It seemed so simple... at first.

[Felix_Esq]

Galley is coming along.

Cabinets on top and underneath are nearing done.
Each accomplishment in the galley brings me steps closer to the dreaded hatch construction.

I have an interesting idea for galley cosmetics, which I will keep to myself until I get it done and post.

Need this to be done by June for a trip, so I will keep slogging away.

[Felix_Esq]

Before:



After:



It will eventually wrap around the sides some.

I'm no carpenter, but I really like how this looks.

EDIT: Done with the wrap-around (I had to wait for some wall mud I had used to smooth some rough plywood before attaching the splash.

[Felix_Esq]

Lower counter.

The point of the lower counter was primarily to get something closer to standard counter height for my very petite wife, and to have the counter extend past the back end of the trailer so we aren't always leaning into the galley to cook.

And the storage underneath was just bonus.

[Felix_Esq]

Throughout this process, I had been worried about making things that took a high level of precision/table saw. I specifically shied away from building drawers.

I had a small space big enough for an awkwardly-shaped drawer, and figured I would take a shot at building a smallish drawer to fit that shape last night using scrap 1/2 inch plywood.

It took me quite awhile, considering:

-I was using scrap wood

-My woodworking experience is directly the result of building this trailer.

-I have an inexpensive cordless circular saw, jigsaw, and small band saw as my primary cutting tools.

-I have sanding blocks and a belt sander

To work with this level of slop, I started:
I measured everything a million times, marked everything, then measured and checked.
I cut each piece a little fat so I could sand each straight, flat, and square.
I built a jig using other scrap wood so that I could cut the slot for the bottom of the drawer in the same spot on each piece.
I re-arranged the jig to allow me to cut a lap into the front and rear of the drawer.
I spent way too much time chiseling and sanding the laps.

I dry fitted everything together. Shockingly, the slots for the bottom of the drawer managed to line up, and the measurements in each direction were no more than an 8th off! What a pleasant surprise. For someone like me, an 8th of an inch is effectively square. I sanded stuff more to get it down to a 16th, and called that perfect.
I glued and nailed the joints together and held it all in place with a nylon strap and a couple bar clamps.
This morning, when it was dry, I put a drawer pull on it. I actually and surprisingly fit into the spot it was designed for.

Having another proud of myself moment, even if the drawer is more of a box with a handle (there are no glides or slides for the drawer. I will post a pic when I have a chance.

[pchast]

[Felix_Esq]

Managed to develop a nasty nerve pain issue in my left arm and had to take a hiatus. Getting older sucks.

I re-routed the trailer light wiring so it will go through the hatch rather than along the trailer frame. That way I can put the tail lights in the hatch instead of way down low where they used to be.

I did some more finish work in the galley.

I reinstalled the insulation that came with the trailer when I bought it.

I put the first part of the skin.

More insulation, more wooden skin next.
Then caulking, sealer.
Then work on the HATCH!!!

-F

[Felix_Esq]

It has been awhile. Biggest hurdles were two:

(1) plywood had gotten ridiculously and artificially expensive. 1/2 inch ply had skyrocketed to $70+ a sheet.
(2) The temp here in NorCal had also skyrocketed, making work on the trailer in the garage less than comfortable.

Prices on plywood fell first, and then this weekend was the first really nice temperature weekend in over a month. So I dusted off the tools and materials, and started cutting ribs for the HATCH! I gotta say that this step in the project has me at my most anxious. But "damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!" as they say.

I used a larger scrap of 1/4" ply to make a template by tracing the shape of the hatch opening onto it. I then expanded that about 1/8" to allow for the gasket/seal around the rear, as indicated in the generic Benroy plan. Measured the right thickness from that outside line and plotted dots, then used a long flexible plastic ruler to connect the plotted dots for the inside line of the ruler. Cut out the template and used that to trace out six ribs.

Cutting the ribs was more difficult than I had thought, mostly because I don't have a dedicated cutting table with wide/long surfaces. First, I used a circular saw to cut away as much bulk material as I could so I would be working with only the smallest piece with the six ribs on it. Then I had to jury rig a couple things to support the long pieces as I put them through the band saw and ask for a little help from family for the first cut due to the weight/bulk of the piece. You can see the plastic bin in the background was a little too short, but it worked out.

I believe the next step is to clamp them together and sand all six into a more uniform shape.

I am back on task and excited to get things done!

[western traveler]

Great to see you back at it. Things are looking good!

[S. Heisley]

Hi, Felix:

The temperatures are down to double digits and the wind is helping to clear some of the smoke out of the air. That should help.
You're doing good.

[Felix_Esq]

I was supposed to coach the first soccer game my son's team has played in nearly two years, but then the world around us caught fire, the air quality index soared to 350, and all outdoor activities were canceled. I am instead working on the hatch in the garage with the door closed (which seems so wrong... how are my neighbors supposed to say "hi" as they walk by?).

Task overnight has been to build the hatch frame.

First of all, Harbor Freight's description of its 60" bar clamp though "true" is misleading. I need the clamp to open 59" across. I bought a pair of these 60" bar clamps. I didn't know that the 60 inches is measured from one extreme end to the other, and they only open about 56".

Here is my solution to that problem:



This worked surprisingly well!

Then I got to work on the rest of the hatch frame. Step one, according to the generic Benroy plans, is to attach the outside ribs to the spars. This first step was the hardest part of the whole frame build, and I wish I was Zaphod Beeblebrox or Dr. Octopus so that I had at least one extra arm.



After the first two ribs went in, the rest were relatively simple:



I finished up with extra wood for material to attach tail lights, license plates, and lock handles to:



So far, so good. Just don't look at it too closely!!



If I am relegated to the house all day (the AQI just hit 500!) I will probably just start skinning it!

[twisted lines]

Trailer's looking great
350s
500 Can you see your hand

[Felix_Esq]

Trailer's looking great
350s
500 Can you see your hand

You can see the smoke drift by like snow.

You can taste it. When I go into my garage, which has been closed all day, I can smell it.

My lungs are burning, and I have barely stepped foot outside.

[Felix_Esq]

Because I was more of a mechanic (diagnose, replace or repair, test, move on) and never a carpenter, I am always shocked when things work out. Shockingly, not only does it fit, but the clearances are all what I wanted them to be!

[Felix_Esq]

Started with ribs, ended with skin.

[twisted lines]

Started with ribs, ended with skin.

That's a huge hurdle

One that I'm afraid of.

PS. Hope the wind shift is good for you, not so good to the North.