My Homemade 12 foot Travel Trailer (UPDATED - 07/30/2011)

Thanks Dave for the update pics. It is one thing to read about the progress but it is something else to actually see it coming together. Have you ever seen the video of the guy who built a 5th wheel on U-tube?

Oh yeah I thought that was cool, but he actually bought his stuff from a factory that shut down. I read a lot of the TTT forum. www.mikenchell.com

After church I am going to try and clean the garage up a little and take some better pictures with it out in the yard.

I got a little bit more done today, I finished building the seat for the curb side, I will have to skin it and make a top for it still. I swept the floor a little and took a few better pictures.. Here you can see the tile, I bought this tile at a Dollar Store. I got enough to do 120 Square feet, which will cover the floor and all of the counter tops for $52 dollars..

I put a left over piece of the 5mm up against the seat so you could get an idea.

The cabinets need painted so bad. Next week I wont have a lot of build pics, but I will finish cutting on the cabinets for the doors, I will get the sink hole cut out, and I may tile the counters. I also need to get the roofing tar coated on the bottom... The wife has evicted me from the upstairs garage, so I will be moving everything down to the basement garage too lol.

Great looking job Dave. Will be looking for more pics as the project proceeds.

I put the goop on the bottom today and moved the trailer around to the basement. I also screwed the wood to the frame and I started laying the tiles on the floor nim not sure they are going to work they don't stick very good. I will try and get some good pictures in the next few days. I am going to try and build the walls soon. But I will probably put everything on hold after this week. Because daughters birthday is the weekend after that. More pics as soon as possible

Great job. What are you going to make the walls of Dave?

Im still undecided, Im either going to do the aluminum flashing and bend it with a brake, or Im going to go to indiana and buy from a surplus dealer, or I may just epoxy plywood and paint it.

Hey Dave, you have to add some glue to make the vinyl tiles stick to that OSB. It's pretty common. Looking good!

Yeah I figured that maybe the problem. I think I'm going to pull them back up and try maybe some liquid nails Or something like that. I still have a lot of work but I believe I should have a Campeche unit soon. Were
Shooting for September now since Riley is doing so much better

So, your going to have a shower. Are you going with a residential or a rv shower? How will you do the plumbing?

Dave, liquid nails will work, but it's overkill. They have stuff just for that that is applied with a notched trowel. Last time I put that peel and stick vinyl on OSB I got some at Lowes and it was considerably cheaper than buying tubes of liquid nails. Spreads more evenly that way, so you don't get little "glue waves" in the final product. I also used vinyl patch over the seams in the OSB, much like one would use drywall mud. In fact, drywall mud might work if you painted over it to seal it before putting on the glue. If it's already down, I'd just fix the loose corners with the Liquid Nails.

Got a little done today. I bought my cabinet hardware and paint. I got the first coat on the one cabinet that was already cut out. I should have it finished my Friday or Saturday. I also made the 2 ft lower section of my front wall. I am thinking about doing wall paper on the inside. Anyone know how well it sticks to plywood. I am going to get some better pics. I did bot realize how much I needed a drill press. I have had one down in my shop for over 2 years and I just used it for the first time today. Man I was missing out. I will have some pics this weekend

Richard thanks for the heads up. I will check that stuff out at lowes. Tim. I am going to build my own shower system. Hot water will be provided by 7 gallon water heater and the shower it self I am going to do completely in Frp and the drain will be straight out to a cap that can be hooked to sewer or to my grey water tote.

I got a few updates today, hopefully more will come tomorrow.. I plan on getting started early tomorrow.

Cut out the area for the sink to reside



The two foot section for the front wall, I will have to re-do it once I buy the AC unit



The one cabinet finished, notice the gap in the floor, I am going to have to take it loose and weld in a piece of angle iron to even it out..



A little closer picture

Nice looking work there Dave.

One question Dave. Are you going to wire your trailer for 12volt & 110?

yeah but im not going to use a converter. I plan on running all my 120 for sure power via a regular RV plug and a jumper box, The 12vdc system i am going to run straight off of a Deep cycle battery, I plan on only using the DC for the interior lights, vent vans and for a porch light.. I will keep a battery charger on hand that I can plug in to the site if need be.. We should be good to go with this system because we always camp with shore power, and if we were to stop for an over nighter our lights and fan would work off the battery

ocb_dave_ocb wrote:yeah but im not going to use a converter. I plan on running all my 120 for sure power via a regular RV plug and a jumper box, The 12vdc system i am going to run straight off of a Deep cycle battery, I plan on only using the DC for the interior lights, vent vans and for a porch light.. I will keep a battery charger on hand that I can plug in to the site if need be.. We should be good to go with this system because we always camp with shore power, and if we were to stop for an over nighter our lights and fan would work off the battery

OK. I just thought you might go with a convertor, did the old pup have a working one in it?

I didn't even test it, it was such an old unit, plus there was so much water that got in there I was afraid to even try it out

Dave, thanks for sharing the steps. It's like being a part of it without all the sweat. My Daughter, Caroline, said the other day, "Daddy, I bet you've got the most modified camper in the club." I told her about your project. I told her that I might have more individual mods, but that you had the "most modded" camper of all.

Richard wrote:Dave, thanks for sharing the steps. It's like being a part of it without all the sweat. My Daughter, Caroline, said the other day, "Daddy, I bet you've got the most modified camper in the club." I told her about your project. I told her that I might have more individual mods, but that you had the "most modded" camper of all.

Dave could be considered the extreme makeover, "RV Edition"

Lol. I am ready to be camping I will take some more pics tonight. I got the back wall and curb side wall done. But I'm on my way to sing now. Hopefully tonight I will get
The front or driver side finished. I got them tacked in place. More pics to come

Glad to see that things are coming along. Will be looking for more pics.

I didn't get to work on it anymore tonight, the singing at church held until 10PM.. We are going for out infant CPR classes tomorrow after church. I should be back home by 5 or 6 gonna try some more then..

But for now here are some more pictures.

The framing isn't finished yet, but its coming along

Your really making some good progress on this. In the pic, where the 2x4 is at a angle is that towards the tongue of the trailer? When you plumb for your water are you going to use pex tubing? How much insulation are you going to put in?