Teardrop build...

[INSAYN]

Cool project you got going there.

Interested neighbors tend to live vicariously through projects like yours. If you live in an good low crime area, I would chock these neighbors up as future help, or idea spawners. Put them to work randomly and in short order you'll find yourself immersed in a great team like neighborhood, rather than a "stick up their ********" kind of neighborhood that you really want to avoid.

I've been in my neighborhood going on 15 years now, and have a solid foundation with most of my nearby neighbors. Collectively we can build, fix, and support each others odd ball projects and needs as the years go on.

We all have gone through good and bad times together whether it be injury, new baby, weather damage, work or family issues and can fully trust each other with our properties. We even have keys to each others houses. I can be on vacation for a week in the winter, and call one of the neighbors to run over and check on things knowing full well that my place is safe and secure. They can count on me to do the same at any time.

Bottom line:
Take the time to get to know your neighbors, as they can be assets when you need them. :clapsmile

 

[SWITAWI]

...there is a site I looked at a while back that was all teardrop projects loved the idea, will try to find it...

One of these?..

http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/

http://www.tinytears.cc/

:coffeedrink:

 

[oz97tj]

Today, the plan was to cut up a couple sheets of plywood into strips for the roof spars, cut the doors, glue up the roof spars, install roof spars and put on the end pieces of the roof. It didn't quite happen. It started with my table saw not cooperating, so I had to run to Home Depot and rent one. Got it home and cut up all the strips. After returning it, I came back home to glue up all my roof spars. Installed the ones at the back to close up the bottom part of my galley and started installing some at the front. Then I started on the drivers side door. It ended up taking me about 90 minutes to cut the hole. I just wasn't with it or something because no matter how many times I measured, it was still not big enough. Finally after cutting it waaaaay too many times, I got the door in. Then I put up a sheet of the roof on the front. It didn't cooperate either. After another hour or so to get one piece on, I gave up for the day.

I only took one pic after I got the door in. I didn't take any more as I was just too frustrated.

I need to finish what I set out to do in the next day or so. I'm putting on the front and back pieces of the roof so I can climb under it and do another coat of epoxy and seal up all the joints and edges. I'm thinking this will make the final epoxy much easier as I wont have to worry about any of the parts on the bottom. Hopefully I can get back in the groove again...

 

[oz97tj]

looking forward to seeing this build ,there is a site i looked at a while back that was all teardrop projects loved the idea,will try to find it ..then i thought about a trailer with rtt ,but wow rtts are spendy with the trailer ,this could work for me .great job and your pics etc are not in vain ,think about us guys out here you are inspiring ,,one question ,how do you plan on using your trailer ,4x4 trails ?dirt roads ?both ? :victory:

I've been stalking mikenchell.com for a while. The guys over there build all the own stuff and there is all sorts of great ideas. It's not always offroad stuff, but most of the ideas still apply.

As for use, the plan is it'll be pulled by my JK on 35s. I've grown tired setting up and tearing down tents daily for some of the longer trips I like to do in the trails, so this will work great. It will get pulled down the trails as much as possible.

Cool project you got going there.

Interested neighbors tend to live vicariously through projects like yours. If you live in an good low crime area, I would chock these neighbors up as future help, or idea spawners. Put them to work randomly and in short order you'll find yourself immersed in a great team like neighborhood, rather than a "stick up their ********" kind of neighborhood that you really want to avoid.

I've been in my neighborhood going on 15 years now, and have a solid foundation with most of my nearby neighbors. Collectively we can build, fix, and support each others odd ball projects and needs as the years go on.

We all have gone through good and bad times together whether it be injury, new baby, weather damage, work or family issues and can fully trust each other with our properties. We even have keys to each others houses. I can be on vacation for a week in the winter, and call one of the neighbors to run over and check on things knowing full well that my place is safe and secure. They can count on me to do the same at any time.

Bottom line:
Take the time to get to know your neighbors, as they can be assets when you need them. :clapsmile

Thanks! All the neighbors I've met are real nice people. However, they are mostly retired. I just don't feel right asking someone who is rather elderly for help. However, they keep a great eye on my property when I'm not around. I'm all for them stopping by and checking things out though. Many of them may not be able to help much, but they sure have done lots of things that can provide some wisdom. It's just hard to stop what you're doing to chat sometimes when you're in the groove.

One of these?..

http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/

http://www.tinytears.cc/

:coffeedrink:

Beat me to it.

 

[elmo_4_vt]

Days like that happen... Try not to sweat it. It always seems like my projects end up with all kinds of things going wrong. It'll get done, and you'll have more pride in it knowing that it was a true accomplishment.

Funny side note though, I've always been jealous of my Dad.. We do a lot of the same types of projects, but he's just luckier with building things, or at least plays it off that way. He'll make a "mistake" and it will end up making things easier look better in the end. I'll make the same type of mistake on the same type of project, and I'll end up having to redo it, brake my drill, cut my hand, and piss off my wife to get to the same end product. BUT IT STILL GETS DONE!

-

 

[oz97tj]

Days like that happen... Try not to sweat it. It always seems like my projects end up with all kinds of things going wrong. It'll get done, and you'll have more pride in it knowing that it was a true accomplishment.

Funny side note though, I've always been jealous of my Dad.. We do a lot of the same types of projects, but he's just luckier with building things, or at least plays it off that way. He'll make a "mistake" and it will end up making things easier look better in the end. I'll make the same type of mistake on the same type of project, and I'll end up having to redo it, brake my drill, cut my hand, and piss off my wife to get to the same end product. BUT IT STILL GETS DONE!

-

hahaha. You and me are in the same boat buddy! In the end though, it's all a learning experiance. Maybe someday our sons will be saying we're the lucky SOBs...

 

[oz97tj]

This morning I decided to do a little more work. I got the rest of the roof spars installed, the hole for the vent framed, and reinforced the area where the hatch hinge will be.

This shows the front part of the roof I installed over the weekend.

Here you can see the roof spars.

And here is the back. I'll skin it in the next day or two.

My garage is a mess!

 

[oz97tj]

No pictures this week. Finished welding up the trailer last night. Well mostly anyway. I had to do a little welding on the bottom and I had to do a little welding around the recievers. I'm about one weld away from being done, but of course I ran out of wire.

I then got the passenger side door installed and a few other unglamourous little odds and ends. Then went shopping for my ceiling panels, but nobody had what I was looking for in stock. Now, I need to call the place I got my 4x10 walls from. I'm guessing they will have it, but they close at 4 pm and it was later than that so I was out of luck. To make myself feel better, I bought a new air compressor, staple and brad nailer. lol

In the next couple days, I'll pick up some more welding wire and finish that up, paint the frame, and do one last coat of epoxy on the bottom of the tear. Then I'll place the cabin back on the trailer and bolt it down for the last time. Now let's hope I can find my ceiling materials...

 

[theicecreampeople]

bro cant wait to see more ,im very inspired ...are you going to put a rack on top ?guess you would have added metal up there if you were ,just was thinking of my family ,mom and dad in the cab kids in a rtt on top ..looks awsome ...:victory:

 

[JPK]

bro cant wait to see more ,im very inspired ...are you going to put a rack on top ?guess you would have added metal up there if you were ,just was thinking of my family ,mom and dad in the cab kids in a rtt on top ..looks awsome ...:victory:

I'm not as handy as oz97TJ, not by a long shot. So I'm having a tear drop built for me by Moby1 Trailers. Its under construction now.

My tear will have a roof rack with a 1.6m (63") wide Hannibal RTT on it to accomodate the family. The RTT will have their "Jumbo Tourer" extention kit that puts the ladder under an overhang and also the four side enclosure plus floor, with a custom cut in zipped door to match the tear's door on that side.

On the other side will be a Hannibal 2.4M awning, also with a four side enclosure, one custom side with a door to match the tear door.

I figure head and shower facilities on the awning side, oveflow campers in the overhang side, which will be large enough to accom0date a couple of cots or slleping bags.

I like to think that mom and dad will be in the tear, but I'm betting dad's up top in the tent and mom and the kids are in the trailer...

According to Ashley Grimes, head of Moby 1, a tear drop can handle the weight so long as the weight is transferred to the sides of the trailer.

JPK

 

[oz97tj]

bro cant wait to see more ,im very inspired ...are you going to put a rack on top ?guess you would have added metal up there if you were ,just was thinking of my family ,mom and dad in the cab kids in a rtt on top ..looks awsome ...:victory:

Yeah, I'm pretty geeked too! I really can't wait to drag into into the woods and test it out. I was actually joking with my fiance about grabbing my sleeping bag and sleeping in it in the garage. lol

I do have a plan for a rack. My walls are 3/4 inch ply so should easily support a fair amount of weight. What I was thinking was doing a simple t-nut and bolt through the ply, or maybe even adding a plate of steel with some welded on nuts. The idea is when not needed, all you would see is two spots on each side with 2 or 3 button head bolts. When needed, I could have some very simple plates cut out of steel that would bolt on and would hold some cross bars. On the cross bars, you could mount whatever you wanted. I have kayaks so want to be able to carry those up there. It's something I'll be working on soon and will show how I do it.

I'm not as handy as oz97TJ, not by a long shot. So I'm having a tear drop built for me by Moby1 Trailers. Its under construction now.

My tear will have a roof rack with a 1.6m (63") wide Hannibal RTT on it to accomodate the family. The RTT will have their "Jumbo Tourer" extention kit that puts the ladder under an overhang and also the four side enclosure plus floor, with a custom cut in zipped door to match the tear's door on that side.

On the other side will be a Hannibal 2.4M awning, also with a four side enclosure, one custom side with a door to match the tear door.

I figure head and shower facilities on the awning side, oveflow campers in the overhang side, which will be large enough to accom0date a couple of cots or slleping bags.

I like to think that mom and dad will be in the tear, but I'm betting dad's up top in the tent and mom and the kids are in the trailer...

According to Ashley Grimes, head of Moby 1, a tear drop can handle the weight so long as the weight is transferred to the sides of the trailer.

JPK

Honestly, it's quite surprising how simple the build really is. My build is purposely being built as simple as possible due to my time frame and the fact it'll get dragged along in the woods. I figure simplicity will be better with all the bouncing and such. Now that I've made it this far though, my mind is racing with all sorts of ideas on a second build.

Yours should be real nice when it's done!

 

[oz97tj]

So, it's official. I'm a bonehead! After installing the ceiling and such, I use my router to cut out the hole for the vent. I knew the vent was up there sitting on the roof spars, but I figure with it being 2 inches above the hole and my router bit only sticking out about a quarter inch, the two will never make contact. I was wrong.

Luckily, I only screwed up the screen. Just did a search and they are cheap. I purchased a replacement on Amazon for like $13 bucks. I got lucky!

Anyway, to back up a bit, this is what I've been up to...

I skinned the back twice. First time, the masonite board didn't like the bend and broke. Had to do it again, but this time with some kerf cuts.

I finished up the frame now, except for the spare tire mount, which will wait until the cabin is mounted to I can get as tight as possible. Also had to buy two different tongue jacks. The first one I thought was long enough, but it was fully extended to level the trailer out, so I'd be screwed if the base sunk into the ground a bit. Here is the longer one.

All the wiring ran. I have a florescent light for the interior light. It has a switch on it, but I thought it would be nice to have switches at both doors. I also needed switches for the patio lights. I found some dual switch (one of which is a 3-way) panels on Ebay. I figure I can drill a hole into the solid wall to run the wire, and then meet it with another hole where the switches will be. Most of the wire will be ran behind the door frame, but I also had to drill through the wall above the door to hide the wire coming from the ceiling. This is what it looks like, but it'll be all hidden with the ceiling and the door.

The ceiling has been installed with some white masonite with a "knock down" type finish. All glued up with some brads to help hold it. I also had to do kerf cuts on the back of all the bends as it didn't want to cooperate. I was litterally cutting on the ceilling panels for hours. Seeing as my table saw isn't functioning, all the kerf cuts were done with a skill saw. Not fun.

That's all my photos for now. I'm waiting for my switches to arrive before I install the roof as I want to be sure my wiring is all working properly.

 

[theicecreampeople]

bro looking good ....i like the fact that you know to keep it simple as this will be used in the sticks ...rock on ..oh and your not a bone head at all ,little mishaps happen ,you have the balls to do it and share it with us ,thanks for that ..:victory:

 

[oz97tj]

bro looking good ....i like the fact that you know to keep it simple as this will be used in the sticks ...rock on ..oh and your not a bone head at all ,little mishaps happen ,you have the balls to do it and share it with us ,thanks for that ..:victory:

Thanks!

 

[oz97tj]

My switches arrived today, and they are a little deeper than I was hoping. Looks like I'll have to make some sort of plate to space the switch out a bit. Shouldn't be too difficult.

The roof will go on as soon as the electrical is tested. Then the hatch will be framed up. Then epoxy Monday or Tuesday...