Raven's Nest update 12/28/2021

[Staryder61]

Hang in there David,

I too thought my build would be one year. After the first anniversary came in and went, I resided myself to getting it done on teardrop time.

Enjoy the build and don't let it become work.

Take care,
Tom

Oh, I'm hangin' in there.. Haven't lost interest in it... still enjoy working on it..

[Staryder61]

I'm catching up after being out for a few weeks. Looks like you're doing well. Hang in there. I thought I'd be done in three months and it's been 14. And still more little things to do. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Still, working on it, little things while I wait for all this rain to move out.. At least when the rain does move out, it's going to start being cooler for you, Tom, and me.. Thanks for the offer to help...

[Staryder61]

All Gave Some, Some Gave All, Thank You....

Well, up early this morning, sitting down to go over the forum as I do several days a week. Saw the date on this computer. I realized that today, it has been 1 year and 12 days since I started this project..
Planning on it was several months before, first in my head. Then came talking it over with my wife, and agreeing to go ahead with it. Sketch after sketch of a design. Changing this or that. Settling on a final design.
Started ordering different things for it. Trailer became available. So, off to a good start..
Set a tentative date to have it campable.. and worked toward that date..
As life would have it, that date came and went..
Whether it was my health or the weather, the date changed.. kept working on it when I could.. so one gathering came and went and then another one....
Have never lost interest in working on it.. only realized that I had set my goal to high on when to have it campable or finished..
Several people on this forum have told me, "It's not a race", "Work on it when you can", "Enjoy the build" etc.

A year later, I'm still working on it when I can.. Still enjoy working on it.. We are not campable as of yet.. Though, it is closer...
I have no deadlines set to have it finished, it will be ready and finished when it's completed..
Weather's changing once again, getting colder.. which will determine when I can work on it.. knowing what I have to do depends on a good temperature, for things to set up and dry right, such as gluing and any finishing (staining and sealing) of the wood that needs to be completed..

We'll see you all sometime this next year.. friends.. and enjoy the times we do.. setting around a campfire talking about this or that..

Wishing y'all good health, a great start to the holiday season.... and through the holidays..

Enjoy the Holidays and be Safe.. David

[swoody126]

LIFE, HEALTH, WEATHER...

all elements which bear down on us during major projects

we can succumb to frantically FINISHING ON SCHEDULE

or we can ENJOY THE PROCESS by doing what we can when we are in the mood and have the luxury of time to do it

today i find it takes 3x the amount of time todo what i used2 be able todo

and SO BE IT

ENJOY THE PROCESS doing it YOUR WAY @ YOUR SPEED

sw

[Staryder61]

Exactly sw, the enjoying it is what keeps me going when things get in the way...
looking forward to the times I am able to work on it..
and as you say, takes longer now to do things than it did in the past.. that comes some with age..
I look at what I have finished on it, and think oh WOW, I've come that far.. very pleased with it for not rushing any more on it. Just taking my time...
Will have plenty of time to enjoy it when it's completed enough to use it.. knowing it will probably never really be finished.. knowing me... will use it, then change this or that..

[clamlamp]

I'm still following David, don't get discouraged!

[Staryder61]

I'm still following David, don't get discouraged!

Hey there Paul, glad to hear from you..

Oh, I'm not discouraged.. I just do a reality check once in a awhile..
Has been beautiful out here the past couple days, and would have been a great time to worked on the tear. If the temp hadn't hit a low of 26 degrees for our area. It'll warm back up before we know it around here..
The tear is tucked away in the shop and ready to be worked on, when everything allows time for it to happen.. no worries here...

[Mr. Lahey]

I'll say this, you sure got further along in your first year than I did. By a long shot. I severely underestimated how long my teardrop would take me.

A long list of reasons slowed me down. Designing things as I went was a huge time sink. Factor in that this was my first build, so I was clueless to many techniques I learned along the way. Other more important priorities in life stopped work a whole summer or two.

I too tell others who ask it will be done when it is done. I was lucky and made great progress this past summer. If I have as much luck next season I may have it to the point where I can camp in it. Time will tell.

Losing the deadline and building on teardrop time is a smart move. I still enjoy every time I get a chance to work on it. Glad to see you do too.

Keep pluggin" !!

[Staryder61]

Wow, has it really been 8 months since a posting.. ? This happened, that happened, and some more of this....

Well, the teardrop and us are still here.. Glad to see other friends are too..
So away we go....

Here's what we have going on right now with the tear..

She's out from under the mothballs so to speak and ready to have things done on her..

Have started to work on the outside skins again, this time the front of the cabin...

Training the plywood to take the curve... let it set for two days..



Re-checked all the wiring,, Insulated then glued, stapled and clamped the front cabin skins on.. cut the skins over sized on the sides, so they could be trimmed later with a flush cut router bit.. just knew if I cut them too fit, they would walk (shift) when applying and be off on the sides...



Next came time to start on the hatch skins..

The tear was moved out side to work the hatch skins, while the hatch was still in place on the tear.. that way I would know it was square and tight to the opening, where it should be.. and not allow for any twisting of the frame work.. the hatch is attached temporarily with regular butt hinges,, where the galley hinge will be.. and the hatch screwed in place under the opening of the galley.. where the screws can be removed after the skinning is complete..





Was going to build my own door for the tear, though after everything sitting in the shop for awhile (cold, hot, humidity), the parts for the door warped really bad... so checked to see what was available and caught this door on sale and no shipping cost..



will fit the opening I allowed for the other door, with minor cuts here and there.. will have to paint it.. oh well.... and it has the screen door inside it..

[clamlamp]

Glad to see you are still going strong! Better late then never!

[S. Heisley]

You're on teardrop time! Enjoy every moment and don't think twice about the time it takes you. You're still going and you haven't given up. That's good. You're getting close to done and will be camping soon! I used to think that when something bad happened, it was a sign that I was on the right track. A little silly, maybe, but it worked for me. Nice buy on that door!

[Staryder61]

Hey there Sharon and Paul,, Thank you both.. great to see you both around on here...

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I'll have that one with you Paul.. oh, and BTW,, I'm not late.. I'm fashionably delayed..
I have been watching from the background, just a little.. while not being able to work on ours..
Can always use new ideas that arise on here.. How's that PMF holding up, Paul?

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Sharon, I always enjoy the time working on things.. and the time it takes me, now that's another thing..
When working, I spent my career, meeting one deadline or another.. decided I wasn't doing that specially one this project.

Sharon quote:: " I used to think that when something bad happened, it was a sign that I was on the right track. A little silly, maybe, but it worked for me."

Not silly at all.. I used to work with someone that said. "If nothing happens, I'm not getting anything done."

Well, I'm back and going to get things done as I can..

Hot right now,, so cooler weather will be around the corner,, and will make for good camping..
See some of ya out there soon, Hopefully..

[Mr. Lahey]

Nice to see your progress update. Keep chuggin along! A long list of reasons got me off to a late start working on mine this season. So my completion date is ???? It's a good thing teardrop time is so flexible, expandable, pliable, elastic, and easily altered. I know this for sure. Some of my best time is spent working on my camper. I hope the same is true for you.

[Staryder61]

Nice to see your progress update. Keep chuggin along! A long list of reasons got me off to a late start working on mine this season. So my completion date is ???? It's a good thing teardrop time is so flexible, expandable, pliable, elastic, and easily altered. I know this for sure. Some of my best time is spent working on my camper. I hope the same is true for you.

Nice to see you pop in here also.. have been watching yours.. seems we are both on the same side of the coin,, working the out side..
I can watch your progress with the PMF now.. I'll go along with your completion date ????

The delay did help me out.. I almost forgot that the hatch will have to be removable.. and hadn't allowed for the wiring to disconnect.. now I have plugs available to disconnect the wiring when needed..

Oh yes, I love working on this little thing, it's very relaxing for me to work on it.. and also knowing the fun times it will bring when it's almost finished.. (Considering everyone says they are never completely finished)

So, let's keep chuggin and we'll get'em done, when they are to be done..

[Staryder61]

Just a small update here...
Still in the teardrop process..

Working on the skinning.. hatch is what's going on right now..


I started on the bottom part of the hatch while it was still on the teardrop..
To hold it's shape and stay square..

Then removed it to work on the top part of the hatch skin,,, it is still holding it's shape..


And I believe because of the shape of my struts.. I am not getting any spring back applying the skins..