Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I own a cargo trailer, and the more I look at it, the more I think how easy it would be to build...But those darn doors is about the only thing that would be hard to make seem looks "professional."

Such odd parts. My door fell off, I think someone tried breaking in....loosened the bolts and eventually gave way before I fixed it....little gray round corner piece broke....Good luck finding a replacement part! I emailed the company RC Cargo (IIRC) never got an email back looking to buy one...don't want to give away their suppliers?

I had contemplated building my own, kind of a cross between a cargo and a tiny house. Then I started pricing everything and decided a converted cargo would be a more affordable challenge. After I borrowed a friends pull behind this past summer I started designing and building a trailer to pull behind the Harley when I want to go small and ride to my destination.

Martin

I do drywall and painting so I have a 40X40 shop along with the fact I'm a bachelor so I have some free time. I'd love to build one, but yes getting the supplies and making it look professional are the biggest drawbacks...all the homemade ones I see look homemade. And I would be looking to make a profit even if it was small.

I love watching the "tiny house movement" take off. Big fan, but wow. Some of those prices seem out outrageous. It's like buy ourself a park model RV, save thousands and look better.

Cratter wrote:I own a cargo trailer, and the more I look at it, the more I think how easy it would be to build...But those darn doors is about the only thing that would be hard to make seem looks "professional."

This entire section of the forum is about those of us who are building our own,is that what you are asking or thinking about?
Are you looking to build to use or to sell?
Also if you already do contracting how can you wonder if you can make it look professional?

Your post just baffles me here?

Also which doors are you talking about?

Yes, a puzzling series of comments. But to answer the subject line... yes, I thought of building from the frame up. But I wanted to use it "now", not work on it for two - three years and use it later.

EZDog wrote:

Cratter wrote:I own a cargo trailer, and the more I look at it, the more I think how easy it would be to build...But those darn doors is about the only thing that would be hard to make seem looks "professional."

This entire section of the forum is about those of us who are building our own,is that what you are asking or thinking about?
Are you looking to build to use or to sell?
Also if you already do contracting how can you wonder if you can make it look professional?

Your post just baffles me here?

Also which doors are you talking about?

I meant building cargo trailer as in the exterior shell....which most of us just buy....I have a "store bought" cargo trailer and am building the interior....see my previous posts here and videos....and by "contracting" i'm just a drywall contractor...with spare shop space (needed in cold Fargo, ND) and am always wondering ways to pass the time (aka make some money too).

Doors. Exterior....side and rear fold down...as I said I sit in my cargo trailer now....(secret be known....I live in my "converted cargo trailer" in my shop.)

The secret is how do you make a homemade cargo trailer look professional?
Anyone buy plans online and try building one?

"Small rooms or dwellings discipline the mind, large ones weaken it." Leonardo da Vinci

OK well I didn't understand the question then?

Yes this entire forum and all of its sub-forums are about doing just that I think?

I don't know why you would want to build from the ground up but that is pretty much what all of the rigs except for ours are doing.

Is that a better answer?

EZDog wrote:I don't know why you would want to build from the ground up ?

I have excessive time and space.

Well if you would start from scratch why would the doors be an issue,you can use any style you want to.

I think for most of us building a cargo trailer from scratch is just a much bigger job than makes sense to try as we will be reinventing the wheel when we can start with an already pro built blank slate.

I do a lot of fabrication for a lot of different things but I have no confidence that I could build a cargo trailer from scratch as well as even the crappy pre made models I have seen and have bought myself.

It sounds to me like you feel pretty much the same way too?

But if you have the motivation go for it and make sure you let us see how it goes.

This is one way new trailer companies are started.

Exactly.
I know my limitations....and wondering if anyone here can counteract them?
Doors are only an issue, because that's what seems the difference between what makes one cargo trailer look homemade vs professional...you show me a homemade trailer that looks professional and how they did it and i'll be a happy man.
Everything on a cargo trailer is pretty simple, welding steel tubing, screwed on aluminum skin, and plywood interior....easier than building a house. They buy the couplings and wheels axles....easy schmzie. one thing is in the way...making the doors looks professional...

Not sure why that is so hard to understand? Show me one homemade trailer that looks professional and how they did it?

I've been looking at doing a cargo trailer conversion for a while. With all of the modifications to a factory CT, I've also thought about building the CT itself.

My limiting factor is lack of space to build.

I don't have it handy - will need to get on the computer - but I did find a supplier for the aluminum door extrusions. Let me see what I can dig up.


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