Oh well, that was a flop

[Thunderknight]

Well my attempt at building a TTT has turned in to a flop. I spent the weekend on it (I had built the trailer frame and floor a long time back).

It's too tall, too unstable, too heavy and not square. I'm too embarressed to even post a picture. Just suffice it to say it looks like a wooden outhouse on wheels.


I told my wife I'm now calling it my shed on wheels because I think that is what it will become...a new shed for the backyard. At least this one doesn't require a building permit. (I still need to seal it up against the weather though...I had another few minutes of cursing outside trying to get a tarp over it in the 20+mph pre-storm winds).

I had contimplated taking the sledge hammer to it...but I guess it will work as a shed. At least I didn't invest too much money in it...most of it was in the trailer frame itself (HF). I can always re-use that in the future if I need to.

I am now kicking myself for not doing what I seriously considered last summer when I started off on this concept...buying a cargo trailer and converting it. At least the shell would be done, square, balanced and water-tight. My skills are okay at smaller scale building....and just fine at electrical, plumbing, etc. I guess carpentry doesn't scale upwards. I still don't know if I can justify the ~$3k for a cargo trailer (I keep scouring Craigslist for a used one). Considering I have two trailer frames, I wish someone made a box I could buy and mount on the frame and have the best of both worlds.

Ughh! Well i guess I'll be lurking until and if I find a cargo trailer.

[Juneaudave]

I'm sure it wasn't that much of a flop!!! Have you thought about calling Steve Frederick and having him build you a kit for your trailer? I think he might be a great alternative to a cargo trailer!!! Check out his website...Camping Classics.

[grassrootsjeeper]

hey thunderknight dont get down man we learn from our mistakes believe me ... i just started refurb on one and its a can of worms but hey . my jeep was the same way trial and error now i have trophies for my jeep and people stop me to look at what i did to it so keep at it theres gonna be bumps no matter what your doin ya just gotta step back and rethink

[TomW]

Do not give up. I have been working on my project for 13 months, a little at a time on a very small budget.

I have named my project. HBO Half Bubble OFF.

My frame and side walls are square but my galley I built in place. Stuff I thought was square is not but that is what trim is for.

Do not give up.

[Mini Renegade]

I carried on when I found mine out of square etc and guess what.......It all worked out right in the end. The only real problem I have is I built mine too light so there isn`t quite enough weight in the rear so the tongue weight is too much. Again, I`ll carry on and hope it sorts out when its loaded up for camping

[Cliffmeister2000]

Well my attempt at building a TTT has turned in to a flop. I spent the weekend on it (I had built the trailer frame and floor a long time back).

It's too tall, too unstable, too heavy and not square. I'm too embarressed to even post a picture. Just suffice it to say it looks like a wooden outhouse on wheels.

Please don't be so hard on youself! I doubt there is anything you did that cannot be corrected. Heck, I spent $1,800 on a used teardrop, and in the end the only thing I am using is the frame. In hindsight, the frame is the biggest problem I have! I should have built from the beginning. However, owning that trailer for a year gave me invaluable insight as to what I wanted and didn't want in a trailer. You gained that insight in yor build, and I'll bet it didn't cost you $1,800.00!

I am no carpenter, and I have re-done parts of my trailer more than once when it didn't translate from paper to reality as I had planned. Also, for some reason I have yet to figure out, mine is 63.5 inches wide front and rear, but only 63 inches wide in the middle. I guess she's a lady, or she'd be 4 inches wider in the middle, like I am.

Share your woes with the group, and I'll bet you get enough good ideas to re-kindle your enthusiasm.

Even if you buy a cargo to convert, keep the forum in the loop. It is unbelievable the combined experience here. You have not done anything that one of us hasn't already done wrong.

- Cliff

[kartvines]

It took me 2 full years to restore my scad-a-bout, and I can not even count the mistakes I made, there were so many. I am overall happy with the final product , but I am sure come the first teardrop gathering there will be more than enough pointing them out to me.
I learned quite a lot from all of my mistake to the point I would be willing to do it all over again. don't be in too much of a hurry, I think that is just a seed to failure.

Decide what you want, ask questions, try , try and try again, and you never know you just may end up with a project you can be proud of.

Even it it ends up not being , just think of the lessons you have learned along the way, to the point you like me would be willing to try again.

Just my penny worth.

[jplock]

I would say hang in There. We all make mistakes and there is no perfect teardrop. Folks are always talking about what they will do when they build the second teardrop so you have that opportunity now and from what you said you have a good trailer chassis as a foundation, I would say go for it!
jplock

[Miriam C.]

your sad. Teardrops can do that to you. You can also take lots of pictures so other won't do the same thing.

Square is a relative term around here. It helps when you try to measure an build attaching stuff. (you can live without it)

Too tall is a problem if it is unstable. For that you need to cut it down or slide it off in an appropriate spot, put a quarter moon in it and call it yard art.

Then----------Build the next one.

[doug hodder]

T-knight....don't give up...just draw up a profile that you like and spend some time staring at it on paper. If it's too tall, make it shorter, if you don't like a curve, do something different. I don't know what kind of $$ you have into the sides at this point, but scrap them and use them for parts in the rest of the build and start over on the sides. We have all had setbacks and things that just don't fit up like they should, but you'll figure the way to correct it, or hide it! Draw up some new profiles and spend some time tweaking them to get what you want.

Sorry to hear of your discouragement, but I guarantee you, when you get it done, there is nothing better than going out with your project, knowing that you built it and enjoying it especially with some other teardroppers. Hang in there. Doug

PS...I've yet to see anyone wandering around a gathering with a square and if I did, I'm sure you'd find them in the lake.

[satch]

Man, I thought I was hard on myself. T-Knight, stop and think about what you are saying. Scrap a valuable lesson on tear building? NO. Just stand back, look and think about what needs to be done to get it right, then do it! Trust me, you are not the only one who thought of building the "Mother of all bombfires" with their mistakes. I know my build has plenty of flaws. No one has the perfect tear (exept Doug, maybe!). Like my uncle once told me, " a good craftsman allways knows how to cover his mistakes"

[dreadcptflint]

Stop beatting your self up. I am yet to see a structure that can not be fixed. You will have to take your shed appart to do it. Sure you are going to need a little more putty than the other guy however it can be done. Remember if it has a cant then the rain can run off of it better.

[pete.wilson]

Hey

Never give up; you may decide to start over but never give up. Thomas Edison had failures hundreds of times before making the light bulb. There is a lot of people on this forums with lots of experience that can help you out, all you have to do is ask.

Just not me! I haven't built a tear yet! LOL

Pete Wilson
Ottawa, KS

[ARKPAT]

Gosh; the trailers I'm working on and camping in is a work in progress.
I'm getting better and more creative with the former parts / leftovers in making corrections with new ideas.
I can still drag it down the road and camp in it. Paint "Smily faces on it". With a tarp in it it is rain proof.
I'm expreimenting with different materials and construction practices ( something I have never done before ). Think outside the "Box" on the box I will be sleeping in.




Pat

PS Oh yea don't give up just be creative. It doesn't have to be perfect or square.Just keep the rain off you and hold together down the road to camp in.

I new idea a log with wheels.

[cs_whypt2]

I bought a trailer that I have to do a little work with. I will prolly screw some stuff too, but it is fixable. Accept for lighting it on fire and walking away, I bet you can fix it up a bit. Mine does not have a teardrop shape, and hell, it does not have a kitchen (YET!! I am working on it!!) but just work with it and see where it goes.

Dianne