Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm attempting to design and,hopefully, build a lightweight teardrop. I can rough out the design just peachy, it's the construction method I'm having problems tripping over.

What I'm looking at is using a home made laminated wall. Plywood (type to be decided) wrapped around a foam insulation. No "studs" just the laminate. Roof would be wraped around a normal frame like I see is done on most trailers. I'd also like to build it with out the frame, using basicly a triangle with the axle on one end and the hitch on the other.

The questions. Would this kinda of laminate structure hold up long term(mulitiple years at least)? Would it be sound enough to survive driving around at reasonablely high speeds? What materials would be suggested for this kind of idea?

Thank you in advance
Pardon my noobishness.

Hi Frostfly,
I think you will need some internal framing. The profile perimiter will need to be solid. Also, there will need to be framing around the door(s) and the door(s) will need there own framing. If you are planning a galley and internal shelves/cabinets, you will also need internal wall framing to attach bulkheads and shelves.

I have similar plans of building light weight. My feeling is once the "box" is glued, screwed, fiberglassed and epoxied, it's a very solid structure that only needs a minimal frame for support, such as the one you describe.

I just started my build Journal, see "Ultralight Stripper". Andrew re-worked his Pico Light 4X8 frame as a 5X8 for my build. It is a triangle as you describe with an axle (stub axles in my case) and a tongue. See the drawing in my build thread or search Pico Light for the 4x8 frame.

If you look at the original designs, they were built with minimal materials, especially frames, and have lasted 60 years or more.

Larry

I am currently gearing up for a camper build. i will be using a 4x8 harbor freight trailer, but my walls will be 1/8th inch ply laminated to 3/4 inch foil foamboard using pl 200 I got the ok from the company that this will bond the surface for the lamination. use a small V notch trowel after you squeese out the glue from the tubes. so you can get a full spread.

as for the panel layouts. you will want to use 1/4 inch ply and cut it up and laminate it up to make up 3/4 and build a perimeter for each panel.

you need something solid to screw into ie walls to roof/ walls to floor.

also before the inner side of the panels you want to route channels in the foamboard and glue in wood strips where all of your anchor points are going to be.

to hold the integrity of the wall and aid in build time. run your plumbing/electrical outside of the walls on the inside of the camper

ie if you put accesory ports in to plug in car chargers and stuff the wall isnt thick enough anyways to mount them in so its not a problem having the wire not inside the wall already.

let me know if you have any other questions.

My plan was to have 1/8" ply inside 1" foam and 1/4" solid wood outside stripper style covered with fiberglass/epoxy. My internal framing will be limited to the areas where fasteners or extra support are needed. Specifically the corners, doors, galley hatch, windows, roof vent, galley shelves and storage shelves. There will be several in the floor as well (2' on center? I still haven't decided). Expecting thin ply to hold a fastener for any length of time is asking for problems down the road, I'll have a solid wood framing member installed for all of them. This will obviously require much detailed planning ... adds to the fun and the challenge. Also, I'll most likely build from the inside out.

If the structure of the body of your tear is built properly, I see no problems with the tongue being a triangle with the axle as one side.

i forgot to mention in my post up there. the entire outer of my camper will be a DIY rhino liner material. truck bed liner. and the interior floor wil be the same. as well as the entire shower/bathroom stall.

My last sanity check bounced.

I'm acutally considering making the entire thing bound with epoxy. I'll notch out the walls so i can set the roof and side spars into them, Then I'll wrap the entire thing in a thin frosting of aluminum.