"Silver Nugget" Teardrop Trailer

[down under tech]

Debbie: I am a very good one finger typist, & I have spellcheck.

TheOtherSean: Hey, now!!! They love "anything" roasted or fried or baked or ect.

[Pam M]

He does not have "sheets" of 4' wide aluminum; he has an entire roll! That roll is probably 30" in diameter.

I'm up for anytime you guys are!

I'm home all weekend, working on my teardrop, I am leaving work early Friday afternoon and it is me and my tear all weekend. I have a friend who might come over and help me square up the sides, but he's flaked on me more times than not. So I am very available whenever.

Was going to go to Austin, but that is 6 hours travel time out of my build time for this weekend. LOL.

If anybody wants to call him; I THINK his name is Jim Warren 775 747-1965. Not as a slam, his wife tries to help alot but, according to her they did not have anything I wanted until I really chummed up to her, then she was a little sweetheart!... Words of wisdom...

[Pam M]

I'll start a new topic on my build ~ give me a couple days... I think I am right about the same place as Down Under Tech.

Now..... that I know he is sooooo handy and knowledgable, I may be able to bribe him for advice and his input in exchange for home cooked food...

....glad I joined this thread.... Yess sir eee..... glad I joined, I think this tear build just got A WHOLE LOT easier!

[Pam M]

I love my Boxers

I have a 90 pound male brindle boxer Duke
I have a 45 pound female fawn boxer Duchess
I have a 23 pound female grey poodle Cocopuff (she is the boss - seriously)

I will have pictures in my album soon.
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[High Desert]

Pam, I always tell people that skills are learned, we're not born with them. Looks like you're coming right along by your pics.

and remember, measure once, cut twice. No, wait. That's not right....why won't this fit???

[nevadatear]

Pam, I know your weekend is planned, but FYI, Austin should only be about 3 hours from you. Oh, maybe that is what you meant, 3 hours each way? Have a good build weekend.

[down under tech]

Hi Pam: If you would like to go to the RV man's place tomorrow, how about noon? If that works for you. I know you want to get in your teardrop time.

Shaun: I see no reason why we can't all go together. This way we can get our feet in the door so to speak with Mr. RV parts.

Pam: I know you said he had a roll of aluminum. I was speaking in general terms as to getting sheets of aluminum from him. You can consider me bribed for my help. I would help you for free. I am learning this process, too. You can call me today for help with the sides if you don't get the help from your friend. I am not sure if the number you called me from is at your work or your cell number. I don't want to get you in trouble at work, so you can call me as I am done working for the day now. I can't do anything to mine with all this wind today. I have to work outside due to no garage.

Shaun: I will get back to you about tomorrow after I talk to Pam, OK?

See you, guys later, That includes girls, too.

[down under tech]

Hello All: I have added my picture of myself. It is an old one from 2003. This is me in my auto repair shop in Ohio when I lived there.
I have changed since then, who hasn't. Much shorter hair (NO, not bald) that is now much grayer, No more glasses, because I had Lasik eye surgery last fall. Can you tell I have to work for a living, i.e. dirty hands? I will post some updated pics as soon as I can get some taken. You already know my shadow as it is in some of my build pics. Ha Ha !!!

[Pam M]

Jim Warren called me today and I asked him if you guys had been out there yet and he said "no", but he's 85 years old, so perhaps he does not know what I was talkin about. The good news is he found a whole lot of other things I was looking for.

Down Under Tech: What area do you live in? I have a three car garage if you need shelter to work in. Is your trailer licensed for moving between your/my house? Sorry I did not get your message until Saturday evening.
My cell number is 775-287-1834 BUT text me first because I typically don't answer unknown phone numbers. If you called my office, unless I answered the phone you probably would not get through to me anyhow, so no biggie, but now you have my cell. Texting gets a quicker reply typically, especially if I'm in a meeting.

Can you help me get something straight..... Who lives in Greater Reno / Sparks area building a tear right now? Then who lives in same area who already built a tear? Do you know?

[Pam M]

Ughhhhh today was a very trying day to not just rush through things, but rather to do them slowly and accurately "the first time".

I wanted to tell you, I was reciting some advice you offered to me a few posts ago: Skills learned, we are not born with them..... so I put it into perspective and told myself I was learning a new skill.

I forced myself to take a break about 2pm and took a drive for chicken wings at Pirates Pizza. I got re organized again in my thought process. ~~~ Amazing at how important it is to walk away and get a break for a couple hours and come back refreshed.

My dogs are totally loving me spending so much time in the garage and talking to them as I work.

[down under tech]

Hi everyone: I spent yesterday getting my walls ready to install today. I cut out the 3/8" notch at the rear of the walls for the galley seal and pre-drilled and countersunk the holes at the bottom of the walls to attach them to the floor I don't know why I was putting this step off, but it is done now. It was very windy yesterday.
I didn't want to have the wind deconstruct it for me (working outside) before I get it assembled.



I made a scribing jig like the one in the Kuffel Creek plans.



I hope to have pics of the walls vertical by this evening. Stand By ... Happy Easter !!!

Pam: Glad you are making progress on your TD. It is nice when the ladies help out on the builds. It is even better when they tackle their own builds. It is very gratifying to say "I Built It", no matter what your sex is. Keep plugging along on your build and you will be saying that a lot in the future. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
P.S. I live in the valley of the Sun.

"Coming To A Campground Near You", Miss Independence.

[down under tech]

OK, here is the up-date I was looking forward to telling you of. The walls are vertical now.



It only took about an hour to install them. I used PL premium construction adhesive along the sides of the floor along with 20 stainless steel 12 x 1 1/2" screws on each side. I made some braces to keep everything plumb & square. You can see my two helpers holding the bottoms of the braces down on the floor since I already put the vinyl flooring on.



I put a nail at the front of the frame and one at the rear to hold the sides up off of the trailer frame about 1/8" to keep them out of moisture even though I sealed the wood with epoxy.



I made a couple of temporary spars out of pine 48" long and I cut a notch on the ends of each one 3/8" wide to match the floor width of 47 1/4". The tab left on the tops of them rest on top of the walls to keep them from falling out. Remember these are only temporary. This way the walls are plumb while the adhesive sets up. I clamped them in place with two pipe clamps.





I need to glue the spars together by doubling them up. I know this my first build so over building is going to happen. I am using poplar for all of the spars except the hatch & front overhead cabinet spars which I will use a doubled up oak spar & triple laminated oak spar for the hatch area.

I hope everyone had a good Easter week-end.

[down under tech]

I started building the bulkheads this week. I have not gotten a lot accomplished. I used my Kreg Jig and glue to assemble the first one. I was working with Pam, (Miss Independence) on her frame issue. I will try to get more of the bulkheads built this evening.
Tomorrow I will be back on Pam's TD frame to repair the 2' extension that was added to it by someone else and poorly at that.
I am going to get a propane camping lantern from the local surplus store and a power converter from Mr. RV Parts here for $50. That is not his name but that is what I call him. He has a water pump for $10 I will get too.

Here are some pics to keep you interested in my build. I will try to add more pics tonight after I get some more done.
Thanks, and Take Care,

[doug hodder]

Good deal Johnny! It's starting to look like a tear! Doug

[down under tech]

Thanks, Doug. It kind of grows on you, the satisfaction of seeing this new baby developing. You will get a cigar when it is born !!!
I didn't get any more done but I still have some daylight and I can glue up spars.
Thanks again. See Ya,