VENTEAR Weekender - Oct 12 2015 - Legal - but topless

[Breytie]

I just finished the mobile construction platform and drew out a rough profile on masonite/hardboard.
It is tiny! That is what happens if you never see the real thing before you start a build.
The galley was the biggest shock: the below counter storage looks way too small for even for a standard cooler box.
Fortunately no wood has yet been harmed, so I can possibly stretch the rear a little while adding only a few lbs/kgs in weight and quite a bit more usable storage and work space.

[Breytie]

Real progress at last.
The lumber cart is loaded with ply, solid lumber and Alu profiles.

Started framing the floor. 2 x 1 3/4 ( planed size) solid Meranti, lap joints all round, hand made. Perhaps not the neatest or quickest way, but solid. Only 2 more to finish, then it's glue and screw.

Am using full lap joint to help keep things together during glue-up. The side stubs will then be cut off and the long beams trimmed to help support the body overhang. The floor assembly weight will be about a third of the whole body!

Tuesday is a public holiday, so by that evening I want the floor assembled and the bottom in primer as well as the sides cut out. That is if I can stop changing and tweaking the profile!

[Breytie]

Floor assembly continued with starting the glue-up.

Plastic wrapped items not to be glued now. Laid out everything where I can just reach out & grab what I need when I need it. I am using Soudal Pro40P PU waterproof wood adhesive. It is very thick, so needs the bottle held upside down at least 30 min before use. You do not have a long work time so preparation is everything.

Glue applied and evenly spread with home-made toothed spreader.

Now the rush starts: Bring pieces together, line up, clamp in position, pre-drill holes 4" spacing, screw and final clamp. Breathe again

Check join: no gaps, just a little squeeze-out to show enough glue used.

Wait 3 to 4 hours and repeat.

[Breytie]

After a lot of false starts, things are actually happening.
I took a few days leave to recharge the batteries a bit. Spending some sweat and time in the Ventear seemed like the perfect answer.

Alas, on the first day of my leave, Murphy strikes! Agent Orange (youngest son) blows out the transmission of his scooter. That ensured no miter saw and no skill-saw can be afforded.

I did buy a new Stanley handsaw with Japanese style blade - the type you look before you touch lest you bleed. That and the jigsaw will have to suffice for now.

The floor was finished a while ago and underside coated with a rubberizing compound. Water-based so relatively easy to clean up and no stink.

So cutting started with the sides with a slightly altered profile but standard dimensions. The door was moved back slightly to place the join between the nose and body on the door opening edge. That will make framing to door with Alu extrusions a lot easier. To stop the doors from breaking loose too early, I drilled a 1/4" hole in each corner in the door. Once the corner is cut out, a bolt, nut and 2 fender washers keeps it together. Offcuts and clamps keep the start edge together.

The roof and nose section skin was also cut to size, everything so far from 1/4" marine ply.

Next came the bulkhead from 3/8 stock. That gave me enough parts to try a dry run assembling the cabin. Multiple clamps in all directions held it together long enough for 2 photos and a "WOW" from the wife. Then a gust of wind brought it down. Fortunately no damage done.


Now for one of the worst jobs there is: mitering the alu frame for the door openings and the doors. For the life of me I cannot get the angle right and straight. I only cut one of each size for a test fit, tomorrow I'll try to find a pro to do it right.


Also on the agenda tomorrow: see if I can get an el-cheepo tablesaw to cut the various angled strips to hold it all together without destroying itself, me or the timber.

[Breytie]

A lot has happened since the previous post.
I did buy that cheap table saw, and regret it. It took to much time to get it set up and aligned, I would have been better off buying a skill-saw and a guide. Lesson learned.
I did buy a decent SKILL MASTERS chop-saw / miter-saw and it is one of my best buys ever.
I did a little bit of fiddling and planning in December, but that lead to Analysis Paralysis.
January and February is supreme busy time at work so teardrop time just did not happen.

I had to take leave this week or risk murder or worse at work.

So I started making sawdust. planning just far enough ahead to not paint or glue myself into a corner or get Analysis Paralysis.

The sides are now assembled and attached to the floor, the door frames are in, galley bulkhead and work surface are cut and assembled, framing for the roof and front skin is about 75% done, hatch attachment brace is in.

Tomorrow I hope to complete the framing, add braces where the 2 parts of the wall meet and start skinning at the front. I still have to figure out how to trim the panel edges to get a good mitered fit.

Pictures will be done tomorrow.

[Breytie]

Quite a bit has happened now that temperatures climbed to acceptable levels.
It seems not only bunnies multiply in spring, but steel too.
Look what is peeking from below the semi-finished cabin?


Looks like 2x2 and 2x3 steel! Apparently enough to build the frame with a bit left over (they say)

And that looks a lot like a rubber torsion axle?

I turned around and CLANG! I see rims, fenders, lights, jockey wheel, license holder and leveling jacks.

Now I need two tires, cable and plugs, safety chains, reflective tape and a registered trailer builder. Funny thing, rumor has it they are not far off?

That should get me a licensed flatbed trailer, perfectly sized for a weekender cabin I just happen to be working on!

[Breytie]

Welding has happened!
A certified welder arrived with all the tricks of his trade and 3 hours later this was the result:


The basic frame is welded up! The axle and stabilizers is clamped in place for effect
I could never do this class of welds


Now I need to drill all the bolt holes and get/make the bushes where required.
Also a number of mountings, loops, hooks, tabs and lugs need to be made. These should get welded next weekend.
The tires I should be getting this week.
Then it will be off to get a temp registration and get this baby inspected and papered up.
All of that should see me this mobile before Christmas.

[KCStudly]

That's a big jump in the right direction! Build on.

[Breytie]

It has wheels!
With lots of VERY heavy rain in the offing, I decided to treat the TV to a fresh set of front tires. Still quite a bit of life in the old ones, but fresh rubber is just so much better in the wet!
Anyway the "old" tires were fitted to the trailer rims. All in all a good solution. It was my turn to cook (spam, onion, taters, 2mato and egg on brown) so the wheels were fitted just after 8pm. No photos, it was too dark.
I do believe the cab will end up on the chassis this weekend as I really need to do quite a bit of cleaning up in the garage and that's the best way to move the cab about. Also a good way to see what it will look like behind the TV.

[Breytie]

Mating two totally dissimilar creatures can be .. well interesting! As when mating a skinny flat steel chassis and a fat rectangular wooden box. It took a lot of effort lining things up and keeping them lined up, especially on me ownsome. But a combination of the mobile construction platform, plastic crates, various wood blocks and some jacks, everything went slow but well. Only a few drops of blood was spilled.
And then I just had to hook it up to the TV!

For the chassis it is now a matter of making hold down latches, electrical and chains followed paint and rustproofing and finally, registration.
For the cabin it comes down to roof, doors (cupboards, mains, galley), electrical and paint.
And I have 2 weeks to do it!

[Gold5one]

I used 4 sheets of 3/4" plywood, (2) 2x4's, (1) 1X4 and 4 coasters.

That cart weights 200 lbs! Nice design.

[Breytie]

I used 4 sheets of 3/4" plywood, (2) 2x4's, (1) 1X4 and 4 coasters.

That cart weights 200 lbs! Nice design.

Yup! That is danlott's cart. It is 6ft long.
Mine is 4ft and took 2 sheets but I economized by using slats instead of solid panels in places.
Cannot survive without it now!

[Gold5one]

I wish I had built one of those lumber carts 10 years ago. Even 100lbs is too much weight. But If I could get it down to 50-60lbs and use some free bed frame steel for strength-- I have my 70 amp mini welder, hmm,

[Breytie]

The weight is no issue, it is on castors. It does not matter anyhow because very quickly the contents will weigh several times more than the cart itself!
Mine is normally parked in front of the "other goodies" shelves with the "large sheet" side to the back.
If required, it moves out of the way with great ease. Just one more tip: add some form of retainer for the sheet goods. Quick turns could see sheets peel off onto the floor . I use a bungee cord.
It also doubles as a clamp rack, that will change once I build a dedicated "assembly cart".
I would stick with wood, I used cheap shutterply and do not need to worry about rust marks or bruised wood from sitting on narrow metal strips. Steve at http://woodworking.formeremortals.net/2013/01/25/make-a-rolling-lumber-cart has a fairly easy method of construction that makes sure everything ends up neat, strong and secure.

[Breytie]

Rewind - rethink - restart.
After a few bouts of overthinking, self doubt, false starts, financial roadblocks, a cold winter and general indecision, I have decided to stop and re-prioritize the project.
I have to move house within the next few months, so this thing must be roadworthy by month end and sleeping area weatherproof by end October.
To get there, I have given myself some short term targets:
Tonight I am taking out the ceiling to sand and re-paint as I dinged it badly during the previous solo install attempt.
Friday eve the missus will help me take the chassis out from under the cabin.
My welder friend is coming over this weekend to final weld the fender assemblies and all the brackets and bits I bird-dung tack-welded together.
Once everything is welded, drill, bolt and test fit all the bits.
Strip all bolted bits off, power-wash, de-rust and degrease the whole lot

Next week prime and paint, as and when weather allows, 2 coats each.
Re-assemble, fit flat deck, wire and test drive before taking a day off to roadworthy and register.

Then the work on the cabin will restart.