go ahead, call me crazy !

[dave campbell]

hey OP8---yes thinking about them. baby steps bro. i'm hemorrhaging money on this ! getting 20 dollarsd'd to death on all those this's and thats----- i will tentatively try the axle as-is and let my gut be the judge until i recoupe some funds. anyways many months to go before she's done

[dave campbell]

you've all seen it before but it IS another phase in the journey---
axle and springs reattached to chassis----the springs are spray-painted w/ tremclad 'aluminum' rust paint
chassis flipped back and ready for a new body
most likely some bearing work in the future but i'm only concerned with getting things ready for the transplant tomorrow night

ready for a top.JPG (56.98 KiB) Viewed 2507 times

nice and clean.JPG (56.69 KiB) Viewed 2507 times

[dave campbell]

well-----here i am. started building the construction platform on or around july 14........from drawing to model to real thing.

living the dream !!

plans 2.JPG (45.84 KiB) Viewed 2470 times

frame model 1.JPG (67.38 KiB) Viewed 2470 times

episode four a new hope.JPG (52.42 KiB) Viewed 2430 times

[dave campbell]

episode four a new hope 2.JPG (61.73 KiB) Viewed 2430 times

[Irmo Atomics]

What part of the world do you live in? I'd love to be able to see your camper in person one day. And thanks for all the pictures, it's a blast to watch it come together.
Bob

[dave campbell]

What part of the world do you live in? I'd love to be able to see your camper in person one day. And thanks for all the pictures, it's a blast to watch it come together.
Bob

wow bob nice campers ! we love those shastas--loads of character. that may have been our second choice for a build......
we are up in canada. southern tip of vancouver island just about 20 miles from port angeles washington. pretty far from the carolinas !

[dales133]

Looking good dave whats your next step?

[noseoil]

Dave, looking really good now. I can see more people doing one now that you're showing how it's done. Looks great on the frame!

[dave campbell]

Looking good dave whats your next step?

next step ?--- weld the two together
next step after that ? ummmmmm........ how about install the floor. ya that's it. also i will be starting the card-board templating in preparation for aluminum, gathering PEX tubing for wire conduit, and dialing in the wooden ribs. (i have to countersink about 90 screws, as i just quickly installed them to hold on the 1/4"x 1 ply strips. i found that if i drove them home, the thin plywood strips usually just split----so i just screwed them in enough to hold the stips in place and play with the curvature a bit while the glue dried )

i like to say that this was good planning for ( some wee over the wheel drawers ?) but more than likely a combo of bad math and caution. it works well with the height of the bed (15") but i could have made these a bit lower and built up with something lighter...

well.JPG (62.66 KiB) Viewed 2442 times

not quite what i intended back here but it works. ideally the two bars would be one on top of the other....

a little short.JPG (49.61 KiB) Viewed 2442 times

one more angle

cage on frame--another angle.JPG (73.82 KiB) Viewed 2442 times

[dales133]

Nice!
Have a look out for something like this http://www.bunnings.com.au/p-n-10g-quic ... t_p6370310

You might want it in a smaller gague though
Or this http://www.bunnings.com.au/p-n-12g-quic ... -_p6320596.
I use both at work and they will drill into steel numerous time for a pilot hole plus countersink for you no probs.
What glue are you using?

[dave campbell]

Dave, looking really good now. I can see more people doing one now that you're showing how it's done. Looks great on the frame!

thanks noseoil !! it is sure taking some getting used to though. my initial response to the added height was chagrin. after seeing it on the ground for so long i grew used to the height of it---felt more stretched than up on the frame. it's a giant friggin' toaster---no wait it's an iron----doh !! as for more people doing a build like this ? it would be great to see some improvements on the build technique !!

[dave campbell]

Nice!
Have a look out for something like this http://www.bunnings.com.au/p-n-10g-quic ... t_p6370310

What glue are you using?

good looking bit, dales. i'll probably just use a regular 1/4" bit as it needn't be pretty. the glue is PL PREMIUM polyurethane construction adhesive (comes in a tube). good for steel, wood, brick, foam, PVC, granite, etc...it says on the tube to remove standing frost before application--so i knew it would be ok for dry wood to steel ! heck it might even do aluminum to foam--- i should do a test.....

[dales133]

Yea you should be good with that.

Not sure we get it here i mostly use sikaflex or armourflex.
Used 7 tubes of sikaflex today....spendy

[OP827]

... heck it might even do aluminum to foam--- i should do a test.....

In my tests of gluing rigid XPS foam, the PL premium was the best among GS, TB2 and house paint. If you need a good strong hold, the pre-drilled ~1/4" diam. and deep holes in foam filled with PLP will play a role of nails or embedments that will greatly improve the holding strength of aluminum to foam. My gut feeling the PLP polyurethane glue is probably one of the the best for aluminum and foam combination, but I am not an expert, so testing is in order here. I also like longer working time with PLP in comparison to TB2. BTW, Rowerwet used that PLP "nails" technique in his foamie build - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1112141905468256.1073741863.613242395358212&type=3.

Your trailer is looking great and coming up real quick! You make fast but good decisions and moving on quickly.

[McGuffin]

Hi Dave,

That's a real work of art. It is a pity in a way to cover up all that lattice of steel so beautifully wrought!

I can also see some similarities with Viking shipbuilding:



Congratualtions and well done



Where is the original one that you are replicating and where was it built?

Larry