Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My goal was to have a trailer no taller than 4' in height, during transit.
That's why I initially "went" for the Pop-Up design. Well, as this teardrop thing took hold, I decided to nix the Pop-Up idea and go for the "true" teardrop design. (One that you can't stand up in and people can't believe that you actually sleep in it)
One asspect that carried over from the Pop-Up idea, was having the bed convert into benches, that surrounded a table. I was happy to find out that by adding only 6" to the height, I could accomplish my objective.
Being a woodworker, I naturally went for the woody thing, but again as this teardrop thing took hold of me, I have now decided to "skin" this little baby with sheet metal. My goal is to use stainless steel instead of aluminum. The cabin will have two doors, one which will exit to an outdoor enclosure, where the porta-potti and portable shower will be located. So far the only item that will have to ride elsewhere, is the custom smoking grill barbeque.
Here is my preliminary plan and I hope to have a full size profile template by this weekend:







I think it's pretty amazing how similar this design is to the Lil' Diner, although my profile may change a bit upon fabrication of the full size profile template, because I just couldn't quite get the "faired" look that I was after with my mouse.

Thanks to bg for making posting pictures in the message possible.

Looking good... So is this a race to see who can get it built first?

BTW, polished Stainless Steel would look good on that too!!!

Mike...

Here is a polished stainless teardrop. I'd hate to be following it on a bright day!



Nick.

Mike,
You wanna race?
OK... You win!!
I like to take my time and really get into my work and enjoy it, pondering anything and everything along the way, leaving no stone unturned, before executing a step. So, I would definately loose!!!
About the closest I come to racing, is when there is a deadline involved.

I've got an "in" on the sheet metal thing, I come from a family of "tinners" and I'm one of the few that got "cured" of that at a young age.
I "quit" on my dad when I was about 13. I was working under a house, clearing out dirt to make room for some duct work, when a 7.0 earthquake hit. Believe me, that cured me!

Nick,
I'd sure like to get a closer look at that thing to see exactly how he did his trim work. Got any close ups?

Dean in Eureka, CA wrote:Mike,
You wanna race?
OK... You win!!

Aw, you missed the point... you wanted me to urge you on... so here I am saying, "build"... and you're slowing down...

Mike...

I'll have a profile template for you sometime this weekend.
No race, no deadline, just steady progress.
(Playin' with that oven was progress, it contributed to the sum of all the pieces)
I do appriciate you keeping me on task, as I do tend to get side tracked pretty easy. (Just ask Joan)

Dean in Eureka, CA wrote:I like to take my time and really get into my work and enjoy it, pondering anything and everything along the way, leaving no stone unturned, before executing a step. So, I would definately loose!!!
About the closest I come to racing, is when there is a deadline involved.

It sounds like you approach it the same way I do. Measure 4 times cut once!
By the way I really like your profile, I think it has a real Classic look.

Dean in Eureka, CA wrote:I'll have a profile template for you sometime this weekend.
No race, no deadline, just slow steady progress.
I do appriciate you keeping me on task, as I do tend to get side tracked pretty easy. (Just ask Joan)

Okay, I'm counting on you... we need a profile template, and an invisible teardrop webpage on your glass site soon... did you say "this weekend" whoo hooo yes, let me see it...

Mike...

Turtle49 wrote:Measure 4 times cut once!

Sometimes... Sometimes measure just once or twice, but sometimes...
Build once just for practice, then build it for real.
I've been called a perfectionist, but noway am I that!
I've been called obsessive-compulsive and I disagree with that somewhat. That label sounds more like a liability, than an asset. I think it should be called, the ability to concentrate on one thing very well.

Hey!! I got an Idea!!!
You want to see a race, eh Mike?
How about Turtle and I "racing" to see who get's their trailer finished first?
(Any guess's what year? )
You could call it "The Great Race Between The Tortise And The Snail!"
BTW I edited my quote in your post for you, since you gave me that power.
Yes, This weekend... What material would you prefer I use for the template?

Hey!! I got an Idea!!!
You want to see a race, eh Mike?
How about Turtle and I "racing" to see who get's their trailer finished first?
(Any guess's what year? )
You could call it "The Great Race Between The Tortise And The Snail!"

I can see how this is going to end!

Mike...

Tim,
That's a good one!

I thought you would appreciate it....

Mike,
Now here's a little sample of that... "pondering anything and everything along the way, leaving no stone unturned, before executing a step" kinda thing that I was talking about;
In regards to making a "full sized' template, should it be full-sized, or undersized by the distance from the edge of your router to the edge of the router bit?
Hmmm... Maybe I should make a full sized "Master" template and from that, make one undersized template for the router and one undersized template for the sheet metal, with built in allowances for expansion and contraction of the metal? (See, I'm not slow... I just like to think ahead and hopefully have all the angles figured out , bases covered)

Whuppp!, Me Lady just called, I'm late for dinner. Chow!

Whoa! I don't want to leave just yet, we're real close to breaking the record!

When you use a laminate trim router bit, you can figure on the pattern being the same side as the finished product. Keep it simple over there among the redwood trees. You haven't had your martini yet...

Hark, was that the pizza bell I heard? Hey Joan, what flavor is it today?



Mike...