So I took the trailer on a 200 mile road-trip to drop off that annoying-large sheet metal brake, freeing up about 3x10' of my small garage, and pick up a new toy.
Only problem? We have 12" of snow on the ground, so I have to wait a bit before I can off-load it and move it to the shed where it belongs. It even has a ball on the back for hauling the trailer around the yard, if we ever get to spring and the snow melts.
I also spent about two hours talking to my dad about my plans for the teardrop vs his cabinetry experience, picking up the tractor finally let us sit down with AutoCAD to discuss things in detail rather than try to decipher each others thoughts over the phone.
His suggestions?
1) Drop the 3-piece hatch as the lower doors couldn't support much weight without being built around a metal frame (someone leaning on them when open could break one). Originally he wanted a 4-piece hatch, with an upper panel hinged to the roof, two side-opening doors and a lower panel hinged on the frame. I strongly objected so he suggested a two piece hatch, with the upper and middle panels connected together and the lowest panel being hinged to the frame and dropping vertically as a compromise.
2) Kreg screws wouldn't have enough grip, 1/2" plywood's too thin for reliable biscuits and the MDO wouldn't accept the glue well enough for my original plan, so he strongly recommends doing a 1.5"x1.5" stick frame underneath the 1/2" plywood, screwing in from the outside with #8 wood screws and then coating all the seams with fiberglass and epoxy. I asked about down-sizing to 3/8" or 1/4" plywood over the stick frame, he said to keep it at 1/2" for durability and strength.
3) Lower the walls 1/2" on the frame, so they serve as a drip edge instead of potentially wicking water across the bottom.
4) Use pressure treated 2x4s for the bed supports
5) Use sheets of pressure treated plywood for the floor of both the galley and sleeping area, with a layer of luan and caulked seams to cover the PT so it looks nice and doesn't smell.
6) Ditch the under bed storage compartments, the small ones near the tongue will be a lot of work for little return and the big one will be too hard to access when I'm fighting the 6" mattress. He suggests throwing a Rubbermaid on the bed when we travel and putting it in the truck once the dog's cage is moved into her tent.
I think I'm ok with 1-4, but 5 and 6?
I envision the under-bed storage as more of a "this trip has gone totally sideways" area, for stuff like a spare blanket, sweatshirts, jeans and boots when camping in July, extra trailer parts (spare hub, extra set of bearings, grease, various nuts, bolts), etc, that we'd never plan on using but bring along just in case. And for a box like that, after several trips without a failure, I bet we'd leave it at home, only to run into problems and need its contents. And the pressure treated plywood would, I think, just be a smelly, warped disaster, vs asphalt or bedliner-coated MDO.
The stick construction would solve a few of my current issues about wiring, I could easily run wire from the front to the back plus I could insulate the roof.