off road camper build in WV

[jonb8]

Spent some time today mocking up the cabinets, My wife needed some idea on how big and how it would look. Plus I wanted her to commit to it before I built it.

[MadMango]

Cool idea!

[jonb8]

Time to ask for help...LOL I'm getting on pretty good and I know I'm gonna need to take it apart soon and start the sealing work. My question is can I just use a good Spar Varnish on the exterior with extra coats on the edges? I'm going to finish the exterior with aluminium. Also do I need to seal the bottom of the floor with Spar Varnish before I apply the asphalt sealer? Also do you guy's just light stain the interior or do you Polyurethane to keep the light color?

[MadMango]

I researched before my build and "The Mix" kept coming up as a solution, so that is what I used and it works! The Mix is various ratios of an oil-based polyurethane and mineral spirits. Commons poly-spirit mixes are 3:1 (75% spirits) for initial coat and 1:1 (50% each) for follow-up coats. Hit all your end grains thoroughly. There's plenty of variations and information to read, just type The Mix in the search box.

[yrock87]

Time to ask for help...LOL I'm getting on pretty good and I know I'm gonna need to take it apart soon and start the sealing work. My question is can I just use a good Spar Varnish on the exterior with extra coats on the edges? I'm going to finish the exterior with aluminium. Also do I need to seal the bottom of the floor with Spar Varnish before I apply the asphalt sealer? Also do you guy's just light stain the interior or do you Polyurethane to keep the light color?

I see that you already found your solution. for what it's worth, I am in the Epoxy camp. I used it on my build and I found it to create a much tougher, more waterproof, and structurally enhancing surface protector. I also used spar urethane as a UV sacrificial coat, and for walls and such. it works okay, but I like the thickness that epoxy goes down with. why do 12 coats of urethane when you can do 4 of epoxy?

glad you found what works for you, the mix certainly has its following on this forum and has made many trailers that have lasted.

[jonb8]

Ok thanks, I'll search "The Mix" I got my doors today and I think I just cut one of my openings to big, I thought the ring went throught the jamb...UHHHGGG

[jonb8]

A couple pics of the doors on the side I didn't mess up.....

[lfhoward]

That's a nice looking door. I feel your pain when you say you cut the door opening too big on the other side. In my case I made a perfect door skin out of aluminum sheeting for my homemade door-- with cutouts for the window and door handles and everything-- and found out I did it in mirror image so the wrong side was facing out. Had to remake it and wasted a sheet of 0.040 aluminum! Well, it makes a good story now anyway. Hang in there! I love your trailer design and it is going to be awesome when it's finished.

[SCwood]

A couple pics of the doors on the side I didn't mess up.....

It looks like we have the same doors, and just FYI - when I went to install mine it turned out the arrows pointing up were wrong. Mounting with the arrows up placed the weep holes at the top of the door instead of at the bottom. Just something you might want to check before you get them mounted for good.

[jonb8]

I'm gonna bite the bullet and go ahead and make a new passenger side wall. It won't be a total waste because I can use the old wall for a hatch spar pattern. Thanks for all the encouragement and help.... I feel good till I start reading build threads and see all the details at the end that I haven't even thought of yet...

[jonb8]

I took the good wall off today and used it to router out a new wall for the passenger side, then put it all back together and got the front radius done.

[lfhoward]

Looks great! Beautiful work on that front curve.

[jonb8]

Got the Teardrop outside so I could shovel the sawdust out of the garage since all the big cutting is done...Looks good in the sun and hooked to the Tow Vehicle...

[KCStudly]

The Cherokee looks nice, too!

[jonb8]

I need HELP...LOL It's time to take it apart and seal it, how long do I have to wait between coats of CPES ? I'm using cold weather formula and the garage I'm using will only be in the 40's.... Do I have to let it cure between coats? Thanks...