Have your cake and eat it lightweight stick and foamy build.

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I would be lying if I said I was enjoying this part. Taking a pigs ear and making, well something out of it is a challenge. I am splicing a bit over two feet into the middle. The square tubing bridged on top and the channel that the springs bolted to underneath it. I once had a frame made of 4"x4" channel that I used to build a car frame on once but someone looking for scrap decided they could use the money more than I needed it. Probably right but it would really come in handy here. So, working with what I got, I have some straight 2"x6"s that are getting me in the ballpark jigging the pieces up. I have some aluminum channel that is 10' long and they will help me line the stuff up. Hopefully get it welded up tomorrow and then clean it up for paint.

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Darn thing feels heavier. Frame 150 lbs, axle 36 lbs, wheels 40 lbs. Tongue still needs to be welded on. Tomorrow is another day. 230 lbs is eating up my weight budget. Easy enough to get to 250 with bits and pieces for the bumper, hangars and corner jacks.

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Finished the frame more or less. Went nuts on it with an angle grinder and a wire wheel. Cleaned most of the rust off and brushed on a coat of rust paint. Really should do a second coat, the weather is an issue though. Going to 9 F tonight, 1 F tomorrow night. Not sure how well my electric heater will do.



Next step is the floor I guess.

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It does not look like much but it was a heck of a lot of work to get to this point. Stuffing a one car garage full without any organization because a snowstorm was coming didn't help. I actually gave up for the year, two days to lick my wounds and then got most of the floor done. I am going to do the two front pieces after I get the wheel wells done. If I got to flip the floor up why add more unnecessary weight? Took today to clean the floor and organize stuff. Still a long way to go but I only plan to build the shell and use it in the spring, work on the rest later.

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Why would I think this would take no time at all? I will just join the two front pieces on this morning then I'll take my shower. I have plywood bridging the pieces below the floor. Of course they will have to be trimmed to fit flush on the frame. Kind of concerning using a skill saw on a chair leaning against a piece of plywood balancing on a frame. Managed to get it done without hurting myself. Well, not too much. Found my flash, forgot I had one.



I was meaning to ask, I had the idea of using a router and on the top of the floor at the seams, routing a 1" channel and gluing in a strip of wood. I wonder if it would be beneficial or a waste of time?

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So much for a lightweight build. I have family that already chirped up they want to borrow it when it is done and I can see having to fix it because they are not the most careful of a bunch. So, picked up some Baltic birch for the outside. Another problem I have is I already have a utility trailer I and then there is two license and insurance for them, place to store both. So I am building a sort of teardrop utility trailer. The back hatch is a door and the inside will not be fitted out for camping. When the need arises I can drop in modules for shelves, bed, whatever. I am also using 2"x3"s in some of the construction where 2X2's are used. It gives some places for anchor points, also I have been collecting 2x3's that are lighter in weight than normal for another hobby, using them up here.

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Wasted a lot of time getting this far. We will see how far I will get in the next few days. Took me a long time figuring out what I wanted to do. We have been having pretty fine weather up till now, some colder days but in the daytime a few degrees below freezing. That will change by the end of the week. The forecast says -10 F in the day, -20 F at night. No way I can heat my garage with that. A picture for prosperity. Only one door but framed in for a second if the urge takes me.

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Asked a few questions in the General section, I should update this thread with where I am at. It is now too cold to be building in the garage, I can keep it toasty enough but my last electricity bill was up by $100. So the only room that I have to build in that is big enough gets a new function. Move over furniture.



I am at the stage of gluing on the Baltic Birch, used whatever I could find as weight to clamp it down to the frame.



The Birch glued on and the excess trimmed off with a router. I kept most of the sawdust within the plastic sheet.