(The Puffin) New Tiny Trailer

[beevel]

Steve, I have reread your thread and I am trying to figure out how you sealed your entry door. I can see double jams, one inside and one outside. Did you fit any weather stripping inbetween your jams, or is it just wood to wood sealing?

Basically the last thing I have to figure out... (then I don't need to use anymore brainpower)

Thanks.

[steve wolverton]

Did you fit any weather stripping inbetween your jams, or is it just wood to wood sealing?

I have weather stripping on the inside of the interior door jamb, and I also have weather stripping on the aluminum outside jamb. I recently went through a storm while towing the camper back to Houston and had to drive 20mph because it was raining so hard I couldn't see. The wind was blowing against the door side of the camper, and it was actually a bit scary because the wind was blowing my camper and SUV all over the place. When I got home, I opened the door to check for leaks and the camper was dry. I'm convinved I could drive through a car wash with it and it would stay dry.

I think my double jamb may have been overkill, but leaks are one thing I never worry about.

[beevel]

Thanks for the info. One more question...

Your door is the same thickness as your trailer walls correct? If so did you have to offset your jams to make room for the weatherstripping?

I hope that just made sense?

Again thanks for the info, and I'm amazed that you have a that functional and attractive of a camper in that small of a footprint. The most comparable thing I can think of is a boler, and I've been in those and they don't have as much space as your camper appears to have in the pics.

Good job.

[steve wolverton]

Your door is the same thickness as your trailer walls correct? If so did you have to offset your jams to make room for the weatherstripping?

The aluminum angle on the front was offset (sticks out from the door) a very small amount - less than 1/8" to allow the door to close. I didn't offset the interior jamb weatherstripping at all - I bought the thinnest stuff I could find. I'm not sure the inner jamb weatherstripping is even needed - it's more of a backup. I used the thinnest weatherstripping I could find. Eventually I'll purchase some T molding for the door, but for now I'm content with the angle.

The trailer is only 8' long, but it doesn't feel cramped to me. If I were to build it again, I would make the bed a little lower (or the upper shelf a little higher) for a few extra inches of headroom while seated at the settee.

[SaGR]

Trim

[steve wolverton]

Trim

Trim pictures? Pictures of trim?

[SaGR]

Don't even go there studly!

[steve wolverton]

:lol: Don't even go there studly!

Hehe.

[steve wolverton]

I have a buddy coming by after she gets off work today and we're going camping this weekend at Huntsville State Park. All of the good Austin spots were full - one nice weekend and everyone comes out of the woodwork. It is a nice break from the rains which lasted all summer long.

Tomorrow's forecast is 102 and sunny! Sweet!

If anyone wants to see the camper, feel free to swing out there. We stay up late and sleep late, so please don't come knocking at 8:00am. Maybe the crack of noon and we'll be up.

I'll be at Raven Hill (never been on that side before) camping area. If we're gone, (biking) then I'll leave it open so you can rummage around inside. Just please don't eat all of our food if we're not there.

[asianflava]

Saw bunches of 5ers coming the other way on the freeway today. They are going camping while I am headed to work. It looks like it's gonna be a hot one!

[Thunderknight]

If we're gone, (biking) then I'll leave it open so you can rummage around inside.

If this Puffin is a rocking, don't come a knocking.

[NoNeck]

Steve, my wife and i were wondering if the interior walls of the trailer are noticeably hot during the summer months being so thin. Do you think insulation would be needed to stop it? My Bunks would be up against the walls so i was just wondering.

[steve wolverton]

I just made it back from Huntsville. It was nice and toasty. We rode 8 miles of the trails yesterday (100 degrees, feels like 112 yeah!) and did another 6 miles that night.

I had two people stop by and check it out, and I had one raccoon stop by and relieve me of some food.

NoNeck - If I press my hand to the walls I can feel the warmth, but it's not unconfortable. The 5000 BTU AC managed to keep the camper cool this weekend. We did have a lot of shade, and I'm not sure how it would do in direct sunlight, but the times I've had it in the driveway in direct sun it has done just fine. We bought a big floor fan to keep on us while we were sitting under the awning this weekend. We were dying with no air movement. I actually fell asleep in my lawn chair under the awning after the fan.

[nikwax]

Hi Steve,



Question on framing the sides: looks like you used 1x2, correct? Did you use scrap ply for the curved section framing, or did you cut down 1 by?



This thread is so long, it needs it's own search function

[steve wolverton]

Question on framing the sides: looks like you used 1x2, correct? Did you use scrap ply for the curved section framing, or did you cut down 1 by?

I used 1x2's on the straights and then I cut some 3/4" plywood for the curved sections.

That seemed to be the easiest/quickest way to do it and I sealed it with epoxy/woodflour on the inside to glue it together.