This website was originally intended as a way for out-of-state friends and family to stay in touch and see how the project was going. I gave the URL to a few people at events who were interested. Little by little, various SCA sites starting linking to it. I began getting more traffic and hearing from people who wanted to build a wagon. If I'd had any idea that this would become one of the big how-to webpages on building a camping wagon, I would have added more detail! I get a lot of questions fairly often, so I thought I'd answer some of them here. This doesn't mean that I'm not happy to hear from people. I love to share ideas and hear about plans for new wagons, so drop me a line if you're so inclined.

Please feel free to email me to ask a question, share a wagon project, suggest a link for the site, or just say hello.

Also check out my Links page. This is a list of all the other wagons I've found on the net. Some are other SCAdians, but there are a number of interesting sites. There are restorers, builders, wagons and plans for sale, and some odds and ends that I thought were useful. Great ideas abound--don't miss them.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I get copies of the blueprints?
Unfortunately no. There never were any. We used the age-old method of winging it. My friend Norman is a talented carpenter, and after we showed him our concepts, he pretty much made it up as we went along. I can usually answer specific questions about how we did something or what material was used if you email me, though. You can also find us at many New England SCA events, and Pennsic of course. Stop by for a tour. I'm usually home. Come peek behind the curtains and see all the fiddly little details.

How long did it take?
We worked about two days a week starting in May and had it done by early July. I spent some extra days on the painting. I'd say about three months of weekends had it ready to go to its first event, although I've been adding to it and tweaking it for five years. I don't expect that to stop any time soon.

What do you tow it with?
We have an old Dodge Ram van that's towed it heroically for several years. We now have a Jeep Cherokee Sport and that works great as well.

Was it worth it for just two weeks and a few weekends a year?
Absolutely. It was worth every drop of sweat and blood. We stay dry and comfortable at Pennsic, we don't need to go straight to the chiropractor when we get home, we have all the storage we can possibly use, and we meet lots of new friends because of it. I have absolutely no regrets.

(This last isn't really a question, but I hear it a lot.)

I'd love to make one, but my persona isn't gypsy.
There's no need to make a wagon if it's not appropriate for your persona. Underneath all the decorations it's a box. You can make it look like a castle, a tudor house, a Greek temple--anything your persona's little heart desires. Sit down, get creative, and have fun.