Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I began different teardrop designs about 6 years ago. First I would pencil a sketch onto graf paper, then progressively erase and make changes as the days went on. However, while traveling in my motorhome, in the evenings, I began starting to refine my goofy ideas on a fresh, blank sheet of graf paper, not peeking at the one drawn the day before. Each one sort of resembled the former, but as time went on, entirely different shapes and details emerged.

I still have the original woody teardrop sketches and what I finally built, looks totally different from the pencil drawings that I began with. I am still doing this today, and as the days pass, I feel that a more refined, fresh out of the box teardrop design keeps creeping up. More often than not, I build a 1 inch to the foot scale model out of cereal box cardboard, and try to get an idea how functional or rediculus the new design will be, once built.

So, my question is, what techniques do other one-of-a-kind teardrop builders use to finalize their ultimate product? Are CAD drawings taking over the design concept, or is the old sketch and erase style still prevalent? Of course there is also the school that, "I guess I will build a little, sit back and look it over during a glass of wine (at 11:00 PM) then make plans for the progress of the next days building effort". I have to admit that I did a bit of that "design and construct" stuff a number of times. Teardrop #3 has been named......"The Slip-'er Inn"

Just interested in what other builders do, and what works for you.
Roly

I like to sketch on paper as well.

It doesn't matter what the project is once I have something I like I tend to think about it a lot and then "build it in my head" about a 100 times before I actually start.

I usually "build it in my head" when I'm driving to work. My wife and I drive to work together. She always knows when I'm thinking about a project. As we are driving she can tell I'm thinking about something and will always ask..........."so what are you building now".

I have played with Sketchup but I always seem to go back to plan old paper.

Projects Usually start with a crude sketch to put some measurements in - then I go to sketch up for a rendering in scale.

I used AutoCAD to design mine. I went through many iterations and profiles for several months before settling on my final design, then worked out the details on the computer screen. It worked out pretty well - no major problems on the build.
Sam

Roly,
I admire your patience. I would have to jump in and start building as soon as I could!

Roly,

I'm with you....paper and a pencil. Lots of paper and a pencil. I don't want my imagination to be constrained by graph paper, a compass, or even a French curve. I just want to sketch. The only place I give in to geometry is to draw a box that is a ratio of 4x8 or 4x10 so I can get close to the right proportions.

Even when I decided to build the Desert Dawg, I stayed away from measurements as long as I could. Once I got a shape I liked, I translated that to the graph paper.

Joanne

Paper first as a sketch, then graph paper etc to get measurements that are easy to measure and cut (I like to go down to 5mm as the smallest measurement), it's here I tweak it for an easier build, and then sketchup to make sure it'll look in proportion I then use the sketchup file for the breakdown of components and a sort of cutting list.

Cheers
Steve

I started with one of Andrew's CAD files...laid the profile out on ply...and promptly got out the fairing stick and started moving lines to make them look like I wanted. Ever since, it's been pretty much the build a little, sit back in the moaning chair, figure out how I want to do something or make it look, and go for it when I get around to it. Not the most efficient, a lot of learning, and a lot of my ideas have made me a lot of work, but I have enjoyed just working things out as they come up!!!

I just come up with a rough Idea and start. A lot of times I'll make a full size drawing on a piece of plywood just to work out a few size items. But thats it.

Though I must admit on a few of my "Exact Copy" trailers I have used some profile layouts supplied by Andrew..thank you very much.



Everybody's different, I have no problem converting an idea into item. For me, I could build something easier/quicker than it would take me to draw/use plans. Drawing a set of plans is/would be a real task for me.

And yet I know some people who wouldn't build a cutting board without a complete set of detailed plans.

For some people drawing the plans is just as exciting as building.

My wife says I have some kind of adult A.D.H.D. But then she always says nice things about me.

I prefer to think of my self like that Crazy Winchester woman who just kept building on to her house.

If I stop building..the Bogey Man will git me.

http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c106/ ... ?start=all

Happy Trails

Len

I use a pencil and a string right on the plywood skin. I may draw it 3 or 4 times to get the look I want but it is full scale and ready to cut in 10 - 15 minutes. I still use the method I discussed in my 1st few posts over a year and a 1/2 ago. Just built the dog a teardrop dog house 18 x 18 x36. Cute as hell and no I don't have any pics. Wish I did !



I use the front cut off as a templet and bob the pointy rear so it is almost vertical at the rear while making sure it blends smoothly into the rear curve. Useing a router on a wooden guide as a compass you can cut this factory smooth and reproduce multiple copies that are exact matches !

I use graph paper... each square is 2" in real life. That makes each inch on the graph paper = 1' in real life.

I use a pencil and dont press too hard as I know I'll be erasing and redoing. After about 6 changes, I come up with the final design and use a thin point magic marker to go over the final shape, including hatch, windows, doors, axle, etc. locations.....

I transfer it by measuring on the ply using a Sheetrock T square, making a mark about ever foot.. then drive in a small nail, and do the contour by going around the nails with a thin piece of molding. I draw a line along the molding to get the shape onto the ply.... at the same time, I mark doors, windows, hatch, etc.

4 pieces are stacked and screwed together, then I cut and sand the ply and go from there.

Haven't built anything yet, but I have worn out a ream of paper making sketches on graph paper. Here's a helpful site for some "print your own" graph paper: http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/.

By the way, I sketched out the grumman, cub/modernaire, kenskill, super legarra, trailer for two, and slumbercoach profiles on the same sheet of paper. Many aspects of the designs are similar.

Juneaudave wrote:I started with one of Andrew's CAD files...laid the profile out on ply...and promptly got out the fairing stick and started moving lines to make them look like I wanted. Ever since, it's been pretty much the build a little, sit back in the moaning chair, figure out how I want to do something or make it look, and go for it when I get around to it. Not the most efficient, a lot of learning, and a lot of my ideas have made me a lot of work, but I have enjoyed just working things out as they come up!!!

Moaning chair....good name for it. But my chair is more the "seat of inspiration".

I also usually just have an idea and start building. I use a fairing stick for curves too, and sit in the chair thinking each step through as to how it will interact with the following ones. The main thing is to not be hasty when working without plans so as not to work oneself into a corner so to speak, or you get to do things over.

I've been building my next tiny travel trailer in my mind for over a year. My best time to work on the "trailer in my mind" is when my wife is talking to me. Lately, I've learned to travel in my mind, old married guys can do this ya know. Like right now, I'm on a barstool drinking ice cold beer on the other side of town. Even though she is in the next room..... talking to me.