5' X 10' Grumman 2 Sort Of

[RunnerDuck]

Day One, 09-21-15:

Oh boy here we go!

Today I started on my TD that I've designed using the Grumman 2 design as a guide.

I've been designing it and following the forums for over a month now and have decided to jump in and build one of these little guys.

While I've done woodworking for many, many years I've never built anything like this.

Here's a line drawing of what I'm going for:

Line Drawing.jpg (36.93 KiB) Viewed 6915 times

I've ordered all the pieces for the frame, the axle, wheels and tires.

I picked up a 4' X 8' X 1/4" piece of plywood to make a template. I'll add two feet to the end of it to get the 4'' X 10' profile I'm looking for.

Here's my layout:

form.jpg (85.1 KiB) Viewed 6915 times

Here I'm laying out the lines using a bender-board:

bender-board.jpg (63.61 KiB) Viewed 6915 times

Wish me luck

KennyB

[RunnerDuck]

Today was not all that productive as we had a lot of things to do off island.

I did manage to make my 4' X 8' X 1/4" piece of plywood for my template into a 4' X 10' sheet by lapping on a two foot piece. I routed a 1 3/4 " dado, half the thickness of the plywood and glued them together.

Lap-Joint.jpg (74 KiB) Viewed 6851 times

I weighted them down with water filled milk jugs and a chunk of aluminum I had laying around.

On the mainland I picked up all the iron for the trailer frame at Skagit Steel in Burlington, WA.

steel.jpg (115.2 KiB) Viewed 6851 times

That was it for the day. Hopefully more progress will be made tomorrow.

KennyB

[rebapuck]

I've been to Whidbey Island. My best friend was born there on base.

[MarkfromSeattle]

Runner duck, I'm in West Seattle and just starting a teardrop build as well. He to run into you sometime and share teardrop advice.

[JmsCaverly]

Your going to have a very similar shape to mine I'm interested how yours will turn out. I'm curious if our profiles will match, did you get your profile from the design library?

[RunnerDuck]

I've been to Whidbey Island. My best friend was born there on base.

It's a wonderful place but it takes some patience because almost everything for building my TD will be delivered by UPS.

[RunnerDuck]

Runner duck, I'm in West Seattle and just starting a teardrop build as well. He to run into you sometime and share teardrop advice.

Hi Mark,

Good to hear I'm not alone around here. I'd love to see your progress as time goes by. Do you have a Build Journal on this forum?

[RunnerDuck]

Your going to have a very similar shape to mine I'm interested how yours will turn out. I'm curious if our profiles will match, did you get your profile from the design library?

I did start with the profile from the "Design Library" and then pushed and pulled it in my software to get it to a 4' X 10' profile. If you used the same file then ours should be similar.

I'm just now starting to cut out the template for the sides.

Do you have a picture of yours?

Thanks,

KennyB

[RunnerDuck]

Well I made a little more progress today. I got the trailer steel unloaded from my pickup and will start cutting and tack welding tomorrow.

Meanwhile I finished drawing out the pattern on the plywood and cut it out.

Cutting-out-pattern.jpg (115.33 KiB) Viewed 6748 times

Here it is in all its glory

Pattern-cut-out.jpg (62.71 KiB) Viewed 6748 times

Now I need to refine the edges by sanding them to a perfect curve.

I also ordered the doors today, I'm getting excited now

[daveesl77]

I love your "bender board", that is how I made my curves, using pieces of cedar strip I cut.

When folks ask me what is the curve radius I tell them - 3/16" thick cedar, where it wanted to go.

dave

[JmsCaverly]

Sure do Kenny just click below on my build journal and you can see it.

Looking good so far...... Can't wait to see more

-James

[Gunguy05]

Looking like you are on the right track so far. The Grumman 2 is one of the profiles I am looking at for my next build if I decide to go the "curved" rather than "most space" route. I really like the lines of it!

Keep us posted!

Brian

[RunnerDuck]

I love your "bender board", that is how I made my curves, using pieces of cedar strip I cut.

When folks ask me what is the curve radius I tell them - 3/16" thick cedar, where it wanted to go.

dave

Good one Dave, I'll have to remember that's answer. Actually I used fir but who's splitting hairs

[RunnerDuck]

Sure do Kenny just click below on my build journal and you can see it.

Looking good so far...... Can't wait to see more

-James

Hi James,

Nice Build Journal, lots of good information.

Did you ever settle on the batteries?

If you are using two 6V batteries won't that be a lot of weight on the tongue?

I have two 6V batteries in my fifth-wheel trailer and just love them. I use a Pro-Fill filler system to keep them topped of and it works great. I'm not sure where I got mine but here they are at CW http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/pro-fill-rv-edition-dual-6-volt-battery-watering-system/27035

Thanks again and stay tuned!

[RunnerDuck]

Looking like you are on the right track so far. The Grumman 2 is one of the profiles I am looking at for my next build if I decide to go the "curved" rather than "most space" route. I really like the lines of it!

Keep us posted!

Brian

Thanks Brian,

I too struggled with which design to go with but I just love the more traditional teardrop shape so that's what I'm building.

I'll keep the posts coming!