Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

On making the pattern of my teardrop would it be better to draw it on cardboard or a cheap piece of 4x8 wood???<Or should I just draw it on the original plywood?

Your choice. You can get a cheap, thin piece of ply and make a pattern......

I did mine on the side walls and wish I had made a pattern then I could have avoided the flat spot on the ceiling.

one of the best ways to mark your good stock for irregular shapes like a TD is to use 1/4" MDF then cut it out and sand the edge smooth to the final shape once you've decided that it IS the shape you're happy with. then you can trace it out on your good stock, and cut it out with a jigsaw. you can even use it as a template for a router to follow with a bearing equipped bit. (flushcut or template)

your sides are the biggest factor in how your trailer will look. making sure it's a nice shape and has nice smooth curves is well worth the $10.00 or $20.00 you'll spend on a sheet of MDF.

you can also do more work with that sheet too, such as door and window openings in the same manner.

thin plywood or primed hardboard (the stuff the make the backs of cheap kitchen cabinets with) will work well to but it is not a reliable material to use as a guide to run a router against. it's too thin and too soft.

1/8" masonite . . .cheap. Make a pattern and use to transfer to both side pieces. That will help eliminate the 'Holy Sh*t' factor

I'll be making a pattern on hardboard so I can use my router to cut the profile in the plywood.

From what I have seen people have used brown craft paper, drawn it direct to the ply or a pattern on hardboard/plywood.

I'd say whatever you are comfortable with is best, but if you have a router make a solid template and use it to cut the ply to get matching sides.

Well the way I did it was to cut out a paper templete (from Lil' Bear) and then transfer it to hard board (Masonite). Then when satisfied with the profile, I used it as a router template/guide to cut my sides. Worked good for me and now I also have a template should I decide to build another.




My KIT rebuild is HERE

I went the cardboard route. Went to Lowe's and got some refrigerator boxes before they crushed them.

if you want cardboard, a great source is a lumber yard. all lifts of sheet goods come with a cardboard cover. it's 8 feet long and 5 feet wide (a little is folded over the sides of the lift) and has no other creases in it.. most will give it to you just for the asking.

Rickxr2 wrote:I went the cardboard route. Went to Lowe's and got some refrigerator boxes before they crushed them.

I love the fact that it's sitting on 5 gal buckets in the livingroom. You must have a very supportive whoman.

Pattern? Template? i used a batten on the panel to become the side and bent it until I got a curve I liked, drew along the batten and cut out the sides. Worked for me.
Steve

Senior Ninja wrote::?

Pattern? Template? i used a batten on the panel to become the side and bent it until I got a curve I liked, drew along the batten and cut out the sides. Worked for me.
Steve

So where's the pictures?

It was difficult enough to bend the batten and draw the line w/o having to take a picture.

Steve

As you can see, everyone has their own favorite way to do it. I used the masonite template method. I was able to tape off the cabinet, door, and other locations and use it as a pattern for constructing the wall framing before skinning with plywood (we used sandwich wall construction with foam insulation. I think I would do it this way again if/when I build #2.

Mike

Nicely done! Great planning. Probably would'a prevented problems I faced later.
Steve

afreegreek wrote:one of the best ways to mark your good stock for irregular shapes like a TD is to use 1/4" MDF then cut it out and sand the edge smooth to the final shape once you've decided that it IS the shape you're happy with. then you can trace it out on your good stock, and cut it out with a jigsaw. you can even use it as a template for a router to follow with a bearing equipped bit. (flushcut or template)

Agreed. I used 1/4" MDF for the profile and template:


Of course, we are lucky in our area to have a good sheet goods supplier that will sell to the average Joe. I can buy a sheet of 4' x 10' - 1/4" MDF from them for about the same price you pay for 1/8" Masonite from the BORG.