Building Light

[KEW]

I'm a newbie. I'm learning a lot by researching and reading on line. My question today is I want to build light. In looking at the survey so many said they over built. I don't want to do this. Any help you can offer would be appreciated.

[grant whipp]

First of all, Welcome! to the Forum!

Secondly, how big of a teardrop are you considering and how light do you want to go? There are lots of ways to skin that cat, but we kind of need to know which way you want to head ... ...!

Good luck, and in the meantime ...

CHEERS!

[KEW]

I'm building a 5'X8' HD TRAILER W/12" TIRES from Northern Tools.
Questions rolling around in my mind are: To frame the sides or not? To insulate the sides or not?
I have four different sets of plans I've found that is helping with my planning.

[linuxmanxxx]

I have built 3 campers 2 of them a bit larger than you are looking at with storage under them and came in around 1400 pounds and my last I built a 4 x 8 rear door that only weighed in at 580 pounds with a welded angle carryon trailer that would probably weigh about the same as the northern tool tubing one you are buying. I used 1 x 2s with only 3 verticals in the side walls and 3/4" foam between glued all together with 3M 30NF fast bond contact adhesive and is very strong indeed and light. I used aluminum but next build is going to go out the box a bit and use either formica or wilson art laminate for the siding and drop even more weight and keep it massively strong and durable. The aluminum was a pita to keep from scratching and added quite a bit of weight at the end.

[woodywrkng]

I cut out my 1/2" plywood sides, glued and screwed a 3/4" pine frame to the inside, filled in the frame with insulation board, and covered it all with 5/16" tongue and groove pine. Very light. Insulation weighs nothing, so don't worry about that. The spars or ribs or whatever you call the numerous boards spanning across your trailer should be poplar. I found it to be light, strong enough, takes glue and holds screws well, and seems to be dimensionally stable. Like Linuxmanxxx mentioned, I skined the sides with WIlsonart sheet laminate. It's light, and was very easy to do. As long as you protect all edges it should last ok. By far the heaviest part of my build is the galley hatch.

[Lgboro]

If the daily rains will subside I am close to finishing a 4 x 9 foot that has been as lightly overbuilt as I felt I could. I used cedar throughout the build which has helped me keep it light as possible. Didn't use any mechanical fastener until I put on my aluminum exterior. All framing was made from a glued up T with opposing grains with cedar stripped interior. If I had known how strong the cedar strips and 2 layers of blue foam insulation would turn out I would have built with 1/2 in framing instead of 3/4 inch. I have been making myself not weigh until I finish, but I believe it will be very light to have a built in ac, solar panel, and a slide out cooking drawer etc.

[grant whipp]

There are all kinds of ways to build light, from basic "stick framing" to canoe & kayak style strip building to foam & fiberglass to many others ... it all depends on your choice/preference of building materials & styles. My first teardrop was a 4x10 with interior seating for 4 at a table (it shows up occasionally in the Hall of Fame) ... I stick framed it with douglas fir, 3/4" Celotex insulation in the walls and 1" in the roof, 1/8" paneling, 3/4" plywood floor, a steel frame made of 1-1/2"x2-1/2"x.083" with dropped axle & springs, and all skinned in aluminum ... it came in at 650#, and is still being used occasionally up in the Pacific Northwest, 28 years later. I did a 4x8 right after that that weighed 500#, also still running all around the western states.

So, yeah ... you CAN keep it light without going to exotic building methods and/or materials ... if you want to put in the time & energy. Good luck, and as always ...

CHEERS!

[loaderman]

Check out the Foamies section, lots of info on light building there

[2bits]

All I can say is a standard impulse is to build with 2x4's because that is what what we generally build other structures with. Always keep in mind the use, and the size and the minimal stress the camper will be under. just don't think "manly" LOL bigger and stronger isn't always better.

As far as insulation, think of the tiniest air conditioner available (at the box store people) it is a 5000btu $99 window unit. That will freeze out any teardrop with zero insulation so fast that it is actually recommended to open a window to let heat IN so the AC runs longer so it has a chance to dehumidify the air as well because many times it will cool off so fast, you are left with cold but still very humid (aka clammy) air. The sheer minimal size of the trailer negates the use of insulation. There are schools of thought that understandably support using insulation to avoid or minimize interior condensation on the walls. You will have to make your own call on that.

Spend hours upon hours enjoying the "Build Threads" section. This is where a great deal of knowledge is stumbled upon.

Good luck on your build!

[linuxmanxxx]

See my post above as to how and what I build using insulation and now I'll say why. I use the sandwich torsion box methods because when you skin over the foam surfaces and use the quality of glue that I use, the complete amount of surface area that is glued on both sides provides massive structural strength with minimum weight and thickness plus its relatively inexpensive if done right.

A woman who builds surfboards took a piece of white styrofoam suspended it on both ends and put a weight on it to see how much it took to deflect the foam and it was a little over 2 pounds. took pieces of paper and added to the stack and same results. Then she simply used elmers glue and glued the notebook paper on both sides of the foam and then it held over 12 pounds before deflection happened. Look at the massive results from paper and realize what even stiffer surfaces and good glue can accomplish.

I build with simple 1 x 2 pine framing 3/4" foam and once the box is intact have been able to walk on the roof of my campers and I'm well close to 200 pounds. My last one was 580 pounds and walked on it and could even make it lighter with the same strength and will do it sometime soon.

I'm astounded at how many on here massively over build or there is so much recommendation for using nasty toxic chemicals for waterproofing and adhesion. Virtually everything I use is water based and easily cleaned up after and doesn't require respirators or special equipment and remember the strength I've gained.

It takes a lot of reading and digging around here to find the different alternate methods to build instead of the prevalant plans and methods that have been all over the internet for many years for building using old ideas and methods because thats the way its always been done. I'm just saying have an open mind to how you build and if you want to use the old methods knock yourself out but be kind to our world and dispose of your oil based products correctly and be safe.

[rowerwet]

just remember while most are agonizing over how to make their little box strong enough to roll down the road, those cookie cutter , cranked out by the dozen, big campers that are factory made, tend to be door skin plywood, 1x1's and staples on a light metal frame. check out pictures or even better, the remains of one that has been in an accident, there isn't much there, there.
After seeing a local camper that got totaled by a car that plowed into it while it was sitting in a back yard, I think my PLpremium glued at every point wood is touching, stick built tear, is way tougher!