The 18 day build

[KCStudly]

So your schedule had the frame and floor done in 2 days. Are you still on schedule?

What was the big 2x10(?) with all of the dadoes for? Is that getting ripped down for the floor frame? If so, good idea to put the dadoes in first.

[S. Heisley]

Thank you for giving us videos to look at. Being in a time crunch, it's good that you can do that at all. We appreciate it.

Remember to put the the black goo on the deck's underside and to coat the outside (sides, top) with good protection from the weather as well. If you get the trailer together enough to use it and do that much, the inside can be finished later but you'll still be able to use it and take your trip.

We're watching!

[Vedette]

Well, it definitely looks like the start of a teardrop build!
Keep up the Good Work!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[hkeehn]

More or less on schedule, but we're just doing whatever we can, now. The floor is together and painted. The frame is painted. insulation tomorow

S. Heisley: is the silver goop okay? Two coats or one?

KC studly: yes, dadoes for the floor framing. Detail pics to come. We stacked all our 2x6s to do in one shot and keep the alignment straight. It went together square with just a little gaming!

pchast: the stop motion is always fast, but here are some stills:




sorry this isn't too comprehensive, but we're leaving it all on the line!

more soon,

Harper

[hkeehn]

pchast, I think you're right about the speed. After this one, they'll be slower. Later when I have time I'll return to the earlier ones and slow things down. The camera was messed up today for a bit so I missed the floor assembly, but here's the end of the day:

https://youtu.be/ZzDn4VnZITE

thanks for watching, everyone!

more soon,

Harper

[S. Heisley]

More or less on schedule, but we're just doing whatever we can, now. The floor is together and painted. The frame is painted. insulation tomorow

S. Heisley: is the silver goop okay? Two coats or one?

Harper

I don't know what silver goop is. If it is a type of roofing coating or is at least water proof and well coated, one coat may be okay. Not having knowledge of the product, I'm simply guessing at that. If needed, you can always add some automotive undercarriage spray later. That's fast, easy, and works well, too.

We're watching!

[Socal Tom]

3 days without an update! I'm getting anxious...

[hkeehn]

I know! People in and out, the trailer at full tilt

Here are a few updates from the past three days

first, the videos:

5-10
https://youtu.be/mwhwfS1cYqQ
5-11
https://youtu.be/1ax6tfCoyAE
5-12
https://youtu.be/LYgZrFkEDgw

a couple pictures of the beam we made to frame out the wall:



A new crew is taking over and we're getting our work routines together. Tomorrow the walls go up!

More soon

Harper

[hkeehn]

one more

https://youtu.be/JfWdei4aRao

[Socal Tom]

So are you on track with your plans? Its looking good, but in the videos is seems like you guys spend more time eating that working....
Tom ;-)

[The Teardrop Nanny]

You can do it! And it is important to keep your crew well fed.
The Teardrop Nanny
Joanie

[rowerwet]

I built mine with a schedule like you have. I was sleeping in it before it had paint or windows. It was a full year later before it had a galley hatch or second door. Good luck!
Album is linked on the left.

[hkeehn]

Sorry, it's been a few days
But here's a few videos which show about where we're up to:

https://youtu.be/DITJcfR06V8

https://youtu.be/CyYKlSz4myM

https://youtu.be/x6swFlhuOV4


A more comprehensive picture of what's happened when we safely get it on the road!
The crew continues to be the best part of this all, and I'm doing my best to support and feed them. Actually, it's mostly been my wonderful family that has done the feeding. I owe them in a big way.


thanks for watching,
more soon

Harper

[Socal Tom]

Dear all

Here's a couple rough itinerary options. It'll mush about, but I thought it might be interesting to share where I expect this trailer to go. If anyone has suggestions for good stops along the way, let me know! (sorry about the formatting, it got twisted when I tried to post it...)

TEARDROP TRAILER ITINERARY

OPTION 1 South to North to avoid scorching southern heat on the return. An ambitious departure date to make it to my sister's graduation gives me most travel time
Date_____Location___________Miles_Total Miles_Shop?___Notes
4-May____New Paltz, NY______0_____0_________yes ____Begin construction, as early as possible
22-May___Oberlin, OH________507___507_______no_____Sister's college graduation
27-May___St. Louis, MO_______528___1035______no_____City trials, visit with friends. See City Museum
31-May___Amarillo, TX_______758___1793_______no ____Southern route. Further city trials. Junkyards
2-Jun____Raton, NM_________212___2005 _______yes___layover at Nick and Amy's ranch, 5 days. Major shop work.
8-Jun____Taos, NM___________96___2101_______no_____Tiny house site visits, Stock up with groceries for AZ loop
11-Jun___Arcosanti, AZ_______531___2632______no_____Visit Arcosanti, Taliesin West, Desert trials. Looking for hot weather
15-Jun___Chico Ranch, CO____703___3336_______yes____Layover at Chico Basin Ranch, 5 days. Mid-point of trip. Via San Juan Natl Forest
23-Jun___Medicine Bow, WY___292__3628_______no_____Mountain trials, camping. My sisters meet me! Looking for cold weather.
27-Jun___Yellowstone, WY____466___4094_______no_____Multi-person camp trial. Try to re-find a hotspring I visited as a little kid
1-Jul____Harlowton, MT______143___4237 _______yes____Layover at Stuart and Kathleen's ranch, 5 days. Major shop work
6-Jul____Moccasin, MT________51___4288_______no _____A night in the miniscule town I lived in for my first 3 months
9-Jul____Fargo, ND__________660___4948 _______no _____Long-haul road trials. Practice routines. Visit god-father
11-Jul___Minneapolis, MN_____235___5183_______no_____Second city trial. Visit friend from Deep Springs
14-Jul___Cedar Rapids, IA_____277___5460_______yes____Visit grandparents. Trailer repairs.
18-Jul___Higgins Lake, MI_____547___6007_______no_____Northern loop. Layover with friend for travel documentation
6-Aug____Mystic CT__________856___6863_______yes____Through Canada, back in time for Family Reunion. Quiet, slow, final road trials.

Travel dates are based on average travel speed of 300 miles/ day



All three of my friends have now signed on for the build. One great guy is coming all the way from Michigan. So it's all systems go, firing on all cylinders from now on out!


More soon


Harper

Looks like the TD is coming along nicely.
I looked at your travel schedule. When I drove cross country I did about 600 miles per day. I made the trip in April, so days were a little shorter than they will be for your trip. I was "on the road" about 12 hours per day, and I was actually driving about 10 hours per day. ( So average MPH was about 60). I was going west bound, so time changes were in my favor. I would leave between 6 and 7 am, and I would arrive between 5 and 6 pm ( usually in the next time zone. I stopped almost every hour to walk the dogs, or fuel up etc. Breakfast and lunch were usually fast food, but dinner was usually something a little better. I didn't feel like I was really pushing it. The first day I did 750 miles, and that was too much. Though there wasn't a lot of time for site seeing at 600 MPD. I planned my trip around KOA campgrounds ( a little pricey) so I got a shower every night, and I knew they were near the highway, and places to grab food.

So, unless you know that your route is very twisty/slow then I would assume that you could do trips under 600 miles in one day of travel. For me, traveling alone is kind of boring, so even if I stop to look at something, its pretty quick.
Tom

[pchast]

Harper,

Glad things are coming together so well.

As far as driving and towing goes I think you are smart to plan less than 400
miles a day to start. When we drive to Ohio I like to take a day and a half with
the trailer. Yes we can drive it in a day but the last bit of driving can be a killer.

IMHO, I feel its best to stay awake, alert and alive.

Make sure you have a couple of hours built in to repack those bearings every
2000 to 2500 miles too.