(The Puffin) New Tiny Trailer

Anything to do with mechanical, construction etc

Postby NightCap » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:39 am

steve wolverton wrote:I just installed the exhaust fan in the bathroom. :thumbsup:
I'm going to build a foam ceiling and glass it in to hide the guts.


Will you be able to repair or replace a broken fan? Just a thought. Am I just being paranoid since how often would you use a fan in a camper anyway?
Image
#1 - 100% Done #2 - 100% Done Thinking about #3
User avatar
NightCap
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1131
Images: 259
Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:28 pm
Location: Iowa, Dayton

Postby packerz4 » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:44 am

"Oh, he's so cool he doesn't have to conform to centering things" on the rear of the camper. I'm also going to remove the trike rack. I'll just have to haul it in the SUV, or sell it. Anyone want to make an offer? No offer is too low. ;)


hi steve! love da mods! love the trailer! i'm glad to hear you're gonna take the trike rack off. (i always thought it looked funny.) you could always put a hitch rack on the back to haul it, or put it on top of your suv?

keep the thread going, your pictures rock!

:applause:

tk
~ Go Packers! ~
www.2bagalot.com
User avatar
packerz4
Donating Member
 
Posts: 605
Images: 53
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:57 pm
Location: Elcho, WI

Postby steve wolverton » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:01 am

Tear Les - I'm sure I'll be around when the camper is finished. If the camper is ever finished. Where would I steal all my good ideas from if I didn't get them here?

Jeeper92 - I'm not sure, but what I would do is measure your tow vehicles mirrors and see how wide that is. I could have made the Puffin 6'4" wide and still have been able to use my SUV's mirrors.

NightCap - I hadn't even thought about repairing/replacing it, but there is a vent cover (just like the ones in houses) that goes over the cutout. The guts of the exhaust fan can be removed/replaced without removing the mount, and that will all fit through the vent cover opening. Besides, I think they're fairly robust - I can't remember one ever going out? Worst case scenario is I have to cut the foam/glass and pull it out, but then I'll just foam/glass a patch. It's just wood & glue keeping these boxes together. ;)

packerz4 - Yeah, I never cared for the looks of the trike rack either. It was all purpose and no looks. As for the pictures, I'm glad you like them. I was worried that I was boring people to death with a lot of mundane stuff.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:29 am

Here is an interior pic showing the U shaped lounge. I pulled the table off the mount so I could take the picture.

Image
You can see that the cushions are loose as I haven't sewn drawstrings in yet. I'm going to sew up some new cushion covers (beige) later, as these are just sheets that I cut up to act as temporary cushions. Total costs was $10 for them.

Last night I cut the middle cushion (the table top cushion) in half so I could use them as backrests. They actually are held in place under the window lip when in the dining mode. That was another happy accident. :thumbsup:

I'm going to make the new seat covers out of heavy cotton canvas (the same stuff as the black fabric) which will look like more traditional seat covers.

You can also see on of the boards that the table sits down on to become the bed bottom. I used a 2x2 and a roundover bit in my router to make them.

I'm about to run to Lowes to see if I can find some tile to finish my table top.

I also ordered my drip caps last night. :thumbsup:
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:49 pm

Good news and bad news. The good news is I finished my table, and the bad news is my underwear is soggy. Geesh it's hot out there. :thumbdown:

So here's the picture of the finished table:

Image
$0.88 for each tile at Lowes + $10 for the aluminum edging. I used screws placed 6" apart to hold it on there. I need a few more screws to finish the straight piece on the back, and if you look in the mirror, you can see I only have 3 on it now.

I'm glad I went with the black as it really looks sharp. I think the beige would have been too much beige.

Now I'm going to do some touch-up interior paint (speaker boxes, doorway, etc.) and little things like that.

BTW, that speaker speaker wire is temporary, my amp/tuner will be mounted above the bed in the storage area.
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby mikeschn » Fri Jun 15, 2007 3:33 pm

That looks sharp. When does it go into production?

Mike...
The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten, so build your teardrop with the best materials...
User avatar
mikeschn
Site Admin
 
Posts: 19202
Images: 475
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:01 am
Location: MI
Top

Postby davel » Fri Jun 15, 2007 3:49 pm

Steve,

That looks great :thumbsup:
User avatar
davel
Donating Member
 
Posts: 1369
Images: 32
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 9:42 pm
Location: Ennis, Texas
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:03 pm

mikeschn - Production!? This is a one of kind limited edition 1 of 1. :lol: I'm still working on the free plans - I'll let you know when I get them finished.

davel - Thanks Dave! We need another get together in the near future, I'm getting the itch to camp with the tear crowd. I hope you guys are well.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby Juneaudave » Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:23 pm

That really looks comfortable...and sharp....and professional....and the whole package works!!!!!!

Congratulations...I really appreciate you keeping up your post. I'm inspired!!!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
User avatar
Juneaudave
Super Duper Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 3237
Images: 380
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 12:11 pm
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Top

Postby Classic Finn » Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:25 pm

Steve that is a very nice looking tiny trailer you have there...looks comfortable too.. :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

I really like it.. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Classic Finn ;)
Royal Teardrop Society Scandinavian Bureau Chief of Staff

Image
User avatar
Classic Finn
Midnight Sun Voyager
Midnight Sun Voyager
 
Posts: 17488
Images: 146
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 4:29 am
Location: Country of Finland
Top

Postby Greg M » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:16 pm

steve wolverton wrote:packerz4 - Yeah, I never cared for the looks of the trike rack either. It was all purpose and no looks. As for the pictures, I'm glad you like them. I was worried that I was boring people to death with a lot of mundane stuff.


All you gotta do is put a receiver hitch on the trailer and weld yourself up something like this: ImageImage
Barely an hour with the welder and then you've got something you can leave at home when you only want to bring the mountain bikes along.

-Greg
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
User avatar
Greg M
*Geek Extraordinaire
 
Posts: 1167
Images: 85
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:40 am
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:31 pm

Juneaudave - Thanks for your comments. BTW, your tear is looking amazing! I don't have the patience for all of that wood work.

Classic Finn - It's my decompression chamber. I try to get away from the rat race on the weekends and unwind. I'm getting my moneys worth out of it, that's for sure.

Greg M - Yup, it looks like I just found my next project. I'll need to install a receiver on the camper too. Since I'll have a receiver to haul the trike, then I could build that sailboat I've been wanting...GAH!
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:50 pm

I just got the stripe sealed with epoxy. I'm hoping to have the red stripe painted on the camper tomorrow.

I applied an epoxy fillet to the bathroom to begin sealing it up for the shower.

I also started working on the ceiling. It seems I'm working my way from bottom to top on this build.

I had a 1x3 that ran across to roof to support the middle of the roof. It ties in the front bathroom to the rear storage areas over the bed. It's to keep the roof from sagging. Well, I had a router, so I began playing with and made some crazy oval design in it and epoxied it in place. This was many months back. I've never liked it, so I epoxied two 1/4" pieces of wood to the edges to seal it off. This will give it more strength, but more importantly it will cover up the holes which I didn't like.

Image
The next step is to pull the trim down off the ceiling and apply the black vinyl headliner. Right now I just have black paint on the ceiling. That should just about do it for the interior of the camper, except for the shower.

I finally got the epoxy on the speaker boxes painted too.

Oh, and cupholders! I need folding cupholders!
Last edited by steve wolverton on Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

Postby Novanut » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:08 pm

Looking good Steve. Where did you get the outside door handle and what are you using for the bathroom door handle? thanks, Jay
User avatar
Novanut
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 32
Images: 28
Joined: Mon May 21, 2007 2:31 pm
Location: Alabama
Top

Postby steve wolverton » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:15 pm

Novanut wrote:Looking good Steve. Where did you get the outside door handle and what are you using for the bathroom door handle?


Thanks. My outside door handle/latch is a popup type latch. I got it here:

part# 46096
http://www.go-rv.com/coast/do/catalog/page?dealerId=434&pageNum=180

I don't have a bathroom door handle yet. I use a slide barrel lock to keep it closed.
�veni, vidi, vici.�
User avatar
steve wolverton
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1676
Images: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:39 pm
Location: Brazoria, TX
Top

PreviousNext

Return to Teardrop Construction Tips & Techniques

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests