DIY Feature -Jeff Brinker

Features

Oct 11

Jeff has always been enamored with seeing teardrops and RVs driving down the road and the past several summers they have been driving from NJ to Montana to spend a few weeks there. He figured it would be easier to have a camper with them rather than having to check into hotel on the drive out.

Jeff started building his own DIY Vaga in New Jersey.

What made you want to build a tiny camper?

I have always been enamored with seeing teardrops and RVs driving down the road and the past several summers we have been drive from NJ to Montana and spend a few weeks there. I figured if would be easier to have a camper with me rather than having to check into hotel on the drive out. I also was looking for a project 😁.

What was your experience level with the skills required to build a camper (wood working, electrical, metal work, etc.) when you started?

As a mechanical engineering I am pretty handy around the house and have tackled many mechanical and electrical projects through the years. Many years ago, I also took a woodworking class and build a drop leaf table. So I am pretty comfortable working with my hands but definitely not a master of any of those trades.

What was the first step in your build?

Research. I surfed the web a lot just trying to learn as much as I could about teardrops and the build process. Then I bought the plans and jumped in.

What was your favorite part of the build?

That is easy. Assembly day. I pulled in my father and my 14 year old daughter to help for the day. It was really special having them their help me out. It is also pretty cool to see all the prior work come together in a day. I will say that testing the electrical system was also pretty satisfying. It was nice to be able to turn on some lights with a dimmer, see the LED accent lighting and running 120V!

What was the most difficult part of the build?

Surprisingly the electrical system. I felt pretty comfortable working with electrical systems but the planning and research for my system took a lot more time than I expected. It was really the only part build that I deviated from the plans as I think most people end up customizing their electrical system based on their needs. Also running the wires, labeling and cleaning up the wire routings was time consuming.

How long did it take you?

I have been at it for a little over a year now and still not quite done. I knew it was going to take me a long time as my availability to work on it would be limited. I really wanted to enjoy the process so I did not put a deadline on my build as I know that would probably end up making me a bit crazy. I am glad I did that as I have thoroughly enjoyed the build. It has been a blast.

How much did it cost?

When it is all said and done probably $12,000-$13,000.

Would you do anything differently?

Built a bigger garage. Finding an area work on the camper while not pissing off my wife with monopolizing our garage has not been easy.

What has been the best part of owning a tiny camper?

I am probably most looking forward to the flexibility to get out there and enjoy the country. I think it is also pretty special to share with people what I have build basically from the frame up myself.

Any tips for someone that wants to build a tiny camper but doesn’t know where to start?

Do some research (tons on information online), by some plans and jump in. It is really a doable project for anyone that has some level of mechanical and electrical aptitude.

How did using Wander Tears DIY plans and having the resources provided affect your build process and time?

I am not sure I could have done it without the plans and the WT community. The WT plans are amazing and made the project much easier. If you follow the plans, it all works out really well. The WT Facebook community has been a huge help along with Daniel. Anytime I had a question about anything I pretty much got it answered right away.