Habitat I

[TheDuke]

Mike:

Not a lot of progress that you can see. The construction project in the basement is taking all my time. But that will be finished, and then we'll see.

I've been sitting at idle messing around with different frame/suspension combo's, to find the best price, and I ended up with the 5x10 from RT, but with no springs or axle (they will do this). I had a Torflex axle specified to match and had it quoted, and the total frame/axle cost was about $780, whereas to have a special frame welded up and Torflex attached was about $1500 plus. So when the time comes I think I will order the 5x10 RT and Torflex axle, and do the grunt work of getting them attached myself.

My grandson just got out of the Navy as an aviation mechanic, and he should be able to help with any of the hard parts.

Meanwhile, I'm assuming that's the way I'll go, and have been repositioning and reworking the basic Habitat design to better take advantage of the frame, and the ability to move the axle around. Just minor tweaks, actually. but when the latest layout is done, I will post it in my album, and eliminate all the previous versions. It's just getting too confusing.

TheDuke

[mikeschn]

Hey Duke,

That's a neat new design.



I see you've got the bathroom totally separate from the rest of the trailer now, with access only from an outside door. That looks like a tight squeeze. But you shouldn't have any problems with odors.

I see you still plan on using the 5x10 red trailer.

Overall it's a neat design, but very compact in every way. What if you used cabin car style doors?



Mike...

[TheDuke]

For those who were watching my earlier struggles with the Skeet'r and then the Habitat I, this is the latest version, and I hope the last. At least, more of the problems have been solved. (I hope).

Briefly, here's what's been done, and in some cases, why.

Framewise, I've done exactly what I proposed in the previous post, and I've lowered the tongue a couple of inches, similar to the ET, and put a lowered floor in the loo only, nowhere else. The tongue is cut and welded to get it closer to the CRV tow height, and prevent driveway scrapes.

The inside height in the loo is just over 5'-8". Since I'm 5'-7" (and so is Mike, I think) I have room for 1" of hair. If I go bald or get osteoporosis, there's no problem. The porta-potti is angled, like Mikes. I'm a completely unashamed plagiarist, but I will say thanks, Mike, for that, and a few other things. The potty has the same room as Mikes, and we know that works, cuz we've seen the pics. There's a small counter, sink, med cab and mirror. And you can turn sideways so you can bend over to change your pants.

The big surprise in the loo is the outside door, in addition to the slider that leads to the cabin. For those of you asking, here's why.

Going to the loo at night is a big thing at my age, and that's what started the loo design. But then I thought, we don't camp only at night. What about days, when we're dinking around and the urge hits, and you don't want to walk all the way across the campground? If you have a loo in the TD, you can go there, as long as you TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF FIRST (mattress, blankets and pillows, remember?). So the outside door was added.

At the kitchen end, I kept the pass thru feature, that opens right out onto the clip-on table, with the fold-up seats on either side. The wiring tray is still there. I've included one of those dog-house Heater-A/C units, but haven't figured out the ducting yet. Around the back, there's the usual hatch, so it's a genuine TD, and lots of storage and a microwave.

It's just 5 ft wide, and doesn't overhang the wheels, and it's a standie (loo only) without being too tall. It's true to TD roots, cuz the mattress is on the floor, and the kitchen is under the hatch.

So, there it is, until the next revision.

[TheDuke]

You wrote too soon, Mike. I still have the slider tween the loo and the cabin, for those bears at night.

[TheDuke]

I hope the loo isn't really a tight squeeze. I've had those scale 3D mannikins in there six different ways, and I even modified one of them to have a paunch the same size as mine (which has its own zip code). It still seems to work. I'll know more when the sawdust finally flies.

About the cabin car doors: what's the distinguishing feature? That they follow the roof outline, and the hinge is between them? I'd worry about not enough material to support the edge of the roof.

Visually it might work, though. Maybe I'll try it.

TheDuke

[Miriam C.]

Definately a great design. Now get to building. I like the idea of an outside door to the loo. Remember a vent will help too.

[TheDuke]

Glad you like it, Aunti M. Encouragement goes a long way. And you're absolutely right about the vent fan. In it goes.

TheDuke

[TheDuke]

Took a look at Cabin Cars last night, Mike. It's only one door, not two, and the outer door shape conceals a dropped header behind it, which you see only when the door is open. Worth dinking around with, anyway.

TheDuke

[TheDuke]

Mike: about your comment of a tight squeeze thru the outer door of the loo. You're right, it could be tight. At a previous revision I had the corner of the counter nicked off at 45, to allow a wider door, but the space in front of the counter was still the same, restricted by the front frame member. So it seemed that it was "squeeze now - or squeeze later". But then, the impression of more space at the door might be worth it. I probably need to mock up the standing space by the sink/mirror, though.

Thanks

TheDuke

[mikeschn]

Hey Larry,

I didn't see that slider. That's a good answer!

And yes, I know the cabin car is only 1 door, but it looks like 2, and I thought it might work good for your application.

I have an idea for you... let me model up something quickly... I'll be back.

Mike...

[mikeschn]

Okay, here's food for thought...

bump the front out a bit, and make the door the same size as the other one...

You'll have plenty of space in your bathroom...



Mike...

[TheDuke]

Lemme scratch around with that for awhile.

[TheDuke]

OK. Done scratchin around. Actually, I like the results, but I did it a little differently, Mike. I expanded the loo by moving the cabin wall back. I found the mattress was a little longer than needed, so I reduced it to 72". For a guy 5'-7", that's no problem. Measured a mattress I sleep on a lot, and it's 72", so I figure it will work. So the standing room (leg room) in the loo is now 24", and above the counter it's 34". Following your suggestion, I then made both doors the same width, and then nicked off the corner of the counter, and it seems to work OK. All outside dimensions stayed the same, except for the loo door. I put three revised drawings in the Album. I think I will go with it. Thanks for the good input.

TheDuke

[TheDuke]

Mike:
I tried a variation to make the doors a little more like the Cabin Car. It's not quite the same thing, but I think it looks better. I could change the trim to give it a woodie look. Hmm, Might try that.

TheDuke

[TheDuke]

My apologies for the dim looking drawings I've been putting in the album. I wish I could find the problem. But if you click on them, and then go to full screen, they're more readable.