Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello All, I’m new to posting, but I’ve been looking for awhile now. Each year I camp with a bunch of friends at a blue grass (get away from kids) weekend. They all have 1960’s small trailers. So with a 12 x 7 trailer sitting along side my building I though I might as well build something to sleep in. I had it sand blasted and welded up to improve the strength and fix some rust. Primed and painted and a support bolted down, with decking.

So now here I sit LOL .. It will be a sand up, it need to sleep 4, table seating 4 in the rear ( fold down to queen size bed ) and 2 bunk beds up front and I will be towing it with a v 8 Chevy PU. I have a spray-on bed liner business, all the high tech spray equipment so when all finished it will be wrapped 360 for white bed liner.

A family member was going to CAD plans and blue print them for me.. Looks like that might take a month or two.  .. So has anyone ever just started drawing on the floor and cutting? This Friday I’m buying beer and pizza and where going to have ourselves and trailer raising party. (I’ve invited a lot of bored people and they have WAY more skills than I have. Pics to follow. ( I wonder what it will look like.)

HubCapKevin wrote:
( I wonder what it will look like.)

So do We - Just kidding - I would say that a lot of builds begin the way you mentioned and end up fine - looking forward to your progress

HubCapKevin - Awesome! I say go for it. It sounds like you know what you want, so sketch out a few ideas and stick it together. I know of tears designed on napkins, chalked floors, and receipts.

I'm thinking Puffin .. MEGA PUFFIN... the bunks worry me a bit .. but my manager says " #@#$ where just building a BIG box with round ends.. how hard can that be ... " more screws.. glue and about 70 lbs of bedliner.. I might set up a time lasp camera in the shop and youtube it ...

I do have windows 2 @ 44" x 14" and 2 @ 34" x 14" I have NO idea how those might be placed.

HubCapKevin wrote:I'm thinking Puffin .. MEGA PUFFIN... the bunks worry me a bit .. but my manager says " #@#$ where just building a BIG box with round ends.. how hard can that be ... " more screws.. glue and about 70 lbs of bedliner.. I might set up a time lasp camera in the shop and youtube it ...

I do have windows 2 @ 44" x 14" and 2 @ 34" x 14" I have NO idea how those might be placed.

You are well on your way!

HubCapKevin wrote:.
A family member was going to CAD plans and blue print them for me.. Looks like that might take a month or two.  .. So has anyone ever just started drawing on the floor and cutting?

You mean like this???

HubCapKevin wrote:" #@#$ where just building a BIG box with round ends.. how hard can that be ... "

That's really all it is.

That time-lapse would be cool.

Great Start! I do like the Standies.
A few sketches on graph paper and you'll have it all worked out.

I recommend making a least a few sketches on paper first...much cheaper than plywood. That'll help you make a pleasing profile and get some of the kinks worked out. If you do it on graph paper as shopfabricator suggests, it's easy to lay out on a larger scale when the time comes. Have fun!

Free printable graph paper here:
http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/

Brad

It's all up from here! You only need a plan so you will remember to, and where the wiring is and the studs. If you have knowledgeable help then, run, No just joking!

The bunks will be fine. Are they for adults? It doesn't take much as long as no one is jumping on them.

This is so much fun... It’s been slow at work so a few hours here and there and we have trailer. People just keep stop in and lending a hand with the build.

A few things I've learned:

1) A 7 x 12 trailer is BIG!!!... It will sleep 4 with a fold down table and 1 couch that will fold up to a bunk bed.

2) The tools you need are simple. Skill saw, jig saw, square, screw gun, and tape measure... we had no plans and no drawings... it went like this “hey we might as well cut another piece of wood...."

3) People LOVE trailer builds. All day long they would walk into the shop and just talk and talk about how they should do that...

I'll post the window pics and table build soon .. I have a RV dealer right across the road from me . I walked over and went to measure a door there and walk to with a killer window and all the foam for all the seats and bed for $ 30.00 ..

More to come Kevin











The door is just ruff cut at the time

3) People LOVE trailer builds. All day long they would walk into the shop and just talk and talk about how they should do that...

That's so true! I can't tell you how many people are really excited about my build...though it's going slower than yours! Speaking of...congratulations on getting some progress made. I tend to be a "think about it, plan it, think about it some more, change it, plan more: then do it" kind of guy. There's something to be said for JUST DOING IT! Maybe Nike had it right

Brad