Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Well,
I have to be honest. I got a case of the Layzees over the winter and got ZERO accomplished. The Nest'r is still in the garage taking up space. I did just last week, set aside some funding dollars. The amount I have set aside is (hopefully) enough to complete the exterior.

On my to-do list:
1) Educate myself enough to purchase the correct kind and amount of epoxy.
2) Buy said Epoxy.
3) USE aforementioned epoxy to seal Nest'r.
4) Paint Next'r.
5) Install windows.
6) Test Camp?

Obviously, at this rate step 6 should be slated for May 2019.

All kidding aside, I'm hoping to get some tinkering going again possibly this weekend.

After all, here in NC spring has sprung!

Aw, I was hoping to see the finished result by now...

Mike...

Hello.
Very good trailer. i like it. Have a good working.

Lester,

Love the lines of your standie teardrop!



P.S. Ya might wanna put a third door hinge on because bouncing down the roads tends to take a toll. Overkill is better than repairs. Awesome trailer bro!

Best epoxy I have ever used is EVERCOAT brand. (I've used four other major brands, including about 30+ gallons of System 3.) The 1:1 ratio of resin to hardener makes for very accurate mixing for no surprises like slow or fast cures. Always sand the surface before you paint to get rid of the amines in the hardener that make the cured surface slightly waxy and to give the surface a "tooth" for a good mechanical bond with the paint.

It's best to put fiberglass cloth on the roof with a 2-3 inch overlap on the side walls. That adds all kinds of strength and durability. The plywood underneath can't get micro cracks and let in water or humidity then. Where water runs down, fiberglass cloth adds tremendous durability to the surface.

As per most epoxy resin instructions, you want 70+ degrees and as low a humidity as you can get for the resin to cure. I like 90 degrees outside before I pour epoxy. It sets up faster too, so I roll it on kind of fast. It's ready for the second coat 20 minutes later and all hardened for sanding in a couple of hours later.

I feel sooooo ashamed.

But I have an 'excuse' - about 3 weeks ago I blew my back out - and wound up bedridden for about 10 days, it took an ambulance ride and some really 'happy' drugs to get me back on my feet. I have to take it easy, do my exersises, yada, yada -

I'm allergic to pain, it makes me break out. _____ In tears!

To address some previous comments and questions;
YES an extra hinge is in the works; minimum 3 hinges.
I have yet to devise or acquire a door handle I think that's workable and sturdy enough - yet.

Epoxy lessons? I'm up for all suggestions.
I wasn't acually planning on covering the whole roof in cloth, but after seeing Mike's excellent work succumb to infiltration, I'm wondering if maybe I may have to build it up in layers like a boat hull. I thought I could get away with cloth taping the seams and edges, and just coating the whole outside -- maybe that's too optimistic.

As far as the garage door question --- everyone on this board will love this... How high? EXACTLY 84"
Of course the next question is; "What's the max height of the Nest'r?" ummm 85!!!

I get it in and out by lowering the tongue to 3" and using a standard floor jack as dolley. That makes the 'high point' roll forward and then because of the curved roof top it fits. And of course I roll it out _very_ slowly.

Hopefully, once completed, and loaded up, if I need to get it in and out of the garage, the springs will compress that last 1"

Geesh Lester,

I hope you feel better soon... I've been struggling with back issues for several years now, so I can relate.

You've got a beautiful tiny travel trailer... Seal it well!

Mike...

Very sorry to hear of your back. Been there and lived with my Mike's issues for years. No fun at all....

About the garage door........remember the vent. I have to take the vent hood off to get mine in and have to do it very carefully........Perhaps you can modify the garage opening.

Finally -- I finally bought my epoxy and began the process of coating the Nest'r.

See?


And I cut a window!
(The router cut even shows that I DID really biscuit darn near every joint!)


The coating will continue as long as I can keep the garage warm...


Now... I should probably give a reason for my lengthy absence, or at least my deliberate pause in construction... (I do have good cause.)

Short story; I wound up getting surgery to repair my herniated disc (L5-S1). Then 8 weeks of recovery.

SOOOoooo. Now finally I am hopefully healed and fully recovered.

Back to work...

I'll get to camp in this thing yet!

(Oh and I added more pix to my album).

Sorry to hear about your back. Glad you're feeling better!
Now, don't try to lift your teardrop any time soon.

The Nest'r is a cute name! It looks like you could easily have her done in time for a few wheel spins next summer, when the weather turns warm again. No more sleeping on the ground for you!

Best wishes on both "B's": the Back and the Build!

I don't (actually) sleep on the ground. We have those 15" high blow-up beds. (Have them in several sizes actually).
The trick to those matresses is bring a HEAVY blanket to go UNDER your sleeping bag.
A mattress full of nothing but air, doesn't really insulate you from the cold.

Lester - it's good to see your back on your build (pun intended). I am very happy that you had successful surgery and can't wait to see the Nest'r progress further along. I've always admired your design and have it filed away as a reference for my #2.

Well progress... progresses. Albeit what seems slowly.
I have finally given her a complete single coat of Epoxy, and only used HALF of my 1.5 gallon kit!

The seams are taped -- all except for the corners.

I started to do the drop box underneath too:

The floor of the dropped area is the only thick material of the whole build, the rest of the floor is 15/32" (.48") material, where this section is 23/32" (.72") thick. (The remaining 23/32" plywood was used to cut the curved sections of the frame.)

The drop box needs to be epoxied to take the beating the underside of the camper will undoubtedly take; rain, road debris, gravel, small animals, etc.

Which brings me a question/issue/quandry/point of difficulty...

When taping a seam with fiberglass tape around a 90degree corner, I'm having a hard time wetting-out the tape AND getting it to lay flat all the way up to the edge. The tape keeps pulling away slightly on each side, it just doesn't won't to lay flat and make a good corner. There's a little bubble along the edge. Even if I go back a 'tip it' with the epoxy brush after the epoxy begins the thicken and get sticky.

Any suggestions for keeping the tape flat and embedded?