Frosteez "Just Chillin'" (New pics - HF Axle flip)

[cdfnchico]

OK...had a busy coupla weekends tryin' to balance gettin out for the last few summer weekends and getting busy on the build!

As promised, last weekend we cut out the template for the side profile out of masonite; recessed the bolts on the floor and got it bolted down.


Then we ordered and picked up a couple pieces of A1 one piece face red oak for the sides.

Leo started practicing with his new router...but was just a smidge hesitant to tear into the sides without a little practice (it wasn't pretty!). But this afternoon we got busy...

First he rough cut each side profile to about 1/4" from the edge with the jigsaw...



Then he got busy makin' some sawdust!! Clamped the template on the top and used the router with a top bearing flush trim bit (aargh aargh aargh!) He was quite pleased with the result!




Finally, he cut the doors out using the jigsaw with a guide clamped on for the straight edges...hate those plunge cuts though! For future reference anybody got any advice on those?



So now we have sides!! Question? We're following the Gen Ben plans but plan a woody with a tin top. Should we adjust the depth of the notch we cut in the profile for the hatch or not?

This week we plan to finish sand them and try out some stain on the remnants to decide if we want to color them or go "au naturel" Next weekend we plan to get a few coats of CPES on the exterior. Full cure is 2 days between coats right?

Thanks in advance...we'll keep you posted...Cathy

[Sparksalot]

Lookitthat, it's Tim's neighbor, Wilson.

[planovet]

Lookitthat, it's Tim's neighbor, Wilson.

Hmmmmm, I always thought that about Grant!

[cdfnchico]

Lookitthat, it's Tim's neighbor, Wilson.

OK...so I added a pic to our signature so you can actually see his face!!

[Miriam C.]

Great progress Cathy. You will need to read the can for the cure of the epoxy. Some are different. On the hatch gap---see if it fits first. I hesitate to cut too much. With a router you can always come back and trim it to fit.

I never plunge cut anything. I drill inside (or outside if keeping the inside) Or on the line, with a small drill bit. A few small holes will ease the jig saw in.

[planovet]

I cut my doors out with a circular saw using a plunge cut. Worked great, all you need is a steady hand. Much smoother than using a jigsaw, IMHO.

[Sparksalot]

Lookitthat, it's Tim's neighbor, Wilson.

OK...so I added a pic to our signature so you can actually see his face!!

Howdy folks.

[cdfnchico]

In anticipation of this long weekend we got our sides ready to go...we went back and forth about stain or not and finally decided to go with a light coat of golden oak to bring out the grain.

Next we masked off the bottom 3" of the interior (where it will set against the trailer) and applied a coat of CPES and a coat of sticky black goo.

Then, we flipped 'em over and applied a couple of coats of CPES to the exterior.



We decided to wait & apply a final coat of CPES just prior to applying the varnish because we read here: http://www.smithandcompany.org/varnishpriming.html this:

The final coat of CPES is the adhesion-promoting primer, and the first coat of varnish must be applied after the solvents have evaporated, but before the CPES resins have fully cured. If you apply that last coat of CPES in the afternoon, then apply the first coat of varnish the next day. The reason CPES works this way as an adhesion-promoting primer is that it is designed to be VERY slow-curing. It actually takes several days, so it finishes curing after the first varnish coat has cured, and thus glues down the varnish with a flexible epoxy glue.

Anyway, we were very happy with the color so far, with the stain and the CPES.

Yesterday, we planned out the rest of our weekly TD time...cuz today, Labor Day, was supposed to be out on the lake with friends. We woke up to a very gusty, windy day (tho not as bad as our Gulf friends and Gustav!) and decided to forego our lake trip. Leo and I looked at each other at the same time & went "Teardrop time!"

So we set up on the lawn, in the shade, where despite the gusty winds it was rather pleasant...and marked out our spar locations for predrilling. We used a little wooden guide to trace the spar locations and then used same for drilling guide holes on the spars. I think we stole the idea from tinksdad...



GEN BEN PLans ROCK!!



Drilling both sides at once



Profile in front of tow vehicle, with Leo making some kind of sawdust at the front.



We also got all of our spars cut & predrilled guide holes using our little guide. We glued together all the double spars and preframed the vent space. (I ordered our Fantastic Vent!!)

Made an appt at the DMV for Thursday, so hope to have it licenced so we can pull off existing taillights next weekend and mount the sides. Next weekend...galley construction begins!

[Sparksalot]

looks great neighbor

[cdfnchico]

PTI Flatbed Licensing:
When you get ready to license your trailer as a flat bed, Calif. DMV told me they always want to inspect anything home made or made from a kit. They told me to fill out DMV's form #4017 and bring it in along with your bill of sale and the Vehicle ID# (VIN) to get a temporary license so you can then bring the trailer down for inspection and the actual PTI flatbed licensing. (There's a guy in my town who takes old, delapidated vehicles and turns them into flatbed trailers for sale. He said the DMV inspector looks at it briefly and that's it.) You can get your forms online. :

Went just as described...Leo made an appt to pick up the temporary...ran home, picked up the trailer and took it back to DMV where we rec'd the permanent plates after a brief inspection.

So, this weekend...the sides!

[cdfnchico]

Spent yesterday cutting out and assembling the pieces for the galley and cabinet. We decided to modify the GenBen plans a smidge so we could store our cooler.

Today we got the sides on for the first time...woohoo!!


Likin' the wood sides!!


Framed up the galley and dry fit...was able to make use of a countertop that we salvaged from the school I worked at and all our kids attended. They closed it a few years ago and this counter was in the trash. We hauled it out and have had it in the garage since. It added a little weight, but looks good and makes us feel good when we see it!





The top part of the cabinet will set in. We are going to pull it out and Deft all of it this week and try to get it reassembled next weekend. Got a SST camping trip with the Jr High Youth the following weekend so....gotta keep movin'!

It's starting to look like a tear!

[Sparksalot]

Holy cow, ya'll are flyin'.

[neal b]

lookin great keep up the good work

[cdfnchico]

It's been a couple weeks and it's time for an update. We finished installing the galley and bulkhead a few weekends back. Decided to use angle to anchor it and make it "removable" or perhaps "editable" down the road.



Leo got clever when it came to painting the screw heads....


Got a little help from "Wooly"...


We used a template and predrilled the spars. We then dipped each end in CPES.


Some of the spars had twisted a smidge, but we were able to muscle them into place. We did a double spar up front, anticipating placing diamond plate.

[cdfnchico]

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay QB, is a hometown boy. He's building a house here in Chico for his folks and Leo had a chance to cruise through it. They had placed bible verses on headers throughout the house; they'll be hidden when finished but will be surrounding them nonetheless. We thought that was sort of cool...and decided to add some to our spars...