Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I am now cutting my spars to exact length, pre-drilling holes from the outer wall into the spar end, and temporarily fitting the spars. Next, I will remove the spars and cut the side skin profiles. It occurred to me, why do I need to notch the interior skin for the spars? If, instead, I cut the inside skin to butt up against the bottom of the spars, without notching them, and then, after putting the ceiling skin in place, won't I simply be left with a small gap at the right angle between the ceiling skin and the side skin?

I'm planning to cover that small gap with quarter-round molding anyway. So, I can't figure out why I'd have to take the considerable time and effort to notch the side skin.

Larry,

I didn't notch mine. I just screwed them in from the outside and glued them where it contacted the inside walls, and it worked just fine.
Jay

Larry

You could probably get away without notching the side walls, but if you decide to go without notching the side walls, make sure you have a backer of some sort to attach the top edge to, if I remember correctly Kevin's design, didn't have much extending below the ribs, that is the reason for the notches. The notches also allow you to place your staples above and out of sight, above the quarter round trim

If you cut the inside skinning material to touch the bottom of the spars then you will be able to have some support for the spars. This would make it a lot easier to attach the spars since you are not trying to hold up the spar as you are trying to screw it in.

Just one man's opinion

I did mine a little different. Linky below.

I don't suppose you have to notch the inner wall, but why not? It doesn't take that much more time or work, and your overhead is well supported. Didn't occur to me not to notch mine.

Up to you.

Like many say, once you get a skin up a great deal of strength appears. It is hard to imagine this, when you have a lighter skeleton there. The change though is monumental.

TwilightLane wrote:I did mine a little different. Linky below.

So did I.

I built it like a hatch. Using 3/4" plywood, I made some 1-1/2" deep "ribs" that matched the profile of the teardrop. The ribs were clamped in place to the sidewall. Then the spars were fastened to the ribs with 1-1/4" pockect screws.



I used some 1/8" plywood scraps to keep the roof framing assembly square. Then I removed the assembly and placed it upside down on the workbench to apply the interior plywood and headliner.





I then clamped the roof framing back in place and changed the pocket screws to 2-1/2" pocket screws. This extra screw length fastened through the spar and rib into the sidewall framing.

TwilightLane wrote:I did mine a little different. Linky below.

Rob:

What brand are the stabilizer jacks you used?

Hey Larry,

I don't know. They were off the shelf from the mom & pop rv supply store here in KC.

I _think_ these are the same thing. Not sure if same maker.

http://www.easternmarine.com/ATWOOD-Sta ... ack-82302/

http://compare.ebay.com/like/1505763690 ... s&var=sbar

I paid $19.99 for each of mine. They didn't come w pry bar thingy!