Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I promised a few pics a while ago, but its been busy. Here is my teardrop project. Anntann made a Yahoo album to put the photos in.

Artificer's teardrop

The design goals for this trailer were to make it as strong as possible, without going overboard. (I hadn't seen this site until I had the trailer almost to the point you see it.) I also wanted the head room to be maximized, while still only using 4'x8' plywood. (45 7/8" before linoleum) The extra queen sized futon that we have been using in the Astro van for traveling had to fit into the trailer.

The trailer is 63 1/2" outside (60" inside) by 10'. Axle is 3500lb double spring style from http://www.etrailerpart.com/, but using the lightest double-eye springs they had. (1280lb)

There is no wood frame on top of the steel frame. The 1/2" decking plywood sits on top of the steel frame, and is held in place by the bolts going through the wooden side rails. The sides socket onto the side rails, providing a large glueing surface. 11 bolts per side... they aren't going anywhere.

The bottom is 1/2 plywood, with the space between the frame being filled with 2" foam, with a fiberglass covering on the bottom. The sides are 1/2" MDO exterior/1" foam/ 1/4"birch ply. The roof is 1/8"baltic birch ply interior, 1.5" foam, 1/4" ply exterior.

The finish is going to be paint. Have to decide if I want to put an epoxy coating on the top, or just a good enamel. The fenders are either going to be semi-circle metal ones from the local store, or eventually fiberglass ones that I mold myself.

Michael

You're doing a good job! I don't understand your "Wheels" though.

Good pic's. That is an interesting way you have framed around the top. How are you going to tie the spars and insides to it? How's that for a dum newbie question.

Miriam

asianflava wrote:You're doing a good job! I don't understand your "Wheels" though.

"wheels1"
side project, earning a set of wheels.......

I think the stocks are being sold for wheels.............at least that's the way I read the pic caption..

asianflava wrote:You're doing a good job! I don't understand your "Wheels" though.

So... the neighbor kid from next door comes over and says, "can you build me a gun stock." His was broken, somehow. My response, since his family is involved with deomolition derby, used cars, etc., "Can you get me pair of wheels for my trailer."

He said yes, so I spent a weekend making a new walnut gun stock. Since I was supposed to be working on the trailer... it became the "wheels." He hasn't come through yet, so I may be buying new wheels, and getting my lawn mowed all summer.

Hey, that looks great!

And just an observation which you probably already know:

You're putting a ceiling fan in there, but judging by the photos, you'll need more blocking around your framed opening to secure the fan to. The opening should be 14 1/4" (standard), but you need an extra 1 1 /2" around that to secure the unit.

Something you want to do BEFORE you put your exterior ceiling skin on.

Miriam C. wrote::thumbsup: Good pic's. That is an interesting way you have framed around the top. How are you going to tie the spars and insides to it? How's that for a dum newbie question.

Miriam

Originally I was going to recess and gusset the spars to the side blocking. Then I realized that the skins were all I needed for the gussets. Makes skinning the inside fairly easy. You only have to worry about the perimeter. After the glue set, I put the bows/spars in. The fit on the bow/spar end doesn't need to be tight/close, since the plywood and glue are what hold the bows and side blocking together. Another reason for my blocking method: you can use short pieces of wood to get the curves from. I only used 3-4 14"x2x8's to get all of the pieces.

The interior skin is glued and brad nailed in place. I used a brush and polyurethane glue, and put on a somewhat heavy coat. Put the skin in place, nailed across the bottom, then worked up the sides, nailing on the edge. I'm going to use a quarter round on the joint, so all brads will be covered. (except for the ones putting up the quarter round)

No question is a dum newbie question.

Ira wrote:Hey, that looks great!

And just an observation which you probably already know:

You're putting a ceiling fan in there, but judging by the photos, you'll need more blocking around your framed opening to secure the fan to. The opening should be 14 1/4" (standard), but you need an extra 1 1 /2" around that to secure the unit.

Something you want to do BEFORE you put your exterior ceiling skin on.

Thanks! The blocking is 1 1/2" x 1 1/2", but my opening is only 14 1/8" x 14 1/8". I hadn't seen any documentation on required opening size. Hmmm... I think I can cheat the 1/8" extra.

Artificer wrote:

Ira wrote:Hey, that looks great!

And just an observation which you probably already know:

You're putting a ceiling fan in there, but judging by the photos, you'll need more blocking around your framed opening to secure the fan to. The opening should be 14 1/4" (standard), but you need an extra 1 1 /2" around that to secure the unit.

Something you want to do BEFORE you put your exterior ceiling skin on.

Thanks! The blocking is 1 1/2" x 1 1/2", but my opening is only 14 1/8" x 14 1/8". I hadn't seen any documentation on required opening size. Hmmm... I think I can cheat the 1/8" extra.

The Fantastic, and mine--which I can't even remember the name of and which is just a vent, not a fan--needs 14 1/4" opening.

Right guys? Or am I off by an 1/8th?

But just as important is that you need a total of THREE inches of blocking material around that opening. Know what I mean?

Regardless of the fan you buy that fits the 14 plus opening, they all have the screw holes on the flange/lip more than 1 1/2" off that opening.

So if you left it as it is, when it's time to screw the fan in, you'll just be screwing into skin--not the blocking.

Ira wrote:...
But just as important is that you need a total of THREE inches of blocking material around that opening. Know what I mean?

Regardless of the fan you buy that fits the 14 plus opening, they all have the screw holes on the flange/lip more than 1 1/2" off that opening.

Ahhh... all comes clear. I'll add the extra 1 1/2" all around tonight. I should have purchased the fan first to get the destructions.

Thanks for the save. (sorry I didn't understand the first time)

Don't get all confused guys... Look at this picture...



The opening is 14 1/4" square, and it is framed in with 2x2's (which measure out to 1 1/2"x1 1/2"). That's all you need...

BTW, if you've framed in 14 1/8" square, it'll work. It'll just be a tight fit for the wires...

Mike...

Ooops, wait. Mike is right. (But I'm kind of right too--14 1/4" on the opening.)

Yeah, you only need 1 1/2" of material around the opening. I forgot:

My framing was only 3/4 thick, so I had to double them to make it 1 1/2".

I forget who it was that told me I needed that 1 1/2", but man, what a mess it would have been if I didn't know that before skinning the roof!

Artificer wrote:

Ira wrote:Hey, that looks great!

And just an observation which you probably already know:

You're putting a ceiling fan in there, but judging by the photos, you'll need more blocking around your framed opening to secure the fan to. The opening should be 14 1/4" (standard), but you need an extra 1 1 /2" around that to secure the unit.

Something you want to do BEFORE you put your exterior ceiling skin on.

Thanks! The blocking is 1 1/2" x 1 1/2", but my opening is only 14 1/8" x 14 1/8". I hadn't seen any documentation on required opening size. Hmmm... I think I can cheat the 1/8" extra.

14 1/8"will work, it's just a little tight for the wires. I modded my fan so that the wires exit at the rear rather than the side.

You actually have more blocking than I do. I used 1X2s (looks like you used 2X2) for my roof spars so, compared to mine, yours are twice as thick. A 1 1/2" perimiter will work because the screws in the trim bezel don't go out any further than that.