"The X-Cubed" C.T.T.

[zkengle]

Hey Zach,

A lot of your images have lost their links. Where do you house them? I was wondering about your torsion axle on the NT trailer. How is it holding up, and would you have reinforced the frame if you do it again? Got pics?

Also, what kind of ground clearance do you have based on the axle/wheel/tire combo? I will be towing with a Forester (same G.C.) so I'm interested in your results.

Also, how about a pic of your tongue extension?

Thanks!
Alan

I'm well into the third season of camping with this trailer and the torsion axle is fantastic! There are NO issues with NOT reinforcing the frame. The brackets for the torsion axle are hearty enough that they distribute forces along the frame rails.

With the wheel/tire/torsion axle combo, I have 14-3/4" of clearance below the axle beam.

Tongue extension is here....

(frame is upside down in this next picture)

 

[zkengle]

The latest addition to the X-Cubed was a 5000btu A/C unit. The opening was already in the galley bulkhead, so it was just a matter of building a base. This unit is completely removable because I dont need to drag around an air conditioning unit in the spring, fall, and winter months. The condensation drain line is just a length of clear tubing that runs out the galley. Because of how its mounted I do have to leave the galley hatch cracked open for venting purposes.

I used the A/C a few weeks ago at the TearJerkers Liberty Bell Chapter Knoebels Gathering, and I'm sooooo glad I had it! It was sooo hot and humid.

 

[SCwood]

Nice! Does your drain tube hook up to a fitting on the A/C unit or do you have some sort of drip pan under there?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zkengle]

Nice! Does your drain tube hook up to a fitting on the A/C unit or do you have some sort of drip pan under there?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Since it was thrown together at the last minute, there's a drip pan under there. For next year I plan on getting a 1/4" fitting for the bottom of the A/C unit. I took the A/C out a few weeks ago... no need for it in the winter months

 

[zkengle]

I'm FINALLY getting around to finishing the inside of my galley hatch Since I rebuilt it a while ago, I still havent finished skinning the inside.....

Instead of just keeping things simple, I decided to add acrylic panels that will be backlit with RGB LEDs. And of course they couldn't just be simple rectangular panels.... they had to be all angular to match the rest of the design. I've never tried making router inlays before, and I didnt have template guide, so I made 1/2" wide "frames" that would attach to the inside of the hatch skin. Then I used the frames as templates, and used a 1/4" rabbeting bit to trim the acrylic panels and make the cutouts in the luan skins.

 

[zkengle]

I've also coated all of the black trim & fenders with Herculiner - a roll on bedliner, available at big box stores. I've never used anything of the sort before, so to me the stuff is pretty interesting. Its like a black paint with rubber particles suspended in it. I brushed it all on, being sure to spread out the particulate somewhat evenly. It took a few days to lose its tackiness, but it seems like it will hold up really well!

At $25 a quart, its not cheap.... but I like it.

 

[KCStudly]

Nice! Thanks for the update, and glad to hear from you!

 

[zkengle]

Nice! Thanks for the update, and glad to hear from you!

Thanks KC. Definitely been busy! BUT.....

I've also gone through my ENTIRE build album and replaced all the images with copies that I've uploaded directly to this forum. So no more losing images due to hotlinking from Facebook!

 

[zkengle]

More progress on my illuminated galley hatch panels! These will be on the inside of the hatch, and will provide overhead lighting when the hatch is open. Of course they can change color too

Primered...

LED strips installed and wired...

Testing them...

And making trim rings...

 

[aggie79-HILO]

Sweet!

 

[bdosborn-SMB]

That's the first time I've seen something like that. What a cool idea!



Bruce

 

[zkengle]

Thanks guys! It was killing me that the hatch wasn't finished and wanted to do something different!

Have been pretty busy with Thanksgiving and getting ready for Christmas, so haven't made much more progress until tonight. Pretty much have the panels finished and ready to install. Still have some more wiring to do.

 

[zkengle]

Feel like I'm finally on the home stretch! LED panels are installed and wired. Just need to install the center skin and some trim. Can't believe how bright these are!

The lights do dim pretty low, but it should be good for tailgating and music festivals!

 

[noseoil]

Very nice job on the lighting & good frames. I like the approach, wait until it's a good idea, then just do it! Better to wait for the ideas to come to you than rush to finish & have to start over again. The hatch will be a show stopper!

 

[zkengle]

Very nice job on the lighting & good frames. I like the approach, wait until it's a good idea, then just do it! Better to wait for the ideas to come to you than rush to finish & have to start over again. The hatch will be a show stopper!

Thanks! As the projects keep adding up I realize that I will probably never finish this thing! Going into season #4 and still making major changes. But I guess thats how it goes. Speaking of projects...

 

[zkengle]

Havent quite finished the galley hatch yet (still needs paint) but I decided to get started with another project that I've been pondering for a while: a new headboard.

My headboard pulls triple duty acting as a night shelf, charging station, and electrical compartment cover. The current version was cobbled together in March 2015, and has served its purpose well, but I've wanted something a little more "finished".

Electrical compartment...

Current cover...

Which brings me to the new design. An angled panel that can also be used as a backrest, while still covering the electronics compartment, etc. The best use of space uses sliding doors which require no swing clearance. I was looking online for sliding door track but couldnt find exactly what I wanted for a decent price.

So I went to the big box store and found a 3/8"W x 1/2"H aluminum channel that nested into a 3/4"W x 9/16"H aluminum channel perfectly! The 3/16" luan that I wanted to use for the sliding panels fit in the channels with plenty of room to spare, but they would have easily slid around during travels. To prevent this, I found some fleece backing and some denim at JoAnn Fabrics. Mocking up the tracks and panels allowed me to tweak things just right to see how many layers of each fabric worked best. Here's the mockup...

No pictures of the cutting and assembly process, but heres the headboard with the panels mocked in place.

Wrapping the panels with fleece backing...

http://www.tnttt.com/gallery/image.php?album_id=530&image_id=146995

After the fleece was wrapped, next came the denim...

And with the panels and track installed in the headboard...

And finally test fitting the headboard in the camper...

I've ordered a new electrical panel to replace the volt meter and usb outlets I previously had.

This meter will replace the meter in the picture above.

I still need to work on the shelving and electrical panel mounts, but as always... more picture to come!

 

[Alan_H-TNT]

I like that panel and meter, care to share the source?

 

[zkengle]

Found them both on Amazon....

I found the meter alone for 18.99 but for a few dollars more you can get usb outlets too.... https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MAY72 ... c6a4b9661a

And the quad panel.... https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MTBXH ... c6a4b9661a

 

[KCStudly]

I like that quad panel, as well. I see it is also available with blue light scheme.

Question: Can the switch be used to isolate the meter so that it is only drawing current when being used momentarily (my guess is yes)? Also, how does the LED light in the switch toggle function? Does it light up when the switch is open (presumably so that you can find the switch in the dark) or does it light up when the switch is closed (indicating that the circuit is complete)? I ask because I would like to avoid any full time current draws on my battery.

 

[zkengle]

The switch is independent from the other 3 devices, so it can be wired however. On my headboard version 1, I had a switch wired to toggle a meter on and off, and another switch to toggle the usb and 12v outlet on and off. I haven't quite decided how I want to configure this yet. I may use the switch to act as a master cutoff for the whole panel, but then that would require the meter to be on while charging any usb devices. So I may wired the switch to only toggle the meter, but then the illuminated USB outlet would be on all the time.

As far as the switch itself (3 terminal, illuminated SPST switch), I think you can wire them to have the LED on all the time, but I've always wired them so the LED is off when switched to the off position.