Tiny Trailer Frame Up Rebuild - SLEEPER

[2bits]

Hi Tom, I knew I would see you around here at some point my friend! I am doing good, trying to make a go of this trailer restoration thing although this build is going to me my keeper! I sold my scotty and am excited to build one from the ground up completely by me again! I have four waiting in the wings so I figure that will get me a year and a half of living and I will know by them if I am going broke or not haha either way I have always wanted to do this so even if I bust I will know I did it! So far so good! One thing I have learned is that you can get alot done when you can do it all day every day and I have been doing it in this heat too so I am looking forward to what I can do when the weather is nice!

Today I only got the front half of the street side done. This side is taking longer because I am adding a window so all the skin comes off and I have to reframe it completely. I did get all the wood halfway cut and laid out for tomorrow for the back half so I should get it done tomorrow no problem.

[coyote]

Those pocket screws are going to be way more strong! I got a Kreg setup as I started back and love it. That added window will be nice looking and allow more light in, more VIEW out! Good Luck Coyote

[2bits]

Those pocket screws are going to be way more strong! I got a Kreg setup as I started back and love it. That added window will be nice looking and allow more light in, more VIEW out! Good Luck Coyote

I love these pocket holes except word to the wise, Home Depot post hole screws are horrible! They love to strip and they have a proprietary Phillips/mini square heard bit and the one they give you is too short so it gets stuck in the hole and won't go deep enough along with stripping! Horrible! I have to hand tighten each and every one. That's is alot of hand tightening!

Speaking of windows, I am adding the one small on up front and also doubling the size of the one at the other end, plus there is one of those tall louvered windows that will go in the door so it will look like this when done,wall of windows! Here is a quick rendition!

[2bits]

Sooo Tom,

What is this other project you mentioned? I know if you have decided to sell the Beetle that you have given it alot of though, people were surprised that I would sell my Scotty too, but they were also surprised I would sell my teardrop, my van and my Monte Carlo too, to experience new things sometimes you must let go of others.

[aggie79]

Sooo Tom,

What is this other project you mentioned? I know if you have decided to sell the Beetle that you have given it alot of though, people were surprised that I would sell my Scotty too, but they were also surprised I would sell my teardrop, my van and my Monte Carlo too, to experience new things sometimes you must let go of others.

Hi Thomas,

Please excuse the length of my reply. I hope it doesn't detract from your cool build/re-build.

We are looking for the same "holy grail" of camping amenities as you are putting into your build, and would like them in similarly sized
"package". The two quandaries I have are lack of build and storage space and lack of time. I can partially overcome the first dilemma by selling our teardrop and freeing up one bay in our garage. (The other bay is tool and material storage.)

In an ideal world, I would love to build a replica bread loaf trailer with modern amenities. Because I realistically don't have the time for a "from scratch" project, I have been considering converting a cargo trailer, and have a notebook of sketches.

Sorry for the diversion. Now back to your Play Mor build.

Take care,
Tom

[2bits]

I totally understand! I kenny and julie have a cargo conversion but its a fairly big one and the weight was a huge concern.

On my project, I finished the second wall yesterday and am about to head out to the garage and pull up the floor. I'll do an inventory for what wood I need then going to meet Linda Modisette in Canton for a craigslist deal. I plan to get it sanded and painted and maybe built by the end of tomorrow which will mark just two weeks since I began working on it!

[HMK]

You sold Scotty? Oh Wow, has it been 3 years already? I remember chatting with you here about it. It was about the same time we were looking for something "Small". Haha, we wound up with a 34' Winny. I know you will do this one proud!

[2bits]

Yup, I love the Scotty but have been wanting to build one to my floor plan that was all "me" for a long time. I needed the cash from the Scotty to pay for the Play Mor and my living expenses while I work on it. I will be camping in my Shasta until it is done but the way things are going I may not have to worry about playing musical campers although I want to camp in the Shasta once before it is sold. That will pay for the time to build my '62 Scotty which is a silverside just like the one I sold but this one is all original and will be my next rebuild. I am going to keep this up as long as I can.

[2bits]

Made good progress today... sanded and painted the frame, then built the wood frame and the floor. Will get it all screwed down tomorrow then my already completed walls go up! It's only been two weeks to the day since I started!

[KCStudly]

Chassis looks nice!

You gonna treat that wood with anything?

[2bits]

Just undercoating, lasted the first 40 years

[2bits]

I took a day off today to let some minor cuts and bruises heal but I did get the tires put on the wheels and started thinking about sourcing the interior 1/8” plywood. I am only considering two options. I priced out the “correct” 1/8” birch at Plywood Co of Ft. Worth and as expected it was $25/ sheet. I found some 1/8 underlayment plywood at the big box and it looked great and super flexible and known for not having voids and has a similar hardwood face for $10/ sheet so I figured I would blow ten bucks and see how it shellaced since it was almost 1/3 the price of the Birch and not 2 hours away from me. Results were inconclusive since it was 90 degrees and I didn’t have any denatured alcohol around so the shellac dried super fast and got very blotchy in some places, this is also just one coat. An all around piss poor job haha but I expected as much with the temp and at least it gave me an idea of how it would look. At this point, it is certainly an option for me but I want to do a good shellac job before making a decision so I picked up some alcohol and will play with the other side tomorrow and see if I can get the grain to pop with a little more clarity. I have no expectation that it will match the thirty dollar Birch but at 1/3 the price I am willing if it still looks presentable.

I also cut up my test panel and laid it out to the floor plan to get the feel for it. Bed it upper L, Kitchen is lower L, Bath is upper R and the couch is lower R.

[coyote]

WOW, you're moving 'on! I went the longer ($) way on the 1/8 ply. Darlin" bride wanted and did paint it! Very interesting, thanks for the build/good images. (p.s., I was so inspired, I went out in the heat yesterday and figured out/installed screen door latch) Dave

[Mr. Lahey]

I used the Chinese 3mm (1/8) birch under lay plywood from the orange box store in my build. It varies in species of birch used from batch to batch. Lucky for me I bought my full stock all at once. When I bought mine it was from a run of highly figured golden colored birch. The stuff stained and finished up just stunning. Awesome old school look to it.

When I went back for more the current run was just a white pale minimal grain pattern species. I see a lot of birch ply made from that type birch. Including the baltic stuff. Just not very interesting looking stuff. Nor does it stain and finish up to that cool vintage look. From what I see it looks like what you have in your pic's is from that plainer species of birch. It's still good, but not like the old school stuff.

So when you are at the box store keep looking at the birch pile. When the highly figured stuff is there grab a good sized stack and store it if you can. The have the same stuff in 7mm (1/4) too. Great for cabinet faces, shelves and so forth.

Best of luck to you in your camper resto mod endeavors. If a man can support himself doing what he enjoys, he never works a day in his life. Or so they say.

If you are the builder of the Luxury Tent just wanted to say it was your build that inspired me to switch from Kenskill style to a Cub. Love the look of the Cub.

[2bits]

Mr. Lahey, thanks for the good info, they currently have a stack of about 25 sheets right now and I will need 12 for my interior so I will be "that guy" picking through them when I pick them up! They are on the top shelf too LOL...


And yessir, the LT was my creation, I am glad you remember it from the heyday of teardrop building and forum activity and that is cool that it actually influenced you! Mine is still gong strong in Washington state!