Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hey, lets talk about Windows and Doors , and how to make them ..( DIY !!!) . They’re not that complicated and can be made in many ways , and even woodless , as recently demonstrated by KenW ... And please no Wiley windows , because that’s been covered everywhere already ... Let’s combine our skills and thinking to find a simple Foamie solution to the door and window questions ...
I think we need to categorize these into :
1. windows and doors with wood (or other) frames
2. “woodless" foam doors and windows

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated , and by people we’ve yet to meet ...

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=64943

Rowerwet used a Gamma Lid to make a round window. I added a section of pail to get a finished looking rim.

And here’s Rowerwet’s door album ... gallery/album.php?album_id=4205
And more Wiley windows ... viewtopic.php?f=21&t=57192&p=1034964#p1034964

PM, That’s a Great idea huh !!!

I thought of a simple diy slider window I don't see being used. Cut a hole. Use a square cornered plexiglass to cover the hole on the outside. Use a metal channel, like a Z, to hold the sides of the glass. A channel is at the top so when the window is up, the top of the glass is under/inside the channel so water can't get in. The glass is free to move in the channel frame. The bottom is open so the glass can drop below the opening. A ribbon is attached at the bottom of the glass and dropped over the bottom of the window opening on the inside. Pull the ribbon down and the window goes up, use a post to hold the ribbon to keep the window up. A screen is placed on the inside with the ribbon under the bottom edge.

I think this could be a good window for a door because it would not stick out to hit the side of the trailer body when the door opens.

T

A terrible explanation upon reread. A plexiglass window that moves up and down to close and open.

When talking doors, gasket surfaces and bending radius deserve a
little discussion too.

It tripped me up and I expect others. My door shape is not the best
to accommodate the gasket. I also needed to add a spacer under the
hinges to provide proper sealing.

One small point .... Gaskets and seals SHOULD always be included in the design considerations ( before building ) ... Leaky doors ( or windows ) are no fun ... Many good gaskets/door seals at the local hardware store ... find one you like and include it in the plans ...

And while you’re at the hardware storee , be sure to pick up a couple packs of wooden shims ... they’re dirt cheap and so valuable for shimming doors while hanging and installing hinges ...

I'll add my experience on doors. Foamies have relatively thick doors mounted in a recess typically. So you have two parallel surfaces some distance apart. On my foamy I went to great lengths to keep that gap to about 1/4". Even though the bottom door sill and door were angled to let water drain out, the gap was small enough to hold water by surface tension. I ended up removing the door and cutting about an 1/8" off to increase the gap to about 3/8". That allowed the water to properly drain out. Also, plan for the thickness that canvas and glue add. I assumed that overlapping canvas on the edges would add a 1/16 inch to the door but it was more like 1/8".

GPW,

This is a great topic! In my daydreaming, one of the many projects I'd like to build is a reproduction vintage-style canned ham or bread loaf travel trailer. Many of these used a distinct "awning" type window where the single outer glass is hinged at the top and opens "out" away from the trailer. The earlier ones used a lever to push out the glass. The screen is on the inside.

I've found different aluminum sections that seem like they would work. (Google "storm window" or "shower glass door" extrusions.) The one thing I haven't found is the "mini" hurricane-style hinge for the top. I guess I could always use a piano hinge.

I'll be curious to see where this goes.

Take care,
Tom

Hi Tom,

Besides having the same name, I'm interested in a vintage reproduction canned ham also. The windows I would use are the same I used in my semi-teardrop, jalousie windows. They are inexpensive, vintage in looks, sheds water and have the coolest mechanical mechanism.

Search for shed and playhouse windows.

T

Thanks to all for your participation ... there are many ways to make a window and I’m also leaning to that “Bermuda “ awning style ... Real simple ...
I think we’d all like to have a moderate sized Vintage Canned Ham ... I know I sure would ... I was thinking METAL ... Like a cargo trailer ... sorta’ ..ish’ ... Bent Steel tube frame , Aluminum outer covering , no problem bending the roof around .... Foamie walls inside with decorative fabric glued to the inside walls ... ....

Tomterrific wrote:Hi Tom,

Besides having the same name, I'm interested in a vintage reproduction canned ham also. The windows I would use are the same I used in my semi-teardrop, jalousie windows. They are inexpensive, vintage in looks, sheds water and have the coolest mechanical mechanism.

Search for shed and playhouse windows.

T

Hi Tom,

I actually have a pair of the jalousy windows "in storage". I was thinking about using one in the door and one in the other sidewall or perhaps using both at the front flanking a larger fixed glass panel.

Take care,
Tom

I know these aren't exactly do it yourself windows but they would have worked, I think, for me had I not found some salvage rv windows on craigslist.

http://www.shed-windows.com/Crank-Out-Shed-Window.html

I can make a hinged plexiglas window easy enough but incorporating a screen, being able to open it under some light rainy conditions is essential along with ease of use and I could not figure out an idea easy enough.

FWIW, I'm working away on my canned ham foamy, which is a lot to have to figure out. It is coming along nicely, the side walls are almost ready to glue onto the floor of the trailer. I'm taking some pics along the way which I will share asap.

Those shed windows should work fine , and any number of small windows available at the building suppliers ... They should come with screens or have screens readily available ...

The Old Timers are a great source for building doors and windows information ... and everything else .... those great drawings of everything were much clearer than photographs. Don’t we have some great canned Ham plans in the Vintage section ... ?

On the other hand , I’m still trying to think of a window that’s Really Really Simple ... At least eliminate or minimize any wood framing ... doors too ... Ken W figured it out ... he showed me ... but he’s still out camping somewhere... He had regular gate hinges in foam ... and it worked ...

Pmullen503 wrote:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=64943

Rowerwet used a Gamma Lid to make a round window. I added a section of pail to get a finished looking rim.

If One is using your cargo trailer or tear drop for ice fishing. The Gamma lid would also make a good cover for the hole in the floor.