"Its On Point" 5x10 Benroy Design, MN

[ibbowhunting]

If you are building a flat back, a short galley can make a lot of sense. Alaska Teardrop built his Northern Lite Traveler with just a small cubbie and a flip down door that extends the work space.

As to that style of stove, some of those can be rather heavy cast iron, so it depends on what your usage is. The ones I have seen really kick out the BTU's and were great for scrambling a big stock pot full of eggs for a huge crowd of boy scouts, but I wouldn't want to have to backpack one in.

To serve a couple of people (or even more) I prefer the white gas suitcase style stoves... Coleman. They're light weight, self contained and they stow and travel well.

I'm bui]lding a 10ft benroy so I gain some length over the 8 footer, with a little more drawing today, 14 1/2" will be my countertop depth but I have room to install 12" deep upper cabinets recess back above the dog kennels which will give me more storage room
hopefully I will post my rough drawing later this week you will get a better idea what I mean, then I will be looking for more input on what to change

[greygoos]

I have built a few food service trailers and use a 2 burner stainless stove available at Harbor Freight for about 40 bucks. It is lightweight and cranks as well as easy to keep clean.

[ibbowhunting]

please check over my hand drawing the profile is more less the generic benroy but i change the proportions for a 5 x 10 x 56.5 tall, please point out anything that should or could be changed


Thanks Bill

[KCStudly]

Per your request, here are my thoughts. Hopefully you have already considered this stuff, but if you haven't maybe you will find something helpful.

It is always cool to see someone, such as your self, who develops a special or uncommon feature (like your kennel) to suit a particular need. I'm thinking that this arrangement could also be good for people who want a better storage space for ez-up canopies and bag chairs, etc. If the dog doesn't need the full width of the camper, have you given thought to a camping equipment locker on the opposite side? Probably won't be able to fit a canopy, but maybe chairs(?).

The side door looks to be a touch far forward; I would use a slightly smaller window and move the door back a bit. Sit and spin; you want your arse to land about where it will be when you are laying down.

The radius on the top rear corner of the door looks a little large to my eye. I would rather have the shoulder and head room, or at least have the door be more symmetrical. Maybe it's just me, but I think some of the curvy door profiles people come up with compete with the overall profiles more than they compliment.

Will your dog be able to climb in by itself, or will you need to assist it? If the later, I assume you have a reasonably sized dog. I suppose you could make a pet ramp up the back of the fender and I assume that the fender does not interfere with the doggy door.

How is the kennel ventilated and will you be able to monitor and/or communicate with the dog from the cabin? Even for a working dog (hunting, right?) you are going to want to be able to keep tabs on them.

I seem to recall you mentioning in another thread that the kennel is just a sleeping arrangement for your hunting dog, not for travel.

[ibbowhunting]

Per your request, here are my thoughts. Hopefully you have already considered this stuff, but if you haven't maybe you will find something helpful.

It is always cool to see someone, such as your self, who develops a special or uncommon feature (like your kennel) to suit a particular need. I'm thinking that this arrangement could also be good for people who want a better storage space for ez-up canopies and bag chairs, etc. If the dog doesn't need the full width of the camper, have you given thought to a camping equipment locker on the opposite side? Probably won't be able to fit a canopy, but maybe chairs(?).

The side door looks to be a touch far forward; I would use a slightly smaller window and move the door back a bit. Sit and spin; you want your arse to land about where it will be when you are laying down.

The radius on the top rear corner of the door looks a little large to my eye. I would rather have the shoulder and head room, or at least have the door be more symmetrical. Maybe it's just me, but I think some of the curvy door profiles people come up with compete with the overall profiles more than they compliment.

Will your dog be able to climb in by itself, or will you need to assist it? If the later, I assume you have a reasonably sized dog. I suppose you could make a pet ramp up the back of the fender and I assume that the fender does not interfere with the doggy door.

How is the kennel ventilated and will you be able to monitor and/or communicate with the dog from the cabin? Even for a working dog (hunting, right?) you are going to want to be able to keep tabs on them.

I seem to recall you mentioning in another thread that the kennel is just a sleeping arrangement for your hunting dog, not for travel.

As for the dog kennel there will be one on each side, but i could use them for storage when the dogs are not with, ventilation there will be 4 dc computer fans two per side with vents in the door pulling fresh air thru the kennel I have this set up on a homebuilt two dog kennel that I use in my van and works really well, I plan on installing windows inside the cabin to be able to see the dog in the kennel from inside the trailer maybe wiley windows? I will probable have to give them a little help to get into the kennel but that normal there use to that.

The door is 16" from the head of the bed I thought that was a good rule of thumb, no? I will take another look at the door, as for the window I bought 4 windows on a craiglist roadtrip gone bad if I don't use two of them some where I will still have four in the pile

[KCStudly]

Should have known that you would have the dog stuff all figured out, but felt compelled to check in.

On the windows, don't let a small mistake turn into a big one. You would be better off putting the door in the comfortable spot, reselling the "too big" windows and scoring others that suit the preferred door location.

My original hand drawn concept sketch for TPCE had extra windows in the side walls behind the doors, too. But when I did the scale 3D model they didn't make sense anymore. They compete for space with the cabinets and you can't look out of them unless you touch your nose to your knees anyway. I settled for a positive vent system (still in progress) using a 5 inch case fan pulling cool air from under the cabin behind the bulkhead and blowing it forward into the cabin at our feet. Between that, the door windows and the Maxxair shrouded roof vent, I think we'll be fine.

To me, if you want to be able to look out or have fresh air at your face, a couple of small screened vent windows near your pillows makes more sense. A couple of plain roof style screened vents would be pretty thrifty if you don't mind them sticking out on the side walls.

[vincigj]

It's nice to look out the door window laying down however as others stated it would be nice if I could pivot out the door instead of scooting up first to get out my door. Yes my door is 16" back. If one reads further along the corrected profile shows leading edge of door starting at 22". MHO

[ibbowhunting]

ok moved that door and reshaped it and drew the window in front of the door you could easlily see out that while laying down,right? whats your gays and gals input now? any and all input is greatly appreciated

[KCStudly]

The proportions look much better with the door now. It looks like you will have plenty of clearance for your fenders, and I'm sure you will be much more comfortable getting in and out.

One thing to look out for if turning your existing window sideways is the orientation of the factory weep holes, if present. At least one builder reported having water leak in when he turned his windows from their intended orientation. IIRC it was an easy fix; just seal the old weep holes with some sealant and drill a couple more at the new low point, being careful to match the factory location and angle relative to the extrusion ring.

[ibbowhunting]

started the floor today 1/2 plywood top layer 2x2s then 1/4 for the bottom 1 1/2" foam in the middle

will ice and water shield work for the bottom finish? I know once you install that stuff on a roof you will wreck the plywood before you can pull it off, I think I have enough left over for the last roofing project.

is titebond 2 and 18 ga staples enough to hold the plywood sheeting to the wood frame of the floor? I have built a couple other plywood project this way and they seem to be very strong, I just see in a lot of other posts with a lot of screws, I sure like the glue and staple method if you all think its tuff enough

I see others are installing vinyl floor on the floor in my design 99% of the floor will be covered by the bed or cabinets is there any reason to install flooring or just cover the plywood with the mix

[KCStudly]

I finished my floor with stain and poly. I think Tom left the Silver Beatle raw and just covered it with exercise mats.

[ibbowhunting]

a couple questions,

The MIX, do you cover all the wood before doing any other type interior or exterior finishes

What should I use to fill holes in the floor where I recessed T nuts to bolt the floor down

[KCStudly]

I do all gluing, staining and top coat finishing with full strength poly first.

I use the mix (or epoxy) for untreated areas that would not normally get sealed by other final finish treatments.

For the bolt holes under my floor (T-nuts captured on top of blocking built into the floor under the top skins, bolts up from bottom) I didn't do anything special to seal the holes before skinning, but I did coat the bottom and partially up in the hole (in this case I used thinned TB2, but the mix would be good). I plan to seal between the trailer and cabin and around the bolt shanks with paintable caulk (or other suitable sealer).

If your T-nuts are exposed from above, it wouldn't hurt to douse the recesses after they are installed; just be aware that you might have to chase the threads out if too much poly builds up in them (the goal is to seal the wood not fill the threads).