newB from northern Minnesota

[tom koehler]

Greetings, all. My name is tom koehler, a retired gandydancer and now a full-time tinkerer, from Two Harbors Minnesota - you bet! I'm doin' this backwards, maybe, as I've already built my teardrop... and now I've registered here.

SWMBO (Micky) and I have already put about 10,000 miles on our trailer since it was theoretically completed last year. I guess it will never really be finished. At some point I may simply stop fiddling with it.

It is a highly modified Kuffel Creek design - the 10-footer, and is pulled with an '05 Toyota Matrix. We get about 27 mpg, sometimes a little bit better. A bit worse mileage on the Blue Ridge Highway, where it was mostly 2nd gear uphill and 3rd gear downhill (to save on the brakes).

I'll post some pix here, after I prep them for size. For those who cannot wait, I have a little website showing all the details and some of the mistakes. Not all the latest changes are there, yet.

www.frontiernet.net/~tvkoehler/

Disclaimer - I have nothing to sell, nor am I a shill for some manufacturer. If I should mention a particular brand name or item, it is because I like it.

I'm always glad to answer questions, though I may sometimes be a little slow. Woodworking, sheet metal, welding, wiring, plumbing - it's all in my trailer, mistakes and all.

I've just started reading some of the material here, so it will be awhile until I get a better feel for this group. I don't want to step on any toes. I've got a thick hide, so I don't bruise easily, if I need a talking-to.

L8r,
tom koehler

[Roly Nelson]

Hello Tom, welcome to the forum. I see you are from Two Harbors, just a short distance from the Split Rock Lighthouse, the most photographed lighthouse in the world. I spent a whole day, checking out the construction and location of this historic structure. I want to see it again.

Good for you, building a teardrop trailer and following the Kuffle Creek plans fairly closely and altering the plans to suit your own needs. Most folks log onto the board pior to starting their build, but I see you are well past that stage, and seem to have done a great job. You have posted some fine construction pics, and I commend you for that.

Regarding stepping on anyone's toes, I don't think you have to worry about that, as long as you don't put anyone down and keep your posts on a positive level. You need not have a thick hide, since teardroppers and vintage trailer folks are very accepting of various points of view. No one will try to bruise your ego, and if you ever need to have a talking to, you will probably get a warning from some of our administrators, which is highly unlikely. Just keep it up-beat, positive and send money. (naw, just kidding about the money).

I feel that you joined this group a bit late, but better late than never. We are a very helpful, ambitious, understanding, non-confrontational, bunch of very understanding, anxious-to-help folks, and are highly demanding for lots of construction pics, and the only thing we ask, is that you join our contented group, and share your thoughts about the benefits of teardrop building, using, camping and such. How's that, aren't we neat?

Bottom line, I commend you for your fine pics of your construction efforts, and look forward to hearing more from one who already has many miles on his home-built, one-of-a-kind, personal teardrop trailer.

Keep us posted regarding your travels, and perhaps many of us will someday share a campfire with a teardropper from the shores of Lake Superior, which is really an inland ocean, waves and all.
Roly, anxious to return to Minn. to continue lighthouse exploration.