Cross Bow / trolley / renamed little blue trolley

[Ron Dickey]

it is coming along


I am getting the studs up

Figuring out how I want the trolley top to look and am thinking of putting the air vent as part of the top vs above the vent.

the support for the top of the bow is done I just have to attach the support studs at the ends of the bow.



in the below shot is the with the Box Kite in the background

[RandyG]

Looks good Ron, you're about a dozen steps further than I am on mine.
Are you going to put a window or 2 or 3 in the front?

[Ron Dickey]

Looks good Ron, you're about a dozen steps further than I am on mine.
Are you going to put a window or 2 or 3 in the front?

Randy, Windows are not a skill I have. I have non planned for the front. Like the Box Kite I will have windows on the doors. I plan to have windows on the Trolley Top, and am still researching them.
we sleep with our head at the front facing away from there.
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=7046
See Trolley Top under construction tips...
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=56057

The slower the build the better you will build it.
Ron

[S. Heisley]

It's looking good, Ron.

[Ron Dickey]

I am beginning to design the trolley top .... thinking about windows I have several thoughts .... one is to take the small windows out of a shasta. I have thought of taking the bottoms of champagne bottles which are thicker and could bring in more light, using an whole wine bottle, finding prism's, take a pc of plexiglass smoked and putting it on the outside and cutting holes into the wood so it will look solid on the out but at night you will just see the holes.


I am also rethinking the air vent. I do not care for the ones that you can buy. Roly and other have ones made of wood, some have made the fan from a computer fan from an old or dead computer , I am thinking of having a slot for a fan to slip into so I can use it other places too, I have considered using the back of the trolley top as a flapper, or not putting top on the back part so the arch design remains but in rain that may not work
another idea is to put vents on the side of the trolley back part and having a slider to cover it when not in use, small computer fans could be places at those vents

[working on it]

I am also rethinking the air vent. I do not care for the ones that you can buy. Roly and other have ones made of wood, some have made the fan from a computer fan from an old or dead computer

I wouldn't use a computer case fan from an expired computer...there are better choices out there. If you carefully shop the case fan selection either in an electronics store, or online, you can get just what you want, in terms of : airflow, noise, fan diameter, bearing type (some can run almost forever...), amperage draw, 110vac or 12vdc input, color, and even LED lighting. Surprisingly cheap (to me), if one fan doesn't do the trick for you, try another different one.

[finleycraft]

Trailer is looking good dude!

[Ron Dickey]

I have the other door way assembled and will install it next week I have a little vac and will spend most of it working the the trailer, researching, or going out top shops and looking.
next steips
1. I should have the top for the front on and attached too.
2. Then I can start playing with the front skin, and maybe attaching it. depending on if I need to cut it or not.
3. Should have the top rails up that the cross bars attach to and the trolley top will rest on.
4. then I can clap one side that this side has the design drawn out on it (not cut) so I can figure the height of the galley side wall studs.
5 the galley can start being built at that point.

Designing the galley will consist of making a list of all that we already have that will go into it.
Sonetpro has a galley that looks like it might be in the right direction for us but with our personal touch and changes. and many other things we have seen in other galley (this is where I need a smilies looking in a mirror or a cat looking in a mirror seeing a copy cat ) I am sure there will be my own inventions in there too.
but this helps us get a start on a design.

am designing galley, trolley, cabin storage, wiring for (trailer lights, inside and outside galley lights) ac and dc connecters, battery location, charging systems, latches, and side doors are yet to come.

[Ron Dickey]

The other door frame is attached and the arch is complete stud wise.

[album]109484[/album here is what goes on top of the arch which I will attach tomarrow.

after that I will

1. attach the last of the tall studs
2. clamp a long stick to the frame just below where the sides attach
2a. This is so I can figure and measure the studs needed for the galley sides.
2b. get a better idea how the galley hatch will open

There are several ways to do this
lay on top
put just inside the sides
cut the walls of the trailer so the door will look like one when it is shut.

[Ron Dickey]

I just found another member with a left right curve front.
GT/HOT Bullnose
dacrazyrn from Greeley, CO looks like it is on a HF too.
these are from his gallery.



take a look at his build very interesting job.
It is alway nice to see some one who has gone before you.... what a fun build
http://tnttt.com/gallery/album.php?albu ... &sd=d&st=0 nice landscape shot too. and see his cardboard model on the last page.

[Ron Dickey]

Time for trials and to see what goes where as well as what did I do wrong and where will I cut what and is it all in alinement!!


1. put up a side to see where door will be,
2. it the front bow will align with the side,
3. the height of the trolley and it's width
4. to see if the side top parts are to high or to low but they seem to be just about right.


the point where the front bow ends and the side will be found seems a little off I am unsure as to where I should shave a little off or add a little on.


See my gallery for more photo's

My wife just gave me some small thin cardboard so I can try and make a model I just had my birthday yesterday She gave me more then that but it is the little things that count

Ron

[Ron Dickey]

It is interesting who an idea for a design has been done before. Excluding windows this 1941 Cadilac woody offers so much more

[Ron Dickey]

after a wks rest I attached the top pc that make the bow and attached one of two studs the last of the ones that make the front portion. the rest of the studs will be shorter as I begin to figure out the size of the galley walls and the hatch and where it falls.

This project makes it seem like I am building 3 trailers
The front curve and doors and most of the wiring, and front and back cross bars, which leads to the next part.
These two over head cross bars be where the trolley front and back rest I will cut out a notch in the trolley sides so most of the weight is there, Then the third part which I want to start before the Trolley the galley walls and door.
I noticed in the book Teardrops and tinny travel trailers by Douglas Heister that on page 14 & 44 a black trailer with a hatch that is what I would like to do.

Doug Hodder's last teardop trailer villager has much the same hatch opening joint I want.
I plan to have more of a curve in the back.

[Ron Dickey]

The stop stud is on

the rear is waiting for me to design the galley and it's curved shape.

the trolley's shape is figured but hight and exact length is unknown at this time. the with I know

this is much what it would look like on the 1946 truck top which I saw just yesterday at the Grover Beach, CA. Car show.


and the galley although I plan for it to look more traditional from the side and back it is tempting to change it to more odd things
a simple truck bed to carry all my camping stuff.
an ajustable back with more windows, and also a tailgate
to have that curved shape that becomes a rumble seat where we can sit and eat
with spare tire, and a back rack for the cooler.
or just put on A custom kit and have a simple truck to hold the extras.

what do ya think ..... as my wife says just wonder how this would read if I were to do it in 30 days

[Ron Dickey]

The cross bars usually rest on top of the top studs to support the roof. The problem with the arch is I can not put a top stud in I will have to run several in a half star shape to make it fit. there are many ways I can go I have even thought of cut out a notch so the cross studs ride a little lower so I can just put a second plywood on top of the arch to make the final roof more stable.

Hopefully it will come to me tonight in my sleep

good night
Ron