Beginning the meatloaf build.

[Dalorin]

I've been collecting supplies for a while now but my build didn't really begin until this weekend. Today I went and purchased most of the wood that I need for the project. That would bring me to my first important lesson. If you are going to buy 400 lbs of wood, bring a friend. Maybe even one that you weren't planning to keep.

I've decided to call my woody the meatloaf. The reason being that the wood won't fit anywhere in my house except the kitchen. So I'm building the floor in the kitchen. Meatloaf, cause I made it in the kitchen out of everything I could get my hands on, get it? No? Nobody? Anyway...

I'm mostly following Fredricks plan. I like how I can build the camper in pieces (in my kitchen) and then do final assembly in a couple of days. I know that it sounds like a stupid idea. All I can say is that I've pulled off worse. Maybe my next place will have a garage.

Originally I planned to purchase a harbor freight trailer but then I decided investing a little more would be worth it in the long run. I live near enough to Sikeston MO that I had the awesome crew at retco build something custom to my specs. I'll post pictures soon. This way I have standard bearings, races and a really nice axle. It was a difference of maybe $500. Again, I think it's worth it long term. This thing is a brick house.

I'm beginning the floor assembly tomorrow morning. I'll put up pics. Basically I'm taking standard 1x2 pine and building a rail & stile frame using tongue and groove joints. This is mounted using titebond3 to 3/4" birch ply. I realize that this is a wicked heavy floor, but here's the thing. I don't have a work table and I don't want one. I want to build a camper more than be a carpenter. So for the remainder of this project my camper floor will go up on saw horses and be my work table when I need one.

I'll put insulating foam panels between the rails. The bottom will get covered in 1/4 panels of whatever and coated with asphalt.

So that's the plan. Cheers!

[RRJR]

Sounds like a good plan!

You must have a very big kitchen and not married.

Can't wait to see the pictures.

[Vedette]

Go man Go!
And stay inspired!
We like pictures.

[Woodbutcher]

Meatloaf is a comfort food. Teardrops are a comfort vehicle. Makes sense to me. Enjoy making your meatloaf.

[Dalorin]

Today I busted out the chop saw and router. I got all of the pieces for my floor frame cut out and dry fit them on top of the trailer. I was hoping to have everything glued up tonight but I'm simply too tired after buying all of the wood yesterday. Anyway I think that the tongue and groove joins worked out great! This will make assembly much easier for me.

[Dalorin]

Sounds like a good plan!

You must have a very big kitchen and not married.

Can't wait to see the pictures.

Would you believe that I actually am married. I tricked an amazing and beautiful woman into marrying me. My wife is a bit atypical though. I realized that one day when I was working on the scrap book and I looked out the window at her mowing the lawn.

But yeah, the kitchen is the largest room in the house. I have a bit of a transient life so I tend to rent small places as we move around. That lifestyle is a big part of why we want the camper in the first place. We love to move about!

[Gold5one]

You'll succeed, of that I am sure. A guy in Michigan spent 12 years building an airplane in his bedroom - he finished and it flew. You have a much easier project.

[Dalorin]

You'll succeed, of that I am sure. A guy in Michigan spent 12 years building an airplane in his bedroom - he finished and it flew. You have a much easier project.

Thanks for the encouragement! I am slowly building more confidence. I glued the floor up last night and stitched everything together with 18g 1" brads. Right now it is in the kitchen floor weighted down with cinder blocks and milk jugs full of water. I'm going to take pictures and post them tonight.

Next I have to cut the fomular insulation and install it between the stiles.

More pictures tonight!

[lfhoward]

Here is some inspiration for you as you make your Meatloaf! For some reason this was the first thing to come to mind...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr1Cs8TYPWY

[KCStudly]

Nice little ditty.

[Dalorin]

Today I glued the insulation panels into the floor and stapled 1/8" baltic birch to the bottom. Once everything is dry I will run my flush cut router bit over the sides to trim off the excess wood. There's two pieces of wood under the floor lifting it up off the chassis so that it's easier for me to use my router.

[Dalorin]

I used a combination of polyurethane and titebond III to glue the bottom of the floor in place.

[Dalorin]

The baltic birch was attached using a ton of 1/2" staples. I don't know why exactly but I get a kick out of using a pneumatic staple gun or brad nailer. Some people like to mow their lawn. Me, I'm an air driven fastener kind of person.

[Dalorin]

Cut out the framing for the side today. It was nice setting it up so that we could see the side profile for the first time. It came out exactly how I wanted it. I'm very pleased.

[Dalorin]

I laid the completed frame down on the saw horses and used my router to make a copy. I'm starting to think that a router is the most useful tool in wood working.