Hi Hank and others,
My CT build is coming together and after using the trailer for more than a CT, I was forced into making an important decision ... one that I believe we all have to face sooner or later!
I guess the first thing and a very important decision is usage -- Functional or stylish (show quality). I guess mine was a coin toss between functional and stylish ... I wanted both, but decided to lean 60% - 40% more to the functional and after spending about two weeks in the CT on three trips. One trip to Minnesota, one trip back (both with my wife & cat), and almost a week in the hills prospecting with my buddy ... I had a few ideas to work on.
The time in the somewhat cramped space of a 6' X 10' CT helped me to remember some of the basics.
1) Keep stuff off the floor ... duffle bags, boxes of water/canned goods/etc.
2) More shelving was needed to store the light stuff (clothes/towels/light paper goods, etc) and get it out of the way.
3) Remember the old KISS rule -
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid - AND do not lose focus of the goal in mind, you do have a plan, right? I was starting to get wrapped up in building the interior for show when the the goal was a nice looking, off-road, camp trailer.
4) I love the overhead lights (2) and the overhead vents (2) with fans and the lack of side vent (none, I did not want these and am glad I left them out).
5) I cannot stand to have to pack before and unpack after a trip of the things that do not need to be removed from the CT!
Cabinet fronts: I really did not need doors on my cabinets, even though they were planned and may eventually get them, I built the cabinet fronts with a 3/4" lip to keep goods inside. This worked great and went with small baskets for the three trips ... unbelievable rough roads on I-40 to rough washboard back-roads to Jeep 4X4 trail ruts and cuts!
The little baskets stayed in place and worked well so far.
Shelving: I have decided that the trailer will get 5' shelves over each side window -- from near the back to approximately the front of each bunk. These will be built similar to the cabinet shelves with a 3/4" lip and 1/4" slat bottoms. I will add bungy cord material (can by it by the roll or foot from Fabric Depot and online) to span the shelves to help keep things in; I am hoping no fronts will be needed (I know from my experience that if there is a door or front on a cabinet I have a tendency to stuff stuff and if I have to look at it, I am more careful in packing).
There will be a couple of smaller shelves up front in the galley area and the galley overhead will mimic the lower galley cabs.
Storage: I never thought of the back doors for storage (I have barn doors), my buddy suggested it and now the small 20" x 30" folding table is hung on one side. Two folding chairs and the broom are to be hung on the other. This works great for my usage!
(I'll post the pics of what was done here with the table and broom) So much thought goes into these ideas as once you start to think about, some of these trailers (mine anyway) have aluminum hinges and need the added weight to be minimal.
A coat/hat rack is a necessity as at the end of the day, where do you hang your hat, jacket, pants, shirt so you can find it in the morning or that midnight run to the the john, or in my case (when prospecting), my battery an pistol belt?
Bunks/Sleeping: I still need to finish the bunks, but the two cots work for the interim.
Pack & Unpak: More storage needs to be utilized in the small space available. The trips went well and the packing and unpacking went well, but needs to be better and will get there. I used to fish Tournament Bass in a couple of small clubs and an occasional invitational (small) and kept the boat loaded and ready to go --- sandwiches and water were all that it needed to be packed; everything else was in the boat and I could get in from work and be ready to go in a very short time!
I will post the back doors as they are today, but there is more to happen here ... padding, chairs and racks, etc.
One needs to keep focus on the goal --- I need to keep in mind that the CT is still to be used as a CT (ugh), a camper for on and off the road with my wife and cat, and sometimes with a prospecting buddy or my brother. The easier that I make the CT to put things away where they belong, the easier it will be to keep it that way!
I hope this helps some of the new and maybe even some of the older builders out there and happy building!!
by hankaye » Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:51 am 
