Dan and Dana's Kuffel Creek Partial Build

[ddcronk]

Ok, here is my intro thread: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=56154 which should get you up to date.

Today, I did my demolition and took out the bottom cabinets to accommodate our tall selves. Now I can lay stretched out and have a few inches at my head and at my feet. Next I need to insulate and close in the new foot of my berth. Pics forthcoming!

[Fyddler]

I look forward to seeing it come along!

[ddcronk]

A few members have recommended that I make the door taller. This has made me consider cutting the door to fit a pre-made unit rather than building a door myself.

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Anybody here had a good experience with a pre-made door? Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Dan

[nevadatear]

No, but you will never be sorry with a larger door.

[Oldragbaggers]

I have premade doors. I got them from Frank Bear of Vintage Technologies. He sells them on eBay or you can call him direct. Same price either way. The doors are very nice and easy to install. The only problem I had was that the self-tapping screws didn't self tap and I had to drill small pilot holes, but that was certainly no problem. They aren't cheap, but for me it was absolutely the right way to go.

[ddcronk]

OK, some update stuff here. A few pictures to show how I demo'd out the footboard/bottom cabinets to open up the berth. Now suitable for tall people! I'll miss the storage, though.

BEFORE:



AFTER:





An interesting gap in between the inside 1/8" plywood and the bulkhead between the berth and galley, up top (shown in red). It's about an inch wide - I'll have to fill that somehow.



Next is to insulate and close in the new footboard, finish insulating the body, expanding foam in all the nooks and crannies, polyurethane sealant on everything, THEN - construct the hatch and aluminum skinning! I think I'll put off making the doors until last - seems like the most complicated step.

It's coming along!

[mezmo]

Just wondering if you have one of those oscillating multi-tool
tools, and their various blades ? It'd make any demo easier as
they can get into places and do things a lot of other power tools
can't. I have a cheapo Harbor Freight one [@$20 I think it was].
It has been very handy with a bedroom remodel we did last year
[demo involved] and with demo-ing out an old built-in in the den
and replacing that with a new more functional built-in, this year.
If you can afford one, one of the various brands with the quick-change
[of the blades/attachments] feature would be more desirable over
ones with the manual changing of the blades/attachments with the
hex-wrench that the cheapo ones, like mine, use. Just weigh out the
cost-time-convenience-"handiness" factors involved for your situation.
It's definitely a handy power tool to have in my view.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[ddcronk]

Just wondering if you have one of those oscillating multi-tool
tools, and their various blades ? It'd make any demo easier as
they can get into places and do things a lot of other power tools
can't. I have a cheapo Harbor Freight one [@$20 I think it was].
It has been very handy with a bedroom remodel we did last year
[demo involved] and with demo-ing out an old built-in in the den
and replacing that with a new more functional built-in, this year.
If you can afford one, one of the various brands with the quick-change
[of the blades/attachments] feature would be more desirable over
ones with the manual changing of the blades/attachments with the
hex-wrench that the cheapo ones, like mine, use. Just weigh out the
cost-time-convenience-"handiness" factors involved for your situation.
It's definitely a handy power tool to have in my view.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

Norm, funny you should bring that up. I gave my dad one of those oscillating tools for his birthday a few years back, and while I was doing the demo, I was thinking about how useful it would be. I don't think he's ever taken it out of the package. I may need to go borrow it...

[Junkboy999]

Does that gap go all the way across the Galley at top? It might be a place for bugs to access you sleeping area. They will collect on the inside of your hatch if you have lights in the hatch. Closing the hatch down for the night, they have no place to go but in your bed area. But with that said a few people have opening along the top like that on purpose. Your TD can not be air tight when you sleep, or you’ll run out of air.

[ddcronk]

Does that gap go all the way across the Galley at top? It might be a place for bugs to access you sleeping area. They will collect on the inside of your hatch if you have lights in the hatch. Closing the hatch down for the night, they have no place to go but in your bed area. But with that said a few people have opening along the top like that on purpose. Your TD can not be air tight when you sleep, or you’ll run out of air.

Junkboy, good thought on the bugs. I am definitely closing that gap now!

Today Dana and I did some sealing! 50/50 polyurethane sealer and mineral spirits.

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Inside and out. No water damage for us.

Best partner a guy could hope for:

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I am a blessed man.