The No Tears Teardrop Build

[Diemjoe]

I spent most of the day adding tabs to the frame for attaching the floor. I got the idea from Mike Mikkelson's build journal. Seems like it would be an easy way to bolt to the floor without the wall coming in the way. Maybe even make the cabin more easily removable?

the tabs for mounting the floor boards

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I got those attached just as Chris came over to finish up the work from yesterday. Short of grinding out some weld splatter, we have the frame finished. Just need to add the tongue and A beams. Waiting on the A beams until i get the wheel jack that I ordered last week. Going to order a flexride axle this week too. Once I have everything in place, I'll prime and paint and get started on the wood work. I'll post better frame pics when there is more light.

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[Diemjoe]

I spent the first part of Sunday cleaning up the welds and the second putting together the floor. I finished up Kreg Screwing and Titebond III gluing the 3/4 inch poplar. That went pretty quickly. I had to put everything back in storage position so I could get the car into the garage for the week.

The teardrop floor

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So more framework is on hold. In the meantime, I started working on the profile. The grid patterns on the back of the wrapping paper actually did help with lining things up. Its not the same as drawing it out on Plywood. I must say that even with a 10ft length it seems like a short mattress. Luckily I have started shrinking and am no longer 6 ft. Maybe if the build takes long enough, I can use the 8 ft profiler. I also bought some parts that will be good to have before I get too far into the build so that I can make sure I don't go down a road that wont support the Fan-tastic Vent and PD4045 Power Center.

Laying on the Profile.

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I also started talking to an axle vendor in Seattle. Luckily I ran my design past my welder. He said that over engineering for the axle weight is actually a bad thing. If you purchase a #3500 axle for a #1000 trailer, it will be a rough ride. The weight of the trailer won't be enough to engage the softening mechanisms in the axle. I also found out that delivery time for the torsion axle was 6 to 8 weeks as each is made to order. Got me to thinking that if there was a breakage, I would be out a teardrop for a long time not too mention, a breakdown would surely happen at the remotest possible place.

So I decided to go with a #3500 axle and light duty leaf Springs. In stock and ready for me to pickup along with electric brakes and 2 tires comes out to about $700

[Wobbly Wheels]

I must say that even with a 10ft length it seems like a short mattress.

I'm doing an 8' and I thought so too until it all started coming together. That being said, I stole three more inches from the galley underneath the counter because I figured I would appreciate those few inches more in the bed length than I would in galley storage.

Completely agree on the weight thing. My truck actually rides better in the winter when I have more weight in the back.

[Diemjoe]

That is exactly what I was thinking. The bulky item will be the cooler. I am planning to build the walls and a mockup galley, sliding it back and forth to see what I can live with.

[Diemjoe]

Not much has changed since the last entry. My coupler, wheel jack, and stabilizer jacks arrived. I also have the Fan-Tastic Vent a shiney new PD4045 sitting at my feet. I wanted to get the electric items so I could make sure they fit as I was building.
Not sure if I Like the stabilizer jacks. The feet plates seem to stick out a bit if I weld them to the side frame when in travel position. Plus it feels like the feet will will touch the rail in up position to. I would think that would tend to rub the paint off the frame and allow rust in. I pulled some random steel tube from the steel supplier but when I got it home, they were too short. The Lowes selection seems to be very limited at the moment. I got a piece of angle 2x2, to see how welding it at a 45 degree on both back corners like I have seen in some frame pictures.

I also picked up plywood for the inner walls. I am not sure I am ready for it but who knows when the rains will let up enough for me to go down and get it. At least now I have it. The problem is even though I used proper lifting form and leverage, I still threw out my back. I am not crying or nothing but It is pretty bad. I forced my self to cut up and weld the steel for the front tongue A frame.

Everything is put away and ready for another day. Just not sure when that will be.

[KCStudly]

Take care of that back first. We can wait 'til you are healed up. Back injuries are no fun; I've had several pulls and strains over the years, and a bout of sciatica last year, and I can tell you, the best thing you can do is lay low for a while and let it heal (assuming it is a muscle issue). The last thing you want to do is irritate it and make it worse.

(Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, don't be afraid to see yours.)

[backstrap bandit]

Yeah what he said your back isn't anything to play with I messed mine up offshore 2 back surgerys hope you feel better

[Diemjoe]

I hear ya. My back issues have been strictly muscle related, or lack thereof. A few days of advil should have me back at it. Was supposed to pick up my axle tomorrow so I think that will get postponed too.

[Diemjoe]

Its been a while and more than time for an update but I have been busy....
The trailer frame is welded together except for the wheels. I am going to wait on the until I get a feel for the center of gravity. As it is now I can still lean the frame against the wall when I am not working on it.

The Frame with everything but the wheels and lights and fender.

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[Diemjoe]

I finished the floor today too. At least have the first coat of roof tar on it. That took a while because I wanted to get the profile cut so that I would have something to measure the length of the floor against.

I had used 3/4 poplar to as the floor skeleton. I couldn't find any 3/4 inch insulation. Instead of spending the day making a mess by slicing 3/4 pieces of styrofoam, I just bought 1/4" poplar planks and added them on top of the existing. Everything fits nicely. I am going to have to look into the electric wire shave for the walls though.

One last look at the insulation before the cabin floor goes down

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One last look before I tar it up

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The first coat of tar. Not sure it the mess is worth a second coat

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[Diemjoe]

As I mentioned above, I cut both walls and they are ready for me to decide door placement (that's the piece of paper). Once I do that, I'll cut the Skeleton.

The first look

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The 2x2 indicate my minimum length laying down. Just a rough placement.

[KCStudly]

Good progress!

What's going to happen with the extra floor length?

[Diemjoe]

I cut it off once I got the floor all put together.

[Diemjoe]

It has been a while since I have posted status. Progress has been slow but not from lack of trying. Most working through the design and posting questions.
One of the slowing factors is where to Mount the leaf springs for the axle. As i want to limit the downward pressure on the coupler to about 100 pounds, I have been trying to get as much of the building materials as possible. I think I have one more lumber run for the cabinetry. I am also going to add a removable bumper. I picked up the steel for that today.
The neighbors should be pretty happy that that should be the last of the steel work, at least the noisy grinding.

A neighborly Request

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[Diemjoe]

I still haven't attached the axles since I want to get the positioning to allow for about 80 to 100 pounds of tongue weight. I figured that would just get as much lumber cut up as I can and lay it on the trailer frame in its approximate location. Then I'll use a pivot point that will simulate the axle and move it around to get the center of weight. I know, sounds like a real pain for a few pounds here and there.
Even though I can't build the trailer, I can build the tongue box. Which will give me some experience in working with curved spars and bending wood. I am glad I did. I have learned a lot and I haven even bent any plywood yet.

laying out the main contents of the tongue box

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Here is the box with the camp chef that I a decided is going in too.

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The box top waiting for the bent plywood

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