6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build)

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6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build)

Postby Evan Dunville » Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:40 pm

Hey Everyone,
I am currently a good way into my teardrop build, I am a woodworking hobbyist and have wanted to make a teardrop for a while. This spring when i brought the idea up to my wife she was actually for it and off i went. I am very fortunate in that i have a fully set up wood shop in my garage and my parents live next door with an empty garage i am using for storing and assembling the trailer. My overall budget is less than $2500 Canadian and it looks like that will be a reality. Also im supposed to be taking it out July 7th (its currently June 26th)

I am currently a good way into the build and there definitely a number of mistakes made along the way. I received a good amount of advise from the Teardrop trailer subreddit about must have features and overall building techniques.

Here is a basic features rundown for my trailer

-6' Wide X 8' 6" long tallest height 4'
-Trailer is a home build single axle i received from a co worker for free.
- New 4.8x12 Tires
- New LED Tail lights
- 1.5" thick walls and floor, 1" thick roof
- 1.5" rigid foam floor insulation, spray foam on walls and roof.
- 1/4" plywood inner and outer walls (mahogany), 1.5" (2X) framing of wall internals (all glued down with titebond 3)
- 1/2' Tar coated plywood floor, 1.5" thick framing (2X lumber) 1/2" plywood subfloor, (glued and screwed together PL premium)
- 1/8" plywood roof (inside and outside)
- 2 doors, 2 windows (reclaimed RV windows)
- 1.5" thick solid cedar doors with raised internal panel
- Mill finish aluminum roof wrap one solid piece
- Marine Varnished exterior plywood wall
- Front mounted truck tool box storage/work surface/battery compartment
- Maxxair (00-04000K) 12V Roof Top Fan/Vent
- Group 24 AGM battery
- LED cabin light
- Dual USB / cigarette lighter port and battery voltmeter
-120v internal plug / circuit
- NO rear galley

I think that covers all the major features/specks

At this point i have the walls up and i am working on attaching the inner plywood of the roof frame and the electrical components. My goal for the outside appearance is to keep it very clean with no screws or fasteners visible. I have been reading through the many previous threads to answer questions but i may pose a few of my own soon. I will also be adding some pictures as well.
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby KCStudly » Thu Jun 29, 2017 12:23 pm

:twisted: (anxiously awaiting photos)

Welcome to the forums!
KC
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby Evan Dunville » Fri Jul 07, 2017 3:43 pm

I am not totally finished and i still want to put together a good album with descriptions but for those who are curious here are all the pictures i have to date.

https://goo.gl/photos/EiGGJSrqGf8fGUDB7
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby KCStudly » Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:38 am

You're almost done!!!

One comment, on your over toggle style outside door latches, many folks don't like having latches that can be locked on the outside with no way to open them from the inside. It's a safety feature. Even if nobody is playing a prank on you, or accidentally locks you in, you still don't want the wind to slam the door shut and have any chance of the hasp catching to where you can't get out. You might want to consider changing them. Just saying.
KC
My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
TnTTT ORIGINAL 200A LANTERN CLUB = "The 200A Gang"
Green Lantern Corpsmen
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby Evan Dunville » Wed Jul 12, 2017 11:51 am

KCStudly wrote:You're almost done!!!

One comment, on your over toggle style outside door latches, many folks don't like having latches that can be locked on the outside with no way to open them from the inside. It's a safety feature. Even if nobody is playing a prank on you, or accidentally locks you in, you still don't want the wind to slam the door shut and have any chance of the hasp catching to where you can't get out. You might want to consider changing them. Just saying.



Excellent Point and i had the same thought, i flat out ran out of time before leaving on my trip so i bought those cheap latches as a temporary solution. One door has a latch on the outside and the other door has a latch on the inside that way i can secure the doors for travel but still be able to get out if i need to. I used a bolt to hold the inside door latch closed and a small padlock to hold the outside door latched and locked so the trailer itself was secure. I will be ordering a proper RV door Latch on amazon some time today.
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby KCStudly » Wed Jul 19, 2017 7:21 am

:thumbsup:
KC
My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
TnTTT ORIGINAL 200A LANTERN CLUB = "The 200A Gang"
Green Lantern Corpsmen
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby PJLangevin » Sun Aug 06, 2017 8:05 pm

That is a great post, I am behind in what you have done, as I am just starting, but this is great information. How was the first outing? Is there anything you would change? I am just welding up my frame this weekend, I am wondering how high the floor is off the ground? I am sure I will have more questions too, if that is ok.

PJL
An it harm none, do what ye will
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby Evan Dunville » Thu Apr 12, 2018 3:26 pm

I thought i would give an update for the end of the season, again all my photos are on this album. https://goo.gl/photos/EiGGJSrqGf8fGUDB7.

I completed the teardrop and used it only 3 times over the summer/fall. I wish I could have gone out more but the build itself took a lot of my free time. By the end of the season there was still a few interior details left to complete notably trim, finish and a more attractive shelf/charger station.

Overall I'm thrilled with how everything came together. This build fits my needs perfectly and was slightly over my initial budget but came in around $3000 CAD. I wouldn't change much about it at this point but there are a few things ill be adding such as a mobile kitchen and a step/shoe box. I want to build a canoe for use when camping and possibly, down the road i may make a larger camper but that is quite a while away from being possible.

Being in Canada i was concerned with the cold and I'm a bit of wimp in the heat so insulation was a BIG concern. the spray foam was pricey at $350 but it was worth every penny in the end. We took one trip to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho where it was very hot(for me) with daytime highs of 38oC (100oF). The camper stayed cool inside until about 11am and a tiny AC was able to turn the whole thing into an ice box within 5 minutes. The camper has a similar performance in cold weather, on a night at -10oC (14oF) I placed a tiny ceramic heater inside (the kind one would use under a work desk) at half power, opened the vent slightly and left it overnight. By morning the temp was at 33oC(91oF)! I repeated the heater experiment at 1/4 power and it kept things at a more comfortable 22oC (72oF), that's without any body heat inside so i would imagine even with winter camping the heater wouldn't be required at night.

The biggest thing i would change about the build would be the use of solid wood to build up the walls. It would have been better to use 2 layers of 3/4" plywood glued together overlapping the seems.

The first trip of the year is planned for May long Weekend
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby KTM_Guy » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:15 pm

My next build will be with spray insulation like you did. What size foam kit did you buy and did you have enough or extra? Nice build. :applause:

Todd
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby Evan Dunville » Fri Apr 13, 2018 1:33 pm

KTM_Guy wrote:My next build will be with spray insulation like you did. What size foam kit did you buy and did you have enough or extra? Nice build. :applause:

Todd

Thanks, I purchased a Froth-Pak 200 from RONA in Canada for about $350 Canadian. After spraying the walls (1.5" thick) and roof wrap (1" thick) there was a very small amount extra which my dad sprayed into his ceiling. It took me 3 applications of the foam to get all the potential voids covered over. Skill with using the foam gun would have been a big factor in having less coats to apply. It was a lot of work but if i ever built another trailer ill be using spray foam again. With something like a camper its very beneficial that its, water tight, air tight, conforms to the shape, mold resistant and good insulating value.
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby Tim C. » Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:23 pm

Have you had the trailer insured in Ontario? I am having trouble even though mine is built on a registered utility frame, with proper lighting, brakes etc. approved.
Car insurance says they won't cover a trailer that has been modified. (I just added the usual, and a battery to power LED lights and fan only.)
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Re: 6 X 8 Alumium Top Plywood Sides Teardrop (My First Build

Postby Evan Dunville » Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:58 am

Tim C. wrote:Have you had the trailer insured in Ontario? I am having trouble even though mine is built on a registered utility frame, with proper lighting, brakes etc. approved.
Car insurance says they won't cover a trailer that has been modified. (I just added the usual, and a battery to power LED lights and fan only.)


I'm in Alberta, my trailer is registered as a home built and I didn't have any issues getting insurance, however, its only covered for the build costs.
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