1st baby-steps to building a Raindrop

[TrailerBoy136]

Hi everyone!

I must confess I've been a 'lurker' on this forum for a while now, just tryng to learn and understand without getting in anyone's way. I'm originally from southern Africa but currently resident in the green, green island that is Ireland (and I can definitely confirm there's an obvious reason it's so green here) and I'm just about ready to start making final plans for my first Tear/Rain Drop build.

I don't have a trailer to use as a donor frame, we go tent camping in the summer as as a family thing but have been wanting to build a teardrop for a while now just because it would be a rally cool project to complete, so I'm really appreciative of the loads and loads of fantastic information here and how generous everyone is with advice and sharing their own experiences for others to take something from. So, I'll be pestering everyone for design advice and opinions, especially since I'm thinking along the lines of a slightly extended Raindrop (something like the Camp-Inn 560 but a foot longer) so keen for suggestions on how to get that bit more trailer but simultaneously get the weight right down (probably means starting from scratch with a bespoke frame and compound construction for the body & furniture).

Also any Irish / UK members out there, I'll almost certainly be looking out for you to help with advice on where y'all are sourcing your materials and nifty components from . . . sadly we just don't have as broad a palate to choose from this side of the pond as is available to the US . . . so many thanks ahead and apologies in advance for the nuisance I'm surely going to make of myself from here on in!!!

[Gunguy05]

Sounds like a plan, I am in the same boat as you. Checkout my build thread link in my signature. We are making progress with our build, it's a 6x10. 5 raindrop style.

Look forward to seeing your build. Good luck and keep us posted.

[TrailerBoy136]

Cheers Brian, expect it's going to be a long haul, but as we say about travelling down in Namibia . . . the journey is the destination!!! Looking forward to it . . . I'll check out your build thread this evening, meantime I've had a bit of a play around with sketchup and got some initial design ideas down, a way to go until final stage design (I was one of those that always built model aeroplanes withut reading the insructions and then found I had the pilot still left over with the plane already stuck together!!! but leassons learned so now I like to plan, plan & plan again before launching into things) but this is some of what I've come up with so far:


. . . of course I still need to establish whether any of these ideas will pan out in the real world!!!

[ctstaas]

Hi There, I really like your design. A few thoughts on your frame. The gussets are not needed, the plywood cabin will do that job, bolt to your frame accordingly. The two tubes in your design of the highest strength requirements are the pull tube(tongue) and axle tube. These two tubes do all the work and should be important in your design consideration. The other frame members do not have the same structural requirements and can be relatively light weight. You have the opportunity to install a receiver at the hatch end and you should do it when you can.
Enjoy, Chris