New guy here

[mikewilson]

Hello to all. I am Mike Wilson from Fort Sill, OK. I'm generally a crafty guy looking to build stuff. Furniture, boats, trailers, tables, anything cool. After the last two boats I built, and my rainy tent camping trip I'm looking to build a trailer. I started researching small trailers a year ago, and I've been quite impressed with the extreme knowledge base at this site. I finally registered.

I have a couple designs and wanted some experienced opinions and help before I get into this project. I look forward to your comments and suggestions on my ideas.

My current 3d model / screen shots that I'm ready to draw up.

http://unixf.com/pics/trailer_day_use.jpg
http://unixf.com/pics/trailer_night_use.jpg


--mikew

[ARKPAT]

Welcome Mike !

Looks like you have a stand-up trailer dersign.
Mike the site adm. was working on a design with that in mind.
You are just accross the border from me in Fort Smith/Van Buren AR area.
If you have some time this weekend and do not mind the travel we are having a gathering at Petit Jean State Park near Russellville, AR off I-40. You are welcome to look and come by and ask questions and meet some of the people on the board. several from areas close to you.


Welcome to the group.

Pat

P.S. Here is a map from Fort Sill to Peteit Jean State Par, AR just click the BLUE text.

[mikewilson]

Nice to meet you and thank you for the invitation. I'd really love to join you but I'm laid up with a bum ankle at the moment. I have a couple more weeks before the doctor gives me a release. That's kind of how I ended up with available time to work with my plans more than just a 3d model. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to draw in all those funny detail lines and actual measurements.

--mikew

[mikeschn]

Hey Mike,

Welcome to the forum.

Like Pat says, it looks like you've got a standy there... similar to the Puffin that Steve Wolverton built.

While it's practical enough, it don't see much in the way of a galley in there.

If it's early enough in the design phase, you might consider adding a galley, either inside or outside.

There's not a whole lot of standys here yet, but here are some that you can look at

the Puffin
the ET
the Winter warrior
the Escape hatch
the T@B clone
the Knaus
the canned hams that folks here have restored
the Midget
the Widget
the Tidget

and a near standy, the Cabin Car...


And don't forget to look at the Vintage plans up there in the menu.

Mike...

[mikewilson]

Hi Mike. After a year of my drawings, and ideas, I found the Puffin here on this site. It was that design that inspired me to make a 3d model of the HF trailer, and go from there. Now I'm in the hunt for some measurements of the trailer so that I can build on that and start making some blueprints and eventually a scale model before the real build.

I've been considering a drawer style galley that pulls out of the curb side storage box from under the seat/bed. All it really needs to hold up is a Ozark Trail camp stove with propane bottle, some cooking utensils, and the food I'm cooking.

http://unixf.com/pics/trailer_day_use_galley.jpg

For the most part, I prepare my camp foods at home (salads, pies, etc.), and pack them into the cooler. I use the campsite BBQ's or portable BBQ I own for cooking meats. I'm glad that you mentioned the galley though before I got too far ahead of myself. Thank you.

--mikew

[mikeschn]

And while your at it... taper the back a little bit. 15 degrees would look nice, and it's still aerodynamic.

I have a model of a hf trailer. Can you read parasolid or acis?

Mike...

P.S. Just for shits and giggles, I'll share this design again, here...

[mikewilson]

Hi Mike. I have Ac3d, it will import quite a few different models. Unfortunately I don't think it imports those files, but I do know it imports 3d Studio Max, Renderware, and VRML files. I'm willing to try importing any file.

I like that design too. My only problem is I need a bed for me and my wife, one for my daughter, and room on the floor for my son. I'd figure out a way to get another bunk in, but my son refuses to sleep in a bed for some reason. Our last camping trip he slept on the ground and put the dog on his air mattress. At home he will sleep on the floor next to his captains bed. I'm kind of squeezed for the 2nd bed, and about 4 feet of floor space.

--mikew

[mikeschn]

well, if you can read vrml, there here's the weekender file in vrml.

just blow away the body, and you'll be left with the hf trailer.

http://www.mikenchell.com/images/finalw ... kender.wrl

You're basically looking for sleeping for 3 and floor space for one more. I wouldn't do it that way. I would do sleeping for four right from the get go, and when your son is ready, his bed will be ready too. The 2+2 in the design library comes to mind as a good choice. Go with the 5' high version.

There are other 4 packs that might work too...

Mike...

[steve wolverton]

Welcome aboard Mike.

Just a couple of thoughts about your camper. I like the layout (mine is very similar and works well) but bunk seems a little off. It's a real pain moving things around inside these small campers, and it looks like you plan to store the bunk near the bathroom during the day. (Is that a bathroom?)

I would have the bunk above the main bed, and you could even put it on a hinge that so that it would tilt up during the day for extra headroom.

Another option would be to have two smaller bunks on each sidewall. They could be tilted down for sleeping at night, and your kids would have their own bunks.

Just tossing out a few thoughts.

[mikeschn]

Here's an ebay design that sleeps 4



and here is the 2+2

[mikewilson]

That is another great design. The main 1 luxury item I must have is the toilet / shower room. The last camping trip ended up with the freshwater supply at the campgrounds being unavailable. We went from having toilets to not having them. For my daughter that became a problem. She didn't have her "privacy" so after a couple of 7 mile runs back home we decided that was it and ended the trip. Toilets are a must when we go camping, and I don't want to go that route again. I came up with the 3x3 foot or 3x4 foot room for privacy and for her and to avoid the magic blue water houses.

Having a private toilet is always nice if you gotta go during the night, and the toilets are a few hundred yards away. I'm not too picky where I go, but the city wife and kids are.

--mike

[mikeschn]

Another variation on a theme...

If you would do 2 full size bunk beds, one above the other then this iCamp would sleep 4, and have all the comforts of home.



and of course, the ET will have a bathroom of sorts...

I don't have a 3D model of it... but if you watch my build, you'll see the bathroom soon enough...

There are some ET thoughts here

brb

Mike...

[mikeschn]

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=16588
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=16958

Have fun... I gotta get some sleep!

Mike...

[Miriam C.]

to our little playground and adult day center...

There are some TD/TTT's that will do what you are thinking.

this thread is one http://tnttt.com/viewto ... c&start=15

and EZ's is not a standy but there is no reason you can't make it one.
http://tnttt.com/album_ ... er_id=2202

EZ's has a double bunk system that works really well for his children.

Enjoy and remember please feed the need