"TrailTop" modular trailer building components

[jscherb]

Next I'll be putting in the side windows. I've mocked up the approximate size and shape with tape. The actual window size will be slightly smaller, the tape represents the length of the zippers I have on hand for this. There will be two zippers and they'll meet at the peak at the top. That way, it will be possible to unzip both zippers a few inches to just get a small vent at the top, or unzip them both to the bottom to fully open the window panel. There will be a fixed screen on the outside of the window, the zippered panel will be in the inside.

[KCStudly]

I think it would be easier to roll the window flap up to secure, rather than have it flopping down on the inside. Just a thought.

[SeaFlea]

If the widow flap drops down, inside, it can be rolled "up" when it starts ta rainin'...
If the flaps "roll up" then when it rains there will be hell to pay with that water...

[jscherb]

I think it would be easier to roll the window flap up to secure, rather than have it flopping down on the inside. Just a thought.

I did a lot of research on both roof-top tents and ground tents, and on the majority of the ones I looked at the side windows zip down from the top. I think it's for the reason SeaFlea gave, and also Scott Chaney of Compact Camping (http://www.dinoot.com) says a good reason for the top-down zipping is that you can easily open just a few inches of the top for ventilation, say when it's too cool to sleep with the windows all the way open but you'd like the stale air inside the tent to be able to vent out a bit. I checked my RTT, and the side windows do zip down from the top, although on that one, both the solid panel and the screen panel have zippers, but I plan to make the screen fixed and only the inside solid panel zip.

[KCStudly]

Industry standard is surely based on past experience. My shoot from the hip half baked logic is surely not. Being able to have some little ventilation in the rain, and the general tendency to keep rain water running down and out absolutely trumps have partial ventilation at face level and gravity helping to make a nice tight roll.

[freddyb]

Best thread I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Thank you.

[jscherb]

I got one of the side windows completed today. In this first photo, the inner panel is zipped closed.



The inner panel zips down from the top, so if you want just a small opening for ventilation, it's easy to do:



The inner panel fully open:



And from the inside. Not the best photo...



I'll get the other side window done tomorrow.

[WoodSmith]

I have now read this thread and the one over on the expedition portal in their entirety. I know that you are currently busy with your other designs for SEMA, but I want to add my own "Me TOOO!!" for your market research. I have read plenty of the build threads here and I can tell that for most people going from paper to an actual camper is a LONG slog. So many build threads start out gangbusters, and then life happens and a year later a new post pops up "Well, it has been a while since I made any progress."

I have been residing my house for 2 full years. I make some progress most weeks, but not as much as I would like. I have wanted to build a trailer for over 10 years. I have talked with my wife about it being the next project AFTER the house is done, but she is very hesitant that it will turn into another all consuming project for an indefinite period of time. The building blocks that you have designed look like they could fast forward a huge amount of the "fiddly bits" that I would obsess over getting perfect. The beauty of your system that I see is that it looks like it could allow builders to get to a camp-able shell on an existing trailer in a long weekend. Wires, insulation, galley, shelving, storage, all can be added over time as you get to understand how you actually use it rather than guessing at a future. Of guessing wrong and "needing" to build a second (how many?).

The obvious stability shown by your gorilla tests even without fully glued panels lead me to believe that your system might even be successfully assembled using bolts/screws and duct tape for testing out different sizes and shapes of trailers for those of us with less vision than you have.

You have asked in both threads for guidance in what people think would be a fair price (and not got very good feedback that I have seen). From memory, your stated design goals include being able to get to a shell on a Harbor Freight / Northern Tool trailer for $1500. I don't have a number that I can post and say "This is what I would pay." I can tell you that I am considering doing a cargo trailer conversion. A new 6x12 cargo locally is running around $2200. This obviously means I get little choice in the profile (square nose vs v-nose, height) but the benefit is that I can drive it off the lot, throw sleeping bags and air mattresses in it and be camping that afternoon. I think your pricing is in the right neighborhood, obviously depending on the options chosen.

Whomever is lurking in the background, watching interest, add another ticky-mark. I'm interested. Please bring this to market.

WoodSmith

[Ron Dickey]

nice job your campers remind me of the old Scout ad's



the little truck that could, I always wanted one but they were gone by the time I could afford one!
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/my- ... -and-play/

and the old Bug add too.


you are changing the way we think about trailers

keep it up. Ron

[jscherb]

I have now read this thread and the one over on the expedition portal in their entirety. I know that you are currently busy with your other designs for SEMA, but I want to add my own "Me TOOO!!"...
WoodSmith

Woodsmith,
Thanks for the comments. Since you referenced what I said in the Expedition Portal thread about working on other things, I'll repeat it here. Someone asked:

I know there is a lot of interest on this forum for the trail top system, and I know you are still working on the final designs. Is there interest by dinot or any other manufacture at this time. Will we see it coming out anytime soon?

To which I replied:

The basic set of TrailTop parts is done, and as far as I'm concerned the design is final. This includes all of the parts you've seen in this thread that I've used to build the proof-of-concept teardrop and Jeep-tub hard cover/tilt-up camper. Both proof-of-concept builds went together as planned and the parts worked as designed, and I'm confident any of the concepts shown in this thread could successfully be built with the TrailTop parts as designed.

I have had conversations with two companies interested in marketing the system but no commitment has been made yet (by either company or by me).

Right now I'm working with a company that's signed up for several other designs of mine; they want to have them production ready in time for this year's SEMA show, so I've been focused on that lately instead of whether or not the TrailTop system gets to market.

Even though I've been focused on these other projects for SEMA, I have been thinking about adding a new part to the TrailTop system which would make a few other designs possible, I'll probably post about that soon. I'm working on a few concept drawings right now.

And this is off topic, but I've also been working on some Jeep fiberglass stuff lately, including some custom parts for the '07-present JK Wrangler, and a conversion kit for installing a factory CJ grille on a Wrangler, below is a photo of my 2006 Wrangler Unlimited which has with my CJ Grille Kit installed (and my Safari Cab hardtop) - the kit consists of a new fiberglass hood, fenders and cowl panel which enables the installation of a factory CJ grille so that it all looks like it could have come from the factory that way.

[jscherb]

I finished sewing the side windows this morning.









b

[jscherb]

Now that I've finished the basic tilt-up, I'm thinking about whether or not I want to take the tilt-up project any further. I built this as a proof-of-concept and also as a way to improve my new sewing skills, and as it is now, I'd say the tilt-up concept is proven, and I'm happy with my sewing skills, so I could just declare it done.

A while back I drew an awning that might be a good idea for inclement weather, maybe I'll sew that, although I haven't come up with a method for supporting the awning that I really like yet.



Or I could do is mold some more TrailTop parts to make the bottom of a clamshell to turn what I've sewn into a roof-top tent:

[KCStudly]

... I haven't come up with a method for supporting the awning that I really like yet.

What if you were to make the awning side panels have a semi circular shape and sew the fiberglass rods into the hem/seam so that the still hold the panel out taught, but do not stick out? If the lower edge section of the panel just had guide loops and a blind socket at the bottom (sewn in at the hem), the rod might still be able to be slipped out for easier storage.

[SeaFlea]

Jeff,
I'd like to ask what may seem to be a "rookie question"... I am a rookie though so please bare with me.
Now that your proof-of-concept has proven this is indeed do-able, what becomes of the "project trailer"?
Do you sell it? Do you dismantle the "clam-shell" to re-use as the top for the "roof-top tent"?
If you were to sell it, do you have any idea what the dollar figure might be?
This is purely academic because the dear wife has already informed me that a trailer will not grace our driveway...
I'm just curious is all... If the question is inappropriate please let me know so I don't repeat the error in the future.
Great thread by the way. Love the tilt-top.

Charlie

[jscherb]

... I haven't come up with a method for supporting the awning that I really like yet.

What if you were to make the awning side panels have a semi circular shape and sew the fiberglass rods into the hem/seam so that the still hold the panel out taught, but do not stick out? If the lower edge section of the panel just had guide loops and a blind socket at the bottom (sewn in at the hem), the rod might still be able to be slipped out for easier storage.

I like that idea, thanks. I also found an idea in the May 1953 issue of Popular Mechanics that I like, there's an article about building a "Car Top Sleeper". It's a pretty simple "covered wagon" design that would probably still be of interest to people today. That design has awnings that are secured with poles to keep them extended and ropes with springs to keep the poles in place.

Maybe a combination of fiberglass rods sewn into seams plus the ropes this one uses - the awnings below don't have sides, and I would want to do sides, so the fiberglass rods could go in the seams on the sides. I'll also play with some semicircular ideas as you suggest.