Australian Retro Rambler

[swoody126]

"it was so simple like the jitterbug it plumb evaded me" (Jimmy Buffett in God's Own Drunk)

sw

[edgeau]

Looks like it works a treat


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

"it was so simple like the jitterbug it plumb evaded me" (Jimmy Buffett in God's Own Drunk)

sw

I like simple

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[MickinOz]

Hey edge, thanks for the greeting in the Newbie section.
You build diary is one of the reasons I wanted to join the forum.

I was hoping to ask a few questions.
It looks like you used one of those Easytrailers out of Melbourne?

Things that kinda sorta maybe bother me:
Are those pressed steel couplers any good? They look a little light to me.
Are the 12 inch wheels up to the task?
Any trouble with the trailer frame itself?

My head says it would all be find, but after a lifetime of using "proper" Aussie style trailer hitches, and welding things back together after they've been cracked on our terrible roads..............

Regards,
Mick

[edgeau]

Hey edge, thanks for the greeting in the Newbie section.
You build diary is one of the reasons I wanted to join the forum.

I was hoping to ask a few questions.
It looks like you used one of those Easytrailers out of Melbourne?

Things that kinda sorta maybe bother me:
Are those pressed steel couplers any good? They look a little light to me.
Are the 12 inch wheels up to the task?
Any trouble with the trailer frame itself?

My head says it would all be find, but after a lifetime of using "proper" Aussie style trailer hitches, and welding things back together after they've been cracked on our terrible roads..............

Regards,
Mick

I had similar reservations about the hitch. I even had a proper one on hand to swap to. But so far so good. I have done several 3hr runs at 110km on highways with no issue. I have not done extensive dirt roads.

The wheels are going fine but I do intend to carry a spare bearing set because it is not the standard Holden or Ford type you would pick up anywhere.

The frame is solid as but some powder coating on the wheel arches is starting to peel a bit so will need some paint soon. The only real issue I have is the form ply bed was in the weather for the first 12 months and is delaminating a bit.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

Next milestone complete! I have the hatch lining in and lights wired. Yup might notice in the picture a pair of wire snippers and a screwdriver stuck randomly on the liner. This is thanks to rare Earth magnets scavenged from old computer hard drives. I attached 18 of them to the inside of the ply to create a magic knife block. They are powerful enough to work through 4mm ply quite nicely.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

I have been busy with other projects around the house like some major landscaping. I have had some opportunity to do a few small things. A spot for paper towels and a french cleat ready for side table attachment.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

I knocked together a prototype side table with adjustable leg from some packing crate scrap and the remains of an old aluminum slat table. I am so pleased with the result I am wondering if I should just sand and varnish this, skip buying "nice" wood.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

I did skip the nice wood for this but I did buy some for the other side.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

Major modification time. My poor old gas fridge died on the most recent trip. It is not supposed to have two flames! The whole galley was designed around accommodating the fridge and Webber Q BBQ


As you can see it is pretty much a cube shape



Well they don't make these any more and I would like a 12v Compressor fridge anyway so I can run it while towing. The trouble is
1. they are all a very different shape so physically fitting it will be interesting.
2. My electrical system was designed for a few LED lights, a fan and charging phones etc. Even though I oversized it for that it probably won't handle a fridge. So probably bigger battery, more solar watts and a new charge controller needed.



Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

I will start with number 2 here as I am running an experiment to get data on redesigning the electrics.
I have purchased the new fridge based on it's dimensions. More on that later. The specs say it draws 3.75A when running the compressor buy how much does it need to run? I want to know how many Ah it will consume.
I am starting by running on AC house power to get it down to temp as that is what we do before each trip anyway. I have also loaded it with 6 milk bottles full of water to simulate the thermal load of food.


It took an hour to go from 17deg C to 3 deg. So that is pretty impressive. Mind you we usually camp in over 30deg ambient temperature.

Next is to hook it up to a neat power meter I picked up at Jaycar that as well as real time info shows Ah used since started.




Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[MickinOz]

Hey edge. Now the fun starts, What brand of fridge did you end up with?

[edgeau]

The Brass Monkey

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

While the experiment goes it is time to look at options to physically fit the fridge. This is a lesson in not trusting the manufacturer's specifications!

I have exactly 480mm between the floor and the underside of the bench. The specs on the web (and in the manual) have the height at 475mm. Hmm tight but doable. I would have to ditch the plywood drawer and use 3mm metal leaving 1mm clearance top and bottom. You don't get much finer than that!

When I get it home and unbox I find it won't fit! The other half helpfully suggests that the wheels must be the issues. As I am looking at the setup and trying to figure out how to take them off the axel I find the whole axel just clips in and out.



Cool, It now slides in but one side touches the bench. The lid has a strange wedge shape moulded in to it.



I need another 5mm! I thought about shaving the wedge off but there are 2 issues with that. It is probably just foam under a plastic shell and I would mess with the warranty.


Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[edgeau]

The next option considered was to remove some thickness off the underside of the bench. Too dangerous to use a router upside down in a confined space and I worry about reducing the strength of the bench. So a slide out is not going to happen or will it....?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk