OK - walkthrough on skinned wall construction?

[ajricher]

Hi, folks...Al here.

Been giving serious consideration to building a TTT to go with my old Land-Rover - I presently have a 1960s vintage full-tent trailer I use but infirmity in the shoulders (and a total lack of an installed kitchen) are making that less and less viable for me.

THing is - I'm not by any means a novice at either wood or metal construction - I've built a LOT of furniture, done chassis construction and welding, and generally been around shops for years, so I'm not too much of an idiot...

However, I've never done a trailer - and the skinned insualted wall appeals to me but just wanted to get a feel for the construction sequence for these beasties - specifically with all the damn curves.

Anyone got a write-up on these construction techniques?

Thanks - Alan

[rainjer]

Try this:
http://www.mikenchell.com/images/GenericBenroyPlans.pdf

[toypusher]

Try here: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=5101

and here: http://www.campingclassics.com/index3.html

[Miriam C.]

to the sawdust box. There are build threads all over the site. Most are done in order of construction. Don't let the curves scare you. I was an almost complete beginner. I found that home remodeling and Td building have a lot in common. If you can build furniture you can do this.

[ajricher]

Thanks for the info, folks. I grabbed the Generic Benroy plans as soon as I saw them - leafed through them and realized that they have 3/4" ply walls - was trying to avoid them as I'm planning a taller unit (This body and crawling into bed ain't in the cards... ).

I
ve already made a start toward what I want - am in the process of negotiating myself up a free old popup (yes, not ideal, but it has usable appliances and the price is right). I'm thinking along the lines of the Powder Puff (that is a slick design but mine is NOT going to be pink!).

The pointer to the build logs on the campingclassics.com site were instructive - from what I saw there it was a case of creating an outer skin, adding the blocking with biscuited joints, hthen trimming to outline with space and adding the interior skin once assembled - am I reading this wrong?

Man, this is going to be entertaining - been a good long time since I've built anything this big.

Thanks - Alan

[madprinter]

Welcome to the forum.
I've been around construction all my life too, but those curves where messing with my head too. So whats a do it yourself hands on guy to do? Well first thing I do is look at whats avaible and handy and at the right price. I did'nt want anything too small either. I brought an axle and some 2x2 14 ga. tubing. Welded up my frame. Found some used 14" aluminuim rims for $20.00, at a junk sale brought a new 2" coupler for $5, at anoughter sale brought a new light kit for $8. I had a pile of old
scrap metal. Used a couple of pieces of the main ring of a trampaline frame for the back curves as they where just right. The front curves where made from an old satelite dish mount ring, sliced in sections it was just right. I then found an old refrigerator door at the appliance repair shop for $2. Took the handle off and put a house doorknob on. Made a frame for the door with some old bed rail angle iron. I hope to get some plywood on it this weekend and get the floor in. You can see some pics in my album. Message me if you have any questions and I'll be glad to help.
William 6'4" wide 12' long and 5' high with 9" dropped floor. Paper mock up for window size and style.

[Miriam C.]

Alan if you want a really good how-to you can order Steve Frederick's CD also. Find it here.
http://www.campingclassics.com/shopman05.html
and his build journals:
http://www.campingclassics.com/

Also Mike Schneider's at www.mikenchell.com
That will keep you busy drooling for a while.

Now about the crawling into bed. With a teardrop you sit down, lie back, and bring your feet in. No crawling to it. You might find one and see how it works.

Oh and mine is on an old pop up.

[toypusher]

Alan,

Here's a drawing that might help you:



The flooring and frame are just one example, but that walls are pretty much what you might want. Not shown is the 3/4" thick framing that is used along the top of the wall also. You can see some pictures of how I did this in my build photos (link in my signature block)

[Nigel]

Land Rover?

Good choice of towing car, got any pics?

Nigel

[ajricher]

Land Rover?

Good choice of towing car, got any pics?

Nigel

Well, seeing as you asked...


This is Mr. Churchill - my traveling companion since the early 1990s. He's a 1964 Series IIA 3-door Rover, was originally a pickup but I went to the full canvas a few years ago for aesthetic reasons (and anywhay, who doesn't love a ragtop?).

Picture, if you will, a Powder Puff done in matching green and sand being towed by this old boy...

This old beast and I have many hundreds of thousands of miles under our belts - and two rebuilds, one in 1994 and one in the 2002-2004 range that saw a complete rebuild of the bulkhead and a chassis replacement with a military Series III chassis.

This is why I'm not hesitant at all about my abilities to build a camping trailer...

Alan

[chorizon]

I got my plans from Kuffel Creek after much deliberating. I like them a lot. They are full of info, pics, and shop drawings, and include a good BOM for the build. I recommend these plans highly.

http://www.kuffelcreek.com/teardrops.htm