Off-road Teardrop Design/Build

[2manytoyz]

Very nice attention to detail and construction techniques

[kokomoto]

Very nice attention to detail and construction techniques

Thanks! If I only had a dollar for every hour I spent scouring the posts on this forum for ideas, techniques, and advice from fellow builders I could probably have funded most of my project.

There are more than a few flubs on this thing. For example:

I got in a hurry and didn't have a router guide properly clamped, and got the router way off track on the bottom of one wall. I'll cover that with aluminum.
I didn't realize just how much pressure is require to get a tight joint on the wall plywood when I glued it to the skeleton with PL premium. It left a few gaps here and there that I need to fill.
When framing the floor skeleton, I didn't get on of the cross members in the proper location to bolt it to the frame. The result being two bolts in the rear just go through two 1/4" sheets of plywood and 3/4' of EPS foam. Not very sturdy, but there are 10 other bolts.

There are other goof ups too numerous to mention, but this TD will be a much better camper than my old pop up. I would just encourage anyone to start building, and work through problems as they pop up. That and try to plan several steps ahead.

I have to give credit to Steve Fredrick for publishing his teardrop manual. I have relied on it quite a bit, and would probably have a piece of junk without the guidance I have taken from his excellent manual. Well worth the $60 or so for anyone building a wood teardrop.

[Dirtclod]

Looks Nice.

I have to agree on the Steve Fredericks book. Use it for reference all the time.

[kokomoto]

Installed the second sheet of plywood on the roof after finishing the wiring for the cabin light and fan. Also started on the tongue box this week. It'll hold the group 27 battery, charge controller, battery disconnect, portable solar panel, and Weber Smokey Joe with a bag of charcoal. Can't imagine camping without it, and couldn't find any other place to store it. No pics yet.

I almost made a critical error by forgetting to mark the wiring location before installing the plywood. Checked for a short between the wires with an ohm meter after realizing my mistake. Thankfully none of the staples hit the wires where they pass thru the spars.

In other news, the hurricane hitch, tail lights, fuse block, and disconnect have arrived. Ordered the battery, and awaiting delivery. Group 27 may be a bit too large, but better to have and not need than to need and not have. Only a bit more expensive and a little bit larger and heavier.

Fan

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Roof 2

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Sorry about the dark pics. It was late when I finished.

Roof 1

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[kokomoto]

Looks Nice.

I have to agree on the Steve Fredericks book. Use it for reference all the time.

Thank you. I'd have saved a few hours here and there if I had followed it more closely sometimes.

[KCStudly]

Nice work.

[Dirtclod]

Man you are moving right along. I am a bit behind you on mine.

We are just outside Nashville. We will have to meet up and camp when finished. In fact the TN chapter of the TearJerkers is having its fall gathering at Harrison Bay this fall.

Looks GREAT so far

[kokomoto]

Man you are moving right along. I am a bit behind you on mine.

We are just outside Nashville. We will have to meet up and camp when finished. In fact the TN chapter of the TearJerkers is having its fall gathering at Harrison Bay this fall.

Looks GREAT so far

Sounds like a plan! I'm in Chatt.

I'll PM you my contact info.

[kokomoto]

Installed the final sheet of plywood on the roof along with the hatch spar tonight.

Roof 1

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Roof 2

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[tony.latham]

Looking great!

Tony

[kokomoto]

Looking great!

Tony

Thanks Tony!

Didn't get much done on the TD today. Put the first coat of RAKA on the roof then attended a funeral for a friend of ours. He flew 25 missions in the cockpit of a B-17 over Europe. A great guy with a gift for storytelling. There's not many of his breed left. He learned to fly in the days of biplanes, and finished his aviation career in jets as a Captain for Eastern Airlines.

Hope you have a great weekend Tony.

[kokomoto]

Finished the ceiling, and have 3 coats of RAKA epoxy on it. Also put a couple coats of tung oil on the interior bulkheads.

Tonight I tried to get a new pattern cut for the doors. I made a huge mistake by not following Steve's manual closely. When I cut the door openings in the walls. I didn't cut it carefully so as to have a nice pattern to use on the doors. They are both slightly different as a result. Soooooo, now I have to painstakingly mark and cut a tight fitting pattern for each door. lesson learned. Read the dog gone manual, and follow it.

The hurricane hinge arrived. It looks like Iike it needs a 1/4" gap between the spar and the top edge of the hatch. I cut mine my walls with a 3/8" gap. A minor setback, but one that needs to be addressed. I just need to fix it without messing up the hatch fit at the seal. It's probably going to need a modification to the hatch outer sides.

Ordered the hinges for the doors. A stainless strap affair that took some serious internet searching to find. The style I wanted was too long, and would get in the way of the windows that I am installing in the doors. I finally found a shorter version of the same style at Austin hardware.

Maybe I should have ordered manufactured doors.

[KCStudly]

Can you just laminate a 1/8 thick shim to the face of the hatch hinge spar and avoid changing gasket profile of the hatch?

[kokomoto]

Can you just laminate a 1/8 thick shim to the face of the hatch hinge spar and avoid changing gasket profile of the hatch?

A brilliant idea! That sounds like it just might work. I'll look into it. Thanks a million.

Just wondering....the hatch spar is already epoxied with RAKA. I presume sanding the spar a bit and using something like PL Premium will work for getting a good bond between the shim and spar.

[KCStudly]

....the hatch spar is already epoxied with RAKA. I presume sanding the spar a bit and using something like PL Premium will work for getting a good bond between the shim and spar.

Yes to scuffing it up, but Why not just use more epoxy?

Do the screws go thru the face of the spar or in from the top? If through the face, the shim will be clamped by the screws in the end anyway, so I guess it isn't that critical.