| Project by schaney | posted 512 days ago | 2901 views | 3 times favorited | 16 comments | ![]() |
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A few year back I searched for a nice compact two person camping trailer, no one made one, so I designed my own.
It’s design is a combination for vinage tent and teardrop trailer, I call it an Explorer Box. It’s a rolling camp box of sorts. It has a kitchen / galley area on the front that includes organized, shelved storage compartments and counter space. In the rear is a large general storage compartment for bulkier items and storage containers. On top I again used an expedition style roof top tent for sleeping quarters. The Explore Box is great for extending our Subaru’s storage space and at just under 400 lbs dry it’s a breeze to tow.
The Explorer Box uses a straight forward glue and screw corner block method of assembly. The floor is made from ACX Radiata Pine, shelves are from Baltic Birch and the exterior is made from 9mm BS1088 Okuome for its light weight, strength and beautiful Mahogany finish. It’s sealed with CPES and top coated with a new oil-based, water cleanup varnish from Target Coatings called HybriVar.
I’ve had some much interest in the Explorer Box that I created a construction manual for DIYers.
-- Scott, Camping the "Compact Way", www.cttct.com


































16 comments so far
CharlieM1958
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7670 posts in 1116 days
posted 512 days ago
That is really cool. Not for the pampered motor-home set, though. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
schaney
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24 posts in 607 days
posted 512 days ago
Yes, if you need a microwave and big screen TV to go camping, an Explorer Box isn’t for you :o)
-- Scott, Camping the "Compact Way", www.cttct.com
thetimberkid
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1944 posts in 601 days
posted 512 days ago
Looks great!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
Bigbuck
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1366 posts in 561 days
posted 512 days ago
Very cool, thanks for sharing
-- Glenn, New Mexico
Zuki
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1230 posts in 975 days
posted 512 days ago
I have alway liked Teardrops . . . but they look like a considerable project.
This however is really neat and looks much easier to build.
Thanks for sharing.
-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them
tjocpa
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13 posts in 595 days
posted 512 days ago
This looks great. How does one get your construction manual? I tried your website and it did not work.
Thanks.
-- Tom O'Neil, Celtic Saw Guy
Woodshopfreak
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390 posts in 640 days
posted 512 days ago
Great way to have a collapsable camper! Make your own. How long did it take to build?
-- Tyler, Illinois
schaney
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24 posts in 607 days
posted 512 days ago
Zuki, much easier to build than a teardrop. The Explorer Box has a big advantage over a teardrop, when you pull into camp, you don’t have to unpack stuff out of the trailer before going to bed. You just pop the tent open and it’s ready.
Tom, I found a typo in my sig, http://www.cttct.com/Explorer%20Box.htm takes you to the Explorer Box page which has ordering info on it.
Tyler, the first one took a few week and some rework to get the design right. Now I can build one in a few days. Putting the finish on actually takes longer than building the trailer box.
-- Scott, Camping the "Compact Way", www.cttct.com
Kerux
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513 posts in 782 days
posted 512 days ago
Now that is a cool innovative idea!
-- http://inhisgrip1.blogspot.com/
TedM
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1844 posts in 630 days
posted 511 days ago
Very cool! I can see myself in one of these… now if I can only convince the wife. :)
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com
Jarrod Zion Murphree
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348 posts in 621 days
posted 511 days ago
Bada$$. I love that thing.
-- Jarrod, Taos, NM http://jzmurphree.wordpress.com/
schaney
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24 posts in 607 days
posted 511 days ago
TedM, you would be surprised how many wifes see the Explorer Box at a show or when we are camping, think it’s just “so cute” and go get their husband’s to show it to them. At a Earth Day show we did this year, there was a wife that was doing the convincing of her husband that they had to build one. So far the wifes love it :o)
-- Scott, Camping the "Compact Way", www.cttct.com
Dadoo
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1723 posts in 888 days
posted 511 days ago
Cool idea Scott! If you add to the tarp on top, you could have a dining fly as well!
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
Wooder
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163 posts in 1084 days
posted 510 days ago
I built a similar design myself 35 yrs ago to pull behind a ‘66 VW!!!!
Very much like yours.
My 1st wife and I spent many nites in Yosmite and vicinity with it. Brings back many great memories.
Too old now. Need too thick a pad in tent floor….(<;
Jimmy
-- Jimmy
MsDebbieP
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14167 posts in 1058 days
posted 508 days ago
this is awesome. Everything seems to be very accessible. Amazing.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
schaney
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24 posts in 607 days
posted 88 days ago
I added some more pictures of my Explorer Box camping trailer. I recently sold it, the last picture is how I reconfigured it as a cargo verses tent topped camping trailer, enjoy …
-- Scott, Camping the "Compact Way", www.cttct.com