Teardrop for 3 (!)

[Hoosier Daddy]

On this past Memorial weekend (2015) at the campground, the S.I.L. and I were sitting at the fire. The Wifey was in our TT and his wife (my Daughter) was in their tent. He and I were enjoying an adult beverage contemplating the universe when the topic turned to Teardrops. I expressed my long time desire to build one and he chimed in he wanted one in the worst way...He loved 'em! We discussed how great one would be for a young couple to get into a trailer and off the ground from a tent, either tagging along with us or on their own.
The following week while surfing Craigslist I found a 5 x 8 trailer for sale local with the seller asking $350. I called on a whim and offered $250... "But you haven't even seen it yet" was the reply. After explaining what I wanted it for, the seller agreed since he could keep the loading ramps. I called the S.I.L. and told him I could use his help with something and surprised him with our new project, He was FLOORED!



A cute little 5 x 8 with torsion axles, new 20.5 x 8-10 tires on the sharpest steel wheels steel I have seen. Once I crawled underneath I found it even has BRAKES that were never connected! A far cry from my original 4X8 spring axle, no brake, utility trailer I have had for decades that I was originally planning to use.





That lead to an internet search of TD plans and maybe a forum to join for tips / tricks and I found you all here on TNTTT. We lurked for a bit and we liked the classic lines of the Grumman / Campster. Then last Saturday his wife (AKA: Daughter#4) announced she is expecting (!) Grand child #5 for us but their first.
So a little thought on how we can still pull this off lead me to think of a Murphy Bed crib / youth bed that the soon to be 3 of them can use for the years to come. Taking the Grumman drawing and modifying the cabin side of the galley I came up with this design. Mom and Dad in the classic location with the "Murphy crib" above (red) The side rails (blue) will be removable for stowage .
Any thoughts / advise / criticism is welcome!

[noseoil]

I like it! Nice find on the trailer. Is it going to be a 6' wide, as it looks like the wheels are inside the line of the walls? Also, i like the Murphy Crib setup. You could fold the side rails in on hinges, so it folds down flat for stowage & then opens up for use when it's in the sleeping position.

I know it's just a preliminary design, but I would use longer struts for the galley hatch, so the forces are reduced at the attachment points a bit. The closer you get to the hinge, the more the forces multiply and the stronger the struts & hardware need to be.

Congrats on the new grandchild & welcome!

[rebapuck]

I like the crib idea too. But I hear babies come with a LOT of stuff.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I can't take credit for the Trailer design, only the thought of the Murphy Crib. The starting point of the drawing was the Grumman 2 I found in the designs section LINK here on TNTTT. The classic Teardrop shape is what we are after.

Is it going to be a 6' wide, as it looks like the wheels are inside the line of the walls?

Hadn't planned on it, that is why I sought out a 5' wide trailer. I figured less frame mods that way. I can have the wheels outside the walls but with wider fenders.

I don't think Babies don't HAVE to necessitate huge amounts of gear, parents just think they do. Especially just for weekend outings. Daughter #2 and her Man tent camps with their 7 and 1 year old Daughters.

[fcreamer88]

Please keep us updated. I originally planned mine around have 2 kids, which at the time worked, but then son #3 decided to make his presence in our family, which lead to selling the partial build. So now I'm looking at designs for a large tear drop to sleep the 5 of us. I hope to gather some ideas from your crib design. My F.I.L thinks I/m crazy for not just buying a camper, so you got Plus 1 in my book.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Fortunately I was born with the "Gift of Gab" so I plan on keeping this updated with lots of pics.
I may be new to TNTTT but Motorcycle, Skeet, Rimfire, and Aquarium forums I am old hat... so I know how updates and pics are important!

[Hoosier Daddy]

Since I do not have a Cad program, and even though I downloaded Google Sketchup a long time ago, I have not played with it much. I turn to my old faithful MS Paint program. Playing around with a square, double it, I had a "4 x 8" rectangle to then find the center and so on...breaking it down to 1 foot. That made circle of a known size easy to draw a radius. Ellipse was a little trickier but I got it.
I will use the Plywood stretcher post here to make a 5 x 10 side wall. Still playing with the Galley but you can get an idea of what I have in mind

[Hoosier Daddy]

Wow, guess attachments aren't automatically resized... sorry 'bout that.

So before I begin with the wall construction I needed to see actual door and window dimensions. Fortunatly, as some may know Northern Indiana is the heart of the camper manufaturing industry. Two S.I.L.'s and a nephew work at 3 different companies here. That said there is several "RV Salvage" companies in the area that have brand new OEM items from previous year models for a good price. While not the closest, my favorite is Bontrager's. Literally TONS of Surplus parts. A trip there after work yesterday and a bit of time searching yielded a 48" tall 33" wide prehung door with keys and a matching sliding window with screen and interior frame all for $80 plus tax. (future reference Filon is .70 per sq foot)

[KCStudly]

Awesome deal on the door and window. Welcome to the fray. It is strongly recommended that you start right off building with two doors in mind. The two biggest things that first time builders wish they had done is build 5 wide and include the second door. Especially if planning for three occupants. Even some people who camp by themselves wish they had two doors.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks KC, I can understand that. Our TT has the bed situated sideways instead of fore / aft.
I have to climb over the wife to get out if I wake up first, so I imagine it would only be worse in a TearDrop.
Wonder what the chances are I can find a matching door hung to swing the opposite way...

Next task will be CLEANING the shop so we can fit the large pieces of this project in and still have room to work.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Well, I'm back.
Bad news on the build, or planning stage such as it is.
Our Home PC hard drive crashed. Lost EVERYTHING.... Pics, links, and drawings. These I posted are all that's left.
Good news is we got the computer back Friday, went from 40 Gig to a full Terabyte
Soooo....Back to the digital drawing board. I have been keeping tabs via Android device (phone) but typing with these sausage thumbs just stinks.

Got the trailer stripped down to the frame, have been picking up various clamps in preparation. Also cleaned up the shop and made room to start this winter project.

[Madmike8]

Sorry about the computer, but I'm looking forward to seeing updates!

[PKCSPT]

I Will add my suggestion on two doors, I camp solo and wish I had 2. Congratulations on the new grandchild.

[zimbar]

I too am contemplating a teardrop for 3. When I was a kid, (early '70's) my grandparents would go camping with us in their Hi-Lo camper (think Hi-Lo is still in business). Grandma and Grandpa slept in the bed, but my brother and I slept on stretchers (think MASH 4077 type stretchers) attached to the walls on cleats perpendicular to how my grandparents laid. I plan on doing the same type of arraignment for my 6-year old daughter. She will be in the stretcher, while mom and I sleep below her.

Zimbar

On this past Memorial weekend (2015) at the campground, the S.I.L. and I were sitting at the fire. The Wifey was in our TT and his wife (my Daughter) was in their tent. He and I were enjoying an adult beverage contemplating the universe when the topic turned to Teardrops. I expressed my long time desire to build one and he chimed in he wanted one in the worst way...He loved 'em! We discussed how great one would be for a young couple to get into a trailer and off the ground from a tent, either tagging along with us or on their own.
The following week while surfing Craigslist I found a 5 x 8 trailer for sale local with the seller asking $350. I called on a whim and offered $250... "But you haven't even seen it yet" was the reply. After explaining what I wanted it for, the seller agreed since he could keep the loading ramps. I called the S.I.L. and told him I could use his help with something and surprised him with our new project, He was FLOORED!



A cute little 5 x 8 with torsion axles, new 20.5 x 8-10 tires on the sharpest steel wheels steel I have seen. Once I crawled underneath I found it even has BRAKES that were never connected! A far cry from my original 4X8 spring axle, no brake, utility trailer I have had for decades that I was originally planning to use.





That lead to an internet search of TD plans and maybe a forum to join for tips / tricks and I found you all here on TNTTT. We lurked for a bit and we liked the classic lines of the Grumman / Campster. Then last Saturday his wife (AKA: Daughter#4) announced she is expecting (!) Grand child #5 for us but their first.
So a little thought on how we can still pull this off lead me to think of a Murphy Bed crib / youth bed that the soon to be 3 of them can use for the years to come. Taking the Grumman drawing and modifying the cabin side of the galley I came up with this design. Mom and Dad in the classic location with the "Murphy crib" above (red) The side rails (blue) will be removable for stowage .
Any thoughts / advise / criticism is welcome!

[Hoosier Daddy]

Sorry for the long delay. Life took the wind out of my sails for a bit...
BUT last weekend Hoosier Momma and I went to the local RV / Camper show and took the expecting mother (DD#4) and the SIL... and there was a Riverside Retro booth that had their TearDrop set up with the Canned Hams.



While the SIL and I were getting ideas on how we would change, especially in the "bleak" Galley, our women were really liking it and seemed down right EXCITED!
Next thing I know my Wife is telling other onlookers "We are building one!" So now I am focused back into the build. Picked up some small bits and pieces over the last couple months.
Trailer wood is removed and stripped down to the bare frame. Angle iron is on hand to triangulate the trailers tongue, just need to cut it to size and weld it in place. LED side markers lights and interior Puck lights in hand, shopping for a mini bar sink for the galley and ordering some some 39 Ford teardrop tail lights .





GAME ON!