Compact family camper Build - Always something...

[ryuandwings]

Ouch, I feel your pain, been there, done that , got the self applied bruise to the behind .
Sometimes it is a good thing when that happens . Makes you think again about how you prep and fit up the join before gluen and screwen.
I now leave the clamping screws at least 2 full days if I can. I sometimes leave a few in high stress areas like corners or junctions - just countersink them properly and fill over the top.
Hope that's the last time that happens to you.

Breytie

In a way I'm glad this happen at tongue box and not the main roof. Like you said, learn from mistake and do it better next time around.
Since I will have two layers of 1/8" plywood, I think I will sink the screws into the plywood and leave them there. Second layer will hide them anyway.

It's not too bad, only set me back a few hours.

[ryuandwings]

I built hatch once before, but it twisted and wasn’t square so I removed all of the cross members.
I knew I had to work on it but I've been put it off thinking it's going to be too hard. I have to get the hatch built before I can move on.

This time I will be as precise as possible. I measured all cross member length to 1/32th.
I attached cross members with the main ribs mounted in its place. I attached cross members on two outside bays before I mounted in its place since I wanted to screw through rib. I could've used pocket screws, but I don't like to pocket screw into the plywood I used to make ribs. I used exterior plywood and it is not that dense.

Once I got the out side bays glued and screwed, I mounted the hatch to the galley. I used spacers all the way around.




Al. Of the inside bay members were pocket screwed through rib and into the member in next bay, and through open side. It all went very smooth.


I now need to make blockings for tail lights, license plate holder and it's light, and hatch locks.
One thing I hadn't considered was backup lights. I think I should have them so I will think about how I want I mounted. I think I like it round and placed below tail lights.

[RandyG]

If you have tail lights without the backup lights built in, just to let you know, backup lights are not required by regulation. So I wouldn't go out of my way to install them.
Hatch looks good by the way, I really need one of those kregg jigs.

[ryuandwings]

If you have tail lights without the backup lights built in, just to let you know, backup lights are not required by regulation. So I wouldn't go out of my way to install them.
Hatch looks good by the way, I really need one of those kregg jigs.

Thanks for the heads up. It may not be required, but since I'm thinking I want one now, I should go head put one in. At least have a blocking in there in case I want to add one later.

As for the Kregg jig, since I got mine so many years ago, I don't know how much a kit costs now. But that is one of the most used tool for joining. I highly recommend one.

[ryuandwings]

I will continue to work on the hatch, but I'm going to start the next stage. That will be the door and window.
The first thing I needed to do was to make sure hinges, door latch and window will fit in the door. To do that, I first traced door opening on to a paper.

It may be a bit hard to see in the photo, but everything seem to fit. It looks like a bit tight at the latch area. I need to mock up latch installation to make sure.

I will have trims around door openings for door stop. Also, I need to make trim rings for window since it did not come with.
Here is what I got sketched for window. I've got so used to designing on computer, it brought back some memories from college day using pencil an straight edge.


These are paper templates after cut out.

I'll use these to layout wood trim pieces, then make a router guide to shape them to the final shape.

This is first door trim laid out. I will use pocket screw and glue to put them together since I don't have enough clamps to hold them.


Last thing for this weekend was to think about the backup light. I think it'll look something like this.


I hope to have at least door trims glued up this week.

[aggie79]

Ryu,

Good recovery on the hatch. As you and I have found out, framing a hatch in place can eliminate a lot of fit problems.

The backup lights are a good idea. I wish that I had incorporated them as we often arrive to a campsite "under the cover of darkness". One thing to keep in mind is how you are going to power the lights. A four pin trailer connector does not connect to the circuitry or have power for back-up lights. The center pin of a seven pin connector can power the reverse lights.

With a four pin connector there are two options. The first, is to wire them in to the running lights circuit, but with a manual switch, and turn them on when you get to the campsite. The other option, if you have a 12 volt system and battery onboard your teardrop, is to power the lights from the battery upon arrival.

Take care,
Tom

[ryuandwings]

Ryu,

Good recovery on the hatch. As you and I have found out, framing a hatch in place can eliminate a lot of fit problems.

The backup lights are a good idea. I wish that I had incorporated them as we often arrive to a campsite "under the cover of darkness". One thing to keep in mind is how you are going to power the lights. A four pin trailer connector does not connect to the circuitry or have power for back-up lights. The center pin of a seven pin connector can power the reverse lights.

With a four pin connector there are two options. The first, is to wire them in to the running lights circuit, but with a manual switch, and turn them on when you get to the campsite. The other option, if you have a 12 volt system and battery onboard your teardrop, is to power the lights from the battery upon arrival.

Take care,
Tom

Thank you for the backup light ideas.
I was thinking about connecting to the 7-pin connector and connect the pin to the reverse activated line at TV. But I like your ideas. I really don't need the backup light to come on every time I backup. I just need it when I need them.I can power them from the running lights like you said. Only thing to work out is to where I want that switch to be located. I don't want to open the hatch to do that, exterior switch somewhere would be nice.

[Kharn]

A five-pin trailer connector would also do the reverse lights, if you want something less substantial than the 7-pin.
But if your TV has 7-pin, I'd use that so you could also charge your batteries while driving.

[ryuandwings]

A five-pin trailer connector would also do the reverse lights, if you want something less substantial than the 7-pin.
But if your TV has 7-pin, I'd use that so you could also charge your batteries while driving.

I have 7-pin at TV and trailer.
So, I can get the power for the backup light from TV (that's how I was thinking till Tom told me about his idea), but I'm leaning toward getting power from the running lights and have a switch to turn on when I need to use it.
And yes, I will be using 7-pin to charge the battery.

[ryuandwings]

I need you all to check my approach to see if I'm missing something.

I pretty much decided I would like to include two backup lights below taillights. In addition, there are licence plate holder with a light in middle of hatch where the red box is.


OK, this is how I think I will be using backpu lights.
When I get to the campsite or any place after dark, I would get out and go to the trailer and turn on manually.
I'm thinking this won't be too bad since I won't be doing this every night.

Here is the setup I'm planning right now.
At the licence plate, I will use this bracket.

At somewhere on the bracket, mount this waterproof switch to turn on/off backup light.


I like to place the switch on outside so that I don't have to open the hatch to turn on the lights. Also, I like the switch in the hatch so I can minimize the wiring.

Do you think I have any problem with this setup?

[RandyG]

I thought it would be wierd but convenient to have the switch on the outside but your idea of having on the plate mount fixes the wierd part.

[ryuandwings]

I thought it would be wierd but convenient to have the switch on the outside but your idea of having on the plate mount fixes the wierd part.

I thought that was wired too, but I wanted to keep wires running to hatch as few as possible. And keep it simple.
I didn't want to open hatch to use switch, either. Only thing I came up was to have a switch out side somewhere, but I don't want it somewhere obvious.
I don't know the law on adding another hole on license plate, but if is allowed, I could add switch next to mounting screw.

Only time I can think I would be backing up trailer without TV is inside garage, but should have enough light there.

[ctstaas]

Very nice, Your mastery of wodbutchery is exquisite. It looks like you weld or have access to welding? I built my hatch frame out of 1"x 1" square tubing. Its bulletproof. I have an Idea on your wood frame. Built it in a shallow box that will keep it square while the glue dries.

[ryuandwings]

Very nice, Your mastery of wodbutchery is exquisite. It looks like you weld or have access to welding? I built my hatch frame out of 1"x 1" square tubing. Its bulletproof. I have an Idea on your wood frame. Built it in a shallow box that will keep it square while the glue dries.

I didn't even think about using steel for the hatch, or any other place other than trailer for that matter.
I think once I apply plywood on the hatch, it will keep things square, and I think I have a plan to have the hatch in place during the glue up.

[ryuandwings]

I've been working toward the trailer inspection, which means I need this to have working trailer light and be able to travel on highway. I will probably don't have time to for aluminum skin installed, but I do want to apply the epoxy so that if rains, I am somewhat protected.

Things I will be concentrating are Hatch, doors, tongue box hatch and trailer lights.
First the easy stuff. Trailer side markers. I already had the main wiring done sometime ago, so only thing to do were to locate and mount. Front amber light and rear red light. Total of 4 lights.



Next is the door.
There will be a door stop attached to the inside to hold the door when it is closed. And that's where I will be attaching door seal. To make them, I first needed to make a rough frame with 1x lumber.

Then, using the layout I created, rough cut to the shape. Fat area at top right corner is where the switches will be mounted for the dome and porch lights.

I made a MDF template to route them to the same shape. After that, sanding, sanding and I am still sanding...
It will looks light something like this when mounted.

I should have made the lip a little wider. There won't be much of overlap with door to seal...
This is where the switches will be mounted. I need to make the hole deeper to mount the switch I ordered. The switches will be mounted on a aluminum plate, and that will be mounted over the hole.


Now that I got the door opening in a decent shape, I started to work on the actual door.
Using the cutout from the wall, spaced out evenly in the opening and attached the hinge to hold it in place. Cut out a hole for the window as well.

This window is a crank-out type, I wanted it for the ventilation. I will be mounting it as low as possible. I still be able to look out sitting from inside, too. One thing I noticed is that I don't think I left enough space between top hing and the corner of window for window drip cap. I will have to check that when I get it.

I also mocked up the door latch.
This latch is design for door/wall thickness of 1-1/4" to 1-1/2". My wall is 2 layers of 1/4" with 3/4" plywood core, but each thickness is not exactly that dimension.These 3 layers of plywood are less than 1-1/4" and needed to add another 1/4".

I had to remove the deadbolt mechanism to slide it in.

I need to make another mock up with extra 1/8" instead of 1/4". I don't want the thickness of wall and door to be different too much.

Last progress is on the hatch.
I skin the hatch with 1/8" baltic birch and mounted tail lights. License holder is taped on there for now.

I had to make the galley wall off set for the hinge and seal, and I have been dreading this. But I could not wait any longer. I just had to do it.
I first made a template from 1/4" plywood so I can use on both side. I traced the offset distance from the inside of the hatch.
This is template mounted on the wall ready to be routed.

And this is after. I think the gap is about the same all the way.

I repeated the same process on the other side.

I hope to have the trailer inspected by middle of June.