Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I've been poking around here for several hours, and am quite impressed with the knowledge being shared, the great ideas advanced, and the lack of flames. What a nice forum.

That said, I'm not sure that I would actually want a tear drop. They're beautiful to look at, but dang if I ain't just a mite claustrophobic! However, I'm fascinated with the concept of a lightweight trailer that could be towed by most any vehicle, especially as gas continues to surge above $3. I'm hoping that some people in this forum might be interested in helping me kick around some ideas that could also be applied to TDs.

I'm still messing around with sizes/designs, but it occurred to me that the old canvas over woodstrips used in kayaks (and early airplanes) could result in some lightweight trailers. Anyone tried this, or seen it? Either in a TD or other trailer?

I think what I might want to do is some sort of pop-top design, where you go inside and push the top up to result in stand-up height interior. But with a fairly small footprint, like maybe 6 or 7 x 10. (I spent a summer a few years ago in a home-built slide-in camper whose ceiling height was 4' 6", and it about drove me crazy. Couldn't stand waking up in the morning and having to stay bent over till I got outside. Sorry, but thas it for my two cents on interior height.)

Well, hope to hear from some of you.......

Welcome nesika
Check out the hall of fame. There are several pop up typ of campers.
Also check out the "design Library" above. Sure to help.

Enjoy the ride.
Miriam

Nesika,

Hello and welcome to our home

I see you've met Aunti M so far. Perhaps you might be interested in an idea I've been thinking about, a lightweight mini-vardo. The top would be steam bent oak frames, with heavy canvas stretched over it coated with epoxy resin. Light weight, very strong and sturdy. There is more to this fantasy wagon, but that's enough for now. Here's a photo to think about.

Steve in Saint Augustine

Um, Miriam, where is the hall of fame?

Steve: That's a very romantic looking camper, but I'm unclear: you say you want to build it, but you show a picture. But I like the bentwood top, and the patterened cloth. I'd only thought about your typical off-white canvas, and that--after varnishing, or whatever--you'd have this nice light-transmitting roof and sides. (I see the top part of the pop-up being wood strip/canvas, and the bottom half stressed-skin ply.

It is at the top left corner of the screen.

nesika41 wrote:Um, Miriam, where is the hall of fame?

Steve: That's a very romantic looking camper, but I'm unclear: you say you want to build it, but you show a picture. But I like the bentwood top, and the patterened cloth. I'd only thought about your typical off-white canvas, and that--after varnishing, or whatever--you'd have this nice light-transmitting roof and sides. (I see the top part of the pop-up being wood strip/canvas, and the bottom half stressed-skin ply.

Nesika,

The picture is a Vardo that I think is now located in the UK. That photo is just a general idea of what I was thinking, could be a "pop-top", that technology has been discussed here several times.

Steve_Cox wrote:Nesika,

Hello and welcome to our home

I see you've met Aunti M so far. Perhaps you might be interested in an idea I've been thinking about, a lightweight mini-vardo. The top would be steam bent oak frames, with heavy canvas stretched over it coated with epoxy resin. Light weight, very strong and sturdy. There is more to this fantasy wagon, but that's enough for now. Here's a photo to think about.

Steve in Saint Augustine

[img-http://p.vtourist.com/2382534-Travel_Picture-Vardo.jpg]

Steve, if you have a linkto more pictures/info I'd like to see it

OOPs. Sorry Nesika,
Top left and design is top right. (burping the baby is the only excuse I got).

Yeah Steve, more pictures.

Nes can ya tell we love da pictures. Hint Hint

Miriam

Hi Nesika, welcome aboard. All the info you need is at the top of this page. Hall of fame, design library, vintage plans and even a full set of plans for the generic Benroy(compliments of Mike). Wander around in there and also the albums folder and you will surely find what you seek. And as Miriam said, plenty of pics because Madjack just luv's da pics
Cheers
Paul

Just curious , weren't the original "Depression era " TD like this ??? a rib and canvas affair ??? I always wondered about the old timers using canvas, always seemed like a good idea to me , but seldom mentioned here... Would be really lightweight , easy and best of all , CHEAP ...

Duh, I didn't realize that "Hall of Fame" was a link....

Had never heard the term "vardo" before, so googled it. One of the first links I looked at was this:

http://www.enslin.com/rae/gypsy/vardo01.html

which is amazingly close to what I had in mind, even to the curved roof. I think when I had the curved roof idea is when I started wondering about wood ribs covered w/ canvas.

Good brief history, etc:

http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/gypsy/wagons.htm

Here's my suggestion - it's a repeat of one I posted maybe a year ago, but I've only got a finite memeory of ideas I've stolen from other people, so by now they're coming round for the second time.....

The short (red) sides are rigid and hinged at either end, while the top (blue) panel flexes into position. In the fully-up position, a panel folds up at each end to close off the end. I've shown it with the short sides ending up vertical, but they outght to lean in a bit to get a good seal. The top could be flexible bows with a 'canvas' covering, though it would be difficult to get just the right degree of tension on the canvas.



That's a 72" wide body - 42" high with the roof down, 76" high with the roof up. It displays the problem with this sort of roof, that it is much wider when folded down - in this case, the lifting part is only 48" wide.

Andrew

Interesting idea, though I can't figure out how one could pull it off, practically speaking.

Maybe people interested in tiny trailers will be interested in tiny houses. I think these little house are SO COOL!

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

Hi GPW, the first Popular Mechanics article, 1936 I think, showed a hard top. If you have a look in the Vintage Plans link it does show a canvas topped alternative. So, then as now, there were different people with different ideas on how to build a TD.
Cheers
Paul