The Arboreous Weekender

...ask your questions in the appropriate forums BUT document your build here...preferably in a single thread...dates for updates, are appreciated....

The Arboreous Weekender

Postby kristaology » Thu May 23, 2019 2:24 pm

I bought my first camper, a 13 foot 1965 Banner, at 22 years old. I fixed the hatch leak, replaced half the ceiling, sewed covers for all the old floral cushions, and sanded/repainted the entire exterior. It's name was "Sunshine and Whisky". The "camper bug" is a thing and I caught it.

Two years later, I started looking into teardrops. I can't tell you when I saw my first one, or what caught my attention so much, but I do know that this has been a year and a half long obsession that hasn't lessened at all.

My fiance and I love to fish, hike, and camp. Tents are fun once in a while, but they're inconvenient and not wind-proof. We weren't looking to oversimplify camping to the point where we were just parking a 30 foot camper in the woods and living just like home for a weekend either. We wanted something that was light, small, and could hold all our essentials...plus provide a weatherproof COMFORTABLE bed (not just an air bed that has reached half mast by morning). I took at least 6 months to think on it, and last year, I finally plucked up the courage to buy a $250 4x8 trailer. It sat in my garage all winter, untouched.

Image

I soon learned that it was a Harbor Freight 1750lb bolt together. It has posed some concerns, but I think I've gotten past that seeing how common they are on these builds. We painted it with Krylon Rust Protector satin black and earlier this year, I bought some lumber for the floor.

Now I've heard it a million times, "Why don't you buy all your lumber at once?" and "I think you're gonna need a few more logs, there." Yeah, I know. I'm not naive to the fact that things are going to change along the way and I don't want to get ahead of myself. Multiple ideas and plans have already changed since I started building, and they'll keep changing. Its a build as I go project.

My dad and his girlfriend helped me glue (TBIII) and screw (galvanized exterior 1.5in screws) my floor together. Because I live in Missouri where it gets blazingly hot in the summer and blisteringly cold in the winter, I opted for a heavy duty floor. Not a common option, but it was a good idea to me. 1/2in ply on bottom, painted with tar underneath, glue/screwed to 2x2s matching my trailer frame, an undercarriage storage box planned in there, 1in pink insulation in between, and a 1/2 in ply on top.

Here is my fiance helping with the tar. I was more than happy to give him the task.
Image

Currently, I'm moving my operation to my dad's shop (MUCH bigger). I've purchased some beautiful 1/4in mahogany ply for the exterior panels, and a couple 3/4in ply panels for the skeleton. I also pre-purchased 26"x36" foam core doors from Vintage Technologies that are sitting in my spare bedroom.

Will get back to you soon!
Carpenter in progress!

Build Journal:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71677
kristaology
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 28
Images: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:38 am

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby kristaology » Wed May 29, 2019 11:06 am

We spent Memorial Day weekend working on the camper. We bolted the floor to the frame with 11 carriage bolts and lock nuts, countersunk and puttied over so that our walls would fit flush.

My tar adhered well to the weather stripping on the frame and it all seems extremely secure.

Using 3/4" ply, we cut out holes for insulation and cut our door holes out. The door fits beautifully, the inner trim ring, not so much. That's another job for another time.

Image

It's finally starting to look like something and is going as well as I could hope for.
Carpenter in progress!

Build Journal:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71677
kristaology
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 28
Images: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:38 am

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby KCStudly » Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:53 am

Welcome to the madness! Looks like you are planning a Simple with a bit of a wedge front?

I'm looking forward to following along as you progress. :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
User avatar
KCStudly
Donating Member
 
Posts: 9610
Images: 8169
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:18 pm
Location: Southeastern CT, USA
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby kristaology » Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:56 am

Actually it's more of a weekender! That picture cuts off the back hatch.

Here's my original sketch of the design. Of course some things have changed since then, but I still kept the shape.

Thank you for following! Image
Carpenter in progress!

Build Journal:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71677
kristaology
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 28
Images: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:38 am
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby kristaology » Tue Jun 04, 2019 7:05 pm

We got one of the outer 1/4" mahogany walls glued onto the inner 3/4" ply successfully. It looks beautiful and turned out better than I expected.

We cut up the other side and slapped it on tonight. Who needs clamps when you have tires, cinderblocks, and random heavy metal tools?

We're still tossing back and forth what to do about attaching the walls to the floor. I want to avoid screw holes in the outer wall, but there's no really secure way to fix the wall to the floor.

Any ideas?ImageImage

Sent from my LGL83BL using Tapatalk
Carpenter in progress!

Build Journal:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71677
kristaology
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 28
Images: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:38 am
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby les45 » Wed Jun 05, 2019 5:46 am

Not sure if you've seen this journal but it might give you some ideas for your weekender:

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=49333

Image

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions ([email protected])
User avatar
les45
500 Club
 
Posts: 974
Images: 605
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:57 am
Location: Aiken, South Carolina
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby Woodbutcher » Wed Jun 05, 2019 6:51 am

Welcome to the group. The building process is a big part of the fun. Enjoy making the trailer your own and traveling the country, showing off your work. :applause:
User avatar
Woodbutcher
Platinum Donating Member
 
Posts: 4187
Images: 45
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:01 pm
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby cma713 » Fri Jun 07, 2019 12:23 am

Great start! :thumbsup: I'll be following along to see the progress.
Casey
Build Journal: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71456
User avatar
cma713
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 18
Images: 119
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2018 11:03 am
Location: Central FL
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby Atomic77 » Tue Jun 11, 2019 9:30 pm

kristaology wrote:We're still tossing back and forth what to do about attaching the walls to the floor.


The way I did mine was, I attached "cleats" on the lower wall inside with screws and glue. Then bolted through the cleats and into the outer frame rail. Nothing is seen from the outside and on the inside the cleats are hidden by other stuff. Hope this makes sense.
Michael

"The Strength is in the Sum of the Parts..."

The Astroliner

Follow The Astroliner Blog Here!

Check out our YouTube video
User avatar
Atomic77
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1463
Images: 309
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 5:29 pm
Location: Fort Wayne Indiana
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby kristaology » Sun Jun 23, 2019 3:21 pm

FINALLY got a wall up. We've put this off for three weeks because of how much of a headache it has been. The bottom of our walls weren't sitting flush due to our floor or trailer being warped in the middle. Not a great start.

We ended up having to shave off some of the bottom of the wall to get it to sit right. After all this, we glued and kreg screwed the wall to the floor.

Our exterior mahogany didn't match up on the outside after that, so we shaved it off with a box knife and are riding on the fact that the trim metal will cover up how rough it looks now.

Things definitely aren't going quite to plan. But then again, nothing ever does.

Regardless, we've made progress and I'm grateful for that. Image

Sent from my LGL83BL using Tapatalk
Carpenter in progress!

Build Journal:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71677
kristaology
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 28
Images: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:38 am
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby working on it » Sun Jun 23, 2019 5:48 pm

Atomic77 wrote:
kristaology wrote:We're still tossing back and forth what to do about attaching the walls to the floor.


The way I did mine was, I attached "cleats" on the lower wall inside with screws and glue. Then bolted through the cleats and into the outer frame rail. Nothing is seen from the outside and on the inside the cleats are hidden by other stuff. Hope this makes sense.


* I built simply, and decidedly differently than most, using 3/4" plywood and steel hardware to make a bolt-together trailer. I mounted my front wall and the interior bulkhead first, using PL Premium adhesive and steel corner angles (with stainless 1/4"-20 carriage bolts, fender washers, and acorn nuts...all meant to be visible on the outside), then I braced them vertically while the polyurethane adhesive set. Then, I removed one brace at a time, and bolted-on the walls, using the corner braces and adding-in three Simpson Strong-Ties GA-2 gusseted angle braces down each side, along the flooring.
  • 86945 front wall bolted and glued to flooring
  • 86947 both bulkheads are now vertical
  • 86949 bracing holds them in place while the adhesive cures
* With each side now firmly bolted-onto the floor and front & rear bulkheads, with steel hardware (not to mention tubes of PL in/out/under each seam), I didn't have to rush the roof attachment until later, after all was dry. At that point, I just laid the roof sections atop the standing walls, and followed the same procedure. No spars were needed to support the 3/4" roof sections, since the full perimeter of each piece was amply supported, and the "Sagulator" https://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/ convinced me that there would be no sag, even after years of use (correct! there is none 7 years later).
  • 86958 a view of some of the gusseted steel angles used in construction
  • 94042 side view shows the visible stainless hardware holding it all together
  • 86956 laying the roof directly over the standing walls (bolted-on as the adhesive is setting)
2013 HHRv "squareback/squaredrop", rugged, 4x8 TTT, 2225 lbs
  • *3500 lb Dexter EZ-Lube braked axle, 3000 lb.springs, active-progressive bumpstop suspension
  • *27 x 8.5-14LT AT tires (x 3) *Weight Distribution system for single-beam tongue
  • *100% LED's & GFCI outlets, 3x fans, AM/FM/CD/Aux. *A/C & heat, Optima AGM, inverter & charger(s)
  • *extended-run, on-board, 2500w generator *Coleman dual-fuel stove & lantern, Ikea grill, vintage skillet
  • *zinc/stainless front & side racks *98"L x 6" diameter rod & reel carrier tube on roof
173193172890148599
User avatar
working on it
2000 Club
2000 Club
 
Posts: 2171
Images: 457
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:05 pm
Location: DFW Texas
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby clamlamp » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:07 pm

Keep up the good work!~ Will be following! :applause:
User avatar
clamlamp
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 218
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:54 pm
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby kristaology » Mon Jul 08, 2019 10:16 am

Finally got the other wall up this weekend. Also, I took this picture before so it doesn't show, but we got an interior wall up as well.

Next, we plan on tacking on a 3/4" ply front piece to stand as a rock guard, as well as putting up the wall between the gallery and sleeper.

I can't wait to sand and poly the floor. It's so marked up from us moving around and working.

We slipped the doors in to see how they look and they work wonderfully. Look good too! :)

Once the other interior wall covering is in, we can start putting in roof spars!

Jeremiah wanted to stand next to it, but it also gives you a good view of how tall it is. He's 6' even. Image

Sent from my LGL83BL using Tapatalk
Carpenter in progress!

Build Journal:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71677
kristaology
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 28
Images: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:38 am
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby kristaology » Tue Jul 16, 2019 1:02 pm

Got the bulkhead in this weekend, but ran into some measuring questions that needed answered before we could continue. Anyway, here she is. Got both interior walls in as well. ImageImage

Sent from my LGL83BL using Tapatalk
Carpenter in progress!

Build Journal:http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=71677
kristaology
Teardrop Builder
 
Posts: 28
Images: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2019 2:38 am
Top

Re: The Arboreous Weekender

Postby Aguyfromohio » Tue Jul 16, 2019 3:13 pm

Looking good :thumbsup:

That's a nice big shop you have there.
User avatar
Aguyfromohio
Gold Donating Member
 
Posts: 392
Images: 76
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2017 5:02 am
Top

Next

Return to Build Journals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests