#4

[twisted lines]

Enjoying your build more then mine

The sale is back on for the solar panel by the way! I liked the next size up but can't afford batteries for it.

[tony.latham]

The sale is back on for the solar panel by the way!

Amazon's prices are a funny thing. I don't know if it's driven by inventory or some other factor. I've got eyes on several products through the CamelCamelCamel website. Waiting for a deal. I certainly wasn't in need for that panel but $30 is $30.

Tony

[tony.latham]

I managed to get the first wall attached.



I had a little sag in the floor that I missed when I did the dry test fit. Thus the clamps. That'll not happen on the next wall.

Our fourteen-year-old pup was a huge help.



Tony

[Louisd75]

Making good progress! I just used up the last of the funds from selling the Propex to buy the 100watt kit (panel, cables, controller) direct from Renogy. They've got a sale on at the moment that's cheaper than the 'zon. Should be there by the end of our trip

Are you going to be camping in #4 by the end of this season?

[tony.latham]

Are you going to be camping in #4 by the end of this season?

Absolutely. But today I'll be sitting in the shop watching poly dry after I dry-fit the bulkheads.

I was going to mount my Renogy PMW controller on the bulkhead facing the galley so I could keep an eye on production. But I got the $38 Bluetooth module and can access the information from my phone now. So I'll bury it below the countertop.

That's Plan B.

I was planning on a master disconnect switch but If I shut the battery off while the panel is producing, Renogy says it'll damage the controller. I'll still mount a 20-watt panel on my tongue box but I'll kick that can down the road for now.

Tony

[tony.latham]

Bulkhead Day.



Steph will be home tonight and hopefully, we can at least dry-fit the other wall. I need to get my butt to the lumberyard and order some poplar for ribs.



Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

Steph will be home tonight and hopefully, we can at least dry-fit the other wall. I need to get my butt to the lumberyard and order some poplar for ribs.

Tony

Bet you'll be ahead of us by next weekend Tony!

Tom

[tony.latham]

Bet you'll be ahead of us by next weekend Tony!

Nope, I don't see that happening. So the bet is on.

I walked into the lumberyard this afternoon and asked the manager if he could order poplar. A quck phone call and the question was, "how much?" Then we got into the weeds of trying to figure out how many boards I would need.

They'll be five 1 x 7 1/2" x 10' here tomorrow night. Nothing like the personal service of a small-town lumberyard.



And here's the action shot from this evening:





Tony

[tony.latham]

Nothing sexy enough for a time-lapse. I managed to get the galley spar on and dry fitted the countertop that extends into the cabin to act as the lower shelf.

But I did monkey with the galley layout.



The battery will fit behind the jug and the stove above it. The Propex heater fits behind the cooler nice and tidy.

Here's the grand plan:



It'll work.

Tony

[tony.latham]

Countertop brackets. I built and installed them while watching poly dry on the shelves.



I think it's important to tie the galley portion of the walls together with the countertop. My old Hunter teardrop had issues with this.

In the past, I've glued and screwed a block of wood to the walls and then did the same with the countertop. On this build, I decided to save space using aluminum angle for the stove and drawer that blocks would interfere with.

The countertop will be bolted to these brackets with 5 #10 machine screws. I'll also put in a few pocket holes on the bottom of this piece where it extends into the cabin to form a shelf.

Strength is good.

Tony

[tony.latham]

Countertop installation and dry-fitting the upper shelf.



Easy-peasy.

Tony

[KTM_Guy]

Looking good. I've taken some time off with the tear to just use it and figure out what we need to finish. I'll be back at it again with a few changes. one will be switching the Timbren to 3500# from the 2000#. Another problem We have been having trouble with the Jeep throwing an engine code pulling in the mountains, so far new cam and lifters. The second trip back was a left side head, the third time back was a computer update. Can't wait to go back up to the mountains to see if it's fixed. We are staying home this weekend. To many amateurs out this weekend.

Todd

[tony.latham]

Looking good. I've taken some time off with the tear to just use it and figure out what we need to finish. I'll be back at it again with a few changes. one will be switching the Timbren to 3500# from the 2000#. Another problem We have been having trouble with the Jeep throwing an engine code pulling in the mountains, so far new cam and lifters. The second trip back was a left side head, the third time back was a computer update. Can't wait to go back up to the mountains to see if it's fixed. We are staying home this weekend. To many amateurs out this weekend.

Todd

Good grief on the Jeep.

And I agree on avoiding the hills right now. I was thinking about your build today while I was bolting the countertop to the walls ––the way you set that threaded rod all the way through under the countertop. Strength is good.

Tony

[tony.latham]

Headboard slider rails today. I made these from left-over oak from the hatch spar fabrication.



Here's what they look like from my Sketchup file (winter weather is good for something):



Obviously, the top rail grooves need to be at least twice as deep as the bottom rails.

Rockler sells 5' length of this stuff but I found them fairly easy to mill out on the table saw.

Tony

[tony.latham]

Glassed the doors. Set the upper bulkhead and the top shelf.





Going to crank on some electrical junk this afternoon.

I'm going to have to face up to the fact that I need to glue up the headliner and varnish about a million square feet of its surface soon.



Tony