RV There Yet? Towed Hall Build Journal

[Barefoot]

Not much to report this week. The heat that finally let up a couple of days last week has been back all this week and the humidity is worse than ever, if that's possible. It's October for crying out loud! Working only mornings I've been assembling cabinet doors for the galley and so far I'm almost totally dissatisfied so no pictures until I get them at least a little more presentable, then probably from the full eight feet away! Dare I shoot for Manatee Springs, Little Tlbot, or Anastasia in February, less than a year from the start of (on and off) construction?

[Barefoot]

More work on the galley doors. The exceptional hot and humid weather continued all this past week too, really taxing my desire to continue with a project with real problems. However, the panels and frames are at least together. Yes, the brads went through to the work table, but let the glue dry with the panels staying flat without my concrete block gravity clamps scraping them up. I used left-over bits of luan but too late realized that the hinge screws would stick through the front, so got inset hinges and glued 3/8" scraps under them. The close-up flash photo of the mock-up of that did not come out and will have to wait for daylight.

The knobs are the cheapest wood jobs, mounted on their screws and dipped in polyurethane. I'm pleased with the thrown-together drying rack, two bits of angle, one already made into a mount for an electric trolling motor for a long-gone sailboat, counterbalanced with half-bricks.

Like so much that I've done on the TTT, this was all new to me, so the first ones were terrible and the last ones not so bad, so I made the far bottom ones first and the eye-level ones last, just as I made the back wall first and the curb side last.

At last, at last, properly cool (and DRY!) weather today with more due for at least a week. I expect to get in plenty of full days for the first time in way too long, getting the doors finished and installed and the exterior finish done. I ran up on most of a quart of matching stain at a yard sale (for 50 cents!), which suggested what to do with much of the interior wood. More fun.

[Barefoot]

Galley doors finally built, adjusted, hinged, fiddled with, knobbed, adjusted, urethaned, fiddled with, hung, and adjusted again!! The string is because the catches are not done yet and I wanted to skip gouging myself on one while working on the next. If there is another time, I'll have them made or at least do solid doors. I thought framing the walls was tedious! Obviously I did the knobs over, white after all, dipped and dried the same way.

The stain proved to be the color of clay mud, I suspect mineral spirits used for brush cleaning, then poured into an old stain can for disposal! I went with some dark brown paint I had around and kind of like it.

We caught a couple of fine days and all the new wood is brought up to two coats of urethane. Having the garage door open at last for that attracted four neighbors for twenty-five cent tours, all free. Kinda' fun being a mini-celebrity.

[Miriam C.]

You done good! I am sure the finish will be fantastic.

[Barefoot]

Again, not all that much. Lately, with the improved (wonderful!) weather, I've been working outside a lot (and getting caught up) so have been working in the "shop" only on Sundays [sigh], but do have the galley cabinet doors latched and reasonably flat, so their alighnment looks a lot straighter.

I'm kinda' proud of this little fix that lets the cabinet door swing open without a huge oval hole for my angled fitting on the A/C outlet. It's the plastic piece meant for the doghouse end of one hose, sawed short, mounted through the door and shimmed up, with my fitting wedged on the outside, to swing open with the door. It and the lower vent, just shimmed, fit snug against the A/C ports. Incidentally, the outside louvers have screens and bits of fine mesh are on the interior vents.

You can see the shimming I had to do under the hinges because of using framed luan for the doors. Hey, I taught myself all that as I went along, and my teacher knew only as much as I did! With a little time left after touching up the paint but not enough to start something else, I finally cleaned up the tools and scraps in the trailer (mostly) and garage and swept up, so had to retire from the most out-of-control shop competition! I get rolling on something and soon it's back to turning around and around in place, rooting under piles of this and that, and muttering, "Dammit, it was right HERE a minute ago!" Aww.

[Barefoot]

I can't believe it's been three weeks since my last post. I have been covered up with handyman jobs during the week and electronic glitches (understatement there!) much of my free time. It's been like one of the dreams where you never get where you're going. Monday morning should wrap up the electronics and the outside work is caught up to just maintenance. Keep your fingers crossed.

I have gotten a few little jobs done somehow, like cutting a chunk of curbside carpet to rough shape, building and finishing a fold-down table, not installed yet, and a shelf for over the bed, now installed. At least my to-do list is down to eleven items, large and small, not counting some sort of water system, in and out. Drinking water is taken care of by three squarish one-gallon apple juice jugs that fit neatly under the fridge.

[CayneD]

Thanks for sharing Barefoot- this is inspirational stuff for a beginner like me!
I'm intrigued to see how your project continues to progress and evolve. It's sure looking good so far ..

[Barefoot]

Better this week, two good days. Tuesday I got the carpet installed. Thursday before being called away I got one drawer knob repainted [sigh] and later started hooking up the tongue wiring but ran out of steam, not one of the good days. Today I got the fold-down table installed on the side of the fridge though I want to touch up the trim. The prop fits over a stud, so the table won't collapse if I bump it or the prop. All week in odd moments I got, uh, odd bits done. Those are the drinking water bottles I mentioned under the fridge.

At last I'm close enough to done to dare make a still-to-do list, and though some of the jobs are big ones, it's getting whittled down!

[bve]

I looks like it won't be long before you get to take her out on a maiden voyage.

That's one well thought out design you are putting together, it should be very functional to camp in.

[b.bodemer]

This is such a fun build to watch..............really like it!

Barb

[KDOG]

I like your build. If only I could find a trailer I could get started. Almost had one the other day but it fell through....*sigh*

[Barefoot]

It's been two weeks since my last confes...message. I've gotten in a few hours a day, a few days a week since then, all on details that aren't much to see: caulk pin holes, hook up wiring that runs underneath, mount an inside mirror, make an access door for the battery, make that harness, sand out the top for the final finish, air up the tires, get a stubborn trailer light to..uh..light, and such.

It's been a bit like watching a house being built: boom, the walls and roof are up, then progrress seems to slow as shingles, siding, flooring, wall board, and such go on, then seems to stop as wiring, plumbing, heat and air, and such go in. However, I'm plugging along with the goal in sight at last. I've even planned my first trip and half-decided on the next project.

[Barefoot]

Not a blasted thing this week. I've been totally tied up on other stuff, rewarding but distracting. After a doctor appointment Monday I expect (well, hope) to resume putting in some real time. Only one new thing went on the list, a quickie at that.

Happy Holidays

[Barefoot]

The doctor appointment was pretty bad news. I'm doing poorly for now. On top of that it's been way too cold to work in the garage that was almost too hot for most of the project. Here, near Daytona, we had sleet, SLEET, this morning and it will be in the mid-teens tomorrow morning. I'm thinking about moving to Florida.

I did set my smaller microwave on the counter, then turned around and came in. One day when it shot up to almost 50, I made and installed a rain diverter for the door but didn't try to coat it with poly. The water tank to go in the spot I made for it in the beginning is still somewhere else.

Next Thursday is supposed to start (relatively) mild weather, up to now always five days away. That will boost my spirits, which obviously need it, and maybe my health will be better. Thanks to all who have kept the messages coming.

[Miriam C.]

Oh sorry to hear your feeling poorly! The sun will shine soon and it will warm up.