I went about this project trying to avoid building a steam box and forming hoops. This is my first construction project since the 1990’s. There are a ton of mistakes, but overall, I would say it turned out to be a great concept camper. If I had to do it over with what I know now, I would have spent the money on the 5×8 utility trailer from Tractor Supply. For this design though, I think something around a 6×12 would be perfect. With the larger trailer, the benches could be a little bit wider and one side could have a larger table and the other side could have a closet for clothes or a pantry if desired.
I was looking for a color that was between John Deere green and OD so I went with a shade called greenway. I will probably end up repainting it Olive Drab.The tarp is temporarily attached with kite string. I didn’t like the D Ring tie downs at Lowes, so I ordered some from Amazon that will be here in a few days. So I will update once they are in. The kite string will be replaced with paracord once the D rings arrive.
The canvas tarp is a 10×12 and fits perfectly. The boards on top are 2x4x9 sticking out roughly a foot over the door creating a little bit of an awning and giving the door room to swing. WIth the gaps between the tarp and frame, and the gaps between the folding walls, this wagon will not keep out the bugs or mosquitos. You con see that under the door is a HF trailer hitch. I had to install it backwards to make the holes line up, but I can add a hitch step if I need to.
I need to get some lanterns to hang from the “rafters”. Some old fashioned oil lanterns would be cool, but modern LED lanterns would be practical. You can notice a gap where the wall folds in half. Some universal stick on weather stripping would be a good idea to add whenever the next time I take it down. I am contemplating trying to make a sliding plexiglass window for the front wall, but there isn’t any rush for that.
My temporary attachment for the rafters didn’t work out. I ended up finding a YouTube video called Pop Up Sheep Wagon. I’m not surprised someone else tried this concept, and I would suggest using that system. I ended up just screwing them in place. So whenever I want to take it down, it will require a drill to take it down and set it back up. We have had a few rainy months. The trailer technically fits in my garage, but it is too tall to get through the garage door. So the folding wall was my solution for something I can stand in, but still store it inside if needed.
I like the rustic look of the interior but I wonder if it should be painted as well. Once I figure out which table would be best for cooking, I will put in a spice rack. Any inside cooking will most likely be done with backpacking stoves.
In that Pop Up Sheep Wagon video, they used some latches to support the folding walls. I thought it was a great idea so I added that to the build. The adjustable latches give leeway for gaps between the latch system. And you can see the spot where the OSB didn’t fill with paint. I will probably go back with a sponge to fill these in. And as I said earlier, I will most likely paint it a darker color.
Now I need to go back to preparing to paint. I made some DIY wood putty by mixing sawdust with wood glue to make a paste. I filled in the cracks and sanded after it dried.
