DIY Feature - Shandy Floyd

Features

Dec 16

Sleeping on the ground can get old after years of doing it. When you want to sleep in a dry cozy shelter but don’t want a huge RV, a Teardrop is the way to go. Shandy figured that out and started to build!

Shandy completed his build in Payson, Utah. He used our DIY Vaga plans and modified them to make his teardrop five feet tall!

What made you want to build a tiny camper?

We camp a lot and I like the idea of sleeping in a bed instead of on the ground. My wife loves the way teardrop trailers look, so I kind of built it for her.

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

I'm very good at carpentry. I can do electrical, but metal work is a little difficult for me.

What was the first step in your build?

Buying three plans so I could think about and prepare what I needed to start actually building.

What was your favorite part of the build?

I love puzzles so I enjoyed the entire project, but honestly seeing the round walls attached to the floor was very exciting.

What was the most difficult part of the build?

I bought a used trailer. Getting it to the point if being able to build on it took me a lot longer than I expected.

How long did it take you?

Since I bought the plans it has been close to a year.

If you're comfortable sharing, what was the total cost of the build?

With everything I've spent close to $5000.

Would you do anything differently?

I spent a lot of time making sure I liked the shape of it and getting it just right. Because of the tight curve at the back my galley is tighter than I expected. I would add maybe a foot to the length if I were to build another one.

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

I'm going to take it to the Lost Dutchman in the Phoenix area of Arizona in a couple of weeks with my wife. It will be the first time we took it camping. We're really excited.

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

Read the plans carefully and take your time. I made a couple stupid mistakes because I thought I could figure something out that was very detailed on the plans.

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

I was constrained by money, but the plans were extremely helpful in my being sure I could do it. I do a lot of building, but I've never built something quite like this. Before I found these plans my ideas for building the trailer were a lot more complicated and probably heavier. The plans helped me see how much simpler it could be and still work.