Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I posted some weeks back about how my wife and I ordered a Homesteader 5x8 to be used as a CT conversion. brought it home yesterday, and here's what it has:

extra foot in height (So I can stand up straight)
20x30 sliding window driver side
walk-thru door curb side
hand crank roof vent.
stabilizer rear jacks.
spare wheel and tire.
flush side door latch.
one interior 12 volt light.
The floor measures 54 inches wide. Length inside is 101 inches from back edge to front of the curve (a rounded front trailer).

What I'm hoping to learn from folks on the forum here is where to proceed to convert it into a nice, but rather minimalist camping rig for weekend excursions to our state parks and such. As I've said to my wife, kind of like a permanently set up tent, but with the handiness of ready electrical hookup and sleeping up off the ground. I have in mind the following additions:
*Pull the factory plywood walls, insulate sides and roof with foam board, cover ceiling with thin plywood. Paint interior wood to lighten things up.
*Simple wiring for 120V with either the excellent method shown in the sticky on this forum that uses a GFIC 3 outlet plug, OR go the extra mile and run wire for 2 outlets inside.
*We couldn't comfortably afford an A/C unit, but have in mind mounting a small box fan to the roof vent to draw out hot air, or reverse to blow down on us inside.
*Seal the plywood floor with polyurethane, then put down a removable rubberized floor covering (still looking for that one) to help keep things clean.
*Two cabinets mounted on the front wall to hold things that stay in the camper like first aide kit, towels, washrags, etc.
*Two home built "chuck boxes" for our Coleman stove, pots,pans, etc. Attachment points will be done so they can be stacked against the wall in transit. Same for the two square coolers we have.
*We plan to buy an inexpensive full size firm mattress, which can be stored upright against the wall during the day and laid down at night.
*Roof rack to store fishing rods and equipment.
*Tongue mount the spare tire.
*Screen curtain for the rear and side door.

We hope our plan will let us have a rig that's a good storage place for our camping equipment, essentially ready to go with just the addition of food, ice and dogs. It won't be as fancy as so many of the beautiful rigs seen on this forum, but we are people of modest means and are happy to have what we do. Please feel free to offer recommendations to us as to how we can proceed. Thank you so much. Don.

Congrats on the new trailer, Don!

Mine won't be too fancy either; I'm more concerned with function over form (as evidenced by living/traveling in a box truck for 3 years).

Key to my planning is: "How much do I use this?" and then locating that according to its usage/priority.

Sounds like you already have an idea of that by folding bed.

I've kept the box truck where it could be turned back stock in an hour with help and a cordless, and am doing the same with my cargo trailer.
Not gonna be fancy wiring; currently a GFCI outlet dropped thru hole in the floor. Everything will be thru floor holes instead of wall, for stealth as much as keeping skin stock.

Post photos when you can!

+1 on the floor entrance for electrical. I too want to keep the skin stock and intact, and the added plus to entering via the plywood floor is that if I have to move the entrance the floor can be patched back easily. Same goes for PVC surface mount wiring. I particularly like the approach of being able to convert back to an open area trailer without a lot of trouble. Thanks. Don

congrats Don.

Post a picture of her please.

Cheers and good luck with your build.

Hello Pappaw,

Nice build. How did you first trip go? I took my CT out for the first time since its redo. It worked very well and am looking forward to taking her out again.

Jeff

Congratulations on the new trailer, Don! It's exciting, isn't it?

Here are a couple ideas, which require only minor modifications to the trailer, that may or may not be useful. My husband wanted a screen at the back, but the netting we got was not heavy enough to attach securely to the trailer. I sewed a fabric frame around the netting, and we attached it with velcro on the top and sides to the inside back of the trailer. It is easily removable. There is a flap (like that of a tent) sewn onto the top part of the frame, and this can be rolled up or down as needed. Pic from my cell phone:



This could also be made in two vertical sections to allow for entry/exit. Waterproofing spray was applied to the outside. The only thing I would change is to insert a lightweight rod in the bottom section of fabric to keep it from sagging. Here is a view from the outside with the flap down, when we had our AC out the back:



Under the tarp there was PVC pipe inserted into closet rod holders at the top of the barn doors to hold them open, and C-clamps over the door tops to hold bungee cord which provided a balancing tension inward. We were worried about the doors flying open or shut with the wind. There is a picture of this in my gallery. This was a low-tech but effective solution. I won't lie...we did get some odd looks at the fancy-schmancy RV park we stayed at, but we were proud of our ingenuity given that we had so little time to work with before our trip.

Much luck with your conversion, and have fun!

Robin

Thank you all. Robin, your mesh netting idea is just the thing we are looking to do, except with a vertical closure as you mentioned. Penny and I collect vintage sewing machines, and she's a very accomplished seamstress if I can brag. We are having trouble finding mesh fabric however. Hancock's, Hobby Lobby, and Walmart are the only retailers of fabric here in our town of 60,000. Where did you find yours? The only stuff we can find at present is the plastic mesh, and we have doubts about the durability of it. Thanks. Don.

Congratulations on your new trailer. I had the same idea about minimalist, but that is now soooo far in the rearview mirror, I can't remember what it looked like.
For a fan, you might look at the large O2 Cool fans that run on 110/ or 12 volts, available at Walmart. Remember, If they are dc, they are reversible. Check out the wiring on your 12 interior light. If your trailer is like most, they connected it to the backup lights on the TV (tow vehicle). You might want to consider another source. I picked up a tongue mount spare tire bracket at Harbor Freight for under $15. I also got a decent tongue box for about $55, (to hold future battery and other stuff), you just have to sign up for their coupons and watch.

You might be able to find the mesh at an awning supplier or canvas shop. Other sources that come to mind are the single garage door screens, they work a lot like the magic mesh door, or the side panels that you can get for the EZ-UP type shelters. I would think that you would want something between mosquito netting and fiberglass screening in stiffness and durability. I am modifying one of the magic mesh doors for one side of the rear of my 6x10. In fact, it just struck me, you could use a magic mesh door, available at most stores that have an "as seen on TV" section by adding a solid fabric strip to one or both edges of the mesh to make it reach across the back of the trailer. I will have to measure it when I get home, but I think the MM is about 4 ft. across. That way, you have the screen and the magnetic closers already assembled.

As far as affording air conditioning, I think that I will have a/c in my trailer for about $50 out of pocket by the end of the weekend.

Like everyone says, pictures, pictures, pictures, or it didn't happen.

Pat

Hi, Don,

For the netting, I got the double garage door screen from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Jobars-JB4869-Gar ... een+garage

It only took one of the two panels for the screen, so you can use the other one as a back up in case repairs are needed. It is flexible enough to sew easily, and the quality is ok. I used twill camo fabric from Joann Fabric (coupon for 50% off), and used two kinds of Velcro. For holding the top edge, I put a 2" strip of Industrial Strength velcro (hook) across the top of the trailer. For the parts that are sewn onto the fabric, I bought the 1" "Decor" velcro, using the sticky hook side to apply to the trailer sides, and the matching sew-in loop portion for the top and sides of the fabric panel. I sewed two of the 1" strips at the top of the panel. I didn't use the loop side of the industrial strength Velcro because I don't like to sew through the adhesive -- it gums up the sewing machine. I didn't apply Velcro at the bottom, but you could. I just made it extra long and folded it under itself at the bottom. Don't remember seeing any bugs getting in there. You can also put Velcro around the flap edges if you want to close it securely. I put ties on like a tent, but ended up adding safety pins when we hooked up the AC to prevent loss of cool air.

Hope this helps, and let me know if you or your wife need any other details. Happy sewing!

Robin

Pmowers thanks. We went to Walmart and Kmart both today, and did end up having to settle for a 20 inch box fan. I really like the A/C unit ideas I see here, but we both have health problems, including Penny who received a triple bypass on her heart as a 39th birthday present 5 years ago, and has had some complications. We just don't function well at all in heat and humidity. We both agree that if the heat is such we must use an air conditioner instead of only a fan, it's weather we really should stay inside with. But we still get to be together, I'm thinking a wood or PVE frame attached to the ceiling up against he vent that allows the fan to slide in and be secured blowing either out the vent or sucking air in and blowing down on us as we sleep. Only worry I have is if the notor will last long being used horizontally instead of upright.
Robin, I did a little Binging this morning, and found that lo and behold Hancock fabrics in our town now has mosquito netting. Must be a seasonal thing. Available in green and white, we chose 5 yards of the green. 100% poly, it fells very flexible and the care instructions say it's washable. $3.99 a yard, 55 inches wide. AND we got to use our 40% off coupon buying it. WhooHoo!
Here at least, Velcro has become quite expensive, so we have the idea that a steel conduit curtain rod set-up across the top of the back and the walk-thru door might work. A sewn border on both, and a center vertical split with conduit weighted bottom hems are planned. A separate privacy curtain on rod behind the netting will give a bit of privacy from the world when washing up or changing too, without having to close the trailer door. Velcro or magnetic catches are planned to hold the two sets of curtain halves together in use. Bugs are a big fact of life here in Kentucky, and if we insist on being completely bug-free, we had just as well stay home, but this idea should take care of the largest portion of the bug issue .
Also found an EZ UP brand 10x10 collapsible canopy for $59 at Kmart, and grabbed it. Try to tell me I can't cook in the rain now !! Thanks again. Don.

Sounds like you have some great, economical ideas for your screen door and are moving forward quickly. I'll be interested to see any pictures you post when it's up.

Great buy on the EZ-up, too! You sound like a seasoned bargain-hunter.

Robin

Hi; I too have a 5x8 and in the process of securing a bed frame. I have two pieces of plywood each 52 wide x 36 long on an 18" high frame. I am not a builder and learned how to make a basic wall on each side of the trailer w/ the plywood on top and hinged boards underneath for strength.
I have rough totes underneath.
So now I have to put some tie downs in w/ some ratchet straps to secure the plywood and frame. I nailed it on the back half to the frame, I intend to fold the front half back during the day for room in the front. I'll secure it with a piano hinge. The bed is able to slide out the back barn doors if I need to use the trailer to haul things.
The frame on the door side is not as long as on the opposite side and I am tempted to cut the door side plywood back a little.
I don't want to secure the bed to the wall yet until I know how I want to set up the trailer for more permanent thing.
It will be nice to see how your's turns out.
Take care
Susan G