Thinking Pennsic
Feb. 25th, 2008 08:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
isabelladangeloI have come to the conclusion I need a trailer. No, not just to tug my wardrobe/tent/chairs around but an actual Pennsic trailer home. I know what I want to build. Yes, I came to this conclusion a while ago but I know now (thank to the tax refund) that I really might be able to build this thing. I have a plan (of sorts) and I have tools (yes, power tools even. I actually have a nice little tool set that isn't pink or turquoise. Okay, so the picture hammer does have a purple floral pattern but that's for pictures.).
What I want is a flatbed 6 X 10" (at least. I'd prefer a 6" x 12" but a 6" x 10" would do) that doesn't need a ton of work to either de-construct (like it use to be a car) or to sand (a little sanding and some spary paint is fine. I just don't have to start thinking of getting a blow torch to get rid of rust and re-weld pieces together. Blow torches and Isabella aren't a good combination...not even with marshmellows). I wouldn't mind something like an old pop-up that's fairly easy to take apart and can be re-worked either but I really would like to find an old flatbed for cheap. I've noticed that outside of DC you can find such a thing.
I might go down to Raleigh and see if I can find one down there. If I do, I can store it at Mom and Dad's beach house for a few weeks and maybe even work on it there. (That would make life so much simpler!) I might be able to find one just over in WV or up in PA. I have no objections to driving a couple of hours or so to finding a decent trailer for under $350 or so.
Yes, I have found some for that cheap and far less. My main problem has been a) coming up with some sort of plan to make the darn thing and b) where to store it while it's being worked on. After it's done, I can easily store it for $15 a month at the community parking lot that is gated. I think, with my plan, if I managed to bribe various people with cookies and (hard) lemonade, I might be able to get the thing built in a weekend. (Another bribe might just be to offer to bring some items up in the thing so people can bring more stuff.)
My backyard is big enough and I doubt anyone will complain about one weekend of construction. However, the beach house has a nice big driveway to play with and I know I can easilycoerce convince my brothers that helping their big sister in one of her hair-brained schemes is really a good thing. That, and I know at least of a couple of friends that wouldn't mind helping building it just to see what the heck I'm planing next.
So, the plan. I've figured out it's easier, in terms of construction, to go with something looking like an English Tudor. I might even be able to get a faux thatch roof going (it would be removable because umm...anything resembling hay and speeds over 25 on a road just don't mix) but I'll probably get lazy and go with the brown paint for this year only to realize I really want the faux roof for next year and wonder why I didn't create it this year.
Basically, it will have the typical box for the main part of the "house" but the roof will be a trapezoid (a triangle with it's top cut off) so I can have an "attic" storage space.
Along the front edge of the trailer, I'll make a raised platform for the bed (2" in width) which will be partially hidden on either side with either bookshelves or a rod for hanging clothing up (basically an open closet. The platform will be "boxed in" with only the center showing giving sorta a bay window type of appearance. I hope that makes sense) I think the rest I'll leave open (since the space will then only be 6" x 7" or so) with only a simple rung ladder leading to the enclosed attic above).
I've built stuff before just nothing this complex. I know what I need and I have some idea of what to do. My main reason for building this is because last year, the "ucky" Pennsic, the poles of my tent shifted. My tent looked like it was playing twister. I managed to fix it only to have it move again. Why? Because the ground was so saturated with water (you could see your reflection in the water between the grass blades) that the earth had turned into a spongy muddy mess that was slowly moving itself! A trailer is a bit heavier so if it starts to move like that, there is a lot more to worry about than some rain. Also, if it floods...well, we are all doomed. That, and I'm always looking for the next great weird thing to build for the sake of my "hobby". And what is cooler than one of those trailers?
What I want is a flatbed 6 X 10" (at least. I'd prefer a 6" x 12" but a 6" x 10" would do) that doesn't need a ton of work to either de-construct (like it use to be a car) or to sand (a little sanding and some spary paint is fine. I just don't have to start thinking of getting a blow torch to get rid of rust and re-weld pieces together. Blow torches and Isabella aren't a good combination...not even with marshmellows). I wouldn't mind something like an old pop-up that's fairly easy to take apart and can be re-worked either but I really would like to find an old flatbed for cheap. I've noticed that outside of DC you can find such a thing.
I might go down to Raleigh and see if I can find one down there. If I do, I can store it at Mom and Dad's beach house for a few weeks and maybe even work on it there. (That would make life so much simpler!) I might be able to find one just over in WV or up in PA. I have no objections to driving a couple of hours or so to finding a decent trailer for under $350 or so.
Yes, I have found some for that cheap and far less. My main problem has been a) coming up with some sort of plan to make the darn thing and b) where to store it while it's being worked on. After it's done, I can easily store it for $15 a month at the community parking lot that is gated. I think, with my plan, if I managed to bribe various people with cookies and (hard) lemonade, I might be able to get the thing built in a weekend. (Another bribe might just be to offer to bring some items up in the thing so people can bring more stuff.)
My backyard is big enough and I doubt anyone will complain about one weekend of construction. However, the beach house has a nice big driveway to play with and I know I can easily
So, the plan. I've figured out it's easier, in terms of construction, to go with something looking like an English Tudor. I might even be able to get a faux thatch roof going (it would be removable because umm...anything resembling hay and speeds over 25 on a road just don't mix) but I'll probably get lazy and go with the brown paint for this year only to realize I really want the faux roof for next year and wonder why I didn't create it this year.
Basically, it will have the typical box for the main part of the "house" but the roof will be a trapezoid (a triangle with it's top cut off) so I can have an "attic" storage space.
Along the front edge of the trailer, I'll make a raised platform for the bed (2" in width) which will be partially hidden on either side with either bookshelves or a rod for hanging clothing up (basically an open closet. The platform will be "boxed in" with only the center showing giving sorta a bay window type of appearance. I hope that makes sense) I think the rest I'll leave open (since the space will then only be 6" x 7" or so) with only a simple rung ladder leading to the enclosed attic above).
I've built stuff before just nothing this complex. I know what I need and I have some idea of what to do. My main reason for building this is because last year, the "ucky" Pennsic, the poles of my tent shifted. My tent looked like it was playing twister. I managed to fix it only to have it move again. Why? Because the ground was so saturated with water (you could see your reflection in the water between the grass blades) that the earth had turned into a spongy muddy mess that was slowly moving itself! A trailer is a bit heavier so if it starts to move like that, there is a lot more to worry about than some rain. Also, if it floods...well, we are all doomed. That, and I'm always looking for the next great weird thing to build for the sake of my "hobby". And what is cooler than one of those trailers?
In totally unrelated news, I had to call the Post Office tonight. I haven't had a lick of mail since I got back. I have at least two packages that should have gotten here by now, bills, and junk mail that I always get and nada. Not a thing since before Saint Kitts. I stopped my mail until the 16th but that was over a week ago! The lady I spoke to was very nice and promised to have it sorted out by tomorrow afternoon.
I've also been working on the Venetian. It's been slow going only because I really haven't been at the machine that much. The bodice is a perfect fit so far and looks like it will work well. If this outfit turns out okay, I'll probably use the pattern again (I was bright this time and marked the muslin and saved it with the rest of my patterns so I'd know where to look and what the heck I was looking at in the future) soonish. I want to work on Mom's gown next. I have some pale rose colored silk to line the sleeves of her green velvet gown with.
