Expedition Tear Drop Trailer w/ wood burning stove

LawnJockey

New member
IMG_3016.jpgIMG_3034.jpgI built this trailer a few years back for hunting and fishing trips all over the West. It has a small wood burning stove for heat and cooking, I often used the trailer in the snow. It has two windows, both bronze porthole I salvaged from wrecks. It has a gun rack and a small book shelf as well as a bunk for one. The pictures do not show the second window, a 12" porthole forward of the gun rack. The price is $2,500 and it is located in the SF Bay Area.P1010436.jpg
 

LawnJockey

New member
Yes you can cook on the stove. I used it a lot XC Skiing. I would park in a Sno-Park and keep it toasty with the fire. In the morning I would put the coffee pot on the stove. I would let the fire die down to just some coals and leave the pot on the stove. When I returned from skiing the coffee would be hot and the trailer would be warm. I never tried to fry a steak or anything like that because I didn't want grease splattered everywhere. However I have heated stew, etc in covered pots.

It gets warm in there with the stove going so I prop the door open as needed to regulate the tempeture. I have a big plastic bin that I carry firewood in. When underway it is stowed between the stove and the book shelf. When parked I keep it under the trailer just below the door. I take split oak fire wood and cut it in half before leaving home. On longer trips I use whatever is available.

The trailer is perfect for duck hunting. You just crash out in comfort and warmth while the other guys are bundled up in the cabs of their truck.
 

LawnJockey

New member
Thanks guys. Some more detail, the deck is 2x6, I did not want to worry about delamination. The sides are 3/4 plywood. The top is 2 layers of 1/4 plywood glued together in place. Most tear drops use only 1 layer of 1/4.

The shinny metal behind the stove is a stainless heat sheild. The base below the stove has slate tiles on it. I construted the base and side heat shield so air flows under and behind for additional cooling. I also welded up some truck exhaust pipe to replace the flex 90s on the flue. The flex 90s kept falling apart while underway due to vibrations, the screws would back out.

And, most important, great thought was put into the proper location of the bottle opener. I decided on the door mount as that is within easy reach from the bunk with the door closed and from outside when the door is open. We must keep our priorities straight.
 

shortbus4x4

Expedition Leader
Nice trailer, love the porthole windows. I wouldn't call this tear drop cute or anything like that, its a mans tear drop.:)
 

LawnJockey

New member
Macho is the correct word. If you look closely you can see the blue Bull balls hanging on the back so maybe Muy Macho would be appropriate.
 

LawnJockey

New member
Not crazy at all. Do a search on marine stoves. I had one called a Tiny Tot on a 24' sailboat. Nothing like the nice dry heat of a wood burner. Also check out sheep wagon stoves on craigslist. There are also relatively cheap wall tent stoves made of sheet metal. I use one of those in my wall tent (that is when I am not using the tear drop) for elk hunting in Utah and New Mexico. I get teased a lot about my wood stove, lounge chair, carpeting, etc in the wall tent, but at 4:00 am and it is 10 degrees while the other hunters are freezing their behinds getting dressed I am relaxing in comfort, coffee on the stove wondering how the little people are doing.
 

LawnJockey

New member
I picked up some 1/4" plate at a scrap yard and welded it up. The stove specific parts I located online. It was a pretty easy project. Sometimes you can find similar stoves made for ice fishing shacks. Many years ago I purchased an ice fishing shack stove from Herters, way back when they were still in business.
 
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