Bob's caboose build

[bobhenry]

But I doubt you have brazilian cherry floors

hey maybe the make brazilian cherry wood stain

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Hi bob

I like your caboose build Idea , I hope you find a place to park it ??
It would be nice to move it around and show your work

The building code officials are worse then rats & cancer
They are mostly only interested in robbing you of your money with their complicated rules and regulations
These same guys break their own rules 24/7 ...... I have seen it with my own eyes......
Time and time , again & again !! Disgusting when it see it. nothing happens when they get caught

About the only way is for you to build an RV garage and park it inside.
What I'm building is also skirting the law ..... It's not RVIA approved
But I will be moving it around so hopefully it will be ok


http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com/

[bobhenry]

You are absolutely correct I have to file a variance (read $100.00 gamble) to apply for a single unit campground exemption to place the caboose on the Indiana DOT property I found to purchase.

[bobhenry]

Anyone interested in a Monday update (a day late on Tuesday with no new pictures and no real work done) .

I decided to go camping at a hurricane issac party in Northern Indiana in about the only county that didn't get a drownding rain storm.

But I digress.... Back to the caboose. While no real work got done I have all the wooden parts cut to finally install the rear platform. The steel rails are 2 1/2" by 2 1/2" steel square tube

so I cut treated 2 by 4's to actual 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 dimensions these will run 90 degrees under the floor planks





tight to each side of both tubes( You might thing joists) then to keep these from lifting a 2x6 ( 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" actual) will be screw underneath the "Joists" forming a "U" around the steel extention. Jacked in place from underneath I will then screw thru the 2x6 deck boards into the "joist" and in the center wher the traffic is heaviest an extra "Joist" will act as a strongback to reinforce the walk way.

I was also able to acquire a matching light steel head board and foot board These will be cut and fit to form the rear handrail. I will try and get it cut and mocked up for a picture this week. I will attempt to edit a rear picture to help you get the idea.



The round "brakewheel" is a cocktail table removed from one of those covered platform swing frames.

[bobhenry]

It was supposed to rain here all weekend so I made altenate plans other than working on the caboose. Then both days were beautiful

Well Sunday late afternoon when I got home I caught up with my picture taking anyway.

Here are a few.....



A ten dollar yard sale find on Saturday 30" 15 lite brand new
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Here is the little table removed from the yard glider I found for free. It will be the brake wheel (cocktail table) on the rear observation platform.
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My neighbor came over lugging this for me. It cost me a cold beer. Talk about the barter system
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Here is the free mattress frame that I will be using to support the lift away bed that goes in the cupalo when not being used.
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And the bed frame that came with the mattress frame. The headboard will be cut down to match the foot board and these will become the rear observation platform railing with the table being installed between them.

All were donations from friends except my 10 dollar door.

I love free (and cheap)

[bobhenry]

Had previously posted this in the space saving furniture section....

I am thinking about taking this idea and running with it. I would like to incorporate it in the tiny house caboose by fitting it in the stud wall cavities. I used 2x6 wall studs in the build so I could insulate with 2-3 inches of blue foam and still have recessed storage in the wall. This might be a good way to utilize some of that space.



Well the update is that I stayed after work yesterday and picked out 3 of the nicer 9 foot precut studs and did a little creative butchery on them.

I set the saw fence at 3/4" and stretched the blade out to it's max at 3 1/8" I ran them thru and all but cut them in half. I then reset the fence for 3 1/8" and the blade depth at 3/4" and cut out a portion of the 2x4. This left a 3 1/2" deep letter ell with a 3/8" deep lip with a 3/4" deep return. a can get a set of 4 can slides side by side in 22" . The wall studs in the caboose are 22 1/2" wide inside of stud to inside of stud. I will be able to get 2" of blue foam behind the finished rack and still mount it flush in the stud cavity providing can storage with no loss of floor space.

[bobhenry]

Well it's Monday........

Here is my version if the in the wall can storage rack!





I think I can actually face mount my free cabinet door assembly on the wall over the wall rack.



Total cost Zero

[bobhenry]

Well the roof is weather resistant....

With the help of my Neighbor Tommy , we got the remainder of the decking and the foam installed. No more niagra falls inside when it rains. I had had trouble with the last purlin. It had pulled loose and required more blocking than I had originally installed so there was 10 " of roof decking missing and every rain the water poured inside. I was able to add extra blocking and with 3 pipeclamps pursuade the 2x4 to play nice. With the purlin installed I added the 2x8 facia that the rubber roof will be attached to the underside of. Finally the missing 10" of roof decking was screwed in place. The 9' foam sheets were installed very quickly and now no more water inside. While not water proof yet there will only be a few drips inside and I feel much better.

Does this face make me look tired

[WhitneyK]

Tired, but a little relieved.

[bobhenry]

I was not in the mood Saturday to tackle the roof alone so I turned to other things like the can rack above. I also started on the front wall vent for the whole house ventilation system.
I was able to modify the 12 volt radiator fan and get it mounted on the center plemum wall. I test ran the fan and was literally blown away. I never realized the amount of air those things move. It was very impressive.

I cut the bed headboards down to make the observation deck railing.

I installed some temporary lighting and a single duplex outlet to make late night work possible since it is getting dark earlier.

I had to remove the temporary metal cabinets so I could repair the bad purlin ( couldn't get the bar clamp in place because the cabinets were in the way.)

I had some overlapping corners that needed trimming to be able to screw them to the framing so I cut and fitted them in place and screwed them off.

I so desperatly want to get the thing painted but the rain has been coming ever few days. Just about the time I think is has dried out enough to paint it get another doucing of rain

My buddy Bubba called Sat night and was scrapping out a popup and offered me the 8 gage S.O. cord I so badly need. Along with a list of other goodies. 3 burner cooktop, the lift mechanism for the roof ( maybe an answer to the bed lifting problem) ,A converter unit with built in battery maintainer, cabinets, furnace, and I am sure there are others. I promise I'll get pics.

Did I mention I love free !

[bobhenry]

Well another monday update .....

Didn't get much done. The ex wanted the house to herself to move out the furniture so I amused myself with yard sales and helping my buddy bubba demo an old popup trailer.

Did get the observation deck assembled glued and screwed and firmly attached before her anticipated arrival.

Here is the yard sale goodies for the caboose build......




wall mount potty paper holder, 3 lite vanity fixture ,wall mounted cup and tooth brush holder, extra potty paper spindle , and a carriage style porch lite all for $2.55
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full length mirror for bath area wall a whole dollar



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Anticipating no remaining sauce pans when I arrived home I was relieved to find these for a whole dollar ( yep all 4 for a dollar )



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figured I had better get to Bubba's and give him a hand demoing the popup as he had told me come out and take what you want so I figured I had better get there and earn my pieces and parts. Boy did I hit gold..........















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Passed up these and got to thinking I was stupid so Sunday I returned to the sale address and they were packing up but I stopped and asked if the coffee makers had sold they still had them

So I picked up more redneck water heaters for my tiny trailer friends...



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If you can't read it it says $3.00 yep got 2 complete 32 cup coffeemakers for $6.00.
They are great for hot water for washing dishes or making hot chocolate of tea. You can even wash your own stinky parts. ( Make coffee too !)

[bobhenry]

These glides pictured as one extended the other collapsed are going to be repurpose to support the movable walls for the bath area. a "u" shaped wall will trombone out to enlarge the potty area or the bath area when they are in use and shove back and collapse when not in use to make the rear doore entry possible. I was able to get 4 of them.



The corner lifts ( left side of pic above) I am still racking my brain as to how to use them for the lift away full bed that will store in the cupalo. I got the sidewinder winch for the lift
( sorry no pictures ) and it will work but I need 9 foot of lift and the telescopic corner post only lift 4 -5 feet.

[pjo129]

Nice finds! With a little clean up those pots look really good. Maybe for cooking up some

[mezmo]

Hi Bob,

Someone else had the same idea, but it looks like they're
not finishing theirs.

http://tinyhouselistings.com/tiny-house ... -wheels-2/


Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[bobhenry]

Sweet lookin ! Thats a shame !

I'm a bit more persistant ( read "hard headed" )

My buddy Bubba dropped of more pieces and parts late Thursday but we had our fall gathering, so Frida Saturday and most of Sunday was spent camping with the Indiana Tearjerkers (Pics in the midwest section)

In the newly delivered treasures I found my sidewinder winch , a missing part for the bed lift system.

After studying the popups lift system while helping him teardown the popup I think the bed lift will be in place soon. Gotta get some new cable but I think it is going to be a fairly simple project.