Lil Diner stuff

[Steve Frederick]

heh heh heh better to practice on someone else's trailer

You bet!! That's what prototyping is for..taking risks with the designer's money!!
Seriously, I work daily with mechanical engineers and architects. This project, done basically over the internet,(except for the build weekend) went very well. Mike covered all of the bases. The design went together very well. The major head scratching, for me, was about the building processes.
I would build this design again and again!!

[rjhager]

You did a beautiful job -- congratulations!

[mikeschn]

We picked up the Lil Diner from NY this weekend, and had our first campout.... it was kinda cold, and even more wet... but we were cozy and warm inside the Lil Diner, even without appliances.

The morning after it stopped raining just long enough to get from the teardrop to the car, and then it started right back up.

I didn't get much in the way of photos yet, but here's one for you...



Mike...

[beverlyt]

Sure don't look like the rest of em in that campground!

What a very cool looking trailer!

[Ranger Rod]

That is an absolutely gorgeous TD!!! Both of you do awesome work both in the design and Steve's enviable craftsmanship. The LD looks like the best of all worlds.

Is there any chance, you could combine Mike's drawings and Steve's shop manual with the design changes and fixes found along the way into a set of plans and instructions? I'd buy a set in a heartbeat & I'll bet there are plenty of others here that would too.

You could even make it as a purchasable, downloadable file like Kevin does with his plan. That way you wouldn't have to fool with printing costs and hassles. I do like the idea of two doors best.

Congratulations again guys, you make a great team!

Rod

[mikeschn]

Is there any chance, you could combine Mike's drawings and Steve's shop manual with the design changes and fixes found along the way into a set of plans and instructions? I'd buy a set in a heartbeat & I'll bet there are plenty of others here that would too.

You could even make it as a purchasable, downloadable file like Kevin does with his plan. That way you wouldn't have to fool with printing costs and hassles. I do like the idea of two doors best.

Congratulations again guys, you make a great team!

Rod

I haven't read Steve's shop manual, but certainly, a set of plans could be worked out for that... Is anyone else interested...?

Mike...

[Steve Frederick]

Is there any chance, you could combine Mike's drawings and Steve's shop manual with the design changes and fixes found along the way into a set of plans and instructions? I'd buy a set in a heartbeat & I'll bet there are plenty of others here that would too.

You could even make it as a purchasable, downloadable file like Kevin does with his plan. That way you wouldn't have to fool with printing costs and hassles. I do like the idea of two doors best.

Congratulations again guys, you make a great team!

Rod

I haven't read Steve's shop manual, but certainly, a set of plans could be worked out for that... Is anyone else interested...?

Mike...

Actually, Mike's a good secret keeper! I'm currently writing a shop manual that covers the 'Diner, as well as, generic Tears. I'm about 3/4 done. If there is an interest here, that may just prod me to finish!
Otherwise, the plan is to finish the manual,between other projects, then hit E-bay!! No copyright problems here!! All photos, illustrations..and mistakes..right from my shop!!

[Lone Wolf]

YES!!! I WAN'T A SET TO Just let me know how much and when.

P.S. Really awesome trailer!!!

[jeffwholmes]

I would love to have the shop manual; (plans and instructions) just let me know how much it is. I think the Lil Diner just might fit my needs, when hunting I camp at a state owned WMA and on the days when it is raining and cool it would give us a warm dry place to sit and have lunch or what ever and most certainly a warm place to sleep. Man hunting out of a tent during October & November in West Virginia is no treat, having a trailer like the Lil Diner would be great.

Jeff.

[WoodSmith]

I'd like to see/buy that shop manual as well.

What happens when rain falls in the roof AC heat exhaust port? Is that a chimney type affair that goes down to the bottom for condesate drip? Is the whole area 'glassed?

[sseibe]

I would love to buy the plans for the lil diner.

[mikeschn]

Well, we spent the whole day working on the Lil Diner.

We raised the rear bench so that it was the same height as the front bench.

Then we did all the 12 volt electrical. Our power supply and fuse block haven't arrived yet, so we are running off battery, without fuses. Yikes!

Next design challenge: plumbing the propane over to the stove and forced air furnace...

Here's a couple photos...

The first, you can see the lights we bought at sailor sams. We really like these lights, they are so bright. Xenon!



In this photo you can see how we bring in the electric thru the outside wall, (look for the orange wire), thru another wall where it plugs into a gfci unit, and then into the yellow utility extension cord box. From this box we power the fridge, the ac, and the power supply when we get it. I'll have photos of the fuseblock wiring perhaps next weekend.



Mike...

P.S. We've concluded that to be effective a Lil Diner needs to be 6' wide. 5' doesn't give you any room to set the table up, or make the bed.

P.P.S. This note only applies east of the Missippi, okay Dean?

[mikeschn]

Hey Steve,

We installed the gas shocks in the Lil Diner today. They are a little longer than originally planned. They are 90# shocks, and they are 19 1/2" long, open.

Handles the weight of the hatch wonderfully...



Mike...

[Chris C]

Mike, I'm a little surprised to see that big trailer behind that little Volkswagen. Is that a Passat? What does your Lil Diner weigh in at?

[mikeschn]

Yep, that's a Passat TDI.

And I haven't weighed the Lil Diner yet, but it's light. the Passat drives like it's not even there.

Mike...