I got a little carried away

[Carter]

My name is Jim and I am a trailerholic.
I got a little carried away with my first teardrop project.



I've decided to build a real teardrop this time and stumbled on your site. Great source of information and inspiration. My Big Benroy (5 x 9' 4") got started this weekend and I can use the help. I spend a lot more time planning than building so this place is for me.

I'll put the build pictures of the first trailer in my album when time allows

Thanks
Jim (the middle name is Carter)

[BillandMarijo]

Jim,
Welcome from one newbie to another. My homebuilt hasnt been painted yet but she will be shortly. The wife wants the roof painted I want to just clear coat it. Im sure she'll get her way. She usually does. Lol.
Anxious to see your pics on your homebuilt. Like getting new ideas. Theres some beauties on here and real nice people.
Good luck to you.
Bill and Marijo Peterman

[S. Heisley]

Welcome, Jim.

The teardrop you have is absolutely beautiful! The only reasons I can think of to build a second is maybe to build a smaller one for less weight and drag, thereby less gas consumption; ...or simply for the love of building! I have a hunch you will be teaching us a few things!

Sharon

[Hector]

Welcome Jim,
That is one first class job you did on that teardrop.I can't wait to see your next one.Please post lots of pics.

[TheBizMan]

Very nice. Looking forward to the next one.

[caseydog]

Welcome!

That first one may be big, but it looks like you did a first rate job building it.

Enjoy the forum, and your new build.

CD

[Cliffmeister2000]

Jim, that trailer is a thing of beauty! What are the dimensions of the existing one?

[doug hodder]

Really a nice job on the first trailer. Nicely done with that warm interior feel of a great vintage trailer. Nice that you used venetian blinds. Lots of the originals used them. Based on that work. I'm sure the Benroy will be a walk in the park for you. Doug

[Carter]

Thanks for the nice comments. To answer a few of the questions.

The Big Benroy build is more for something to do than anything else. I'm afraid my loving wife won't want to do more than a night or two in it, she is spoiled with the shower, porta-pottie, and inside and out hot running water in #1. I used it as an excuse to myself to buy a MIG machine, (I'm lucky, the excuse was for myself, the wife doesn't require one) Used a donor Colman popup chassis for the first and that was a mistake. This one is using a domicile fabricated steel tube frame. This will be a "walk in the park" compared to the first build but like everyone else I am concerned about the hatch. I will snoop around and figure it out. I'm not really worried about fuel economy, I drive a full size pickup daily, the big trailer reduces milage by 4, the new one will probably reduce it by 2, not a big difference.

I built the first one because;

We often move every day and was tired of dealing with the popup.

I wanted the nostaliga feel with modern ammenities, shower, pottie, outside kitchen with hot water, queen size bed, etc.

Just cause I can. I used to be a model-maker, now I have a program manager job, I miss working with my hands.

All the "Real" vintage trailers I looked at were dents, holes and rotten wood.

I want to correct some of the "errors in judgement" I made the first time

As far as the first build size it is a 78W x 120L x 78H" body on a 8.5' frame. 2" composite walls. Empty weight is 1900 lbs, a bit heavier than I would do it now. You can look at build and more finished product pictures here

http://home.comcast.net/~jfetterly/trailer/thumbs_d/thumbs_p.html
I;ll put them on this site with captions when I have time.
Thanks for the warm welcome and interest.


Jim

P.S. Doug, your Rocket Tear is a work of art. I've been enjoying those photos for a couple of weeks now.

[starleen2]

Hope you don't mind, but I found your album of constuction pict - great job!

http://home.comcast.net/~jfetterly/trailer/thumbs_d/thumbs_p.html

If traffic gets to be too much -let me know and I'll remove the link

[mikeschn]

Nice job on that trailer. I really like the laminated bentwood frame!

I saw the shower base in one of the early photos, and then it disappeared. Do you have a shower in there?

Here's what I am building (you'll see some similarities)

http://www.mikenchell.com/Generic_ET_Photo_Album/

The good stuff starts about page 3.

Mike...

[Jst83]

Very nice build Jim, Love the pull out on the side.
So how did you get it out of the garage? it looks to tall

Mike it looks like it's under the table.
What a great use of space

[cuyeda]

Bravo! Nice build! Looking forward to seeing your teardrop build. What kind of glue do you use for the bentwood framing?

[Carter]

Scott, trailer is 1" less than garage header sitting on frame. I put Teflon furniture sliders on the frame and slid it out on Masonite with a come-along hooked to the pickup

Cliff, Vanessa, Bentwood glue is exterior Titebond on 1/4" Luan strips. Used lots of clamps for the first 3 layers, then attached the rest with a brad nailer and the Titebond.

[Miriam C.]

I am definitely throwing rocks at mine. The hatch is a breeze compared to cabinets and the metal work you have done. (If I can do it almost anyone can)

You have one more really beautiful Tiny Trailer there. Love it and not letting Mike see it cause he will want one.

The playground can always use another craftsman.