The Monstero Build

[nevadatear]

Glad you like it. We love it.

[cpowell243]

Debbie/Randy,
Thanks for noticing my post and sharing your photos/story. I see now my vision problem struck again - I'm actually a newbie, not a newdie. Do have a couple of questions for you - how did you attach the bulkheads and cabinetry to the walls? Also, did you purchase a battery mount of some kind for the battery located in front of the cabin?
Th - Charlie Powell (Casper, WY)

[nevadatear]

The front bulkhead was glued , clamped a screwed from the back to wooden cleats glued and screwed into the walls.

The back lower bulkhead was the back of the cabinets, the upper bulkhead/cabinet face was mounted to angle iron pieces mounted to the inside of the tear. I don't have a pic of that.

You can also see the bottom dividers for the front cabinets there too. We also used angle iron to attach tbe botyom to the upper cabinet face, and it sits on a cleat screwed all the wy across the back of the back bulkhead. Hope this helps a little. If you can zoom the pics in my album, you can seethe vpcreation of the front pretty well. We didnt take giif pics of creating the back bulkhead.

[nevadatear]

Oh and no there is no special mount for the battery. The tongue box is divided into three sections and the middle section is just a little wider than the battery.

[Oldragbaggers]

Debbie and Randy,

You have a beautiful teardrop. One of the nicest I've seen. There are so many nice features I could mention I wouldn't know where to start. And the quality of your work is just top notch. You are both obviously very talented in a lot of areas.

I like your snap on canvas on the front. I am putting diamond plate on mine becasue the plan (for now) is to have bicycle racks on mounted crossways on the tongue so I wanted to protect the front from bicycle pedal damage. We have used canvas covers in a hundred configurations over the years to protect or prevent leaks on our various boats and they are worth their weight in gold. As I struggle with the fit of my hatch and wonder if it ever going to be completely water tight, I have already decided that, if I am not successful, Plan B will be a snap on canvas cover that will go over the hatch and the hinge to keep water out in travel.

And what I wouldn't give to have a place like that I could do my build. Sigh (picture green eyed envy.)

[nevadatear]

The rock guard was yet another trick shared by the incomparable Doug hodder. I made it for protection of the wood while traveling, but end up keeping it on most of the time as i like how it breaks up the solid yellow of the birch. Thank you for the kind words. And yes many before you have had shop envy! It was a great place to build. If only it was ours, but alas we only having storage rights!

[nevadatear]

Oh, and what solved the not quite fit for our hatch is 1) double weatherstrip seal 2). Nice draw latch. Our hatch would never come close to sealing without the wonder that is draw latches on each side!

[bevaroni]

Thank you for the encouraging words for a newbie. I just took a look at the photos of your TD on Google +. Beautiful work! I'm trying to decide on the outward appearance for my TD and I really like the look of your natural wood. What kind of wood did you use and how did you finish it to withstand weathering (sunlight, winter, rain, etc.).

I saw that you fabricated your own chassis. Did you follow a specific set of drawings? I noticed your spare tire mounted beneath the galley and the stabilizer jacks. Do the jacks make a significant difference?

Great galley layout: stove shelf, neat pull out drawer for the water container, and slick sliding cabinate doors. How do you fuel your stove? You photos mirror many of the features I want to build into my TD.

I noticed that you added some type of green material to the front of your trailer. Was this to protect your TD from rocks kicking up from the road?

Thanks for sharing.

[nevadatear]

Thank you for the encouraging words for a newbie. I just took a look at the photos of your TD on Google +. Beautiful work! I'm trying to decide on the outward appearance for my TD and I really like the look of your natural wood. What kind of wood did you use and how did you finish it to withstand weathering (sunlight, winter, rain, etc.).

I saw that you fabricated your own chassis. Did you follow a specific set of drawings? I noticed your spare tire mounted beneath the galley and the stabilizer jacks. Do the jacks make a significant difference?

Great galley layout: stove shelf, neat pull out drawer for the water container, and slick sliding cabinate doors. How do you fuel your stove? You photos mirror many of the features I want to build into my TD.

I noticed that you added some type of green material to the front of your trailer. Was this to protect your TD from rocks kicking up from the road?

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for your kind words. The sides are 3/4 birch ply. The top is two layers of 1/8" birch ply. The inside is birch with cherry trim and the galley is oak. The eyebrows and tail lights are also cherry. Our trailer chassis was made by my husband. No he designed it himself. Lucky for us he is a machinist with his own shop and welding is second nature to him, as is metal fabrication of any kind. I was responsible for the finish. It is about four layers of epoxy , the first one with fabric, then 4 coats of spar varnish. Yes, the jacks make a big difference. We can always tell when we forget to put them down because the trailer really bounces when we get inside. The spare tire holder is just bracket with bolts to extend through two of the lug bolt in the wheel, and plate with holes in it to snug it up, bolted on. Hope i answered everything!

Glad you can use some ideas! Feel free to ask away any more questions, if i can help i will.

Debbie

[nevadatear]

Hey, i see you folks are just over in utah. If you are every on i80 this way, be sure and stop by. We will give you the grand tour. Strange how we westerners think several hundred miles is "close by"!

[campmaster-k]

Thanks for the pics. Your tear is awesome.

[nevadatear]

Oops for got the rockguard question. Yes, curtsy of doug h idea that us a snap on fabric rockguard. I made. If unsnaps and has vinyl on the inside to protect the tongue box in rain as it is not watertight.

[bevaroni]

Do you fuel your stove with a propane tank or with just small disposable canisters?

Another question on the finish; did you you coat it with epoxy and fiberglass? I've seen cedar strip canoes with this finish and it seems to be pretty durable.

TIA

[nevadatear]

Yes, xy first and then varnish. It is holding up very well. We now have a 10 gal fiberglas propane tank we carry in the tongue box
http://www.litecylinder.com/

[nhstt]

I was responsible for the finish. It is about four layers of epoxy , the first one with fabric, then 4 coats of spar varnish.

Glad you can use some ideas! Feel free to ask away any more questions, if i can help i will.

Debbie[/quote]

Debbie,
Complete newbie here. Can you go over this? Epoxy, first with fabric- who makes this and is it available at a big box or?
I'm hoping to paint mine red with a ladybug design. Epoxy then paint with spar? any brands you favor?

Learning as I go, Karen at the Ladybug-out build journal viewtopic.php?f=50&t=55602