Dusty Mark New to Forum

[Dusty Mark]

Hey! My name is Mark, an avid furniture maker and boat builder. I've built three kayaks, a small ski boat, three layout duck boats, and a house full of fine furniture over the years. My projects and blogs are posted on http://lumberjocks.com/DustyMark/projects under the profile name DustyMark.

I'm a retired Air Force pilot who works part-time as a substitute teacher. This gives me summers off to enjoy the great outdoors! My wife, Mary, and I are empty nested and have enjoyed several backpacking trips each season. We want to get out more often and not camp as "hard core" all the time. I saw an ad for a Little Guy teardrop in a magazine a few weeks ago and got the "bug" to build a teardrop. We already purchased a Long Haul folding sea kayak to add some extra fun to our future teardrop camping trips.

We're in the beginning stages of building a 5' x 10' teardrop camper using the Frank Bear template from Vintage Technologies. http://www.teardroptrailerparts.com/Home_Page.html We're modifying that profile by adding the storage compartment at the front as many builders do. I ordered all of my baltic birch for the walls and cabinets and it should arrive next week. I found a convenient local source for the aluminum skin and we're shamelessly copying the exterior color scheme of the "Route 66" teardrop featured in the Cool Tears magazine http://media.wix.com/ugd/c636a2_4d33e65e7ae34a75aaeeb083981a5cb9.pdf . A local welder should complete the frame next week. After drilling holes in the floor mount tabs, I'll bring the trailer, fenders, and rain sills in for powder coating. I'm currently sketching interior profiles on a full-size 1/4" plywood template.

The galley is going to be the most beloved feature of our teardrop since Mary and I love to cook. We've already purchased an Atwood Wedgewood Vision 17" stove/oven combo unit http://www.atwoodmobile.com/ranges-and-cooktops/wedgewood-vision-ranges/high-output-ranges.asp and a Yeti Tundra 75 cooler http://yeticoolers.com/tundra-75-cooler/ . The current plan is to mount both the oven and the cooler on heavy-duty drawer slides and squeeze some cupboards between them and below the countertop. We'll do dishes in dish pans on an auxiliary table. We purchased all of the pots, pans, dishes, utensils and kitchen gadgets so that we build the cabinet with the thought of everything having its place.

The cabin interior could be short at about 72" on one side due to installing the cooler lengthways under the counter top. We'd like to build a slightly elevated kennel on the galley bulkhead for our small british lab. That means I may have to go high with the air conditioner and vent it out the roof similar to the Camp Inn models. http://tinycamper.com/options6.htm# I could sacrifice the lower cabinets and run the cooler across its width, but that's not our first choice. Another feature we plan to incorporate is the futon couch similar to the Vistabule models. http://vistabule.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Explore-Vistabule.jpg?45495f We plan to purchase a nice memory foam mattress blank from Foam Order http://www.foamorder.com/boat-mattress.html and sew the futon ourselves using Sunbrella fabric from Sailrite.

That's a quick overview of our plan. I look forward to picking your brains as we move forward with our build! Oh yeah, we're hoping to have this done in early June!

Best regards,
Mark and Mary

[Vedette]

Welcome to the Forum
From what you have posted in your first post.........you look to have a plan!
Plus, what looks like the skills and knowledge to pull of a Teardrop build with ease.
The steps you have taken so far . all look positive!
Where are you located?
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Dusty Mark]

Thanks! We live near Duluth, MN. We're sketching out more detailed floor plans tonight and tomorrow. It looks like we're trying to stuff 10 pounds of potatoes into a five-pound sack at this point...

Mark

[tony.latham]

It sounds like you guy's are rolllllllling!

Tony