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Vardo-a-go-go; The Gypsy Wagon Project

Started by Scotty Hunter, June 07, 2011, 12:10:31 AM

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Scotty Hunter

Blakduke,

If no trouble, I would love to see photos of it!! If nothing more, just to get some more ideas for designs and such... and to drool on it and with money grew on trees. ;D
I'm sure others here would love to see pics as well. Feel free to flop them down on this thread if you would like!! :D

As fascinating as it sounds, and if I had the $5k I would likely buy it sight unseen just to have it, lol, I think being able to say I built one myself is the biggest draw for me. Ive seen a couple listed on eBay, nothing fancy, just little "gypsy-ish" types, but I want to have complete control over what goes where, how much storage, leaving pet additions, etc.

I've also recently taking a fancy to Tigerwood and will probably be trying to incorporate that into the vardo soon. haha

I'm picky, I know. ;)

To answer your questions, I have already signed on a utility trailer and have started making payments.. my first one last night actually. However for the wood and furnishings and such, I have nothing purchased yet. I'm still debating about what to go with, weight issues, cost, etc.
~May the leaves of your life-tree never turn brown.~

BLAKDUKE

If my feeble aged brain will allow me to remember I will git-r-deone this weekend.

The BLAKDUKE
Ancient swordsman/royalty
Have Crown/Sword Will Travel

Scotty Hunter

You'll remember it for little ole me right? *bats eyelashes*
I'll be your bestest best friend! I'll buy you a drink if I ever meet up with you at a faire. lol
:D Was worth a try.

No worries if you forget... just know my alter persona is an archer and I'm pretty well trained with the aim on my rubber tipped arrows...  Be afraid, be very afraid. ;D



Alrighty, and update on my vardo happenings... I dug around in some of the storage boxes under the bed today and low and behold, I do in fact still have an old Breyer model horse.  Unfortunately, he will be put to death shortly... HOWEVER, he will live on as a decorative item on the vardo.
Instead of just painting on a horse image or two, I wanted it to be a bit raised and dimensional. So I've planned to cut the horse right in half.... you know, slice him so it looks like I have two full-body horses instead of the one.
Then I'll eventually use him on the front dutch-door and under the rear bedroom window. Paint him gold and attach him to the vardo.

In my mind it looks good... but he won't actually be used until much later. So keep your fingers crossed that he doesnt look like crap. lol
~May the leaves of your life-tree never turn brown.~

The Rabbi

Love the horse concept of course any creative ideas generally catch my eye. Sure it will look great.
My sanity is not lost I sent it away
Proud member of FOKTOP

Pascal

You can build a really nice vardo on an 8 x 12 frame -- I built a pop-up bowtop on a 4 x 8 frame and it works fine for weekend camping.

There's a vardo group on Yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vardoshavora/) you might want to pass by.  There's a number of plans and pictures in their Files library.

Rachel's there, too.

Dinobabe

Quote from: Pascal on June 11, 2011, 10:24:25 AM
You can build a really nice vardo on an 8 x 12 frame -- I built a pop-up bowtop on a 4 x 8 frame and it works fine for weekend camping.

Pictures, pictures!!
Natasha McCallister
Bristol Faire 1988-2005
The Wizard's Chamber/Sir Don Palmist
59.2% FaireFolk Corrupt
midsouthrenfaire.com

Scotty Hunter

 :o Yeah! ^^ what she said!!!

How DARE you mention building one and not showing pics!!!


Ironically... I applied to join the yahoo group a few days ago but havent heard back yet. lol
~May the leaves of your life-tree never turn brown.~

Pascal

#22
Oops -- here's a pic of the finished product set up at Sherwood Forest Faire near Austin ...



The vardo is 8 feet front to back and a touch over 6 feet wide at the wide part of the bow.  Basically, everything under the "yellow" part of the top is the "bedroom" (about 4 feet by 6 feet for raised bed, storage underneath); stuff under the "blue" part is the "parlor".

If you'd like to see more of the construction, go to http://www.woodsongtarot.com/vardo/vardo.html.  I roughly followed the plans for the "American Vardo" (www.amvardo.com), but made mine a pop-up.

My first try made it a "lift up" rather than a pop-up -- it didn't have any hinges and you just lifted the ends in place to set it up.  After I did that, I realized I could use strap hinges rather than piano hinges and so modified it for a real pop-up (the second page at my "vardo.html" above shows that process).

Mairte

I've never even heard of this...but what a GREAT idea!!!  ;D ;D ;D Best of luck with this project!!

Rani Zemirah

Quote from: Sam I Am on June 11, 2011, 06:48:47 PM
:o Yeah! ^^ what she said!!!

How DARE you mention building one and not showing pics!!!


Ironically... I applied to join the yahoo group a few days ago but havent heard back yet. lol

Sam, are you sure you followed all the steps in requesting membership for this group?  I was approved by the next day, but the request process had a couple more steps than I'm used to, and I almost missed it. 
Rani - Fire Goddess

Aut disce... aut discede

Scotty Hunter

Definitely some bright colors going on with that one Pascal! I like seeing "non-traditional" type coloring Looks comfortable.  Love the little mailbox. lol
Thanks for sharing.. and yeah "oops" indeed.  :D

Rani, I'll double check today and see if idiot me missed something... that could be likely. ::)
~May the leaves of your life-tree never turn brown.~

Kiss-me-Kate

Sam,
I can't wait to see your end results!!!!  These are so cool!
~ Notouchin' M'Crack
Pucker Up!

Delireus

Have any of you guys seen that show on TLC now, called My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding? I'm absolutely fascinated by it! I'm really not sure what time it comes on, though I know a new one is on this Friday at 9. While it mostly deals with modern Gypsy's weddings (duh) you can get a glimpse of their really old wagons sometimes, thought you never see inside one. But it's really very interesting to watch. Some of the outfits the young girls wear to weddings are rather...skimpy to say the least but it's interesting to get a look at their lives :)

- Shanon (with just 1 N)

Home is where
the faire is

Dinobabe

Ya, I'm addicted! ::)  I think 4 shows have aired so far and I think there are only 5 total.  I decided to DVR them, but you can watch the shows as well as the documentary movie that started it all on youtube.  They are looking to film an American version, as well!
Natasha McCallister
Bristol Faire 1988-2005
The Wizard's Chamber/Sir Don Palmist
59.2% FaireFolk Corrupt
midsouthrenfaire.com

Scotty Hunter

Hi all, as requested by a few private messages, an update.  :D  I've fine tuned some ideas, added new ones, removed others, and started making contacts and purchases.

I'm still making payments on the trailer, but have started getting my grubby hands on other goodies for the vardo. As well as making plans for the interior and some of the must-have comforts of home, as it were.
I've decided that when all is said and done, since I will be living in this rig full-time as well, I will be having several "luxuries" in it which will, hopefully, fade away with smoke and mirrors when the rig gets the chance to roll into a Ren Faire.

I've been pricing rooftop air conditioning units, such as those for traditional RV's, and have found some micro-thin sized units which run the lower end of the price spectrum and, ideally, can be hidden under or painted to resemble a mollicroft. Unfortunately, this will be a bit down the line as far as purchasing, since the lower end of the spectrum means about $500.00 new. I'm looking for used ones, or units from junkyards in good working order, but so far nothing that will work for my plans as they are much too large. So that is in the books, but will come much later. I might go with box-fans for a while, then again, I won't be living in this until fall/winter so by next summer I may have the funds for a rooftop unit. We'll see how that all falls into place.


I will be wiring the rig with 110v for normal uses such as for my laptop, microwave, etc. I'm planning on working the adapters to allow shore power connection at RV Parks and campgrounds, have not yet decided on a generator or not, but the underbed area would be large enough should I decide to get a quiet one. Easy enough to seal off to prevent generator fumes from leaking into the living area. Quiet enough to run even in close proximity to others, and powerful enough to run an AC or Heater, and a Microwave. :D Those are also on the slightly pricy end, so we'll see.


The bedroom part will be at the hitch and will have rope-lighting, but I'll be covering this area with a curtin and/or sliding doors so it'll be my private high-tech area closed off from period-eyes. lol. My evil taboo non-gypsy horribly dirty feline traveling partner, Micro, will also remain in this area while at Ren Faires, so I plan on having a lounge shelf and feeding area for her in there as well. Kitty bathroom, well, we'll have to do some more planning on that one to figure out where it can go... but I'll be adding a baggage door on the outside of the rig so I can access the underbed area from there, I might be able to put the litterbox in the lower part of a bed table so it blends in and can be changed out daily from outside the rig.


Water storage tanks for fresh, black and greywater are easy enough to conceal under the bed or in a wooden chest/bench, so I do plan on having storage water. When at RV Parks or campgrounds, Ill be tied in to the well/city water supply, and will only really need use of a pump which are easy enough to purchase and install.


While I am no stranger to finding a bush and taking some toilet paper and a small shovel along, I do in fact LOVE the idea of indoor plumbing... or at least a bucket and some privacy. lol. So I'm sketching out ideas for a tiny little fold down potty that can take care of business and lead right into my black water storage. I'm trying to borrow an idea from the TV show Firefly, with a flip-down toilet and a slide-out sink, but so far it's coming up bigger than I have room for. Might just end up having a little wardwrobe with a bucket and some trash bags in there. *sigh* Hope not though... we'll see on that as well.


Another thing I must have is 3 windows. One on each side, and one over the bed at the hitch. These will be screened (as I will be the only Gypsy living with a cat, lol) and will be able to be propped open, tilt-out style.. but they will be stained glass. Now, I've priced new stained glass and let me say:  :o
That about sums it up on the price.
So I found stained glass decals which are hand painted and about a tenth of the price. Obviously if I can find real stained glass in a junkyard or yard sale, I am going for it, but finding 3 windows that will work together is probably not going to happen. So cheapish matching windows and stained glass decals might be the way to go. lol


Flooring. I received some samples from a few Canadian suppliers. One of which has cork flooring. Lightweight, heavy duty, resistant to insects and molds, thick, comfortable and very reasonable in price. I've decided on one called "Autumn Ripple" which is a warm mix of medium browns and golds. Their minimum order is almost three-times as much as I will need, but still, price wise it is well worth it... with freight charges included. And the flooring is light, so instead of getting thick hardwood flooring atop the trailer struts, I can lay plywood and the cork flooring. Cheaper and lighter in the longrun... but just as sturdy and safe to walk on.


Hinges. On Youtube, a user named "peteranddonna" have a couple quick videos of a vardo they have built. I'll be stealing two of their ideas; one for decorative strap hinges, and possibly one for a speakeasy grill on the door depending on which style of door I end up going with (still being debated).

The hinges are not cheap, however I am going to be using polyvinyl dummy hinges instead of the cast iron. They will look great from a distance, and will not be seen as a fake unless a historian comes up and eyeballs my rig up close. lol

Here is a shot of the door from "peteranddonna" on Youtube showing one hinge and the speakeasy.


For my hinges, I am going for the Warwick design in polyvinyl seen below:


The speakeasy is, I guess, the medieval version of a peep hole. lol. I just loved the look of it on peteranddonna's door, and figure if I go for a door of similar style, I am going to get the Saint Augustine style seen here: http://www.wildwesthardware.com/staugustinegrills.htm

Then again, I might just go with a dutch style door with top window and some curtains over it.


Umm, thats about it for updates I think.  I've been looking at some other things, like ideas for a way to hide modern looking faucets, but it's hard to explain in text and I have no photo or sketch, so stand by for that later on. ;)
~May the leaves of your life-tree never turn brown.~