Skin help please

[Ira]

Steven--there's no way you're any worse than me. Plus, I had to build mine outside (no garage), and I didn't even have a table saw or pocket jig--the latter of which I didn't even know what it was. (And I STILL don't have this stuff.)

So I REALLY agree with what Rick said above--don't skimp on the finishing. That can be the EASIEST part and hide a lot of mistakes.

For instance, I used thin side walls and framed, not solid. So when I was attaching the spars through the walls, I wasn't at all concerned about recessing the screw heads, filling in, etc., to get a perfect finish for later painting or epoxy. I knew I was just gonna lay additional wood paneling on it, hiding all of that mess. (That's a beaded birch skin on my sides, spar varnished.)

Same for the inside:

My framing didn't have to be perfectly vertical, the cuts for the framing along the curve of the roof didn't have to be 100%, because again, I was laying another skin over that. And if the roof skin didn't perfectly meet at the tops with wall skins in the corners (do they EVER?), I used manilla rope as trim to hide.

The point is, if you're going through the effort to build a strong, structurally sound unit--which you are--you might as well make it pretty. Or at least kewl. (That's how some folks spell it here.)

I myself CAN'T build cabinets or drawers--so I DIDN'T. My cabin storage is pitiful, nothing more than 2 glorified shelves with curtains that give the illusion of cabinets. In my galley, I used 3 portholes leading to one large common storage area--no drawers, nothing fancy.

But there are a whole bunch of little things you can do that don't require skill that can make your TD so unique. Your choice of curtains, lamps, adornments, etc.

And what you said above is so correct:

It is the KEWLEST feeling to just hop into this thing at the end of the day, get under the covers, maybe leave a lamp on, and watch a DVD or listen to music and go to sleep in comfort.

[Tripmaker]

I bought 1/8" 5x5 birch at HD for $7.00 a sheet. They had 2 pallets they had special ordered for someone that they couldn't sell but had a partial pallet of it that had damage on one edge. Since my inside width is 58.5" I cut off the damage. The slight damage to the edge for the outside roof panels didn't matter as I covered it with AL. The bottom line is that HD can order it for you.

[amandastevenisbet]

i got enough of it yesterday to do the entire inside, outside & hatch. The price tag said $15.99 a sheet. The grain was the right direction but the sheet was cut 3x8. I will cut them and make it work. The good news is when I paid for them they rung up at $6.00 a sheet. I went out and bought two WM battery powered fans (that can also be wired to 12v), and a Fantastic roof vent ($22.00 for a returned one) with the left over money. Now I'm off to build more.

[amandastevenisbet]

Ira
Thanks for the little pep talk. It really got me going again.
Steven