T@B movie

[aggie79]

I do suspect that the interior joinery weighs quite a bit - particle board based furniture is cheap to make (and kick-proof) but it isn't light.
Andrew

My thoughts too.

The video shows the T@B construction to be lightweight (but sufficient) in some areas but unnecessarily heavy in other areas (I guess for mass-production purposes.)

I've been lurking around here awhile and have been considering building a slightly larger Widget TTT - something like this http://www.retrotraveler.com/1200.html or a smaller T@B-like profile.

My biggest design challenge has been to minimize trailer weight using as much conventional construction methods as possible. The video helped me justify going to lighter frame, floor, wall and roof construction.

[alanm]

Since my kids discovered the T@B I have been spending time looking at it with the idea of designing a "replica" for them.

Andrew is right on for the weight. Each of the T@Bs I've seen at my local dealer (he has about 8 in stock) have the weight right on the side near the door and they range right about (US) 1,610 to 1,650 pounds. That is the empty weight. Add propane, water, food, clothes, etc. and you are allowed a total of 1,939 as the GVWR. The catalog says the empty weight is 1615 at the most, but it does vary.

I have been using my Visio CAD program to try duplicating the T@B and have decided to make it just a wee bit larger. I measured the actual unit and it is 11'-2" long (body), I want to go to 12' even (3 sheets of plywood per side). The interior height is 5-9" and I am increasing it to 5'-10" so I don't get a crick in my neck or spine.

I too was intrigued by the movie and the construction of the floor and chassis. I'm looking to try a similar design. Essentially the unit is a box to which an axle and tongue are bolted. As soon as I have some drawings that are useable I'll ask for help in posting them to the forum.

[alanm]

A few further comments:

Most of the T@B interior joinery is 1/2" thick, not 3/4. Only the face frames of the cabinets are 3/4". The interior walls are lighter. I noticed in the movie how easily the 2 people lifted the front and rear portions of the interior.

Also, the interior is built on a jig, which, even for one off construction is not hard to do. A couple sheets of plywood and some hardwood locators would be sufficient. Careful machining of the interior parts (after careful design and detailing) would make it easy to build the interior separately and then mount it to the floor.

One thing not in the movie is how the floor is made. I wonder if it is a sandwich of plywood and steel, since everything underneath through bolts to the floor?