My Foamie Build--Updated --Jul 3 I'm eating an elephant

[bonnie]

So is that a Hobbit Habitat or a Bonnie Build? (as in the Scottish, bonnie as good / Bonnie the lead Engineer...) Looks spacious inside. Good for you.

Both, I think. I am leaning toward cutting the floor. Weather and life have not cooperated this winter. Spring's on the way! One thing I have been able to do is design and begin the forward bulkhead/storage/lift. Just need some time and space and above freezing weather to try it.

[eaglesdare]

keep at it bonnie! i want to see you and the bub at cra.

[mezmo]

Hi Bonnie,

I came across this on you-tube and thought you might find it
interesting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DCOrHc-tKI

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[bonnie]

Hi Bonnie,

I came across this on you-tube and thought you might find it
interesting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DCOrHc-tKI

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

That was great. Still working on the trailer. Thrifty has become a more important point. I may have 14 days of furlough to work into my budget. Does give me extra time to work around the house and on the trailer.

Tomorrow and Sunday are supposed to be really nice here. 50-60 degrees. If all goes well, I should have something to update on Monday.

[bonnie]

Rained all day today. So, I went shopping. Went to HoDePo to get some gripper and came home with that, a flexible pull saw and the foam for my benches/bed. Yes, I said foam. Who knew? 3" x 72" x 24" for $26. It actually had a medium firm feel and looked well made. Those three pieces cost me less than any other place had a single sheet priced. That's thrifty. The foam was in the carpet area and the helpers back there graciously rolled and wrapped each slab in plastic film so I could get them in the car.

They said I was the first buyer they had had. It was a great day.

I will be adding 2" of memory foam to the top of the slabs. They will also need trimmed, but I can manage that too. I need to take one out to the garage and lay it on the bench frames to see if I'm going to need to lengthen them. Since I am going to be laid up for gall bladder surgery for most of the month of April. Having the cushions to work on will help pass the time.

I am also on track for 14 days of furlough. No pay. Which will crimp the BUB build funds. The up side is I have dedicated each of those days as a trailer build day. CRA is coming and I want to at least have BUB campable. May not have any finishing touches, but it has to arrive in one piece.

[GPW]

Great day shopping

[bonnie]

Weather is still unpredictable. So, I worked on cushions. With 14 days of furlough without pay coming, I decided to change my color plan and use some upholstery fabric I had on hand. I have an old, heavy coffee table top that happens to be exactly the width I needed for my cushions, so I used it as a template.



The draw saw worked really well as a foam cutting tool. Also worked really well cutting flesh. I bled, just not all over the foam. Small cut, but on the pad of my index finger. Healing nicely and reminding me it's there every time I hit it.



Here's two shots one side of the cushions done and placed in BUB for reference. For some reason or another, the backrest looks longer than the seat. I just think it's conformed to the cover better, as it's the first cushion I completed. Two more to go and I will have somewhere to sleep; and one more thing off the "to do" list.





I'm thinking the interior of BUB will now be either off white or a very light green. Not ready for paint yet, but getting there. Probably white so I can use the colors in other ways. I think the cushions came out a lot more spiffy than I originally thought they would.

If you notice the blue foam against the far wall, you'll have a hint of what the headboard/lift will look like. It's too tall and I haven't even begun that project in earnest, but I did get what I hope is the remainder of the parts this weekend.

I picked up a breakaway battery -- AGM 12volt, 5 ah at 1.5 amps. It does run the lift motor. And I will be able to test lights as I wire them up. Since everything going into BUB is LED, I could conceivably use a couple of these little batteries and have my 12volt system rocking and rolling without the weight penalty of a larger battery.



I have one more weekend before Gall Bladder surgery and then I'm out of commission for a bit. I hope to use next weekend to fix the wall and maybe get to build a bit on the lift. I'm excited about it; if it works like it does in my head; it will be almost magic. While I'm recovering and cannot lift stuff; I intend to work on the electrical parts and bits. At least testing things. This is so exciting to see the project actually taking shape.

[KCStudly]

Zowie, those cushions came out great. Great choice on the fabric. Lots of flare and very practical. I like.

[bonnie]

Zowie, those cushions came out great. Great choice on the fabric. Lots of flare and very practical. I like.

Thank you. That really encourages me.

[GPW]

Coolest cushions we’ve seen around these parts in some time !!! Going all LED makes such good sense .... small batteries too (easy) , and a small inexpensive solar panel would probably keep them topped off just fine ... low amp draw of LEDs and all !!!
Good luck with your surgery !!! ... new surgical techniques make for a quick recovery ... That and the health insurance companies’ “ expediters " who want you out of the hospital as quick as possible ...

[eaglesdare]

Good luck on your surgery! I had mine removed and I must be a whimp, because I did not recover as fast as others I know. But please do as the doctor says and do not lift anything, not even that gallon of milk. I ended up with a hernia on the top incision (there were 4 incisions for the gall bladder surgery), and then had to have surgery for the hernia. Get as much done now as you can on that bub.

[bonnie]

Coolest cushions we’ve seen around these parts in some time !!! Going all LED makes such good sense .... small batteries too (easy) , and a small inexpensive solar panel would probably keep them topped off just fine ... low amp draw of LEDs and all !!!
Good luck with your surgery !!! ... new surgical techniques make for a quick recovery ... That and the health insurance companies’ “ expediters " who want you out of the hospital as quick as possible ...

GPW, thanks! Means a lot coming from you. With your artist's eye and all, what would you recommend for the wall color? I'll key everything off the colors. Had even thought about a very light grey. And this girl is wanting the day surgery method. With everything you can catch at the hospital right now, I don't want to stay any longer than needed.

[GPW]

Bonnie , re: wall color ... I’d pick one of the colors you have in your cushions and match that... You could always tone it down a bit so it becomes the background and lets those cushions really show off ...

Just a little info about color, for when you go to the paint store ... say you pick that pretty purple -ish red in the cushion fabric for your wall color ... Painting a wall with that “saturated” a color would be a bit much ... but mixing them down makes a big difference ... Once you find your color match at the paint store (those little cards /color chips ) there will be lighter or different versions of your color .. The thing is to know what to ask for ...
A TINT is the color , mixed with white ...
A TONE is a color mixed with Gray...
A SHADE is the color mixed with Black ...
They each have their differences , some being a very subtle (grayed) version of your original color (Tones) ... which naturally would complement your most Excellent cushions to the Max!!!

As I may have mentioned in the past , I usually paint my walls a very light grayed Purple , same as the Art museums do .... Purple being neither a warm nor cool color , shows most every other color off very well ... Looks GREAT behind any of my Art (paintings) ... in the light of day the walls look a bit purple-ish’ , at night a neutral Gray...The yellowish home lighting cancels out the purple ... Just sayin’ !!!

[KCStudly]

Exactly what GPW said.

My wife and I have found that when we paint a room, if we get the same color cut in half with white for the ceiling it ties the whole thing together really well without getting too overwhelming or dark.

You could do the same for your walls. Pick a color match from one of your highlight colors and have them make a sample with half white.

Believe it or not, I was actually thinking a very pale tint of the pink would tie in great and keep your interior bright and open feeling. (No wise cracks from the peanut gallery, please.)

With that fabric you could take a few cues from Doug Hodder's builds and do a fabulous deco theme inside. (I know, easy for me to say. )

[wagondude]

(No wise cracks from the peanut gallery, please.)

Like anyone would crack wise at a guy that could hit them with a punkin from just about anywhere.