New from North Dakota!

[nicoleandkyle]

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend and I have been talking about building a teardrop trailer for a couple of years now, and we're finally taking the plunge. We have very minimal experience with construction, but despite this we have been drawing up our own plans We've watched a ton of YouTube videos and read through some builds on this forum, so that's what our plans have been based on.
I'm still not 100% sure on all of the nicknames and terms everyone has for things. (Maybe there is a glossary somewhere?) But what we are building I believe it called a "woodie", as it will be all wooden with fiberglass/epoxy on outer shell.

We have the 5x8 northern tool trailer that I've seen recommended by many. We assembled it and painted it with truck bed coating, but I think I'm going to plan to paint over that with the same color we want to use on our roof. Originally I thought our roof would just be finished wood + fiberglass, but I don't want a seam to show and we will be using 5x5 1/8" birch on the roof - so inevitably there would be a seam showing near the front that would probably look stupid. So my new idea is to paint the entire roof a bright aqua/teal color before applying the fiberglass.

We're finished with our floor and walls design, and I'm going to try to finish up the galley and inside cabinets/shelving designs this weekend so we can start building the floor and wall template next week.

Wow this post ended up a lot longer than I intended! The design process has been grueling, but I'm feeling really pumped!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Mr. Lahey]

Welcome to the forum.

Look forward to following your build. It would be great if you shared your progress in a build journal here at the forum.
Just scroll down the forum main page to find the build journal section, and start a new thread.


Look forward to updates from you as you build!

[Nodrog]

Welcome, welcome! And season's greetings to you. Be sure to spend time on this site, read a bunch of build threads, ok? There is a whole world of trailer building lore here, and folks are verry pleasant. The search will find you results on a zillion topics, too! Have fun....Nodrog

[KTM_Guy]

Sounds like a fun plan to work on together. I'm at the 70-80% done stage on our build. It has been a fun project. Some nights after work I would be too tired to work on the teardrop, or one of those tough spots where we didn't know now to do something, so we would just sit inside and just talk about what we need to do next and plan on all the fun places we'll go. We already have good memories in the teardrop and haven't camped a night in it yet.

Have fun with your build.

Todd

[FM82]

Welcome! Sounds like it's going to be a fun build! If you've started a build journal, I'll follow along. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[pchast]

It was a good idea to paint the trailer at this point. However, Let me suggest
that you run string and measure for square and flat/level now.
If you have not run a string down the middle of the base to check
your hitch placement too.

You may need to adjust your trailer before building on it.

[friz]

You might want to rethink painting the wood before you glass the roof. You want the resin to soak into the wood and bond the glass to it. I am afraid that your glass will delaminate from the wood if there is a layer of paint in between. Chesapeake Light Craft has a ton of information on fiberglass over wood. I would suggest checking out their videos before you buy any materials.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Atomic77]

Hi everyone,
My boyfriend and I have been talking about building a teardrop trailer for a couple of years now, and we're finally taking the plunge.

Hello Nicole and Kyle,

Welcome to the best camper building forum in existence! And congrats on being the newest members on the roster. What you will find here is a wealth of knowledge and technical experience from some very awesome and helpful people. Some of us studied the methods of others and learned from their experiences and expertise, while some of us learned from trial and error the hard way. Whichever way you decide to go, know we are here for you every step of the way. Many of us are still building and probably always will be. Many of us are finished with our projects and are here for moral support. All of us are here for the hobby that we love and that is teardrops and tiny trailers. Building your own is very rewarding and satisfying. It is also challenging and sometimes even frustrating and heartbreaking. Just remember it is all part of the journey. I can honestly say there have been times on my own build were frustrations and setbacks almost ended the entire process. There were times we had to step away and take a break. But I can also tell you we have made memories that have filled our hearts and made the process entirely worth it! My brother and I bonded many times over the challenges that faced us and we overcame. Carrie and I spent a lot of time dreaming, planning, designing and even a few nights in our very unfinished camper during the build just to see what it would be like! We encourage you to do the same along the way. Stay flexible with your plan. Things happen and you'll need to roll with it. As you build, don't think "house" or "tank." Think light like "airplane" or "boat." Every piece affects something else so prepare to continually think ahead. People will tell you that you are crazy for attempting such a project. Nod and smile. Remember that people also told Noah he was nuts yet he's the one that lived. Don't be afraid to dream! Make it something that is personal to you! Always buy the best materials and don't skimp! If you don't have the money for something, remember that designing and dreaming is free. Do that until the money comes around. Pay as you go and you'll never, ever regret owning it free and clear when it's finished! Start a build journal in that section here and document your progress! The advice will roll in, so take what you can use and gracefully leave the rest! And most importantly, Have Fun! This will be a process and a journey you will never forget!

Happy Building!
Michael and Carrie

[nicoleandkyle]

Hi everyone,
My boyfriend and I have been talking about building a teardrop trailer for a couple of years now, and we're finally taking the plunge.

Hello Nicole and Kyle,

Welcome to the best camper building forum in existence! And congrats on being the newest members on the roster. What you will find here is a wealth of knowledge and technical experience from some very awesome and helpful people. Some of us studied the methods of others and learned from their experiences and expertise, while some of us learned from trial and error the hard way. Whichever way you decide to go, know we are here for you every step of the way. Many of us are still building and probably always will be. Many of us are finished with our projects and are here for moral support. All of us are here for the hobby that we love and that is teardrops and tiny trailers. Building your own is very rewarding and satisfying. It is also challenging and sometimes even frustrating and heartbreaking. Just remember it is all part of the journey. I can honestly say there have been times on my own build were frustrations and setbacks almost ended the entire process. There were times we had to step away and take a break. But I can also tell you we have made memories that have filled our hearts and made the process entirely worth it! My brother and I bonded many times over the challenges that faced us and we overcame. Carrie and I spent a lot of time dreaming, planning, designing and even a few nights in our very unfinished camper during the build just to see what it would be like! We encourage you to do the same along the way. Stay flexible with your plan. Things happen and you'll need to roll with it. As you build, don't think "house" or "tank." Think light like "airplane" or "boat." Every piece affects something else so prepare to continually think ahead. People will tell you that you are crazy for attempting such a project. Nod and smile. Remember that people also told Noah he was nuts yet he's the one that lived. Don't be afraid to dream! Make it something that is personal to you! Always buy the best materials and don't skimp! If you don't have the money for something, remember that designing and dreaming is free. Do that until the money comes around. Pay as you go and you'll never, ever regret owning it free and clear when it's finished! Start a build journal in that section here and document your progress! The advice will roll in, so take what you can use and gracefully leave the rest! And most importantly, Have Fun! This will be a process and a journey you will never forget!

Happy Building!
Michael and Carrie

Wow, thank you so much for the encouragement!! I'm so happy there are people like you out here to talk to and get ideas and tips from. We will have to start a build journal like you suggested

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[nicoleandkyle]

It was a good idea to paint the trailer at this point. However, Let me suggest
that you run string and measure for square and flat/level now.
If you have not run a string down the middle of the base to check
your hitch placement too.

You may need to adjust your trailer before building on it.

Thank you for the tip! I will get with Kyle and see if we can do this ASAP before we start building on it.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[nicoleandkyle]

You might want to rethink painting the wood before you glass the roof. You want the resin to soak into the wood and bond the glass to it. I am afraid that your glass will delaminate from the wood if there is a layer of paint in between. Chesapeake Light Craft has a ton of information on fiberglass over wood. I would suggest checking out their videos before you buy any materials.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thank you for the tip! Someone else suggested the exact same thing in a PM, and I believe our plan now is to paint over the fiberglass thanks!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[nicoleandkyle]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcoming and tips! I did just now start a build journal, so feel free to follow along and add suggestions

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk