I have not been entirely idle on the vardo project but have not had time to post here. Work life has been eating up my spare time with travel, and fun though that may be, it means nothing else gets done outside the work day. Cutting a hole in my nice, dry roof haunted me … Continue reading Pipes, Varnish, and More
Tag: вардо
Fitting Out and Fixing Problems, Vardo Remodel Part 9
Sink, seating, and storage galore - I'm finally moving onto the luxuries that make this addition what it is meant to be; essentially moving some outdoor activities and living indoors with more amenities and easier foul-weather living. Beginning with a little sink re-purposed from an old copper mixing bowl set - This one was the … Continue reading Fitting Out and Fixing Problems, Vardo Remodel Part 9
Door and Frame, Vardo Remodel Part 8
Every home needs a door. It's a tricky bit that must fit well, open and close easily, provide some security, and hopefully, look good doing it. We found a mahogany, two-panel door at the Habitat Re-Store in Lubbock a couple months ago and since the price was right ($10), we bought it. It was … Continue reading Door and Frame, Vardo Remodel Part 8
Real World Construction
I saw this on Tumblr and absolutely couldn't pass it up. All I can find about this image is that it comes from the famous Farm Security Administration photos documenting the depression. This appears to have started life as another wagon, maybe even a delivery van or bus but has been repaired beyond recognition. I … Continue reading Real World Construction
More Historic Caravans in Art
Here are a couple final Alfred Munnings images of Romani caravans in an English countryside. As a keen observer, he definitely caught the important details of each type of caravan and the essentials of camp life. The watercolor above is somewhat unusual for Munnings as it shows no animals, people, or campfire. Above is a … Continue reading More Historic Caravans in Art
Historic Romani Caravan Paintings
These images might whet the appetite for summer days, picnics, an caravanning off into the great unknown; or it might just be a bunch of pretty pictures if the former isn't your cup of tea. Anyway, these are generally labelled and classed as Gypsy images although we know that this is often seen as an … Continue reading Historic Romani Caravan Paintings
Progress is slow but steady, Vardo Remodel Part 7
The weekend was cold, I was tired (read lazy), and other things had to be attended to so this update is just baby steps in the big scheme. Although mine is a purely pragmatic build, I wanted an homage to the classic Dunton Reading wagon. Taking a plain profile and giving it simple compass curves … Continue reading Progress is slow but steady, Vardo Remodel Part 7
Fitting the exterior, Vardo Remodel Part 6
What follows is a somewhat terse step-by-step of the past couple weeks. I had about a week of stolen moments before the winter holidays to dive in and make as much progress as possible, knowing that winter could bring just about any kind of weather and a 60 degree variance in daily temperatures. My goal … Continue reading Fitting the exterior, Vardo Remodel Part 6
Detailed to the Last Dollar
Not a pretty little Victorian-style caravan here today but a sturdy, well-thought-out modern living accommodation for someone looking to escape the mortgage anchor most of us have felt. Here is an extremely well-documented van conversion into a very frugal but comfortable micro house created in 38 days from 2014-2015. Sean (the builder) has done a … Continue reading Detailed to the Last Dollar
Tying it all together, Vardo Remodel Part 5
All earthly structures begin with a foundation of some sort, even living wagons. In our case, the trailer frame is the earth, the ledge and subfloor serve as the foundation upon which, all is built. I proposed to attach the new section pretty much the same way and addition is connected to a house, by … Continue reading Tying it all together, Vardo Remodel Part 5
Romani in Switzerland ca. 1890?
As usual with internet information, captions and data are suspect at best. However, this is a great image of Romani on the road so let's just go with it. At first glance, it looks almost like a scene from the American west in the 19th century. It reminds me of early sheep camp images from … Continue reading Romani in Switzerland ca. 1890?
Man Powered Vardo
A desperate man with some ambition and the gumption to not be beaten can make himself a man-powered vardo (I'm thinking of you, Jim). An alternative to homelessness with a minimum of skills and materials. In 1935 David Weatherhead, an unemployed shipyard worker from Sunderland, toured the county (England) looking for work in this one … Continue reading Man Powered Vardo
Historical Interlude
They may have been a smug lot. Not exactly the type you'd expect to spend a lively Saturday night with, but at least they have a nice living wagon. Even a few plants out on the front porch.
“Give me a long enough lever and a place to stand and I will move the Earth” Remodeling the Vardo, Part 4
Taking the Biggest Step of All; Transferring the old vardo to the new trailer. Now that I was confident that the box was going to hold up under the stress of the transfer I was ready to slip the trailer under the body. It was a whole lot less dramatic than I was afraid it … Continue reading “Give me a long enough lever and a place to stand and I will move the Earth” Remodeling the Vardo, Part 4
Naked and Afraid! Remodel of the Little Green Vardo, Part 3
Caution - suggested nudity, implied whiskey, and some old-fashioned Scottish engineering to liven up the day. Now that I have your attention: Saturday morning came and it was time to start stripping down to the bare essentials (hence the first part of the title, suggested by SB). After an evening of pulling everything out of … Continue reading Naked and Afraid! Remodel of the Little Green Vardo, Part 3
Remodel of the Little Green Vardo, Part 2
Preparing the trailer and laying the foundation for the Vardo. A couple of issues had to be addressed before any real construction could begin. Unfortunately, a day job and early sunsets dictate my work hours so I only have a short time each night to get something done throughout the week. Here's the summary: The … Continue reading Remodel of the Little Green Vardo, Part 2
A Level of Craftsmanship
A REAL BEAUTY! Here is an overview of a most remarkable modern Vardo build by Greg Ryan. Not only does it document an amazing build, it is a really well put together little film as well. I wish I could hit this level of craftsmanship someday. This is one that will really inspire the budding … Continue reading A Level of Craftsmanship
A 1926 Home Built Camper Truck
An early tiny house on wheels... and a family selfie. The Library of Congress has some pretty amazing stuff. I rarely find what I came for but I always find something pretty spectacular. This house (click to enlarge) is quite a piece of woodworking. Shingle siding all glass door, sturdy balcony, beautiful windows, under storage, … Continue reading A 1926 Home Built Camper Truck
Finally…
A perfect rolling home. And a place for everything! The details here are remarkable including the decorative framing around the windows and planter boxes ... with plants! I believe this sits on solid rubber teeth-rattling tires. You can probably tell from the caption but this is apparently from Germany in 1922. I wish I knew … Continue reading Finally…
Hamlet, A Tale of the Road Less Traveled
A mid-40s couple restores a tiny canned-ham trailer, leaves their mundane careers, and takes off on a journey across the continent. Sounds pretty good to me. When it comes to making enough money to get by, the two have a unique system. “In our ideal setting,” Hutchison explains, “is four months of working somewhere, [or] … Continue reading Hamlet, A Tale of the Road Less Traveled
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 