lil vardo 2

[Deryk the Pirate]

Ok. Will let ya know. I need to pick me up some lumber and start makin me a trailer lol

[Senior Ninja]

Deryk,
When I look at your Vardo, I smile. It looks like a happy place to go camping.
You've done a wonderful build on a very unique trailer. Thanks for the smile.
Steve

[Deryk the Pirate]

Thanks Steve, one of my friends said Im not building a camper but a little home and thats how I think of them. My car is getting its timing belt replaced and if all goes well will be starting build #2 on saturday. Its not only to go camping in, its my 2nd home for when I go visiting friends cause I like haveing my own little place to go back to at night.

deryk

[Deryk the Pirate]

Hmmmm little problem I noticed today...the trailer isn't square. I started working on my floor today which is 6 wide by 10' long, and is in 3 pieces, that when I squared off the front piece and squared off the back piece there a little off by alm/ost an inch. Do I meet it halfway or take off the cedar 2x10's and loosen the frame and try to square it off? I put an actual "L" shaped square on the cornres and I see it is off a bit.

How crucial is it? I've towed it 150 miles or so and seems ok...might have to repack a hub gets slightly warmer then the other after 3 miles but after 60 some its still feels just a little warmer then the other one.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Deryk

[LDK]

Hey Deryk

Maybe you could just loosen some bolts to help square up your frame. I had a similar problem awhile back. I bolted plus welded my frame and when I had it welded, it flexed the frame alittle. It was like 3/8" higher in the center but I was able to work around it. If yours is just bolted, you shouldn't have any problems fixing it.

[pete42]

Hey Derek
I know it's a pain to do but loosen the bolts and start square you won't regret it later.
start square end square..
happy building I know what you mean about work interfering with our fun.
Pete

[droid_ca]

are you still thinking about doing an external kitchen off the back

[Deryk the Pirate]

Yup, Ive seen some pictures of vardo's with a box on the front that Im guessing they kept stuff for the horses in. I dont know think Im going to make it as a galley perse but want to keep the kitchen stuff in it...might just be a widetongue box.

Im debateing putting the door on the back side since I can make more of an overhang over the door and not be worried about the wind grabbing it like it would in front.



Since I decided to keep the width at 6 feet in this one, the stand up version will have the bed across the back, I want to have 1 that will be easier to tow. I got quoted $50 a sheet for a half inch 4x10' MDO plywood Im thinkin next saturday on grabbin 2 sheets and makin the vardo 10 feet long with a foldup futon to sleep in and build some storage over the wheel wells to hold clothes and such stuff.

Ive got an idea of installing a window air conditioner in the rear above the tongue box/galley like this but make it the dimensions of the air conditioner.

The other plus about putting the door on the back side is if I decked the front tongue to be able to sit on I wouldnt be able to use a foldup tongue jack(which I have an extra 1, and the top crank tongue jack I was considering getting would sit too tall that i couldnt open my rear cargo door on my rav 4 when the trailer was attached.) Im gonna have to pick up another sheet of 4x8 quater inch ply for the overhangs...

amazing how ideas change during the build lol

[Deryk the Pirate]

Well made some sawdust this weekend despite the 104' temps on saturday


Ive decided to squeeze the bed in widthwise on top of the wheel wells, Im not gonna cut the hole so large on the walls. I ran out of titebond 2 and didnt feel like driving as far as I would have had to to pick up another gallon...next weekend. Have to tar the wheel wells when Im done and add a few more bolts for the floor to the trailer.

On sunday afternoon the sky opened up...

bleh... well always next weekend to get more done.

[Visionsbydarrah]

Wishing we had rain!

Good luck with this bulid!

[Deryk the Pirate]

Thanks... yeah only suposed to be 92' on sat...heh tryin to get the floor finished and 2 of the sides framed... blah lol Wish it was in the 80's lol

[Deryk the Pirate]

Well another scorcher weekend. Due to poverty Im stickin with my original plan the cabin is gona be 6x8 with the galley on back.

Also got lucky and found someone throwin away foam insulation

[droid_ca]

are you going to do a chuckwagon style of galley or something different I have a few pictures in my album of a wagon with a galley on the back if you need some ideas I think there is even a shower on the side hope this helps

[Woodstramp]

Deryk,

Nice "Fred Sanford" on that foam. Wish I'd found that much. That will work great. In my case, most of the slabs were cut into smaller pieces for installation anyway.

Also, earlier in the build you mentioned having a problem with squareness. Framing squares on corners is an OK method, but diagnal (corner to corner) with a tape measure is better. Another is the "3-4-5" method (google it). These methods work much better when laying out things larger than the reach of frame square.

[Deryk the Pirate]

Yeah I'm real happy finding the insulation, same I will be triming it a bit to fit between the supports.

To square the frame I took off the 2 2x4x10 on each side and loosened the trailer up and started in the back, layed a piece of 3/4" 4x8 plywood and started clamping it down to keep the frame square. Took some work but I got it pulled in a lot closer then it was...looks good now.

I'm goin tent camping unless the weather is too hot/humid, or the rain they were talkin about shows up....personally I would rather be workin on the vardo...but haven't seen these friends since the fall since they are a 3 hour or so drive, and I've been guilted into going lol...


Deryk