Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Jon, one of the nicest things about designing and building your own teardrop is you can do anything you want to it. It's yours. Build it your way. If it works, great , if it doesn't, at least you know who to blame.

Let me start off by saying this, I'm sorry if it seemed as if I was arguing with anyone. I really didn't mean to upset anyone over this topic. That wasn't what I was tring to do. I'm new here and thats not how I want to start off. I would preffer to make new friends whith people I have never meet then to piss off the whole board here. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel just make mine a little diffrent. Over all I think most evryone's tears look great. They are each different and personalized to each person tastes and needs. Thats why it toke all of two weeks for me to deside to build one. I love there overall look and design the eveything i need in a camping trailer and nothing more

Now back to the main subject. I agree that this will not be easy or even that it will work, it may turn out to be a big leaky mess for all I know. If it does then the only person to blame here would be me. But none the less I would like to try. MY original ? was made in order to get some advice on possible weather proofing ideas not to argue why it shouldn't be done or the values of insulation. 1st lets change the name from pocket door. Cuase you are right you never see pocket doors on the ext. of homes. I shouldn't have called it that from the start, thats my fualt (11year in the construction indy. you would think I would learn to us the correct names). Lets change the name to say, a sliding glass (wood) door. Now we have all seen them on the ext of homes and even on true RVs. They seal nicely when instaled right, and leak like a nothing else when they are installed poorly. That is basicly what I am trying to do.

Also I would provide some pics but the batteries are dead in the digital camera and it was a choice between go get batteries or work on the tear. The tear won. I will get some pics soon. I should have the side walls up tomorrow and maybe I can post some pics afterwards.

Jon

P.S. Thanks for everyones opions on this. They are all used and taken into consideration. There is alway much to learn from other people. Please keep the opions coming.

Jonkayak,
Don't worry about it, it wasn't taken that way. Sometimes things come off that way. No harm done. Enjoy the build, you'll find that there is plenty of experience here and sometimes an opinion or two. Don't worry about it
Good luck on your design and take plenty of pictures, we love pictures here

Woody
I like the pic of your tear there. I really like the whole wood roof thing. Not sure if its the way I'll go but it sure looks good.

Jon

Jonkayak,
Thanks for the compliment. It was a first attempt and I prefer the Woodie Look. I have been in torential Florida thunderstorms and not had a problem with leaks (Knock On Wood) yet. You ought to try to come to the Gathering at Anasatia State park by St. Augustine in Oct. 7-9 and or Little Talbot State Park by Jacksonville in Feb. 10 -12 2006. Come and camp or just spend the day with us

Dear Gage,

Are you rereading your posts before you submit them? Are you using a voice recognition program? The reason I ask is that in each of your posts on this thread you keep writing "installation" when it seems you mean "insulation". That and, possibly, other words that are not being recognized are making your posts seem oddly aggressive and certainly different from your normally dry sarcastic wit.

If you are using a voice recogition program maybe you might want to make sure it is catching all your words.


John, there is nothing wrong with trying a sliding door concept or even a pocket door for that matter. If you share you trials and triumphs here, we may all get to learn something more about weatherproofing our tears.

Woody

Thanks for the invite. St. Augustine in October, I might not be abel to make it. Though it's such a nice place. Jacksonville in Feb sounds great pretty good. I need to get it aproved through the the boss though. I will surely have a heater in there by then, if not the wife (boss) will never go for that. I think she was the only person on our Caribean cruies in the middle of July with a North Face Fleece jacket on at night.

Off topic but do any of you have or know how to make the hotwater on demand with you cars cooling system. It works great for warm shower in remote locations. If there is any intrest let me know and I'll post some info on it.


Jon

Jonkayak
I think I married your wife's twin then, she's the same way. Talbot was a tab bit brisk, but with an electric heater and insulation, it was very comfortable inside the teardrop though

...Jon, I have been reading with interest, a true pocket door would be really tough to build and seal properly but a sliding type door such as the sliding glass doors or a barn style door that slide into a "pocket" on the exterior of the tear should be doable...I hope you give it a try and let us all know the results, it would sure be unique. As to the on demand hot water...do you know that Coleman, Zodi and others make units for camping that cost around $150 and work very well. Add my welcometo the board and remember...we luv da pics
madjack

Guy wrote:Dear Gage,
Are you rereading your posts before you submit them? Are you using a voice recognition program? The reason I ask is that in each of your posts on this thread you keep writing "installation" when it seems you mean "insulation". That and, possibly, other words that are not being recognized are making your posts seem oddly aggressive and certainly different from your normally dry sarcastic wit.
If you are using a voice recogition program maybe you might want to make sure it is catching all your words.

'installation/insulation' Sounds the same to me I've seen worst spelling on this board by smarter people. And I guess the secret to my postings is to read them word per word and slowly. So as to get what I'm saying.

"Questions are asked for answers to problems or opinions on how to do something. They are not for arguement."

I don't believe I said there was an arguement going on. Just making a statement so as to prevent one from starting up. This is a discussion board.

And did everyone miss this line?

"It looks to me that you are going to be the pioneer on creating and installing pocket doors because most every one else kept it simple and built thier teardrops to give a little more confort than what a tent provides. So please keep us up to date on your progress. It just may be educational for us all. And don't forget pictures."

There is nothing wrong with trying new ideas. I put several in my tear that hadn't been done before.

I guess I just need to stay out of the ' Teardrop Construction Tips & Techniques' area, leaving it for the experts. It's more fun anyways to come in and just read and . And I love the way some answer a question with an answer (by those that think they know) that doesn't even relate to the question.

Everyone have a good day.

P.S. The one bad thing about retirement is I don't have a secretary any more to do my proof reading

SteveH wrote: After all, how many pocket doors have you ever seen on the exterior of a house?

Well,
Sliding patio doors are somewhat like a pocket door...

Maybe Jon could do a take off from that; have a compression sealed interlock between the door and the exterior pocket jamb, a raised edge on the interior side of the sill and a dado groove with a compression seal for the latch edge of the door to fit into when closed?
Another alternative that comes to mind to get a better seal, is to do something like a sliding van door and scrap the pocket idea...

Some of the electric sunroofs on cars are like a pocket door too...

I say give it a go and do some testing and experimentation!!!

regarding sealing, a normal door presses against the frame, a pocket door slides along it. The hinge on a normal door, on a tear, is outside the seal area, at least on mine.

I just can't see the advantage of trying to seal a sliding surface, unless like a mini-van slider, it moves in as it completes it close (to press against the seal)...

In any event, good luck with your project.

Dean in Eureka, CA wrote:

SteveH wrote: After all, how many pocket doors have you ever seen on the exterior of a house?

Well,
Sliding patio doors are somewhat like a pocket door...

Maybe Jon could do a take off from that; have a compression sealed interlock between the door and the exterior pocket jamb, a raised edge on the interior side of the sill and a dado groove with a compression seal for the latch edge of the door to fit into when closed?
Another alternative that comes to mind to get a better seal, is to do something like a sliding van door and scrap the pocket idea...

Some of the electric sunroofs on cars are like a pocket door too...

I say give it a go and do some testing and experimentation!!!

Dean,

Yes, the two types of doors have one thing in common, they both slide. But beyond that, they are totally different.

I think a sliding door might work and could be sealed, but not a true pocket door. We have two pocket doors in our house, and our previous house had a sliding glass exterior door, and they are about as much alike as a bicycle and a Harley.

Personally, after all the trouble I had building, fitting, and sealing the door on my trailer, I would never consider the project. However, if Jon wants to, I say more power to ya, and please show us some pictures of how you did it and let us know how it works.

There are also storage bins that U store it places use that use a metal roll-up door. We used to have one at work, and it was watertight..........

You could go look at one, and see if it was adaptable to what your trying to do.

Gage wrote:P.S. The one bad thing about retirement is I don't have a secretary any more to do my proof reading.

Hey, Gage, it could be worse - when my Dad retired he discovered that his former secretary was the only person who could read his handwriting - and that included him! He used to bring things he'd written to the dining table so that the whole family could try to work out what he'd meant.

Andrew