Steve & Cynthia's Teardrop

[PSBreen]

It looks like we are about to take the next big step on our journey into teardropping. I have a few little projects to finish up for a friend then we can get busy. Hoping to start the week after Christmas.

We decided to have our trailer frame built, ordered it from a local shop and picked it up this weekend. It's a 5' X 8' with 15" wheels made from 1' X 3' rails, 3' X 3' tongue plus fenders. At 350 lbs, it's a little heavier than a bolt together but not too bad. With the extra ground clearance provided by the 15" wheels, it will certainly be rough or off road capable.


We decided a while ago to build a Benroy style teardrop. We started with the Generic Benroy plans and made a few little changes, mainly the galley and changed the door placement. We're keeping things fairly basic on this one. We've started making a template for the sides. As of today only the outline is cut. We are still sorting out the galley, once that's done I can cut spaces for insulation in the template. Since we are both under 5'-6" we've decided on a 58" x 75" as it'll give us a more storage space. The few things we have finalized are:

Floor - 3/4" ply
Walls - 3/4" ply with cutouts (cookie cutter style) for insulation then skinned with 1/8" luan ply.
Doors - Two 36" x 30" with 15" x 18" crank out windows.
Electrical - Basic 12 VDC deep cycle battery setup for 14" fan, two porch lights, a dome light and a galley light
Stabilizers - Yes we want at least two in the back. Need to decide on which type.

[Robbie]

Steve your trailer looks like it will be a good project to watch! It's nice to see another Utah local in the teardrop scene. I live down in West Valley and am also building a modified Benroy 5x8, but mine is galleyless and built more for the interior space. Your plans are looking good so far and your trailer looks very stout! I'll definitely be checking in on your build!

Robbie

[PSBreen]

Robbie,

I've been following your build for a while too. I kinda liked the galleyless idea, but the wife wants the storage space. At this point we don't even plan to cook in the galley. Right now it's strictly a storage area, but who knows what will happen down the road.

We plan to post pictures and notes as we build. Don't look for anything serious to happen until after Christmas. This weekend we'll be sorting out the template and our building table so I can build flat sides. I figure a couple of sturdy saw horses, two 8' sections of 2" square steel tube and a sheet of 3/4" ply should work nicely.

[Oldragbaggers]

Very nice trailer, and your profile looks dead on to mine. What I like about the Benroy is it feels so roomy. When I got my wall profile up and sat on the floor I thought, wow, this is roomier than I thought.

Since you're doing the "cookie cutter" with insulation (as I am also) you will probably want to visualize what your kitchen will be like in the future should you decide to have one because you'll need to leave solid wood in places where you will want to attach future cabinets and such. Even if you never do finish out the galley it would be better to have it and not need it than to decide you really want that finished galley and not have any places to attach cabinetry.

[PSBreen]

Becky,

I had originally planned to build framed walls. I had a little chat with Grant (Lil Bear) when ordering parts and he mentioned the "cookie cutter" style walls. I did a little searching on TD & TTT and yours was the first to pop up. After looking through your post, the wife and I decided that was the way to go on this one.

[Oldragbaggers]

Wow, thanks. That's awesome!! That makes the journaling worthwhile, if it can give someone else an idea or some inspiration.

I am hoping to get the insulation in mine and maybe the skins on during our Christmas break (we both work for the schools here and have 10 days off starting next weekend). My husband's Jeep is in the paint shop getting a total makeover though, and that's what we use to pull the utility trailer. I need it to go get my plywood skins.

I am going to be looking forward to your build. I check everyone's build journals. People on this forum are so incredibly creative and so many great ideas come up.

Take care and have a wonderful Christmas!!

[David S]

Steve,looks like a good stout frame,looking foward to following your build
Dave.

[Toytaco2]

The Benroy is my favorite style and I like your heavy duty frame and larger wheels. If I build again, I'll go with a better custom frame as you have done.

I'm sure you've thought of this already, but, just in case............ some so called 3/4" plywood is actually less than 3/4" by enough that foam insulation will be too thick to fit neatly inside the "wall sandwich". Make sure before you buy and cut.

Good Luck,

Mike

[PSBreen]

Mike,

Yep! I thought about the ply vs foam thickness issue since most 3/4" (.75) ply is 23/32" (.71875). Not a problem. I'll be trimming the foam with the same setup I use to make model airplane wings. A simple bow strung with nichrome wire and a little voltage cuts through foam like a hot knife in butter. I'll post pictures when I get to that point.

[TENNJIM]

Steve,
Good looking frame and Benroy plans. I have always liked the room the Benroy design offers.

Jim B / Utah

[Deryk the Pirate]

I envy you starting out with the bigger tires. Its worth it, I really wish I went that route myself... always the next build lol

[Oldragbaggers]

How many builds are you going to do, Deryk?

[PSBreen]

Deryk,

The bigger wheels/tires are good and bad. We have 18 1/2" of ground to frame clearance, 10" shackle to ground so we should be able to take it anywhere our truck will go. On the down side.. longer stabilizer jacks cost more and the counter top height may limit storage. Household counter tops are usually around 36". If we stick to that it gives us a under counter storage height of 16 1/2". That's just enough to squeeze a 7 gallon Reliance Aqua-Tainer.

[Elizabeth C.]

The styrofoam cutter piqued my interest as we hope to start insulating our 3/4 "walls soon. However after spending an hour surfing the internet, looking at home made styrofoam cutters, I wandered out to the garage and measured the styrofaom we bought at Home Depot last week. To my chagrin, I found it was the exact same thickness as the plywood. Even says 3/4" nominal thickness right on the label.



At least I got to learn about a cool new tool.

Thanks,
Dr. C-Dawg

[PSBreen]

Ok I think we about got the template sorted out. Comments or suggestions are welcome. Hoping to get it cut before Christmas.