Lance and Becky's Sagwagon

[Oldragbaggers]

Thanks Cliff. I hope it works out. I really don't want to waste any skins at $24 a sheet. If I do have to do it over though I think maybe I'll go with MIke C's method next time and see if it works out any better.

[Oldragbaggers]

Yesterday I had the day off for some personal business in the morning, which left me the afternoon free. So I pulled the teardrop out and got the last of the blocks glued into the hatch frame.



I mentioned in my last post that it is a bit "tweaked". Otherwise it fits very nicely and I am pretty pleased with how it came out overall.

You can see in these pictures how it veers a bit to the right from bottom to top. It's not a lot, about a 1/4", but since that is about my total clearance amount, I am afraid it will not open and close smoothly if I do not straighten it out.





The afternoon was still young so I had some time to ponder the problem. Pondering is one of the things I do best, so after pulling up a chair and glaring at it for awhile, this is the solution I came up with.

First of all, I will use clamps to pull it into alignment.



Then I will fasten this scrap of 1/8" ply over the outside with some screws along the top and bottom to hold the alignment while I skin the interior.



If that doesn't work I will throw it into the utility trailer for the next trip to the dump and build another one.

[CHUNKYMONKEY]

I have the same fear with mine, but I think yours is going to be a keeper! Love watching your progress!

[pappaw]

wow Becky, looking super.

Wish I had your talent, skill and patients.

Cheers

[Oldragbaggers]

Thanks Pappaw. That's a very nice compliment.

[crumbruiser]

I am no professional however, I believe that you've found a solution to your problem! Looks wonderful!
Frank

[desertmoose]

mine was going the same way.
I ended up cutting shims to thickness and taping them inside the walls. It kept the frame centered and aligned while I attached the outer skin. (I don't have an inner skin on mine.) Afterwards, a firm tug removed the hatch so I could remove the shims.

Worked for me.

Sam

[desertmoose]

I found a picture that shows the shim....if you look close.



I had them taped in four places on each side. It kept the frame straight while gluing the skin on.

My hatch was too big to use one piece, so this picture only shows the bottom piece before I added the large upper piece.

Sam

[Oldragbaggers]

The shims are a good idea too if you're doing your skinning with the hatch in position. I was hoping to be able to skin mine off the teardrop rather than in place.

[CliffinGA]

Becky I've redone the hatch3=4 times on mine with the hatch being tweeked some everytime, this weekend I'm going to try Sams method and do it on the tear with shims. Sometimes when you skin off the tear it seems it tweeks the hatch even more. If mine doen't work this time I'm going to try a new approach and that is to do half my spars based off right side wall and half off the left side and see if its still tweeked. If you do try to skin on the tear definately cover the inside with plastic as the glue goes every where!

Cliff

[Oldragbaggers]

I don't want to hear that Cliff!!!!!! I don't think I would have the patience to redo it that many times, so I'm really hoping this works, and if it doesn't then I hope I learn enough from it to get it right on the 2nd (and last) try. Because if I don't I'll end up rolling with a canvas snap on hatch/galley cover.

[CliffinGA]

Thats what Sheri said also, " Just do it so we can take it camping already!" And if al else fails I may use the one I have and stretch a black vinyl piece over it and get some of the tie down latches like on a pop up that you can adjust and force the hatch into place. Right now I'm working on the doors and getting them trimmed with Tmolding and jamb molding and enough space for the t seal to fit right. Becky just keep at it your doing an amazing job!

Cliff

[Oldragbaggers]

We can do this Cliff. Repeat after me....."defeat is not an option."

[Forrest747]

Becky sorry to correct my older sister in the Sawdust Clan. Hower its "Failure is not an option". Unless your a mythbuster that "Failure is always an option"

[KCStudly]

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."