Changes on my next teardrop....

[Festus]

I've read the warnings on here, but I paid no heed to them, so now I may have to pay the price.

After my first build, I am now thinking about the next teardrop. My wife really has no interest in the teardrop lifestyle or camping in general, so my son has been my camping buddy. He's getting older and less interested in camping with dad and more interested in girls and his friends, so I'm thinking about what I would change on my next build.

The first build was based on wife's stipulation that a 4x8 was too small, we needed a 5x10. Halfway through the 5x10 build she named it "the coffin" and I knew it was game over for her. I built it with a vintage look in mind (Trailer for Two) and spent some extra $$$ and made some choices to go along with that, like using mill finish aluminum so it will weather out to an oxidized gray.

Because I figure I will be alone on most of my adventures, I'm rethinking what I would do on the next one, so here goes:

4x8 with coated aluminum instead of mill finish. My cabin length on the 5x10 was 80" (I'm 6'2" so I need the extra lengh, plus it will be easier to just use a queen size matress- Balony! It just cost me room in the galley cabinets and some wasted space in the cabin) 4x8 cabin length will be 75" to give me more room in the galley cabinets. No onboard battery system- instead I'll use connector to the tow vehicle if needed for fan etc., but will just use all battery powered LED lights. This should save weight and expense. Since I'll be by myself, only one door on the teardrop. Outside storage drawers underneath the trailer. I'm pretty happy with my cabinets on my 5x10, but I'll have to trim them down for a 4x8 build. I did build a cool chuck box modeled after the ones from Blue Sky Kitchen. I just finished it up and haven't got a chance to use it yet, but even as I finished it up, I realized I will probably end up building another one and making it a little smaller, even though it is virtually the same size as the BSK model.

Just some random thoughts on my current build vs my next one. But the next one will be PERFECT!........right......

Any thoughts on what you would do differently on your builds?

Lynn

[GuitarPhotog]

Yeah, for me it'll be to build my own teardrop instead of buying a 65 year old trailer that while still very robust and roadworthy is primitive and difficult to modify



<Chas>

[kirkman]

I to have thought of building a smaller one for when I go by my self (witch is most of the time) but I cant figure out where I would hide #3 from the wife. She might get suspicious of the big thing under the camo netting out in the back yard.

[Dan & Julie CO]

I would like to see pics of your Kitchen box. I have been considering a version that would mount to roof rack and fold down
I saw a version of this but can't find it,still open to free standing with clever mods

[jonw]

I'm fairly happy with the 5x8 size of mine but I would like to reduce it's weight even though it's fairly light (700 lbs) compared to a lot of other builds.

If I were doing it over I too would go with coated aluminum instead of mill finish - looks better and easier to maintain. To lose some weight I'd use AlumaCorr and insulation for the walls instead of 5/8in ply.

I'd angle or chamfer the top edge of my bottom exterior trim pieces so water would not collect on it. I had to clean mold off after the winter.

[Festus]

Dan, I'm going to hijack my own thread here.

I liked the Blue Sky Kitchen chuckbox plans (they have several models, I think the one I modeled this after was called the "Grubby") and was going to buy a set of plans from them and couldn't get the website to work right when I tried to order, so I got fed up and just decided to build my own version.


My side table is a seperate unit from the actual chuck box and is different from the BSK models. I didn't have it varnished in these photos, but it is now.

The chuckbox is several pieces that all go together when closed. When closed up, the bottom section is actually a table that sits over the top section. When open, the table is removed from the top section, and the top section is set on the table.

There are two panels that cover the open sides of the top section when closed up for traveling. These panels are slid out and one panel makes the side table which is slid under the top section and is held by the weight of the top section and also a couple of "ears" fastend to the bottom table. The ears also keep the top section from sliding forward or backward off the bottom table. The side table is good only for relatively light things, don't try to set a dutch oven on it : ). The other panel makes the shelf on the bottom table which can be moved to either side and sits in notches in the brace of the table to keep it from sliding around.

And last is the big side table. The legs fold up on it, but it is entirely seperate from the actual chuck box. It slides under the top section just like the panel does for the small side table and is held by the top and ears also. I added a couple of short dowels to help locate the table and keep it from sliding and also to take the weight of the 1/4" plywood top. The dowels are glued into the side table and slide into holes drilled into the bottom table.

I built the whole thing from scrap I had. It is made of 1/4 plywood and 1/4 laun plywood, pine and ash. The plywood was all left over from my teardrop build. I ended up buying a quart of polyurethane and some cup hooks. So I've got about $12 in it. It took a weekend to build it, plus a few days to varnish it.

It's pretty hard to explain how it all works, but It can be set up in less than 2 minutes. It has a drawer, but you could add another if you wanted. On one side of the top there is cup hooks and you hang your tongs, spatula, etc. On the other side is a spice rack. It's a really slick idea, but I can't take any credit for it. The BSK website has some great videos of how they work, and I would suggest buying their plans if you're interested. I think you can get them individually for $10 each. No, I am not affiliated with them in any way, but actually I could have probably built mine in less time if I had an actual set of plans. (But I probably wouldn't have had as much fun!)

Hope this helps!