My Canned Ham Design

[pebo]

I have been working up different designs for several years now and I finally have a design I hope to start building once the snow melts. I guess it could be considered a Canned Ham but that is never the food stuff I see when I look at it. The cabin is 11’ long by 6’-2â€

[doug hodder]

I really like the design...that rear dormer is cool!!! I've done a couple of trolley tops (on tears) and did them up in epoxy/paint for a finish. It was basically all just shaping wood and a load of body work in epoxy/paint. Your design will be more challenging if you want to do it up with an aluminum or any metallic skin. On my canned ham...just did aluminum, but no trick dormer like you have. If you widened it to the full width of the trailer, it would be an easy one to do in aluminum roof. Doug

[droid_ca]

thats a really cool design

[doug hodder]

Is it 6'2" wide counting the wheels or no? If no...that's getting really wide. Doug

[Miriam C.]

You might be sure to tip that ledge on the dormer so it doesn't hold water in a driving rain.

[Wimperdink]

If you build as well as you sketchup, that will be a gorgeous camper. Care to share the sketchup file so we can look around it?

[pebo]

I really like the design...that rear dormer is cool!!! I've done a couple of trolley tops (on tears) and did them up in epoxy/paint for a finish. It was basically all just shaping wood and a load of body work in epoxy/paint. Your design will be more challenging if you want to do it up with an aluminum or any metallic skin. On my canned ham...just did aluminum, but no trick dormer like you have. If you widened it to the full width of the trailer, it would be an easy one to do in aluminum roof. Doug

Thanks, Doug, I have checked out your different trailers over the years and have really enjoyed your designs as well. Being a fan and builder of wooden boats I am leaning towards epoxy/marine paint for the top. I worked in the sheet metal business for many years, many years ago and if I were still in Houston and had access to my brothers shop I would do mirror finished aluminum just for the coolness factor of it, but without that resource I have pretty much decided against aluminum. I have widen the dormer and reduced the dormer many times and though I know it would be easier to build full width I personally think that it looks better not full width and I have come up with a way to build it that I think will work out great so this is what I am going with and yes it is part of the reason for not doing an aluminum roof.

thats a really cool design

Thanks, I hope I do it justice...

Is it 6'2" wide counting the wheels or no? If no...that's getting really wide. Doug

No not counting the wheels outside of skin to outside of skin, at one time I had the wheels partially covered in but it was well over 7' and I backed away from that. The bed runs across the back and it is just under 6' wide and I am just over 6' tall so I even have a bump out for my feet designed. And yes it is still to the wide side but this is where I have decided to stop after widing and narrowing the design many times.

You might be sure to tip that ledge on the dormer so it doesn't hold water in a driving rain.

Miriam, It is hard to tell in that picture but that ledge has quite a bit of angle on it and will be well epoxied and varnished.

If you build as well as you sketchup, that will be a gorgeous camper. Care to share the sketchup file so we can look around it?

Thanks, I have never actually built a trailer but I have built a wooden boat and furniture and any number of other things over the years and I plan on taking my time and doing it right so hopefully it comes out as nicely as the sketchup. Which is not just a drawing but actually a full fledge model, I have not been able to build the trailer as of yet so I have been building it in sketchup with all the parts and pieces and as such that is a very detailed and large file. It is still a work in progress and I am not ready to share it at the moment but if there is something you would like to see I would be glad to upload an image.

Peter...

[aggie79]

Peter,

That is a beautiful and unique design. I've always been drawn to woody-style teardrops but your standy design is even more appealling. And your sketchup skills are awesome. (I wish I could learn sketchup, but even if I could handle the technical aspect, I know I don't have good design sensibilities.)

On your design, it appears that your electrical inlet and perhaps water inlet is on the passenger side. You may want to consider moving them to the other side as most campsite pedestals are located on the drivers side.

Take care,
Tom

[pebo]

That is a beautiful and unique design. I've always been drawn to woody-style teardrops but your standy design is even more appealling. And your sketchup skills are awesome. (I wish I could learn sketchup, but even if I could handle the technical aspect, I know I don't have good design sensibilities.)

On your design, it appears that your electrical inlet and perhaps water inlet is on the passenger side. You may want to consider moving them to the other side as most campsite pedestals are located on the drivers side.

Thanks Tom
I appreciate the compliments. I really enjoy the woody style as well and I am even considering taking it a step farther and doing strip piecing on the two sides, we’ll have to see where I end up on that one. I have been doing AutoCad since the IBM 8088 days and it even took me a bit of convincing to move over to SketchUp. If you ever decide to take the plunge I would be glad to help out in any way that I can.
Actually the electrical access is on the other side what you see on this side, starting from the back is a canopy pole hatch, which covers a piece of PVC pipe that the canopy poles slide into. The water access which is a gravity fed not a city water connection and it is on this side because the water tank is on this side and there is only a small sink so I don’t plan on being hooked up to the water supply at the camp site. The one by the door is an actual exterior 110 outlet so that things can be plugged into the camper on this side instead of pulling another cord from the campsite power.
Thanks for looking, Peter…

[Wimperdink]

If you build as well as you sketchup, that will be a gorgeous camper. Care to share the sketchup file so we can look around it?

Thanks, I have never actually built a trailer but I have built a wooden boat and furniture and any number of other things over the years and I plan on taking my time and doing it right so hopefully it comes out as nicely as the sketchup. Which is not just a drawing but actually a full fledge model, I have not been able to build the trailer as of yet so I have been building it in sketchup with all the parts and pieces and as such that is a very detailed and large file. It is still a work in progress and I am not ready to share it at the moment but if there is something you would like to see I would be glad to upload an image.

Peter...

Perspective was all I was missing. I was also hoping to remove a wall skin to see how you did the inside but you might not be there yet. There's a lot of perspective to be gained by circling around a 3d image that can't be seen in a picture. I like the design a lot. I'll keep an eye out for your pics.

[pebo]

Here is a couple shots of the interior.

[Dusty82]

Now THAT is a trailer I want to build! Excellent work!

I've been going through the design library, watching other builds and designs, looking at home built and professionally built trailers and you name whatever else for over a year, and you've nailed it for me. Every other design I've come across has been lacking in one area or another - meaning that I've wanted to make one or more major changes here and there. So far I've found absolutely nothing I'd change on this design - I love it and would indeed love to build it as is.

When you get to the point that you'd feel comfortable sharing the SKP file, please put me on the list, if you 'd be so kind.

That's really an excellent design!

[Wimperdink]

Very nice!

[nebraskama]

Wow that is absolutely fabulous!! I sure hope someone builds one of those so we can see it "in person".

You all amaze me with the creativity and know-how! I'm actually blown away!

[aggie79]

Hi Peter,

Hope things are going well! Just checking in to see if there was a new progress report.

I know you stated that you're building your frame out 2" x 3" tubing. Do you have a frame design yet?

Take care,
Tom