Jumping in from FL

[jondbar628]

Hello there folks,
Like many others, I've been lurking for quite awhile before jumping into the discussions.My wife & I are kinda reverse snowbirds. We're retired, spend 8 months a year in FL, and the four summer months in Ohio. A couple of years ago, we decided to get back into the kind of traveling we used to do, but with a teardrop instead of the tent and occasional motel that we used before. Anyway, the real world intruded, and we had to put things off for a bit. But now we're ready to begin a build in June when we get "up north". That's where our H-F 1750LB trailer is housed, so that's where the project will take place.
Since we're more travelers than static campers, I think we're going to do a lightweight version of Mike Schneider's venerable Weekender. A no-frills utilitarian rolling B & B. I'm leaning towards using 5mm sturdy-floor paneling sandwiched over 1 x 2 and 1 x 3 framing. Just wide enough (57 in.) for a full mattress. I intend to use poor-man's-fiberglass skinning, ala Rowerwet. I have questions concerning that, which I will direct to the skinning/finishing thread. Many other questions also.Thanks for listening. I could go into more detail, but my Leader tells me she's ready to go (no not THAT, We have an appointment), and I need to get a move on...........be back soon.

[Vedette]

Welcome to the Forum from the other corner to you.
We too are travellers, and the Teardrop lifestyle is more than we had ever imagined! We Love it!
Go as wide as you can inside (Our Teardrops are 58 1/2" & 59" inside) for sleeping comfort.
Mattresses are both 78" long.
Good Luck with your build.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[jondbar628]

Thanks for the welcome Vedette........I have seen that the prevailing wisdom is to go as wide as possible (60 IN. seems to be optimal ) within the trailer capabilities. A 57 in. OD, which I planned, just barely leaves room for a standard 54 in. wide full mattress. I also saw the advice to leave an inch or more clearance around the mattress to facilitate sheet changing, mattress manipulation, etc. To complicate things a little more, I'm a firm believer in the theory that nature abhors a vacuum, and any empty space WILL be filled, meaning more weight, drag, etc. - so keep it tight...... I gotta believe you vets get a sympathetic chuckle out of seeing us newbies struggle with these decisions just as I'm sure most of you all did during your first build.
Apart from learning techniques, materials, and applications by lurking, I have seen that this group is open and generous with advice, praise, introspection, and encouragement. No one could ask for more.

[39Ratrod]

Welcome to the site! I spent some of my teen tears in St. Augustine, love it there. Good luck on your build and enjoy the process!

[daveesl77]

Hi and welcome. The folks here are fantastic and have helped me so much in my build. I live in central Florida, about 60 miles north of Orlando. Wife and I are retired and camp a lot, thus the teardrop build. Something that helped us alot in the beginning was going to a teardrop rally and seeing all the various designs and builds.

I also used the HF 1750 trailer and it seems to be well worth the money. Just for piece of mind I did also weld all joints and kept the bolts. Also added in a center tongue bar to both strengthen and extend 18". Many have built without those additions though.

dave

[jondbar628]

Thanks for all the welcomes guys and gals. Daveel77, went thru your build journal - awesome and VERY intimidating. Ratrod, we've been through the Bighorns a couple of times, - have in-laws in Casper (and outlaws in other places) . Beautiful, but too cold for these old bones in the winter...the chinook winds don't come often enough to make up for the temperate tradewinds across Fl in Jan & Feb.......Anyway, I'm doing a lot of planning and drawing right now (not CAD savvy, so it's all graph paper). I've built a couple of houses, and several other structures, so I know some of this will be changed "on the fly" - no biggie. We'll be heading north for our build in a few weeks, and I agree that getting to a teardrop "meet" would be a big help for inspiration, and a chance to meet a lot of innovative and wonderful people.........to quote Roy Rogers (a Cincinnati boy) - happy trails.............