Started the building.........

[subtearanean]

I've started the tear just after New Year's.......have been trying to take pics as I go along. Finally set up a quick and dirty web page.

http://www.teardrops.us/userfiles/subte ... anean.html

or

http://tinyurl.com/4tghb

I'll try to keep it updated as I go along.

[subtearanean]

Wow...70 views, no reply posts?

Youse guys are gonna give me a complex.

[jeffwholmes]

I’ll reply, looks real good so far . At least you got a start, my camper got side tracked (read honey do project, building new kitchen cabinets new stove etc.) oh well to cold to start an outside project now anyway.

Keep up the good work, looks like it is going to be a great Tear!!!!

Jeff

[davel]

I love the way you've built your framework. The laminating is fantastic. This is close to what I've been thinking of doing for the edge molding instead of aluminum. Looks like it has created a really rigid frame. Great work.

Dave

[Guest]

Hey Sub,
Nice looking profile you got there.
Looks like the kids are enjoying the project too!
I really like your simple setup for laminating your ellipse piece.
Good Job!!!
Keep the kids involved, it will stay with them a lifetime.

[OkieSailor]

Nice work!! I like the shape. Am waiting to see more photos for progress.

[subtearanean]

Took a couple of weeks hiatus on this, but got back in gear over the weekend. Pics going up on the web maybe tonight. Looking at the pics taken it does not look much progress was made over the 2 days, but I got a lot of little stuff out of the way. Up soon is the door and the hatch.....I'm not looking forward to either of them.

Eye surgery on Thursday, that will hold me back for a few days. Should be a good time to get a hold of the welder though, get the chassis in order.

[purplepickup]

Being kind of new here I hadn't seen the work you've done yet. Not being a woodworker I think your method of constructing your sides is very ingenious. I used the latice strip method of creating my profile but actually making the framework had me baffled. I'm real impressed with what you've done and am looking forward to seeing more.

At first I was a little bummed that I had to have foot surgery just when I was really getting fired up to start my trailer, but I think it is good that I've had to wait. I've picked up so many ideas here that will drastically change the way I had originally planned to construct it.

What did you use for material to laminate the form? They look like they might be latice strips. I wonder if strips cut off luan board would work as well.

[subtearanean]

Yep, these are lattice strips from Home Depot. 1/4" X 1 1/2". Thought I would need to do a little steaming but it appeared to work OK in a dry state. About $0.55 per running foot. Used about 130 feet or so.

One thing I don't think I mentioned in the web site was I used the base of the mold for the floor of the tear. Just pegged the holes with dowels.

The best part of building a tear is the pre-thinking.....all things are possible easily. During the building all things are still possible, it just takes some creative post-thinking.

Had cataract surgery yesterday noontime, patch came off this morning at 8. Actually have better vision than I did a couple of days ago. Ya gotta love modern medicine.

[Steve Frederick]

Wow...70 views, no reply posts?

Youse guys are gonna give me a complex.

You shouldn't worry. Just keep on doin' what you do!! Your doing a really nice job. I think that your laminating jig is very very cool. I like tha profile too! Looks like you'll have a great little camper there!

[David Grason]

(read honey do project, building new kitchen cabinets new stove etc.)

You gotta be kiddin me! You mean kitchen cabs are more important than a tear?! And a stove? Didn't you explain to your wife that your teardrop will have all of those things?

Anyway Sub, here are my comments:

You're doing great!
The teardrop looks great! I love the profile.
You nailed the curvature! It's perfect!
Your lab assistant looks a little young. Actually, you have a gorgeous child. My wife and I have been married for 18 years and still no children. I never realized what a hole in our souls not having kids would do to us.
I really like the novel approach using the dowels with bolts through the plywood. We boatbuilders call bending forms "ducks." I've always wondered if that's where the expression "getting all you ducks in a row" came from. Keep posting pictures.

Kudos Kudos