Slow Build in Oz

...ask your questions in the appropriate forums BUT document your build here...preferably in a single thread...dates for updates, are appreciated....

Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby tony.latham » Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:28 pm

That's about $3500 US.


Mine came in at $3910 U.S. without the stove, heater, mattress, battery and chip guard. And building my own doors.

:frightened:

I think you're doing fine.

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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby edgeau » Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:32 pm

Mine was about $4500 AUD but I already had a fridge and stove so did not include them in the costs. I think you are being realistic. I did make my own doors though.

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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:15 am

I seriously considered making my own doors, but the price of hinges, latches, aluminium mouldings, windows etc convinced me I'd only save a few hundred dollars, so in the end I gritted my teeth and spent the bucks. I went down to the bank today and transferred the money.
Did you hear a distant wailin' and a gnashin' of teeth up there on the Coast about 11:30 today? :cry:
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:29 am

tony.latham wrote:
That's about $3500 US.


Mine came in at $3910 U.S. without the stove, heater, mattress, battery and chip guard. And building my own doors.

:frightened:

I think you're doing fine.

Tony

I'm building basic, functional. Were I to build to your standard of fit and finish, I'd be looking at lots more money.
Each teardrop is very individual, and direct comparisons aren't much use.
I must admit, I've been working to price rather than quality, hence the agonised screams when I parted with the door and hinge money. I'm sure it will show in the final result, but I will take my time and get it as pretty as I can.
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Tue Jan 28, 2020 2:07 pm

My doors and hurricane hinge arrived yesterday. Now the fum really starts.
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Sat Feb 22, 2020 9:02 pm

Made a discovery today.
I had a 4 foot by three foot off-cut of 7mm structural ply.
This structural ply is 3 plies, A-Bond glue and nowhere near as stiff as marine ply.
I was delighted to find I could bend it (dry) around the 2 foot/600mm radius at the front of the drop without even working up a sweat and, even better, no audible creaking/cracking noises.
Since I was looking at 4mm marine ply that was so stiff I had doubts, this is a great relief.
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby edgeau » Mon Feb 24, 2020 4:26 pm

Cool. The important thing is the glue. As long as you have one side that you are happy with the finish for the exterior go for it. As always many coats of the mix to seal well.

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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Tue Mar 03, 2020 1:24 am

I have no progress photos of any merit at the moment, but a bit of activity is going on.
I'm prepping sides, roof, door openings, etc, and expect to have a mighty big installation weekend soon.
Sorta planning to have a few precut, pre-polyurethaned jigsaw puzzle pieces ready to glue, screw, and staple.
Finally used my mates stapler in earnest the other day - what a time saver. My prejudices, based on cheap stapled furniture falling apart, were proved unfounded.
Couldn't get the damned things out when I wanted to.

The wife had a doctor's appointment in the smoke. The city doctor's office is is 222 km / 138 miles away.
Took the Tonka Toy so we could stock up on a few things at the big green shed.
(I've failed miserably at keeping the accounts, and soon I will have next to no idea what this flaming thing has cost. Of course, it hardly matters - you get to a point where you've got so much in it you just have to finish it.)

So I grabbed four sheets of super bendy looking 7mm structural ply at $37 per sheet.
The way the big green shed is laid out, I tend to buy all the smaller stuff like extra sticks of timber for framing, more polyurethane, brushes, etc., and roll them out to the ute in a shopping trolley. After I load up, I drive in the timber entrance to get the plywood as a separate trip. Works OK, as long as you don't lose the receipts for the first part of the purchase. Unless you like paying twice.

So by the time we got to the plywood, which was high up in the racks and required a storeman's assistance to get it down, I was at the end of long day and still looking at racking up another 138 miles. Sling it in the truck bed, pay, tie it down in the carpark, and get the hell outta there.

Work the next day and I'm already cactus so I paid less attention than usual. A quick scan for excessive checking and knots in the dimly lit warehouse, and in the tub it went.
Unload in the dark at home, skip dinner and hit the sack ready for a 5:30 start.

So the next afternoon, in the daylight, I was somewhat concerned to see the ply wood had quite a bit of black staining.
A test squirt of bathroom mould killer did nothing. Sanding another section did bugger all too.
Didn't really look like live mould - I thought maybe live mould would have colonies that would wipe off to a certain extent.

This morning I hit the manufacturers website at 06:00 and used the contact form to ask what the deal was with my plywood.
They surprised me by actually calling me before lunch.

There is a possibility it is blue staining fungus which is considered an aesthetic problem only, but the more probable explanation really set me on my arse.
Wanna know how bad the bush fires were?
Carter Holt Harvey say their plantation timber has been burned and all of their structural ply is coming from fire stained wood.

They are busy salvaging as much timber as they can before Mother Nature takes her course and rots the dead trees.
I told the guy what the timber was for, which lead to an interesting discussion.
I said my budget was a bit light for marine ply and I also found it pretty damned stiff for bending.
I explained the 7mm structural ply seemed to bend easier than 4mm marine ply, I'd be saturating it with marine grade polyurethane and then painting it so I wouldn't see the stains anyway, I just wanted to be sure I wasn't using mouldy wood.
He said that structural ply was fine for what I wanted it for, the polyurethane and paint would work, and I didn't need marine ply for my project.
After being thanked profusely for buying their products and being understanding about the difficulties of production at the moment, we parted friends. :)
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Sat Mar 07, 2020 10:17 pm

The day saw advances - none miraculous.
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Sides and ceiling fitted 8.3.2020.JPG
Sides and ceiling fitted 8.3.2020.JPG (84.42 KiB) Viewed 3748 times
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby edgeau » Sun Mar 08, 2020 4:15 am

The small advances all add up to camping. It's looking good.

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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:02 am

The day saw advances Trixie, one miraculous.

I installed the lower front panel.
Front panel on 9.3.2020.JPG
Front panel on 9.3.2020.JPG (105.58 KiB) Viewed 3697 times

Rear view 9.3.2020.JPG
Rear view 9.3.2020.JPG (100.58 KiB) Viewed 3697 times

Went on easy with glue and 28mm galvanised narrow crown staples. I've never used a pneumatic stapler before. The one I'm using was loaned to me by a mate at work who bought it for ten bucks at a garage sale.
When I mentioned I was considering buying one, he insisted I borrow his.
I don't think it is a very expensive one, looks like an unbranded cheapy, but it sure sinks a staple in. I have a regulator on the compressor so I can dial it just right for whatever length I'm using.

I measured up the front curve and cut a piece of 7mm structural plywood 3 mm over size.
I layed an old beach towel on it which happened to cover the approximately 5 by 3 sheet just nice.
Started pouring on kettles of boiling water.
By the time I was up to the 4th kettle, that thing was curving on its own as the outer veneer swelled.
I grabbed the tie downs out of the back of the old spot lighting ute and flipped that baby over and started cinching her up.

Blew me away how easy it curved, I actually overshot the chord length I'd measured.
Positively miraculous.
I needed 880 across the curve.
I settled on 850mm.
I reckon I'm going to leave this all to dry until next weekend, and I'm guessing it'll spring when I let the straps off.
I'm delighted I was able to bend the ply without a creak or crack to be heard.
I expect to have to fill cracks, the ones in the surface that were there before I started are unlikely too have gone away. :)
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Skin for front being curved 9.3.2020.JPG (80.26 KiB) Viewed 3697 times
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:13 am

P.S. As edge says, the important thing is the glue. I reckon I'll know by next weekend whether they are telling porkies when they say the structural ply has A-Bond exterior glue.
If it ain't water proof as advertised, this will let me know.
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby edgeau » Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:16 am

Nice work!

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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby MickinOz » Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:10 am

Thanks.
Do ya reckon I should leave the towel in place? It'd dry a lot quicker without it, but I'm thinking the wood might keep its shape better if it dries slowly.
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Re: Slow Build in Oz

Postby edgeau » Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:28 am

Keeping it there will help it dry evenly I think

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