Special kind of silicon for external wood trim?

[s4son]

Ira,

Your trailer is really looking good! Did you build your walls using the foam sandwich method described in the Kuffel plans?


Scott F.

[IraRat]

Ira,

Your trailer is really looking good! Did you build your walls using the foam sandwich method described in the Kuffel plans?


Scott F.

Well, I didn't follow the Kuffel plans all that much here.

Those plans call for 3/4 vertical sticks only for the framing on these rather thin and floppy 3/8 ply walls, but they don't specify any framing along the outer edges/perimeters of the walls. So I added that, installed 3/4 insulation, and then interior skinned with that birch.

And thanks for that extra heads up on RV Salvage, Scott! I ordered the vent today! (Okay, so kill me--no fan, just the vent and trim. $30 total, including shipping. I've been debating this in my head forever, and I leaned toward cheapness here.)

[TomS]

Lookin good there Ira.

I think you'll find that now that you've got the walls and roof skinned, things will progress a little faster. Just keep plugging away at it.

[IraRat]

Just keep plugging away at it.

You're the best, Tom--but do you mean keep plugging away like the YANKEES?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. At least you beat us 17 to 1 in that one game. But I forgot all about that since we won the other 3.

By the way--I'm more or less following the galley photos on your site to do mine and totallyignoring the Cubby plans. And if you're not now really mad at me, what's the thickness/material of your counter?

[TomS]

You're the best, Tom--but do you mean keep plugging away like the YANKEES?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. At least you beat us 17 to 1 in that one game. But I forgot all about that since we won the other 3.

I knew that was coming

By the way--I'm more or less following the galley photos on your site to do mine and totallyignoring the Cubby plans. And if you're not now really mad at me, what's the thickness/material of your counter?

No, I'm not mad. Why should I be mad? It just a stupid game that's all.

To determine the thickness of your galleycounter, take A-Rod's ERA and divide by ten, then subtract the gravitational coefficient of Uranus...

OK, Ok! My galley counter consists of 3/4 ACX ply. I laminated a Formica counter to the top and 1/4" maple ply to the bottom. The total thickness is just over an inch. I framed the lower galley before laminating the maple. So, build your lower galley frames the same height as your rear bulkhead. Actually, I had to shim the middle two lower galley frames just a tad to compensate for the sag in my floor.

[IraRat]

You're right--it IS just a stupid game.

When these players come to MY office and start cheering, "Great ad, Ira!" or "I love how you sharpened that pencil!", then I'll cheer for them as well.

I just saw your updated site and it's looking fantastic. Why did you laminate the maple on the bottom of the ply--for strength?

I have this extra sheet of that shipping ply from Boulter, and I'm thinking of using that for the counter--doubled/laminated up for strength. And also using mica or Kydex (if it's possible to buy Kydex in the first place) for the entire galley, for all surfaces. It's also possible that I may go with brass-colored ALUMINUM for all of these surfaces, for easy clean-up and such. Just don't know until it's all up and I can weigh the options/benefits of each, including wood--and more varnishing, which I'm really sick of doing and haven't even varnished the CABIN yet.

I do enjoy that orbital sander, though, and I should have taken your advice about this way back when. I love that when you turn it off, as it slows down, the centrifugal motion really makes your wrist spin round and round!

Yesterday, I landed 5 blocks away!

Finally, the way the Yankees pitching staff has been performing, they WILL eventually throw A-Rod in the bullpen.

I'm sure you meant to say BA, but you're all excited and emotional over that huge blue Coleman cooler you just installed on that great slider shelf! And yes-- I DO want a beer!

[Chris C]

IraRat, are you planning on using Kydex for horizontal surfaces in your galley?

[IraRat]

IraRat, are you planning on using Kydex for horizontal surfaces in your galley?

As you know, Chris--my plans have been pretty darn flexible. What's the negative about doing so?

[Chris C]

Kydex isn't really a countertop material. Formica, aluminum, stainless steel, and a host of other materials would make a better surface. Kydex tends to absorb stains.

[TomS]

When these players come to MY office and start cheering, "Great ad, Ira!" or "I love how you sharpened that pencil!", then I'll cheer for them as well.

I can't get away from these guys if I tried. I work for a newspaper web site.

I just saw your updated site and it's looking fantastic. Why did you laminate the maple on the bottom of the ply--for strength?

No, not for strength. I did it so it would match the the maple skins on the dividers and bulkhead walls. I want impress any chipmunk that might happen to look up at the bottom of my galley counter.

How does Kydex handle high temperatures. What would happen to it if you accidently set a hot pot on it?

BTW -- I think I let a genie the genie out of the bottle with those galley cabinets. I took my wife out to lunch after I got out of work today. She told me that she had a project in mind after I finish the tear. I asked her what it was and she wouldn't tell me. But, she said it would be obvious to me when I got home. When I got home, I fould a piece of that green formica lying on the kitchen counter.

Yesterday, I landed 5 blocks away!

Be carefull with that thing, or you'll wind up back in Munchkin land.

[Chris C]

Tom, as I mentioned to IraRat, Kydex is not really a suitable surface material...............it is plastic and would not tolerate a hot pan being laid on it. It is a injection and vacuum-formable plastic material lending itself to products such as boats, A/C housings, tool boxes, gun holsters, rifle cradles, etc., etc. It's primary plus is strength and resistance to abuse. It is one tough plastic, that's for sure. But I sure wouldn't want it on the surface in my kitchen or the galley of my tear. (if I had a tear )

[IraRat]

Tom, as I mentioned to IraRat, Kydex is not really a suitable surface material...............it is plastic and would not tolerate a hot pan being laid on it. It is a injection and vacuum-formable plastic material lending itself to products such as boats, A/C housings, tool boxes, gun holsters, rifle cradles, etc., etc. It's primary plus is strength and resistance to abuse. It is one tough plastic, that's for sure. But I sure wouldn't want it on the surface in my kitchen or the galley of my tear. (if I had a tear )

So besides the countertop, it's not really going to be exposed to that much heat--and I could go aluminum here.

But like I said--this is all moot. Can't seem to be able to find the stuff in small quantities anyway.