Adventures of an Imperfect Man In Search of a Handmade Life
How I missed this one before I do not know. This gentleman does amazing things that one doesn’t see much in this century. I intend to take much inspiration from his work when I get to painting my wagon. It doesn’t look to be updated often, but who am I to talk. He’s probably painting something.
http://gypsywaggonpainter.blogspot.com/
and the website proper:
http://www.gypsycaravanpainting.com/
Slow to load but worth the wait if you want to see some excellent painting.
It is slow going with details currently but photos will come soon. Little bits and bobs take a lot of time when you are limited to short evenings after work. Here’s a look at the Vardo as she looks today.
Bottom bunk and storage assembled. A little messy inside (the coffee cans contain screws and hardware).
The low platform on the right will be the base for the stove and the high shelf is new as well.
The vardo project can be found by clicking the photo or here.
A quick shot of the oak floor after a coat of stain. The doorway will have a threshold, also of oak. I like the stain enough that it has settled the finish in my mind. All wood will be stained “golden oak”, then varnished. The various woods will take the stain differently and provide nice variation in color (I hope).
After much debate and pricing, I decided to go with a simple oak floor. I picked up random width, three-side planed Appalachian oak for $3.50/board foot and started installing it after work. It is screwed to the sub floor. The screws are countersunk and pegged over with oak cut from the same stock. This makes for a smoother look and less places for dirt to accumulate. Pictures should be up this weekend. This adds a fair chunk of weight but with all the savings elsewhere, it seems worth it.
Tinker’s Wagon pictures from friends & fun photos on webshots
Two New Gypsy Waggons pictures from horses photos on webshots
Gypsy Caravans from The Gypsy Caravan Company
Ingham and Fallon – Caravan Restoration and painting
RouléRêve : vente et fabrication de roulottes artisanales en bois
Roulotte de cirque, roulottes à vendre, plan de roulotte gitane
roulottes-de-flandre.site.voila.fr
Graine de Roulotte: Artisan créateur et restaurateur de Roulottes
les Verdines, Roulottes Gitanes en Provence – Jeanne Bayol – Saint Remy de Provence
Acheter une roulotte Réalisation de roulotte en bois, vente et location de roulotte pour vos vacances.
Custom Sheepwagons and Chuckwagons from Livingston, Montana
Custom built, Restored Sheepwagons, Sheep herder camps
sheepwagons,woolywagons,campwagons
Housetruck: Housetruck [Polymecca]
Ranch Willow Wagons – Sheepwagons and custom wagon design and restoration
Traveller Vehicles – Trucks, Buses and Wagons :: Traveller Homes
Despite the short evenings and annoying cold weather I have been able to get a few things accomplished in the evenings.
More on the Vardo Page.
Spent the weekend adding bracing, reinforcing corners, putting glass in windows, and all the little things. It really needs paint but it has been too cold. Hope to get some photos up very soon.
UPDATE: See the final work at https://paleotool.wordpress.com/the-vardo/
Lots of little pieces added to the beast may be hardly noticeable but still critical to the whole. Finally, a door (half), second seat, and under-bed storage. The cold, snow and ice have made it less appealing to work but everything adds up, even on these short days. More on the vardo page.
This window design is is inspired by windows I have seen on British Bowtop wagons. It provides a panoramic view, more light, and another surface to set things. The middle pane will open for ventilation. The rest of the collection is here.
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 