Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I sold my hybrid, so it's time to build a camp trailer. I am unable to afford a cargo trailer at this time. I do have a nice 6 x 12 landscape open trailer. We have a few things ordered to do tent camping. After having a hybrid travel trailer, we hope tent camping is not to much for us? Thus I wish to build a few plywood boxes that will serve as storage on the open trailer. I also have a small fridge, micro, and sink I plan include on the trailer!I am looking for any type of help on building these plywood boxes. Mostly on how to calk, trim and paint so as thay can with stand the elements for a few years, or untill I can make a cargo trailer purchase. I thank you for any box construction tips. And I realize I'm off topic here, but thanks again for any help! Tomm

I made some boxes this summer; they turned out quite nice.

use 1/2" fir exterior ply that has waterproof glue and good one side wood filled knots; best quality; cheepest ply you should be able of find that suits your needs.

I attached the cut pieces with 1/2 inch oak strips on the inside corners that I glued and screwed from the outside; then trimmed the outer eedge of the lid with 1-1/2" X 3/8" oak; and 4 outside corners with the same and used 2 oak runners on the bottom. All screwed and glued; its rock solid; you have to watch to fill any viods in the end grain of the ply and sealed with 3 coats of floor varethane. Oak handles on all 4 sides. There waterproof, indestructable and inexpensive to make.

Why not make a tear d out of the trailer you already have ???!!! Use the same ply and it'll be great!

I thought about enclosing the front of this trailer for storage and such. But want/need to trailer for other purposes. I am thinking of doing one super large 4 x 8 box with casters. Put it on the trailer and fill. When I need the box off the trailer empty and move the box. thanks for the infp..

WTW,

3/8 inch MDO (Medium Density Overlay) plywood shop grade is $11.90 a sheet here. It's put together with waterproof glue, has knots and voids filled and sanded, and the BIG plus: It has Kraft paper glued to both sides. That paper is smooth and super strong. It can be directly painted, resined and fiberglassed, whatever. It doesn't delaminate, even after three years of laying on the ground as a temporary walkway that became permanent in my backyard.

Best wishes,

Prem

Here is a link about MDO plywood. I had never heard of the stuff, but it sounds like something we teardrop guys could use..

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/965

Steve,

MDO: I've been using it since 1984. When cutting it with a jigsaw on curves, I would occasionally find a small void. I filled voids with Bondo. I used to paint MDO with automotive acrylic enamel, just a sealer coat first, no primer. As signs, the stuff lasted longer than all the businesses I made them for. Not kidding...over a decade. Hanging outside for years in the 100 degree plus summers and the below freezing fog, they never delaminated or got chalky oxidation. The paint would eventually flake off the Bondo on the edges, but never off the paper face. I decided that that characteristic would make for great exterior skin for a painted RV (and later a teardrop), so I used it.

I'd build a chuck box / camp cooking box with legs out of it also. It's so much cleaner than exposed grain on regular plywood. It would make a super smooth wall for a cargo trailer's interior also. It's just a little heavier than junk plywood of the same thickness.

One last thing: MDO is not to be confused with HDO. High Density Overlay is used for signs in very rough weather places (and for beefier concrete casting forms). I've seen it used for signs in Barrow, Alaska, Seattle and Mystic, Connecticut. It's got more laminations and is compressed much more than MDO...so it's heavier.



Prem

Can I screw and glue and calk like wood? Thanks for the MDO info thus far? Merry Christmas.....Tomm

Tomm,

Yes you can. It's wood. But I always rip a 2x2 on a 45 degree angle for the inside edges of a box to have more surface area and better "meat" to use glue and screws. I don't like screwing into end grain plywood.

Prem

When building tool storage boxes; we'd drive the screw holes oversize in the end grain and fill with epoxy. Then drill and tap the holes for standard #10 capscrews. System 3 seal on inside; one layer of cloth and epoxy on outside.

These were for outdoor storage and lasted 20+ years