Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Trying to design my first build. Kicking around an idea to have a galley that was accessible from the interior AND the whole thing slides out to be used outside. dimensions not fully fleshed out yet, just some "sketches" in powerpoint.

The whole slide out would include a base for a cooler/other, counter, and upper shelf.
Upper shelf wouldn't be accessible from the inside. Counter and below fully accessible from the inside.
Counter split with each side removable to access the fridge
Two pairs of 500lb drawer slides. 1 on the front and 3 on the back.
The access door on the outside is also part of the galley and seals directly against the trailer, no hinged door.
To support the weight when pulled out, planning on using telescoping perforated square tubing and a clevis pin to have an adjustable support leg mounted to the door.
Door and galley open to the drivers side

Does anyone see any major issues with the concept?
Only thing i see is that if the galley is the full width of the trailer, the slides wont allow the galley to completely pull out. Most slides only go double their closed length.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/e2rsL7Fu4CQsaaDz5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fVckbosLYwDCjFx18

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jPq7KFzmKkBMGnNs7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HjqruWteLYpTyK54A

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tDAdWfPtVa8uB8Dm9

The only issue I see is that the door is too far forward. I know you're limited with the wheel well, but if you can scoot it back, it would be better.

From a book some fella wrote about building teardrops:

Door placement is critical. Put this book down for a moment and lie on your bed. Now sit up and swing your legs off as if you’re getting up–but sit there for a moment. Note that this is the same place that you sat on the edge of the bed before you lay down. Your pelvis will be about 30 - 33” from the headboard. This is where the doors need to be–-right next to where your hips rest while lying down and where you normally sit on your bed.



Good luck with your build!

Tony

B0rtle wrote:Does anyone see any major issues with the concept?
Only thing i see is that if the galley is the full width of the trailer, the slides wont allow the galley to completely pull out. Most slides only go double their closed length.

A few questions:

1. Why? What are you getting with a slide out that you couldn't get with a access door inside the cabin?

2. Are you planning anything for the interior space vacated when the galley is extended? Is there something that could be done with that space that would make it worth the extra complexity to build the slide out?

3. Why slide out to the drivers side? Usually, you would want doors away from traffic if you needed to access something on the side of the road.

4. A galley sealed off from the inside aslo seals out any smoke or smells. Obviously it depends on what/how you cook and how well you'll be able to clean while camping. Will your slide out incorporate adequate seals?

5. Will you be able to leave it extended overnight or in a sudden rainstorm?

Don't get me wrong, there are reasons that a slide out kitchen/cooking surface could be very good thing.

Pmullen503 wrote:
A few questions:

1. Why? What are you getting with a slide out that you couldn't get with a access door inside the cabin?

2. Are you planning anything for the interior space vacated when the galley is extended? Is there something that could be done with that space that would make it worth the extra complexity to build the slide out?

3. Why slide out to the drivers side? Usually, you would want doors away from traffic if you needed to access something on the side of the road.

4. A galley sealed off from the inside aslo seals out any smoke or smells. Obviously it depends on what/how you cook and how well you'll be able to clean while camping. Will your slide out incorporate adequate seals?

5. Will you be able to leave it extended overnight or in a sudden rainstorm?

Don't get me wrong, there are reasons that a slide out kitchen/cooking surface could be very good thing.

Thanks for some great food for thought.
1. An access door to a rear galley still doesn't let you get into a cooler if the cooler opens toward the rear. Most of the rear galley designs I see also require the cooler to slide out or for the counter to be removed to open the lid enough to get in. I'm not planning on cooking inside, just want to be able to access the cooler/water/snacks from inside should the weather be crap AND have the ability to cook outside.
2. So far nothing planned, but something I've been thinking about.
3. Fair point. Didn't think about opening it up while pulled over. And thinking about it more, if I pull through a turnaround, setting up on the passenger side is often more open and more private. I'm just a solo traveler, so seemed nicer to be able to go directly between the drivers door, trailer door, and galley...easy enough to mirror the design.
4 & 5 also fair points I need to consider. Haven't gotten that far in the design. Any real cooking, I plan to do outside though.

tony.latham wrote:The only issue I see is that the door is too far forward. I know you're limited with the wheel well, but if you can scoot it back, it would be better.

From a book some fella wrote about building teardrops:

Door placement is critical. Put this book down for a moment and lie on your bed. Now sit up and swing your legs off as if you’re getting up–but sit there for a moment. Note that this is the same place that you sat on the edge of the bed before you lay down. Your pelvis will be about 30 - 33” from the headboard. This is where the doors need to be–-right next to where your hips rest while lying down and where you normally sit on your bed.

Good luck with your build!

Tony

Thanks Tony! I can imagine the frustration getting in and out each time... might be able to move the door back, depends on what trailer I actually end up with. Or I'll get rid of the lower front storage and slide up the bed to get a few of those inches. More difficult to put that storage toward the rear as it would make accessing the galley harder.

If you're solo and it's primarily for the cooler and a little storage, why not just design the cooler to slide into the cabin side you're not sleeping on or over a mattress, and include a "back door" to some of the food and utensil storage?

One thing to remember about teardrop camping is you don't spend a tremendous amount of time inside the cabin when you aren't sleeping.

Even in inclimate weather, I'd rather be outside sitting in a camp chair under a tarp than laying around inside.

At Pat asked, why?

The basic teardrop--with a rear galley under a hatch--has stood the test of nearly a century.



Lift the lid and there it is. Stove, cooler, water, and storage.

I think some shy away from the traditional galley because they fear building the hatch. They shouldn't.





Tony

QueticoBill wrote:If you're solo and it's primarily for the cooler and a little storage, why not just design the cooler to slide into the cabin side you're not sleeping on or over a mattress, and include a "back door" to some of the food and utensil storage?

Didn't think about sliding the cooler into the cabin, just the problems of a door to it...and this sounds like a much better, simpler plan. Thank you.