TransPorter build 5x9 DONE!!! 8/15

[jeporter25]

Hey all,
I'm not sure if this should go here or into the design forum but I figured hey, I made sawdust so the build is underway. I have been a lurker for about 2 years other than posting in the vintage equipment area (thank you guys so much for that particular illness). My design is based on the superlaggera with some modifications. I plan to have my nearly 5 year old sleep across my wife and my feet on a cot...shelf...thingy. Having the boy sleeping in the cabin with us made it so that we needed to go with a 5x9. The superlaggera design lends itself to doing this easily because the roof is flat in one area so i only have to stretch the design in that area. The lower front of the design has a 11" radius and i think that it is a bit too tight so I decided to extend the 30" upper radius. my plan is to frame in poplar or pine or some combination therein, and skin in marine plywood for the exterior and prefinished maple on the interior and then wrap everything in aluminum. Today I got some 1/4 ply to make my template. Here is a Pic of today's work:

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The white tape is where the frame and floor will be, the orange is for the mattress, the blue is for cabinets and the green is the door. I rough cut the template with a jigsaw and then I crept up to the line using a block plane and a sanding block.
I hope you guys like it but am totally up for comments and criticisms.
-James Porter

[Dean in Ct.]

Very nice start but your aft bulkhead looks crooked to me. Is it just the camera angle or is it that way for a reason? Good luck!

[AlgoDan]

That's how things start, lurk for a while and get an idea. Then all hell breaks loose and voila you have a teardrop... good luck. Post pics as you build.

[jeporter25]

The picture is a little wonky the bulkhead is straight thanks tho.

[NebraskaTeachr]

I built a 4 x 8 based on this profile and I love it. Have fun with your build. I am looking forward to seeing how it works out.

Tim

[Junkboy999]

Yep, If you're making sawdust, this is the place to post.

Keep the picture coming.

[jeporter25]

Of course... just when I am ready to get the trailer, the price jumps up 60 bucks

[jeporter25]

Second day of work today turned out to be more like a few hours. lots of obligations.I picked up some 3/4" poplar for the wall framing and was able to get most of the outer framing done on one wall.

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I am still fiddling around with some of the curved bits. I should have the wall framed the next time I have time to work on the tear.

[Kharn]

Have you thought about making the bed/shelf removable for when your son outgrows it?

[jeporter25]

Have you thought about making the bed/shelf removable for when your son outgrows it?

Kharn: That is my plan exactly. I plan to put in removable rails and use curtain rods with fabric sewn between them for a cot. When the boy gets too big he'll be off to the tent and i will build cabinets to take his place.

[jeporter25]

I had the day off today so I got some more done today:
I got the outer frame done for both walls, this included, cutting all of the pieces to size, clamping them to the template to trace the outline of the template, rough cutting the traced portion out on the band saw, re- assembling the parts back on the template, gluing and pocket screwing all pieces back together, running the router around the outer edge using the template as a guide, and lastly filling all of the pocket holes (I don't like the idea of having voids in the wall structure). I managed to get these tasks completed today with varying degrees of success. I had some pretty bad chipping along the top of one of the walls so that is being filled as well. I also was able to put most of the interior framing in one of the walls.

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The pocket holes were filled with a combination of tite-bond III and sawdust.

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For various reasons (read as machine operator error)the walls didn't come out perfect. I left off tonight with the two walls clamped together so that I can make them match.

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[S. Heisley]

It looks good to me! Keep going. We're watching!

[jeporter25]

Thanks Sharon,
I am trying to take the attitude that if i make it perfect then my boy will out grow the bed before i ever get it done. I'm not building a piano.

[jeporter25]

Another update on the frame for the wall. I cut the door opening out of the template in hopes that I would be able to use it to mark out the archway at the top of the wall. I wasn't happy with the results. I needed to figure out a way to cut the arched top into a 1x6 piece of poplar. Then I remembered a circle cutting jig that I built for another project. I had to extend the jig to because the radius was bigger than the jig.

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Next I needed to put a pivot point 27 inches away from the frame material. one piece of scrap coming up.

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After I drilled a hole in the scrap piece and in the jig and put a pin through the holes It was just a matter of running the piece through the bandsaw.

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[jeporter25]

I ended up with the upper part of the door frame and the upper part for the door itself.

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I then trimmed the piece to fit in the opening between the door side frames and as they say "Bobs your uncle"

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Do you remember, Dear readers, when I mentioned that I filled the pocket holes. Word to the wise if you are planning to do any routing on said piece of work remove the screws after the glue dries and before filling the pocket holes. Fortunately I realized this before i started routing the 3/8 step for the rear hatch or the quarter inch shelf for the headliner and spars. So rather than ruining a router bit and then spending a couple of hours digging out the screws that are in the path of the router, I just had to spend that time digging those screws out. Yet another example of how planning will help save time in the long run. Anyhoo here is a pic of the frames ready to go.

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I don't think I will be able to get much more done without actually having the trailer.