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

[zkengle]

Between last night and tonight, I finished up the first of the trolley top sides. Insulated, skinned both sides, and drilled a few wire holes. Its glued and screwed to the short 6-1/2" roof spars and the interior skin can soon be installed on that side. Also got one face skinned on the other trolley top frame. Still need to insulate it, skin the other face, and drill a few more wire holes. Then it will make its way into position. After that, its onto the roof framing!

Parts have already started rolling in from McMaster-Carr, E-trailer, Amazon, and RVPowerParts.com. Doors, hinges, wheels, stereo & speakers, solar panels, 1/4" acrylic sheets, LED's, wire, Fantastic Fan, and much more is all on its way... Its like Christmas in April!

 

[KCStudly]

Going together fast!

 

[ryuandwings]

You are doing great!
Planning, craftsmanship, and speed of progress, everything is top notch!

I wish I was going that fast...

 

[zkengle]

Thanks guys! Finished up the other trolley top side tonight. It was a PITA because the one board wasn't as straight as it needed to be. The particular board just happened to be the one that the operable roof section needs to close and seal against. Kind of important. So after some swearing and fighting with it, I was able to straighten it out. THEN my brad nailer started giving me issues - it would should a few brads, and then jam. Finally I blew the nailer out using my air compressor. So far it seems to be acting normal again.

Skinning the outside face of the trolley top frame...

After trimming...

And its ready for a little bit more upper galley work and roof framing!

 

[Kharn]

Does the rear of the trolley top touch the hatch spar? It's hard to tell from the pictures.

 

[zkengle]

Nope it floats in front of the hatch spar about 1/2". Theres a couple other things going on back there that tie everything together.... just not built yet.

 

[bdosborn-SMB]

Wow, you're building fast! It looks like a F-117A, hows it's radar cross section? Looks good.

Bruce

 

[Kharn]

I just realized you don't show a porch light in your renderings, any particular reason you're not including them?

 

[zkengle]

Wow, you're building fast! It looks like a F-117A, hows it's radar cross section? Looks good.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce! Going for a different look with this build and I think it worked

I just realized you don't show a porch light in your renderings, any particular reason you're not including them?

Thats one of the things that I havent quite decided what to do with yet

 

[zkengle]

Last night I got most of the roof framing done. When I was designing this thing, the front corners where all the angle meet were really giving me headaches but they're coming together pretty well. Had to quit for the night because I finished up my 6th box of pocket screws.

This thing looks ridiculous in my garage.

 

[Kharn]

You think yours looks ridiculous? I can barely squeeze past my floor to get to the other end of the garage, I'm glad I bought an exterior keypad because once the trailer walls go up, I'll be stuck at one end or the other.

 

[zkengle]

What a great weekend to get some work done! I'm used to building in the middle of winter, so this warm weather was a welcome change!

Finished the roof framing and started on the interior ceiling panels. My friend Sheryl came over and did most of the puttying and sanding while I was figuring out and cutting panels. After using the orbital palm sander for about 5 minutes she complained that it wasn't really doing well at sanding. The sanding pad somehow fell off and she was trying to sand with the velcro base. After a short trip to Home Depot I had a replacement base and got her going again. She likes sanding with the sandpaper pads much better than the velcro base.

More interior panels... the framing in the front sloped wall/ceiling is to allow for a recessed LED strip on the inside, and above that there will be an acrylic window (about 6" x 46")

Should be ready for some interior paint and wiring this week!

Solar panels, cell-cast acrylic sheets, and subwoofer will be here today. Doors, hinges, and wheels will be here tomorrow. I'll head over to my friends garage on Wednesday to get tires put on them and also pick up the two Interstate RV/Marine batteries.

Regarding my 1/4" acrylic windows.... I'll have the two in the roof, the one at the rear of the trolley-top, and now the front one. The front one I'd like to frost somehow, to make it translucent. Ideas? My buddy suggested a sandblaster. But I don't own a sandblaster.

 

[Martiangod]

Frosted window film
you can get it at HD, Lowes or on Ebay
there are some plain ones or some real cool ones.
I did a bath window with one that looked like stained glass and trimmed the bath mirror with the same, lasted forever and didn't bubble.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/frosted-window-film

The trailer is looking great so far. Did having an under construction trailer help in selling the X-11? Being able to show them build
quality

 

[zkengle]

I wonder how that film would hold up on acrylic since its made for glass. Thermal expansion for acrylic is something like 8 times that of glass.

I don't know if them seeing the new trailer had any effect or not. After seeing the trailer on Craigslist they did some research and found the build thread on here so they knew what they were coming to look at. They were still pretty impressed with this new one.

 

[zkengle]

I just Googled frosting acrylic and came up with this spray paint from Valspar... http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/find-the ... eview=true

Says for glass or plastic. Although it also says interior use only. It will be on the interior face of the plastic, but I wonder if its UV stable. Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[Kharn]

How much scrap acrylic do you have? The orbital sand with 400 grit paper (definitely not the velcro disk ) might work.
But a siphon blaster isn't that expensive, plus its great for small metal working projects. Wear a mask, welding gloves and goggles.

 

[zkengle]

I don't think I'll have too much scrap. I bought enough acrylic for the roof and rear window, and then the front window was just added because I found out I'd have just enough left over to do it. My concern with sanding was getting a uniform appearance over the whole piece.

 

[Kharn]

I just Googled frosting acrylic and came up with this spray paint from Valspar... http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/find-the ... eview=true

Says for glass or plastic. Although it also says interior use only. It will be on the interior face of the plastic, but I wonder if its UV stable. Anyone have any experience with it?

The product info says it can be used to frost windows for privacy, so I would expect it to be UV stable. Since it works on both glass and plastic (and without restrictions on which plastic), it is the physical paint itself that blocks the light, not a physical (like sand blasting) or chemical (fluoric acid etching) change, so you would also be able to scrap it off and reapply it if needed. I suspect the previous homeowner used that stuff (or a similar product) on two of my bathroom windows, I'd always wondered how they managed to scrape the frosting off one of the pieces of glass, leaving a perfectly transparent section, but it has held up fine otherwise, no yellowing or other changes.

 

[capnTelescope]

You could try spraying the inside surface with Brake Cleaner. It attacks many plastics as a solvent and leaves a frosty surface. If it doesn't work, it'll be a good prep for the paint!

I've also used the film MartianGod suggested, with good results on a vertical glass window. Gravity might be working against you, though. It clings, rather than sticking on with adhesive.

 

[zkengle]

Think I'll cut up my acrylic sheets to the sizes I need and try the Valspar. If that doesnt work, then I'll look check out some other options. Not sure about the brake cleaner though.