Weekender status - 1st camping (update 10-21-12)

[les45]

Really slowed down trying to design-build the cabinets. Killed one whole day trying to build a Barrister style hinge for my galley cabinet doors and finally gave up. The geometry was just too complicated. Ended up using a simple finger hole, magnetic closer, and flat hinge (hinges will be changed out later; can't stand that look but they were they only ones readily available). Also dry fit the Progressive 4045 converter/charger. The old Kreg jig and pocket screws really came in handy throughout the cabinet framing and door construction. After trying to decide how to hinge the galley counter, I finally gave up and made two pieces that simply slide over each other or come out completely for access to the storage area below. The tops will get formica and finger holes later. Used the same sliding sections and finger holes in the bottom shelf up front to access the small storage area in the front bevel area. Plan to detail the interior (caulk, spackle, trim, paint) before I start skinning the exterior next.

Galley framing is pretty simple with storage below the counter for ice chests, water, etc.


Used two pieces of 3/4" plywood for countertop sections.


Countertop pieces will slide from side to side or can be removed completely


Galley cabinets are pretty simple. Left side holds converter and right side goes through to corresponding cabin cabinet.


Cabin cabinets roughed in. Left cabinet gets shelf on top and bottom goes through to galley cabinet. Center section is a shelf for TV. Right section
goes through to converter and all electrical will be in this area.


Converter dry fit and two doors with flat hinges (these old style hinges will be replaced with something more contemporary)


Cabin cabinet doors complete. The wife got her bead board trim pretty much throughout the cabin.


Front shelves will hold luggage, shoes, books, glasses, etc. Bottom shelf is two pieces that slide over each other with finger hole for
access to storage in front bevel area.

[Kharn]

Wow, you're really making progress
I would be wary of putting anything heavy in the magnetic closer cabinets for the first few trips, a rough bump might pop them open. For appearance, you could attach a bar to the inside of the hatch that blocks the cabinets closed when the hatch is closed (also need to make sure it doesn't allow the door to flop open right as you open the hatch), it could double as a dish towel/paper towel rack when open if you plan it right. Or for the easy way, small decorative barrel latches.

[les45]

Figured I would summarize my first month's effort. Finished detailing the galley and cabin and ready to start skinning with plywood.

Here is an overall view of current status. Cabin and galley complete except for electrical. Still have to cover the outside and paint.


Galley finished except for laminate and thumbholes on two piece countertop. That's a Progressive 4045 converter for power center.
Cut the points off the old style hinges, but I'm still not happy with them. Still looking for a better looking flat hinge.


Left the front shelves natural and painted everything else in the cabin. Color doesn't show too well with the flash, but it is the same light
green as the galley on the walls and floor and white on the ceiling. The bottom shelf is in two pieces with thumbholes that slide from side to side.


Cabin cabinets are mostly bead board to match the front and rear walls.


Gotta start researching sealers and paint. Looks like that will be the next major job after I get the skin on.

[les45]

Skinned the weekender with 1/4" ply this weekend. Ended up buying an air stapler and that made the whole job so much easier.

All skinned with hatch and tailgate temporarily in place.


Front view. Those bottom bevels on front and rear were the hardest.


Temporary hinges and temporary hatch support show how galley will look when opened up. Still have to insulate and
install the interior trim on the hatch and tailgate. Permanent supports will be fixed rods on both sides.


Ready to move on to trimming, sanding, filling, and sealing. Got my CPES and Fill-it on order.

[Oldragbaggers]

This is a very nice build. I love the look of the beadboard on the inside. it really gives it a warm, inviting look. And you are making great progress.

[S. Heisley]

The bead board, painted white, gives your build a nice, clean look.

[les45]

The bead board, painted white, gives your build a nice, clean look.

Actually, all the bead board is the same light green as the galley area. It just didn't show up well in the flash pics of the interior. Only the ceiling is white. These were some paints that we had left over from doing our house, but they do make the interior of the cabin area much brighter.

[WhitneyK]

Lookin' good!!!

Your movin' along quite well, keep up the good work.

[les45]

Decided to go ahead and trim out the hatch and tailgate before I start sanding and prepping the exterior. Managed to go really cheap with my hatch supports by using spare parts that I had laying around the shop. I decided to go with a simple mechanical support since I had read that the hydraulic supports lose their gas if they sit for extended periods without use like mine will do during the offseasons. I literally found everything I needed in my spare parts bins and did not buy a single item. I'm not sure what the top support went to, but I had several of them and simply cut off the wings to make them fit flat. The rods are from a scrap piece of EMT and the lower brackets are a couple of old curtain rod brackets cut and bent. The clevis pins came with some old garage door openers. As you can see in the pics, the rod pivots on the top support and simply drops into the top leg of the bottom support and gravity does all the work from there. I cut one of the bottom supports a little longer than the other to make it easier to set them in place when reaching from one side to the other. When the hatch closes, the rod simply hangs down next to the lower bracket without any interference. The tailgate got a couple of barrel bolts to keep it in place. I'm still trying to decide how to lock the top hatch somehow with a latch type mechanism that will fit on the tailgate and hook into the hatch.

Hatch supports complete (both sides) except for painting.


Top support is a plastic yoke with a clevis pin. Squeezed the end of the EMT in a vise and drilled a hole to make it fit.


This is what the top support looked like before I trimmed it down. Still don't know what these things went to.


Bottom support is an old curtain rod bracket bent and cut to shape. Bottom of EMT just fits down over the top leg.


The top leg isn't very long so I don't have to reach far to make it fit. The hatch is heavy enough that it isn't going anywhere after it drops in place.


A couple of barrel bolts hold the tailgate in place. Still designing the lock for the top hatch, but it will fit in the tailgate somehow and latch into the hatch.


CPES arrived yesterday so my next effort will be sanding and sealing the exterior. Stay tuned.

[KCStudly]

Looks good, and thrifty, too.

I have no experience (yet!), but have read many times where people had their hatch lift from the wind. Don't underestimate how much force can be applied to such a relatively large flat surface. It would be very easy for you to just drill thru the lower ends of your strut tubes thru the tab on your lower brackets and slip an inexpensive quick pin thru. I would surely hate to see all of your hard work get marred up by a hatch that got pushed over backwards.

I jumped over here Wind Pressure Calculator linky and had some fun playing with the numbers to figure out the force developed by the wind on a given surface, so many feet above the ground. If you select "Other" for the location it will use whatever wind speed you put in.

[les45]

Looks good, and thrifty, too.

I have no experience (yet!), but have read many times where people had their hatch lift from the wind. Don't underestimate how much force can be applied to such a relatively large flat surface. It would be very easy for you to just drill thru the lower ends of your strut tubes thru the tab on your lower brackets and slip an inexpensive quick pin thru. I would surely hate to see all of your hard work get marred up be a hatch that got pushed over backwards.

I jumped over here Wind Pressure Calculator linky and had some fun playing with the numbers to figure out the force developed by the wind on a given surface, so many feet above the ground. If you select "Other" for the location it will use whatever wind speed you put in.

You know I hadn't thought of that, but it is a possible problem with my arrangement. Looks like I'll be drilling a few more holes here pretty soon and hopefully I'll find some more cheap parts to use for a quick release type pin in that bottom bracket. Thanks a lot for that most helpful advice. That's what I like about this forum.
Larry S.

[KCStudly]

No problem. Glad to put some of my "research" time to good use.

[les45]

Voila! Let the winds blow. Found one of these safety pins in my junk drawer, but had to buy another one to match, so I now have 50 cents out of pocket invested in my hatch supports. Just to emphasize how much of a pack rat I am, the chains were left over from an aftermarket cruise control that I installed in an old car in 1978.

[parnold]

Just to emphasize how much of a pack rat I am, the chains were left over from an aftermarket cruise control that I installed in an old car in 1978.

I keep trying to convince my sons that the numerous junk drawers, boxes, and bins, all contain potentially valuable stuff!

[les45]

While I'm updating today, I figured I would show what (Twonight) Max looks like in the light of day. Took him outdoors today to start sanding and prepping for paint. Hadn't used a belt sander in years, but it sure came in handy for trimming all those edges. After a while it was just like sculpting the wood. My orbital sander crapped out just as I finished with it so I guess I'll be making another tool run tomorrow. I was amazed at how easy the trailer dollied, even on a slight slope in my driveway. I'm estimating he weighs about 800 pounds by now. Ready for the first coat of CPES.