Showing posts with label build. Show all posts
Showing posts with label build. Show all posts
Friday Teardrop Video
Today I thought I would post a video by YouTuber Lucy. Her "Poor Man's Fiberglass" teardrop trailer build is one of the best and well thought out designs I've ever seen. The video tours her design that includes some features I've never seen before including tripod legs for cabinet doors and a rotating car stereo in the galley. Way to go girl!
Friday Teardop Photo
Check out this great teardrop trailer with rooftop tent built by Eric Keiper of Oklahoma. It was recently featured in the fall issue of The New Pioneer magazine and includes and interview and the materials list. The tent was purchased from Cascadia Vehicle Tents.
Featured Teardrop: DewDropN
William Warren is a reader of the Tiny Yellow Teardrop blog and sent me some photos of his wonderful build: the DewDropN. During his build, he lurked on a few websites while trying to decide what he wanted to build. He worked on and off for about a year on his trailer and still considers it a work in progresss. He purchased all of his trim, hinges and latches from Grant Whipp of Li'l Bear Tag Alongs.
"There were some frustrations and I stumbled along at times but whenever I hit a problem I would stop and think about it or just sleep on it and do some more research and boom there would be the answer," William said. "Sleeping on a problem is actually very good life advice I think."
Bedding for the Tear has been a journey too.
"We tried 4 inch pads and an air bed which was more comfortable than the pads but it did eventually let us down one night," he added. "So, I finally found a memory foam mattress that fits and it is awesome!"
Photos courtesy of William Warren
Featured Teardrop: Casual Turtle Hatchling & Terrapin
Peter Pavlowich's small trailer designs are spreading through the Web like wildfire—for good reason. His beautiful wooden designs (and cute names) are a symbol of what you can do when you know how to work with wood. Peter received his degree in Wood Construction and Design from the University of Idaho and has since created a small business named Casual Turtle Campers. One of his designs is a teardrop-like trailer called the Hatchling. A larger design (complete with dining/sleeping area) is called the Terrapin. Both are currently available for sale. Peter is happy to hear from anyone who is interested in the current designs or any similar designs. You an contact him on his website or by email at casualturtlecampers@gmail.com.
Why did you decided to build wooden campers and trailers? How did you become interested in them in particular?
I grew up camping with my family in a pop-up tent camper—and I always enjoyed the small, cozy atmosphere it created. I never owned a truck camper before starting this venture, but I always loved the idea of having a little cabin on the back of the truck. Once I learned how to build and engineer with wood, I figured it was time to try building my own. The prototype came together well, and once it gained enough interest, I though it'd make nice little business.
Designing and building small trailers was really a reaction to the amount of interest I received from folks around the country. I've really been enjoying the trailers though, as its a little more flexible when you're not dealing with the bed of a truck.
Can you tell me a little about the building process of the Hatchling and the Terrapin? What do you think is important to include?
I start by designing a trailer frame that's appropriate to the cabin I'll be building for it—crossmember spacing, axle, suspension, etc. I tend to err on the side of overbuilding, while always keeping overall weight in mind. I typically build the cabin to about 80% completion before mounting it to the trailer frame. The framing and cedar siding goes up pretty quickly, then comes the roof deck...
Without a doubt, the domed roof is the most difficult element of my designs. The two-way arch makes building the roof deck tricky and time consuming, but it makes for a very strong, unique roof. I adhere a single-ply TPO roofing membrane to the deck, thermally weld the seams, and trim it about the edge with a custom aluminum termination bar.
When designing my campers, I like to include as many windows as is practical. Not only does it help keep fresh air moving around the cabin, but it goes a very long way to making such a small space seem more open and comfortable. I also like to leave enough roof overhang to send dripping rain past open windows.
In some ways, I think what you leave out of a camper is as important as what you include. I've had a lot of people who've owned small camper for years tell me that they never use their sink, stove, furnace. Obviously, there are plenty of folks who do, but if its not something you're going to use, I think it makes a lot of sense to leave it out in the first place.
What do you think is the appeal of smaller trailers?
I think there are a lot of folks out there to whom being in their camper isn't necessarily the most important part of their trips. Having a comfortable bed to sleep on is huge—but having a full kitchen, living room, closets, etc., we're all not interested in hauling that around. It's nice having such a nimble little trailer that is easy to hook up, pull around town, navigate campgrounds and backroads. Not needing to have a Ford F350 is nice too!
Do you have experience camping in a teardrop trailer? If so, what do you think are the pros and cons of them?
I never have spent any real time in a teardrop, but I definitely like them. As you can tell from my designs, I'm a big fan of simplicity and I think teardrops are great examples of how smallness, simplicity, and comfort can very easily go hand-in-hand. Plus, they're so damn cute, you can't help but smile when you see one rolling down the road.
I know there are some great manufacturers out there, but it seems like there are some awfully under-built models, too. Especially when it comes to the actual trailer, axle, and wheels. I just don't think it pays to skimp on these. The only other issue I have with most teardrops, is they often seem to be lacking in windows. With such a tiny space, I think windows are crucial to making a comfortable, little cabin.
Where do you like to go camping?
The vast majority of my camping has taken place in northern Minnesota. Obviously, here in Colorado the camping opportunities are endless. One place my wife and I have had some good trips is in North Park, Colorado. It's not a super well-known area for recreation, but there are miles of lonely Forest Service roads, lots of backcountry campsites, and more moose than anywhere I've ever been. The little area around Gould, CO holds some special memories for me.
What are some of your favorite camping items?
There's nothing better than a seriously comfortable camp chair, if you ask me. It makes everything better, from sitting around a fire, eating a good meal, drinking good beer(s). We also like to bring some prepared foods when we go. Grabbing something we can eat around the fire on our way out of town makes that first dinner real easy. We're also not opposed to having a DVD queued up on the laptop in cases of bad weather.
Photos by Casual Turtle Campers
Why did you decided to build wooden campers and trailers? How did you become interested in them in particular?
I grew up camping with my family in a pop-up tent camper—and I always enjoyed the small, cozy atmosphere it created. I never owned a truck camper before starting this venture, but I always loved the idea of having a little cabin on the back of the truck. Once I learned how to build and engineer with wood, I figured it was time to try building my own. The prototype came together well, and once it gained enough interest, I though it'd make nice little business.
Designing and building small trailers was really a reaction to the amount of interest I received from folks around the country. I've really been enjoying the trailers though, as its a little more flexible when you're not dealing with the bed of a truck.
Can you tell me a little about the building process of the Hatchling and the Terrapin? What do you think is important to include?
I start by designing a trailer frame that's appropriate to the cabin I'll be building for it—crossmember spacing, axle, suspension, etc. I tend to err on the side of overbuilding, while always keeping overall weight in mind. I typically build the cabin to about 80% completion before mounting it to the trailer frame. The framing and cedar siding goes up pretty quickly, then comes the roof deck...
Without a doubt, the domed roof is the most difficult element of my designs. The two-way arch makes building the roof deck tricky and time consuming, but it makes for a very strong, unique roof. I adhere a single-ply TPO roofing membrane to the deck, thermally weld the seams, and trim it about the edge with a custom aluminum termination bar.
When designing my campers, I like to include as many windows as is practical. Not only does it help keep fresh air moving around the cabin, but it goes a very long way to making such a small space seem more open and comfortable. I also like to leave enough roof overhang to send dripping rain past open windows.
In some ways, I think what you leave out of a camper is as important as what you include. I've had a lot of people who've owned small camper for years tell me that they never use their sink, stove, furnace. Obviously, there are plenty of folks who do, but if its not something you're going to use, I think it makes a lot of sense to leave it out in the first place.
What do you think is the appeal of smaller trailers?
I think there are a lot of folks out there to whom being in their camper isn't necessarily the most important part of their trips. Having a comfortable bed to sleep on is huge—but having a full kitchen, living room, closets, etc., we're all not interested in hauling that around. It's nice having such a nimble little trailer that is easy to hook up, pull around town, navigate campgrounds and backroads. Not needing to have a Ford F350 is nice too!
Do you have experience camping in a teardrop trailer? If so, what do you think are the pros and cons of them?
I never have spent any real time in a teardrop, but I definitely like them. As you can tell from my designs, I'm a big fan of simplicity and I think teardrops are great examples of how smallness, simplicity, and comfort can very easily go hand-in-hand. Plus, they're so damn cute, you can't help but smile when you see one rolling down the road.
I know there are some great manufacturers out there, but it seems like there are some awfully under-built models, too. Especially when it comes to the actual trailer, axle, and wheels. I just don't think it pays to skimp on these. The only other issue I have with most teardrops, is they often seem to be lacking in windows. With such a tiny space, I think windows are crucial to making a comfortable, little cabin.
Where do you like to go camping?
The vast majority of my camping has taken place in northern Minnesota. Obviously, here in Colorado the camping opportunities are endless. One place my wife and I have had some good trips is in North Park, Colorado. It's not a super well-known area for recreation, but there are miles of lonely Forest Service roads, lots of backcountry campsites, and more moose than anywhere I've ever been. The little area around Gould, CO holds some special memories for me.
What are some of your favorite camping items?
There's nothing better than a seriously comfortable camp chair, if you ask me. It makes everything better, from sitting around a fire, eating a good meal, drinking good beer(s). We also like to bring some prepared foods when we go. Grabbing something we can eat around the fire on our way out of town makes that first dinner real easy. We're also not opposed to having a DVD queued up on the laptop in cases of bad weather.
Photos by Casual Turtle Campers
Woodcraft Camp Kitchen
Various teardrop trailers have a very basic galley. Some of the Little Guy trailers, including the Platforms and Sports, have a simple flat galley with no kitchen storage or cooking implements. This can be remedied by building your own camp kitchen.
Woodcraft Supply has a set of plans for a wooden camp kitchen that is only 30 inches long by 19 inches deep by 17 inches tall. This kitchen is also mobile and can be moved from the galley to a picnic table. It can hold a stove, pots and pans, cups and plates, and it even has a dowel rod for a dish towel. The kitchen can be build with basic stock wood and plywood and painted or stained.
Woodcraft Supply, LLC is one of the nation's oldest and largest suppliers of quality woodworking tools and supplies. You'll find Woodcraft stores in more than 70 major metropolitan areas across the U.S.; and Woodcraft annually distributes 1.5 million catalogs featuring more than 8,000 items to all 50 states and 117 foreign countries. The Woodcraft catalog is a standard among woodworkers as the most complete offering of first rate products for woodworking available anywhere. Woodcraft also publishes six issues of Woodcraft Magazine annually.
Woodcraft Supply has a set of plans for a wooden camp kitchen that is only 30 inches long by 19 inches deep by 17 inches tall. This kitchen is also mobile and can be moved from the galley to a picnic table. It can hold a stove, pots and pans, cups and plates, and it even has a dowel rod for a dish towel. The kitchen can be build with basic stock wood and plywood and painted or stained.
Woodcraft Supply, LLC is one of the nation's oldest and largest suppliers of quality woodworking tools and supplies. You'll find Woodcraft stores in more than 70 major metropolitan areas across the U.S.; and Woodcraft annually distributes 1.5 million catalogs featuring more than 8,000 items to all 50 states and 117 foreign countries. The Woodcraft catalog is a standard among woodworkers as the most complete offering of first rate products for woodworking available anywhere. Woodcraft also publishes six issues of Woodcraft Magazine annually.
Friday Teardrop Photo
The Ladybug teardrop trailer by Lydia McElroy from Etna, California. She built her teardrop in her high school shop class and I enjoy seeing it at Northern California teardrop gatherings. It fits perfectly with the redwoods during the IRG.
Featured Teardrop: Leah and Amelia's Alligator
Leah Houghtaling is a Jill of All Trades. When she's not running her cocktail bar, Felicia's Atomic Lounge, with her partner Amelia in Ithaca, NY, Leah is creating woodworking projects with her Groove Woodworking business. Her woodworking skills took her into the world of teardrop trailers when she decided to build a trailer to enjoy the outdoors in more comfort. Leah and Amelia have documented their "Alligator" build and their various trips on their blog. Leah was also kind enough to give me some more information on their handmade trailer (with a galley measured by a Grey Goose bottle) and their next building project.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I'm a woodworker, a banjo player and a cocktail lounge owner (Felicia's Atomic Lounge). I like to create things, whether it's a cocktail or a piece of furniture.
Why did you decide to build your own teardrop trailer? What did you know about the trailers before you started?
l love the outdoors and camping, but the older I get, the less appealing it is to sleep on the ground. I didn't know anything about trailers or teardrops. I looked at a few and decided why buy one when I could build one (that seems to be one of my life mantras). I'm the person who thinks, I want ______, then I figure out how to build it. If you can think it, you can make it. Do it.
What did you like most and least about the building process?
There's nothing I didn't like about building the Teardrop. I think many people are scared of failing when trying new things. For me, making mistakes is part of the process of learning. There is no success without perceived failure. I messed up some things here and there and learned how to fix it. Every time I turned around, there was something else to figure out: How can I keep this from falling apart when I'm barreling down the highway at 65 mph? How do I wire 12 volt electricity? How do I install a solar panel? How do I bend this aluminum angle iron to match the curve of the teardrop? (Hint: A blow torch was involved.) The Internet was my best friend.
What details and functionality did you want in your teardrop?
I wanted to be true to the original tiny teardrops: How small could I make it and still be comfortable? My wife insisted it hold a full-size bed so we wouldn't have to compromise comfort for a custom mattress, so it's five feet wide. This was a great decision. It is light enough for our 4-cylinder truck to pull and there's a door on each side so we don't have to crawl over each other. I insulated the entire thing so we are warm even if it's 25 degrees outsides, and installed a fan in the ceiling to keep it cool on hot nights. I also hooked up a solar panel so we can be entirely off the grid.
The design of the galley was inspired by my love of eating and drinking. If we're going to be camping, then darn it, we're going to eat well!
When designing the galley cupboards, the first thing I did was find the tallest bottle of liquor I could find (Grey Goose) and used it to determine the height of the cupboards. I vertically mounted draw slides for the cupboard doors so they opened up, not out, therefore not interfering with counter space when they were open. I'm a woodworker, so I used a lot of different species of hardwood in the galley which adds to its character. The counter is a butternut slab.
What do you like best about teardrop camping? What do you like the least?
The freedom! We've got a vacation home on wheels with no mortgage payments, stocked with everything we need, and we can go anywhere we want. We're essentially tent camping in a hard shell, so we are protected from the elements, and from bears (small bears).
What I like least is campers with no awareness and respect for their surroundings or the campers around them. Things like playing a guitar through an amp in their campsite, bringing a barking dog, playing bongo drums into the wee hours. And cold rain, cold rain sucks. I've done...some....ahem, "things"...to remedy these situations. I can't tell you what, but it felt good!!
Where do you like to go camping? What's on your bucket list?
Maine and the Adirondacks are my favorites. We spend January in Florida; this year we'll go as far as the Keys. We'd love to get out to the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and Texas.
What are some of your favorite camping items or products?
Ball jars. Camp Chef stove. French press. Manual coffee grinder. Coleman camp oven (bread!). Ball jars. LL Bean nylon tarp. Old school folding lawn chairs. Ball jars. Mimosas with fresh squeezed orange juice (in ball jars). Bicycles. Head lamp. Solar lights. Rechargeable batteries. Did I mention Ball jars? A good bottle of Cognac. A side of Ball jar.
Tell me a little about your latest trailer project.
My next teardrop design is inspired by our camping misadventures this past January in Central and Northern Florida. (Can you say "Polar Vortex?") We had multiple days and nights below 30 degrees with 30-40 mile an hour winds. While we were cozy laying in bed at night, there was nowhere warm to sit during the day so we sought shelter from the cold in various Barnes & Noble bookstores.
I'm staying with the teardrop shape though. I don't want to get too Rain Drop or Canned Ham, it'll be more of a Slouchy. The next teardrop will be six feet wide, twelve feet long, and five feet high, with a section of dropped floor next to the bed so we can stand up to change our clothes. There will be a separate small seating area inside. I'll still have an outdoor galley; I always love cooking outdoors. It'll be bigger, but it will still be a teardrop. I plan to start building it late spring or early summer.
You can follow the build progress on my blog.
Photos courtesy of Alligator Teardrop
Tell me a little about yourself.
I'm a woodworker, a banjo player and a cocktail lounge owner (Felicia's Atomic Lounge). I like to create things, whether it's a cocktail or a piece of furniture.
Why did you decide to build your own teardrop trailer? What did you know about the trailers before you started?
l love the outdoors and camping, but the older I get, the less appealing it is to sleep on the ground. I didn't know anything about trailers or teardrops. I looked at a few and decided why buy one when I could build one (that seems to be one of my life mantras). I'm the person who thinks, I want ______, then I figure out how to build it. If you can think it, you can make it. Do it.
What did you like most and least about the building process?
There's nothing I didn't like about building the Teardrop. I think many people are scared of failing when trying new things. For me, making mistakes is part of the process of learning. There is no success without perceived failure. I messed up some things here and there and learned how to fix it. Every time I turned around, there was something else to figure out: How can I keep this from falling apart when I'm barreling down the highway at 65 mph? How do I wire 12 volt electricity? How do I install a solar panel? How do I bend this aluminum angle iron to match the curve of the teardrop? (Hint: A blow torch was involved.) The Internet was my best friend.
What details and functionality did you want in your teardrop?
I wanted to be true to the original tiny teardrops: How small could I make it and still be comfortable? My wife insisted it hold a full-size bed so we wouldn't have to compromise comfort for a custom mattress, so it's five feet wide. This was a great decision. It is light enough for our 4-cylinder truck to pull and there's a door on each side so we don't have to crawl over each other. I insulated the entire thing so we are warm even if it's 25 degrees outsides, and installed a fan in the ceiling to keep it cool on hot nights. I also hooked up a solar panel so we can be entirely off the grid.
The design of the galley was inspired by my love of eating and drinking. If we're going to be camping, then darn it, we're going to eat well!
When designing the galley cupboards, the first thing I did was find the tallest bottle of liquor I could find (Grey Goose) and used it to determine the height of the cupboards. I vertically mounted draw slides for the cupboard doors so they opened up, not out, therefore not interfering with counter space when they were open. I'm a woodworker, so I used a lot of different species of hardwood in the galley which adds to its character. The counter is a butternut slab.
What do you like best about teardrop camping? What do you like the least?
The freedom! We've got a vacation home on wheels with no mortgage payments, stocked with everything we need, and we can go anywhere we want. We're essentially tent camping in a hard shell, so we are protected from the elements, and from bears (small bears).
What I like least is campers with no awareness and respect for their surroundings or the campers around them. Things like playing a guitar through an amp in their campsite, bringing a barking dog, playing bongo drums into the wee hours. And cold rain, cold rain sucks. I've done...some....ahem, "things"...to remedy these situations. I can't tell you what, but it felt good!!
Where do you like to go camping? What's on your bucket list?
Maine and the Adirondacks are my favorites. We spend January in Florida; this year we'll go as far as the Keys. We'd love to get out to the Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and Texas.
What are some of your favorite camping items or products?
Ball jars. Camp Chef stove. French press. Manual coffee grinder. Coleman camp oven (bread!). Ball jars. LL Bean nylon tarp. Old school folding lawn chairs. Ball jars. Mimosas with fresh squeezed orange juice (in ball jars). Bicycles. Head lamp. Solar lights. Rechargeable batteries. Did I mention Ball jars? A good bottle of Cognac. A side of Ball jar.
Tell me a little about your latest trailer project.
My next teardrop design is inspired by our camping misadventures this past January in Central and Northern Florida. (Can you say "Polar Vortex?") We had multiple days and nights below 30 degrees with 30-40 mile an hour winds. While we were cozy laying in bed at night, there was nowhere warm to sit during the day so we sought shelter from the cold in various Barnes & Noble bookstores.
I'm staying with the teardrop shape though. I don't want to get too Rain Drop or Canned Ham, it'll be more of a Slouchy. The next teardrop will be six feet wide, twelve feet long, and five feet high, with a section of dropped floor next to the bed so we can stand up to change our clothes. There will be a separate small seating area inside. I'll still have an outdoor galley; I always love cooking outdoors. It'll be bigger, but it will still be a teardrop. I plan to start building it late spring or early summer.
You can follow the build progress on my blog.
Photos courtesy of Alligator Teardrop
Atma Travelear in Tiny House Magazine
I met David McCamant and his Atma Travelear at the Dam Gathering of the Tears in northern California and fell in love with his Art Deco teardrop design. For his first build, the trailer is a phenomenal work of art with some details I've not seen in other teardrop trailers. This makes sense since David is a local fine and contemporary artist.
You can read about his trailer and his love of teardrop camping in the latest issue of Tiny House Magazine. The magazine is available in an iPad or PDF version.
You can read about his trailer and his love of teardrop camping in the latest issue of Tiny House Magazine. The magazine is available in an iPad or PDF version.
Featured Teardrop: Oregon Trail'R
Jon and Sawyer Christianson of Eugene, Oregon were born into a family of teardrop lovers and have made the design and building of the tiny trailers their current occupation. The Oregon Trail'R company is in its infancy, but their beautiful designs and thoughtful details elevate their teardrops to those produced by larger companies. Jon Christianson (oregonguy on the TNTTT website) gave me the lowdown on their company and why they love teardrops so much.
When and how did you become interested in teardrop trailers?
We were born into a teardrop loving family. Years before either of us were born, our parents purchased a 1946 Cub Modernistic teardrop and spent the better part of the next 3 decades exploring the western half of the United States. As kids, we each had a turn sleeping in a 4-foot long shelf above the bed until we were too tall, then moved into a pup tent. In 2004, our parents re-furbished the Modernistic and gave it to me and my new bride Jamie as a wedding gift. At this point, our parents upgraded to a Camp-Inn teardrop. In 2007, Sawyer spent several weeks in southern Oregon building a new kitchen for our parents, and slept each night in their teardrop. This was when he was bitten by the bug.
Later that year, both of us began designing and building our own personal teardrops, helping each other out along the way. During this process we realized that between us, we have perfectly complementary skills for teardrop building: Jon is a skilled welder, designer, and professional in home technology and Sawyer is a professional cabinetmaker and woodworker. Both of us are lifelong tinkerers, too. In 2009 we started designing a new line of teardrop trailers for production purposes, the following year we began the prototyping process, and have been steadily building our business, Oregon Trail’R, ever since.
You might be one of the only kit teardrop trailer designers I've found. What has been the response to the kits?
It’s funny actually, but we developed the kits as a “response” to much of the email and feedback that we’ve been getting. People have really responded favorably to our teardrops and designs. A small, but significant portion of the inquiries we get are people looking to build their own trailer, but love the look of our design. They want a solution that lets them apply their own “sweat equity” to the process in order to reduce overall costs, and give them greater control over the final stages of process.
The“D.I.Y.” and “Maker” culture has exploded recently, and we are very supportive of the whole concept. We think it is a great thing for people to get their hands dirty and really experience the build process intimately. Many people have the desire to build their own trailer, but lack some of the major tools, time, or skills to start from absolute scratch. Our approach to kits is not to offer a 100 percent inclusive package, but rather to supply a solid foundation and starting point for home builders.
Our kits address the major stumbling blocks that everybody runs into during the process of building a tear: what profile to use, how to shape it perfectly, how to make the sides match perfect, how to choose/build a chassis, how to attach the floor to the walls, how to attach the body to the frame, etc.
We include all the major components: walls, doors, partitions, bulkheads, spars, floor, chassis, etc, all pre-sized and shaped. The major design and build problems come already solved. We don’t include all the little parts and pieces and trim to finish it out, which allows the client some freedom to really make it their own. Clients will choose and install their own stop/turn/tail lights, entertainment packages, clearance lights, trim, and finish details, etc. We are also more than willing to supply anything else the client needs or wants on an ala carte basis.
What do you like best and least about teardrop trailers?
We love the fact that they can be towed almost anywhere by almost any vehicle, but our favorite thing is that teardrop camping is still “camping.” You spend most of your time outside, which is the whole point of camping anyway! Then at night, you get to sleep every bit as comfortably as you would at home.
I would say the least enjoyable part of the teardrop lifestyle is when you have unexpected inclement weather that just won't quit (does anyone else remember the 2009 Dam Gathering?), although it certainly adds to the adventure!
(Note by Christina: I was at the 2009 "Damp Gathering" and was pleased to see that my teardrop was completely watertight.)
Where are your favorite places to camp? What's on your "camping bucket list"?
A very hard question! A few favorite camp spots are in Yosemite National Park, South Umpqua Falls in the Oregon's Umpqua National Forest, or anywhere in the Redwood forests of northern California. Really, some of the best camp spots we've come across have been from exploring off the beaten path.
I'd say my "camping bucket list" includes a trip from Glacier National Park, through Yellowstone, Moab, and Zion National Park. My ultimate camping goal is to tow a teardrop the length of Baja, using mostly back roads.
Your builds are beautiful. What do you keep in mind when designing and building a tear?
We design and build our trailers keeping in mind that they are meant to be used. Our trailers are built to handle the real life demands of a serious camping lifestyle. Our personal trailers get a real workout every season, and we fully expect each trailer we build to get similar use. We spare no expense to make this possible, using only the highest quality materials from the wood, steel, and aluminum products, right down to the fasteners, adhesives, and sealants.
We know that “the look” is a huge part of the teardrop appeal and believe that aesthetics do not need to be sacrificed in order to make a rugged trailer. We feel we have found an excellent balance and can deliver the whole package. We consider our trailers to be heirloom quality; beautiful, timeless, and durable enough to be passed on to the next generation.
When and how did you become interested in teardrop trailers?
We were born into a teardrop loving family. Years before either of us were born, our parents purchased a 1946 Cub Modernistic teardrop and spent the better part of the next 3 decades exploring the western half of the United States. As kids, we each had a turn sleeping in a 4-foot long shelf above the bed until we were too tall, then moved into a pup tent. In 2004, our parents re-furbished the Modernistic and gave it to me and my new bride Jamie as a wedding gift. At this point, our parents upgraded to a Camp-Inn teardrop. In 2007, Sawyer spent several weeks in southern Oregon building a new kitchen for our parents, and slept each night in their teardrop. This was when he was bitten by the bug.
Later that year, both of us began designing and building our own personal teardrops, helping each other out along the way. During this process we realized that between us, we have perfectly complementary skills for teardrop building: Jon is a skilled welder, designer, and professional in home technology and Sawyer is a professional cabinetmaker and woodworker. Both of us are lifelong tinkerers, too. In 2009 we started designing a new line of teardrop trailers for production purposes, the following year we began the prototyping process, and have been steadily building our business, Oregon Trail’R, ever since.
You might be one of the only kit teardrop trailer designers I've found. What has been the response to the kits?
It’s funny actually, but we developed the kits as a “response” to much of the email and feedback that we’ve been getting. People have really responded favorably to our teardrops and designs. A small, but significant portion of the inquiries we get are people looking to build their own trailer, but love the look of our design. They want a solution that lets them apply their own “sweat equity” to the process in order to reduce overall costs, and give them greater control over the final stages of process.
The“D.I.Y.” and “Maker” culture has exploded recently, and we are very supportive of the whole concept. We think it is a great thing for people to get their hands dirty and really experience the build process intimately. Many people have the desire to build their own trailer, but lack some of the major tools, time, or skills to start from absolute scratch. Our approach to kits is not to offer a 100 percent inclusive package, but rather to supply a solid foundation and starting point for home builders.
Our kits address the major stumbling blocks that everybody runs into during the process of building a tear: what profile to use, how to shape it perfectly, how to make the sides match perfect, how to choose/build a chassis, how to attach the floor to the walls, how to attach the body to the frame, etc.
We include all the major components: walls, doors, partitions, bulkheads, spars, floor, chassis, etc, all pre-sized and shaped. The major design and build problems come already solved. We don’t include all the little parts and pieces and trim to finish it out, which allows the client some freedom to really make it their own. Clients will choose and install their own stop/turn/tail lights, entertainment packages, clearance lights, trim, and finish details, etc. We are also more than willing to supply anything else the client needs or wants on an ala carte basis.
What do you like best and least about teardrop trailers?
We love the fact that they can be towed almost anywhere by almost any vehicle, but our favorite thing is that teardrop camping is still “camping.” You spend most of your time outside, which is the whole point of camping anyway! Then at night, you get to sleep every bit as comfortably as you would at home.
I would say the least enjoyable part of the teardrop lifestyle is when you have unexpected inclement weather that just won't quit (does anyone else remember the 2009 Dam Gathering?), although it certainly adds to the adventure!
(Note by Christina: I was at the 2009 "Damp Gathering" and was pleased to see that my teardrop was completely watertight.)
Where are your favorite places to camp? What's on your "camping bucket list"?
A very hard question! A few favorite camp spots are in Yosemite National Park, South Umpqua Falls in the Oregon's Umpqua National Forest, or anywhere in the Redwood forests of northern California. Really, some of the best camp spots we've come across have been from exploring off the beaten path.
I'd say my "camping bucket list" includes a trip from Glacier National Park, through Yellowstone, Moab, and Zion National Park. My ultimate camping goal is to tow a teardrop the length of Baja, using mostly back roads.
Your builds are beautiful. What do you keep in mind when designing and building a tear?
We design and build our trailers keeping in mind that they are meant to be used. Our trailers are built to handle the real life demands of a serious camping lifestyle. Our personal trailers get a real workout every season, and we fully expect each trailer we build to get similar use. We spare no expense to make this possible, using only the highest quality materials from the wood, steel, and aluminum products, right down to the fasteners, adhesives, and sealants.
We know that “the look” is a huge part of the teardrop appeal and believe that aesthetics do not need to be sacrificed in order to make a rugged trailer. We feel we have found an excellent balance and can deliver the whole package. We consider our trailers to be heirloom quality; beautiful, timeless, and durable enough to be passed on to the next generation.
Photos courtesy of Oregon Trail'R
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