I hate climbing in the tent. My way to solve the problem?

[Fuzzy]

Speaking of chairs. The Helinox chairs and their copies are popular. They are light and pack small but will empty your wallet. I just bought two chairs that are similar but in steel. They are heavy in comparison but are huge. I have plenty of room at 6' tall and 240 pounds. I would say they are actually roomy. At $58 for two chairs I can live with a couple extra pounds. I got them at Amazon, no tax and free shipping.

View attachment 28200

I have two of the REI version and they are great.

 

[Old Can Ride]

I understand that completely. Old Can Ride might have the answer. The three legged chair as a hold to get up.

The Camp Time Deluxe Roll a Chair has 4 real strong legs. It is made for us fat folks that weight over 300 lbs. The chair can be purchased at REI, or ordered on line. I just set the chair at the entrance of my tent. It serves as a support to grap onto when getting in and out of the tent. I also works great when putting up the tent. Lets me get on the ground to put in stakes and get up again. Being it rolls up, I carry the small chair with me when I go walking at rallies. When my knees start hurting, I just stop, set up the chair on the sidewalk, and have a seat in the chair watching the folks go by. At rallies when setting on the sidewalk in this chair, the ladies for some unknown reason come by and pull their blouse up showing off their assets. Why didn't I think of this chair for rallies when I was younger?

 

[itlives]

Ol Crazy Rider is dreaming again!

Cigar- This is an entertaining thread. I hope something good comes out of for your knees!

 

[Cigar Mike]

The Camp Time Deluxe Roll a Chair has 4 real strong legs. It is made for us fat folks that weight over 300 lbs. The chair can be purchased at REI, or ordered on line. I just set the chair at the entrance of my tent. It serves as a support to grap onto when getting in and out of the tent. I also works great when putting up the tent. Lets me get on the ground to put in stakes and get up again. Being it rolls up, I carry the small chair with me when I go walking at rallies. When my knees start hurting, I just stop, set up the chair on the sidewalk, and have a seat in the chair watching the folks go by. At rallies when setting on the sidewalk in this chair, the ladies for some unknown reason come by and pull their blouse up showing off their assets. Why didn't I think of this chair for rallies when I was younger?

That is good thinking. The getting up for me is not as bad as getting down on my knees.

 

[Cigar Mike]

Ol Crazy Rider is dreaming again!

Cigar- This is an entertaining thread. I hope something good comes out of for your knees!

I hope that this is entertaining. Usually when I do stuff like this, just about when I am done I realize that I should have done it differently. I will not be surprised if this results in a do over. I finished working on a section of platform today getting it to where it will support the weight of a person moving around on it. Now that it is done I am already thinking about what I should have done. It is easy to make it strong enough but with weight being important I am not sure yet if this the right direction. Thinner material means more added supports. Thicker may need less support but some support will still be required. I have yet to determine which way would be lighter. If one way is better and only adds a few pounds more that may be worth it. How it will pack is also to taken into consideration.

I just had an idea writing this. Plan "B" tomorrow. Good thing there is 26 letters in the alphabet. I should start a pool to see what letter I will get to before it is done.

It is nice that I have the tools I need to do general carpentry and also metal fabricating tools. I used tools today I haven't looked at in years. It was fun to be out working instead of sitting in the meathead chair. It was 40 degrees today, yeah!

I really want to get to making the trailer. I like working with steel more than wood.

Thanks for reading my nonsense. Writing this helps me think. I hate being stupid! I ask myself during the day.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[L.B.S.]

I love seeing this kind of stuff

For sure, there are going to be things out there not to everybody's personal taste obviously, but that part is irrellevant to me- it's all about the ideas and process to make real a dream or desire, no matter what it is. That's what interests me.

I'm truly happiest when I'm day dreaming and sketching out little drawings on scraps of paper, with grand schemes to invent or construct something, lol

 

[Cigar Mike]

When I retired several people suggested I make sure to have something to keep me busy. That is why I started Cigar Mike's center stands. Of course the two bikes we owned and rode where bikes that center stands were out of the norm to build. It was fun being the only person making stands for the bikes I did. Sold stands to people all over the world. I didn't make a lot of money but I wasn't doing it for the money. The best part was talking to the customers. Motorcycle people are just different and it was great dealing with them. Guys came by the house for custom one off stands. One guy came by for a stand for his TA just before leaving on a two year trip to South America. As I added models with the misguided thinking that two models wouldn't be enough to keep me busy. It got to be more than I wanted to do. Once I joined the Country Club there was no time anymore. I do miss it every now and then, for about a minute. And that is only if there is snow on the ground.

I think the trailer will work out with just two bins on it to carry all the gear. They should be easy to strap down and make lockable. That would provide 54 gallons of space with the ability to easily strap more on top if need be. If the platform idea does not work I will probably sale it. Between our two bikes we can easily carry everything we need for the two of us. If I had a KLR I would put a bin on the tail rack. $7 is about right for that model .

 

[Cigar Mike]

Maybe this is the way to go.



96" x 48" for $109. They parked an ATV on top of it. Good for 3000 pounds but 35 1/2" tall. I would need two. Ouch.
Centipede portable work station. Good video on line.

Maybe plan C.

 

[670cc]

Dig a trench with a couple steps going down in front of the tent. Once you're in the trench, you can roll into the tent like it was a bed.

 

[Cigar Mike]

Dig a trench with a couple steps going down in front of the tent. Once you're in the trench, you can roll into the tent like it was a bed.

Yeah, yeah that's the ticket. But then I would have to find away to trailer the excavator. It's always something.

Or I could just bring a small slide and just slide in. Could set the cooler close and grab a beer on the way in.

 

[Cigar Mike]

Slight delay today. We had a dusting of white stuff last night. Should be in the high thirties soon.

 

[Cigar Mike]

Plan B worked out as far as providing adequate support. I added another layer of plywood with the lengths running perpendicular to the top layer. I can walk across it now.



I will see what the best way to pack it is. And get some weights. Once that is done I can start on part of the trailer. Looks like my axle won't be here until the very end of January.

 

[Cigar Mike]

I finished the platform today. I got everything to where it should stay together once set up. I then stacked everything together to get an idea of how tall, wide and long it would end up. I also wanted to get the weights of the platform, bins and everything I might put in them.



As set up above it is 55" long at the bottom and 59" at the top. It will be 31" tall. All of this weighs 140 pounds. The weight of everything I could possibly bring weights 75 pounds.



It is 24" wide at the bottom.

So far it is within what I imagined. I will start working on part of the trailer. I should get the hub by the end of the week but will have to wait at least another week for the axle. Getting the height right for length and width will be my next challenge.

The length of the platform material has kind of set the length. The platform weighed 64 pounds. Three bins weigh 20 pounds. Going with three boxes instead of two will spread the weight out keeping it lower on the trailer.

If I was just making a trailer, two bins would only weigh a little over twelve pounds. I am thinking about making a second light trailer for Cathy's CB500X.

I am having a good time getting outside and building something. But the weather has melted most all the snow on the roads in the hood. First day it gets to forty degrees. I think we will go for a ride.

Cheers

 

[Nofear2trek]

Plan B worked out as far as providing adequate support.

Am just wondering...how sensitive all those lightweight boxes are going to have to be set up on leveled campsites. Seems like any raised corner (sitting unleveled from the others) may get crushed by not having your loading equally distributed upon them. Things that make me go hmmm.

Ray

 

[Cigar Mike]

Am just wondering...how sensitive all those lightweight boxes are going to have to be set up on leveled campsites. Seems like any raised corner (sitting unleveled from the others) may get crushed by not having your loading equally distributed upon them. Things that make me go hmmm.

Ray

I think that you are right if you are not careful on picking where you are going to set up. The bins seem to be pretty tough. And the platform does have some give. If it was really uneven it would probably not work for several reason. If we did most of the camping in remote areas we might not find an ideal place to set up. Most of where we camp is be in established camp grounds. Many of which have tent pads that are pretty flat. I was more concerned about setting up at some places we like that may only have a paved area to set up. I need to be able to stake out the tent so it doesn't blow away and for the rain fly and vestibules to be right. I do carry one five gallon collapsible water container and may add one or two to use as anchors.

This may turn out to be a really bad idea. But usually if that is the case there is something to be learned that will be of benefit. It did take me several attempts to get each center stand I made and sold right. It is a process and this is only attempt one.

 

[Nofear2trek]

I need to be able to stake out the tent so it doesn't blow away and for the rain fly and vestibules to be right.

I like to use these because they allow your attachment points to flex when windy.



You could drill a 1/2 in hole thru the perimeter of the platform where ever you would normally put a stake, then run the loop end thru it and your tent attachment points. Loop it back around the ball end then.

Ray

 

[Cigar Mike]

I like to use these because they allow your attachment points to flex when windy.

View attachment 28271

You could drill a 1/2 in hole thru the perimeter of the platform where ever you would normally put a stake, then run the loop end thru it and your tent attachment points. Loop it back around the ball end then.

Ray

Thanks, that is a fine idea.

 

[Cigar Mike]

Normally a day here that gets up to 40 degrees is a nice warm day this time of year. But today with a slight breeze it is cold! I pulled some material today for the frame. Since I have plenty of scrap materials I am trying to design the trailer making the best use out of the material I have. I am building it on paper now. I learned a long time ago in my job that is a lot cheaper building on paper then with steel. Much easier to use an eraser than a cutting torch. I really need the wheel and axle to start cutting and welding. Parts won't be here for about another week. Guess I'll do the one thing I hate doing, which is paint the platform. With a chance of snow Sunday I am not optimistic about finishing this without delays.

I did get a chance to put the hood on today for a bracket my daughter needed made.

What I have to answer is how much ground clearance do I need, given the length and width of the trailer. I don't want to drag it going down steep drive ways or other dips. Obviously when I lean in turns the sides can't hit. It appears the bottom will be around 12" if I just weld the axle to the frame tube. I can easily make it taller or shorter. Since the trailer will connect to a bracket attached to the bikes frame which will have to behind the rear wheel there is more tilt up and down depending on the attitude of the bike. My head hurts!

I did buy two wheels with tires. Since two cost just a fraction more than just buying a single. I would like to build a second light trailer that attaches at the swing arm.

 

[Cigar Mike]

While waiting for parts I have been looking at what others have done to attach single wheel trailers to the motorcycle. There are some very elaborate structures and some very simple ones attached to axles or swing arms. I am thinking this trailer will be in the 250 pound range when loaded . At this much weight I am thinking that it would be best to have the hitch weight on the suspension. That should put 100-125 pounds onto the bike. It appears to me the most efficient way to attach the bike is to put a receiver on a tail rack. I will have to make a custom tail rack capable of handling that much weight.

Two wheel trailers can balance the weight over the axle reducing tongue weight to about 10% of gross weight. Most single wheel trailers have the wheel at the rear which makes the bike carry almost half the load. Less than half the weight because the weight below the torsion axle connection is not part of trailer load, only the gross weight.

 

[Nofear2trek]

I will have to make a custom tail rack capable of handling that much weight.

If you build it, they will come!

Ray