Step 5: Dryfit the walls

Here is a generic building plan for a teardrop designed by the members of T&TTT.

Step 5: Dryfit the walls

Postby mikeschn » Tue May 10, 2005 10:45 am

Step 5: Dryfit the walls.
(Revised 13-Sep-2005 to add notch cutout in walls)

Cut two temporary spars. These are 1x2 pieces of pine, 58 ½” long. Cut this using a miter saw. You want your spars to be as square and perpendicular as possible.

Position the walls so that the bottom of the wall is flush with the bottom edge of the trailer. A partner would be helpful for this step. The back edge of the wall should be flush with the back edge of the trailer. It might helpful to use a piece of scrap wood as a straight edge against the bottom edge of the frame and wall. Once you’ve got the wall positioned, install a 1 5/8” drywall screw in each end. Repeat for the other wall. Then, quickly install your temporary spars putting in a 1 5/8” drywall screw in each end. One spar should be in the middle on the teardrop, near the ceiling vent. The other should be positioned where the hatch starts. Grab a framing square and check to see if your walls are perpendicular to the floor.

Image

The sidewalls now need a notch for the hatch. This is a 3/8” offset cut all the way from the poplar spar to the floor. Use a marking tool or a t-square set at 3/8”. Strike a line offset from the outside profile of the teardrop 3/8”, from the spar to the floor. Also mark the floor and spar locations on the sidewall in the offset area.

Image
Image

Disassemble everything.

With your walls back on the saw horses, cut out the 3/8” notch with a jig saw. Save the cutouts, you will be using it as a template to make your hatch. Sand the notch smooth with a belt sander.


Tip: If you forget to cut the notch at this point, you can cut it after the walls are installed. But it is so much easier while laying on the bench!

Put roofing tar on the bottom edge, and on the inside edge of the wall that will be facing the frame. You’ll only do about the first 2”. Do not coat the part of the wall that will be receiving the glue.
Last edited by mikeschn on Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:26 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Postby bledsoe3 » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:33 am

You can try this.
Image

I welded tabs to the underside of the frame for side wall support. It's hard to see since I painted it black. The tab is in the lower right of the picture. You can only see because of the dust on it.

What is everybody using to fill the hole left from the forsner bit.
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Postby mikeschn » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:45 am

Welded tabs is a very good idea.

I guess one of the downsides of being a woodworker, is that one tends not to think about the metal!!!

As for filling the holes left by the forsner bit, I didn't. I just covered it up with the mattress.

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Postby mikeschn » Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:34 am

Step 5 was revised 13-Sep-2005 to add notch cutout in walls.

Mike...
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Postby mikeschn » Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:27 am

Pictures added to step 5!

Mike...
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Postby deathbychocolate8 » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:37 pm

:thinking: Fist time teardrop builder this is the biggest project next to bird houses. Is there any way I could get a hard copy of these plans, I will pay for mailing and printing expense. Thank You.
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Postby mikeschn » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:44 pm

Well the plans are not exactly done yet... but we are making progress...

I suppose I could email you a pdf of what I have so far.. that you could print out...

Let me know your thoughts

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Postby dacrazyrn » Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:18 pm

Last edited by dacrazyrn on Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby John6012 » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:21 pm

Is the3/8" notch at the hatch spar allowing/including the 1/4" luan on the roof? I it is, we'd need to add 1/4" + 3/8". Would that be right?
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Postby mikeschn » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:59 pm

John,

the 3/8" cutout is from the outside edge of the sidewall plywood.

That assumes the skin is not on the roof yet. If you are measuring from the roof skin, it would be 3/8" + the roof skin thickness.

But in the area of the hatch, there is no skin... so your best bet it to take your sidewall profile, and cut out 3/8".

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Postby John6012 » Sun Dec 04, 2005 5:06 pm

John, thanks! Yes the skin is on the roof so I'd add the .040 to the 3/8" and take it on down to the floor-same distance the radius of the hatch curve. Right?
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Postby mikeschn » Sun Dec 04, 2005 5:41 pm

Before I answer that question, tell me... Do you have your sidewall profile cut out yet? If you do, just set your marking tool 3/8" from the sidewall profile. Ignore the roof, it's easier that way.

Just use your imagination for a few minutes on this picture...

Image

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Postby John6012 » Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:08 pm

Mike, I have the skin on all around and there's 1/4" luan on the roof. Hope that helps, Thanks
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Postby Mini Renegade » Thu May 31, 2007 3:46 pm

I am at the notch stage and before i cut can i just clarify why the notch is there, is it for a seal strip? I am assuming that when the roof and hatch are skinned they meet at the same level at the hinge with the hatch having a 3/8" gap between the side wall and the underside of the skin.

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Postby Mary K » Thu May 31, 2007 3:53 pm

That gives you room for the weather striping between that edge and underside of the hatch . I have not done mine yet or I would show you a picture.


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