The dreamer awakens!

[Andymanout]

Hello to all of my crafty, dreaming, fellow teardrop enthusiasts!

I am Andy Ellis AKA Andymanout. I am a Christian and an old Army-Medic, Aerospace Assembly Tech, Audio Video Sales, Installation and Repair. Disc Golf fanatic and pack mule for my rock hounding wife!

I was sleeping on an ant hill when I was bitten by the teardrop bug! I began checking out new trailers and realized I would have to buy a truck. Don't get me wrong I would love a truck but I have been driving 2L, 4 cylinders for twenty years because of what I can afford to pay in gas not the environment! That led me to the awesome little corner of reality known as teardrop building. It is here I hope to bring all of my fabrication experience into play! I have set a budget of $150.00 a month for this little project and the first thing I realized is I want to build this thing from the ground up. The second thing I realized is I don't have a Arc welder! (It is the little things in life that will drive you batty!) So now I am two months into my budget and closing in on a decent little Mig/Tig/Stick welder. I am not interested in short cuts and I want to build a small masterpiece to show off on visications up into the high sierras. I have decided to build a variation of the Cabincar. I will begin a build thread when I have more than planning and preparation.

All the ideas and resources here are a God send to us newbies! I thank all who came before and hope to become a helpful member of the Teardrop community!See you in the funny papers!

Andyman Out!

[pchast]

Welcome..............

I can't wait to see your work.

[Ned B]

Welcome Andy! I saw that you have a 6cyl Ford Escape, that's my 'big' hybrid. I drive a Prius, my dear wife drives the '05 escape hybrid. Iirc your 'little' SUV will tow about 3500 lbs... Don't sell it short!

That being said, poke around over in the Foamie section for ultra lightweight builds!

[Roly Nelson]

Welcome aboard, Andyman. Wow, only 20 miles up the interstate from me. Swing on down to Wildomar and we can talk teardrops, plus I'll show you some of my odd ball creations in my shop. Sounds like you have made up your mind on what you plan to build, and I want to encourage you to attend the biggest teardrop gathering in the world, right here at our nearby Lake Perris campground, March 24 to 27. You can get a lot of ideas and have a chance to chat with many other builders, users and all around friendly people. PM me if you can make the trip down the I-15, and we'll share a cup of coffee and tell teardrop lies.
Roly, the li'l ol' woody TD guy

[Vedette]

Welcome Andy
There you go!
The best thing I can suggest to you, is to go see Roly.......you won't regret it!
Just watch that he doesn't put a "For Sale" sign on your car while parked in his driveway.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Andymanout]

Ha! Roly! You can no have my little Goldy!

The escape does indeed boast a studly 3500# towing capacity! However, Synthia and I are native Californians! We appreciate the ability to gain speed quickly and outrun trouble drivers on occasion. On that track I am aiming at 900-1200# of total weight in my build. Thinking of closer to 900 so that when I have added all the bells and whistles we think up I am not freaking out at a 1500# finished product.

Roly I will take you up on that. This Saturday I am doing a small security camera install in Murrietta. I will PM you to for a contact #. A member of our marriage bible study has promised the loan of a wire feed welder he has stashed in an overstuffed garage. So my plans move a few inches closer!

I am impressed by the way you guys responded so quickly to my introduction!

Ned B, I am a veteran of the late eighties aerospace scene in Southern California. I developed a simple effective way to combine thin films. My current idea is for standard foam insulation sandwiched between a little thicker aluminum and a thin pretty ply face. Essentially creating my own ply material. Steel channel and l stock trailer frame and aluminum structural pieces. Welding the day-lites out of all the metal making as many single structure pieces as I can. I'll be picking the welder up in a week or so.

I down loaded Sketchup and I am in the figuring out that busy little bit of software phase. I have made several almost accurate drawings. You don't know how many times I thought (I could do this faster with graph paper and a pencil.) Once I have a design I'll upload it, looking for you guys to see my fatal flaws and call me on the carpet!

[Redneck Teepee]

Welcome Andy, sounds like you got a plan to get er done. You got my attention with the "High Sierras" that's my stomp'n grounds and I'm sure I don't need to tell you about the beauty of the eastern slopes. Not as green as the western side but breathtaking in it's own self. Again... Welcome Aboard!

[Andymanout]

Roly you are the man! Thank you for the metal cutoff saw, lathe and the motor! Synthia would like to thank you for the ring holder and curio dish. What a warm way to be welcomed into the teardrop community! I look forward to venturing into the Magic and mischief of camping in a wooden box I glued and screwed together in the yard. Taking it out into campgrounds new and old, meeting awesome, creative and resourceful people like yourself! Man I gotta get this thing built!

[Andymanout]

I got the wire feed welder! Since its a loner I only made up a temporary welding cart. I will be building a temporary welding table. I was going to do the HF trailer option but the wouldn't take my 20% off coupon for a trailer so I'll have to wait another month to get that! I'll just try to remember that patience is a virtue! Once again I would like to thank you all for the welcome.

Andyman Out!