Bear's Lair

[Nobes]

Yes. We laid on it before we started the waterproofing. Pushed & pulled. Absolutely no movement. I believe the wood will fail before the brackets & screws do.

[Nobes]

I have been fearful of launching into fiberglass, but it was time. I bought a small amount of "bondo" resin and glass at Lowes so I could experiment with a test piece and make my 5x10 ply for my template. I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy it was. I do think I will need to be even better when I start glassing my exterior sides. My son came over to help--I know many here have done this on their own but it seems to be a 2-person job to me. Photos:

Test piece--it went well so we proceeded to the 5x10 template

Bondo resin, glass & tools

We started here with the shortest joint

Continued on to longer joints

The completed ply with all the old paint cans I have. I knew there was some good reason to keep them.

Now I am out of town to ll next weekend--meetings in Dallas this week. I'm off the build until Friday.

[Nobes]

So, I have a long list of questions. I hope someone can help.

The epoxy choices I know about are Raka and West. Are there others?

Are there significant price differences? I have 2 sides at 5x9 and the top, say 5x12--that's 150 SF. More of I glass the inside.

The glass I will get--it comes in a roll? What weight is best for TDs? I have read several posts with 6 and 8.

I am building the sides out of Alder plywood. I assume I should glass the entire surface BEFORE cutting out the pattern. Is that correct? Will that scratch/mar the surface?

Using the template to cut the sides, I assume I should make a rough cut with the jig saw then cut to the line with a router and flush trim bit. I assume it is not a good idea to simply make the cut with the router.

After glassing, I have read that you put on a top coat of poly. Is this for UV protection? Appearance? Maintenance--how often do you need to re-apply a top coat? Annually?

I will glass everything before installation. After installation, I plan to apply a piece of glass to the wall-roof joint. Is that correct? Then the topcoat/UV will be on top of that.

Inside ply--it doesn't need waterproofing, but should I glass it anyway for joint strength? Or will it be enough to have a piece of framing behind it with both pieces of the butt joint glued to the framing?

I know that's a lot. I appreciate any advice.

[KCStudly]

I'm using West System because it is readily available locally and is a brand I trust from it's reputation. Also, they have a wealth of technical information on their website that I have found to be informative, so feel that they should be rewarded for that service.

Do you realize that the Bondo resin is polyester (or vinylester), not epoxy? There is a big difference, all explained on the West System site.

[plectrudis]

Hey Nobes--

You're really chugging away--great progress!

On your fiberglass questions--have you checked out Becky's (oldragbaggers) build? She talks a good bit about fiberglassing, in particular the whys & wherefores of her thickness choices. I don't think it will answer all your questions, but it's a place to start. http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=45917&start=120#p940542

I'm planning to use the black goo, too. I know there are a number of alternatives that might be less trouble, but's it's hard to ignore the fact that that stuff seems to work. Tons of people have used it, and no one seems to be complaining of failures. AND it's cheap. Cha-ching.

PS--I do like Mrs Nobes' taste! The alder is very nice indeed!

[Nobes]

I'm using West System because it is readily available locally and is a brand I trust from it's reputation. Also, they have a wealth of technical information on their website that I have found to be informative, so feel that they should be rewarded for that service.

Do you realize that the Bondo resin is polyester (or vinylester), not epoxy? There is a big difference, all explained on the West System site.

thanks KC. The bondo stuff was available. I know it is not the right kind for the actual build. I figured it was ok for the template, to learn a little about how to do fiberglass, to practice. I have a lot of research to do, and that is the next step.

[Nobes]

Hey Nobes--

You're really chugging away--great progress!

On your fiberglass questions--have you checked out Becky's (oldragbaggers) build? She talks a good bit about fiberglassing, in particular the whys & wherefores of her thickness choices. I don't think it will answer all your questions, but it's a place to start. http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=45917&start=120#p940542

I'm planning to use the black goo, too. I know there are a number of alternatives that might be less trouble, but's it's hard to ignore the fact that that stuff seems to work. Tons of people have used it, and no one seems to be complaining of failures. AND it's cheap. Cha-ching.

PS--I do like Mrs Nobes' taste! The alder is very nice indeed!

Thanks for the tip! I have not seen that thread so I will check it out. I applied the goo on Thursday and it is still tacky on Sunday.

Thanks for the compliment on the alder. And on Mrs. Nobes. They are both pretty cool. Can't wait to see the walls up. I know it will still be a while, but I think it's going to be amazing. Assuming, that is, I don't screw it up with a lousy fiberglass job!

[Nobes]

In so many ways I feel like this has been a lost weekend--which is quite unfortunate because I had Friday off. On the other hand, I did make some significant progress today. I guess to some degree I ust think I could have done so much more.

The week started with a trip to Dallas for depositions, I traveled Monday, had meetings Tuesday, and depos Wednesday. We wrapped up at 6:30 and I drove in home, arriving 1:30 am. I took the day off Thursday and spent the entire day preparing to lead a Passover Seder at my church. That, plus fill-in preaching last Sunday, and right there is a whole ton of lost build time. All that time, however, was very well spent! Both the sermon and the Seder went great. Friday I ended up spending all but about an hour cleaning up from the Seder then my grandkids came over to spend the night. No build time, but wow these are great things to do if you can't build!

We had the grandkids till about noon today then I got busy. I changed my profile--again, to Steve Frederick's Trailer for Two. I spent some time figuring out how to draw it on a 9x5 side instead of a 10x4 side. After drawing it off, I decided the hatch slope took up way too much room so I extended the curve. No geometric shape, jusy a fairing stick and "hey that looks good." The lovely and gracious Mrs. Nobes approved, so with much fear and trembling I cut the profile. I do pretty good--real good, actually--with straight saws. I'm decent with a band saw. I have never cut a good line with a jig saw. But, a new blade, a relatively new jig saw, and I did ok. I cleaned it up with 100 grit sandpaper in my palm sander (I am philosophically opposed to belt sanders) and decidedI could live with that.

Then I started taping lines for my cabinets and stood it up by my truck to check it out. I fit in there just fine. See for yourself:


I kept fiddling with the cabinets and ended up with this:


In the front, there is a lower 'headboard' cabinet we will use for books on bottom and toiletries on top. You can open the door, reach in and grab stuff out of the front cabinet. The upper exposed shelf will have battery-operated lamps and space for keys, watches, flashlights, and general pocket litter. I will install sliding doors since with the mattress there it will be impossible to open regular doors. No cabinets above our heads. Yes, that's a good idea.

In the back of the cabin, I have an upper cabinet for our clothes, then a lower pass-through cabinet that will open in the galley and the cabin. I don't know yet if this will end up as a galley or cabin cabinet--we'll see how it shakes out. Under that is an electrical chase. I'll use the Super Simple system described here in the forum and install two sets of outlets in the cabin and 2 in the galley. I will probably use wiring rather than extension cords, so maybe mine will be "quite simple" instead of "super simple." I'm confident I can get that done. Extending from the chase is an 8" shelf for phones, iPads, etc, ie, things that need charging overnight. Tail lights will be in the hatch. I will need to run the fantastic fan off shore power if possible. I will then run DC wiring for trailer lights, but will not use a DC system in the cabin. If the vent can't be run off shore power, when there is none we will open the vent and use a small battery-operated fan in warm weather. If necessary we can charge phones etc in the TV.

And the galley: on the countertop will be the microwave and the toaster oven. Below is a cooler on a slide out shelf on the right, a 4" vertical wine rack in the middle, with room to hang stemware on the top (not while we are traveling of course), and on the left 3 drawers: top for the stove, middle for silverware, bottom for pots/pans/dishes. Above the counter is a shelf for spices/towels/disposable cups etc, again, we'll see how that shakes out as we camp. Here is a sketch:


Then, list-maker that I am, I made lists of things to do, things to buy locally, and things to order. I am waiting on a check to come in before I can get busy with expensive stuff like fiberglass, etc. Hopefully, tomorrow after church I can pick up 1x4s to start on the skeleton.

So, while 'all I did' was cut out the profile, I also got my galley & cabin cabinets planned with dimensions and details and made lots of other detail decisions.

Plus I spent time volunteering at church and some great time with the best 2 little guys in the world, and those things are never, ever, a bad thing.

[KCStudly]

Great plan.

If I might make one little suggestion, if you plan to have your front wall and roof be one continuous sheet of ply and final skin (aluminum, FRP, whatever), I would advise you to sand that little peak down until it rolls tangent into the flat part of the roof. Even the slightest kink here can keep your plywood from transitioning well, and if you have planned a seam there, it will either take a piece of trim or a sheet metal break to very accurately place a bend or facet in the outer skin. None of which, IMO are as easy or look as good as a gentle sweep (unless done on a more angular build like a Weekender).

At the rear it is less of a concern because the peak (or angle) lands at the hatch hinge, so would be purely aesthetic.

[Nobes]

Great catch, thanks. I will give that spot some more love today.

I decided to buy Frank Bear doors! Excited about that.

[jmascioni]

I am far from being a pro at designing, since I am still in the design stage myself, but my advice on your tape lines is the storage in the galley area is too close to the edge, Need to allow room for the hatch.

[Nobes]

I wondered about that. I think, using the Frederick Manual style, they will fit--but I may be reading it wrong so I will keep an eye out for that and Im ready to adjust if need be.

[Nobes]

Got outside for a couple of hours today. I got one 1x4 skeleton cut and laid out. I need to cut biscuits, glue it, then trim it to dimension with the router. Then do all that again for skeleton 2. Before final assembly of the skeleton, I need to know exactly where the door will sit and the door dimensions. I've decided to order doors from Frank Bear, and the site says it is 26x32. I want it on hand before I glue in the door frame. Next weekend we have the grandkids, so before I get back to it hopefully I will have more materials on hand.

Here's what the skeleton looks like now:

[Nobes]

Well, Steve Frederick said I need a large FLAT surface to build FLAT skeletons, FLAT wall panels, and apply fiberglass correctly. I am ready to do all those things, so I finally believe him, so I made a 5x10 bench. Waste not, want not--this will eventually serve as the roof of my TD garage.



With my nice flat surface, I sanded off the rough spots on the template KC warned me about then I cut and laid out my 2nd skeleton. I cut out a rough door opening on the 1st one, and didn't cut one at all for the 2nd. I will complete that when my doors come in. Tomorrow I will biscuit & glue.

Speaking of doors, my cash came in today so tomorrow I order doors & fiberglass!

And, since that nice flat surface took up all the available space in the garage, the trailer is living outside for a few days. I removed a wheel for security and covered it with a new tarp--which I will be able to use when we go camping in this thing!

[Nobes]

Well, that was fun. I just spent a ton of money.

Doors, butyl tape, hurricane hinge, vent, and exterior (very cool) lights from vintage technologies--$1041.93
Metal cooler from Target--$85.61
Stabilizer jacks from etrailer.com--$50.66
Fiberglass supplies from Raka--$311.04

I'm sitting at about $2700 right now.

I still need to buy: cabinet hardware, electrical stuff, spare tire & carrier, wheel chocks, additional wood for cabinets & countertops, 1 more sheet of ply for walls & 5 sheets for roof, wood for bumper, trim for hatch, floor covering, interior lights, mattress.

I think...hope...I will come in at about $3500. The goal was 2500 but that was building my own doors. The good news is, if I can craft this thing with style & accuracy, it will be worth $10,000.