Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Am about to start the chassis build, but still undecided on the profile. I have it narrowed to two designs, something like the Ben Roy, or the weekender profile. I find each have their appealing aspects but can't decide between the two. I like the rounded aspect of one and the simplicity of the other. Its going to be used for my trips hunting and for some family fun, hunting I may spend upwards of 1-2 weeks at a time in it.

Any opinions/suggestions are welcome. Of course either one will have my own touch to it. Customizing its what makes us unique.

Hi David,

As long you havent decided what to make, take a look at my album
I've built a little T@B. With all its curves.

Good luck by choosing,
Merry new yaer,

Grtz Henk

What is your tow vehicle?

Mike...

I'm driving a Silverado 4x4 crew cab. I'm still looking at a Jeep Cherokee, Toyota FJ or something of the like as a tow rig/hunting rig. The truck is great for my dailey driver and hauling my horses, but not too suited to running around in the Mts. or the woods.

I've also been debating between different profiles and designs...it's not an easy process! Here's my two cents: go with the one you like best, even if the build is slightly more complicated due to curves. You're going to spend a lot more time looking at it and using it than building it (at least hopefully!). The curves in the Benroy are really pretty simple and shouldn't overcomplicate your build. That being said, I can see the appeal of something like the weekender where you can make so much progress in a short period of time. Good luck deciding...be sure and post pictures once you get going!

Brad

When I build another teardrop, (I had started this sentence with "If I ever build" ) I will chose one of the classic profiles from the early days, and try and keep with the original concept of teardropping. Because to me, even after all the modernization, there is still nothing like an original built with modern materials of course.

Steve_Cox wrote:When I build another teardrop, (I had started this sentence with "If I ever build" ) I will chose one of the classic profiles from the early days, and try and keep with the original concept of teardropping. Because to me, even after all the modernization, there is still nothing like an original built with modern materials of course.

This build is to get going, it'll be my rough and readdy trailer. This will be the back woods bomber of trailers, good ground clearence, able to leap a stump in a single bound.

When I get readdy to build #2 it will be pure classic and beuty stretched out over probably a year and a half to two years. The woody types I've seen on here just amaze me and make me want to build one to see how much patiants I have for the build.

All the same I'm looking forward to just starting a build. On an up note I may have found a chassis that with a little mod. will work for my first build.

Mine is a BenRoy. The curves are no big deal. If anything I think that the curves may be easier and better. The roof can be one continuous sheet of aluminum or Filon. The weekender has corners in the roof. Deffinitly two different looks.

I chose the BenRoy because I like the fact that the galley cabinets and counter top are close to the rear edge of the trailer. With some of the more rounded (teardrop shaped) styles you have to lean in more.

I doubt that choosing one over the other is going to save time or money or be easier to build. They both will have different chalenges. Don't get me wrong, building a TD isn't that hard.

Build the style you like.

David D wrote:
This build is to get going, it'll be my rough and readdy trailer. This will be the back woods bomber of trailers, good ground clearence, able to leap a stump in a single bound.

When I get readdy to build #2 it will be pure classic and beuty stretched out over probably a year and a half to two years. The woody types I've seen on here just amaze me and make me want to build one to see how much patiants I have for the build.

All the same I'm looking forward to just starting a build. On an up note I may have found a chassis that with a little mod. will work for my first build.

Gerdo wrote:Mine is a BenRoy. The curves are no big deal. If anything I think that the curves may be easier and better. The roof can be one continuous sheet of aluminum or Filon. The weekender has corners in the roof. Deffinitly two different looks.

I chose the BenRoy because I like the fact that the galley cabinets and counter top are close to the rear edge of the trailer. With some of the more rounded (teardrop shaped) styles you have to lean in more.

I doubt that choosing one over the other is going to save time or money or be easier to build. They both will have different chalenges. Don't get me wrong, building a TD isn't that hard.

Build the style you like.

The curves aren't a big deal the profile it self is what I'm having the most trouble making my mind up on. I'd make it look like a twinkie if I thought I would like it, speaking of twinkies I think the wife picked some up today. I'll be back later.

I'm not much for planning. My tear is kind of evolving as I go. My approach was to take a couple sheets of 1/4 baltic birch, lay them out side by side, make a very long spline (a thin piece of wood you can bend) and lay the spline out on the ply. I bent the spline until I had a profile that agreed with the chief engineer and myself, then cut it out. This became a full-sized pattern for the sides and has been really handy throughout the project. See my album...

Whatever profile you settle on I would strongly suggest making a full-size pattern. Among other things, it tells me where the framing hides in my sandwich walls.

wannabefree wrote:I'm not much for planning. My tear is kind of evolving as I go. My approach was to take a couple sheets of 1/4 baltic birch, lay them out side by side, make a very long spline (a thin piece of wood you can bend) and lay the spline out on the ply. I bent the spline until I had a profile that agreed with the chief engineer and myself, then cut it out. This became a full-sized pattern for the sides and has been really handy throughout the project. See my album...

Whatever profile you settle on I would strongly suggest making a full-size pattern. Among other things, it tells me where the framing hides in my sandwich walls.

good idea think I'll try with some of the osb I have stored in my shop. I'm going to give it till I finish the chassis and hope I have the profile decided on by then.

I made a full size pattern like wannabefree did. The Grumman II profile ended up being the one I preferred. I wanted to lengthen it to have a floor length of about 10' for a queen sized bed, a 29.75" long cooler in the galley, and a height of nearly 48" inside the cabin. I began by gluing sheets of inexpensive luan plywood together to make a full size blank for a pattern.

I used blue painter's tape to mark the locations and dimensions of the most important features on the blank. Then I used a garden hose to mock up profiles. When it began to work out OK I used a long fairing stick, clamped in place, and drew the profile onto the luan blank with a Sharpie pen. Then cut it out and sanded the edges smooth.

Using the full size pattern I built sandwich wall frames and cut out the plywood for the side walls.

Steve Fredericks has a labor and back saving "inside out" building method that makes considerable use of a full size pattern. I bought his CD and it's been very helpful.

Best of luck to you to figure out a design you prefer.

I used a ream of paper and about wore out a compass and with andrew's help arrived at a variation of this. It is truely amazing what 6 or 8 inch changes to the arcs will do to change the profile.