Benroy style build 5x10

[jimun]

Ok I pulled the trailer from the backyard and moved it to the driveway, I finished a cabinet for my wife and now its time to get back to my teardrop.
I got busy this weekend, 70 degree weather here in SoCal.

3/4" Plywood ready to be cut into side wall frame pieces

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Tools out and some layout done

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first 2 pieces cut out

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[jimun]

More Pictures

Laying out rear radius

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All radius pieces are cut and some scrap to be thrown away

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2 front radius pcs, 2 rear radius pcs and 6 hatch struts cut.

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I also sealed the floor top and bottom with linseed oil. I did tape off all gluing areas. I will be painting it later.
I also screwed the rear radius pcs together with the hatch struts so I can start sanding them. The jigsaw cuts were a little rough.
I am going with the sandwich style walls. I am thinking frp for the outside, 1x2 and 1x3 for framing, with 3/4" foam and prefinished paneling on the inside.
This is a work in progress. I reserve the right to make changes as I go along. I already have made many.

[rowerwet]

Unless you camp right on the water, I would plan on keeping the kayak on the TV. We take our kayaks camping with us, I carried one on the TV and one on the car, then we got to the campsite, set up the tear, and had to figure out how to move two kayaks. With the van I just threw the smaller one inside. with the car, I left them both behind, then kicked myself hard, when we visited a great spot to paddle and saw countless kayaks and canoes in use, and ours were an hours drive away... After that I figured out how to put them both on the TV roof, the next day we took a drive and enjoyed lunch floating on the water

[jimun]

Unless you camp right on the water, I would plan on keeping the kayak on the TV. We take our kayaks camping with us, I carried one on the TV and one on the car, then we got to the campsite, set up the tear, and had to figure out how to move two kayaks. With the van I just threw the smaller one inside. with the car, I left them both behind, then kicked myself hard, when we visited a great spot to paddle and saw countless kayaks and canoes in use, and ours were an hours drive away... After that I figured out how to put them both on the TV roof, the next day we took a drive and enjoyed lunch floating on the water

Hi Rowerwet, I have one kayak but it is 18 1/2' long with 2 10' out riggers. I want to carry it on the car (2013 Toyota RAV4). Not sure how it is going to work yet. I just might have to get a smaller kayak to take along or just use my truck.

[jimun]

After work I had to buy a belt sander (another tool to add to my collection) to sand the radius's I cut out yesterday

I screwed the 2 rear radiuses together with the 6 hatch struts and sanded the outside edges flat and smoothed out
the radius to match. Looks pretty good I think. Later this week I will finish sanding the inside of the hatch struts
and then I will have to get some 1x material to finish the wall frames.

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[jimun]

I got 4 sheet of 1/4" sandeply from Home Depot today that was
slightly damaged for $10 a sheet. I got it for less than 1/2" price
and I will be cutting an edge off anyway. I also got some 1x poplar
to finish the side wall framing. I finished sanding all the radiuses
and now to cut the 1x up and start screwing and gluing. Then
I can put the 1/4" ply on for the inside of the walls.

[jimun]

I got a little bit more done today.
The floor is bolted on the trailer and I got the top and bottom pcs of the side wall frames cut and fitted.
Tomorrow I plan on getting the side wall frames glued and screwed together.

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[jimun]

This is where I got today. I test fitted the sidewall frames, worked out some of the roof and side wall strut locations and picked up some 1x2 for the struts. I almost got the 1x2 at Home Depot but noticed it is spec'd put at 1 3/8", 1 1/2" that I need for the insulation. I did find some at a local hardware store. Now to get all the struts cut and test fitted.

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[jimun]

I am working on the door layout and I am looking for some input on the position of the door above the floor.
I see some where the bottom is at floor level and some at about 4" above the floor. I am planning on a 6" tall mattress.
Where should the bottom of the door be?

[Gunguy05]

I am working on the door layout and I am looking for some input on the position of the door above the floor.
I see some where the bottom is at floor level and some at about 4" above the floor. I am planning on a 6" tall mattress.
Where should the bottom of the door be?

In my research, everything I have read indicates about 1/2 the mattress. I planned mine for about 2-3inches above the floor.

[rowerwet]

if you do doors like mine with an inner lip to make them "leak" proof, you may need to make it lower. the inner lip on mine is just even with the top of the mattress, when you are sitting on it the mattress compresses and the lip makes it self known...

[KCStudly]

I am working on the door layout and I am looking for some input on the position of the door above the floor.
I see some where the bottom is at floor level and some at about 4" above the floor. I am planning on a 6" tall mattress.
Where should the bottom of the door be?

In my research, everything I have read indicates about 1/2 the mattress. I planned mine for about 2-3inches above the floor.

This is also what my research said. I have a true 2 inch sill with a 5/8 seal flange. I'm using trim seal that adds maybe another 1/8 inch for the "hard" part of the trim. I hope to be happy with a 4 inch thick mattress, "butt" if that doesn't work (pun intended) I will add the hard foam exercise mats underneath. I don't want the mattress to be too thick because I am trying to maximize the feeling of space inside for the wife.

[jimun]

Thanks Gunguy05, Rowerwet and KCStudly,

Your input helps.
I think I will go with 2" + the Height of the inner lip.

Has anyone used a memory foam mattress?

[Junkboy999]

Hey Jim It is looking good.


Hey here is another thing to look at for your door placement. Your consep in Google Sketchup, you have your door really forward on the mattress. It also shows a shelf or storage compartment up front really making your door at the Pillow of your bed. Having the door that far up means you need to lay far back in to the other side of the camper before you bring in your feet. It is much easier if the center of the door is just a few inches above your hips as you are laying down. With the door more to the middle it will be easier to lift the mattress up and access your under floor storage area as well, and easier to reach the back cabinets with out having to crawl in. While you have those two nice side frames up, clamp on some scrap wood the make a ruff door frame out line and try it out for yourself.

Hope this helps.

EDIT Sorry Jim.. I was reading someone posting to your post. You don’t have under floor storage. But having the door closer to you hips really helps.

[KCStudly]

The "Sit and Spin" technique. Sit, lay back, lift knees up, pivot and roll into sleeping position. No crawling around, no banging head on cabinets, and no scooting around.