The “Goat Locker” Build

[alloy89]

Hello Everyone,

I’ve been lurking on the forum for awhile trying to learn as much as I can about building Teardrop campers with the intention of staring my own build this September. Since it appears that everyone names their camper it seems my first step on this great adventure is to give mine a name, so I’m going to it the “Goat Locker”. Some of you may ask, why am I naming my Teardrop the “Goat Locker’?. Well, both my Wife and I are retired Navy Chiefs and the term Goat Locker comes from the term for the quarters (berthing/lounge) area of Chief Petty Officers so it seems to fit for us.

Well my tentative plan is to start with a Northern Tools 5x8 trailer and extend the trailer tongue by 2 feet by adding a length of 2x2 tubing as I’ve seen done by others on this forum. Then I’m going to stretch the camper deck from 5x8 to 5x10 as I want to build to build a 2+2 Teardrop camper t accommodate my two small grandkids. My plan is to build a modified Benroy that is 5” wide, 10” long and 5” high and I’m working on its design now. My skills wouldn’t qualify me as even as armature carpenter, but I think I can build it and I have all the basic tools needed for the project plus I’m in no big rush to get it done although I need to finish it while my grandkids are still small enough to fit in it.

So like so many builders before me, here’s my first set of questions the Teardrop Brain Trust. Conceptually, do you think that a Northern Tools 5x8 trailer will support a 5 wide x 10 long x 5 high 2+2 Teardrop camper? Second, can you “stretch” plywood to fit those wall dimensions. Lastly (For now), can you get aluminium 5x10 for the siding?

Thanks in advance for the help,
Tony

[KCStudly]

Welcome to the forum, and good luck. The hardest part is deciding what to build. The next hardest part is building it, but so long as you stay committed to the process, it is just a bunch of little steps, and before you know it you will have walked a bunch of miles!

To answer your questions, yes, yes, and yes. For big aluminum, look to heavy truck repair places; they will have a big roll wider than you need x longer than you need. Big ply can be ordered from building suppliers or specialty plywood providers (online), but it will come at a premium and you will likely have to pay the shipping cost, too. Joining plywood isn't that hard (although I can't personally recommend the scarfing method... didn't work too well for me ). For thin ply, butt joints with backers are easy. For thicker stuff (if you "must" build heavy... BTW, you mustn't) I recommend biscuit joinery. I can't really speak for the NT 5x8, but a lot of people have built out up to a foot in each direction with no additional steel, so keep that in mind. Remember, you are building an airplane where the strength comes from the sum of the parts, not a tank or a house.

On a ten foot long floor you will give up some galley space, but that shouldn't be that big of a deal. You might have to have your feet sticking further to the rear to make room for bunks at the front (losing galley space under the counter), or you may have to give up the upper galley space for a large bunk over your feet at the rear (using a pull out galley drawer under the bunk).

My profile is based on a Benroy, sort of, and my floor is 9ft-8 with the cooler sliding under the galley counter the long/deep way. It's 5 wide, a tall 4 ft+, and roomy inside for two (I tried to keep the cabinets from encroaching too much), but the way I arched the roof and bulged out the galley hatch near the top rear (I call it a "bustle") the galley is very large and could easily be converted to bunk space (although you would give up a lot of storage space).

Another method to gain interior space and still keep a rear galley is to go with a flat (vertical) back (perhaps with a Gurney flap at the top to act as a drip edge) and a very shallow cupboard style galley with a fold down counter instead of a traditional hatch. Might have to carry the cooler in the TV.

p.s. Thank you both for your service to our nation.

[Epbowen]

Welcome chief, good to have you aboard. The question is which of you is senior ;-). That will decide most of your answers.
Thanks for your service.
FCC (SW) Bowen.

[alloy89]

Thanks for the responses and support. Still tweaking my design at this time but I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do but stil have a lot to learn from everyone.

Hey Chief Bowen, my wife and I are both retired CTRC’s and I’m senior to her in time in rate which means nothing to her after 28 years of marriage Now I just say yes dear…

[Epbowen]

Alloy89, Roger that. It doesn't pay to try and "pull" rank.

[alloy89]

I thought I would show my current sketch of my trailer. It’s not be best drawing in the world but hopefully you can the idea of what I’m trying to do. My camper is based on a Northern Tools 5x8 trailer with the 2 foot, 2x2 tubing tongue extension modification. I want to build a Benroy style 2+2 teardrop so for my design, I would stretch my floor on the trailer frame by one foot in the rear and two foot in the front for a total of eleven feet in length. I also want to make the insulated side walls five foot high. I live in south Texas so I must have AC which you can see I’m planning on placing at the top of the back wall. Due to my lack of experience, my concern is am I trying to build too much camper on the 5x8 Northern Tools trailer? I would appreciate any feedback and guidance.

Thanks,
Tony