Long delayed trailer build...UPDATED from10/1/11> 4/28/13

[working on it]

Hello all. I just joined the forum; been lurking for a long time. I seem to have become obsessed with the desire to build a TD variant, despite the fact I never have time to travel or camp, and have a 20ft. tag a long that I've never used (personally). I'm a shadetree/southern engineering/whatever it takes kind of tinkerer that measures once, twice, cuts once, then epoxies the result. But I make it work! I've been interested in Teardrops ,et al, since the 50's when I first encountered one. But now, having temporarily switched my tinkering mania from my racing to my Daily Drivers (HHR Panel and Cobalt SE coupe), I want to build the companion trailer for them. My excuse to the wife is that I'm building it for her to use on her Crypto-zoological expeditions into the American bush (I won't allow her to use the 24 footer, purchased strictly for her business trips, for such frivolity). But my ulterior motive is that I just have always wanted to build one. And maybe I'll have time to use it myself, either when Society collapses or I retire, either of which is rapidly approaching. So here goes. I've reviewed hundreds of designs, read thousands of posts, drawn and redrawn plans, and have finally started. Based on a 1000lb capacity limit plan, and on a 50"x 60" base (5 ft tongue), I'm going for a 4x8 FRP sided Kamm-backed profile matching my HHR. I'm converting the wheels from 4.80x8 to 14 inchers (like the tag a long), and extending and triangulating the single beam tongue. Also extending the frame by 18-24 inches (depending on TBD tongue weight). Started Saturday, will have hubs and wheels and tongue done by next Sunday, and finished by February. I have a goal , and with some help , will meet it. P.S., I have it over at my best friends's shop. He's a master mechanic and can fix ANYTHING I can mess up. LOL

[Oldragbaggers]

Welcome. I love you story and your sense of humor. (I too long ago discovered the healing power of epoxy.) I will be looking forward to following your build.

Becky

[aggie79]

Welcome "working on it,"

It's good to have another DFW'er in the teardrop and tiny travel trailer fold. There are a bunch of us here on the forum.

What side of the metroplex do you reside? Oh, and what's your first name?

Remember to start a build journal and post pictures of your build. We love to see sawdust!

Take care,
Tom

[working on it]

Nineteen months into the build, it goes on and on! I just re-read my intro post, saw that my planning and time schedule and constant tinkering have made a few changes in the trailer, unforeseen at that time. I've been encouraged and disheartened at various times, made little or no progress for weeks and even months at a time, and conversely reveled in my ingenuity and disparaged my lack of carpentry skills....

The biggest regret, is that I never created a build journal, having built so sporadically that details of why I did something or failed to got lost before I could report. But, I did photograph most of my steps -124 photos so far-, put them in the gallery, and asked a lot of questions of others who had gone before me. As close as I could come to an interactive journal. At one point, my home computer was fried, and my wife was out of town for 2+ months (Hurricane Sandy, insurance business), so I couldn't even view the forums regularly (I only use work computers for work, call me old school).

I made use of some ideas others had shared, and shared some of mine. And whenever I couldn't actually work on the trailer, because of distance (it was at my friend's shop for 13 months), low budget (major $ loss in selling my other house), or illness or bad weather...then I was fiddling with Angib's Trailer Balance Spreadsheet. I must've moved things around a thousand times, trying to get the proper balance for my quickly becoming overweight trailer (goal was under 1000 lbs; now looks to be approaching 1400 lbs- on paper {I may have to upgrade the axle}). I've spent more time on planning, and re-figuring, than in actual construction. So, now the end is nearing, I need to put the windows in, then the mattress and a few small details. One month ! (or even less)!

• commencing the build 10/1/11
• latest progress as of 4/28/13