Benroy style build 5x10

[jimun]

Hey Jim It is looking good.


Hey here is another thing to look at for your door placement. Your consep in Google Sketchup, you have your door really forward on the mattress. It also shows a shelf or storage compartment up front really making your door at the Pillow of your bed. Having the door that far up means you need to lay far back in to the other side of the camper before you bring in your feet. It is much easier if the center of the door is just a few inches above your hips as you are laying down. With the door more to the middle it will be easier to lift the mattress up and access your under floor storage area as well, and easier to reach the back cabinets with out having to crawl in. While you have those two nice side frames up, clamp on some scrap wood the make a ruff door frame out line and try it out for yourself.

Hope this helps.

EDIT Sorry Jim.. I was reading someone posting to your post. You don’t have under floor storage. But having the door closer to you hips really helps.

Thanks junkboy999, I am rethinking the door placement. I have about 2" to 3" to the fender I was concerned about scrapping my legs. I might have my brother help me to move the axle back a few inches. I just have to get a better idea of the weight distribution with the storage on the tongue.

[jimun]

Got a little bit more done yesterday and today after work.

I cut my struts all at once to get them all the same length.

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I was wondering how I was going to hold the struts and screw them on and then I remembered I had corner clamps. (I don't remember if I seen it used here on the forum.) It really helped me and with a lot less struggle.

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Got all the struts on and the frame for the bulkhead.

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I am using the Kregg pocket hole jig and just fitting the frame all together and then I will take it apart to add the inner plywood and insulation. Then I will glue it and screw it back together.

[S. Heisley]

The shape is looking nice! Good work!

No, I haven't seen anyone here use a corner clamp before. ...Interesting.

[jbyrd]

Nice work and attention to detail.

[jimun]

Thank you S. Heisley and jbyrd

I had to work today and I did not finish when I wanted so I was not able to spend much time on the td today. I just used some 1x2, cardboard and clamps to check and measure for the galley and inner cabinet. I think I got most of it and tomorrow after church maybe I will get something done that I can take more pictures of the progress. I brought out an inflatable queen size bed to lay on and check the cabinet height and the forward bulkhead/headboard location.

[jimun]

Ok so today I worked on the door location. First I changed the style of door, then I checked the height by clamping a 1x2 across at a 36" opening. 36" is a little short for me. I hit my head sitting down and that is without a mattress. So I decided on 42". Now I made a cardboard cutout of the size and shape of door I want and then I moved my door struts back about 6", as suggested by some that have visited my build here. Then I clamped the door on to check it out. I also place a board at the location of the headboard and tried it out. It worked out pretty good. I also got the vent supports installed between the roof struts.

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I asked my wife to come and try it out. She said it works for her.

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And now the dog had to get in on it.

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Then it was time to pack it up for the night and head to hd for more wood to finish the sidewall struts and supports. I will try to get more done this week after work if it is not raining.

[S. Heisley]

The dog is excited about it! The three of you are really going to enjoy your teardrop.

[jimun]

Weather warmed up today and the sun was shining.
Uncovered the teardrop (we had some wet and cooler weather the past few days) and went to work on it. Got most of the doors framed in the side walls, the cross pieces are all in for the cabinet support and I rebuilt the bulkhead (not pictured yet). For the doors I just have to finalize the window size I want and then frame the windows in the doors. I am going to put the inside skin on and then router out the door openings. I bought a broken golf cart windshield from work for $20.00. I should be able to get 2 windows made at 18" wide and up to 30" tall. I will probably go 24" or 26" tall. It is a fold down windshield so there is a hinge that will allow me to swing the bottom half up. I just need to get some type of hardware to swing the window out and secure it open and closed. I just measured the usable size I can cut out and it looks like I might have to wait till we have another broken windshield at work.

Here is a picture of where I am at today with my temporary cardboard door attached.

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Here is the golf cart windshield. I have to cut it out and test it to see if I can make it work.

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I am going to lake Perris, California tomorrow to check out the Teardrops that are gathered there this weekend.
Or should I stay home and work on mine.

[jimun]

I was able to go to Lake Perris today and visit. It was great to see all the Tear Drops and meet the owners.
Everyone was real nice and easy to talk to. Maybe next year my wife and me will be there.
I got to see so many ways that TD's are put together. It helped me to see how my ideas and resources could work.
I took my wife and a couple of friends. We all enjoyed our self's and we got to see the finished and unfinished
product of home built TD's and there were plenty of factory builds and refurbished ones to. There were some real
nice classic cars to. No work on mine today maybe tomorrow. I did work on the widow size and layout this morning
using my cardboard door and I made a cardboard window. I think I got it.

[jimun]

Had some rain and cooler weather this past week did not get to work on the td till yesterday. I was able to install the window frames and cut down the 1/4" ply for the side walls.

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Now to see what I can get done today.

[KCStudly]

Looking good and shaping up nicely!

What are your thoughts on stick building in place vs. building flat and erecting the walls as units?

You are getting good results, but I would have thought it would be far easier and take less time to work "in the flat".

[jimun]

Looking good and shaping up nicely!

What are your thoughts on stick building in place vs. building flat and erecting the walls as units?

You are getting good results, but I would have thought it would be far easier and take less time to work "in the flat".

Hi KCStudly, I guess seeing it visually as I go helps me bring it together and make things fit. On working out the layout for
cabinets, bulkhead and bed it just seemed easier to me to stick build it as I figured it out. I had the outer wall framed glued
together and just screw the struts and supports in temporarily so I could make changes as did for the door and I could work on
both sides at the same time. If I had built it on the flat I probably would have set it up and taken it down several times just to
see how it was fitting together. Also when I did pull all the struts and supports out I was able to clamp all my joints together
straight as I glued and screwed it back together. I got one side done today.

Struts and supports removed and set to be glued and screwed back in.

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Here it is all back together

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I also got my inner wall skins cut to fit. I did this first this morning and then I started on the side wall.

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After I get the other wall framed glued together I am going to remove the walls to glue the inner skins in place along with
some insulation. Then the plan is to do a little more work on the floor and the permanently attach the walls.
(I Think, I will know when I get there)

[KCStudly]

Thanks. Sure can't argue with the results; it's looking very nice!

[jimun]

I got my other wall glued and screwed back together yesterday.
Today I took off the roof struts and removed the walls and got the 1/4" ply cut to size for the ceiling.

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Got the insulation cut out for the walls.

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Glue the inner wall panels and the insulation on the wall frames and stacked some weight on to it.

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Tomorrow or later next this week I hope to finish the floor with some paint and finish the inner walls
and ceiling panels with a clear coat, maybe with a light stain before I attached the walls and install the ceiling.
I was going to take a picture of the gluing process but I got busy and with the glues on to keep the glue off my
hands I did not want to get glue on my phone. To glue the panels I used the PL glue and spread it out with
a home made spreader (This is the same way it is shown in Scott's Workshop - Teardrop build on youtube. You
can see his videos of his build here: http://www.youtube.com/user/octopotomus/videos)

[jimun]

Here is the finished work of gluing the inside panels and insulation on the walls,

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