(The Puffin) New Tiny Trailer

Anything to do with mechanical, construction etc

Postby steve wolverton » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:34 pm

Zorkman wrote:was able to get the model with the 12" wheel for a NICE price of $203 out the door. I plan on (if you dont mind) taking some of your ideas and mixing them with some of the widget. With me, the misses and our 1 year old daughter a traditional teardrop is pretty much not an option and I love the way yours turned out.

With the A/C in the front, do you think that is going to make tounge weight an issue?


Good price on that trailer. It sure is a crumby weekend to assemble a trailer though - this cold snap sucks.

Good choice on the Widget design. I really like the Midget/Widget looks. Feel free to take any design ideas you want from my setup. I'll let you know what works well, and what doesn't.

As for the AC and tongue weight, it does add quite a bit to the tongue, but it's not an alarming amount. I can still pick up the tongue of my trailer to move it around, and it's a lot less tongue weight than my 8' popup camper was. I have a rack on the back of the camper that I carry a 50 pound trike on so that helps balance it out more.

Good luck with the your build. Maybe you could post some pictures as you go?

Steve
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX

Postby steve wolverton » Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:34 pm

I went camping this weekend. :thumbsup:

Friday it was warm. AC worked great.
Saturday it was cold. Heater worked great.
Sunday is warm. AC worked great.

:?

Image
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX

Postby Miriam C. » Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:39 pm

:lol: :lol: :lol: It's just a good thing you have heat and air huh. ;) A good lesson for the rest of us. :thumbsup:

Now where are the camping pictures? :R
“Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.â€
User avatar
Miriam C.
our Aunti M
 
Posts: 19675
Images: 148
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:14 pm
Location: Southwest MO
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:07 pm

Miriam C. wrote:Now where are the camping pictures? :R


I didn't take many this trip as I was solo. A few:

Image
Burger time!

Image
Looking at the lake from the bike.

Image
Uh oh. I think I've been spotted.

Image
My campsite. Small enough to turn the trailer lengthwise in the site. :thumbsup: I *really* like my new telescoping lantern stand. It makes it really handy when cooking and reading to put the light right where I want it.
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby Miriam C. » Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:03 pm

:applause: Thank you! Quality beats quantity anytime. Seems the dear is curious too. Strange little black and white creature moved in.
“Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.â€
User avatar
Miriam C.
our Aunti M
 
Posts: 19675
Images: 148
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:14 pm
Location: Southwest MO
Top

Postby reiltear » Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:08 am

Hi, Steve!

Wazzat under the stove in the "burger time" picture? I really like the Puffin, though nothing like that would fit in my garage. A Cowper, maybe...

Thank you.

Ilya
User avatar
reiltear
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 222
Images: 18
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:11 am
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:34 pm

reiltear wrote:Wazzat under the stove in the "burger time" picture? I really like the Puffin, though nothing like that would fit in my garage. A Cowper, maybe...


I've got a small garage, and it's all I can do to get the camper in it. :R

As for the thing under the stove, that's my portable kitchen thingy. Actually, it's a Campmate.

http://www2.llbean.com/product/40283.htm

I really like it. It's made of some heavy duty plastic. No raccoon has made his way into it...yet.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby reiltear » Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:08 am

Steve, Thank you!

I always liked LL Bean stuff. It just never occured to me to look there...

Thanks again!

Ilya
User avatar
reiltear
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 222
Images: 18
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:11 am
Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
Top

Postby surveytech » Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:14 am

Steve,
What's up with your website? You selling RV's now?


Walter
surveytech
Donating Member
 
Posts: 776
Images: 6
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 7:13 pm
Location: kissimmee, florida
Top

Postby Zorkman » Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:59 pm

The more I see of your camper the more I like it :applause: Glad to see you enjoying it.

That looks like Lake Summerville??
Zorkman
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 17
Images: 32
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:31 pm
Location: Tomball, Texas
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:07 pm

surveytech wrote:What's up with your website? You selling RV's now?


:lol: I had no idea what you were talking about until I checked the site. Nope, that's not me. I have nothing to do with it. I let my website expire awhile back.

Zorkman wrote:The more I see of your camper the more I like it Glad to see you enjoying it.

That looks like Lake Summerville??


Thanks Zorkman. The more I camp in it, the more I like it. :) I'm looking forward to doing some summer camping now that I've got an AC in it. WooHoo!

Yup, that's Lake Somerville. I'm going to head back there this weekend, or to Huntsville. Those parks are fairly close to me and have some good mountain biking.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:01 pm

I decided not to go camping this weekend so I could do a few housekeeping things to the Puffin for the Dallas get together. I installed a hatch this morning for the AC. I'm going to do some trim work this evening.

Image
Image

Many of you know how much I hate building, and how much I enjoy camping. This is a nice trade-off now. I now have the time to tinker on the small things and go back and change things up if I don't like it. My camper is (and has been) ready to go in a seconds notice if I camping trip comes up. I guess we really never finish them.
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:45 pm

Ok, even more work this weekend. Phew, I'm pooped.

Image

I wasn't happy with my interior so I decided to redo it. I painted the walls beige using the texture additive. I trimmed all edges with aluminum, and corners with quarter round that I painted black. I added some 1x3 trim to my TV bracket, and I installed a small aluminum tube to support the weight. I trimmed the AC. I also hung a few photos. I need to run the white power cord to AC under the door as soon as I get another outlet installed under the bed. I also installed black mesh netting in the storage cubby above the counter space. I have to order my edge trim to trim out all those storage holes. Grrr!

I'm going to mount a power strip under the TV bracket and that will help hide the wires.

Image

I painted the dropped floor section black and trimmed it out too. I also sewed a bed skirt to hide the under the bed storage area and clean up the looks. I trimmed all along the floor as well. You can see all the stuff I have shoved into the bottom storage area because I ran out of mesh netting. I'll install the black mesh netting in all the storage bins wit the trim...that I need to order. Grrr!

Image

I repainted the entire interior and sewed a new curtain for the door. I'm going to sew some velcro on the curtains so I can peel them off during the day, and slap them back on at night. A few more pictures to hang, I have to hang a mirror on the bathroom door, and I need to order my edge trim. Grrr!

I also painted the inside of the door. I'm going to mount a small trashcan on the door as there is a small dead space below the window. It will also be out of the way when I open to door to go outside. I'm happy with the results.
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby Miriam C. » Sun Apr 22, 2007 9:01 pm

:applause: It just keeps getting better Steve. I noticed a lot of edge trim/grrrr's in there. You do know you can put iron on wood strips to finish that don't you!

Enjoy
“Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.â€
User avatar
Miriam C.
our Aunti M
 
Posts: 19675
Images: 148
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:14 pm
Location: Southwest MO
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Sun Apr 29, 2007 9:09 pm

I've seen a lot of people with their fancy side tables on their tears lately so I decided to make one.

I found a piece of 3/4" ply that measured 2' x 4'. Neat, I don't even have to cut it. :D

I'm fiberglassing it tonight, and I'll paint it and trim the edges with aluminum. I have to order the mount too - but I'm hoping to have it together for this weekend.

Image
Image
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

PreviousNext

Return to Teardrop Construction Tips & Techniques

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests