The Poet Creek Express - Foamie Hybrid

[aggie79]

Hi KC,

Just checking in to hello. Vacation pics are beautiful and the PCE is progressing nicely!

My (lengthy) build was cathartic and enjoyable. Continue taking your time so that you enjoy the build and it doesn't become a burden.

Take care,
Tom

[KCStudly]

Continue taking your time so that you enjoy the build and it doesn't become a burden.

Thanks, Tom. I will, and thanks for checking in with encouraging words. (That goes for everyone, and yes, even gentle chiding is encouraging!)

Sure, some tasks are burdensome, but I don't look at the project as a burden at all anymore. It's just a big part of my life! In a way it is also an escape for me; quiet time alone with something for my brain to chew on that is only stressful if I let it be. Almost like sitting on the couch working on a crossword puzzle, but not at all really.

I might work slowly compared to some, but the hours I put in are as much therapy, or mental exercise as they are labor. Maybe it still won't be as nice as some that build faster, or like you Tom, who took a long time, but seemed to have more down time during the build; but I'm happy with most everything that I have done. I can live with the warts I've left, especially if I am the only one who sees them.

As Atomic said...

You are the only one who will ever notice it...you're also the only one that matters.

As this drags on, I can tell you that I am more and more tempted to build a second. Not so much because I think I will want a slouchy/standy, but just because I want to see how things would go differently if I didn't worry about all of the little details so much and went with a much simpler approach; doing a stick built, ply skinned, rear entry UT slide in using less expensive materials and simple paint. ...or maybe I will just go camping more often. ...or maybe I will restore my old hot rod p/u. ...or maybe I will get rid of a few old projects and make room in my garage. I've always wanted a V8 914 with GT flares, too.

[OP827]

That's right KC, my build is a therapy for me too. It was prescribed to me by me, it already had its effect in the area of anger management . Sometimes I just stop and think of what's next, I even got a 5$ "thinking bar stool at a yard sale for this . My dream is to build a trailer and once it is built, I may no longer be able to have such a dream, right? . Funny, but to fix the dream thing I am also thinking of another build and what I would do easier, and there are a lot of things I could do easier than my current build sequence of actions, that is for sure. Sorry for the sidebar and now let's get back to your build.

[KCStudly]

No problem OP.

Hope you like the naan, GPW.

Only got about an hour and a half in tonight after stopping at ho-de-po for more supplies. Did a little detail sanding with 220 grit in the roof edge block, just to touch up those last repair areas, and where the roof and hatch spackle ran over the edges a little.

Then I went back to the curved long block and knocked down the top area of the hatch. The spackle has a little rubbery component to it (presumably the “exterior” element) so when sanded it tends to roll up into little snakes. You have to sweep or vacuum those away constantly to keep the paper working and not just rolling around on the snakes. Did the keeling over thing in both directions. Not sure if you can see the difference from the previous pic, but it is much closer to plan and is getting a little less flat.


But… we are not there yet.

Still looks like lumpy butt in a speedo. Canvas will definitely not change the shape of this.

In the beginning I said I was not a finish carpenter. Now I am telling you (again) that I am not a body man; but I am learning and hopefully improving.

I now know how Mel/atahoekid felt.

I don’t really mean to sound depressed or discouraged; just want to share all aspects of the building process. Standing on a step stool leaning out over a half tipped over camper and pushing a long board as far as you can reach, all while wearing a respirator, isn’t the most glorious thing, and I can see where I need to improve my technique (the warts), but I went at it with the spirit of a craftsman, so still felt good about how it is coming.

I need to find a suitable product to use as a guide coat. Spray paint is no good because it eats the foam, but I need a dark color to provide contrast with the white spackle and light blue foam. I wonder if that fabric dye I experimented with earlier would do the trick (more likely would soak in too far), or if some other water based paint would be thin enough to work. Any thoughts? GPW?

[Ned B]

KC why not borrow from the auto body world & get the powder guide coat? I'll see if I can find what I'm thinking of.

Got it: http://www.amazon.com/3M-05861-Guide-Ca ... B000PENEMM

Saw this or something similar on spike TV on truck tech. Goes on dry so it shouldn't eat the foam.

[KCStudly]

Hmm, that's interesting, but not thrifty.

I wonder if chalk line chalk would work without affecting adhesion later. Mostly calcium carbonate, some color and a touch of powdered silica (sand).

[GPW]

KC, you worry too much ... I used a chalk line all over the FS , brushed away the heavy before gluing ( no worries) ... You could snap a chalk line grid across your surfaces at regular intervals , That woulds show any variations in the surface. (flat plane in perspective) . The long sanding block is the only way to get it perfectly flat all across..
Instead of a tell tale color , you can just draw sanding lines with a small sharpie pen and those will disappear as you sand .
( As you can see , the side light tells all ... )

[parnold]

You can purchase quantity of activated charcoal powder much cheaper than the 3M product. A pound runs less than 20 bucks on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Charcoal-Activated-powder-carbon-pound/dp/B00FN2SGX8/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1440682104&sr=8-19&keywords=ACTIVATED+CARBON+POWDER
The applicator is nothing more than a small celled foam pad, similar to a magic eraser sponge. Blue chalk would work just as well.

[Atomic77]

So I thought I was the only one...
I've got a ways to go on this build, and already planning another. I would like to build an old school standy / canned ham with the same or similar construction materials and methods as an old one. I would like to build something that appears to be original vintage. So I'm thinking it has to be an illness or something! Carrie asked if I could wait until the first one is done before I start another. Probably a good thing I keep her around...somebody has to keep me in check!

[dales133]

Seems weve all got the "another one" disease.
Guess its pretty natural as your building and researching to think about different styles methods or shapes and consider builsing them because after all it takes a special kind of person to embark on a project like these be it a simple thrifty build or something more elaborate.
Happy belated birthday KC, sorry i missed it!
Ive often used a can of spray paint for guide coat when doing body work and just lightly dust it over the top.
Works just as well as the expensive stuff but you might want to check it dosnt react with your foam first

[Ned B]

I bet that any colored chalk would work pretty well. Lots of alternatives. Continuing to cheer you on!

[KCStudly]

Thanks all.

I did a test last night with a rattle can of black Rustoleum. sprayed a little spot on foam and it reacted pretty quickly, melting. i don't know if it would be that bad if I just fogged it on a little, but I figure better not to risk any issues like that.

I looked up Irwin's MSDS for a few of their varieties of line chalk, varies by permanence and color. Looked at the labels of the bottles that we have at work and they all say silicone dioxide, which was not listed on the current MSDS's.

I guess I will have to check the bottle that I have at home. As GPW said, I am probably worrying too much.

[dales133]

I use the irwin blue chalk often and it comes off prerty easily with a damp cloth after brushing the worst off first.
The red stuff is similar.
I also wonder if a acrylic primer might have less reaction

[Atomic77]

In the boat shop I use guide coat regularly. I use flat black spray can primer as my guide coat. I never use paint, for various and multiple reasons. The flat black primer sands so smooth and nice it acts just like the regular primer. It's much less hotter than spray can paint, so there's a possibility it might work. But I'm thinking that anything wet will react chemically. So you'll have to dust it. I've used the dry chalk as well. It cleans up just fine afterwards. Regarding your filler primer, I have used DuPont's chroma line pretty much since they came out with it. It's now been sold off to Chromax, but as far as I can tell it's exactly the same. I believe it's the best primer filler you can buy. We use it in the race shop exclusively, and it fills like a dream. I've never had a failure that was a result of this product. Very highly recommended.

[KCStudly]

So if I'm reading you guys correctly you are saying that you have used the line chalk on foam and don't expect a problem in my application?

If so, I love this forum! Thanks for the first hand knowledge!

I just spoke with Karl and he has a partial rattle can of grey primer (saves me a stop at home or hdwr store) so I will test that and the chalk tonight.