Lance and Becky's Sagwagon

[High Desert]

Thanks for the link Becky (bookmarked). What kind of coverage can a person expect from your experience? As it's sold by the quart a person could fine tune their costs to a point at least. Looks like great stuff for this type on application. This is looking like a real winner.

I used some polyurethane equipment paints (sprayed)some years ago and I know that stuff was far superior to regular enamels. Held up well under some very harsh treatment.

[Oldragbaggers]

I used 2 quarts of primer and 2 coats of topcoat for just the exterior. In addition I am using an additional quart of topcoat in the galley, but only because I wanted that bright white rather than the Matterhorn White. I will be using regular Rustoleum enamel on the interior since it will not be exposed to the elements and that will be a big cost savings.

[TheDuke]

Becky:
Sorry to bug you with a question that's probably been covered before, but can you list the materials you finished it with, starting with the wood and going out? I"m particularly interested in whether the finish you achieved was over fiberglass, or bare wood.

TheDuke

[Doon]

Thanks for sharing this build. I just read through 13 pages of inspiration.

[Oldragbaggers]

Becky:
Sorry to bug you with a question that's probably been covered before, but can you list the materials you finished it with, starting with the wood and going out? I"m particularly interested in whether the finish you achieved was over fiberglass, or bare wood.

TheDuke

Hi Duke, and thank you for asking. My exterior wall skins are 3mm Okoume Marine plywood, covered with 6 oz. fiberglass cloth. The roof is 1/8" baltic birch plywood, covered with 12 oz fiberglass cloth. I used Raka epoxy and non-blushing resin for the layup. The primer is Interlux Pre-Kote and the paint is Interlux Brightsides one-part polyurethane marine paint. Application of primer 2 coats, sanding in between with 150 grit paper and wipe down with Interlux 333 Brushing Liquid (also used to thin the primer and paint if needed). I then applied 2 transition coats which are half primer and half topcoat. Only one is necessary but I mixed too much paint and didn't want to waste it. I have 3 topcoats on, very light sanding in between with 220 grit paper.

Doon, I take that as a very high praise. There is no better reason to have a build journal than to inspire someone else to take this wonderful creative journey. Have you started building yet??

[Doon]

Becky-
No, we are still in the planning stage. I am going to look at a trailer frame Saturday.

[TheDuke]

BumbleB has just had it's frame completed, with gas piping and spare tire holder, and the floor is built and about to go on. The intent is for it to look just like my Avatar. Thanks for the very complete finishing instructions. That's what I'm going to do. I hope I can approach your quality, and have as much fun as you did.

TheDuke

[Oldragbaggers]

I haven't posted an update in a couple weeks, but in between the horrible heat and the pouring rain, there has been a little bit of progress.

Lance took over the painting for me for the last couple of coats. God bless his heart, I was getting sick of painting and anxious to get back to working on the hatch and galley. Plus he is so much better at it than I am.



I started the hatch frame by rough cutting the ribs with the jig saw. (I cut an extra, just because I had enough wood for it and I figured it would give me a spare in case I slipped up with the router and messed one up. Sure enough I did, so it was a good thing. I will use that one to pre-form my hatch molding.)



I had already made a template for the ribs out of some 1/2" scrap ply I had laying around. That gave me a chance to tweak it with the sander until I had it just the way I wanted it. I fastened the template to a work surface with a couple of screws.



Then one by one I fastened each rough cut rib to the template with a couple of screws.



Nothing makes piles of sawdust faster than a router.



I have six identical ribs, down to the last bump and imperfection.



In the meantime Lance cleaned, sanded and primed my fenders (which had already started to rust a little), and my drip caps.



This is a little rack I built to keep my 2 Coleman lanterns and can of fuel from moving around in transit. They will be secured in place with some line and a couple of cleats when finished. I've seen several threads where people ask what we do with all that "wasted" plywood we cut away when we are doing insulated sandwich walls. It comes in really handy for little projects like this, and sometimes just having it laying around inspires you to think up things to do with it.



This Saturday was a wash (literally) as it poured rain all day long, but on Sunday I got some good progress on the hatch frame.



I will admit, it did kick my rear end. It's unwieldy to work with, even with someone helping you to hold it (thanks Lance). Getting the fit was difficult, and made more so by the fact that my opening isn't exactly symmetrical. Plus, it seems to have "tweaked" a bit as I put it together. I am hoping that by getting it fastened to the skin straight, that will straighten it out. If not I may end up joining the ranks of those who had to build their hatch twice.

The ribs were attached to the spars with the Kreg jig.



I started out trying to screw my blocks in using the holes I had made fastening the ribs to the template for routing, but getting the drill in between the ribs to drive the screws was difficult so in the end I just glued them in with Titebond III. I still have to do two rows of blocks and I will be ready to skin.

I also got a bit of varnish on my galley cabinet face frame and my little lantern holder.



The grain in the maple is really pretty and should look really nice against the white galley walls. I am getting so excited to see it come together, but I want to wait until the hatch frame is done before I put the final finish coat of paint on the galley since I seem to keep banging it up.

That's it for now. We're on vacation the next two weekends. We will be on a cruise with our daughter and two grandchildren and we've really been looking forward to it for a while. We haven't seen them for a year and I have a whole lot of kid hugging to catch up on!!

Take care all and I'll "talk" to you in a few weeks!!

[PSBreen]

Wow! You guys are making great progress. Great pictures of your hatch. Those are going to be really helpful when I get to that point.

[Forrest747]

Looks good Becky. I really am going to have to break out my pocket screw jig and give it another whirl.
THe hatch looks great and Im keeping the fingers crossed that it fits well.
Are the Ribs for teh hatch solid wood?
My lantern came in a box and I am thinking of ditching it and a simple slot to keep it in may be the right thing.

[Oldragbaggers]

Thank you!!

The ribs are 3/4" plywood, the spars and blocks are 1x2 poplar.

I found I had just exactly enough room for 2 lanterns and the can of fuel in the space behind my cooler, but not enough room for cases or boxes.

[cop1406]

Awesome job on the hatch. I am going to have to tackle mine pretty soon. Not looking forward to it, but I wasn't looking forward to the wiring either and that was kinda fun.....

[KCStudly]

Good progress, Becky! Nice work on the lantern holder. I like.

[S. Heisley]

Beautiful progress, Becky.

Bon Voyage....I'm jealous.

[CliffinGA]

Good luck on skinning the hatch Becky I'm still working on mine (2 ruined skins) and the spars still tweek some. Looking good and you got a lot work done on it, enjoy your cruise and the time with your daughter and grandkids@

Cliff