Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Well, this is it.

My wife's in the bedoom taking a nap before her overnight shift tonight, and here I am in the living room planning my next TD behind her back. You see, I LOVE my wife, and I want to spare her any unnecessary aggravation.

She'll be aggravated enough when I come home with the first few sheets of ply.

So, this will be my one and only thread for this next build of mine, called "The Clam."

1) This is the profile I want:



Forget the fenders for now, but Angib--I NEED YOU! I need the specs to approximate this profile! (I will be PM'ing you shortly.)

2) I am building this on a 40 X 48 HF trailer, which I widened to 48 X 48. (I lengthened the axle.) I am ASSUMING that this is a 6' total long model built on a 4' long trailer.

3) I left the axle in its original position, and will be towing with a Suzuki Sidekick. With no galley and low tongue weight (so far; see below), should I be concerned with moving the axle back?

4) The above model has access through the hatch. No thanks--I want one door, and one window. No hatch. Hatches and me don't get along. (Doors and I aren't exactly best friends either, but aside from a Star Trek Transporter to get in there, I have no other choice.)

5) I will be running NO wiring in the walls, and want to do each sidewall with two sheets of 1/4" ply sandwiched around 1/4" rigid foam insulation, giving me a 3/4" laminate wall.

6) Because I extended the axle, my floor extends 4" over each side rail, which means I have to mount the side walls on top of the floor, as opposed to the side of the trailer. If memory serves me correctly, this is a totally kosher and safe way to build, correct? I could theoretically lay a sheet of insulation on top of the existing floor, and then ANOTHER piece of ply, but that might be overkill.

7) For the roof, I don't have a freaking clue--but I would like wood to be involved. (I'm skinning the sides with colored aluminum.) Because this is such a "small and simple" project (HAH!), I'm tempted to do something with STRIPS of wood. Open to any and all suggestions on this.

This is the biggie--air conditioning.

Looking at that front profile, or give me OTHER ideas, how can I install a window shaker in this? I want this short and low like in the photo, but I don't like to sweat. In theory, my 6,000 btu unit could theoretically turn this into a MEAT LOCKER, and that's okay too. But I want it.
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Ladies and gentleman, please discuss--and thank you for your ideas!

Also, what is the Neptune Society charging for funerals these days, since my wife will surely kill me when she hears the word "Teardrop" leave my lips yet once again?

Sir,

I found this: http://www.ddbunlimited.com/climate-control/1000-btu-mini-air-conditioners.html

DriverOne wrote:Sir,

I found this: http://www.ddbunlimited.com/climate-control/1000-btu-mini-air-conditioners.html

I've been looking for a unit like this for YEARS, but I have a feeling that this thing is priced through the roof.

I filled out the online submission/information form, but if this unit goes for a reasonable price...under $200...they can sell a million of them for RV use. I'm just not optimistic.

Thanks for the link!!!

Would 1/8 inch birch ply and 1/2inch rigid insulation be strong enough? If so it would save a few precious pounds.

Lgboro wrote:Would 1/8 inch birch ply and 1/2inch rigid insulation be strong enough? If so it would save a few precious pounds.

You might be exactly right.

Just don't know--and that WOULD save on cost and weight. After all, these pieces would be laminated together.

Thanks for making me think even lighter!

Last time I saw you in person was at a Florida gathering. I think I saw Dale's Squidget there too. Memory is fuzzy on that, though.

It's good to see you back around here.

I like the simplicity of your new plan and hope to follow its build.

Ira wrote:
Thanks for the link!!!

Good luck!

Ira wrote:
Thanks for the link!!!

Good luck!

I'm basically finished with a 4 x9 that I cedar stripped the interior and used all cedar for the framing. All framing is in a tee shape and biscuit joined and dowel pinned. Only metal fasteners used were to hold down the floated aluminum exterior (no exterior wood) . I believe I could have gone with 1/2 instead of 3/4 inch framing. Weighed out on truck scales at 1020 with built in Petcool (slide out), cooking slide out, tv, stereo, 80 watt solar panel etc. loaded for a 5 week cross country trip. Lightly overbuilt but overbuilt none the less. The sub 1/8 inch cedar strip with two 3/4 inch blue insulation made a very strong wall when glued up which leads me to believe that 1/8 inch ply would be plenty. I may follow you with a smaller tear so I will be following your built with great interest.

Here ya go Ira. A couple of pics of Roly's stacker. Just about what your talking about.

Good name, I like it!!!
FYI I don't use mayonnaise on clams.

I believe this is the real trailer that the one you like was modeled after. This picture should make the getting the proper profile measurements fairly easy. When I get some time I can trace this in SketchUp and give you the layout deminsions if you would like.





Dan

1) Gage, I think the problem for me with Roly's stacker is the way the sides come down below the trailer. I'm going to erect the walls on top of the floor, and I don't think that will allow me that look--unless I hang them down and support the weight of the sides with just L-brackets? Remember that my floor now overextends the sides of the trailer by 4" on each side.

2) Dan--that's the one I'm heavily leaning towards. Could you possibly sketch that up for me to achieve a 6' length, and should I lose about 2" to 3" of overall height (clipped from the bottom) because I'm laying my sides on top of the floor? I want that really short look. Or can I just hang them down the side and use L-brackets as mentioned above?

And if I'm doing this on a 4' long trailer, how should I be thinking? Is the 6' length normally measured at the longest front-to-back line/axis of the side? On this design, is that the very bottom edge? Or just above that?

I'm trying to wrap my head around what I mean by 6' long. If I start at 6' long at the bottom most edge, overhanging the front and back 1', on this design, that will give me a slightly longer trailer, correct? And I guess that's okay.

3) Looking at the photo I posted and the one Dan posted, mine has the axle moved really back, whereas Dan's appears to be just a few inches behind center. Suggestions?

4) John, yep--I was at St. Augustine. That was the only gathering I attended! And yeah--Dale was there!

5) Dean--I'm surprised mayo is still LEGAL in California!
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As some of you know, I almost fall into the fidget category (5' 2"), and I just want this baby for solo sleeping. I have no expectations of my wife ever joining me, and if she reacts to this new build as I think she will, this may also become my primary residence.

Gonna do some searches now for innovative ceiling vent/fan ideas, and believe it or not, I'm also going to explore the idea of using a DOGGIE door for my primary door.

Ira wrote:3) Looking at the photo I posted and the one Dan posted, mine has the axle moved really back, whereas Dan's appears to be just a few inches behind center. Suggestions?

I think it is mostly an optical illusion. The wheels appear to be in the same location. The picture of the pink trailer is at a slight angle which makes the rear part of the trailer look shorter. Also the wheel fenders on the pink trailer looks to just be a dually fender cut in half. The fender appear to go further back on the pink trailer. To me it looks like the pink trailer is a home built trailer that copies the profile of the blue trailer.

I personally would have the sidewalls drop down and cover the frame. I think it makes the trailer look better, more thought out.

Dan

Not much time, so here is a first shot. 4ft high by 7ft long - that only just gets a 75" long mattress at floor height, so any shorter and you can't lie down.



Ira, I don't reckon it's the profile you like as much as the nice side window shape - and it's had to combine that window shape with using a door. But the shape could be just painted on, maybe with a bit of a wood frame.