New build Bear's Lair

[Nobes]

Howdy y'all, new guy here from Sunny West Texas. I've been lurking about a month and Mrs. Nobes and I are going to build a teardrop. I am a woodworker so I have a comfort level building things, but this is beyond it in scope, time, and expense.

I just bought my HF red trailer. I had a 25% off coupon but they zapped me with tax & shipping--so total cost 413.44 for a 4x8. I also bought the swing back trailer jack for 29.22. My budget is $2000 and my plan--hope?--is to have this ready for camping by Easter 2016 (end of march). 90 days.

My next step is to clean up the garage so there is a place to work. The garage is my workshop and I've just finished several Christmas projects so things are a bit scattered. Trailer delivery is a couple of weeks away so I have time to do that and finalize my build plans.

I'm tending toward the foam/hybrid build. Locally all i can find is 2x8 1" foam at Lowe's, so I'm thinking a stick build with the 1" foam. I'm going to build my doors. I need to buy windows, so I will start shopping for those now.

QUESTIONS: can I successfully canvas/glue over stick & foam outside--no exterior plywood--or will the 'skeleton' show up under the canvas after the glue dries? Is it a good idea to canvas/glue the outside but not the inside?

If I can find 1.5=2" foam I am comfortable using that as the sides, but so far no luck. I have a few more places to check tomorrow.

I'm thinking a 5x9 Grumman 2. I will use many of the build threads here extensively. In fact, let me just say THANK YOU to all of you who have shared your experiences and expertise. I couldn't do this without this site and all of your time and advice!

I've got to get the photo process sorted out, and will take these next 2 weeks to do that as well.

Jumping into the deep end. Here goes nothing.

Nobes

[pchast]

Welcome!

[KennethW]

You don't have to buy windows. You can make Wiley Windows. Very simple and the work great.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Welcome aboard Nobes...

Good luck on the build and with the number of TD builders on this site, I bet someone has great experience in the siding cover...

Keep the pics coming...

[Nobes]

Well, every time I read a build thread I change my mind about sidewall construction. The good news is there are no wrong answers, right? I decided I had to stick to the budget and to go with 1/2" plywood walls. Explaining that and the issues it brings--finding thinner aluminum trim, beefing up for doors--mrs. nobes said hey, it's what, $20 bucks extra per wall? Buy the 3/4. So that's the plan, solid 3/4 plywood walls with no insulation. It will be 5x8 above the wheels on a 4x8 HF trailer. I will insulate the floor and roof. No aluminum skin, it's a woodie. I'm nervous about waterproofing, building doors, and building the hatch.

I'll run wiring in the roof for battery and shore power. 4 lights--galley, cabin, 2 door lights. I'll put an electrical outlet in the galley and in the cabin. Reading lights and cabinet lights will be battery powered. The galley, or at least parts of it, will slide toward the rear to avoid leaning over to use the cabinets. Wiley windows saves a bunch of dollars.

The garage is clean so while I wait for the trailer to be delivered, I will work on my side template.

Here we go.

Nobes

[Nobes]

Laid out the profile last night on a piece of hardboard, it looks great. I was going to cut it and get it right tonight. Then today I went to the dr to look at a bad cut on my finger--stabbed it with a pocketknife cutting a zip tie on a grandchild's Christmas gift--!!--and it's surgery tomorrow. I cut a tendon and a nerve. Ouch! So, build plans are postponed for I don't know how long. Months anyway. hopefully I'll get started in late spring...

Nuts.

Nobes

[lrrowe]

Laid out the profile last night on a piece of hardboard, it looks great. I was going to cut it and get it right tonight. Then today I went to the dr to look at a bad cut on my finger--stabbed it with a pocketknife cutting a zip tie on a grandchild's Christmas gift--!!--and it's surgery tomorrow. I cut a tendon and a nerve. Ouch! So, build plans are postponed for I don't know how long. Months anyway. hopefully I'll get started in late spring...

Nuts.

Nobes

Oh boy, I am sorry to hear about your accident and can sympathize with you. Back in October I badly cut my thumb on my table saw and still am not over it. But it is amazing what you can do if you want to. Good luck.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Laid out the profile last night on a piece of hardboard, it looks great. I was going to cut it and get it right tonight. Then today I went to the dr to look at a bad cut on my finger--stabbed it with a pocketknife cutting a zip tie on a grandchild's Christmas gift--!!--and it's surgery tomorrow. I cut a tendon and a nerve. Ouch! So, build plans are postponed for I don't know how long. Months anyway. hopefully I'll get started in late spring...
Nuts.
Nobes

Oh boy, I am sorry to hear about your accident and can sympathize with you. Back in October I badly cut my thumb on my table saw and still am not over it. But it is amazing what you can do if you want to. Good luck.
Bob

Ouch... dog gonnit guys,
I wish you both a speedy recovery ... I had operations early 2014 for RH carpal and cubital tunnel and the hand and wrist is 300% better but still goes numb at times...


Again fellas -- Speedy Recovery...

AND let's get ready for camping season -- I hope to do Arizona Goldfields again this year and then who knows where

[Sheddie]

Hi Nobes, welcome aboard from NZ.
Sorry to hear about the finger. I took the end off my middle finger, right hand, a couple of years ago. Fortunately I missed the bone and as the tip was still attached by a slither of skin the Dr folded it back over and taped it up. It sure can slow things down for a while.
I looked at the time schedule you were looking at on your first post and though it was quite doable, I was about 10 weeks to our first trip away, but now the finger may slow that down a bit. All the best with the finger and the build, keep us posted on both. (the build, not the finger).

[tony.latham]

Laid out the profile last night on a piece of hardboard, it looks great. I was going to cut it and get it right tonight. Then today I went to the dr to look at a bad cut on my finger--stabbed it with a pocketknife cutting a zip tie on a grandchild's Christmas gift--!!--and it's surgery tomorrow. I cut a tendon and a nerve. Ouch! So, build plans are postponed for I don't know how long. Months anyway. hopefully I'll get started in late spring...

Nuts.

Nobes

OUCH! Dang shop safety, anywho!

While building my first two teardrops, I had to kill a rattlesnake inside my shop during each of the builds. On the third build I was looking but perhaps wearing ear protection a bit much––no buzzzzing. They seem to really like that pile of sticks I leave under my sliding bezel saw. The one I'm always rummaging through for the right piece of wood.



T

[dales133]

Laid out the profile last night on a piece of hardboard, it looks great. I was going to cut it and get it right tonight. Then today I went to the dr to look at a bad cut on my finger--stabbed it with a pocketknife cutting a zip tie on a grandchild's Christmas gift--!!--and it's surgery tomorrow. I cut a tendon and a nerve. Ouch! So, build plans are postponed for I don't know how long. Months anyway. hopefully I'll get started in late spring...

Nuts.

Nobes

OUCH! Dang shop safety, anywho!

While building my first two teardrops, I had to kill a rattlesnake inside my shop during each of the builds. On the third build I was looking but perhaps wearing ear protection a bit much––no buzzzzing. They seem to really like that pile of sticks I leave under my sliding bezel saw. The one I'm always rummaging through for the right piece of wood.



T

Been realy hot here and there have been snake sightings allaround here.
Ive got a shed i dont go in that often and half expect to meet a big brown snake one day.
They are probably one of the most agressive snakes around.
Most will just take off but a yellow belly brown will launch at you if starteled...i had one attack me a couple of years back and had a near miss

[tony.latham]

ARRRRGHHhhh!

[Sheddie]

One fantastic reason to live in New Zealand! NO SNAKES!

[dales133]

Uh huh

[Nobes]

I'm seeing progress with the finger. It's a long way from good to go, but it is beginning to be usable. It will be Christmas 2016 before it is 'normal.'

BUT: my docs lifted some restrictions today, and I'm going to start building my HF trailer tomorrow--it arrived the week after surgery. Excited to get this thing off the ground, if only an inch or 2.