The 3rd annual Bushwhacker Boil and Tiny Camper Meetup is on again this summer in Hot Springs, NC! The date for this year’s rally is July 24 - July 29; Make sure to book your site via the link below and we hope to see you there! www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-bushwhacker-boil-and-tiny-camper-meetup-tickets-847420636937?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwAR1hh4dgdRpAzmAg6yo1V_dVD8W53Yg7gGQYIy_gJj05ehTwPi7rfnNPrks
And for his first build he knew how to put in a hurricane hinge correctly! Fantastic camper and he was such a nice guy. Hope it serves him well for years and years to come.
VERY encouraging! I'm retiring soon and my very first project is to build a teardrop camper. I have zero experience but I'm patient and careful so I know I can do it. Thanks for posting this.
Making me want to trade my rv tow behind for a tear drop. 4 dogs makes it hard, though, but one day. Still remember the epic statement "either you get it or you dont!" Great content!!
Nice build! Building a mailbox shaped camper with wavy tin sides and roof continuous up and over with vinyl siding accent front and rear caps. corner cap receives ends of tin. Welded conduit roof trusses, doubled with wall saddles, hit middle with screw.
He set the diesel heater up under the cabinet in the galley. The exhaust ports out the side and the heated air is ported into the cabin. Unfortunately, this is the only information I have. We only met briefly and he was generous enough to shoot this overview video with me.
Nice teardrop enjoyed the video. He mentions where he got the huricane hinge and the door lock but where did he get the door hinges? Those hinges would work really well for my next project. Thanks
Very nice. I am retired but very broke due to a scam but would like to build a foam camber using harbor freight trailer I got from my dad. I need plans and cnx plans. It's going to be a bit as I have to have rotator cuff surgery but want something I can afford to build and pull without hurting our CRV with the 2.4 engine. I want to take a trip out west with my wife as she has never been. I may have to sell some cave diving gear to fund it as my scam isn't over as the IRS is after me now. The last tax bill stopped write offs except for storm damage. Any help in pointing me to the right direction would be appreciated. I did some limited wood working as a teenager and had some fiberglass experience working at a marina in college. One draw back is I don't have a garage but could put up a temporary structure.
I have seen some foamies on the road, theyre a great option for an inexpensive, lightweight build! Heres some info- www.instructables.com/Foamie-Teardrop-Camper/?amp_page=true
Yeah, I was a little bummed about that. Truth is, 95% of people lie anyway... lol it's human nature with DIY projects-- "I built this new extension on my house and it only cost me $1000"
After buying a Hiker a few months ago, I'm thinking I should have built my own like this guy. But I didn't have time. Maybe in the future. Let's just say with the Hiker I got what I paid for. I've been recording video of the issues. I hope to get a channel started soon. Hiker isn't going to be a fan of what I have to say.
@@DIYOutdoorLife Here you go. Rust. Looks like the top shell of the trailer is steel because it seems to be rusting already. Orange dots starting to poke through the white paint. Receiver welded into roof rack brackets for roof rack tubes appears to be rusting. Internal frame surfaces (A-frame is open on the back) are rusting. Bungs for jacks starting to rust. Sides of jack starting to rust. Black screws for exterior light (marker, brake) housings are rusting. Did they do any surface passivation of the steel before priming? So I’ve been going around with Fluid Film to stop further rusting. When I picked up the trailer, they warned me against doing anything other than using a gentle soap on the paint. No waxing. Maybe RainX. So how am I going to protect the top where it’s starting to rust. Oh yeah, they don’t warranty the paint at all. I can understand no warranty for scratches like from branches (normal use). But no warranty because of bad surface prep and potentially cheap paint just seems like bad business. Wiring is THHN household wiring not automotive hookup or, better yet, marine grade. This MIGHT be acceptable on the inside of the trailer but not on the underside where they run the wires for the trailer brakes and lights. You really want tinned copper wire, e.g. marine grade, on the exterior. Copper will corrode if not protected. Also, they made the wiring look neat. Sounds great, right? To do this, they bent the wire at sharp 90 degree bends. The stranded wire on the inside might be ok, but the insulation is very stiff, and I wonder if the insulation is damaged or will fail at a future date due to the strain of being bent into tight bends. Fuse block in the back appears to be a $1 Chinese special. The diamond plate is plastic not metal. Were they trying to save weight, cost, or both? Some of the diamond plate appears to have been glued to the plywood underneath. However, it’s no longer glued because I can push it in against the plywood underneath and I can hear it peel back off. Not all the diamond plate seems to have been glued, though. I don’t hear the sticky peeling sound on the sides just the front of the trailer. It appears to be held at its edges, but is the plastic diamond plate going to start flying off at some point because the middle can flex? The aluminum sides are not adhered to the underlying plywood. You can walk around the trailer and randomly push and the aluminum will pop in and out. It’s being held on at the edges but how, at door and window openings, and the roof rack brackets. But large areas in the middle are free to flex with the wind. I can see this becoming a problem eventually. After cutting out a hole for a MC-4 gland housing, I measured the thickness of the aluminum at about 0.028 inch. That’s pretty thin and an odd size. It could be 0.032, a standard size, but I was using a gauge that’s pretty accurate. The aluminum should definitely have been bonded to the plywood in my opinion. They didn’t completely vacuum out the trailer when I picked it up. There was sawdust from the pocket screw drilling in the upper front shelf and on the shelves in the back of the trailer. Think twice about locking the doors and toolbox or insert the key very gently. I don’t think the lock mechanisms are going to hold up to any kind of regular use. Even if you don’t lock the doors, the latching mechanism feels cheap when I close the doors like they’re just going to randomly start popping open at some point. When I picked up the trailer, they warned me they are Chineseum. Enough said. The cab and toolbox are attached to the frame using self-tapping screws. And the frame walls aren’t too thick. The frame walls actually seem kind of thin to me. Weight, cost, both? Not sure how this is usually done, but through bolts or u-bolts would seem to be better. The frame is a weird design, and I question the structural connections. Are they sure my Midrange XL can take repeated offroad use? All the structural connections - cab to frame, toolbox to frame, frame to frame - seem kind of weak given the attachment methods.
@@DIYOutdoorLife Obviously Major TJ Kong isn't my real name, so no problems with posting. Major Kong is my favorite character from Dr. Strangelove, thus the B-52 in my profile pic and Slim Pickens in my previous profile pic 🙂
The 3rd annual Bushwhacker Boil and Tiny Camper Meetup is on again this summer in Hot Springs, NC! The date for this year’s rally is July 24 - July 29; Make sure to book your site via the link below and we hope to see you there!
www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-bushwhacker-boil-and-tiny-camper-meetup-tickets-847420636937?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwAR1hh4dgdRpAzmAg6yo1V_dVD8W53Yg7gGQYIy_gJj05ehTwPi7rfnNPrks
I'm pleased to see this crawl from my book! 😁
It was really impressive to see that, with no experience, he was able to pick up your book and build this!
That build is PHENOMENAL!
Really impressive, considering he's done nothing like this before... wow
Incredible!! And he gets the pride and satisfaction of his total build! Really nice!
Built this way, I bet it will last twice as long as an industry camper too!
And for his first build he knew how to put in a hurricane hinge correctly! Fantastic camper and he was such a nice guy. Hope it serves him well for years and years to come.
Wasn't this one filmed really well? Excellent cameraman! Lmao
@@DIYOutdoorLife Absolutely incredible camera work! 😂🔥😎
VERY encouraging! I'm retiring soon and my very first project is to build a teardrop camper. I have zero experience but I'm patient and careful so I know I can do it. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you, keep us in the loop with your project!
Very nice!!
He really did a great job, I hope he enjoys it for years to come!
Absolutely stunning!!!
I'm glad you liked it as much as I did, he did a great job!
Making me want to trade my rv tow behind for a tear drop. 4 dogs makes it hard, though, but one day. Still remember the epic statement "either you get it or you dont!" Great content!!
Seems like you get it! Thank you for watching the channel.
Nice build! Building a mailbox shaped camper with wavy tin sides and roof continuous up and over with vinyl siding accent front and rear caps. corner cap receives ends of tin. Welded conduit roof trusses, doubled with wall saddles, hit middle with screw.
That sounds awesome, reach out when you're done! We'd love to do a tour
Great Video, great build.... thank you for posting!
Thank you, I appreciate you tuning in
Great build and good to see ya back on the channel!
I will be back in full effect now, lots of videos coming. Thank you for sticking around!
Cool teardrop Brian.
Impressive!
Great video! Love his build! Really looked like a solid build!
He was your neighbor, really nice guy. Thanks for tuning in!
Hey, "other" Brian: Great job!
👋
Really great build. Very well thought out, and i bet there is no saw dust!
Haha... what fun is that?
Thats awesome
He did a great job, very impressed!
Looks fantastic. Do you have info/pictures on where he placed the Diesel heater and more interior video?
He set the diesel heater up under the cabinet in the galley. The exhaust ports out the side and the heated air is ported into the cabin. Unfortunately, this is the only information I have. We only met briefly and he was generous enough to shoot this overview video with me.
@@DIYOutdoorLifethanks for the reply. Much appreciated. That helps.
Nice teardrop enjoyed the video. He mentions where he got the huricane hinge and the door lock but where did he get the door hinges? Those hinges would work really well for my next project. Thanks
Most of those parts are available on that same site, I took a look at it, and they have quite a selection.
Thanks, i found some@@DIYOutdoorLife
Hi, what is the outside skin, it looks really professional
It's a painted fiberglass, I think he talks about it in the video. Came out nice!
Very nice. I am retired but very broke due to a scam but would like to build a foam camber using harbor freight trailer I got from my dad. I need plans and cnx plans. It's going to be a bit as I have to have rotator cuff surgery but want something I can afford to build and pull without hurting our CRV with the 2.4 engine. I want to take a trip out west with my wife as she has never been. I may have to sell some cave diving gear to fund it as my scam isn't over as the IRS is after me now. The last tax bill stopped write offs except for storm damage. Any help in pointing me to the right direction would be appreciated. I did some limited wood working as a teenager and had some fiberglass experience working at a marina in college. One draw back is I don't have a garage but could put up a temporary structure.
I have seen some foamies on the road, theyre a great option for an inexpensive, lightweight build!
Heres some info- www.instructables.com/Foamie-Teardrop-Camper/?amp_page=true
He did a nice job! Too bad he didn't keep track of costs, as it would have been a nice way to compare homebuilt vrs. retail.
Yeah, I was a little bummed about that. Truth is, 95% of people lie anyway... lol it's human nature with DIY projects-- "I built this new extension on my house and it only cost me $1000"
After buying a Hiker a few months ago, I'm thinking I should have built my own like this guy. But I didn't have time. Maybe in the future. Let's just say with the Hiker I got what I paid for. I've been recording video of the issues. I hope to get a channel started soon. Hiker isn't going to be a fan of what I have to say.
Oh man, dont like to hear that... if you don't wanna share publicly, shoot me an email, Im designing a Hiker now. Anything I should know?
I have to get back to work. I can post something here later today like after dinner then follow up with a video later.
Thank you
@@DIYOutdoorLife Here you go.
Rust. Looks like the top shell of the trailer is steel because it seems to be rusting already. Orange dots starting to poke through the white paint. Receiver welded into roof rack brackets for roof rack tubes appears to be rusting. Internal frame surfaces (A-frame is open on the back) are rusting. Bungs for jacks starting to rust. Sides of jack starting to rust. Black screws for exterior light (marker, brake) housings are rusting. Did they do any surface passivation of the steel before priming? So I’ve been going around with Fluid Film to stop further rusting.
When I picked up the trailer, they warned me against doing anything other than using a gentle soap on the paint. No waxing. Maybe RainX. So how am I going to protect the top where it’s starting to rust. Oh yeah, they don’t warranty the paint at all. I can understand no warranty for scratches like from branches (normal use). But no warranty because of bad surface prep and potentially cheap paint just seems like bad business.
Wiring is THHN household wiring not automotive hookup or, better yet, marine grade. This MIGHT be acceptable on the inside of the trailer but not on the underside where they run the wires for the trailer brakes and lights. You really want tinned copper wire, e.g. marine grade, on the exterior. Copper will corrode if not protected. Also, they made the wiring look neat. Sounds great, right? To do this, they bent the wire at sharp 90 degree bends. The stranded wire on the inside might be ok, but the insulation is very stiff, and I wonder if the insulation is damaged or will fail at a future date due to the strain of being bent into tight bends.
Fuse block in the back appears to be a $1 Chinese special.
The diamond plate is plastic not metal. Were they trying to save weight, cost, or both? Some of the diamond plate appears to have been glued to the plywood underneath. However, it’s no longer glued because I can push it in against the plywood underneath and I can hear it peel back off. Not all the diamond plate seems to have been glued, though. I don’t hear the sticky peeling sound on the sides just the front of the trailer. It appears to be held at its edges, but is the plastic diamond plate going to start flying off at some point because the middle can flex?
The aluminum sides are not adhered to the underlying plywood. You can walk around the trailer and randomly push and the aluminum will pop in and out. It’s being held on at the edges but how, at door and window openings, and the roof rack brackets. But large areas in the middle are free to flex with the wind. I can see this becoming a problem eventually. After cutting out a hole for a MC-4 gland housing, I measured the thickness of the aluminum at about 0.028 inch. That’s pretty thin and an odd size. It could be 0.032, a standard size, but I was using a gauge that’s pretty accurate. The aluminum should definitely have been bonded to the plywood in my opinion.
They didn’t completely vacuum out the trailer when I picked it up. There was sawdust from the pocket screw drilling in the upper front shelf and on the shelves in the back of the trailer.
Think twice about locking the doors and toolbox or insert the key very gently. I don’t think the lock mechanisms are going to hold up to any kind of regular use. Even if you don’t lock the doors, the latching mechanism feels cheap when I close the doors like they’re just going to randomly start popping open at some point. When I picked up the trailer, they warned me they are Chineseum. Enough said.
The cab and toolbox are attached to the frame using self-tapping screws. And the frame walls aren’t too thick. The frame walls actually seem kind of thin to me. Weight, cost, both? Not sure how this is usually done, but through bolts or u-bolts would seem to be better. The frame is a weird design, and I question the structural connections. Are they sure my Midrange XL can take repeated offroad use? All the structural connections - cab to frame, toolbox to frame, frame to frame - seem kind of weak given the attachment methods.
@@DIYOutdoorLife Obviously Major TJ Kong isn't my real name, so no problems with posting. Major Kong is my favorite character from Dr. Strangelove, thus the B-52 in my profile pic and Slim Pickens in my previous profile pic 🙂
weight?
900 pounds
@@DIYOutdoorLife thanks!
Amazing built, it compares to any teardrop out there...
I agree, he really did a job to be proud of.