Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 3:59 pm

Oh yes, the canoe is on it, and we're ready to go!!! :lol:

Mike...

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 4:16 pm

Shrug53 wrote:You gotta be kidding me! How do you work so fast? Looks good. What do you use to cut out your doors?

Just a circular saw and a jig saw. :wink:

Mike...

P.S. So do you agree with me, that this design body can be built in a weekend?

Weekend 1) Assemble trailer
Weekend 2) Build body
Weekend 3) Paint and go camping

by **Steve Frederick** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 5:48 pm

Mike, How are you fastening the joints? Would you use epoxy paint, like on the Baja?
Looks very cool, very do-able!

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:18 pm

I would get some screws that are designed for end grain of plywood. I think McFeelys has them.

And yes, definitely epoxy paint.

I think I would seal the doors the same way you did, with the inside seal.

There's really not much more to do than what I've already done. A roof vent, a couple lights, and a battery. Definitely designed to get you out in the field quickly.

You can always come back home and add stuff later!!!

I sure hope no one actually tries to build this out of OSB. :shock:

This one definitely calls for 3/4" moisture resistant luan. :salut:

Mike...

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:51 pm

Oh I just wanted to see if the body could be done in a weekend. In fact it only took me about 5 hours today.. So I have a whole day to spare. :lol:

I could not complete that one and sell it. It's OSB, it wouldn't hold up. But it works good as a mockup. I am trying different layouts, looking for something that'll work in a 5' wide tear for us.

I used a biscuit joiner to attach the last 18" of the side panels. I would rather use 10' long plywood and cut it down. It's 2 less joints to worry about.

It's light too. I set it on a mini-sawhorse which represents the axle, and was able to lift it without a problem. It's can't be more than 200#. Of course it's 1/2" OSB. Using 3/4" luan it'll be more like 300-400#.

Mike...

by RC » Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:23 pm

mikeschn wrote:
Shrug53 wrote:You gotta be kidding me! How do you work so fast? Looks good. What do you use to cut out your doors?

Just a circular saw and a jig saw.

Mike...

P.S. So do you agree with me, that this design body can be built in a weekend?

Weekend 1) Assemble trailer
Weekend 2) Build body
Weekend 3) Paint and go camping

Actually Mike, if they were as good as you are, and were to put i on a harborfreight trailer (unmodified) I think the whole thing could be built in one weekend, and painted the next weekend. No more than a 2 weekend job.

I am impressed!!! Could you explain to me about the end grain screws for plywood you are talking about? What the hecky-darn do they look like?

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:29 pm

Or if you were to build it on Labor Day weekend (we have a 3 day weekend) then the whole thing could be built and painted in 1 weekend. Heck, you could even camp in your backyard the weekend you built it! :lol:

As for the screws, apparently I am confused. I thought it was the confirmat screws
http://www.rockler.com/findit.cfm?page=652&sid=AFD15
but now I am reading that's for particle board.

So I guess I would go with a drywall screw, make sure it's long enough for the job, and predrill both the pilot and the clearance holes. You don't want to split the plywood any more that you have to. And stay away from the edges too. I probably wouldn't get any closer than 3" away from the edge.

Is anyone here an expert on plywood? What can you tell us? Ross, how about you? Steve? Anyone?

Mike...

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:38 pm

Elevated to the correct height with the help of a mini saw horse, and testing some cushion arrangements!

Mike...

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:44 pm

You could also leave a small area open in the galley, kind of like a walk-through, and you could store your bike(s) in the teardrop too, similar to what DANL is doing.

Of course if you lose the strength that you gain from the bulkhead, you'll have to re-inforce your sidewalls another way. Probably with angle brackets, shelf brackets, or angle iron.

Just more ideas for you...

Mike...

by **Chip** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 9:03 pm

Mike,,I was skeptical as to wheather it could be built in a weekend,,And Frank and I were talking about it today and I had to say B/S,,,but now all I can say is pass the salt and pepper,,I may need it to finish off all the CROW!!!!good job,,and I submit its a feasible project,,Dang and I been working on one since april

chip

by **Larry Messaros** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 9:37 pm

mikeschn wrote:As for the screws, apparently I am confused. I thought it was the confirmat screws
http://www.rockler.com/findit.cfm?page=652&sid=AFD15
but now I am reading that's for particle board.

So I guess I would go with a drywall screw, make sure it's long enough for the job, and predrill both the pilot and the clearance holes. You don't want to split the plywood any more that you have to. And stay away from the edges too. I probably wouldn't get any closer than 3" away from the edge.

Is anyone here an expert on plywood? What can you tell us? Ross, how about you? Steve? Anyone?

Mike...

I would reccomend staying away from drywall screws as they have a tendency to snap fairly easily. In Canada we can get screws specifically for plywood. Similar to this type.

http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_de ... gs_id=2204

Here's another:

http://store.yahoo.com/deckmas/woodys.html

I buy them by the 50 lb box. Quite often they are used for screwing down plywood subfloors. Home Depot should carry them. Also plywood speciality stores should also carry them.

As for your comment on 1/2" OSB not standing up, I'm not sure that is entirely true. I think it would stand up quite well as long as as any exposed areas are sealed.

I still haven't figured out when you find time to sleep. Do you ever stop?? :lol:

I think you should stick it on a frame, paint it and take out for a camping trip. :wink:

by **DANL** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 11:55 pm

Hi Mike,

I like what you're doing there! After spending many a day sweating over the construction details, a weekend trailer has great appeal.

I'm wondering if the OSB wouldn't be adequate for a few years with a good penetrating sealer applied and then two or three coats of latex enamel. I used this painting technique on a small plywood scow that I leave outdoors upside down all year round and it's held up just fine for six years now. a quick touch up every spring and it's ready to go.

As for fastening the whole thing together, how about just tacking it together with a few screws during the painting process and after everything is dry use one-inch wide by one-sixteenth thick aluminum angle and pop rivets to do the final fastening. You could run putty tape or caulk under the angle stock to provide additional sealing and the angle would protect all of the edges/corners. I haven't tried this yet but I probably will on an instant tear next spring. it should work.

Keep those cool teardrops comin'.

by **mikeschn** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:19 am

Chip and Frank,

I can't believe you doubted me, even for an instant!!! Shame shame shame!!! :lol:

And Larry, those screws look perfect. I'm saving that link. I'll have to get some for my next crazy project!

And Dan, OSB, really? The problem I have with OSB, is that there is no structural strength. Some of the screws split the wood, and others strip the pilot hole. Still, I suppose if you used lots of glue, and sealed it with CPES, you could have a teardrop that would work for a few years.

But the thing I think we are forgetting is that typically the major cost of the teardrop is the labor, not the wood. So sure, you could get by with $90 of OSB, or you could buy $150 of moisture resistant luan.

With the OSB you can throw it away in a few years. With the luan it just keeps on going and going and going. Then you can give it away, or sell it.

But either way, as long as your going to put all that hard work into building it, why not just spend a few dollars more for the better material and have something that will last a much longer time.

If you insist on building it out of OSB, I would definitely use the aluminum angle on the outside corners, and use 2x2 studs on the inside under the angle, and drive screws thru the aluminum, thru the OSB and into the 2x2's. Does that make sense?

Mike...

by **Steve Frederick** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 3:05 pm

Mike, I agree with the notion to use screws for the ply assembly. I used common drywall screws everywhere that the corosion potential is low. Elswhere, I used screws intended for decks or other exterior jobs. I pre-drilled every screw, added Gorilla Glue everywhere, and, was very carefull about placing the fasteners away from the edges of the ply.
I don't know how you would incorporate blocking into the design. I used blocking, incorporated into the insulation layer, to back up the joints.
Adding insulation would add a few hours to the project, and might make it a "three Weekender" :wink:

. Worth it for us, we love camping in the fall when it is cooler, even early winter.
The project is sooooooo cooooooool I love the shape. Are the angles hard to assemble?

by **Frank** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 4:16 pm

Well now, it's not that we doubted YOU, we didn't think anyone could do it!!
But will have to admit, you have impressed us.

Will have more faith next time!

Course you are a bit younger and it is a lot cooler up there. :lol:

Down here you have to stop every 15 min for a 30 min cool down.

Frank

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