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

Dave you are making great progress with this camper, what a mod.. I agree with Coolbreeze with extreme camper make over..

Darcamper wrote:Dave you are making great progress with this camper, what a mod.. I agree with Coolbreeze with extreme camper make over..

The only thing better would be that they send them on a vacation and when they get back the rv is done. I know, it just wouldn't be the same.

I will have some good pics in a couple of days. I got the walls completely framed. An I took the trailer outside and mounted everything. It actually looks like a trailer now I completely covered it in blue tarps lol. Maybe have pics tomorrow

Darcamper that would be awesome to leave and come back with it finished. But it just wouldn't be the same lol. There is a since of accomplishment that it gives. I just want to able to say yep I buil it lol.

Here are some updated pictures. It looks like a blue camper lol



Other side



Side shot



One more



Here are some inside shots





Window cut outs

Is that a WILDCAT blue camper located in VOL country?

Just kidding, it is looking great, Dave!

Great looking job Dave. Hope to see you camping soon.

merrykalia wrote:Is that a WILDCAT blue camper located in VOL country?

Just kidding, it is looking great, Dave!

It's funny u say that. We actually need a license on our car that says UK / UT a house divided. Nit because Jess like one and me another but because I am divided. Lol I watch UK basketball and UT football. I was born and raised in kentucky but I have spent the last 9 or 10 years in Tennessee.

Tim. I can not wait to camp again. That things needs some plywood and it is ready now lol.

Great looking. I am keeping up with your progress and you seem to becoming along quickly.

WOW!!! Awesome work!! You will have something you can truly be proud of!!!! Cannot wait to see you in a campground with it and the family!!1
As for the divided house...we are !!! I am orange all the way!! She is Big Blue but I love her anyway!!
We carry the division all the way to the campground. Our site is totally themed in UT/UK, right down to the side walls of my kitchen tent.

Still praying for your family!!

Peace and Grace,
Don

Thanks don I can't wait to get this baby on the road lol

Not really an update but I took a few pictures today with the sorento next to the camper to get an idea of what it will look like en route.

These pics are edited in Photoshop, because the way the ground is back there the sorento was actually setting 1 foot lower than the trailer..

Today was Kylies birthday boy did she have a good time..

Happy Trails









Look how big Riley is now

Wow, he is getting bigger............but, he sure isn't big! Glad he is growing and maybe he will be ready to camp in a few months. We took our girls when they were 4 1/2 months old - Thanksgiving week at the beach.

Glad the camper is coming along so well, hope to see you camping soon.

Oh, and a Happy Birthday to Kylie.

Glad to see what the camper will look like when it is towed. Just keep the blue tarp on it and surprise us at a campground.

Like unveiling a statue!

Richard wrote:Like unveiling a statue!

You got that right Richard.

get some chlorine in that pool! LOL

Was it raining there Dave when you took those photo's? Riley is just beautiful. Camper is a nice size.

Hey guys. As for pics yeah it was raining when I took them. About the pool lol we decided to let it go this year. We had it open but once we found out we found were bringing Riley home we decided to let it go because we can't swim anymore until he is a little older. I just haven't put cover back on yet lol. we even unplugged our hot tub too. We will have en back up and running next year. But we figured why waste the money on them and not use em.

Thanks for the comment on Riley.

It maybe a while before I buy any more material. But I will slowly work on the cabinets and get them in place. I will be spending most of my time with the family for now. I'm still shooting for late fall but it will most likely be around march or so before it is finished. I want to get the outside done anyway so it will be at least campable kinda like a hard tent

Dave,

I've been watching the transformation from frame to camper and you have done an incredible job so far! It's gonna look great when finished!!! Keep up the good work.

I'm so glad Riley is doing well and getting bigger (practically right before our eyes)! Great looking kid! Still sending prayers...

Hey Dave thanks for the compliments.

So far it looks like my build is going to be slowing down a lot for now, with Riley coming home and all. We had kylie's birthday party this weekend too it was hectic.

My goals for now include

This weekend:
Finish laying tile flooring
Finish sanding cabinets prime and paint them

Next weekend I will lay out my 120 wiring and start cutting pieces of insulation to fit even though I have yet to put up any walls plywood

I want to get the plywood and epoxy down at least on the outside before this winter. That way I will have better protection from snow.

With money it looks like $1,500 more will get it finished. Which is not bad at all I am in it for around $300 right now. So far right on budget

My completion date I am gunning for mid march. I would like to be at the smoky bear trip for 2012 in my freshly completed camper

I still got a lot to do but I'm not going to rush it there is no need lol

Thinking about building a camper too, and I really want one around 20 feet, but all I can find is old pop ups that are shorter than that to dismantle or a 29 foot travel trailer frame already dismantled. Can I cut down the floor size of the 29 foot trailer and not mess it up? Will it make it not tow right or be unbalanced in relation to the wheels? And if the answer is yes, then can anyone give any advice as to where I could get the best deal on a trailer frame around 20 feet? do I keep searching for one to dismantle, do I make one, do I have one built? Also, I was going to do the wall frame in aluminum versus wood for stablity and light weight any thoughts on that? One more things, where would I get the skin for it, such as sheet metal or white fiberglass? Thanks for any help guys we are just getting the plans going and I really want this to be success for our family so we can camp in it and be proud.

Buying a used TT would be a lot cheaper and easier. If someone knew what they were doing with the welding, you could cut the longer trailer frame down. The trick is to plan ahead on the weight so that about 10% to 15% of the total (loaded with stuff) trailer weight is on the tounge, otherwise you'll have have a sway issue. There are likely other issues to consider as well. Those old FEMA trailers from the Katrina Hurricane can sometimes be found pretty cheap.

I am going to have to agree with Richard on his post above. You would definitely coming out cheaper buying a used tt. If you were trying build a small one like I am you could come out ahead because of material cost. I am building mine cheap and I got the frame on trade for a chain saw.

If you are wanting a 20 footer material will eat you alive. It would cost probably 3-4 thousand just to skin it with aluminum siding. I am not by any means saying you can't I am just trying to save you some cash. You should look on craigslist you can find some nice light weight tt for 5-9 k. I have a friend that would probably sell you his. They pull it with an explorer it is a 25 or 26 footer but it is an ultra light

Have you looked into rockwood, they have a too listed on the local craigslist.


Now if you decided to build, I would build the frame out of box steel and if you can weld that will help a lot. The aluminum framing is going to be significantly more money wise than wood. And you would have to be able to weld very good to build it. It would require precise mig or rig welding. If you want light weight there is a company in Georgia that builds travel trailers with no guts. And they are around 4-5 k and you build it like you want once you get home

Well I scored a free mini fridge today. It is not the size I want wanted but it will work for my budget build. Work was going to throw it out cause the seal was bad. Its that ugly wood color. I am going to paint it white or black. I got an idea for the seal. It is only 25" tall and I needed 35" but I think I may build a cubby above the fridge. It is only $88 plus tax for a new one but that is $88 bucks in my pocket still.

Pics to follow tomorrow or friday

Aww man, I trhew away a mini fridge that size (25 inches tall) a couple of months ago. I rarely used it, and it stopped working, so I didn't even try to get it fixed. The seal was in great shape. I wish I had a rewind button so I could take the door off and get it to you.