Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Really coming along Nicely !!!

Finished up the wiring in the tongue box. I've installed the shore power inlet on the right, which leads to a surge protector. This leads to the main PD4045 panel. The 35 aH battery (for interior lighting) is in the compartment below. A spare jug of water will live in it's own separate compartment in the lower right.



Also finished the rear hatch cover. I skinned it with FRP and 1/4" plywood, so it is fairly light:



Until I figure out which gas struts to use, I crafted this support bar, made of aluminum square tubing. The top is notched to lock into a cross brace:



The bottom of the square tube is screwed into the kitchen counter, so it can swivel easily:



And voila:



Another easy project was this brown craft paper torn and glued using white glue, to the kitchen counter. Once it dries I'll stain it gray and seal it with several coats of varnish:

Finished the cabinets in the sleeping area. I sawed quarter-inch wide strips, and stained each strip with a different stain, from all of the leftover stains I've accumulated over the years. Used 5 stains, Golden Oak, Gunstock, Jacobean, Ebony, Sedona (a very nice red tone), and Puritan Pine. Then glued them randomly on a quarter-inch plywood backing, and hung them up, with magnetic catches to keep them from flying open during travel. I'm happy with the results:

To protect the galley's piano hinge from rain, we simply siliconed and stapled garage door waether-stripping:



Now, on to the kitchen cabinets. We are nearly done!

I've added a double fold-out tabletop in the galley. These are destined to hold my campstove and a cutting board.

The main foldout campstove tabletop is attached to the existing galley counter with a couple of hinges. I'm using a clasp to lock it in place in the open position:



The second foldout is attached to the campstove foldout, and held aloft using a homemade telescoping leg. The leg is made from 1-inch square tube, with a half-inch channel sliding inside. Then a bolt with wingnut and split washer completes the setup.





Initial tests show this to be fairly sturdy. May put in a crossbrace just for added security.



Folds up nicely too!

This past weekend, I created plywood fenders. I kerfed one end of a 8" x 24" piece of 1/2" plywood, and glued it up in an impromptu jig:



Then gave it several coats of The Mix, attached a mud flap, and here it is attached:

Finally finished our little build (well, not so little, but a heck of a lot of fun).

Here's a bird's eye view, showing the skylight and fan:



The front, showing the electrical box, housing the inverter/battery/shore access. The main cabin doors are cedar strips (meant to be used for closets, but seem to be holding up pretty well (slathered with linseed oil), glued to the door (which is just canvassed styrofoam). The splash guard (painted in an attempt at Native American design) is to protect the little window we put in front:



The interior, with just a 4" piece of foam, and we'll add a heated mattress topper. The reading lamps are battery-powered.



The rear of the interior cabin, showing the hand-made cabinets and drawers. The cabinet doors are just 2x4s cut into 1/4 inch strips, and each individually stained, then glued to a 1/4" plywood backing. Magnets ensure they stay shut during travel. AC unit is vented through the floor of the camper.



And lastly, the kitchen area, with cabinets, a 'pop-in' sink, magnetic spice rack, collapsible tabletop extension, and builtin spoon & spatula holder on the right. The lower area will store our cooler, and propane stove.



We've toured the neighborhood, showing our friends and neighbors the wee beastie, and the looks of delight make it all worthwhile.

Road Trip!!!!

Congratulation on getting the trailer to the camping stage.

Now it's time to hit the road.

Joe4Camping wrote:Finally finished our little build (well, not so little, but a heck of a lot of fun).

Here's a bird's eye view, showing the skylight and fan:

Looks fantastic! Congrats and can't wait to hear of your adventured in it...

Well Done!

Your camper looks great! Thanks for sharing the pictures!