UltraLight Body Design

[GPW]

Wow !!! That sounds VERY Light !!!! Even for a good sized (comfortable) trailer too ...
So the tubing ribs would just be bent, wood strips pop riveted (?) no couplers at all .... That's a big savings ...
Tent works store in a bag , just tow the frame , assemble at the campgrounds... very cool ... just like putting a Cozy over a toaster... No flapping problems rolling down the Hwy.
Guessing the tent itself would be Most of the work to fabricate properly... something best left to someone with suitable tent making experience , like you Schaney ...

[schaney]

Yes, pretty light and putting your "trailer cozy" on when you get to camp, means less framework is necessary.

Sewing is just like any other skill, all it takes is some practice and the right equipment.

[GPW]

.... and I'd think a good bit of Talent !!! Figuring out the panels , windows door.. and how it all fits together, then seams and all that sewing business ...
I made the curtains for my TD... was a "monumental" effort ...

Anxious to see what you do with that original frame ... I'll bet it will be pretty COOL !!!! Should be able to tow it with most anything ...

[kennyrayandersen]

Now wait a minute… So what you’re saying is that you are going to build a frame so you can tow a tent around? The whole point of a tear is that there is no setup, no? Stop drop and roll [as it were].

I’m not getting it. In the first case, with the geodesic construction its light weight and a bit cool looking, but now you degenerated into a folding test on a platform… hmmm

If you are going there, it would seem like folding composite panels might be a good way to go as they offer much more protection (there are pop-ups like that).

But… back to the original concept (if you still care). One thing you could do with the conduit is get a tube-bender and just bend it to the shape you want so that you could avoid the cost of all of the couplers. You could probably rent the tube bender, but even if you had to buy one it would be cheaper that all of those fittings ($40-$90 dollars). You could even figure out a way to lash them together using [baling] wire (though it might be getting hard to find since everybody uses twin now). If the canvas is well fit there shouldn’t be too much flapping about.

[GPW]

Ken , I took this to be a design exercise ... Take the idea and run with it ... No reason you couldn't leave it set up permanently ... and yes a tubing bender would make great frame ribs ... Got one !!!
Think of this as a "pop over"...
More protection .... from what ... Lions, Tigers , and Bears .... oh my !!!

[schaney]

For me this has alway been about a permanent structure. Just pull in and jump in.

Yes, a standard conduit bender is only $20-30. The fitting are nice for squared off corner, where with conduit, the tightest you can go is about a 6" radius.

[Hillmann]

I have been thinking about building almost the same thing but out of wood. I figure I could build it in stages and have it camp-able in less than a week(most of that time being waiting for paint to dry.

The first stage would cost about a hundred dollars and would only take a couple days to build. I would start with a 4x8 sheet of sanded cdx plywood for the base I would rip a 2x4 in half at a 20 degree angle and screw it on top of the base along the two long edges and another on on the backside then I would start bending 12 foot oak stringers 1inch wide and 1/4 inch thick to make a frame that would be mounted to the 2x4's cut at 20 degrees on the sides and back and on the front they would be mounted to the underside of the plywood. The shape I plan on will be rounded front, back and both sides, with the top somewhat flattened off at approximatively 48 inches but none of the dimensions matter because I am not working with sheet goods and don't expect to use a tape measure on it at all just go with what looks appropriate with all the joints tied with nylon string(I have found that cinch nails and screws don't work long term with this type of construction in the boats I built, and even though tying the joints instead of screwing them will take much longer I think it will be worth it). For the door I have an Idea of how to make the cut out without deforming the shape of the curves but don't want to bother explaining how I plan to do it because it would probably take several pages to do it and still be clear as mud.

So once I have the skeleton which I plan to have a total width of just under 5 feet and a total length of nine feet or maybe an inch or two longer , I would cover it with a painters drop cloth stretched as tight as I can get it, it probably will require a little bit of tucking on the corners but that shouldn't be a problem, I will just try to make the tucks as even side to side as I can so they match. The cloth will be stapled to the bottom of the plywood every inch on the bottom edge and excess left on for the time being. it would also be stabled around the door and hatch opening. I would then cut out a opening in the front to sew in a screen for ventilation. Then the cloth would be wetted and dried in full sun to get it to shrink as much as possible to tighten it up even more. Once dry it would get several coats of oil based painted cut as thin as possible with mineral spirits so as to not drip through on the inside.

For a door I would just put a flat plywood door into it for now and sew a canvas awning over the door and front window that overlaps a foot or more on the sides and bottom of the openings that could be tied down very securely with bungee material and half cleats meant for boats or possibly with buttons and they would be waterproofed with paint the same way as the rest. And when in use I could use the small tent poles to hold the awnings up which would create shade and keep it dry unless the wind is really driving.

For the rear "galley cover" would sew a flap on like I did for the rest and prop it up with tent poles so that it would be right around 6 feet tall on the inside and sew walls from the cover down to the opening in the body with a zippered door in the back.

So basically I would have a teardrop with a "pop up" on the back that would just barley have room to stand. I figure at this point it will weigh well under 100 lbs, in fact closer to 50-70 lbs and cost about $100, depending on how much paint it takes to cover the cloth. And this shell I would mount to my boat trailer meant for a small boat. And I could use it for camping just like that when funds allow I would buy an axle, tires and springs and build a lightweight trailer frame that would be much lighter than the boat trailer. Once I have a trailer for it I would put two drop floors in it, one in front of the axle and one in back they would be spaced so that I can get one dirt bike tire in each drop with the bike centered over the axles so it wont affect tongue weight that much the rear hatch would still be able to be closed but would have a hump where the seat and tail light are too high, which is why I would have the rear hatch close with bungee material and have a lot of overlap on the sides.

Somewhere between those two stages I would start working on the interior which would be very minimalist mostly would be a closest in the front where the shell pushes out to 9 feet long so I would still have a full 8 feet on the inside for insulation I like the idea that was brought up on this thread of sewing up some fitted quilts to hang on the inside. I would also build a removable galley that can be stored in the trailer beside a bike but slid to the back to use it like a regular teardrop or setup on legs and used separate form the trailer completely.

The rear drop floor would have a removable bottom so I can put extensions on the sides of it all the way to the ground so I can park it on the ice and use it for fishing in the winter and the drop floor in the front would be set up so it could be used as a foot well under a table somewhat like the Little dinner plans on this site.

I wouldn't wire it at all I would just plan on mounting a couple self contained battery lights or run a wire from under the hood of the car to a small hole under one of the flaps to run a light or two (the second method I had used for years)

Somewhere along the line I might mount an actual door that is the same shape as the rest of the shell but honestly it seems like a lot of work for no benefit other than looks when the awning is set up so that will probably be one of the last things done if it ever gets done.

So when it is all said and done I would have a trailer that when empty would weigh under 200 lbs. I could use it as a teardrop and not set up the pop up if I just don't feel like it. When "poped up" I would have full standing height and could cook inside if I want to because I could set the galley up on its legs and set it in the back sideways. I would have a table to eat at or play a game of cards at if the weather goes south or bugs are bad. I would have the ability to take a my motorcycle (an sp250, weighs 240 pounds) or three-wheeler or a couple peddle bikes with. I would have a quick to set up ice-shack. I also think it would feel much larger inside than what most people would think because the sides will flare out to make it wider in the middle than that at the base where the bed will be. And all of this will be in a package that can be towed by even the smallest car(right now I drive a Mazda 323) In fact I expect that with it loaded lightly for camping and the motorcycle it will be under 500 pounds and if I can find barrings for the axle and springs I already have should cost less than $200. So even if I only use it for two years as an iceshack it will be almost worth it.

I have also toyed with the idea of making a smaller one that is only 18 inches wide and 6 feet long at the base. For tires I would use the rear end of a frame of a wrecked motorcycle so it would have the suspension and everything. And would use it as a single wheel motorcycle camper but since I don't have any interest in a larger bike and think it would feel like an anchor behind an enduro don't think I will ever build one that small.

The only reason I haven't built it yet is because I don't know if I really want a camper, I only go camping a couple time a year now with a tent and don't know if I would go more often if all I had to do was pack food and go.

Well I am sure I didn't do a very good job of explaining what I am thinking of building but it is almost the same idea as the original post of this thread but a wood frame instead of metal.

[GPW]

Hill , that oughta' work !!!

[schaney]

As they say, "There is more than one way to build a roof over your head for camping!"

[Hillmann]

Hill , that oughta' work !!!

I have no doubt that it will work, I have several boats that I have built using the same technique. The only thing that is holding me back is I don't know how often I would use it. When I go camping by myself I tend to truley rough it , just a tarp, blanket, metal cup and gun or fishing pole and for food just some dried corn and flour and a packet of yeast. And when I take the kids a I don't know if the teardrop will be big enough so although I want one I'm looking at the pros and cons of it carefully before I dive in.

[GPW]

Hill, "Cowboy" camping IS a lot of Fun and so easy , but just can't get the old wife to agree anymore ... women ???
Shaney posted a tube trailer , we just sorta' went with that , but the basic idea is there , and can be modified to suit your camping needs ...

Get those kids a pup tent and a couple flashlights ...Simple for you and they'll love it !!!
Camped many times in the High Lonesome in a pup tent ...some time ago

[GPW]

Hill, "Cowboy" camping IS a lot of Fun and so easy , but just can't get the old wife to agree anymore ... women ???
Shaney posted a tube trailer , we just sorta' went with that , but the basic idea is there , and can be modified to suit your camping needs ...

Get those kids a pup tent and a couple flashlights ...Simple for you and they'll love it !!!
Camped many times in the High Lonesome in a pup tent ...

[GPW]

Still can't help thinking about this design ...

[schaney]

It's on the back burner at the moment, pretty busy right now with peak camping season and all Will pick it back up in the Fall.

[GPW]

Cool !! Glad you're busy !!! we'll wait !!!