To Flush or not to Flush, that is the issue....

[kayakrguy]

Steve,

Thanks for that reminder, I had forgotten about the well in the floor idea for the porta potti. I will give that some thought....

Jim

[Ira]

Kayak, the thing is, once you first get your sides and roof up--and get in there to play campy campy--THEN you see how small a TD really is.

It's kind of hard to visualize in photos, and the last thing you would want to experience is being a foot and half away from someone when nature calls. (Call me nuts, okay?)

Also, when you start really thinking through how you're going to pass a few days camping, let's say it rains, it's not like you can spend long periods of time in there.

It's TINY--so I think you'll want a side enclosure anyway. I'm not even putting a mattress in mine, so I can sort of just hang out normally when I want to. I'm carpeting, and using padded exercise mats that'll roll up and store away. Not as comfortable as a real mattress, but I guess I should rough it a LITTLE.

[48Rob]

An observation or two...

(Please note this is not directed toward any one in particular, these are just general thoughts, thoughts I've visited, and heard discussed many times during the build process of my last three trailers, and those of many others...)

Grand thoughts "how it will be" generally turn into "aw hell, lets just forget that idea, and go with whats easy".

Sometimes this stems from lack of skill/knowledge to turn the idea into reality, and sometimes the idea is just too far fetched.

First, many of us are using/building a tear because we want the convenience.
The tent we used to use was neither convenient, nor comfortable.

Most of us have chosen a tear for the ability to "climb in" and go to bed, and or, to be able to close the hatch and drive away.
The tent was fun, but a lot of work to set up, and put away, darn that morning dew!
Camp kitchen was generally a hassle too.
All those pieces and parts that had to be stowed, then unpacked, then stowed again for every meal.

Some folks design huge awnings and tent shelters to cover their tear...sure seems like a lot of extra work, since the tear is supposed to replace the tent...

Granted, some areas of the country are hot, and a tent may be needed, or the owner simply doesn't mind the extra work.
That's okay, but for the rest of us, it is very easy to get caught up in the mindset that some of these things are "needed".

Now, were talking about a portable toilet.
Where to put it, how to not smell it, and how/when it will be used.

It is easy enough for us to dream up ideas and tell ourselves how grand it will be...to fold up the bed, crouch in a tiny cramped space, and be relieved.
Well, it will probably work for the diehard, but the rest of us will soon decide it is simply not worth the trouble.
The pot will be relegated to some dusty corner, waiting for a "special reason" to be brought out again.

I know I'm rambling on here, but the point is that if you feel the need for a toilet, a shower, a galley...then take the time to make the design flow, and spend the money to make your idea work.

A lot of trailers get "thrown together", a smaller number are thought out, and an even lesser number are truely well planned.
Nothing wrong with any of those designs, all depends on your expectation of the finished product, and what it replaces.
It takes a lot more time to make a complicated plan work out, but in the end, the sweat and dollars spent to make it happen are fast appreciated while observing those who only wished.

A pot that requires "setup time" is a chore, camping shouldn't be a chore... unless you're into recreating the life and times of Daniel Boone.


If the pot won't fit in your trailer, then the small vanity tents are a good option.
Well, depending on where you camp.
If you have to wipe down the tent (dew, etc) each time you move camp, you've just created more work, and headaches.

For those that dry camp, it is probably a good option.
For those that are never camped more than 50 yards from the camp restroom, well...

Rob, who used to think he was Daniel Boone, but who now prefers to "rest" in comfort and privacy.

[Ira]

That's well said, Rob.

The only observation I can add--or maybe I'm not adding it but simply repeating it--is that when you first build, what you THINK you definitely need or want isn't always the case.

That's why this forum is so great.

I mean, how many people came here thinking that they HAD to have a refrigerator, and then realized that a good cooler made more sense for them?

[kayakrguy]

Rob and Ira,

Now you have me really thinking...maybe a HEATED seat on the porta potti? <G> Actually, floating ideas here is one of the best ways to anticipate problems and get rid of bad ideas before they can do any real damage !

As to 'tiny' I am seriously a 5' sidewall to move up to mini <g>

Jim

[critter]

hey all,
imho the thing is,is how uncomfortable do you want to be.the more planning,money ,effort,experence,time,trouble you put in your tear the more comfortable you can be when you use it.i once spent a month in a tent in col. camped at 10000 ft in the san juans,we drove a van from nc out and camped in a tent and elk hunted.2 people all bowhunting eqp.camping eqp. food ,clothes, coolers,the works.you would be amazed by how little you can get by with when you need to.the point is youll only get out of it what you put in to it!

[kayakrguy]

Critter,

Your point is spot on. Part of thinking about a TTT is what people have done/what people want to do. Years ago with 4 kids and not much money we thought it was HUGE improvement to get a old second hand tent trailer and get off the ground. Today, with 4 kids grown, there are some things we'd like to at least TRY to do with a TTT. The potti thing is one. The other is AC. If we do those something else will have to be sacrificed, nature of the beast.
But, I suspect there are many different 'dreams' about what people would like in a TTT. Strangely enough, we don't WANT a big self-contained trailer.
Our reason for going camping is to be IN the outdoors, albeit dry and out of the bugs when sleeping, going potty and cooking. A little Off will take you far!

Jim

[cracker39]

Jim, have you taken a look at Andrew's designs and my Squidget design? I partly based my design on Andrew's Widget and partly on a tiny Eriba trailer my Dad once had. But, I put my own twist on it with my couch/bed setup.

I don't feel like I've sacrificed much except for the space you have in a bigger trailer. I'll have standing room from 5'8" at the edge of the couch to 6' 2" at the peak where the fan/vet will be. I'll have a AC, a porti potti, and a galley counter/cabinet where I could install a countertop cook unit and sink if I wanted to, and later on, I may do that. Madjack/s PCV water tank would fit inder the frame, so it wouldn't take away any storage space.

I will have about 19 cubic feet of storage under the couch seat and in the compartment behind it that is accessed from outside or inside. Then, thiere's about 15 cubic feet of storage in the galley cabinet under the counter. Plus, the porti potti cabinet (about 3 cubic feet) which also has room for my electric stuff (charger, fuses, breakers, etc.). The only thing I didn't include was a closet where you can hang clothes as we mostly wear jeans, shorts, t-shirts which can go in plastic bins under the seat.

We plan to use our old propane camp stove outside, and maybe take a small microwave if we plan on having shore power. we have a 13" TV (cheap, $70 at WM) and will get one of the $34 DVD players from WM. I'm getting a pop-up TV antenna (amplified, works from inside to put up and take down) as a luxury item. So, there are lots of TTT designs to give you ideas.

[kayakrguy]

Dale,

I am mighty impressed with your 'home away from home'! I can't build quite that big, but some space ideas you used may come in handy! It is a clever design!

Haven't seen Andrews build yet...will try to get a look at it...

Ciao,

Jim

[cracker39]

Look in the Hall of Fame for Andres's Designs. My frame is just 5'x9', and the TTT is only 5' wide. I just extend the lines out front and back to use all of the width of 3 plywood sheets. Front to back on the cabin will be 12' to utilize all of the space possible. The 24" wide galley counter/cabinet only takes up about 7" or 8" of the floor space, as most of the counter extends out over the tongue.

[Rob]

I was flipping through a catalog last night and saw this "odor eliminator". http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2730&deptid=1607 I don't use a porta-potty so don't know if it would help, but thought I'd put it out there for y'all to consider.

Rob

[Miriam C.]

this is expensive but good for those little emergencies. It is called "The Pet" and the bags that go with it are filled with POOH powder. An enzime that eliminates odor and can be disposed in any trash can. Got mine at
www.sportsmansguide.com Sorry don't know how to make that link. they have a great pop up tent and a fixed tent. Enjoy

[Juli n Bill]

We have a small cassock type portapotti, it goes in the SUV tent that attaches to the side of the tear for a dressing/privacy area.(SUV tent bought from the sportsmansguide.com) Instead of the blue smelly chemical stuff, I use ordinary kitty litter and tall kitchen trash bags. Normally the portipotti is only used for emergencies (like it's dark and I'm already in bed but....)
The kitty litter/trashbag combo makes for no smell and easy cleaning. Just close the bag and throw into any dumpster. The hassock style portipotti doubles as a stool for putting on your shoes.

[SmokeyBob]

Simple solution for the porta potty height in your camper.

Cut a rectangular hole in your floor. Wide enough for your porta potty and about 4' long. Kinda like a drop floor without the floor. Build some type of covering for the hole. Once your camper is set up, remove or raise the hole cover if it's hinged, set the potty through the hole on the ground. If your worried about someone seeing your feet you could install some type of temporary skirting around this hole opening or the camper.

While standing in this hole most people under 6' could stand upright.

Just a wild thought, who knows it might work.

[angib]

Bob's drop-floor idea, complete with fixed metal skirting, can be seen in this 1942 homemade trailer:



Andrew