M116A3 Build

[lfhoward]

Some significant progress today on the passengers side door!

Where we started:


Routing out the door opening:


It looks like a door now! Better get it sealed before tonight's rain!


Aluminum trim cut, drilled, sikaflexed and screwed into place.


Door attached.


Drip cap installed.


The foam gasket is nice and even on this side. Look at those tolerances!


And everything buttoned up. Looks like we will survive the rain after all.


I also had some door catches to install.


They're on.


They keep the door from slamming open in the wind, and also hold it in place.


All of this accomplished and a bad sunburn. It was 97 F in the shade today.

[featherliteCT1]

Looks good and water tight.

[lfhoward]

Looks good and water tight.

Thanks!!

I think you responded before I had the text written! But yes, we have 5 days of rain beginning tomorrow with a flash flood watch. Glad it's going to be watertight.

[lfhoward]

Excited!! My Shademaker awning and awning room have arrived. I’ll get them installed on the trailer on Wednesday.

. <— Not sure if this emoji conveys excitement or if he just really really needs to visit the rest room.

[lfhoward]

It’s a bit confusing that I have Propex heater related posts mixed in with other developments, but today I found a lightly used 3.3 gallon Manchester tank from a VW Westfalia camper van in really good condition. I purchased it and it should be here in not too long!

Here is the ad for as long as it stays up:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds ... id=2388098

The little tank should fit nicely under the side of the camper so the fill valve will be easily accessible. I’ll post pictures once it arrives.

[tony.latham]

I have Propex heater..

Did you get it fired up yet?

Tony

[lfhoward]

I have Propex heater..

Did you get it fired up yet?

Tony

Not yet! The propane tank I just bought will come with a modern 2-stage regulator, so when that gets here all I need to fire it up should be the UK to US adapter and a propane hose. However I need to see if there are any other connectors or parts I’ll need to buy. I know I need to acquire Propex hoses for the intake, exhaust, and a heated air tube & circular grill since the used Propex unit didn’t come with any of them. I also need brass pipes and elbows so that the gas intake for the heater can go through the floor. Basically I have online carts from McMaster-Carr, CamperID, and VanCafe all waiting to press go once the tank gets here and I find out what parts I do have.

What’s holding me up is all the different types of connections. POL, Acme, NPT, flared, male, female, 1/4, 3/8, Etc. It’s hard to order before I know how things fit together.

I am super curious to see if my Propex heater works! Really hope so. If not, hoping for a reasonable fix.

[tony.latham]

You’re cranking.

Maybe you’ve thought of this but you might want to take the tank to your propane place.

They may want to install a new valve in it before they fill it. There’s something about the older tanks and the valves.

I still think you should be prosecuted for shagging that Propex for a hundred bucks!

Tony

[lfhoward]

You’re cranking.

Maybe you’ve thought of this but you might want to take the tank to your propane place.

They may want to install a new valve in it before they fill it. There’s something about the older tanks and the valves.

I still think you should be prosecuted for shagging that Propex for a hundred bucks!

Tony

Thanks!

That’s good advice about the propane place and the valves. I think I’ll have them swap over the new hardware that comes with it, instead of trying to do that myself. The tank still has the original 1987 VW regulator and fill valve.



See any other red flags in this photo that should be attended to when I have the tank serviced? Should it be repainted?

[tony.latham]

You’re cranking.

Maybe you’ve thought of this but you might want to take the tank to your propane place.

They may want to install a new valve in it before they fill it. There’s something about the older tanks and the valves.

I still think you should be prosecuted for shagging that Propex for a hundred bucks!

Tony

Thanks!

That’s good advice about the propane place and the valves. I think I’ll have them swap over the new hardware that comes with it, instead of trying to do that myself. The tank still has the original 1987 VW regulator and fill valve.



See any other red flags in this photo that should be attended to when I have the tank serviced? Should it be repainted?

It LOOKS like you know what you’re doing.

T

[lfhoward]

Enjoying some camping in the Poconos! Cheers, all.

[GO_C_DAVE]

Hey guys. Don’t mean to interrupt, but I would definitely take the tank to a propane dealer. They will inspect the tank, change out any out of date parts (and) certify the tank so you have a piece of mind. I always play it safe and let the experts do their job. Good luck and happy camping nice set up BTW

[S. Heisley]

Hey guys. Don’t mean to interrupt, but I would definitely take the tank to a propane dealer. They will inspect the tank, change out any out of date parts (and) certify the tank so you have a piece of mind. I always play it safe and let the experts do their job. Good luck and happy camping nice set up BTW

From memory of my reading, propane sellers aren't supposed to fill propane tanks unless they are re-certified after a certain number of years.
If I remember correctly, from date of manufacture, it needs to be inspected and re-certified after 12 years and thereafter, every 10 years. Please google this to be certain, unless you already know. ...My 2 cents. (I may start running out of pennies. There's a coin shortage!)

[twisted lines]

Nice job on the door, I wish I could get that done in a week

Pretty much spot on with the tank check locally!
Thanks for sharing the link so I could see the manchester style had been curious, Some time ago I had a certificate for inspecting tanks
More recently I read (Last week) a contract on my father's purchase of a torch set and those tanks were to be inspected / tested every 5 Years. Scuba tanks somewhere in there 5 - 10ish as well, seen that done.
This is a good place for epoxy paint after it's cleaned tested & valve installed, not necessarily in that order.
Generally if it's clean and pretty they fill it. And it will sure help preserve it.

[lfhoward]

I brought along some of my tools while camping. I had 2 jobs in mind that I wanted to accomplish.

Job 1: Fix some compromised seals.


Part of this front seam was held together by Gorilla tape since the last trip.


Job 2: Install my new Shademaker bag awning.

This is the before pic.


And here it is with the awning installed and set up.


The awning is attached to the trailer by sliding into a C-shaped awning rail.


Im excited to have a sheltered place to cook outside when it’s raining now! Tomorrow I’m going to set up the awning room from Shademaker and we’ll see how that works.