Tom & Shelly's build

[noseoil]

Here's an idea for a towel holder (I only steal the best ideas). Drill a block of wood on an angle with a 1" bit, drop in a 1" marble & cover the cut. Lets you slide a dish towel up in place, but to pull it out, a tug to the side is what gets the towel out. It won't drop out of the bottom, as the marble holds it tight. If the towel falls out, you have other things to look at!



The galley is looking great now, nice attention to detail & space utilization. A CNC is good, but a plunge router with a reverse flush-cut bit will get the job done. Only problem is that making a pattern can be a little time-consuming. Once the pattern is finished, an unlimited number of parts can be made with good precision. Not great for a one-off part, but it works.

[Tom&Shelly]

Here's an idea for a towel holder (I only steal the best ideas).

Thank you for the idea Tim.

Tom

[Tom&Shelly]

Here is Shelly's contribution to teardrop organization:



Each pocket is dedicated to a specific item, cell phone, wallet, keys, glasses, water bottle...

In the middle, we each have a reading light that works off of the USB port or its own AAA cells. She also made a bag to hold the battery powered LED clock above the door. Before our first trip, she'd made curtains which attach to the doors with velcro



They have buttons and loops so we can raise them above the windows. She also made pockets in the top where we keep small flashlights.

We also have a new mattress from the Foam Factory in place. It's their 8 inch version. Been in for a few weeks, so we think it's fully expanded. Not sure why the cover is so loose. We're also not sure how we'll make the bed, since it's tight against the sides. Shelly is thinking of sewing the sheets and blanket to a board that slips in under the foot of the bed.

I test fit the galley organizer this morning



I still need to glue some tabs inside for attaching to the counter. Might have been better attached to the sides, but the bulkhead is just 1/8 inch ply with foam behind it in that area.

Tom

[tony.latham]

We're also not sure how we'll make the bed...

We use a fitted sheet --which isn't too bad for the two of us to install–– and then use a light fleece blanket for a top sheet. No tucking involved. (Dunno how the one-door crowd does it.)

Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

We're also not sure how we'll make the bed...

We use a fitted sheet --which isn't too bad for the two of us to install–– and then use a light fleece blanket for a top sheet. No tucking involved. (Dunno how the one-door crowd does it.)

Tony

Now Shelly wants to know how you keep your toes from sticking out, but I told her that is much too personal of a question to ask on this forum!

If I were still single, and built a 4 foot wide, one door teardrop, I'd use a sleeping bag. But, then again, since Shelly's much better at backing up a trailer than I am, I'd probably still be tent camping!

Tom

[western traveler]

Here is Shelly's contribution to teardrop organization:



Each pocket is dedicated to a specific item, cell phone, wallet, keys, glasses, water bottle...

In the middle, we each have a reading light that works off of the USB port or its own AAA cells. She also made a bag to hold the battery powered LED clock above the door. Before our first trip, she'd made curtains which attach to the doors with velcro



They have buttons and loops so we can raise them above the windows. She also made pockets in the top where we keep small flashlights.

We also have a new mattress from the Foam Factory in place. It's their 8 inch version. Been in for a few weeks, so we think it's fully expanded. Not sure why the cover is so loose. We're also not sure how we'll make the bed, since it's tight against the sides. Shelly is thinking of sewing the sheets and blanket to a board that slips in under the foot of the bed.

I test fit the galley organizer this morning



I still need to glue some tabs inside for attaching to the counter. Might have been better attached to the sides, but the bulkhead is just 1/8 inch ply with foam behind it in that area.

Tom

All this looks great! I am looking forward to the opportunity to personalize my build. At the moment enjoying the journey..

[rjgimp]

Shelly's much better at backing up a trailer than I am...

No mere mortal can admit such things so freely.

[Tom&Shelly]

Shelly's much better at backing up a trailer than I am...

No mere mortal can admit such things so freely.

Thank you Rob, but to be fair, as of this writing I haven't yet been convinced, beyond all doubt, of my own mortality!

Tom

"For one who has not lived even a single lifetime, you're a wise man, Van Helsing" -- Dracula

[Tom&Shelly]

Shelly put together a few things for our Summer trips. First, she modified a kit friends gave us for mounting tools to the inside back end of a Jeep. Unfortunately, the kit was for a 4 door Jeep and wouldn't work on ours (roll bar in the way), so Shelly took the rubber holders and modified them to work in our truck bed:



That and a roll of paper, or the Sears catalog, and we're pretty much all set. (Although this Summer, I'm afraid our camping will be more formal, for the most part.)

In case you're wondering what the pole above the shovel is



just in case we run out of money and have to work as shepherds. In the mean time, we use it to pull things out from the front of the truck bed. As I speak, Shelly is figuring out how to Velcro it to the carpet of our topper.

Shelly bought a nice privacy tent that allegedly is easier to set up than our last one. (Haven't tried it yet myself, so we'll see...) One thing I didn't like about the last one was the floor; it had one, and so the water hung around during a sponge bath. This one doesn't have that so we can pollute the local environment more immediately. However, since it's inconvenient to stand on mud, Shelly built this from scrap red ceder I had since the house's porch railing was built



She carefully sanded it, so hopefully we won't have splinters, and oiled it with Watco Danish oil. (BTW, despite the hopeful name, do not try and use that product to fry your danishes. Stick with bacon grease!)

She also made a block for leveling the trailer



The design will look familiar to anyone who bought Tony's book.

Finally, she made a set of chocks



Except for a couple of mending plates, all of the material was free!

Tom

[tony.latham]

...we use it to pull things out from the front of the truck bed.

That's a hell of a lot fancier stick than the one in my truck. I should rethink mine.

But you paid 18 bucks for a how-to-book to build chocks and leveling blocks?

Sheeeeesh.

Speaking of which, I put four 1/2" dowels that stick about a 1/2" proud on the bottom of my base block. They have a tendency to get pushed by the truck.

Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

But you paid 18 bucks for a how-to-book to build chocks and leveling blocks?

Sheeeeesh.

Well, one of these days I'll meet the author and get him to autograph it.

Speaking of which, I put four 1/2" dowels that stick about a 1/2" proud on the bottom of my base block. They have a tendency to get pushed by the truck.

Tony

So, like cleats on a pair of athletic shoes? (I think Shelly mis-understood your Facebook post.) We'll see if she has time to modify it before our next trip.

Tom

[rjgimp]

Shelly put together...
she modified a kit ..
Shelly took the rubber holders and modified them...
As I speak, Shelly is figuring out how to...
Shelly bought a nice privacy tent...
However, since it's inconvenient to stand on mud, Shelly built this...
She also made...
Finally, she made a set of chocks.

Tom

Seems she's kinda handy to have around!

[Tom&Shelly]

Shelly put together...
she modified a kit ..
Shelly took the rubber holders and modified them...
As I speak, Shelly is figuring out how to...
Shelly bought a nice privacy tent...
However, since it's inconvenient to stand on mud, Shelly built this...
She also made...
Finally, she made a set of chocks.

Tom

Seems she's kinda handy to have around!

Indeed! She also made dinner. But in fairness, I...um, gee, what did I do today?

Tom

[Tom&Shelly]

We had Cabin Fever up to Gunnsion Colorado last weekend in a campsite with shore power, so I tried the air conditioner out. It blew cool real well with one hose



and after an hour or more still hadn't frozen up, so I think that's how we'll use it: pulling warm air from outside in. I left the roof vent open, and the cabin cooled well enough for me to take a nap, while Shelly slaved in the galley. The AC pulled a lot of water from the air, judging by the discharge.

The controls in the cabin didn't work however, so this morning I took everything out of the utility compartment, took the top shelf off, and pulled the AC unit out and up to the workshop for repairs. (I have power in the workshop, not in the garage where the tear is stored.) We had installed the AC before putting on the doors, so that was a slight issue. This is one reason many techs and field engineers hate design engineers, and one reason design engineers ABSOLUTELY should go out on field tests with any new prototype they designed (campers, aircraft, communications systems, anything!) (Well, okay, unmanned spacecraft and unmanned high altitude balloons maybe not so much. But I'm getting off subject.)

The cargo doors had a very deep lip, which is probably there for rigidity. I should have drilled some neat holes during door installation, to get to the screws holding the AC in place, but today I had to settle for some less neat ones



Oh well! They're only seen when opening the door to the utility room--sort of akin to a basement in a house.

Once I got the AC out and up to the shop the problem was immediately obvious (thank goodness). The connector Climateright used was flaky. I could move it around and make the wired remote do strange things. So I replaced that connector with 4 gold plated bullet connectors, color coded so even the silliest idiot (read: my future self someday, trying to fix this in bad weather) will get it right.



We'll be testing it out in a few days in the mid-west, so I'm glad I put the time in, even though it took a long morning!

The tear itself has now been tested in rain (both while stationary and being driven) and passed with flying colors. We are pleased.

Tom

[twisted lines]

Now Shelly wants to know how you keep your toes from sticking out, but I told her that is much too personal of a question to ask on this forum!

Tom

Here you go my wife and i have had this for 38 years next month and it's mine; We both say that.
That little pocket get's used.
Hope all is well on that maddened voyage.