Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

mikeschn wrote:Since I can't seem to paint with metalic aluminum paint on canvas, I thought I'd do an OD Green...

Mike...

I really like your design - I think everything's coming along very nicely with it.

When I look at the ridge towards the back, it seems like a natural hinge point. It would put the hatch up very high, and would allow the whole back end to open. For me, I like having the ability to have a cooler etc on a slider. Short barn doors and the upper hatch sod be ok too
Tom

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mikeschn wrote:Hey guys...

That's why I'm sharing this stuff early, to make sure we don't miss stuff like this.

You guys are my design review team...

And I think you're right... it's too low...

So where do we go from here?



Mike...

I designed my mercury galley hatchto allow a flat back end, and and an overhead standing height protectedgallet.
It wouldn't needto have the reverse slope, it could be flat or multi angled, but that foot of distance behind the hinge point turns into a workable height.

You could knock the point off the top and make it a multi faceted shape. It would also allow even more of the roof space to be used to haul boats with the galley hatch unimpeded.
I plan on having a hinged extension of the galley counter top, that folds upwards to retain stuff on the shelf during transit

Yep, that's definitely an option. Putting the hinge on the ridge and gain quite a bit more headroom. It might look a lot like rowerwet's teardrop...
Where I cut it was not really ideal, I was just looking at the height that could be gained...



The other option is to go back to the original design, and use a galley hatch that extends over the sides... similar to this...



Mike...

Socal Tom wrote:When I look at the ridge towards the back, it seems like a natural hinge point. It would put the hatch up very high, and would allow the whole back end to open. For me, I like having the ability to have a cooler etc on a slider. Short barn doors and the upper hatch sod be ok too
Tom

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I think if you plan on Generic Foamie in the design resources tab. It should be very easy to build, low cost and look good.
Something almost anyone could build with very few tools(saber saw caulking gun and a palm sander)
I would like to see a 4x8 just because it would be so simple to build. You could put in the option to go wider and longer but the basic design for a 4x8. I like the looks of the grasshopper(weekender)




With the bottom front going strait down,
The gallery door hinged on the bottom to make a counter(or a inside fold down counter)
2" radius's on all the corners.(for a smooth look).
2" foam floor with Canvas on the bottom and a sheet of thin plywood or luan on the inside.
Glue on hard point to make building easier.
Wylie windows for low cost.
Low cost homemade all foam and canvas doors with canvas around the edges (mine are 1" foam)
No wood so no rot if there is a leak when stored outside.
If built off the trailer you can wrap the canvas under the floor with easy and have it upside down to canvas the inside of the roof
Just my thoughts.

The one I will be building is the nano With the bottom front 20 '' going strait down adding 4'' longer to fit on hf frame. . Just waiting on fiberglass outer ring to come back .

If you go with the hinge on the roof and are afraid of leakage you could go with my design. I made what I call a "sub roof" which connects to the "inner" walls of the galley. The "sub roof" and "inner" galley walls are covered by the hatch when down. I built a gutter into the sub roof to collect any water that might infiltrate the hinge area. The gutter diverts the water between the "inner" galley walls and the outer hatch which it then can flow out the bottom.

Another option might be to take the current hatch design, and use an interior hinge that swings it up higher when open. You might have to figure out how to build it, but I'm sure it could probably be done witt PVC .I looked on line, but I haven't found a good example. It would be sort of U shaped, and go inside the door. When open, it would lift the back of the hatch higher. Or, instead of a normal hinges as pictured, you could use "lift off" hinges, so the hatch could be taken off and reused as a table, or attached to points higher in the roof for shade, but be quickly put back. With that type of galley, you can't really set up inside because you need to reach under, so a side table would be more useful IMO.
Tom

ghcoe,

What is your gutter made out of?

Mike...

mikeschn wrote:ghcoe,

What is your gutter made out of?

Mike...

In this case it is hot wired into a 2" piece of foam. I am sure other options could be visited though.

Once again , the use of common Doors protected by a slight overhang ( no hatch ) eliminates many of the hatch questions/problems that have plagued Teardrop trailers from inception. We’re trying to think of designs that aren’t just a repeat of former problems ... right ???
And , we build for our needs ... I for one have Never gone camping so I can cook big meals ...
Note: If you live in an area that never rains , then build whatever you want and don’t worry about a thing ... A Luxury we do not have here...

GPW wrote:Once again , the use of common Doors protected by a slight overhang ( no hatch ) eliminates many of the hatch questions/problems that have plagued Teardrop trailers from inception. We’re trying to think of designs that aren’t just a repeat of former problems ... right ???
And , we build for our needs ... I for one have Never gone camping so I can cook big meals ...
Note: If you live in an area that never rains , then build whatever you want and don’t worry about a thing ... A Luxury we do not have here...

I think I'm with GPW for the generic. A set of swinging doors should be fine, easy to build and easy to seal. If folks want a hatch, they can make that change from the info available.
Tom

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For me it is not the making of big meals it is the convenience of making a quick meal. Out on the road, get hungry, pull over, lift hatch, make some food, close hatch, gone again...... If you want a hot meal you don't have to dig for a box with the stove in it, the box with the bread in it, the cooler, it's all right there.... ready for use with a simple lift of the hatch.

The foamie for me is traveling fast and save money on hotel and restaurant expenses without sacrificing speed and time that a larger trailer creates. If I did not have the option of a galley to deploy in a moments notice I would be tempted to stop and eat at a restaurant for convenience. Yes I know how my mind works....

ghcoe wrote:For me it is not the making of big meals it is the convenience of making a quick meal. Out on the road, get hungry, pull over, lift hatch, make some food, close hatch, gone again...... If you want a hot meal you don't have to dig for a box with the stove in it, the box with the bread in it, the cooler, it's all right there.... ready for use with a simple lift of the hatch.

The foamie for me is traveling fast and save money on hotel and restaurant expenses without sacrificing speed and time that a larger trailer creates. If I did not have the option of a galley to deploy in a moments notice I would be tempted to stop and eat at a restaurant for convenience. Yes I know how my mind works....

I see it like this.... The generic plans are a starting point for people who want to build a foamy. Leaving a couple of swinging doors at the back, and the underneath storage is probably the easiest, simplest way to build it. However people can choose to add a full swing up hatch, or a short hatch, or no galley area what so ever. You can look at how people have modified taken the Generic Benroy plans and modified them to work with they way they want. But my suggestion is to make the plans for simple version. People with limited skills and tools won't be scared away, and those with greater skills and tools can easily collect the information they want from other builds, and just modify the basic plans. Personally If I were building one it would look more like the Mad Dash.
Tom