Hello from Sacramento, ca

[Ncaoutdoors]

Well, where do I begin? Oh, ok.. My name is Scott. Im in the northern california area. Ive been wanting a teardrop trailer for a few years now. First time I saw one was on a showed called "california's gold" Its mostly on local PBS channels. Ive yet to see one in person, only the T@BS, but from what ive been reading on this forum (doing alot of reading) they are not true tears. Ive been looking to buy a fixer, I prefer the ken-skill style. But, no luck. I think I may try a kit project and do it myself. My only problem is, I have no garage, No tools and no wood working skills! Im a plumber by trade. I am mechanicaly inclined.Going to be a slow process for me.
I love camping, me and the better half are getting tired of tenting it. too much work. I do plan on getting a new pop up next spring. I'd love to have the tear for quick weekend get aways and do some gatherings. I've also been wanting to do some dutch oven cooking for years.
Im thinking about a rack on the tongue to carry my bbq/smoker around with me. Love to bbq!! Well, thats about me!

[ARKPAT]

Ncaoutdoors Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject: Hello from Sacramento, ca

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, where do I begin? Oh, ok.. My name is Scott. Im in the northern california area. Ive been wanting a teardrop trailer for a few years now. First time I saw one was on a showed called "california's gold" Its mostly on local PBS channels. Ive yet to see one in person, only the T@BS, but from what ive been reading on this forum (doing alot of reading) they are not true tears. Ive been looking to buy a fixer, I prefer the ken-skill style. But, no luck. I think I may try a kit project and do it myself. My only problem is, I have no garage, No tools and no wood working skils! Im a plumber by trade. I am mechanicaly inclined.Going to be a slow process for me.
I love camping, me and the better half are getting tired of tenting it. too much work. I do plan on getting a new pop up next spring. I'd love to have the tear for quick weekend get aways and do some gatherings. I've also been wanting to do some dutch oven cooking for years.
Im thinking about a rack on the tongue to carry my bbq/smoker around with me. Love to bbq!! Well, thats about me!

Welcome to the group Ncaoutdoors.
There are several of us that are building outdoors as weather and elements will alow.

As far as wood working skills you are qualifed in hand and power tools already. Just ask questions and read alot and more questions.

Do not get scared of making mistakes in building look around at the post we all have experiences in failure and posted it so as someone else will not make the same mistake as we.
Just have fun and build what you want and post question and pictures. You will enjoy and occasionally be frustrated while building. Always more fun than the latter.
Good luck in your build.

Pat

[Rob]

NC--

Welcome aboard! There are many other northern Californians here. There will be a gathering in October (follow the DESTINATIONS link above) that you should try to attend. Tenters are allowed, but we may pretend we don't know you. It's a great place to see teardrops up close and personal and ask all sorts of questions. Of course, you can always PM one of us and arrange a private tour in our driveway.

[Eunice]

welcome. there are a lot of us in northern california. This is great. As mentioned before come to the gathering at Dillon Beach in Oct to meet people and see the tears. We will be nice to a tenter. We love to sway people to our side.
Eunice

[Esteban]

Welcome Scott, I'm a newbie too just beginning to start construction. Come on down to San Luis Obispo in mid September if you want to see dozens of teardrops to get ideas and attend a gathering.

Steve B.

[Miriam C.]

To the playground Scott. You don't need a lot of wood working skills. You do need a lot of wannalearn skills. I am sure as a plumber you have had to put things together and have a fairly good idea of how to read/draw a diagram. Not much else needed. If I can do it almost anybody can.

Enjoy and Keep the bubble oil level.

[doug hodder]

Scott...there are 5 of us up in the Placerville area with a variety of restored, home built, manufactured tears...If your transmission can handle it...I give tours...(inside joke) Doug

[Roly Nelson]

Welcome to the friendliest trailer builder's forum on the net. Scott, you don't need tools, woodworking skills or a garage. I am sure that if you can make it up to Doug's place, he will be happy to give you a hand knocking together some sort of teardrop trailer right there in his woodworking shop. He's got plenty of neat tools, lots of experience and lets see.........oh yes, will take great execption to this post. He's a nice guy though and is always ready to help. Good luck on your build........(You're welcome, Doug)

Roly, always willing to help others get their tears built, (one way or another).

[doug hodder]

Roly....what is it about "I give tours" that you misinterpreted? Doug

[The Teardrop Nanny]

Hello Scott and Better Half,

Glad you decided to log on and start your inspiring journey into T&TTT land. I hope you'll put your creativity and shop skills to use in the next year so you can have your build ready for the IRG 2.0. See the link below for info on a gathering next summer in the Redwoods, but WE KNOW (from many years of experience) that SST's will be accepted at the SLO. Don't worry, you'll catch the hang of the TD lingo soon enough. The IRG in No. California Coastal Redwoods...... That's a relatively 'short' drive for you from Sacto. Also, just think of yourself as a "Teardropper in Training". Me, I've given myself the title of Teardrop Groupie, and I'm sure if you bop about the forum enough you'll find out why Keep in touch!

The Teardrop Nanny
Joanie

(p.s. I'm a plumber's daughter....I've known enough to be helpful and just enough to be dangerous around plumbing problems )

[mfkaplan]

You can do it with a few basic tools. A lot of us have learned our wookworking skills during out tear bulid. The only woodworking I had done was put laminate floor and baseboards around the house. I really don't have any of the big woodworking tools except for a miter saw. The smaller power tools I have are a jigsaw, rotery sander, palm sander, cordless drill, and cordless screwdriver. I also have a circular saw, but I really didn't use it. The big stuff like table saws, routers, etc. are all nice, but you can do it without them. You probably have other stuff like a hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, squares, and rulers that you use on the job. While my tear is a rebult shell, I've covered and added much more than I started with. I could have built it from scratch with those few tools.

[Ncaoutdoors]

well, thank you all for the welcome. Im absorbing as much info that I can from this awsome website!! so much info. Ive decided that Im going to get me a metal carport that I can slowly turn into a garage. Previous homeowner converted the garage!
Ive got a friend up in the P'ville area thats got a woodshop too. He just doesnt know that hes volunteered it yet! Im even hoping to move into that area in the next 3 years. I just need to talk the wife into it!
well thanks again for the warm welcome.
oh, and yes I do have a digital camera!! But, letting you guys see my mess is a different story!

[Marti Domyancic]

Hey there, just another vote of confidence for you. I started my TD build in Aug. last year, worked two months and tarped her tight for the winter, Started up again in May this year and made it to first gattering mid July in Mendocino. I built mine under an ezup in my back drive way. Just jump in and get dirty, dusty and frustrated from time to time.. The answers are all here among the wealth of knowledge these crazies have to offer Most of us are okay with personal messages, and questions!! Lord knows we all learned volumes from our own build and most of us would do it again if we had the time or money or both. Welcome and Happy Trails, Marti