BMLT - Big Man Little Trailer 6x12 Build Thread

[khigh]

I already posted some of the first pictures in another thread, but figured I'd start its own thread from scratch now that it's underway.

6x12 V-Nose Lark Single Axle.
Dropped axle (4") and raised roof (6")
Full insulated & vinyl ceiling
30A Electric service.

The day I brought her home from the factory


It almost matches.


I can double as a concession stand while camping.


The inside:

[khigh]

Project "Removable Air Conditioner":

The access doors from the factory only came in predetermined sizes, and the top part will be covered with my wall cabinets, so I made a little fill-in plate to start out of 3/4" hardwood.



CAREFUL measuring and cutting of a mounting plate the air conditioner will be permanently mounted to. Note the mounting holes are very much larger than the studs they'll be slipping over so when you're holding the fairly bulky heavy thing up in the sir, you don' have to test your patience lining it up.


Slap it on the wall, a few fender washers and wing nuts, and done (ish - still going to caulk and whatnot, but I needed to find a stopping point to get it on the road).


View from the outside when in place.

[lrrowe]

That looks like a nice solution for how to mount an AC. Do you think the door lid will seal so that head-on rain, while driving, will not seep in?

[khigh]

Shakedown trip, first camping - four days/three nights at Cedar Creek WMA

I had originally planned to put an awning rail on and took this EZ up for just the first trip, but you know what? heck with it. It worked nicely. Might work up a plan to get it flush to the body (by raising the legs) and then some sort of tarp affair in between, but I like the canopy. Didn't stake it in or anything.


It STILL almost matches.


WHOLE lot of Christmas lights really lit up the kitchen area nicely (though I forgot to take a picture of that)


Bed, "nightstand", and "closet". That's a Sleep Number Bed, believe it or not - just bought its twin back in May for $1500 and wound up with this one for free so I said heck with it. I already had a queen platform frame, but I decided to go with this - it's a TwinXL which is the same length as a queen. Ultimately I think I'm going to do a thing where I put flip-down frames on either side and then I can pick which bed to use when I leave out. I do like that room down the side when I don't need the extra bed space.


View to the front - not much going on there yet.


The "Entryway", such as it is - couldn't resist getting that pic.


Still a lot to do, but had an awesome time even with the rudimentary accommodations. Everyone was actually pretty impressed with it, even in the earliest stages. It was the hit of the campground. Everyone had to have a "tour".

[khigh]

That looks like a nice solution for how to mount an AC. Do you think the door lid will seal so that head-on rain, while driving, will not seep in?

Oh yeah - it's absolutely sealed. It's my understanding that's why I couldn't do a custom size, because they're prefabbed door units. It locks as well. It's basically just a little sideways door up on the "V".

[lrrowe]

Great on the sealing. And I had thought of the same idea for the canopy tent. I was thing of using PVC pipe with a bolt through it to raise the legs as needed. Let us know how you make out.

[Doublacola]

Like that door mat! And glad you liked the ez up as that is the way I'd like to go. I realize now the simpler you can keep the build the better off you are. And its usually less expensive.

[khigh]

Like that door mat! And glad you liked the ez up as that is the way I'd like to go. I realize now the simpler you can keep the build the better off you are. And its usually less expensive.

Simple IS good. I'm still going to fix it up nice with paneling and specialized storage and the like, but I've learned something I think is my biggest takeaway of the whole project and the biggest piece of advice I have for new builders/converters...

Take your trailer out in the most minimal, non-committed incarnation you can get away with and camp in it before you lock everything down.

I planned and plannned and planned and planned before buying, before building, etc...

And then scrapped about 90% of the plans after a real world camping trip and went largely back to the drawing board with what are my priorities and layout and such.

[lrrowe]

I already posted some of the first pictures in another thread, but figured I'd start its own thread from scratch now that it's underway.

6x12 V-Nose Lark Single Axle.
Dropped axle (4") and raised roof (6")
Full insulated & vinyl ceiling
30A Electric service.

The day I brought her home from the factory


It almost matches.

You know, there is just something more pleasing to the eye with these pictures with CTs verus RV's. It all just seems to flow better.

[lrrowe]

Like that door mat! And glad you liked the ez up as that is the way I'd like to go. I realize now the simpler you can keep the build the better off you are. And its usually less expensive.

Simple IS good. I'm still going to fix it up nice with paneling and specialized storage and the like, but I've learned something I think is my biggest takeaway of the whole project and the biggest piece of advice I have for new builders/converters...

Take your trailer out in the most minimal, non-committed incarnation you can get away with and camp in it before you lock everything down.

I planned and plannned and planed and planed before buying, before building, etc...

And then scrapped about 90% of the plans after a real world camping trip and went largely back to the drawing board with what are my priorities and layout and such.

Yes I think that is very true and exactly what I will do when I get my CT this week.

[hankaye]

lrrowe, Howdy;

That's what I did with mine, picked it up on the way
to a week long camping experience. Gave me a true
sense of the size of it, What was and didn't work,
Had a 5.5' camp table I'd bought at W-M on the way,
a camp cot ( ), with my sleeping bag
my trusty oil filled electric heater, and my oxygen
generator. Drilled a hole in the side for the Marinco
outlet I'd pre-purchased and wired a multi-plug power
strip so I could power up the CT. I used an old drop light
for night time illumination.
I've now got a much better idea of what I truly need and
where I can place them.

hank

[lrrowe]

I think that is a great idea Hank. I will get the window and vent installed, measure and order the second window, add insulation in all areas including the floor and add a hole, connector or something for a power cable and just go for a few days. I will go off grid with my generator for the first trip.
I have the tables, cots, stoves and even my never used Cabelas Tepee for the potty.

I am getting anxious as I leave tomorrow to go get it and am looking forward to seeing some nice leaf colors in the mountains of PA. But alas, the weather forecast is not good with 80% chance of rain. There goes the brilliant leaf color shots and it threatens me with miserable driving with a new trailer in the rain on I81. I81 can be a royal pain to drive even on good days with all the truck traffic and such. But since I am not going to go fast, maybe I will just stay off of it for as long as I can and enjoy the side roads (Route 11 south for me).

[khigh]

Hello spring and hello project weather!

Camping in two weeks - still a long way to go before its final incarnation (yes I'm going to paint the interior), but a little mid-weekend progress...

[DustinS]

Just curious, what are you doing to secure those shelving units from tipping over?

[mutineer]

Flipping those shelves over and reinstalling gives you a lip the keeps,stuff from sliding about