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

[zkengle]

You can really tell how much planning you put into this, just by looking at the floor.
I am really looking forward to seeing your trailer take shape. It's a very interesting design.

Thanks Jeremy

 

[zkengle]

Did a little shopping at Home Depot on my lunch break today. This should keep me busy for at least a little while.

Should be enough wood there for both side walls, the trolley-top sections, and the bulkhead.

 

[jbyrd-TNT]

Dat's a nice pile of wood!!!!

 

[pohukai]

Are those 1x3s oak or poplar? They look nice and clear.

 

[Kharn]

You make working with angle iron sound so easy.
I'll give it another go in the morning when I can use my angle grinder to cut it in my driveway vs my jigsaw that just shook my workbench half to death. Dan convinced me to go for dual batteries under the floor.

ETA: Angle grinder beats angle iron every time.
Also I found out my other big mistake was cutting at the exact measured location, instead of always cutting through the middle of a hole or slot and living with being a little long, which made none of the holes line up.

 

[be_a_jayhawk]

Wow you move so fast but have such an eye for details! It's going to be a sweet trailer for sure.

 

[zkengle]

Are those 1x3s oak or poplar? They look nice and clear.

Nope, they're just the cheap "whitewood" from Home Depot. They're a step above the furring strips, but not quite the finished pine boards. It was tough to find straight ones, and they do have quite a few knots. They're all going to be covered with the plywood skins so I wasn't too concerned about the appearance.

You make working with angle iron sound so easy.
I'll give it another go in the morning when I can use my angle grinder to cut it in my driveway vs my jigsaw that just shook my workbench half to death. Dan convinced me to go for dual batteries under the floor.

ETA: Angle grinder beats angle iron every time.
Also I found out my other big mistake was cutting at the exact measured location, instead of always cutting through the middle of a hole or slot and living with being a little long, which made none of the holes line up.

If you get a metal blade for the jigsaw and hold it still with a vice it should cut just fine. Yeah I guess I should have mentioned cutting in the middle of holes or slots. Definitely makes assembly a lot easier.

Wow you move so fast but have such an eye for details! It's going to be a sweet trailer for sure.

Thanks! Planning ahead definitely make things move faster. This is also my third build (not including helping my friend and his wife build one) so a little experience helps too.

 

[zkengle]

Such a nice day today! Pulled the trailer out of the garage and got the bottom covered in 3 coats of the Black Beauty asphalt fence post paint. It dried really fast since it was in the sun and so warm.

After it was dry, my buddy helped flip the floor and we adhered it to the frame using an asphalt based flashing caulk. No mechanical fasteners hold the floor on the frame.

Then we bolted the battery cage to the underside with carriage bolts. Perfect fit.

Right now, its only about 6" from the ground, but once I get the 15" wheels then I'll end up with about 9.5" of ground clearance.

Once the battery cage was bolted in place, we put the last piece of the floor skin in place.

Then tonight we got most of the wall framing pieces cut. Might start assembly tomorrow, but now its time for a beer or 4.

 

[Kharn]

I'd really think about using some carriage bolts to hold the deck down on the frame.

 

[wisdan92]

Carriage bolts on the deck are unnecessary. It is adhered to the frame with asphalt caulk for roof flashing. The floor will be trapped in place by the rear galley bulkhead and side walls which will be bolted to the frame rails.

 

[Kharn]

Bolting the walls to the frame does change the equation a bit...

 

[zkengle]

Things are starting to take shape!

Wandered back into the garage this evening and started assembly of the side walls. They got arranged to form the profile, and finally glued and screwed together. Only did one side tonight, but so far so good!

Clamped it into position to get an idea of its size...

Need to pick up a couple more sheets of insulation this week.

 

[Gunguy05]

I am stoked everytime I login and see I have a notification that you have posted an update. You have me thinking about doing something similar with my AC, that you have done with the batteries.

It's looking great, and you are moving along fast. At this rate you will be camping in it by the end of APRIL

Great work!

 

[Kharn]

Every time I think I might have a chance to catch up to Zach, my phone makes a noise and there's another topic reply notification in my inbox.

The X3 is looking good, I can't wait to see it at the campground.

 

[zkengle]

I am stoked everytime I login and see I have a notification that you have posted an update. You have me thinking about doing something similar with my AC, that you have done with the batteries.

It's looking great, and you are moving along fast. At this rate you will be camping in it by the end of APRIL

Great work!

Thanks Brian! I wish it would be camp-able by the end of April, but it all depends on selling my X-II teardrop. I have a huge shopping list of parts that I'm ready to order, but all that's in my wallet at the moment is sawdust.

Every time I think I might have a chance to catch up to Zach, my phone makes a noise and there's another topic reply notification in my inbox.

The X3 is looking good, I can't wait to see it at the campground.

Thanks John... I don't have a significant other to distract me, so I pretty much spend all my free time in the garage these days.

And Dan is a big help too. I put in about 12 hours on Saturday, and he was there for at least half of that.

 

[Kharn]

You also have a heated 2-car garage, my brother threw down the tools and stormed off because he was too cold working in the driveway on Sunday morning.

 

[zkengle]

You also have a heated 2-car garage, my brother threw down the tools and stormed off because he was too cold working in the driveway on Sunday morning.

Yeah, the heated garage definitely helps. I was out there last night and had the kerosene torpedo heater cranked up to a balmy 65.

Working outside on Saturday was great though! Definitely ready for more days like that.

 

[be_a_jayhawk]

Next weekend 60s and 70s with 100% chance of in - laws..... sigh.

 

[zkengle]

Next weekend 60s and 70s with 100% chance of in - laws..... sigh.

Ouch

Snow here today, and supposed to be right around 60 this weekend. 0% chance of in-laws for me.


No pictures for proof, but I did get the other wall assembled last night. Now I need to go pick up a few sheets of insulation and cut those pieces before skinning can begin.

 

[zkengle]

Little more progress tonight. Finished the mounting spots for what will be my oversized fenders, and also the mounting points for galley hatch gas struts. Having only 12" wheels right now makes the fender locations look a lot more ridiculous than they will when I'm done.

Also clamped both sdes in place to check out the alignment for the galley hatch bottom seal. The sides will get their 3/16" inside skins before they actually get attached to the trailer.

Things are still aligning pretty damn well!

(knocks on wood)