(The Puffin) New Tiny Trailer

[NightCap]

Hey Steve,

If you leave now you can make it here in time for the spring fling. I want a tour of your Puffin. All these tears and TTT's on this site are not real till you can physically touch them. If you can't make it I under stand.

[steve wolverton]

If you leave now you can make it here in time for the spring fling.

What is Spring Fling, and more importantly, is there any good mountain biking near it?

[NightCap]

TOW. Teardrops of Oregon and Washington get together this long weekend. There will be at least 50 tears etc there. I think someone could get some ideas with that many tears around. Mountain biking at it's best in Washington. I am not sure what is around Morton since I have never been there. But I will find out this weekend.

[Hudsonite]

Steve,
The camper keeps getting better and better! I have just a couple of questions. First, where did you get your hardware for the camper door? What hinge did you use, and where did you get the silver material around the door edges? Second, what hardware did you use to make your new table that attaches to the side? I'd love to make one of those, but don't know where to get the hardware.
Thanks in advance.
Scott

[steve wolverton]

First, where did you get your hardware for the camper door? What hinge did you use, and where did you get the silver material around the door edges? Second, what hardware did you use to make your new table that attaches to the side?

Thanks Hudsonite! All of the hardware for the door came from Home Depot. I used two of their hinges, one 48" and a 12" cut down to fit the bottom of the door. I don't like the screws as they rust, and I'll replace that hinge with stainless or aluminum in the near future. The silver material is aluminum angle also from Home Depot.

The table is 3/4" plywood that was fiberglassed. I sealed the edges with 3/4" aluminum channel (Home Depot) and the hinge was purchased from TJTrailer.com. It's called a table support - (thanks MJ) and it can be found here:

http://www.tjtrailers.com/store/table-support.html

The table support leg is a piece of 2" PVC pipe that has an end cap glued & screwed to the underside of the table.

Hope this helps.

[Hudsonite]

Thanks Steve! That's great... precisely what I wanted to know.

[steve wolverton]

I had another trip this weekend and all went well. I just checked my log and see that I've been on 16 separate camping trips since last December. That's only 5 months! I've put 2587 miles on it too.

I'm just about finished with the interior (except the bathroom) and almost ready to start on the exterior. I'll try to snap a few interior pics tomorrow to show a few additions. As for the exterior, I thought about adding some graphics, but the camper has a retro look to it (it should, it's based on the 1950's Popular Mechanics Li'l Guy) so I think I'll stick with something from that era.

I've had 3 or 4 people ask me if it was vintage. "Yup, vintage December 2006."

So, here's a quick photoshop of the new paint ideas. I'm not sure if I should include a red striping line at the bottom as well as the top, or just do the top? I think it looks better.




Very simple addition, but I think it really adds to it.

[NightCap]

Very simple addition, but I think it really adds to it.

I like it. the red line makes it pop a little. As much as I like it, there is something about it I'm not too sure of. Can't put my finger on it. It could be hard to undo unless red is easy to cover with white.

[steve wolverton]

It could be hard to undo unless red is easy to cover with white.

Hard to undo? Bah! This is nothing more than some paint, wood, and a few screws. Piece of cake.

I've yanked the butt blocks off the outside, and I'm going to relocate them inside the camper and epoxy the outside smooth.



I have to order some epoxy/fillers tomorrow so I won't be able to camp this weekend, but it should be ready the next.

The red line is going be built using 1x2's and 3/4" plywood for the curve. It will be lifted, as I really like that look. I should have all of that stuff built tomorrow too, then it's just a waiting game for the epoxy.


Here's the pic I ripped off my ideas from. I need to find the site again to credit it.

[NightCap]

Ok, I'm on board then. Can you get the red on the wheel as well?

[steve wolverton]

Ok, I'm on board then. Can you get the red on the wheel as well?

Not sure how, or if it's worth the trouble. I have the 8" wheels, and they're hidden behind the skirting.

[SaGR]

For the inside, I'm going to use epoxy/wood flour, which is almost impossible to sand. It makes a very strong joint. All the inside corners will be glued using the epoxy fillet method. Instead of a screw every 6" or so holding the camper together, the camper will basically be welded solid using epoxy.

I was thinking about stitch and glue and flour this morning and was wondering if anyone had done it.

I've built several boats over the years all using S&G construction so was wondering if it would apply to this.

I love your TTT! Nice job!

[steve wolverton]

I've built several boats over the years all using S&G construction so was wondering if it would apply to this.

SaGR, you mean building a stitch & glue tear? I think it would be great. Tears are constructed like pre-stitch in glue boats now. I don't see why it wouldn't work just as well to update the building method.

[Zorkman]

Hey Steve,
I took your idea of dropping the sides down to cover most the wheels on my TTT (modded widget) construction and was just wondering if you reinforced the part that hangs down? Im using 11/32" (just shy of 3/8" for the walls and you are using 1/4") and Im seeing way more flex than I would like, for example if someone accidently kicks it while climbing into the camper? Also are you protecting the bottom edges of the ply with anything else other than the epoxy, im concerened with road debree eating a chunk out of the edges?
Maybe If I get mine done sometime this summer I might see you at Summerville... 7th WEEKEND of construction here and you were already camping in yours by then

[packerz4]

hi steve, love your trailer. i can't seem to find how you attach your awning to the top to your camper? can you show a picture of that?

thanks,
tk

btw, love your paint ideas... stripe adds a lot!