Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Several people have done them by now.

How difficult are they?

I am familiar with Doug Hodder's Teardrops, he has done 2 and I have also seen one made by another man, the copper top, from the UK.
I went into Doug's album and pulled these up hope you don't mind Doug!!



I had wondered what type of wood is used for the gutter and the top.
the Gutter looks lie steamed wood rather then plywood. and would you use the same type of wood as you use on the front of a teardrop to make the bend?

I am still not sure if I will attempt to do this on top of the Cross Bow in builders journal ( viewtopic.php?f=50&t=54108 )

But Trolley tops have intrigued me for years.

I am sure there are others who have wondered how it is done and have come up the their own way of doing it.
Doug is now making he second Standy (dictionary wants to spell it standee I like the Y better time to event new words) and enjoys the world of invention. He is a very creative man. And cooks great waffles.

Ron here's the thread on how to do it. It's all plywood and ripped down 2x4's. Doug

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=20207&hilit=trolley+top

I did pretty much the same thing with the X-II. My trolley-top is just a bit wider than Dougs.

3/4" plywood for the sides, and I used 1x3 red oak boards for the spars since they're more rigid than pine and they're visible.

doug hodder wrote:Ron here's the thread on how to do it. It's all plywood and ripped down 2x4's. Doug

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=20207&hilit=trolley+top

Do you have any shots of you putting on the plywood?

or putting the insides on or working on the windows?

Or Recipe of your favorite waffle?

Doug have you considered putting one on a Standy?



Did you use 1/4 or 1/8 th for top of Trolley?

absolutsnwbrdr wrote:I did pretty much the same thing with the X-II. My trolley-top is just a bit wider than Dougs.

3/4" plywood for the sides, and I used 1x3 red oak boards for the spars since they're more rigid than pine and they're visible.

Zach
do you have any shots of putting on the cross bars or sheet metal or finished unit.

also what does your Galley look like?

See you are selling your plans hope that is working out.

Ron

I cut my top already, so the top arch would be equal to the bottom arch.



If I do the Trolley top it will start just after the arch is done. 1' in. I am thinking that if I make the slope of the Trolley slow and gradual and cut just two slits left and right side of the Trolley Top it should work with out it cracking!!

I am not sure how I would do the windows but I am thinking of routing out the area where a long sheet of plexiglass could be placed and putting gasket material around the areas where small windows would be cut that that would work. Then if any damage were to happen I and simply remove the pc of glass and and put in a new.

I also wondered about light emitting solid tubes?

http://s220.photobucket.com/user/thejac ... rid&page=1

Jackdaws coppertop

Here are Doug's two that started all this



The Nina and the Pinta err ahh The Rocketear ( right ) and the Voyager (left)

Ron Dickey wrote:Do you have any shots of you putting on the plywood?
or putting the insides on or working on the windows?

It's 1/4" ply on the flat portions of the roof, but 2 layers of 1/8" baltic birch on the radius. The interior portion of the sides were done prior to installing them in the raised roof. Windows are routed out from inside and glass is 1/4" smoke laminate glass, glued in place with silicone and a 3'16 mahogany trim ring on the interior.

Doug,

maybe bottle bottoms could be used. they give off a nice glow.



Because I would be starting a little ways back after the arch I could make the Trolly Top flat on the bottom and a gradual angle up so I could use the same roof wood and not but it out but leave it attached at the front. Like sliding it up a ramp.

then do the creative end like you did to it would do 2 things 1 hide the air vent and 2 be a stop for the top so it the wind got it, it would stay. I had a station wagon once that the wind caught and it snapped the hinges. (I can still remember getting fiberglass in the back of my hands as removed and reinstalled the hinges.)

I am working at it.
Ron

I also had wondered it the Trolley Top could not be used to keep the hatch from coming to high in a gust of wind. If say you were putting it up and had not secured it.

But as you can see on the Rocketear Doug did not. But the arch of the back of the top and the open hatch are about the same.

What a fun design this trailer is.

Ron

Ron, if you look closely in that pic you posted there is a piece of nylon webbing with a quick connect buckle on it. It prevents the galley lid from being lifted with a wind. It's right next to the support stick. Doug

likes to other trolleys or trolly top some spell it with the "e" and some not.
viewtopic.php?t=55513&p=1008988
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=55971
viewtopic.php?t=33056
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=33056&start=105

from JackDaw in UK's album

I wrote Jack Daw telling I posted his pictures he adds these two sites.

Quote.....I don't know if you've seen my mk2 trolleytop...Wanda.. I built it for some great camping friends of ours...

I looked up the build thread ....

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=42298&hilit=wanda&start=60

and after a quick google for the coppertop images I found this page on TCGB... It's my daughter trailer and we love it to bits

http://www.tcgb.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=25&p=70 unQuote!!

He has some very good ideas for windows as well.

Ron