New winter project while waiting for snow..

[rudeboysaude]

Hey everyone.

I've been lurking here for few weeks now getting ideas for a small 4x8 tear for our travels. I first off want to thank everyone who helped put that generic Benroy plan together. What an excellent resource! I never would have thought I could attempt something like this without seeing those plans. Although mine won't end up exactly like that, it certainly put me on the right track. So thank you very much!

My name is Aaron Saude and my wife Emily and I run a kiteboarding website for Minnesota at www.mnkiting.com We do a fair amount of traveling to kiteboarding events and kiting destinations and if I can make this thing well enough we plan to take it all over with us. Currently we were hauling gear and sleeping in a cargo trailer but we get pretty poor gas mileage with it so hoping this tiny trailer will do the trick for our hopeful journey to the North American Buggy Expo on the dry lake beds this spring near Vegas! If I can build like a crazy man, maybe even the winter Therapy Sessions at Lake Dillon in CO.

Excited for a winter project to keep me busy waiting for the snowkiting season and lack of wind! So far the toughest part has been putting on the tar coating on the floor in last night's 5 degree weather and unheated garage. Luckily the tar might be frozen enough soon to bolt to the trailer frame! haha.. You've got a great site here! Thanks for the wonderful resource.

Aaron Saude
www.mnkiting.com

[Ira]

Welcome, Aaron!

But living in Minnesota and trying to get this built over one of YOUR winters, you REALLY have to invest in some kind of space heater.

You're going to be buying TONS of crap in the months ahead, but I think that heater is going to be the most important purchase you can make, especially when it comes to using glue, wood finishing products, and preserving your SANITY.

Cut fingers and bruised knuckles are allowed here, but not frostbite.

[mikeschn]

Hey Aaron,

Welcome to the forum. Glad those plans helped you out. Here's another illustration that didn't make it into the plans yet. It's the width of the luan on the hatch... just under 48" from top to bottom...



Do you have a digital camera? We like photos ya know....

mike...

[Miriam C.]

Welcome Aaron,
I'm with Ira here. You need heat or you can take it in the house. I live in Missouri and I can tell you glue and varnish don't like the cold.

No frost bite allowed. Unless you provide vivid pictures and a detailed discription of the skin coming off. Keep that in mind as you go to get the heater.

I know---Minnasota boys don't get frost bite.

Enjoy

[madjack]

Welcome Arron and yes we obsess over pics here...they are the basic currency of the realm so to speak...have fun building and keep us posted...you have truly embarked upon an adventure with this group!!!!!!
madjack

[dwgriff1]

I live in the "banana belt" of Idaho, and built my tear outside last summer -- next to my smallish cabinet shop.

This fall I re-arranged the shop to allow room for the tear, for the last details on the project. What a difference it makes! When I finish work, I don't even have to put the tools away, just lock the door.

And heat -- too wonderful for words. I can put on varnish and have it dry properly.

dave

[rudeboysaude]

Thanks for the concerns everyone!

Most of the building I've found I can do without heat. Just finished insulating the walls yesterday. Living in MN you get used to the cold! Whole houses are built all winter long here and I know first hand how much it sucks shingling in the winter, although shingling in the summer heat is no fun either!

For 5 years while in college I worked at an antique refinishing shop and loved it. Almost bought the place when the owner went to retire but continued with school. This is a good outlet for that part of my life I miss. Luckily, my father in law does have a heated shop and I'll be constructing cabinets there and finishing them in heat then taking them back here to assemble. Mine won't be a work of art like some of yours, more of a functional beast with paint and total insulation! I've spent numerous night winter camping in just a zero degree bag and tent and all the clothes I packed in with so this thing will be like staying at a 4 star hotel!

I'll get some pictures as soon as I can. We just got a light dusting of snow and the lakes are frozen enough to walk on so unfortunatly the tear might get negeclted for a while!

A.

[rudeboysaude]

Ok.. Figured out the album so here's two rough pictures for all you picture addicts!





I gotta get this thing together quick cuz it's blocking my rock climbing wall! And luckily my work bench was blocked buy the walls.. I work at a small hospital and get the old junk. But I'll tell you, medical gurneys make excellent work benches! You can roll them where ever you like and raise and lower them from the side.. Excellent! haha..

A.

[rudeboysaude]

Made some progress this week. When people say 1/8 inch ply is the way to go they mean it. That's not readily available here in my town of 1200 people so I had to go 1/4 inch. First one broke in half but the second went in with gentle persuasion! Having fun and with our 40 degree warm spell this week I was able to move along rather quickly..





Having a blast making the thing and I'm not even to the fun stuff yet right?

A.

[ccdell]

Wow, you are making awesome progress on your build. I hope mine goes somewhere near that fast (although, somehow I know it won't). In the pictures, It looks like you are insulating the cabin, but not the galley. If this is the case, please let us know how well this works out for you. I am still in the planning stages for mine, and I am almost certain it will be insulated. So I am looking for ideas.

Scott

[rudeboysaude]

Yeah.. Did it mostly because I wasn't too sure how I wanted the cabinet layout. I plan to insulate the hatch and if I feel saucy insulate the galley later but it'll probably be a nightmare so we'll see. My wife and I have been doing most of our winter camping in a tent so really solid walls has to be an improvement! I'll let you know how it goes though!

A.

[Miriam C.]

A.
Those are great pictures. Thank you.
You are making really good time there.

Glad your having fun

[Tripmaker]

You're not just moving along. It looks like you are moving at light speed. When did you say you started?

Looks great!

[rudeboysaude]

I bought the trailer over thanksgiving when I was down in the cities. Like I said.. No snow in MN yet! Nothing fun to do except this great new project. I'm kinda hoping the snow stays away now for a little while so I can get a little further! Once the snow flies.. the poor tear will probably get neglected. Thanks for the encouraging words!

A.

[Tripmaker]

You are moving right along. You are at the point it took me two months to get to and I thought I was getting things done quickly. It's not a race though and I have to measure, open a beer, think about it, measure again, cut, get new piece of wood, new can of beer, measure and cut again. All that takes time.