MyAway build - Updates for space usage & organization

[teardrop_focus]

S. Heisley
I've got the "pedal to the metal" and am only slowing or stopping when my body throws a caution or stop light!

That's where I'll be starting later this morning... all hell's gonna break loose!

[doug hodder]

Sharon....your trailer is really looking great! You have done such a nice job on it...don't rush through something at this point that you'll regret. Your cabinetry looks fantastic! See ya in about 9 days! Doug

[S. Heisley]

Doug wrote:

Sharon....your trailer is really looking great! You have done such a nice job on it...don't rush through something at this point that you'll regret. Your cabinetry looks fantastic! See ya in about 9 days! Doug

Thanks Doug, but I already did a "haste makes waste" yesterday. Discovered a loose trim board while I was working so I glued it and taped it down and forgot about it. I remembered at 11:00 at night, just as my head had hit the pillow. Got up and went out and pulled the tape off...the glue had run all over under the tape. I got most of it off but will have to sand the rest and refinish that area.

Steve Cox wrote:

Hi Sharon, working on the trailer today?

Last night, I finished sanding the exterior edges and applied CPES to the outside. This morning, I applied another coat of CPES. Tonight, about when the sun sets, I can start filling the seam cracks with Doc Rot's Fill-it epoxy. Tomorrow morning, I will apply the fiberglass seam tape.

A note on CPES:
One coat of CPES is only good if a person is thorough and careful to apply it until no more will soak in anywhere. Spots where enough wasn't applied usually show up as large or small dull blotches, once it has dried. Thus, I felt I needed the second coat.

Remember the folding walls stored in the hallway? When I was doing a quick damp mopping of the floor in that area recently, I didn't bother to move them but accidentally knocked one of them over. I just picked it up and wiped it off. Now, I see a raised area on that one that matches up perfectly with the hall's tile grout. Those folding walls only had one dull coating of CPES on them. I'll sand that spot and give them all another coating of CPES, probably tomorrow. Those are small enough to carry outside to coat and cure.

The weatherman says it's going to be at, near, or above 100 degrees all week. That means I work in the morning, nap in the afternoon, and hit it again in the evening. This afternoon, I've got the garage door part way up and two fans going to blow the CPES fumes out of there. (That stuff makes me get light-headed.) I'll be off to the store shortly, to purchase the paint for the 'in' side of the folding walls and ceiling.

Oh, and I’ve already decided that I’m not going to worry about hooking up the galley gas and maybe not the water until after IRG. That’s something that can definitely wait, as long as I have a “wooden tentâ€

[S. Heisley]

Fromeo wrote:

Great job!

Thanks, Frank.

Teardrop Focus wrote:

That's where I'll be starting later this morning... all hell's gonna break loose!

Wishing you success! See ya soon!

[bdosborn]

Holy cats, I didn't realize you were building a pop top! Welcome to the club, there's very few members so far.

Looks great, can't wait to see a picture with the top up!



I love the term "lifting roof’s docking lip". I've just been calling it the pop top thingy.

Bruce

[S. Heisley]

bdosborn wrote:

I didn't realize you were building a pop top!

Hi, Bruce:
Yes, it's a pop-up, sort of half standy as the one end is hinged. The 'docking lip' name just sort of came to me this week. I had been calling it a turtleneck, which makes Andrew laugh.

Things are moving, so, stay tuned!

==================

Tonight, I started at 8:30, filling all the seams and anything that even hinted at being an indentation or crack. After 4 hours, I took this picture and all I could think was that it looks sort of like Santa's trailer right now.



I think I got carried away with MyAway, especially since I remembered that I forgot to buy more sandpaper!

One good thing about these epoxies is that I can work all night with the doors open and the lights on without getting any mosquito bites. The Fill-it and CPES are so strong smelling that the bugs stay away.

[down under tech]

Hi Sharon: I like that you are doing everything you can to be sure your trailer is watertight. I am doing the same thing except I went with epoxy. It doesn't have the smell of the CPES. It is much better to work with when you don't have to deal with all of the fumes.

I wish I had the luxury of having a garage to work in. It is tough doing it outside. There, if I use something that smells bad, I don't have to worry about the smell because I have plenty of fresh air. I have a large tree that I am able to work under that is cool and very little sunlight gets through. I have to monitor the weather and make sure I get a tarp over it when it threatens to rain.

You are making good progress on your trailer and I like that you are doing such a great job with all of the details. That will pay off when you are out camping in it because you have already taken care of the possible problems now.

Take Care,

[whtknight]

This is coming out great... lots and lots of great ideas

[S. Heisley]

Thanks, Johnny and WhtKnight.

-------------------------------
The crack and blemish filling took twice the time expected as I had to fill a second time...missed some spots plus some spots needed a little more. Sanding is a bit of a bear. Using a mechanical sander actually doesn't work as well as sanding by hand. Using a mechanical sander caused the need for some of the additional filling as it is hard to see how much is being removed or if it is rippling the surface.

As well as working on the trailer cabin body, I am working on modifying the lifting roof frame to add an ‘eve’ that will help protect the front a little more. I’ll try to explain and post a picture tomorrow, when I finish my modification.

The triple digit weather is now hampering progress.
I try to work in the mornings but stop working in the hottest afternoon hours. If I can get the garage cooled down again in the evening, I try to work at quiet things that won't bother the neighbors. Tonight, the garage would not cool down and it is still in the 90’s in there. Right now, it’s doubtful that the trailer will make it to IRG but I will keep at it and won’t say ‘nay’ until Sunday evening. That way, if I can't, I'll still have two days to find a trailer rental or a decent tent and gather what I need for the trip.

[Ivar the Red]

Hey Sharon, (call me lazy) but I have a couple of questions(that could probably be answered by re-reading the thread)...


What are you using for the sides of the pop-up-part?
Removable panels? Canvas?
How usable will the interior be while the pop-up-part is down?

I assume that the whole thing will pop-up...why did you go that route and not something like an old VW camper van?



Sorry for the bombardment of questions...your build has really inspired me to put the whole pop-up plan back on my drawing board.

When you're finished, it'll be worth a trip to an IRG for me just to see it first hand.

[S. Heisley]

Ivar the Red's questions:

What are you using for the sides of the pop-up-part?

Sandwiched plywood (1/8" ply,1x2" frame, 3/4" Styrofoam, 1/8" ply).

Removable panels?

They can be removed by unscrewing their hinges. They only weigh 12 lbs each. The folding front, including the window, weighs 20 lbs (14, wall + 6, window)

How usable will the interior be while the pop-up-part is down?

With the top down, the interior in the lifting roof section is 54". That's not bad for hunched walking, dressing, sitting, etc. but I think you'd have to sit to cook. OOPS! That's not right. The folding walls take up part of that space; so, you'd end up with about 48" to stand in.

I assume that the whole thing will pop-up...why did you go that route and not something like an old VW camper van?

I'm not certain what you mean. If you meant why didn't I buy a used VW camper van, that one is easy. I'm not a mechanic so I wouldn't be able to fix all that might go wrong with it. But, I love the VW camper look...except I got it wrong as I didn't realize that those open from the back. I thought they opened from the front, suicide style. I decided to make a TTT because I wanted enough floor space for my then German Shepard mix pooch, Casey Dawg, who liked to sleep, stretched out on the floor:

He died before I got much started so I borrowed another 6 inches of the floor space for the bench area. (My French Brittany Spaniel isn't as big or as picky.)

[Ivar the Red]

Thanks for the reply Sharon. Sorry if I was vague about the VW part, what I was wondering was about the way your roof pops up...the whole thing vs hinged in the front.

They can be removed by unscrewing their hinges. They only weigh 12 lbs each. The folding front, including the window, weighs 20 lbs (14, wall + 6, window)

So... ...they will be hinged from the top, and you can fold them up when the roof is not popped up?(like for a quick overnight stay when you don't want to get set up all the way)

Thanks again.

[S. Heisley]

Ivar the Red wrote:

So... ...they will be hinged from the top, and you can fold them up when the roof is not popped up?(like for a quick overnight stay when you don't want to get set up all the way)

They are hinged at their bottom, at the top of the docking lip. Yes, you could conceivably crawl into bed without putting the top up.

[S. Heisley]

Today, I sanded down most of the second application of epoxy filler. Then, I applied fiberglass tape to the roof seams and to the pieced front curve bottom:


I may not glass the side seams after all. Those seams are very tight and even the slightest superficial cracks have been well-filled with epoxy. The fiberglass tape leaves a bump that will need yet another layer of epoxy filler and another sanding to graduate it in. (I guess that’s a live and learn episode.)

It is now 93 degrees in the garage and very chemical-smelly as the chemicals still haven’t dried completely. The chemicals combined with the heat make me ill; so, working this evening is in doubt. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

[bdosborn]

Go Sharon go..

Sure would like to see that trailer at the IRG

Bruce