Karebru's 7x16 Build Log

[flboy]

Wow.. what nice work. First class!

[hankaye]

Karebru, Howdy;

Not one thing wrong with being a true Safety person, (belt & suspenders),
works for lots of folks. chucklin'

hank

[Karebru]

Karebru, Howdy;

Not one thing wrong with being a true Safety person, (belt & suspenders),
works for lots of folks. chucklin'

hank

What CAN go wrong will go wrong.
I have a very graphic imagination when contemplating these things.

[foxontherun]

Karebru, Howdy;

Not one thing wrong with being a true Safety person, (belt & suspenders),
works for lots of folks. chucklin'

hank

What CAN go wrong will go wrong.
I have a very graphic imagination when contemplating these things.

We might be related, do you have a cousin named Murphy as well?? Right there with you on this!

Like your new bed setup

I totally understand the getting up too many times during the night, LOL! Are you using the same mattresses you showed on your original setup (Sept 2020)? How do you like the ones you are using? Comfy? Would you purchase them again?

Also, what size lumber did you use for your new setup? I'm getting ready to start working on my build again; doc gave the ok to start using my bum arm again .

Thanks!
Harry

[Karebru]

Murphy? Well, I'm not sure. If there was any relation, it would most likely be from my Kelly grandmother.
But I doubt it. I believe that side is where my occasional dumb luck come from.

Yes, those are the original mattress. They are six inch foam, nicely made covers... A little soft, is my only complaint.
If I ever replace them, I'll probably go will 5, or even 4 inch.

Woodworking is my trade, so I started with rough, 4/4 material, (alder) and glued up pieces where I needed it thicker for the legs and such. The corner legs are 3-1/2" wide on each side. I wanted them to look a little clunky. Like something in a bunkhouse. To go along with the barn theme.

I experimented by using hollow- core doors as the platforms. Going for weight reduction with rigidity. Probably would have been fine if I'd used a better grade door.
The top sides are already starting to crack. I thought that with the mattress distributing any pressure points (elbows, knees, butt) it would be fine, but...
An added layer of 1/4" play should solve that.

[Karebru]

We returned home yesterday, after another great time a Highlands Hammock SP.
On Monday night, after the weekenders were gone, we were one of maybe six occupied sites in the whole, large campground.
The deer came right in at sunset, and bedded down all over the place in the short grass. I counted around 20 does and little ones.

If you can take the heat/humidity, and bugs, Florida is a magical place off-season.

...And a BIG mama gator with babies.



She was right under the catwalk. I could have poked her with my foot.
She watched me out of the corner of her eye for a minute, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Then she seemed to doze off. I didn't notice the pair of little ones at the bottom of the picture until I opened it on a computer.

Climbing aboard...

[flboy]

If you can take the heat/humidity, and bugs, Florida is a magical place off-season.

I agree... the places are best when others aren't willing to go.

Also, Florida has a bad rap for humidity and bugs... especially the bugs. I am in Nebraska now and the flies will carry you off and the mosquitoes are thick and huge. Got bit by a few of them and I think I need a blood transfusion! If nothing else, I will have to wait 6 more weeks before I can donate blood again.

[foxontherun]

Thanks for the details on the bed build and mattress info. Really like your woodworking skills.

I agree, during the week is some of the best time to camp as you can pretty much have the place to yourself. Really cool that you ran across the momma and baby gators, and the deer.

Harry

[Karebru]

Been doing a little cosmetic work on the outside. I found the perfect band-aid for my ... jackknife scar.
It happened in my driveway several months ago. That tongue frame is so short. Hopefully, I've gained a little experience backing it in. The WDH added a few inches too.
I've also repainted the exposed black frame since the picture was taken.



We decided to add two more small windows to let some light in the back. Of the five weekends we've done so far, we've been able to open up the ramp once.
Three have been summer trips, (Love the AC.) and one was cold and wet.
We were playing around with the placement of the eagles. Hopefully, they'll go on this weekend.



Light is good, but we both like it dark for sleeping. So I went with shutters instead of curtains.





We have reservations for a third trip to Highlands Hammock SP over Halloween weekend. Hopefully we'll get to put the ramp down.
Fall can be either flannel shirt weather, or shorts and a t-shirt in southern Florida.

[hankaye]

Karebtu, Howdy;

" Fall can be either flannel shirt weather, or shorts and a t-shirt in southern Florida. "

You're funny, in South Fl. flannel is the heavy duty winter/Atic clothing option.

hank

[Karebru]

Karebtu, Howdy;

" Fall can be either flannel shirt weather, or shorts and a t-shirt in southern Florida. "

You're funny, in South Fl. flannel is the heavy duty winter/Atic clothing option.

hank

I guess it all depends on your perspective. We keep our AC set on 76 at home. We're both more comfortable at 77 but it tends to get stuffy.
Please excuse me, while I go stand out in the sun for a few.

[flboy]

That woodwork and etc. on the windows is just top notch. I really like they way that looks! Very nice...

[Karebru]

Thanks, Don. It didn't make me rich, but it's been a fun trade.

[featherliteCT1]

Ditto with Flboy on the wood window trim rings and wood shutters. Beautiful!

[Karebru]

Thanks, Featherlite.

Technical Report:
Finally got my rig to the scales this morning. Here’s the numbers.
(In more detail than anyone could possibly care about.)

Tow Vehicle:
2017 Nissan Frontier, 6cyl, 2wd, crew cab.
As per specs…
Max Towing Capacity: 6,300 lbs
Max Tongue Load: 630 lbs.
Max Combined Weight Rating 11,230 lbs.
Sticker inside door reads…
“-198 lbs. Max Load Capacity due to custom features.”

Trailer:
Forest River 7’ x16’ +V x 7’, tandem axle.
Factory Dry Weight: 2,243 lbs.
Maximum Cargo Weight: 4,757 lbs.

Scale readings are with me in the truck, and most of our camping gear in the trailer.
No food, ice, clothes, bedding etc. Water tank, empty. (We don’t normally fill it.)

Gross Combined Weight: 8,820 lbs.
Truck Alone: 4,480 lbs.
Tongue Weight at ball: 650 lbs. +/- (14%)

So, camper weight = 4,340 lbs
Add for the above cargo and two adult trikes… 300 lbs.?
Actual loaded trailer towing weight, including WD hitch… 4, 640 lbs. +/-

Notes:
*Tongue weight above is before loading heaviest items behind trailer axles.
Bikes, ice, firewood, etc.

*And the number I've been most curious about...
My build, plus some camping gear added about 2,100 lbs. to the original empty trailer.

*If I had known I was going to build a camper, I'd have bought a full size truck.
But I think this is workable for now, if I keep it slow and stay out of the mountains.