Modified Campster 12

[E. Aaron Scott]

I have been thinking about a cargo conversion, but I just love TD's and the price tag for a cargo trailer is putting me off. So I stumbled upon the Campster 12 (thanks for the design Grant) and it fit my needs a little better. I realize that my needs for a trailer are a little unique. Mainly I need a trailer that will fit me and my wife plus two growing children. Another requirement is it will also need to carry my Telescope and Astronomy Gear. The Campster 12 will fit the sleeping and setting arrangements very well. However my telescope is a different story. To let you know the telescope breaks down into 2 parts. The Tube and Base. The Tube is 14" in diameter and 5' long. The base is 2 1/2 feet in diameter and three feet high. The scope can not just ride in the living quarters because it will have to be taken out while we sleep and that will not be good, so it will have to have its own storage in the trailer. The only place that I can think of to put it would be in the galley. I was thinking of building a slide out box that would take up the place of the lower cabinets under the sink. This would end up taking out most of the storage space in the galley and my wife would frown upon that I also thought of building a cargo box that would go on the roof but the thought of lifting a 100 lb telescope that high up is very painful.
Another problem is the frame. This will have to be built on the cheap and the frame gives me problems. I am a very good woodworker with nearly a full shop but I have no experience in working with metal. Also contracting out the frame build could end up getting very expensive. So I was wondering if there was a trailer like the 5X8 and Northern Tool that I could modify to make it work.
Also my tow vehicle is a 93 Chevrolet 1500 with a tow limit of 6,500 lbs so I don't think that will be a problem for a TD even a large one.
Now put your gears in motion and try to help me come up with a solution. I'm open to any and all ideas but I would really like to have a teardrop shape.
Thank You
Aaron

[angib]

Building a Campster 12 without using a custom-made frame would be difficult as you would need to change the design quite a bit to make it fit the frame and you would probably have to give up things like the dropped footwell and maybe even give up the idea of a dinette with sitting headroom.

I would think one good option would be to buy the steel tube and do all the preparation work and then pay a mobile welder to join it all together. Cutting steel tube reasonably accurately by hand with metal cutting discs in a cheap 4.5" angle grinder is perfectly practical if you are good with woodworking tools.

[E. Aaron Scott]

Thank you, sounds like a good idea. I think that I will mostly go with the plans and perhaps extend it just a bit and go with single size beds (39"X75") That would be just a few inches longer but I believe the comfort of the kids would be greatly increased. I think that a closet opposite the door would be a nice addition also.
Thank you for the input
Aaron

[KCStudly]

My first thought on storing the base of your scope was to put it on the tongue, but then my guess is that it is rather heavy. I guess it depends on the weight and your balance sheet.

For the optics, my thought went to a storage locker design that I have seen where a locker was included between the cabin and galley, with doors on either side; could also be used to store bag chairs and ez-up canopy. Sorry, I do not recall the link.

It can be done, but you might have to go a little bigger to get what you want and be comfortable.

That said, and having thought about it a little, is there any reason why the scope and base can't be hauled in the bed of the truck under a bed cap? It would probably be more practical to drop the camper and use the truck to put the scope where you want it anyway.

I'm thinking you will need a custom cradle to hold the scope tube in transit, and this makes the most sense to me.

(My buddy Dale built a nice 12 inch Newtonian in my old shop, once upon a time.)