Planning and Building My Kenskill

[Ed K.]

I thought I would start a thread about the planning and eventual build of my Kenskill. I'm currently in the planning stages and drawing up the plans in my CAD software. I work better with drawings than I do winging it. It must be the engineer in me. I'm sure I'll have to wing it at times during the build but that's fine, I''ll survive.
My Kenskill will be 9ft 4in long by 5ft wide by 4ft tall, per the Kenskill profile in the design library. I plan on making my own trailer frame rather than purchasing a trailer and modifying it. My build won't start until the fall since I have two large house projects that need to get done first but I plan on starting to purchase that parts a few at a time once I get the design nailed down. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions, some of them probably dumb, but I'd rather ask then make a huge mistake.

Ed

[kennyrayandersen]

no dumb questions -- just dumb answers -- I know, I've given a few myself.

[madjack]

...yep, the only truly dumb question is the one you DIDN'T ask, resulting in a major screwup...you build...you have questions...we come up with answers...some of them may even be right ...just don't forget the pics!!!!!!!!!
madjack

[Lou Park]

I'll start with the dumb question. Where in the design library is the Kenskill?
I'm curious of the design and thought I'd look but I must be missing it.
Lou

[Ed K.]

I'll start with the dumb question. Where in the design library is the Kenskill?
I'm curious of the design and thought I'd look but I must be missing it.
Lou

Lou,

It's in the Design Library - "Download Profiles".

Ed

[Ed K.]

Here's what I've got drawn up so far.





Not much to look at yet but any glaring errors?

Ed

[Dewi]

I'm not what you would called experienced with TD design, but that door looks kind of small to me... is it practical for it to be that high? What I mean is beneath the door, you have to sort of climb over that every time you get in and out... would it not be better for the door to be a little taller and have less of a 'lip' to clamber over getting in?

Like I say, I'm 103% novice, its just an observation.

Cheers, Dewi

[angib]

I traced the profile from a good side-on photo of an original Kenskill and that 11-1/2" up to the bottom of the door is where it was. I would agree that it's a far from ideal height and so you have to choose between 'original' or 'practical'.

Andrew

[madjack]

...yep, make your door as large as you practically can...you won't regret it...start the bottom edge of the door just a couple of inches off the floor, this will work well for holding mattress/bed covers in and keep from cutting into the back of your leg when entering/exiting and just sitting...also, the little flip at the bottom rear, looks cool on paper(and in real life) but adds a degree of difficulty to the build that may/maynot be needed for the overall look(just a thought)...I believe Woody (from Florida) does his KenSkils thataway and only a purest would ever notice......
madjack

[cuyeda]

Or, you could make em' this big! Just kiddin'

[Ed K.]

Wow!

Thanks for all of the feedback. This is exactly what I was looking for. Pick my design apart. I love it.

OK, the door size was taken directly from the profile in the design library and I actually made it the larger of the two sizes shown. I will make it bigger as suggested. I'm not trying to make a true-to-form Ken-Skill. I was going entirely from the design library profile.

Also, I will get rid of the cute little flip at the tail end. I'm sure it would become a pain the butt when it comes time to build the TD. I'll post new drawings when I have made the changes.

Thanks,
Ed

[kennyrayandersen]

you may be able to get a bit of a tail 'look' by extending a line tangent to the radius in the back, but extending a little more aft rather than straight down, but leaving the floor flat, which will be easier to make.

[Esteban]

Ed, I'm just a newbie builder myself. Prone to offering advice above my experience level. That's a nice profile you have in mind. I'd vote to keep the flip.

Agree that it'll be more comfortable to have the door start just a couple inches above the floor.

Not so sure I agree the rear flip below the floor will be hard to do. It's a nice design detail and would be nice to keep, if it's not too much trouble. It looks like its all below the floor so in my estimation it shouldn't be all that hard to build. You could insulate the floor under the sleeping area and skip insulating under the flip. If you do an insulated sandwich floor - do the back part with just a plywood floor without the thicker floor "sandwich" in the flip area.



If your side wall is built with a Dado Joint you could cut out the flip from the rear part of the cleat and sidewall plywood below the floor. Have the steel trailer frame end about where the flip begins. Actually you could probably do it just as well with the Lap, Rabbet, or the Dado.

[Juneaudave]

Also, I will get rid of the cute little flip at the tail end. I'm sure it would become a pain the butt when it comes time to build the TD. I'll post new drawings when I have made the changes.

Thanks,
Ed

I think the flip can be built easy enough and it looks good on the Kenskill...but that's a design feature to be careful with as it can easily lead you down the path to the dreaded "Turtle Shell" look!!

[Esteban]

Not sure if it's important. The scale and/or length of the trailer frame looks different between your second and third pictures. (I've had experience building a house where the foundation and the floor plan didn't line up. An architect/designer oopsie the contractor had to try to fix after the foundation was poured).