Cubby Builders: Sides Cut, Kuffel's Wrong, Wanna Learn?

[madjack]

...OUTSIDE to OUTSIDE should be 48" or you will have some serious problems covering the top with 48" anything. I made all of my bulkhead walls 46.25 instead of 46.5 just to have some wiggle room inside of that 48" measurment (by the way I am not using Kuffel plans)
madjack

p.s. heck, maybe I missed sumthin'

[IraRat]

Kuffel's Cubby plans don't have it outside to outside--you use a standard 4 X 8 as your deck, no trimming. The side walls attach to the outside of the wooden frame.

And your roof will still fit like this. It butts the top inside edges of your walls to just fit.

I would think making the bulkhead framing any shorter, and then screwing/gluing to the sides, would really throw something off. Granted, this gets done BEFORE the spars are installed, so is it that the 3/4 difference just ain't gonna matter, when you consider that comes out to 3/8 each side?

But the spars are indicated as 48"!

[madjack]

...Ira, as I am not using Kevin's plans I can't answer to that but unless I am missing something and you attach your walls to the outside of a 48" wide frame/floor, how are you going to skin it with 48" aluminum, since the overall will now be 49.5(using .75 ply for sides...even wider for a composite wal)
madjack

[IraRat]

See my edited post above. If this doesn't make sense, you've stumbled on the reason I originated this thread in the first place!

As I say, I can still skin my roof (and easier because I'm NOT using aluminum). I'm assuming my side and roof edges will butt satisfactorily, and any thin gaps will be dealt with out of a can, bottle or tube to fill and seal them. Everything NOW gets skinned, and I guess it's thank God for trim.

[Geron]

Notice that the deck is built 47 1/4 inches wide (Pg 84 shop drawings) which will be the inside dimension. Add the 3/8 +3/8 for each side attached to a 47 1/4 " wide deck and you come up with a 48" wide trailer OUTSIDE dimension. That's so a 48" sheet of aluminium will fully cover the top skin. Works like a charm.

That's where the extra 3/4 " is found.

SHOP DRAWING ON PG. 84 - NOTE THE MEASUREMENTS GIVEN.
47 1/4 X 93 7/8

47 1/4 Inside dimension
48" Outside dimension
93 7/8 " length

Thus the spars and bulkheads will be 47 1/4 inches.

TIP: measure your Inside dimension of your FINISHED deck with walls mounted (from wall to wall inside) and cut your spars and build your bulkheads to that length. It may vary (slightly) from the 47 1/4" in the plans based on how accurately you cut the 48" plywood for the deck to 47 1/4" and how carefully you framed for the plywood deck.

Geron

[toypusher]

Kuffel's Cubby plans don't have it outside to outside--you use a standard 4 X 8 as your deck, no trimming. The side walls attach to the outside of the wooden frame.

And your roof will still fit like this. It butts the top inside edges of your walls to just fit.

I would think making the bulkhead framing any shorter, and then screwing/gluing to the sides, would really throw something off. Granted, this gets done BEFORE the spars are installed, so is it that the 3/4 difference just ain't gonna matter, when you consider that comes out to 3/8 each side?

But the spars are indicated as 48"!

Actually, the plans (on page 84) show the deck to be 47 1/4" wide. That allows the 3/8" sides to be put on the outside of the deck and still sit on the frame (beside the deck structure). This also means (though I can not find specific mention in the plans) that the spars will have to be 47 1/4" also. While on the subject of spars, did you notice that they are only 1 1/4" and not 1 1/2" as in the supplies list??

This is one of the things that people have mentioned to Kevin about the plans when he said that he was redoing them. You might want to email him about the things that you are finding. He can help you past the problem areas and maybe make the plans better for the next guy.

Kerry

[Syekick]

I enjoyed the post Ira. Tongue in cheek and all the rough edges. I haven't read a technical plan for anything that doesn't have errors. From working with technical people for 35 years I've also learned that each person can interpret portions of the plan differently, often with surprising results. (Read horrible mistakes and innovative improvements)

[BILLYL]

This thread is very interesting. I too am using the CUBBY plans and like others have found them to be a great reference materials and other times a little off. I do not see them as a "STEP BY STEP" document. and most of the fixes can be found on the board (Maybe we need a section for CUBBY Builders) As with anything - your mileage will vary. From my experience make sure that the floor is right on and then build up from there. Make the CUBBY fit the floor and you should be in the ball park.

And please keep up the discussion - this is great stuff

BILL

[Geron]

You are right. I wonder how many Chubby's have been sucessfully built from Kevin's plans. I would imagine each is different on some aspect. I covet the sharing of ideas and experiences. I had some problems with Kevin's plans until I followed his advice on page 5 - the very first words of the document:

"We recommend that you read through the entrie document before starting your project."

After about the 3rd "read through" I picked up where I left off with greater confidence. I now had a mental image of the "finished project" step by step. To tell the truth I have revisited the plans infrequently and usually just to confirm the conclusion of a sittin'and thinkin' episode. Or just to find out "how Kevin did it."

Geron

[IraRat]

Back to the drawing board...

[Georgeandpat]

Ira, I was one of those who recommended the Cubby plans to you. Sorry if they're not quite what you expected. At first I found the Cubby plans a little confusing, at times, too. That was because I wanted every single detail spelled out for me. Building the Cubby has been a real learning experience for me. It made me learn how to improvise and I'm now glad for it. Besides, who wants a teardrop that is exactly like every other one? The more I got into this project, the more I started using the Cubby plans as a guide and not as an exact recipe to be followed. In the end you will have a unique, functioning, teardrop to be proud of and you will have picked up a lot of new skills along the way. George.

[BILLYL]

GERON-

My problem is I am getting way to many ideas. And luckly I am at that point of the project that I can make the necessary change/redirection.

Big issue now - and from the threads I have read - is to change the sidewall construction to go with a 3/4in ply side - dich the idea of insulation (I don't camp in the winter - hey that is why they invited hotels) and like the Camp Inn TD - run any necessary electrical throught the ceiling. But then again - there are too many "GOOD IDEAS" floating around.




BILL

[IraRat]

Thanks for the encouragement, George. I tend to get emotional about these things!

And Billy--do the 3/8 sides with the insulation. Ever try to shlep or sand a 3/4 piece of ply? (And carrying those sheets of insulation is a BREEZE!)

Seriously, I don't know exactly have my final wiring schematic decided on either, but I don't have to yet. Once my side framing is up, I'll notch the members and run wires. And you can bet I'll run a redundant line or two.

And I made a decision to go straight 120, no DC, and I'm sticking with THAT decision.

It's those darn trailer signals that have me a little stumped now. I have the straight connecter on my truck, but I'm going to have to get wires into the TD itself if I want to mount the cool signals on the body and hatch, and not onto the steel frame.

[toypusher]

You should be able to just extend the wiring that came with the trailer and run the wires up thru the floor in the galley. Just be sure to use a connector where the hatch attaches (in case you need to remove the hatch sometime in the future). Pre-wire the hatch as you build it.

Kerry

[IraRat]

Thanks, Ker...that's what I was thinking, but I appreciate the confirmation. Also the info about a separate connector at the hatch hinge! Which means I also NOW know to run a set of wires in the galley wall framing, before they're insulated and skinned.

Just run those supplied wires under deck, up into the galley and out to the sides and hatch as required.

I think I should wait until I'm at final galley construction to the think/worry about this any further, or I should say when I'm at hatch construction. The side running lights are no big deal, because instead of attaching to the steel trailer per HF plans, they're going on the side walls. But I want to make sure I'm 100% legal for directional and stop signals:

I really like the TDs that have the signals on the hatch and sides (not the supplied HF signals, though!), including the tag, which is illuminated as well. Till now, I haven't touched the HF wiring/lighting "box," with all of the components, but I guess I should take a look at it soon.

Just another area where I may change my mind when the time comes.