"Hypno-Toad's Command Post." Door and windows in!

[jeff0520]

Made some progress today. I made two of the multipiece spars. I used a protractor to measure the angle, then divided the angle in half. I set my table saw to cut the angle, and ripped two pieces and glued them together. The spars came out pretty good:



I still have 3 multipiece spars to do yet, but I pretty much have the hang of doing them now. Should be no big deal

[cracker39]

Made some progress today. I made two of the miltipiece spars. I used a protractor to measure the angle, then divided the angle in half. I set my table saw to cut the angle, and ripped two pieces and glued them together. The spars came out pretty good:

I still have 3 multipiece spars to do yet, but I pretty much have the hang of doing them now. Should be no big deal

I'm happy that you got those spars right the first time. I did some hard thinking to come up with the correct way to do it. Once you've done one and have the procedure down, the others are easy to do. It was my belief that making them in two parts, then joining them, would reduce the chances of the lumber warping.

[jeff0520]

I cut and installed the very firse piece of wall framing today.


This piece runs from the nose of the trailer to the wheel well. I also started cutting the next piece working counter clockwise around the profile. I'm going to do all the edge framing first, the the seams between the sheets on both sides, then I'll start framing in the doors windows and all the rest.

[jeff0520]

I'm on jury duty this week, so I'll be home in the evenings. Time to make some things happen out in the build shop!




Edge framing layout continues. Here I'm using the stub ends I cut off of spars to mark, cut, and dry fit my spar notches. Things are beginning to move along nicely

[jeff0520]

This week of jury duty is really translating into a lot of progress on the Command Post. I installed the next 2 edge framing pieces.




I also used a flush trim bit in a router to shave the next framing piece to follow the curve of the profile. Just clamp it into place, and let the router follow the profile. Pretty sweet way to do the tricky bit.




Just waiting on some glue to dry, and for me to cool off a bit. It's still august in Alabama

[jeff0520]

Hello everybody.
My truck will be out of the shop tomorrow, so I guess I'll have to go back to earning a living instead of building every day.

I did get quite a bit done though. I have all the edge framing done for the left wall, and all the frame pieces cut for the right wall. Framing the right wall will go a lot quicker since the frame pieces are precut. I also started laying out door and window locations.

[jbyrd]

coming along nicely. Just curious as to where you got that door at? I really like the big window in it!

[jeff0520]

coming along nicely. Just curious as to where you got that door at? I really like the big window in it!

I got it on ebay. Here's a link to the seller http://stores.ebay.com/BARGAIN-CONVERTERS-and-ELECTRONICS There was a problem with the purchase though. The box ripped open in transit.The door arrived a little banged up, and missing the window screen, but the seller made it right by refunding half the price. I ended up getting the door for $60. I have a little straightening to do on it, but for that price, I'm not bitching.

[jbyrd]

I got it on ebay. Here's a link to the seller http://stores.ebay.com/BARGAIN-CONVERTERS-and-ELECTRONICS There was a problem with the purchase though. The box ripped open in transit.The door arrived a little banged up, and missing the window screen, but the seller made it right by refunding half the price. I ended up getting the door for $60. I have a little straightening to do on it, but for that price, I'm not bitching.

Wow that was a great price on that door most of the doors I thought were a deal have been in the 100 buck range and they didnt have a window in it.

[jeff0520]

Yeah, Original price was $120, and they refunded half when it showed up banged up and missing the screen. For that kind of savings, I'll straighten a little bent aluminum

[jeff0520]

FINALLY got back out to the build shop to work on the trailer. It's been a crazy couple of months
Completed a window frame, and the final sheet to sheet seam on the skin. I'm going to go put a few more pieces in before I call it a day. At least there's finally some progress

[jeff0520]

Well, The framing is done for the left wall profile. I've started adding the countersunk screws to reenforce the glue holding the framing to the skin. Once the screws are in, I can install radius blocks in the window frame, and cut out the opening


Sorry the pictures are so dark. I worked past sundown today

[jeff0520]

Completely finished left wall today

[jeff0520]

I have realized I have a problem. I thought I'd build the Command Post in the portable garage tent, but the camper is going to be WAY too tall. I'm thinking I can extend the legs of the portable garage, and get the extra 3 feet of height I need. Anyone have any experiance with that?

[KCStudly]

I had a portable garage for a time. I got it with the optional extended height. Each of the hoops received an extra piece swedged to fit in the bottoms of the main hoops, had provisions to attach the rail along the bottoms, and for the diagonal bracing, too. Of course, the tarp and doors (end curtains) were sewn longer to suit, as well.

I would attempt to contact the OEM and see if they have an option package that you can buy. Depending on your climate, keeping your existing tarp/canvas with an open air bottom could actually be a benefit, allowing good ventilation while still maintaining a roof over your head.

Next option would be to build knee walls along both sides, say out of 2x6's, tie them together across the bottom with 2x4's so that they can't topple over, and anchor the whole ten assembly on top of them. Use pressure treated for the bottom sill of the knee walls for a temporary solution.

More permanent solution? Dig two trenches down a bit, level, tamp gravel, and build up CMU block knee walls to set your tent garage upon.

I always regretted not laying a good gravel base (over a sand covered moisture barrier) under my temp carport. The ground moisture was drawn up by the solar effect on the tent and I think the gravel base would have helped prevent this.

$.02