Sale on Tumbleweed Vardo Plans
Jay Shafer from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company is offering their Vardo Construction plans for sale for 10 days only. Starting today, the plans for the Vardo are $15.95. Normally, $29.95 so almost half off. The Sale ends July 8, 2011.
Tumbleweed Vardo Plans – $15.95
The Vardo is not officially a tiny house but more of a sleeping camper, great for getaways to the mountains or the beach or as a guest room for your tiny home. There is no bathroom or kitchen, just a sleeping area and storage.
If you are unsure of your building skills this little project would be a great way to learn the basic carpentry skills and come out with a wonderful little project you could show off to your friends and family. Tumbleweed estimates the cost to build the Vardo to be around $2,500 (minus the optional heater).
The vardo can be placed on a small trailer and towed or put on the back of a pickup such as the Ford F-150.
The plans include 14 pages:
- Elevation Drawings: The exterior view from all 4 sides is included showing you heights relative to the truck bed, window and door openings, and finish materials.
- Floor Plans: Floor plans are included for both the storage area, and the sleeping area.
- Roof Plan: Shown from above, you see the overhang of the roof compared to the truck and structure.
- Wall Framing: Two pages of wall framing show you how to frame each wall, front, back and sides so that you have the rounded roof and slight angle of side walls. Additionally, floor framing is included.
- Door Detail: The Vardo requires a custom made door, and the door detail gives you the dimensions, and types of wood to use.
- Section Drawings: These drawings cut the Vardo in half both the long way and the short way. They show you where to insulate, what types of wood studs to use, how to properly insulate, which materials to use, how to secure the structure to the truck, and much more.
- Basic Components: Suggestions on specific windows for the structure and the door including the manufacturer and glass type. Also included is a heater suggestion.
Get the details about the Tumbleweed Vardo Plans – $15.95
Our ALiner Restoration
Guest Post by JoAnne Leonard
Our story about our little 1998 Aliner camper started two years ago when my husband and I brought home a funny camper with a rotted floor and got the evil eye from our neighbors. We salvaged it from its destiny of the dump from a couple camping friends of ours. They were getting older and had given up on most camping and didn’t have the time, energy or desire to fix the rotting floor, a known problem for this model and year. They had offered it to us a couple years prior, but we didn’t really have the means to deal with it. We were very happy camping in tents as we were lifelong campers ourselves and wanted to keep it simple. But this camper was different, it was simple, a basic popup but without the hassle of canvas, a unique triangle profile and a small foot print (6’3”x12’).
We’d bring the subject up to each other every once in a while until we decided to just go get it. It sat in the furthest corner from their house, the tires sat almost half way to the ground from sitting for so long, a branch had pierced a hole in one of the vents from a bad ice storm the year before and the floor was now growing things under the linoleum that was keeping it together. Looking back now I am not sure how it made it through the 30 mile trip back to our house. Continue Reading »
Trillium RV 1500
Last year I wrote about the re-emergence of the Trillium 1300 travel trailer. The brand has recently expanded with the introduction of the Trillium 1500. This trailer is different than the 1300 in that it has two extra feet added to the middle, larger counter space and a larger dinette which converts into a bed. Four floorplans are available for both the 1300 and the 1500 including a corner restroom and a restroom/shower floorplan.
The Trillium is unique to the fiberglass trailer market in that the company bonds all fiberglass components, uses no wood in the structure, uses closed cell foam ceiling and wall insulation, provides upscale, contemporary interiors and builds each unit to the owner’s specifications. The stylish interior of these trailers is what attracted my attention. Continue Reading »
Eddie Bauer Airstream
If you want a small trailer, but also want to enjoy the outdoors in style, you might want to look into getting the new Eddie Bauer Airstream which combines two respected names into one small package. This stylish trailer can hold you, all your toys and even a dog or two.
The Eddie Bauer Airstream is a 25-foot trailer with the classic Airstream styling and costs $74,000. It has a queen-size bed with an Eddie Bauer Goose Down duvet, pillows, and throw, maple and soapstone laminates, quilted fabrics, and stain-resistant Sunbrella upholstery on the interior, an oversized hatch for loading and unloading gear like bikes and kayaks, and a generous side awning. The panoramic windows and the hatch let in the outdoors and fresh air. Other features include: Continue Reading »
Tonke Campers
If a utility vehicle married a gypsy wagon, a Tonke Camper may be the result of this unusual union. Tonke Campers are hand-built by craftspeople in Holland who were inspired by the classic yachts created by Dutch boat builders in the 1920s. There are two models, the Explorer and the Fieldsleeper, which both meet the Euro IV emissions regulations. For overseas customers, Tonke ships the living unit and the steel platform that supports it. Then each unit can be carried by Renault Master, Volkswagen Crafter or Mercedes Sprinter (Dodge Sprinter in the U.S.) trucks.
What makes this camper unique is not only the style (polished wood fittings, teak floors, porcelain sinks and chrome faucets), but that fact that the trailer portion can be dismantled and be used as a guest room or a tiny house. Each unit includes a bed, kitchen and eating space, a small bathroom and storage for bicycles. They also include a large water tank, a combination boiler with hot water and heating system, an on-board battery, a spacious fridge with freezer and a gas stove. Continue Reading »
The T@B Trailer
After doing a post on teardrop and vintage trailers a few weeks back I thought I would do a post on the ultra-modern T@B. Since it was introduced a few years ago, the T@B trailer by Thor Industries has exploded as a popular alternative to a larger, heavier travel trailer.
The T@B is known for its European design, styling and lightweight construction. They are about 16 ft long and can be purchased for between $9,000 and $20,000. The full trailer stands at 7 ft 9 inches and the interior height is 5 ft 9 inches. It weighs under 2,000 lbs unloaded.
Courtesy of Chris Dunphy
Courtesy of T@B
The T@B, which stands for Take America Back, also has all the amenities of a larger travel trailer (heating, air conditioning, fan, sink, refrigerator, stove and storage) but can be pulled with a smaller car and has no need for electronic brake control. The only thing the T@B does not have is a bathroom and shower. A port-a-potty can be installed. The Clamshell T@B even has a kitchen that opens up in the back, like the classic teardrop trailer.
The T@B also includes:
- Several floor plans
- Alufiber® construction
- Surge coupler attached to the hitch
- Seating area that becomes a 60 x 70 inch bed
- A covered area for a 20 lb. grill-style LP propane bottle and deep cycle RV battery
- A 5 gallon fresh water tank and on demand water pump
- A 25 amp power converter
- A marine grade amp with removable 20 foot power cord
- Smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide detectors
The T@B, because of its people friendly design and comfort, could be used for a temporary home or one that is more permanent. I came across several websites of people who live in or take extended trips in their T@Bs. I was specifically interested in the modifications they did to make the their T@B more comfortable and suited to their living needs.
Tabventures: Lynne takes extended trips with her dog, Millie
Chris Dunphy lived in his T@B for two years, before he upgraded to an Oliver
Mike and Trisha Kennedy travel in their T@B
Al’s T@B Mods: A list of T@B modifications
Courtesy of T@B
Courtesy of T@B
Courtesy of T@B
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to our feed
