with a moon roof in it back in the 70's when that was all the rage....neat idea....but incredibly hot! Doug

[nevadatear]

I agree Doug. I love the light. However, I think the dark in our tear is what both keeps it cool and lets us really get great sleeping in. !

[GuitarPhotog]

Polycarbonate (Lexan) might not be the best choice, because it scratches so easily - much more easily than the more brittle acrylic, but neither are very UV resistant. Polycarbonate becomes more brittle with UV exposure, while acrylic turns yellow.

Both reasons are why auto makers make sun/moon roofs from glass.

<Chas>

[doug hodder]

Polycarb is 30x more impact resistant than an acrylic and forms/ bends much easier. It can be put in a brake and bent. It does scratch easier, making cleaning of that window a real issue as any material on it will scratch it. Having been in the sign industry though, I'd think that if one were to cover it when not in use, it should last a long while. I've seen signs that I've sold with poly faces in them that are in the UV all day long and they had 15 years on them and were fine. And with a poly window, you can always cut a new one and install it easier. I've had signs that were targets. Poly can take a bullet, only a hole...acrylic will want to crack. There are lots of polycarb products out there....Lexan is GE's copyrighted name for it.

It does expand and contract quite a bit through temperature ranges. I can't remember the exact % however. Considering the size of this window, it may or may not be an issue. Many of the larger signs using poly that you will see around any town, will have a hanging bar on the top. It suspends the sign face....the retainers around the edge only hold it to the cabinet, that way it can expand and contract at will. Kinda like floating aluminum skins on a tear. FWIW. Doug

[caddabby]

You can kinda see in the picture Angib posted (thanks!) that there's an inner frame around the window; there's a rollup shade that pulls down into that track and completely covers the large window. I'm not sure what that will do for reflecting heat but it does give you privacy.

[indycamper]

The main problem I see with it is that one would need to keep the tear picked up at all times. Either that, or keep the privacy screen continuously closed!

[caddabby]

I hadn't thought of that; we are a kinda messy couple!