Teardrop Time: a blessing, curse, jinx, or what?

[working on it]

Today marks the finish date I set for completion of my Teardrop Trailer build. Did not meet my goal. Not even close. I've set other project completion dates before, and either met or exceeded my planned goals. It all looked so easy, at least while I was lurking. I LOL'd at the little details that some were dwelling on...my plans were simple and straight forward. Cars, racecars, projects at work or home...pretty much went as I expected.Then I committed to actually building a TTT (not even a Teardrop now, plans change). Now, here in the Twilight Zone of my trailer build, I've encountered a timewarp or the molasses of motion or Teardrop Time, as it's called, where time can stop or even reverse itself....My Teardrop mutated into something else, my plans have gone from Plan A to Plan B to Plan 9 from Outer Space; a simple, unused, spare trailer and a wood box to camp in, my "Plan A", soon had to have super structural rigidity, redundant fasteners, alternative power souces, heating, cooling with vents and fans and a/c, stereo,TV, microwave, and propane cooking, coolers, sealed and UV resistant wood, doors, windows, converters and inverters, "foam?" or not to foam, the endless list of choices to make > ad infinitum. My excuse to myself was a lack of hands on time, being an hours' drive to and from the workshop, and sudden lack of ready cash to finance same. But I now admit that a third, probably the most important reason to not finish the TTT on schedule, is the fact that I've been overwhelmed, overshadowed, and overawed by the efforts of all you other builders...my efforts will be insufficient to measure up. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'll probably still be here, next year, observing the passage of Teardrop Time tick by tick by tick.

[GuitarPhotog]

Feature creep has killed more project schedules than any other cause.

<Chas>

[Gage]

To build a teardrop is a simple thing as long as you don't try and plan for everything that you would put in a large RV. Remember, a teardrop is a sleeper camper built for two with an outside galley. But if you really need all that you noted above, may I suggest you look for a vintage travel trailer (50's/60's) and then modify it to your liking. You'll be happier in the long run and it probably won't cost as much if you built what you think you need.

[Lgboro]

Teardrop Time is a blessing ----- it has allowed me to combine builds one, two and three into a single build. Financial and health concerns have slowed
my progress several times during my build but hopefully a campable tear is a few weeks away. I underestimated the time it took to cedar strip the interior
of my build and the extreme reaction of my allergies and asthma to the fine cedar dust. Gage is right that the toys added are money and time hogs or at least
they have been in my build. In the end I should have exactly the tear I envisioned in the planning / dreaming stage and is worth every minute of time spent
on the build. Would and may do it again as many others have.

[Larry C]

I think people tend to follow others (sheeple) and get caught up in what they think they "need" rather than what they actually do need. Personally I don't understand the need for all extensive electrics, both 12V and 120V. To me camping is an outdoor activity, and the appeal of the TD is a comfortable, quiet, cozy place to sleep. A light in the cabin is all I need, and that could even be a battery light. However, a fantastic fan is probably worth the effort, and is the only luxury I need to consider.
For me the galley is primarily for storage, not for cooking. I camp in bear country, and having cooking smells locked under my hatch is asking for trouble. No cooler storage in the TD. I use a 5# propane tank with my stove. It sits on the ground below the stove that is on a Coleman folding aluminum stand (great device). I don't have a need for a propane line running the length of the trailer. All exterior lights can be battery or liquid fuel, they just draw bugs anyway.. If I want to have something with me that's 120V and I know I will have power available, I will just bring an extension cord.
The official name of my trailer is "Less is More" and it will be proudly displayed on my hatch.

Larry C

[doug hodder]

I'm with some of the above people....trying to cram too much unnecessary stuff into a tear, it blows your schedule and budget. Decide what works for you and blow off all the other builds and what they have in them. There's lots of them that never use the item that they labored so hard to incorporate into the build. At that point, it's a lot of wasted time/space and money.

I also think it's BS that a tear is never done....it's not done because the builder never finished it. Someone at sometime, somewhere made that comment and somehow it stuck....don't buy into it, it's a crutch!

In my opinion, I believe the concept of "teardrop time" to be more about the camping lifestyle, and not getting the project done to begin with.

[working on it]

You guys are correct; at some point I was lured away from the original idea I had for researching and eventually building a trailer. Simply put, a "hardtop tent". Prior to that, the idea was a folding tent base on wheels, which led to considering pop-up trailer tents, which led me to remembering Teardrops and Grasshoppers...you see how I got here. The "hardtop tent" had to be configured in the traditional size, based on 4'x8' plywood sheets, and hold a mattress and some camping gear. Simple. But, soon, I wanted to incorporate all the features others had done before, and try to compensate for my inexperience in woodworking by masterfully cramming everything into such a small space. Just to show my wife and others that I could do it. I've spent 100x more hours in researching and calculating and doing it all again than in actually building the thing. Partially because of fear of having made an irreversible error, which at one point I've already done (my 48"x29" window won't fit; caught some "I told you so" derision from that episode). Lost many an hour from indecision on "just the right hardware", or "what can I do that no-one has done before". You guys are correct, I need to go forward and use what parts I already have and just adjust as I move on. A point I must've missed before is that there is joy in the building and using the trailer, not worrying about getting everything just right. I didn't understand Teardrop Time.

[Wolffarmer]

In my evolution of camping vehicle I started with a VW Camping Van. I liked it but I had a nasty habit of going on roads it should not have been taken on. Somehow I always got out but not because of my skill. So I looked at my 1989 4x4 Mazda pickup. Considered for years about how to build some kind of folding hard sided tent. But it was just to small and I would have to break camp every bugging time I wanted to take the pickup some where. Pickup out. Decided on a teardrop. Started building. I thought for hours about the door. I wanted to build a curved top door. "how do I build a curved top door?" I pondered for hours then BING "You fool. You don't even know how to build a door yet. Learn at the same time" So I just cut out the door from the skin panel and later learned how to build a curved top door. Probably took less time than all the time I pondered about it. Spent a lot of time thinking about putting an ice chest/cooler in the galley like so many do and just could not make it work and then. BING "Dummy, you have made how many 2-3 week long motorcycle trips with no cooler?" So cooler got tossed into the Tow vehicle. When I take a cooler that is. Luckily it did not take me very long to decide against a built in sink. Ran wires for some inside lights and a cigar lighter for plugging things into. Which I haven't for years. No TV, no Radio, no indoor pool or showers. I did build the galley for the way I like to camp. Very often where there is no formal camp ground thus no tables. So I have some nice little ones that pop right up. Took some time to figure out my galley but that was time worth spending on.

Last weeks trip to Grand Canyon



I now have it pretty much like I want it. Made a little mod when I got home to make setting inside easier. I camp a lot when it is cold and nasty so being able to set out bad weather was important to me. Now that I have done all this it is time to start on #2. It will have many of the features #1 has but a little bit bigger and a little bit lighter. Probably will not be as capable of a rough road camper.

Randy

[Larry C]

While we are on the subject of Spartan builds, I have a battery question. If all I really see as a necessity is the Fantastic fan, what is the minimum size deep cycle battery I can get by with. My employer is a wholesaler of batteries so I can get about anything for a decent price, but weight is paramount to me. Are there any really efficient batteries that are the size of a Motorcycle battery or a lawn tractor battery, or am I just dreaming?

Larry C

[Wolffarmer]

I can't help on battery size needed. I didn't even put a roof vent on mine, though I did frame out for one and have an electric wire there if I decide I need one. So far I have not seen a need for me. My left side window is very tall and cranking it open has been enough for me and I have camped in the desert in the summer time. But I have always camped alone and in the dry area of the western USA.

Randy

[wagondude]

They make some smaller batteries for marine aplications for trolling motors and such. Many of the newer boats will run several smaller batteries (one for trolling motor, one for electronics and one larger one dedicated to the outboard). They are not cheap, but could be what you are looking for.

Bill

[parnold]

While we are on the subject of Spartan builds, I have a battery question. If all I really see as a necessity is the Fantastic fan, what is the minimum size deep cycle battery I can get by with. My employer is a wholesaler of batteries so I can get about anything for a decent price, but weight is paramount to me. Are there any really efficient batteries that are the size of a Motorcycle battery or a lawn tractor battery, or am I just dreaming?

Larry C

I've gone with my Fantastic fan running for two nights, and minimal light usage and my 110 ah battery still showed at about 70% using the voltage formulas. I found that running the fan on the lowest speed was all I needed due to strategic window placement.