A photographer with serious woodworking skills creates a 5-foot-wide, 9-foot-long and 4½-foot-high teardrop trailer — hence, its name, Camp EZ 5945.
See Related Story:
Little Wonders: 15 Tiny Camping Trailers
The Camp EZ 5945 was born out of necessity. As a nature photographer, I found myself making long commutes from hotels to remote sunrise locations. To reduce travel time, a good friend suggested I look into camping in a teardrop trailer. Small enough to negotiate winding mountain roads while affording many conveniences of home, a teardrop was the perfect solution.
The tiny trailer is just big enough for a queen-size bed. The comforts of home extend to cabinets and a ceiling-mounted fan.
Researching the market, I quickly experienced sticker shock. These little campers can be pricey! So, with a background in woodworking, I set off to build my own. Lying on my workshop floor, I took measurements of myself in a sleeping position and added a few inches for comfort. I transferred those dimensions to a CAD program where I drew an aesthetically pleasing curve above them. The final product would be an easy-to-tow, 5-foot-wide, 9-foot-long and 4½-foot-high camper — hence, the teardrop’s name, Camp EZ 5945. It’s essentially a bed on wheels with an outdoor kitchen.
The teardrop took about a year to build. It features a 2-by-3-inch tubular-steel frame that was custom welded, and sandwiched walls that consist of inner and outer birch ply with high-density foam. The Camp EZ is clad with .040-inch painted aluminum sheet. For added style, I used fenders from the rear of a 1932 Ford truck. I designed the logos and had decals commercially cut.
A lime-green backsplash, birch cabinets, Yeti cooler and pullout cooktop equip the rear kitchen.
A flip-up table attaches above the LP-gas cylinder and distinctive fender from a 1932 Ford truck.
Albeit small, the cabin features a queen-size bed, cabinets and a ceiling-mounted fan. The rear galley is the showpiece. It has upper and lower cabinetry, a sink with running water (a 5-gallon freshwater tank is under the floor), a sliding drawer for a cooler, a pullout two-burner LP-gas cooktop and color-changing recessed lights. The teardrop is equipped with 12-volt DC and 120-volt AC power inside and out, and is wired for future rooftop solar panels.
Although I still enjoy using my larger Rockwood travel trailer, there’s no comparison to the satisfaction I get when lounging in the Camp EZ and enjoying what I built with my own two hands.
To learn more about Michael Foster’s Camp EZ 5945 and follow his teardrop adventures, browse the series of videos at www.youtube.com/campandcamera.
