Bob's caboose build

[bobhenry]

Well yesterday was a red letter day. The gas lines are finally in and I test fired the stove and little RV oven. They work as planned

One missing fitting prevented getting the wall mounted ventless propane heater fired up as well, but that will be conquered today.

I took the rest of the year off. I had vacation time I was gonna lose if I didn't take it , so coupled with the holidays I won't go back till "next year"

Hope to take the forecasted 50+ degree days and get a lot accomplished. Even if it rains there are inside jobs that can be done in the caboose and even some shelving projects in the house in a house.

[bobhenry]

Mounted heater today ! The junk gods were good to me as I found a nice top for a two piece china cabinet in the trash waiting for the trash man. I beat him to it!

After some custom fitting modification it was mounted over the fridge and freezer counter. It fit within a 1/4 inch of height and just nestled between the 2 wall outlets.
Glass door and glass shelf it is a real close match to the cabinets on the opposite wall. Hell the display light even worked

Got the pocket closet and the lavatory cabinets back in place after running the gas line. I was hard at work and the forecasted storm came thru.

60+ MPH winds and torrential rain. I stopped everything to stand and experience the rath of these straight line winds. The trees were bent over and dancing like crazy. I focused on the caboose to see what it was doing as it was broadside to these crazy winds, no wiggle , no jiggle , there was really no hint inside that it was so crazy outside. I was actually quite shocked that there was NO indication of what was happening outside. Make me feel very confident of the little house and the location in has in a storm situation.

[S. Heisley]

Glad to hear that your caboose is so solid!

Warm & Happy Holidays, Bob.

[DrewsBrews]

I'm in Dayton this evening and it hit us about an hour after you posted. I got a text from my roommate that it blew out a few panels of my new shed at my place east of Cincy. One panel is MIA but I hope it is just in the back yard somewhere and can't see it in the dark.

Glad to hear you fared better. Must have some decent weight to not move at all!

[bobhenry]

I got a few pics of my found china cabinet top knot it looks good but closes in the side walls a bit................


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had to move my little space rack. I am thinking about mounting it over the stove exhaust hood just gotta fabricate a metal duct for the fan to the outside that will mount behind.


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Had this little rack and thinking about mounting it behind the stove but it is not the most fireproof of items to have right behind the cooking area



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[bobhenry]

Well Christmas day and Saturday was great weather 55 - 60 so the tractor barn doors went up.




Rain came in about noon Saturday so I went inside the caboose and test fired the vent free propane heater and was most pleased. Got some wiring done and made some piddle adjustments to things and picked up a bit.

Got new tires for the glider trailer and installed them Today.





I Think I needed them

Just putting along enjoying my vacation time. I don't go back till next year!

[bobhenry]

Oh it was a great morning woke up to a big thud !

Found this ..................

[Redneck Teepee]

Oh it was a great morning woke up to a big thud !

Found this ..................

OUCH! Bob.........had the same thing happen a couple years ago to my 1947 Spen Jeep trailer. The neighbor up the hill behind me lost a tree just past the property line and got me!



A bent trailer is a little easier to swallow than a car though.

[S. Heisley]

It looks like you got reasonably lucky in that the damage doesn't look too bad.
It's probably better to have it fall on an insured vehicle and not on your caboose or whatever else.
Regardless, it's not fun to wake up to something like that.

[Gold5one]

Live and Learn, Bob- glad the caboose is OK! MY wife and I could have gone on many, many nice week-long cruises for what we have spent on tree work in the last 15 years. We sold our house in Indiana in 2009 and I was glad, because it had 6 large ash trees and I figured it was only a matter of time before the emerald ash borers invaded Indianapolis and the dead trees would have cost us $10,000 to remove, due to them being close to our home.
In 2008 we had our first open house and a freak 70 mph gust of wind from the remnants of hurricane Ike broke off the top half of a 50ft tall pine tree right across the front yard- that was the end of that open house.
Florida trees and palms have cost us over $5000 in 7 years in tree trimmer work. I have gradually fallen out of love with my coconut palms and queen palms. - and Cuban Laurel ficus trees- avoid them at all costs. The Realtor incorrectly called them huge oaks-- haha The biggest cost me $3000 to get cut down- the other one in my back yard needs to go soon- before the roots destroy my house foundation.
I do save money though, on driveway snowplowing.

[bobhenry]

It looks like you got reasonably lucky in that the damage doesn't look too bad.
It's probably better to have it fall on an insured vehicle and not on your caboose or whatever else.
Regardless, it's not fun to wake up to something like that.

I HAVE $25,000 MAX on each , the Caboose and the house in a house. Right after the tornado that took out the huge factory just down the street from the House in a House I simply said yes Lord I hear ya ~ and got with the insurance guy.

[bobhenry]

I do save money though, on driveway snowplowing.

Mark you card you ! With the freak snow storms so far this year you may get more than we do !

Let me know if you need one I have several back up snow shovels.

[bobhenry]

Well a few more projects nudged a little closer to completion. Months and months ago I found 2 little lantern style battery lanterns. Well they now sport 12 volt LED lights. and have been painted and ready to hard wire and hang. The supports are mounted and waiting on either side of the side door. The 4 huge 6 volt golf cart batteries have been topped off and ganged into a 12 volt supply and are moments from being mounted in the void over the left wheel well in the bottom of the base cabinets. I built yet another redneck antenna after wasting money on a couple of store bought versions that did NOTHING. I now have TV in the caboose The gas project is complete and the 3 burner stove/oven range has been tested and works great. The 30k BTU vent free fireplace also worked great. I am not heating full time yet but in about 35 minutes the inside temperature will come up 20+ degrees with the fire place on 2 or 3 of the 5 heat ranges it offers. I just wanted to take off the chill to be able to work inside comfortably. I have two spools of 12 gage stranded to run the 12 volt runs for the 12 volt LED lites. I got these at Goodwill for $1.39 each new and in there original box ( all 21 of them). I want to run them down the center of the barrel ceiling about 2 foot apart. I will also run a circuit for the 12v dc capable television. If I look around I think I have a couple AM FM CD player automotive radios . I may incorporate one of these into the entertainment corner cabinet. My goal is to be totally off grid capable. Yes I just spent about $1000.00 on bringing in electric service and I even have the bill paid ahead thru about June but I want to place that service in the background as much as possible. I ordered the strapping for the lift up bed and am looking everywhere for a winch that will drive a 4 foot take up shaft to lift the bed up up and away during the daytime. Well one step at a time I have been playing with this 3+ years so I guess a speed build is simply out of the question.

[bobhenry]

Speaking of propane heating I finally got brave and left the gas on overnight in the caboose. The next day I decided to light the burners on the rv stove. I thought I had a hint of propane smell when I entered the caboose but dismissed it as paranoia after a few more breaths. Well the top of the stove hopped up about 4 inches and the resulting fire went out rather shortly. The double female adapter was leaking at the stove distribution log. I tightened it and took a lit match and checked for a leak and it still supported a flame so I re tightened the connection and now it's gone.

Went to Wally world and bought me my Christmas present new years eve............

It's a little easier to see than the little freebie 12 volt 120 volt out of a friends Winabago.......



Heck I may mount the little one in the bath area for long leisurely baths.

[EastTex]

Bob,

FWIW, I have always been told to check gas fittings with soapy water if I smelled gas. If there's a leak, it should bubble up. Glad you're ok!