Manhours to build a teardrop

[Shug]

I am curious as to what people would put on a teardrop trailer by way of man (or woman!) hours.
I realise this is hugely subjective, trailer type/design/complexity, builder ability, tool availability etc.
What got me wondering was the missus asking how long it takes to build one. Almost finished rebuilding a '73 manta I started nearly 5 years ago! (admittedly it is 160 miles from my house at the inlaws, and was a steep learning curve as it was my first project. bare metal shell, welded, rewired, painted, every nut/bolt/bearing, all done by me including engine rebuild, even the carpets, seat upholstery and headliner!)
So, for a teardrop first timer building a 10 x 5 at best (nothing too complex) what kinda time frame would people put on that? (and if you could include next weeks lottery numbers in your answer, that'd be great! )

[pete42]

I have only built airplanes and houses.
and like airplanes and houses it takes lots of hours which can turn into days. don't rush it will take what it takes,
be more concerned with how well it turns out in the end; than worrying how long it will take in the beginning.
don't think "what a big job" think and do lots of small tasks and before you know it the wife will be asking "how long is it to the campground?"

[Tom U]

I built my 5x8 Woodie in 6 months, November to May. Worked only on weekends and some evenings. Used a lot of propane to heat the garage which of course you have to add that to the cost.

My journal is at;
http://tnttt.com/viewto ... sc&start=0

[Shug]

Spent many a winter day/night in the shed doing my manta. One time the missus went out with friends just before christmas. I was to pick her up at the end of the night, so I figured I'd work in the shed til she called. 2am, -16 c outside in an uninsulated wooden shed. If I started to get cold, it was because I wasnt working hard enough!
Plan to do lots over christmas holiday cos I can get about 2 weeks off work

[bobhenry]

Here is a link to my barn build. If you will notice the dates on each post you will see we were campable 5 week from the day I started. I am still working full time with a 60 - 75 minute commute per day so most all of the work was done on the weekends. Long days on the weekends with a little help from a few good friends.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=30307&start=0

UPDATE.... 10 weekend days 10 hours a day = 100 hours add another 25 - 30 for week day additional work and you can be campable in 150 hours add 2 more years and it might be done !

[robfisher]

I see that so far nobody has actually given you a straight answer as to hours. I'm not really going to change that either. And I wonder why many of us didn't keep record of our hours. Maybe because, for me, it was a hobby, a time to relax, to be off the clock and not thinking about productivity. THAT I do all day at work.

I did a Kenskill in about 4 months of after work downtime. Only worked hard on it the last two weeks because a deadline was encroaching and even that was after working all day. Some evenings I accomplished nothing more than hangin in the garage dreaming and planning. Packed away many hours that way. Other multiple hours were spent going to Home Depot to re-engineer something off the shelf into something else that I couldn't find.

I think I could account for around 300-400 hours total but honestly, I was not in production mode. It was relax and wind down from what what I do all day.

[Shug]

To be fair, my manta restoration wasnt a 'relaxing away from work' endeavour, it was more a 'finally something challenging I can expend effort into doing!'
Sat at a desk all day in front of a PC working in IT can be a touch soul destroying and unsatisfying (but it pays the bills!) so I like to get properly stuck in and actually 'work' for a change on something that gives some tangible satisfaction.
So far the missus has been quite tolerant of the number of projects that spring up.
Built a car, built a new kitchen, helped build a boat, brew my own beer, next is the teardrop and I did plan to build a plane but that didnt go down well. After the teardrop think I'll build a yacht! Even helped my grandad build a train.
A house is on the cards for the future.
But I digress!

[campmaster-k]

I am about half way, I think. I have about 48 hours in so far. That includes trips to the various suppliers. I have solid 3/4 walls and no cabinets. I will ad cabinets later. I have only simple 12v wiring for 4 lights and one outlet. I used a HF trailer new in the box. I am going to paint the ext no alum. So a very simple Benroy Mod. can be done in about 100 hrs.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Took 10 weeks (about 20hrs/week) of work before my trailer was ready for its maiden voyage, and it still wasnt completely finished. A year and half later of various projects and modifications, and its probably still not finished. They never are!

But, about 200 hours was my initial labor investment. Not bad considering it was my first time.

[Steve_Cox]

The teardrop below my post took about 450 hours to build. The most time consuming part of building without a plan is working your way out of the corners you paint yourself into.

[Woodbutcher]

The first one was over 500 hours easy. The second one was about 250 or so. To different styles so there was not much I learned on the first one that saved me time on the second one. The third one will be ultra simple . A down and dirty light weight cruiser that will allow me to use all the extra stuff I collected from the first two.
You will do better though if you don't worry about the hours. Seeing some progress each day will keep you going. Just have fun.

[Vanq]

If its anywhere in the 100+ hour range I am truly hosed. My game plan is a 10 day build- 8 of those I work so that's only 3 hours build time, add maybe an extra 30 for the week-end gives me roughly 55 hours total to make something campable...

[bobhenry]

If you start with a pre built frame and just want sides and a roof it is doable. Just don't expect a lot of bells and whistles.

Here is what 6 1/2 solid hours looks like.......




The 4x7 build is a plain jane sleeper only (no Galley)

Here is a link to the build http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=38489&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

I am probably at 65 - 75 hours. Things really slowed down when I started cutting in windows and making trim, and installing trim, and removing trim to put on the frp and reinstalling the trim again. Do have a simple electrical roughed in and simple cabinets 2 front and 2 rear in place and doors swinging. I am about 15-20 hours from campable. So Yes it can be done won't be fancy and kinda plain but homey enough for two.

[green_eyed_diablito]

i kept a detailed record of hours, build dates, descriptions of what was done on each date as well as all my receipts. build time (not counting design time and time to buy supplies) was 213 hours. i had planned to complete the build in six months, but my brother was killed during this time and my unfinished TD sat untouched for over one year (my heart just wasn't in it).

i'm glad a kept track of all this (as well as plenty of pics) because it's fun to look back at the build.

[gipsey]

my first tear was done in a week, 7 days X 14 hours = 98 hours . my last tear took 21 days X 14 hours = 294 hours . I have built 8 total tears each one diffrent these are the only two that i kept track of the hours on. best of luck with your build . roger