At 49, long ago divorced, with kids who are now adults, I wanted to build a simple camping rig for me and the dogs. My idea was to get a 4' 8' utility trailer kit, assemble it and build a 4 x 8 box on it with windows that I can haul gear in, attach a tent to, and use as a sleeping compartment at night. One challenge was that, except for minor and mandatory home repair projects, I have never built anything like this. I bought the trailer kit in late October, 2016. I assembled it and constructed an insulated floor before winter came. During the winter I found the windows and a tent made as an accessory for Honda SUV's. In late April, I started up again. I built it using a 2x3 internal frame with 1/2 plywood sheathing for the walls and two 2x4 supports on the exterior, using paint and spar urethane for the finish. It was road-ready on June 7 and licensed the next day. The maiden voyage was June 11-12 from Flagstaff, AZ to Big Lake, AZ, and back. High winds and a 40 degree night were no problem.
I expected the project to be difficult, and it was. What I did not expect was how much I learned during the process or just how satisfying it was to finish it and use it. Learning to to see what the trailer would look like, figure out all of the steps and components needed to get there, and adjusting plans constantly to meet realities that were different than what I planned are always good things to brush up on.
The end result is exactly what I hoped for - a unique, simple trailer that I can spend more time using than maintaining. Just in time for summer.
At 49, long ago divorced, with kids who are now adults, I wanted to build a simple camping rig for me and the dogs. My idea was to get a 4' 8' utility trailer kit, assemble it and build a 4 x 8 box on it with windows that I can haul gear in, attach a tent to, and use as a sleeping compartment at night. One challenge was that, except for minor and mandatory home repair projects, I have never built anything like this. I bought the trailer kit in late October, 2016. I assembled it and constructed an insulated floor before winter came. During the winter I found the windows and a tent made as an accessory for Honda SUV's. In late April, I started up again. I built it using a 2x3 internal frame with 1/2 plywood sheathing for the walls and two 2x4 supports on the exterior, using paint and spar urethane for the finish. It was road-ready on June 7 and licensed the next day. The maiden voyage was June 11-12 from Flagstaff, AZ to Big Lake, AZ, and back. High winds and a 40 degree night were no problem. I expected the project to be difficult, and it was. What I did not expect was how much I learned during the process or just how satisfying it was to finish it and use it. Learning to to see what the trailer would look like, figure out all of the steps and components needed to get there, and adjusting plans constantly to meet realities that were different than what I planned are always good things to brush up on. The end result is exactly what I hoped for - a unique, simple trailer that I can spend more time using than maintaining. Just in time for summer.
