Teardrop Camper with poor man’s fiberglass (PMF)

Homebuit teardrop camper. I built this in early 2019 over about 8 weeks. I used poor mans fiberglass on the outside which was pretty easy and is watertight. I think the total cost was around $2,200 (which compares to well over $10,000 for the ones you can buy).
The biggest inspiration for my build was another youtube video from a woman in Arizona: • Home Built Teardrop Ca...
Special thanks to my 13 yr old son who filmed and edited this video. I may be a little handy with building but I don’t know how to do video editing at all. I think he did a great job!
At the end of the video is a montage of the build.
Feel free to post a message if you have any questions. I try to respond when I see them!
Also, please check out my sketching channel - SketchWithRick !! / @sketchwithrick9392

[@uol1051]

Slick! And right to the point. Very impressed with this teardrop.

[@ronhormell6918]

Thanks for the tour of your wonderful home built teardrop! I have the trailer and I'm also planning on building one using poor man's fiberglass . Thanks so much for the inspiration and sharing some great ideas.

[@andyrichey1192]

Yeah that is awesome dude, Love the teardrop campers. Appreciate you sharing, i'll be watching for more.

[@ohmercy5924]

Great job on the camper and great job on the video! Both of you guys are very talented. Thanks for sharing, I’m a 70 year old woman and I would attempt this if I had the money and a place to work. It would be worth buying the tools, Very cool little camper. Love it.

[@TheGratitudeAttitude]

Beautiful job on the camper and on the video! There is a lot of detail as well as creativity. The kitchen is wonderful too! The camera work was very nicely done. Thank you for the link on the car heater. We bought a 1500w heater that has a nice safety feature in the base, but it needs to sit on top of our Ikea bed tray. It does heat very well (when we have electric) - but it would be nice to have a 12v heater too... in case the temperature dips unexpectedly. Thanks again ... and enjoy making camping memories in your wonderful teardrop. ~ Maria

[@newkey1106]

Campers built vary good looks like it was a good project , thank for sharing .

[@wellshep]

Absolutely the best craftsmanship and design I've seen from a home made camper. Very nice!

[@chipcross1]

Thank you! I really enjoyed the challenge of building my teardrop. I watched sooo many hours of KZbin videos to get various design ideas and just tried to think through each area before building. I plan to do another video in the near future because I did make a couple of minor modifications after several trips where I found minor issues. Hopefully it helps others who are thinking about their own builds.

[@jmrichsonsr]

Very clean lines reflecting your craftsmanship. Great colors and pleasant to look at. Functional and easy to use. Like it a lot.👍👍👍👍

[@chipcross1]

James Richardson -Thank you!

[@chiparooo]

Nice build! I like time lapse photos at the end. Thanks for sharing!

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@Tewrobert49]

That kitchen is sweet :) Thx fir sharing

[@givemeaforkingname]

Well done and thanks for sharing !

[@alexandriaberry6644]

Wow the kitchen is so impressive! Building my own right now!

[@davidmorley1606]

I’m totally blown away by your camper build. I think I’m going with this build.

[@chipcross1]

David Morley - Thanks!! Good luck with your build!

[@beautifuldream108]

Good job, good video, son. Dad, good build too.

[@Muertodia]

Great job!

[@joflevpaha4140]

Love the simplicity! Awesome paper towel holder!

[@chipcross1]

Thanks. the cast iron paper towel holder wasn’t my idea, I picked it up somewhere on the internet, but I always get compliments and it’s super cheap.

[@RussellBettsgogov]

Very, very nice. The ONLY thing wrong is the paper towels roll is on the holder backwards. The paper towel is supposed to flop over the top of the roll. Other than this, great job.

[@chipcross1]

Lol - I’ll remove and reinstall the roll!

[@michaeltichonuk2176]

Outstanding ! Build and presentation! Simple is best! I concur about repacking bearings. And perform that service regularly! Really fine job!

[@chipcross1]

michael tichonuk Thanks Michael. Do you have a teardrop?

[@michaeltichonuk2176]

@@chipcross1 no sir, not yet! Checking others fabrication and design ideas, such as yourself. So many great ideas and craftsmen! Sleeping in a tent as often as we go camping i would like to upgrade. Having mechanical and building skills i tend to over complicate a project...why i enjoyed your presentation so much. Simple ( not to be confused with easy) .

[@jameskleist9877]

I Really like your camper. I like the way you presented your teardrop camper in the fact that you talked about the tires and went with raddle tires so you could go at highway speeds this really helped me for I too am going to go with a smaller trailer from the same company. Thank you

[@chipcross1]

James Kleist - Thanks! The combo of re-packing the bearings and the radial tires made me feel good at highway speed. I took if from Delaware to the FL panhandle last summer and the hubs never got hot even running for several hours at a time. Good luck w your build!

[@averysmallcampervan]

Also, love that other teardrop build you mention - saw it before and I was guessing that was the one

[@Tsiri09]

BEST teardrop I've seen yet!!

[@chipcross1]

Thanks Tina!

[@marzan6857]

I was looking for something that my Equinox could pull for camping and stumbled on your video. This was inspiring and gave me a lot of ideas with what I have to work with and actually make something good. Thank you for posting. By the way nice job I love your trailer.

[@chipcross1]

Marzan - thanks! Good luck with your build. I watched a ton of KZbin videos to come up w ideas and strategies for my build. She’s made it up and down the east coast and I’m heading out for another adventure to FL next month.

[@JP-iu4vz]

Just hope yours isn't a 4 cylinder

[@aucturussjagaard5169]

It's nice to see people coming up with ways to beat this housing crisis.

[@chipcross1]

Aucturuss Jagaard - I love my camper but I don’t know that I want to live in it for more than 3 or 4 nights in a row. 😆

[@odiesclips7621]

Very nice job!!

[@ruby4268]

That's an impressive build! I like that!

[@chipcross1]

Thanks Odin!

[@driftinggator47]

Dam brother, thats very sweet craftsmanship. I was going to tell you about butyl tape. But,your on the ball. Loved it... and yes i did get a few ideas. Thank you. Be kind,be safe,be free...🖒✌

[@chipcross1]

Drifting Gator thanks! Good luck if you are building one. Feel free to ask any questions if you get stuck along the way.

[@conniefoxx9813]

Wow! I really liked it...then when you got to the galley...loved it!

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@mdn642]

Nice work sir. Very ingenious ideas that I am going to use on my own build.

[@chipcross1]

michael nieman thank you! Best of luck on your build. I’m taking her to VA this weekend on just her second trip for 2020 and then SC next month.

[@hellonwheelz3317]

Very nice camper. Great attention to detail.

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@martys356]

Looks great. Nice job.

[@chipcross1]

marty scheidecker - thanks!

[@mlangfordcamper]

This was a great video I can't believe I just found you I am a builder too and I see some of my friends here as well in the comments below. Well done on the build

[@chipcross1]

M Langford thanks! You mean you built a teardrop? I found it a great experience and I’ve liked the adventures I’ve already had in it.

[@JOHNMORIN100]

Nice work of ART thanks for showing 100 points,

[@phil_gaming820]

Awesome job man!

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@Carl-eu6ns]

Really nice build! I especially like the electrical panel!

[@chipcross1]

Carl T - thanks Carl. I tried to keep things organized! I just repainted the outside ahead of a reunion w my Navy squadron. It has a whole new look:

[@chipcross1]

I was hoping to pin a photo to my reply but not sure how to do that...

[@steverulien8042]

Nice job.

[@jamesferrell9404]

Great work on that. And love how the cooking section is set up with the backsplash on the wall. Wish I could give you 2 thumbs up but KZbin only allows for one thumb up

[@chipcross1]

James Ferrell thanks! I wanted to give it a little style but wanted to keep the weight down and also something that would hold up bouncing down the road. It’s worked well.

[@williamspencer6490]

Great job! Thank You

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@bignig9548]

Love this build

[@chipcross1]

Thank you!!

[@mlangfordcamper]

Dang nice camper and the color is cool too

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@Worldfamoustrucker]

Great little camper! I think I speak for most of us when I say, let's see a follow up, a 1 year later video. How has it held up? What changes have you made? What would you do different after 1 year using this guy.

[@DIYM105Camper]

Hey man awesome job on the teardrop camper! So glad your channel popped up on my suggestion box! We absolutely love seeing people do their own builds...such thought to detail such as your backsplash and paint job! Thanks for sharing your video!

[@SlimRyan2009]

Very nice well made

[@chipcross1]

Michael Ryan Thanks! I’m really happy after the first year of use and several short and long trips. Everything has held up.

[@susanbailey36]

Nice build!

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@jalexb915]

Nice job 👍🏻

[@chipcross1]

Thanks!

[@georgecross4100]

Hmm, I wonder who beautifully shot and edited this artistic masterpiece 🤔🤔🤔.

[@chipcross1]

LOL

[@ohmercy5924]

Apparently a very talented film maker and genius editor collaborated and now he/they with a big future ahead of him! Lol Nice job kid. Keep it up. You do good work!

[@MrKeving1]

Nice job sir

[@chipcross1]

MrKeving1 thanks!

[@YouCanDoItKaren]

I really like your galley!

[@chipcross1]

Karen B Thanks! The “copper” backsplash is actually made from a bendable plastic. It’s meant for a ceiling application and glues in place very easily and looks like copper sheet close up. I wanted something light and flexible and that gave a little interest. I’m also happy I went with the sink stove combo over separate pieces for the space saving.

[@cowboyscoffee]

Nice job

[@chipcross1]

Coffee Greg - Thanks!

[@littlehills739]

nice build

[@user-gd9su3he6u]

Why would anyone give a thumbs down? Nice build, good video!

[@chipcross1]

Jim J - Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. You can’t please everyone.

[@mlangfordcamper]

Wow this is better than my home made camper but I do not have a professional camera person.

[@AK-ff7qq]

Great Job!! The 12v car heater was an awesome idea.As far as the sunroof/sky light.Have you ever thought of getting a sunroof for a car, van or truck? They usually come with seal and mounting hardware.Some even can be opened. A bit of urethane windshield sealer works too. I use to sell auto parts.Also they make a part called a bearing buddy. For utility trailers. Has a grease fitting.Saves the constant need of repacking the bearings.

[@chipcross1]

Ken A - I hadn’t thought too much about a car sunroof tho it seems like a natural fit. I’m happy still w the window I mounted and was keeping things on a little bit of a budget. I’ve heard of the bearing buddy. I hadn’t priced it out and so far it hasn’t been too much of a hassle in terms of the two wheels here. The 12v has really worked like a champ. There were several options involving propane but it kinda scared me in a confined space. This is mounted to avoid any fire hazard and gives enough heat to make it cozy. The roof and floor are both insulated which prob helps keep the warmth inside. Are you building one yourself?

[@AK-ff7qq]

@@chipcross1 I just recently started watching the diy builds.Have been thinking of selling my house and buying land.Thinking of going homesteading.A camper set up like this would make an awesome temporary shelter till my new place was ready to move into.Going mainly solar with propane camping stove and 12v cooler/fridge. That I could hook both up to solar battery or my truck's electrical to help charge the battery when needed.At least that's my idea so far.

[@chipcross1]

Ken A - wow, impressive plan. You’ll need to think about shower and toilet for any extended period. My longest trip w the camper has been 6 nights and I was staying at camping grounds along my trip (DE to FL). Also, plan on putting some sort of pop up tent or other large awning over one entrance for when the weather isn’t cooperating and you are getting in and out (or just want a place to sit outside the camper). Best of luck.

[@AK-ff7qq]

@@chipcross1 One of those little portable compost toilets.Tucked away in a storage spot would work for that.A road shower on the luggage rack up top on the opposite side from the roll out roof awning.Should do the trick for a shower.I seen both ideas on the off road camper trailers videos.The sun can heat the water up and you can have a warm shower at the end of the day.Check out the Primal Outdoors channel for how his trailer is set up.

[@michellejohnson7829]

Very, very nice! I hope you get many years of use out it and create many memories! Enjoy!

[@dmmartin1958]

Nice

[@lindsaybaden6137]

Great build! Wondering how you sealed your galley door, and what you used to lock it closed with. Thanks!

[@chipcross1]

I had bought some weather stripping on Amazon (I don’t know the exact brand.) the first one wasn’t think enough so I replaced it with a thinker one. self adhesive. on the bottom edge, I used like a 1 1/2 inch flat rubber strip that overhangs the very bottom edge and prevents water from going down the outside and then slipping in. That strip isn’t on the video - I found that was an issue w water later. it works great. The galley isn’t locked - they are just rubber straps - almost like you see on some coolers these days. they pull down and latch onto a post on the bottom of the camper. I’ve never camped anywhere that I was worried about people messing w my camper.

[@joeyaus1]

Hi Like you I am currently building a small caravan, I intended to build a tear drop however when my wife understood what I was building I had to change my scope. I am currently lining my van in 1.6mm sheet fibreglass maybe your PMF would have saved me a lot of money.

[@chipcross1]

joeyaus1 - I really thought about the choices on how to cover it. I decided on PMF just bc of cost and it seemed forgivable.

[@andybailley9657]

Grate job i bilt a trat drop .6yrs a go and i would like to know were you got your plywood and what kind im having a hard time Finding Bendable Plywood

[@chipcross1]

Andy - I kinda got lucky with the bendable plywood. There is a small store in Delaware that sells only plywood (no dimensional lumber, etc) of all makes and types and they had it. Here is a link to their website. www.russellplywood.com/index.php

[@ElfstersRiflesandReloading]

Awesome video! Very well done and love the camper.... is the camper still going strong!?

[@chipcross1]

Sure is! I’ve taken it from Delaware to Florida twice. It’s also been to the Carolinas and up to Pennsylvania Amish Country. Headed to the finger lakes in NY this weekend. Cheers!

[@mikewagemann4129]

nice build, see you on the trails

[@peeyoobikhunter2312]

@2.50 your dead right about putting more grease in the bearings and hubs, here in aus🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺 your lucky if you even get a lick of grease inside them. Many a trailer on the side of the road with bearing failure, sad actually for the unknown buyer.

[@user-nb7wj8tk3z]

Love your camper,Starting on mine with the same trailer thank you for all the tips also how’s the PMF holding up

[@chipcross1]

Still looks great. I repainted (right over the original paint scheme) with a new design last year and figured it just added more water tight protection.

[@user-nb7wj8tk3z]

Thank you

[@williamhenderson7582]

Great job. I am debating doing one and this video helped me get closer to starting. If you don’t mind how much did you approximately spend on the build?

[@chipcross1]

My back of the envelope tally was somewhere between $2k-$2,500. I tended to go with the flow and flex my design based on parts on sale, etc.

[@steveboyer9714]

Good job! Thanks for your video tour. Where did you buy the doors?

[@chipcross1]

Thanks! I got the doors from teardroptrailerparts.com

[@805steve4]

Thanks the link to teardroptrailerparts (I previously purchased a PD4045 power center from them). I'm trying to decide whether to buy doors from Vintage Tech. (your link) or Challenger Door www.challengerdoor.com/teardrop-trailer-doors/. Challenger only builds teardrop doors to order which provides an opportunity to customize the door(s) height and width and the colors of the inside and outside door skins. They may also cost less than similar doors from Vintage Tech.

[@jburn4736]

Is there a way to reverse engineer your electric?(detail of how you routed it from start to finish) would help me tremendously, p.s your out door galley is GENIUS!

[@chipcross1]

J Burn - I can try to give a better idea with a few pics. Give me a couple of days.

[@concealedchaos6508]

@chipcross1 Amazing job on this build, Learned some great tips for when I start my build in a few weeks. I was curious as to where you got your door and windows and their approximate price? Thanks!!!

[@chipcross1]

Concealed Chaos - I bought the doors from a company called Vintage Technologies. Here's a link to their website: www.teardroptrailerparts.com/pricing.html However, at the time, the company was selling them on Ebay for a few dollars cheaper so I bought it through their Ebay page. It doesn't look like they are available (these ones anyway) on Ebay anymore, only through their company website. The skylight is actually a fixed side window I found used on EBay. It didn’t have the inside frame/trim piece so I screwed it into the roof through the outside frame using butyl tape and then flex seal paint to ensure no leaks. It has held up very well through several rain storms while camping. I definitely suggest buying pre-made doors over building your own. Good luck on your build!!

[@chipcross1]

Concealed Chaos PS - I double checked on eBay. Mine were 26x32 and 1 1/4” thick. It doesn’t look like the exact model is available (I liked it bc it was mostly glass vs a small window built in). I paid $339 each for mine.

[@concealedchaos6508]

@@chipcross1 Thank you so much for your quick and well worded response! I appreciate it greatly! You have been a Mentor to my build!

[@TheMmiller692001]

Well done man, was torn on the PMF or aluminum and your PMF looks so good I am going that way. I am assuming lots of sanding between coats, but any other tips on the PMF to make it look as good as you managed?

[@chipcross1]

I lightly sanded between coats. Frankly it isn’t smooth like aluminum or fiberglass. I did wash and then iron the canvas before gluing it to the camper. I used my large kitchen table with blankets spread on it as the surface (to avoid damaging the table).

[@chipcross1]

PS - the canvas will shrink when you wash and dry it-like 10%. Take that into account when ordering canvas.

[@myurkiw1]

Very nice build. I built a Teardrop with just plywood and paint. Thinking of adding to PMF canvas and paint to the top. Question on the corner. It does not look like you overlapped the canvas going from wall to roof. Is there a seam there?

[@chipcross1]

Mark Yurkiw - yes, there is an overlapping seam. I glued the walls on first and they overlapped the roof a couple of inches. Once dry, I put on the roof and it overlapped the walls about the same. I figured it improved making it watertight that way.

[@blanchae]

Thanks for posting. How much does the camper weigh?

[@chipcross1]

I didn’t weigh it on a scale, but based on the weight of the various materials, I estimate between 1200-1400 lbs (empty).

[@janettebeck1120]

Ok so after 4yrs...what have you learned and BTW great job! I'm looking for advice! I bought a micro trailer "project" for my 65th birthday... I may have bit off more than I can chew! lol I live in San Diego so I have a few month b4 wheather become an issue lol the trailer has good bones but the man who started the build passed away... so the universe thought I should finish it! anyway ... I'm currently researching what is best way to seal exterior? also original builder framed and cut 1 window 26x32 in door in rear of trailer and just framed not yet cut 2 16x16 in windows in sides ideally I'd like to put a galley hatch in rear and doors on sides ? I'm currently looking for any advice or help anyone can offer 😁👍 I dont want to get out my violins ... I have some skills the reason I'm doing this is because I am shooting survivor I actually stayed so busy b4 I I retired I didnt give myself time to think bout it lol but bcuz of progression in my injuries... to eye and face I now need a way to get out and battle my PTSD in a positive way 👍😁 any advice you or your peeps can offer would be VERY APPRECIATED ❣

[@RighteousIron]

Very nicely done!! I like the shape, it's not a square drop but it's not as curved as a traditional teardrop. It's a very nice compromise. I'm planning on starting my own build this winter, I'm definitely taking ideas and inspiration from yours. Did you find your build plans on the internet or did you just make it up as you went? Thanks.

[@chipcross1]

I watched a lot of KZbin videos and then took time to design it myself. But - as I was building I was somewhat flexible so I could take advantage of parts on sale, etc. The main video that was my inspiration is noted in the notes to my video - it was a woman out of Arizona (I think). The main difference for me was that I used premade doors - something she recommends in hindsight.

[@chipcross1]

PS Good luck w your build!

[@perfectrobb2962]

Nice Camper! I am planning a build similar to this this coming spring. Do you have a list of parts, like the moonroof, bedside lights, etc?

[@chipcross1]

Perfect Robb - thanks! I don’t have a list. 99% of what I got as accessories (lights, fan, switches, doors, etc) were from Amazon. There are lots of choices there. I tended to buy a few weeks ahead of any stage after early planning and looking at what was out there. The trailer was from Northern Freight. There is a DIY teardrop trailer page on FB where there are hundreds of people who have built similar and happy to give additional tips. Oh - the moonroof was a used side window. The only thing to remember if you use a side window is to cover the weep holes or water will get in at those holes.

[@perfectrobb2962]

@@chipcross1 Great thanks!

[@malcolmnicholls2893]

Correct amount of grease for bearings is not all that much. I always put in plenty, but definitely not full. Nice build.

[@chipcross1]

malcolm nicholls - thanks. I am certainly not an expert. I did check the bearings based on some comments I saw while doing my build and I did think they looked a little light - especially for taking the trailer on a long distance. Thanks for watching my video.

[@TheWoodHaven]

chipcross1, I'm very interested in your DC car heater. Can you provide a link or model name? My build is a little bigger at 6x11. Do you think that heater would do the trick? Nice build BTW.

[@chipcross1]

Daryl Stokes - I cant find a link for my original order. I found this one which I believe is the same model. www.amazon.com/Windshield-Defogger-Defroster-3-Outlet-Demister/dp/B07VT5N8ZZ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=portable+car+heater&qid=1570826071&sr=8-3 As far as working on a bigger camper, it prob all depends on how well insulated it is. This thing gives off a trickle of heat but it’s enough to keep the temp up. I’m going camping this weekend and it’s supposed to get down close to freezing so I’ll try to remember to give you an update. Also, don’t forget to leave a window cracked or the ceiling vent cracked for some fresh air.

[@deckerprairiewoodworks9826]

Very Nice! You have inspired me! What model northern tool trailer did you use?

[@chipcross1]

Decker Prairie Woodworks - it was a 5x8 steel trailer. I just went back and checked the invoice and then linked to them. It says it is no longer available. They do appear to sell an aluminum 5x8 trailer that has a capacity of 1700 pounds. The big choice is whether to go w a 5x8 or 4x8. I wanted a queen mattress for inside and the extra width in the kitchen. The bonus of the 4x8 is that the plywood sheets match the trailer which would prob make construction easier (but leaves you with probably a full size mattress). Best of luck in your build. I’m headed out camping again in a couple of weeks (campgrounds finally reopened here this month).

[@chipcross1]

Decker Prairie Woodworks - PS - if you want to see the actual trailer (although not avail) - it was model #37552

[@tawnyschlienz9063]

I love it. You did a wonderful job. Can I ask how much you spent on it to build it? My daughter wants a teardrop n I thought it'd be cheaper to build.

[@chipcross1]

Tawny Schlienz I didn’t keep a strict accounting. Under $3k. My philosophy on this and home improvement projects is to it get committed to a particular part/appliance/etc. adapt based on values I can find.

[@chipcross1]

Tawny Schlienz I didn’t keep a strict accounting. Under $3k. My philosophy on this and home improvement projects is to it get committed to a particular part/appliance/etc. adapt based on values I can find.

[@tawnyschlienz9063]

@@chipcross1 that's really not all that bad considering how much factory made teardrops go for these days. Thank you for getting back to me. Greatly appreciated. Safe travels wherever you go.

[@jaydegelder2964]

Well done, I like it a lot. So what's the next build ?

[@chipcross1]

I keep busy with building projects around the house. But none that I’ve documented for KZbin. Cheers.

[@jaydegelder2964]

@@chipcross1 , make more money and maybe start at home projects. ( just saying ). Because you're good at stuff.

[@gregflores8959]

Excellent build! 1st class effort! Maybe I missed it, but how much does she weigh?

[@chipcross1]

Greg Flores I’ve never had it weighed but based on roughly adding up the weight of the parts,I think it’s a little over 1000 lbs. I did weigh the tongue weight which is 130 lbs.

[@gregflores8959]

chipcross1 Thanks, it looks really lite.

[@gscheben123]

Is the door link in the description? I don't see it I must be blind. Great job of the camper!

[@chipcross1]

www.teardroptrailerparts.com/doors.html I used 26x32 and 1 1/4” thick. I paid $339 each at the time. Thanks for your comments!

[@tyjack1702]

Where did you get your doors? Awesome camper!

[@chipcross1]

Ty Jack thanks! I got the doors from teardroptrailerparts.com Good luck if you are building your own! Cheers, Rick

[@averysmallcampervan]

Very nicely done! I'm a minivan camper girl, but I love the layout of teardrops. Very nice looking kitchen! I am curious about the heater - do you run it off your battery? How much power does it use on average? I'm always looking for ways to extend the camping season

[@chipcross1]

a very small camper van - sorry, on the trips I’ve used the heater, I’ve always been hooked to shore power so I haven’t worried too much about the battery usage.

[@chipcross1]

a very small camper van - here is the heater link. www.amazon.com/Windshield-Defogger-Defroster-3-Outlet-Demister/dp/B07VT5N8ZZ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=portable+car+heater&qid=1570826071&sr=8-3

[@jimv.661]

Great job! What heater was that?

[@chipcross1]

Jim Vaughn - this is it. So far it has worked great for this application. If it was any more space and/or less insulated, I don’t think it would do much. www.amazon.com/Windshield-Defogger-Defroster-3-Outlet-Demister/dp/B07VT5N8ZZ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=portable+car+heater&qid=1570826071&sr=8-3

[@todddewitt6731]

I was wondering what type of seal you used for your galley hatch

[@chipcross1]

sorry I didn’t reply sooner. I tinkered w the seal. I found different weather strip seals on Amazon until I found one that works. self adhesive.

[@bigjoe357]

What was the cost for the build? Beautiful camper and workmanship

[@chipcross1]

bigjoe357 thanks! I didn’t keep a strict accounting. My original back of the envelope number was about $2200 but I know I didn’t capture everything (like all projects, there were lots of trips to the Home Depot to grab this and that). There were some tools I bought as well that I’m not including. Certainly with everything it was under $3,000.

[@RichardTharrett]

I'm interested in how you wired your 120V outlets and 12V lights and fan from that one circuit panel. How did you do that?

[@chipcross1]

Richard Tharrett - they are 2 separate systems. The panel is just the 12v system. The 120 outlet is essentially just an extension cord that has to plug in to shore power. Everything else is running off of the 12v system which can be charged by a shore power hookup as well. I’m going to look for the websites where I got most of the info for wiring the 12v system. If I can find them, I’ll paste a link in here.

[@chipcross1]

I couldn't find the exact site I was thinking of, however, the following is a chat group on teardrops and there is this section on electrical. There are several issues, you want to think about, like wire gauge, master fuse, master shut off, etc. www.tnttt.com/viewforum.php?f=30

[@scottlambright9157]

Like so many others, I think it's a fantastic build, and is giving me ideas for my current in-progress build. Would you share with us all where you got those wall lamps w/ usb & nightlight features? Thanks, and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

[@chipcross1]

Scott - Here's a link to the lights I bought. www.amazon.com/dp/B07DKSVF4X/ref=sspa_dk_hqp_detail_aax_0?th=1 Good luck with your build. I really enjoyed the challenge of it. If you have any other questions, let me know.

[@falcon7350]

like every thing but the window on the roof. cant do any winter camping now and its going to be a pain latter down the road

[@chipcross1]

falcon7350 - I certainly see the competing views on the subject. I really like having the extra window as it makes it much less claustrophobic inside. I know it’s a weak spot for water penetration which is why I went overboard with butyl tape and flex seal paint. I’m not much of a winter camper - fall, yes. Winter, no. But why do you say I couldn’t go winter camping?

[@joewoodchuck3824]

Nice trailer. How much titebond did it take to do the project? My only concern is why you used titebond 2 when titebond 3 is the only one recommended for outdoors and doesn't cost much more.

[@chipcross1]

joe woodchuck - I used 2 gallons. I used Titebond 2 bc all of the videos I saw on PMF said to use Titebond 2. It has held up very well so far.

[@markrandall1456]

chipcross1 I had the same question and saw others using Titebond ii. I think either one is a good choice. Maybe the Titebond iii is a newer version.

[@joewoodchuck3824]

@@markrandall1456 Maybe ive come into the poor mans fiberglass world rather late, with the result being when i started to look at Titebond there were already three versions.

[@luv2jazz]

👏

[@zacharyhunter6408]

Can you post soeth7ng about how you did the seam between the roof and walls?

[@chipcross1]

Zachary - If you mean when I applied the canvas skin to the plywood, I first put the sides on with a small overlap on the top (maybe 1 1/2 inches). Once that was secured in place, I put the top canvas on and overlapped it onto the sides (again, maybe 1 1/2 inches). It probably isn't the most aesthetically pleasing way to do it but I wanted the top to overlap the sides as the final step with the thought that it would prevent water penetration. In the end, with all of the titebond and paint, I'm not sure it would have made a difference which side overlapped the other but I figured better safe than sorry. Of course, the galley hood was done separately and just wrapped around the edges a little. Again, probably not the most aesthetically pleasing but once I put rubber seals around the galley hood, it covered that up. Lastly, one of my design flaws was that the sides of the camper stuck out slightly from the base of the trailer. I ended up having to rout out around the wheel fenders to make everything have sufficient clearance. I was worried about that area especially because of water kicking up from the tires. I used a couple of coats of flex seal paint in that area and it seems to have held up very well.

[@zacharyhunter6408]

Thanks

[@hidel308]

Very nice. Love the colors and kitchen. But you didn’t answer the million dollar question. How much did it cost you to build?

[@chipcross1]

I didn’t keep a strict accounting. When I did a back of the envelope tally it was about $2200. Prob forgot a few items.

[@mikeandsuzannegeorgiamount6036]

Great build. How much did the PMF cost you?

[@chipcross1]

It was pretty inexpensive. I got the canvas from Big Duck Canvas (be sure when calculating the amount you need to account for shrinkage - you need to wash and dry before putting it on the camper and it shrinks like 10-15% as I recall). If memory serves, canvas, 2 bottles of Titebond and paint was about $150.

[@barrykelly7437]

Beautiful build! How much does it weigh?

[@chipcross1]

barry kelly - Thanks! I don’t have an exact weight (I really need to take it to a scale and get it weighed properly). The tongue weight is 130 lbs.

[@chipcross1]

But my guess is about 1000 overall.

[@l84jk31]

I am curious what you used for your canvas?

[@chipcross1]

L84 JK - I ordered it online from Big Duck Canvas. I got 13 yards (39 ft) of 10 oz 72” wide natural canvas. I cut it in half (ie 19.5 ft) and washed, dried and ironed each half. There is some significant shrinkage but you want to shrink it before applying it (at least based on the research I did) and you want to iron it so it goes on smoother as the skin. This is all based on a 5x8 camper that is 4 ft tall. The cost was very good compared to just buying canvas paint tarps at Home Depot, the quality and consistency was much better and there were no seam lines to deal with (that you get with paint tarps). Hope that helps.

[@christophermagby303]

How did you end up sealing the bottom?

[@chipcross1]

It was black undercoating paint. I haven’t noticed any problem and it’s been more than a couple of years.

[@PrestonCovell]

Did you prime the canvas after you put both layers Tightbond II glue on it? Also how much glue did you used to do the whole project?

[@chipcross1]

Preston Covell - I used 2 gallons of Titebond II. One coat on the wood that I then used to stick the canvas on. Once it dried, I put a second good coating of titebond onto the surface of the canvas. Again, once it dried I did 2 coats of paint. I did NOT separately prime (tho the exterior paint was the paint/primer that is most common these days. BTW - wear rubber gloves while applying to make your cleanup a lot easier. It has held up very well in several rain storms this first season (tho the camper is stored in my garage when not on trips). No signs of any penetration, bubbling, delaminating, etc.

[@PrestonCovell]

chipcross1 so you waited for it to dry before putting the coat on the outside. I was under the impression people did both when the under side was still wet. What canvas did you use?

[@chipcross1]

Preston Covell - I bought my canvas online from Big Duck Canvas. I bought 10oz weight. 6ft by 39ft. I washed it and dried it and it shrank somewhat (I think almost 15%). I think if you don’t wash it and allow to shrink, it will have problems later when it gets wet while being applied and then shrinks as it is drying on the camper - yikes. I chose to go with online vs buying tarps from Home Depot because I the tarps sometimes have seams running through them and I’m not sure the weight is consistent. Also, I think they were running some sort of sale so the price was roughly equivalent to buying tarps. And yes, I allowed it to dry between each coat of titebond and paint.

[@michaelfuson841]

Do you remember what company you obtained your doors and your lighting from ?

[@chipcross1]

The doors were from Vintage Technologies. I don’t remember where the lights were from. As I recall, they are called “porch lights” and I found lots of different vendors online. My design was always flexing to the most economical choices - I never got too picky on a particular brand as I wanted to keep costs down.

[@barrywilliams606]

If you have a list of materials would like to see it

[@chipcross1]

Barry Williams - I don’t have an inventoried list. A lot was bought piecemeal as I was building and when I saw a sale/bargain. In fact, some design choices are really made from what was the cheaper option. If there is anything in particular from the design you’d like to know, I can fill you in.

[@xm41907]

Where did you put the link to the door?

[@chipcross1]

www.teardroptrailerparts.com/

[@fabianroman1699]

What sink/stove is that?

[@chipcross1]

Fabian Roman it’s a Dometic sink/stove drop in. I didn’t want to go too cheap on the stove and I decided better to do the combo and save some space in what is a tight galley. I think I paid about $275 for it. The stove works great - I boil water for my French press coffee and I have a small-ish rectangular cast iron skillet that I can lay across both burners as well as a couple of other cast iron pieces. I can use them to cook over a fire as well so I figured that was the way to go.

[@dianaheineck8630]

Where did you buy the doors?

[@chipcross1]

Diana Heineck - teardroptrailerparts.com Good luck if you are doing a build!!