Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I've been playing with design ideas for a long time but now I've been given the green-light by my wife after our last trip.

The objective is to have a galley that is capable enough for the six of us. We usually are covering a lot of miles and we try to find a park or somewhere the kids can run around at lunch so being able to get to the food easily and is a big reason for my wife's agreement. I am wondering if I am going overboard though. I have a ~6'x2'x2' for a cooler, I was figuring to build something out of r-30 rigid and coated in fiberglass. Then two 3' wings for stove, maybe and oven, storage. In all about 30 ft2 dedicated to galley.

The sleeper configuration is pretty much the norm with a small table and dropped floor that can double as storage when not the bed. The kids can sleep in the tents.

About the insulation though, I am thinking that the real use for the insulation will be in winter when it is not in use help keep condensation down and the inside dry (with the aid of a small heat source). I am planning a structural rigid shell SIPs, or alternatively do a ribs and thin ply shell. Except for the floor every surface has a curve to it so either meathod should yeild a very strong structure. Doing the rib and ply though is probabably easier to build but if I insulate the SIP structure would help keep the weight down, so is it worth it to insulate?

Thanks for any input,
Barry[/quote]

YEP!



7 degrees and 35 mph wind gusts.


Big tent was our dining hall


Wasn't too crowded though

Your galley depends on your needs. Mine are simple and my galley is only 14" deep. Counter on top, microwave, storage drawers and pet cool underneath..

Stove goes on a table, cooler is in the van.

Go to link below, left side is an index, click on "galley, fenders" and scroll to bottom of page.

30 square feet of counter is a rather large order for a teardrop. I was able to get 15 - 16 with my flip out cabinets and flip down counter. I guess if I counted the area under the counter as storage (that only occures when the hatch is open) and the camp chef dutch oven table we could approach 25 sq ft. Throw in a handily placed pic-nic table and you are there. Check out Dhazzards galley layout it is a bit more elaborate than mine and might be a bit more user friendly for multiple cooks in the same space.



We love to really cook when we camp and this little galley has turned out some amazing meals. NO burgers and burnt hot dog for us.

On the topic of coolers we have found that 2 smaller work better for us. The drink cooler is open and closed far more than the food cooler keeping the meats ect at a much safer temperature. I have added seperation trays to keep the open packages from getting waterlogged. We purchase a 1/2 gallon of milk orange juice tomatoe juice and the 4th can be a pre frozen ice these are placed in the 4 corners to support the dry tray works for us.

Hey TD Beej,
Welcome to the forum and you gotta love greenlights Go here to check out our galley/camp/build photos---
http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc145/panheadjohn60/ I have 4 months and less than $2000.00 in the 'Costta Lotta" I have a floor storage compartment in the galley/cabin areas for storage too.
Good luck on your build and enjoy.
Til later by the fire--John T. & Linda

Thanks for the input everyone.

Two coolers may be an idea, it would be very easy to simply put a partition into the one since I am planning to make it myself. The top of the cooler should provide about 12' ft2 of surface/footprint area that I can use as a counter. Plus by keeping a colder side with extra ice I can transfer as needed. The lids will be on top so I would expect to much loss when opened to grab something.

Each wing will have roughly a 3'x3' footprint with a slightly small counter surface. I will probably do a flip up table with a hole for a basin and foot pump for washing hands.

I do have another question though, to do a interior table, how big should I need to make the table, is 30" enough, can I get away with 24"? And what about the foot-well, with seating on opposite sides how much let room do I need to provide so everyone is comfortable?

Thanks again!

TD Beej wrote:I do have another question though, to do a interior table, how big should I need to make the table, is 30" enough, can I get away with 24"? And what about the foot-well, with seating on opposite sides how much let room do I need to provide so everyone is comfortable?

Thanks again!

The dinette I'm building is 61.5 inches from seat back to seat back. Each seat is 18 inches front to back, 36 inches wide and about 14 inches high. I'm going to add 4 inches of foam on top for a cusion. It could easily be less than 36 inches wide - I just had the room for it. My wife and I aren't very tall people - about 5'6'' and 5'9'' respectively. Though we haven't put the dinette to use yet, it seems to be a comfortable size for a small camper.

About using the top of coolers for counter...every time you need to open the cooler, the "counter" has to be cleared.

Hey TD Beej,
The "Costta Lotta" is insulated in the sides and roof. None in the floor. We camped out in 30 degree weather and had to open the windows some because it was HOT inside with the heater on LOW. Its cool in the hot weather with Just a little fan to move the air
Til later by the fire--John T. & Linda

Thanks everyone.

Here are my line drawings of side an top exterior.



Insulation: I am leaning toward only insulating the floor for the mement since it would be easier to add later to everywhere else and we do our trips in the summer.

Construction would be on laminated or bent wood frame with 1/4" luan (or simular) epoxied on all sides and taped at seems. Need to learn to do glass now, steam wood, and make laminated beems.

Frame would be custome build. I need to learn to weld now.

The foot well will leave 30-36" of space between the 6' benches facing each other. (Gotta be able to sit 2 adults and 4 kids). It will still be tight but only be needed in a pinch.

Cooler will be divided to allows a very cold side and less loss when open.

Galley will be very large but allow us a lot of frexibilty for prepairing a quick meal on the go.

The trailer should fit into the slipstream of the caravan and be light weight by using thiner ply but making the shell only curved surfaces (except the floor or where re-inforced by the frame.

Am I missing anything that I should be aware of?

Thanks,
Beej

rebapuck wrote:About using the top of coolers for counter...every time you need to open the cooler, the "counter" has to be cleared.

Yeah, that caught my eye too. I'm thinking nopey, nopey, nopey!



{{{ And no, that's NOT a flying monkey! }}}

TD Beej wrote:Thanks everyone.

Here are my line drawings of side an top exterior.

That is one wild looking TTT. I like it! I'd love to see it built but all those curves look awfullly tough.

I've been thinking about doing the curves. Really, If I can just get the 4 curved edges right the rest will be easy. I'm still thinking about the easiest way to accomplish them but at least they are doable. A big plus to all the curves is the higher strength to weight, better aerodynamics, and it will just look cool. The aerodynamics are seat of the pants stuff but going by the shape of the caravan, info I've found on tractor trailers, and a box-fish inspired show car I am hoping it will be pretty good.

I also am also making up second, simplified and smaller design (Post Modernaire I). Galley is a little smaller but still large and total storage is about same but not dinette, and about two feet shorter total length.

Lot's of potential Barry!!! Should be a great build!!!

Any thoughts anyone. I've Figured out how to get the dinette back. Besides closing in on a final design, I have a think I have a good way to create the main edges.

B^)