Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I was working on trailer a while ago and saw this and thought it could make a simple cheep hatch support
It is a telescopic shooting stick bought at Wally World unscrew top and you already have a threaded insert to attach top release cam locks to adjust length insert bottom into bracket and pin what do you think

looks like it might hold it up, depending on the weight of the hatch.

One thing you NEED to add is a strap to hold the hatch down.

Several hatches have caught a gust of wind and blown over the top of the tear springing the hinge. Not good.

A simple strap will prevent this,

Sam

What I intend to do for hatch supports it to barrow a couple ideal and combine them.
First, use caster wheel swivels(sane wheels) at the end of the poles.
Second, use a pull spring (like a bigger storm door spring) as a hinge in the middle of the pole.
The spring would be inserted in to the end of the pole that has been cut in half. With about 2" exposed.
When one opens the hatch the pole will spring strait and rest on the spring and pole.

To close the hatch,One simple bumps the pole to the side to make them bend over.
Any thoughts on my ideal ?

The shooting stick has cam locks no need for strap I can't pull them apart and just one supports my hatch so weight isn't a problem even when fully extended they won't come apart some sort of stop built in keep them together when extended I can release cams close hatch then when I open hatch they extend all I have to do is push latch shut and it's secure best thing is no holes to try to line up one hand operation

So the ends of the shooting stick is on a swivel?
The stick Is always in place. Just has the length changed?
Shooting stick(pool?) is at the same as a extension paint pole?
Sounds like a good low cost support that will not fail when really cold like the struts tend to do.

Shooting stick for a rifle not pool

KennethW wrote:What I intend to do for hatch supports it to barrow a couple ideal and combine them.
First, use caster wheel swivels(sane wheels) at the end of the poles.
Second, use a pull spring (like a bigger storm door spring) as a hinge in the middle of the pole.
The spring would be inserted in to the end of the pole that has been cut in half. With about 2" exposed.
When one opens the hatch the pole will spring strait and rest on the spring and pole.

To close the hatch,One simple bumps the pole to the side to make them bend over.
Any thoughts on my ideal ?

I would be afraid of bumping it when I didn't want to and knocking it on my head . I know some on here use a similar spring rod, but on that one the whole support is a spring.
I am interested in how this would be made, do you have a list of supplies and instructions to make the support?

One would have to bump both poles at the same time and One could have a sliding down sleeve if necessary. I have not got that far on my new TD to do the hatch supports yet. When I do I will post them if they work as planned.

Howdy, As Sam said, if a strong gust tries to lift your hatch, will the small threads be beefy enough to hold it or will they pull out? You could test it on a piece of scrap and see how much force is required to pull them free.

Best,

Dave

Picture this:
A board that swings down from hinge mounted on hatch lid and goes into a dovetail that is cut on the left hand.
This is cheap and easy to cut since the tail of the dovetail makes the pattern.
A magnet in the tail and a bolt head in the pin ensures it won't come out.
This inhibits both up and down movement of hatch lid.
All the components would be less than $5

I like that idea, a big exaggerated dovetail in something like a 1x4. You could even add some lightening holes along the board for effect, or thin the sides down a la hour glass style to shave some weight out of the middle. Or you could even start with a 1x2 and graft the corners of the dovetail on in contrasting wood, kind of like those old time wooden canoe paddles; more efficient use of wood that way, too.

Yo Bandit,
My hatch support is simple, strong, safe, efficient and cheap. It is made of 1/2" steel round stock rolled to the inside contour of my hatch. When the hatch is down the support fits snuggle between the hatch and shelf. The rod is a welded tee at one end that pivots in a sheet metal bracket welded to the hatch ( my hatch frame is 1" square tubing rolled to shape and welded together). As I lift the hatch the dumb end of the rod drags up the shelf and finds a receiver made of 1/2" pipe and sheet metal and is screwed to the shelf. A safety pin lashed to the receiver secures the connection. Pictures are posted in the gallery under "c" page 25.
If I did it again I would made dueling supports connected by a cross rod making them both pivot equally at the same time. With a wood framed hatch the connection brackets could be easily made to attach with screws.
Enjoy, Chris