Do you ever have one of those days? and...

[oklahomajewel]

Seems like I've been out there fiddling with the Jewel Box build both yesterday and today but haven't gotten anything done. To the point of aggravation, or I'm just ready to slap the thing together and get this baby on the road. Trying to get things together for the Missouri campout in a dadgum tent again *#$&! that's why I want a teardrop!!!

Now I know why some people have worked on their teardrops for months! or years! Hopefully my neighbor Phil will be back and rested from his vacation and will help me with this *&#@$&Y!!!!! electrical and the cabinet shelf.

'think I'll go get a margarita tonite!

Julie

[madjack]

...I know it's hard but....patience grasshoppah, patience...... ....................................

[mikeschn]

'think I'll go get a margarita tonite!

Julie

Have one for me too! And ditto what MJ says... Patience!!!

Mike...

[oklahomajewel]

Thanks for the sympathy, I'm sure others have been there. I did get the fender bolt holes drilled, but not lined up and drilled thru the walls yet. Ran the 14 gauge wire for the reading lights, the roof vent (future) and the cabin light. Tried to sorta figure out how to travel the wires to the fuse box.

I was just hoping to get TONS more done this weekend. Before you know it , it will be the July 4 weekend and that is going to be a four day weekend for me so I hope to have the Jewel Box enclosed by then!!!

okay, two margaritas it is.

[EZ]

Julie, we must remain calm. I have 2 kids harrassing me daily about going camping since the weather has been around 80 and sunny for weeks. I cranked out the interior but finishing the exterior and the other 100 details are really getting me down.

Possibly continually drinking margaritas during the build will smooth the process......

I'll camp when I am done, no sooner. No tent.

Ed

[doug hodder]

Julie...it's tough sometimes...thinking you are going to get a lot done and it just doesn't happen. I know I'm getting burned out on mine, but I also know that if you just "slap it together" down the road you aren't going to be happy, cuz you will always know what you shortcut..and for me that bugs me. It might be as simple as wire a light tonight, wire another one tomorrow after work and plan the big stuff for a day off...also start a punch list of items you want done...the gotta haves, the I would likes, and the can wait till laters...don't get discouraged however...when it's all said and done...the satisfaction is worth the hassle....just my thoughts...Doug

[48Rob]

Julie,

In general, the trailers are simple, but the thought processes that are required to get all those simple pieces to fit together are not.

Most folks go through up and down stages while constructing a trailer, or other big (that takes more than a weekend or two) project.

After the excitement of discovering they are able to install the floor and sides in just a day or two, one begins to get a false sense of the true time line.
It is easy to "dream big" and begin to think that "this project is really going to fly".

Parts of such a project do, though many parts do not.
While one day you might check several items off your to-do list, the next may be spent doing nothing more than trying to think a problem through, or doing some minor chore that turns out to blow the whole day (trashing your schedule and leaving you feeling like you've failed).

But you have not failed, you have just gained a better understanding of the process, and are now better equipped to deal with the next...opportunity


As Doug and others pointed out, in the end, done right, it is all worth it

Rob

[oklahomajewel]

hahaha You guys are so cool ! If you were here in my workshop, things would probably have gotten done !!! haha

I'm learning that it helps to just walk away sometimes and then go back and look at something else. Invariably, when I come inside, take a shower , check the forum, watch some TV and have a snack then what ever was bugging me turns into a "oh! that's right, that's how to do it"

The margarita was a bit strong, but the chicken tacos were good. I dropped by Lowe's on the way home and thought of how I will hide my wires, it'll be easy to hide and protect them. Not a shortcut.

Okay, things will get back to normal soon....

hahaha
OH! and EZ, I said I wouldn't go tent camping again either but I'm just dying to get outta town and those MO KAN folks are good people.

julie

[Juneaudave]

Great post!!! Speed (and one's capability to build one quickly) vrs. Personal Satisfaction (for those of us that aren't quite so quick).

After building my first canoe, I've found that there is always something you can do better...After building several boats, I've found that they all meet my expectations if I didn't compromise my sense of what was acceptable.

I'm sure that my Tear will meet my expectations, with the help of all the T&TTT members, it might even exceed my expectations!!!....Juneaudave

[swissarmygirl]

I've spent much time just down in my garage staring at my tear, wondering how am I gonna do this? How am I gonna make this work? Hmmm...what if I did it this way or that way?
Or sometimes I like to just sit inside it and drink beer.

I like to think that it's all a part of the process.

[Ira]

This weekend, I installed my galley counter and sink, reskinned a few of the surfaces with fresh luan, stained and varnished them, and installed my wagon wheel on the hatch.

And I STILL thought the weekend sucked:

I now see that I have to remove my side galley trim (the angle stuff that follows the cyrve of the galley sides), reskin the sides of the galley, and then buy new hatch trim and install THAT. It just looks crappy now,

One step forward, two steps back.

[Micro469]

I've spent much time just down in my garage staring at my tear, wondering how am I gonna do this? How am I gonna make this work? Hmmm...what if I did it this way or that way?
Or sometimes I like to just sit inside it and drink beer.

I like to think that it's all a part of the process.

I have the same thing... and then the wife want the hallway retiled, a new counterrop in the kitchen, the lawn cut, the lawn fertilized.............. you know the rest.... I'll nver get to the tear.

[Gerald_G]

Yesterday I had a moment too.

I had finished narrowing all the cross members on the frame. Started laying out the floor joists (which run length wise in my plan), and decided to add a joist since I plan on using 3/4" material for the floor rather than 1" which was factory.

Started making the smaller pieces around the wheel wells, and realized that on the first attempt, I forgot that the pieces had to overlap, so it was exactly the lenght of the gap I was filling, so 3" too short. I made a second one, and went to install it, and found it 1.5" too long. You'd think this would be a good thing, so I trimmed it, and still don't know how, but by cutting off 1.5" it went from 1.5" too long to 1.5" too short again !

At this point I decided the sun was getting to me and I'd better take a break.

Almost ready to start laying down flooring !

[cracker39]

We all have those days when nothing seems to get done. And, then, there's the other side...things got done, but not done well enough and have to be redone. That's where I am now. Like Ira said, one step forward, two steps back. As it is too hot for camping anyway, I have all summer to do it.

I thought my varnish sealing of the skin was good enough, but nope...it warn't.

I thought one coat of paint was good enough...nope, it warn't.

I thought I could do without trim on the edges...nope, I cain't.

It's too late for epoxy sealing, which I highly recommend now (or more coats of varnish than I used). So, it is back to sanding and priming some areas, installing trim, and repainting the entire cabin at least one more coat of enamel, and on the front two coats for insurance. But, by dang, I'll get it right this time.

[Miriam C.]

Thanks! I feel so much better.
I used all my glue and had to go to HD for the third time today. Bought the gallon this time.

The black goo I thought was cured stuck the floor to the trailer, really stuck. Fortunately Mike thought to orient it where it goes so he could decide if he wanted to sleep at the front or back. (he really loves it)

I just wanna go camping.
Aunti M