A little piano hinge advice, please (help)

[mezmo]

Hey Roly,

Since this has morphed from a "lower extremity tugging" into an actual
reality of a build, how about having one of the admins transfer this into
the Build Journal section ? You have aroused great curiosity amongst the
fellow TD & TTT afficionados.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Roly Nelson]

Thanks for the Dandan pics, Gage. I spent some time chatting with him at the IRG-4 and unfortunately, I didn't dig deeply enough into his one-of-a-kind build. He is a very interesting fellow, and has done a great job with all of that aluminum and drilled and hand-tapped fasteners, by the hundreds. Sitting a staring at my model, I realize that the horizontal stabalizer (at the rear of the craft) could be used not only as a spot to place my Coleman stove, but also provide a dead straight locatioin for the piano hinge, allowing the hatch lid to swing up to the side instead of the front. I'm sure that the lift-up cabin side door can be hinged at the top, screwed in place absolutely straight. Storage in the galley can be made accessable through the countertop, with a lift up door.

Now, a roof hatch is another consideration that could drastically conflict with the smooth lines of this craft, or should I say (teardrop). You know "has to have a galley, a bed for 2 and not be able to stand up within it". Another look at the paper model, shows me that a rounded cap up front could be hinged at the top, swing up about 90 degrees, and held shut with lever latches to provide a waterproof seal. I can crank out a 24inch diameter "nose cone" out of wood, on by lathe, which should work just fine. I do believe I will skin all 12 segments of the exterior with 1/8" plywood and cover with a still-to-be decided finish. There will be 9 circular "hoops" or ribs, that will support the 16 longitudinal members, running from front to rear. Earlier, I went out in the shop and ripped some thin 1/8th inch strips 3/4" pine and glued them together, pressed between short, matching curved members to match the hoops.

I just ran out and sanded the "sample", and am anxious to get started, for real. Sorry folks for rambling on so, but I just have to keep myself occupied and perhaps build a little rig that will serve me, as well as allowing me to share my thoughts and skills with other interested builders and campers. I'm still just trying to get folks off of the ground, out of their tents and motorcoaches and into enjoying our comfortable (and economical) way of camping.........Long live TDers & TTTs
Roly ~~ Now out to the shop and get to work, this time I will keep track of my time and materials, and take pics.

[Gage]

Thanks for the Dandan pics, Gage. I spent some time chatting with him at the IRG-4 and unfortunately, I didn't dig deeply enough into his one-of-a-kind build. He is a very interesting fellow, and has done a great job with all of that aluminum and drilled and hand-tapped fasteners, by the hundreds.

Roly ~~ Now out to the shop and get to work, this time I will keep track of my time and materials, and take pics.

Roly, I don't mean to put you down but you didn't talk to Dandan. He lives in the UK and he wasn't at the IRG. Here's another pic.


You talked to the gentleman that built this one.

[Roly Nelson]

Yep, you're right, Gage. They do have some similarities, but the old grey matter doesn't collect info like it used to.
Roly ~~

[mezmo]

Hi again Roly,

I just wanted to let you know that others have done your idea before so
you are in good company and should have no problem accomplishing yours.

I just got a new book today, "Trailerama" by Phil Noyes, [ISBN 978-1-4236-2142-3],
[He did the 'Teardrops and Tiny Trailers' book a few years ago] that's full
of pics of old trailers from brochures and old snapshots and also some from trailer
ephemera items too. It covers the time span of from the beginnnings in the
1920s to @ the 1950s.

On page 106 of that is a full page pic of "The Gospel Ark" from 1937, which
is a torpedo/dirigible shaped small-medium sized standy, most likely a one-off
home build, but done with great finesse. I thought it could be a source of
inspiration/encouragement to you for your new build.

A few of it's features are:
-The body is made of 10-12 flat segments/strips joined to make a cylinder of
sorts on its side, with matching/corresponding hemispherical end caps.
-The very front has a round window, about a 2ft diameter, with a center pivot for
the operating glass, which is centered on the front of the body with about 10-12
flat trapezoidal panels radiating out from around it over the curved structural
bows used to define the front 'hemispherical' body section shape. These match
into/join the flat long rectangular side segments of the center cylinder of the
body. I'd assume the rear is done in the same manner.
-The entry door is in two sections, hinged across its width about 3/5ths of the
way down from the top. The top part is hinged vertically to the trailer body along
the lower 3/4ths of that, with the top 1/4or so of the door angled forward [as it appears
when open] the correct angle so that allows it to close in the same plane that the side
segment of the body is in at that location. The bottom part of the door hangs straight
down from the horizontal hinge in it when the door is open, but it is pulled in to close
against that side segment of the horizontal part of the side body when the door is
closed.
-The ends have flat metal trim where each panel meets and where the end hemispheres
join the cylindrical body.
-It has a couple round portholes as side windows and also a round window in the door.
-The suspension is really novel though. The wheel is under the incurving side of the
body and is mounted inboard (!) of the leaf springs ! In other words - the chassis cross
members that the leaf springs are mounted to extend out past the the tires so that
the leaf springs are outside of the wheels-tires and the axle ends/spindles go through
the wheel centers and have the leaf springs undermounted on them there. That must've
made changing a tire very interesting to say the least.

I just thought you might find it interesting. I think it'd be worth locating the book
at a book store or library to have a looksie.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo