Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have the skill level to build these trailers?
How detailed are the plans?
What other information is provided?
What materials are use for construction of the trailers?
How much do the trailers weigh?
Why does the Pop Top weigh 200 plus lbs. more than the Squidget?
Where would I get a chassis for my trailer?
What type of tools are required to build the cabin?
How much do they cost to build?
Are there any hard to find items required for building?
How long does it take to build?
Do the trailers have kitchen conveniences?
Will the Squidget fit into a garage?
What kind of electric systems do they have?
What kind of insulation do the trailers have?
What is involved in getting my trailer titled and tagged?
What are your qualifications for creating plans such as these?
How did it get the name "Squidget"?
Do I have the skill level to build the trailer?
If you have a fair amount of wood working skills and are comfortable with wood working tools, I believe that you can build your own Tiny Travel Trailer from my easy-to-follow plans. I consider myself an average, not expert, woodworker. I was in my in my late 40s before I got into woodworking, first making play furniture for my grandkids. My wife talked me into making them for craftshows. I invested in a workshop full of tools and got better as I practiced and now love woodworking.
When I began this project, I had never built something of this complexity before, nor had I ever done any cabinetry work. I had, over the past 20 years, I had designed and constructed a fishing boat, and decks and utility sheds for two of my homes. Like anything else, experience and expertise comes from doing.
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How detailed are the plans?
My plans are more detailed than most that I've seen. I wrote the plans the way I would like to see plans written--with LOTS of detail and photos. The written instructions take you step-by-step through the build with detail and embedded illustrations. I have created CAD diagrams and illustrations with dimensions and helpful notes for all phases of the build. I photographed the entire process and provide over 300 photos to augment the instructions. All of these provide a surprising amount of detail to help you complete your build successfully. This is what you'll receive:
- Written Instructions - Squidget=69 pages, Squidget PT=81 pages.
- Diagrams and drawings - Squidget=39 pages, Squidget PT=68 pages.
- Photos - Over 300 photos are inclused with plans for either trailer.
- Other Information - Materials lists, Tool information, Helpful links, and more.
If you can read, you can follow these plans.
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What other information is provided?
I provide parts and tool lists and helpful WEB links and sources for hard to find parts. I have a subsection on construction technique. And, I am available to answer Questions by email.
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What materials are use for construction of the trailer?
The cabin framing is constructed from spruce or clear pine with an outside skin of 1/4" plywood and inside skin of 1/8" paneling or hardwood plywood. It is the plywood that provides most of the rigidity and strength of the cabin. The side wall framing is 3/4" thick and the front, back, and top framing are all 1 1/2" thick. The spae between the outside and inside skins is filled with R5 solid foam insulation. The exterior skin is sealed with epoxy, then primed and painted with exterior latex porch and deck enamel paint. Optionally, the outside skin can be finished as a Woody, or covered with sheets of aluminum or RFP (reinforced fiberglass paneling). The PT's top is constructed mostly of Dow Corning blue foam to make it light and easy to lift. Any 2 lb. per-cubic-foot density foam will work and is available at many building supply stores.
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How much do the trailers weigh?
Before I added my couch cushions and 3" memory foam topper, I weighed the Squidget at a truck stop's CAT scale. The Squidget's dry weight is 1400 lbs. The Squidget Pop Top has a dry weight of 1620 lbs. The dry weight of both trailers includes the AC and deep cycle battery.
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Why does the Pop Top weigh 200 plus lbs. more than the Squidget?
A small part of the extra weight of the PT is in the extra steel used in the chassis. The frame is 12” longer and has one more steel cross member than the Squidget chassis. BC plywood was used as the skin of the PT where lighter Luan plywood was used on the Squidget. The PT has more and larger galley cabinets, using more lumber, and a built-in ice box is included in the dry weight.
Some of the dry weight could probably be reduced by using lighter materials in some areas. My galley counter tops and top of the porta-potti cabinet are both 3/4" oak plywood, in the Squidget and the counter top in the PT is 5/8" MDF, both of which are pretty heavy. A light pine frame and 1/4" or 3/8" plywood on top would have been sufficient and lighter. Besides, nothing very heavy will rest on either surface. I have estimated that the chassis of the Squidger is about 350 lbs of the total 1400 lbs dry weight (The PT's chassis is slightly heavier). I used 1/8" x 2" x 2" square tubular steel for the frame and 1/4" x 2" x 2" tubular steel for the tongue. The frame could probably be made with a little lighter steel, but I woudln't want to go below 3/16" x 2" x 2" tubular or 3/16" 2" x 3" channel steel for the tongue. Except for the expense, an aluminum frame would be evenlighter.
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Where would I get a chassis for my trailer?
If I had known that I would be selling plans to build the Squidget when I designed it, I would have designed it to fit on a standard size trailer that one could buy and that is what I did when I designed the PT. I made my own 5' x 9' chassis for the Squidget and 5' x 10' chassis for the PT from locally purchased steel and axle. I used 2000 lb. capacity Dexter Torflex torsion axles on both for a softer suspension, although a spring axle can be used. Having a trailer made by a local manufacturer to my specs is an option. Finding an old trailer that can be purchased cheaply and stripped down to the frame is another option. There are several ways to modify the Squidget to fit a 5'x8' or 5'x10' trailer chassis and either trailer can be modified to fit other frame dimensions. I have created a document that discusses the various options,
Trailer Chassis Mods.pdf.
In the shorter versions (8' frame), I created a different way to fold the seat/bed platforms to increase the stand-up area when using the couch. This is the standard method for folding the seat/bed platform up and down. This is the alternate method that give more floor space, but less storage space under the bed. The latter method was used in the PT.
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What type of tools are required to build the trailer?
It is possible to build the TTT 4 2 with basic hand tools, but I would recommend at a minimum to have a table or radial saw, orbital sander, belt sander and at least one power drill/screwdriver. Other optional tools to make the job easier would be a router drill press. Also, hand tools such as a pocket hole jig, tools to measure and transfer angles, level, squares, etc. are very helpful.
This is a section from my plans about tools.
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How much do they cost to build?
My final cost for the Squidget was around $3500 in 2006. Inflation has probably increased the cost to build somewhat. The basic PT cost approximately $3850 to build in 2011. After adding in my optional/luxury items, the overall cost increased to approximately $5040. In both trailers I opted for quality materials and some high-end items like the 5000 BTU A/C unit, quality custom cut mattress/seat cushions, crank-out windows made for teardrop campers, microwave oven, an aluminum RV door with integrated screen door on the Squidget, and a Fantastic Vent 3-speed, reversible vent fan. All of those items are in the cost of the Squidget in 2006, but
most are considered optional/luxury items not included in the basic PT cost. The PT has even more amenities than the Squidget, including a vintage trailer style icebox, 2-burner propane cook-top unit, propane tank, stereo system and a sink which are all included in the final cost.
Your cost could be less or more than mine depending on how well you shop for parts and supplies and on what you want to put into it. My stated costs did not include costs of any additional tools that I didn't have and needed to complete the project. I considered tool purchases an investment for future use, not part of the trailer cost.
This is a PDF file of my cost tracking spreadsheet for the Squidget.
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Are there any hard to find items required for building?
Nearly everything is available locally and online (most of it came from Lowes, Home Depot and Harbor Freight). I did have problems looking for mobile home type awning windows, so I purchased windows designed for a teardrop camper that worked out great. Later, I found a source for a surplus dealer who sells awning type windows at very reasonable prices. An RV door an RV door locally at Redneck Trailer near my home, but bought one from a local RV surplus dealer at a lower price. My electrical converter, windows, tires/wheels, TV antenna, memory foam topper and ceiling vent/fan were purchased online.
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How long does it take to build the Squidget?
I am retired, so I could work as long as I liked every day, and it took me about 5 months to build each trailer. You have to consider that I built my trailers from an idea and plans that I created. There were things that made my build much slower than yours would be:
- There were changes made as I went throught he build that required that the plans be corrected or updated.
- Some ideas didn't work and I had to �go back to the drawing board" to come up with a new way to do some things, then again, plans updated
- I still had some details to work out while building, sometimes trying different hardware or techniques to make things work, then, yep, and plans updated again.
- I took time out at every step to take photos (More than 400 for each build) to make sure I had everything photo documented for the plans.
I suppose that I averaged 5-6 hours per day, 5 to 6 days per week, and I worked on each trailer for about 5 months. But, that amount of time included re-doing some things (see above as to why), readjusting the plans as I went, etc. With the plans finalized, you won't have all that wasted time that I did and your build would go a lot faster than mine did. How long will it take? That depends largely on your building skills and amount of time you can spare each week. I would estimate that if I were to have built mine from the finished plans, like you would, I'd have done it in 3-4 months.
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Do the trailers have kitchen conveniences?
I did not put any kitchen equipment in my Squidget. I chose to use a propane camp stove, mostly outside. The countertop is large enough to easily install a cooking unit and sink. I did install a propane cook-top unit, sink and icebox in the PT. There is adequate room for a 5-10 gallon water tank in either trailer although I didn't install one. It's up to the individual as to the conveniences he/she wants to install.
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Will the Squidget fit into a garage?
This is a sectionion that I've been asked a lot as garage storage in the Winter is a plus. Unfortunately, as it is, the Squidget it too high to fit through a standard garage door while allowing stand-up height inside and that is why I designed and built the Pop Top model. There are modifications that can be made to the Squidget which would allow it through a 7' high garage doorway, but none are really satisfactory for a final product, but I would be happy to discuss any of those options with you via email.
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What kind of electric systems do they have?
One can have only a 12-VDC system for lights and fan, a 110-VAC system to be able to use an AC unit, microwave oven, or other household appliances, or a combination of the two. I chose the latter. I installed a main 30 amp breaker to which I attached my 30 amp shore cable (Power cable to hookup to camp site power). In the Squidget I installed a 25 amp AC/DC converter which had a built in charger to keep my deep cycle battery charged while on shore power. One can have both AC and DC power without a converter, by using a multi-stage battery charger for the battery. This is the option I chose for the PT. These are all explained in more detail in the plans.
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What kind of insulation do the trailers have?
I used R5 foil-backed, 3/4" thick foam insulation from Lowes. It is installed in a single layer in the walls and beneath the floor. I installed double layers in the roof, front and back to help deflect the mid-day Florida sun.
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What is involved in getting my trailer titled and tagged?
Being tagged and titled means being street legal. That generally means proper lights (tag, tail and stop lights in the rear, amber marker lights on the side in front and red marker lights on the side in the rear). Some states may require trailer brakes for certain weight ranges. In Florida, a trailer under 2000 lbs does not require brakes, nor, in my opinion, does it need brakes.
Each state has it's own regulations for tagging and/or titling trailers. Some states issue titles and some don't. Some states may require inspection and other states may not. I live in Florida and our DMV does not issue a title for trailers under 2000 lbs. We just get a tag with a registration slip.
For an ASPT (assembled from parts trailer, i.e., home-built trailer) registered in Florida, I had to bring to the DMV receipts showing the total cost (for calculating tax fees), a weight slip from a certified scale (CAT scale...found at many truck stops or you can get a weight slip from some metal recyclers' drive-on scale) and a photo of the trailer. Since there was no plumbing in my trailer, it didn't require an inspection. I just took the items stated above to my local tag office and got my tag and registration slip.
Check with your motor vehicle department, either by phone or online to see what you need to register a trailer in your state. With an existing frame, they may insist on seeing a title or registration if your state issues titles. If they do and your trailer was titled or registered in your state, it should have a serial number plate somewhere, most likely on the left side of the tongue or frame. If you find a serial number, but don't have a title, you could resection a lost title replacement.
I suggest you start, like I did, by searching to see if your state has a DMV WEB site where all you need to know may be posted for public access. They should have a phone number to call with questions (GOOD LUCK in getting through if they're like Florida's DMV).
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What are your qualifications for creating plans such as these?
For 18 years, I was a Proposal Manager, involved in creating, writing and managing proposals to sell information technology solutions to the Federal Government. This work involved both technical and business writing and creating graphic presentations, diagrams and illustrations using Microsoft Office Tools, Adobe Acrobat Professional and Visio Business Graphics software, all of which were used to create these plans. That experience, coupled with my love of designing and building �stuff", served me well in designing my trailer, and developing the plans.
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How did it get the name "Squidget"?
Actually, I had nothing to do with the creation of the name Squidget. A fellow tiny trailer enthusiest, Andrew, an engineer living in England coined the name. Two of the three trailer designs (Midget and Widget...the latter being a Winter Midget) that inspired my design were his. Andrew said my trailer looked like a squared off Midget trailer, therefore, it ought to be called the Squidget, so Squidget it was. A few months later, when my trailer was almost completed, I considered changing the name to something more conventional, but the majority of the members of the Tear Drop and TTT forum who responded to my idea of changing it said NO...Keep the name Squidget, so I did.
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