Building a Teardrop Trailer: Plans and Methods for Crafting an Heirloom Camper Paperback – January 20, 2020

If you are contemplating building a teardrop camper, this is the only book you need. FIVE STAR FOR SURE.

Great book! Gives enough detail with good illustrations. Highly recommend.

Probably the Bible for building your own teardrop trailer. Read others but this is the Best. Well written. Practical suggestion. Recommend.

My wife and I are about 3/4 of the way through our teardrop build and just wish this book was published when we started! If we were starting now, I think we'd adopt Tony's proven design. (This was his 4th teardrop build, and he discusses some of the improvements he's developed as he, his wife, and family camped in the previous three, and in a commercial teardrop.)We learned of this book from Tony, who has given us much helpful advice on the Teardrop and Tiny Trailers forum. We have a lot of respect for his knowledge, and greatly appreciate his friendly helpful advice and discussion both with us and others.This is a well written step by step guide to building a teardrop. The reader starting with this book will, with jig saw, router, and other tools commonly available to us hobbyists, be able to build a teardrop trailer just as shown on the cover. I believe the descriptions and instructions are clear, but if the reader is confused by anything, all they have to do is join the (free) forum above and ask Tony directly. This is the next best thing to having an experienced teardrop builder right there in your shop!If you've only seen teardrops in campgrounds (as we had) and are curious, this book is a great low-cost investment to decide if a home built model should be in your future. If you've already decided to build one, materials and supplies do cost around $4000 (much less than almost any commercially built camper), and so the cost of this book is a drop in the bucket. It will more than pay for itself (in both money and time) in avoiding mistakes we first time builders are likely to make.Tony covers the entire build, from fabricating the trailer chassis, building the (insulated) walls, floor, ceiling and roof (also insulated), and attaching them all together. His build includes cabin shelves and a headboard cabinet with sliders, which he describes in detail. He chose to build doors (rather than buy commercially made doors) and describes his design. He gives a very detailed description of the galley hatch--including the design of the hatch sides, so important for keeping the galley dry and dust free. He has chapters both on a fiberglass/epoxy exterior and aluminum. He also has chapters on the electrical system, a propane heating system, galley cabinets, and even some tips on camping. These are all from Tony's personal experience, and are written in a conversational manner that is easy to understand.

I enjoy the peace and simplicity of getting out to camp from time to time, but the older I get the less I enjoy the hassle of preparation to get all my gear together, pack it, unpack it, set up the tent...and so on. I started considering a teardrop after my co-worker bought one; I could not imagine paying the price for it though. I'm pretty handy with my tools, so I figured could I build one myself then I joined a Facebook group dedicated to people who do just that.I learned about Tony's book from that Facebook group and have actually had the pleasure of communicating directly with him within the group. He's super knowledgeable and helpful as are many of the others in the group.So, his book....just as he has been in the group, the book has been invaluable for me during the planning of my build. I'm a very visual person and I tend to ask a lot of questions. This book covers both of those needs for me...tons of pictures as he goes through his build and its a very conversational easy read. I almost feel as though I'm there with him at times...I'll think of a question and turn the page....boom, he answers it. I really enjoy how he doesn't just tell you to use a certain way; he explains why he chose it and sometimes options which allows you to make an informed decision on your own to tailor your build.I looked at a few other books on teardrop builds (even bought one before) but I am so happy I learned about this one because it is by far, in my opinion, the best I have come across!

I had been looking at teardrop campers however couldn't find one built the way I wanted. Examples of what I didn't like were many builders were very vague on construction techniques and many do not insulate the side walls. Because I was not finding what I wanted from a quality perspective I decided to build my own. In reseaching how to build a teardrop camper my research found this book.What I thought was really important in the book is the author spends time in the first part of the book explaining why he recommends certain design considerations. For me this was extremely helpful when I got to the sections on how to construct the camper. The author explains, for example why he chose the type of wall construction, the benefits, and why this results in a better built teardrop camper that will stand the test of time.The other thing I like is this book was written from a hobbyist point of view. The tools that are used are things that can be purchased by a hobbyist. The methods that he uses are detailed in language that makes sense to somebody that is not a professional woodworker or welder.If you are planning to build a teardrop this book is a great place to start your research and in my opinion is a must have. If you are planning to purchase a teardrop this book will also help you to understand how the camper should be built so you know what to look for.