Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Has anyone built their own windows? I want to build a very lightweight TD and have thought that building windows from lexan might work. I've looked around but haven't found much information on the topic. Of course, I'd like to make them double walled and don't want to end up with something that's going to be a problem with leaks etc.

Thoughts?

Bill

I built my own. Shouldn't have, as I didn't mill the frames accurately enough. I did use lexan for the panes, I used PVC for the frames, needed something better than a miter at the edges (needed a spline or something, they're gapping at the miters and leak.

If you don't want them to open, it's easy enough to stick a pane in the rubber window channel you can get from JCW or Austin HW. Those will likely not leak.

That'll be single pane though, unless you put 2 in and found channel that was for very thick windows.

I'm assuming you want an opening window as a fixed window is simple.

One option that should work fine would be to make the window from just a single piece of Lexan/polycarb, say 3/8" or 1/2" thick, with no frame. The Lexan would be stronger and stiffer than most frames - you might need, say, a window catch in each bottom corner to get a good seal on a top-hinged window, but that's not the end of the world.

A continuous plastic hinge could be used at the top which could be either just glued to the Lexan (though Plexiglas/acrylic would be better for gluing) or also attached by machine screws in tapped holes in the Lexan - this might avoid the need for a drip rail over the window, but it might be sensible to fit one anyway.

One thing you'll need is a wood frame fixed in the door skin to give you a rebate in which to fit the weather seal, though I guess the whole window could be surface-mounted on the outside of the door if that was thought to look OK.

So something like this, though I've got the hinge screw into a too-narrow section of the wood frame:



Andrew

I made mine from another design that Andrew proposed. Works well, but I live in the desert. My album has pics.

dave

I made my own windows with poplar and acrylic panels from Lowes that are replacement panes for windows and storm doors. We just returned from Gulf Shores, AL and while there we had a heavy rain storm pass through and had no leaks.

Rarin2go wrote:I made my own windows with poplar and acrylic panels from Lowes that are replacement panes for windows and storm doors. We just returned from Gulf Shores, AL and while there we had a heavy rain storm pass through and had no leaks.

Very nice. are they double paned or single? If you don't mind sharing some construction tips with me, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! -Bill

Raring2go , does your TD have a hatch/ kitchen area ?

Bill,
I just set up my radial arm saw and cut a groove for the glass to seat into. Then cut the 45's for the corners. At assembly, I glued and clamped the units together then finished with silicone around the panes to seal them up. On the next build, I might also set up a fixture and cut each corner to allow for a piece to be glued into each corner across the 45 degree cuts.

Tombstonebilly,
My trailer does not have a galley. We have camping gear that we have used for several years which does the job just set up under the canopy. We built this trailer for trips in which we will see the rest of the lower 48 that we have not seen as of yet.
Sorry Bill, The windows are single pane.

Rarin2go wrote:Bill,
I just set up my radial arm saw and cut a groove for the glass to seat into. Then cut the 45's for the corners. At assembly, I glued and clamped the units together then finished with silicone around the panes to seal them up. On the next build, I might also set up a fixture and cut each corner to allow for a piece to be glued into each corner across the 45 degree cuts.

That sounds easy enough. I'll just add a second grove and another peice of glass for my double paned windows.

Thanks a bunch!

Bill

wlivesey wrote:
That sounds easy enough. I'll just add a second grove and another peice of glass for my double paned windows.

Thanks a bunch!

Bill

Something to consider if you do this. You can't fill them with a dry inert gas and seal them up like the window mfgs do so you will need to leave openings at the bottom for moisture to drain out or they will look like an insulated window gone bad.
IIRC it is just the bottom, it's been a long time since I read about that.