Where or When Jr. --Paint & New Tow Vehicle--update 5/17/15

[Cliffmeister2000]

Mike, here is an 18" x 23" window made for a shed. It is Jalousie type. 2 of them make a 36" x 23" window, pretty close to your desired size.



http://www.atlanticshed.com/18x23CO.htm

[myoung]

Mike, here is an 18" x 23" window made for a shed. It is Jalousie type. 2 of them make a 36" x 23" window, pretty close to your desired size.



http://www.atlanticshed.com/18x23CO.htm

My original design had a pair of windows on each side like you suggest. Then I saw the budget impact and reduced the number.

The windows you describe look promising but they stand proud of the exterior by quite a bit and are supposed to have a trim frame around them. In short, this seems like a non-starter.

[myoung]

I've been in conversation with Custom RV Windows about getting the crank-out windows to operate properly, i.e., close from the inside instead of having to push shut from the outside.

If we can find 2 that work properly, then I would put one on each side and consider an escape window of the same 30x22 dimension for the rear of the trailer.

Here are two photos sent showing the escape window opened.




Being hinged at the top and having full screens, these would actually offer more ventilation than the crank-out models. The opening mechanism is simple too. I like these a lot and wouldn't mind having three in place of the crank-outs.

[myoung]

As I assemble a collection of tools and equipment and materials, our already small garage is getting even smaller. Due to our HOA rules, almost all the construction will have to take place inside this one-car garage.



Although the chassis won't be assembled before December, I decided to cut the angle and box sections to length with square and bevel cuts where needed. I am doing this the old fashioned way manually with a hacksaw. All the angle section steel has now been cut.



By going slowly and carefully, I've been able to hold the tolerances to about 1/32-inch. Not bad for manual cutting, I'd say. Being retired, I have plenty of time to cut slowly. Being retired also means that my eyesight isn't too good, so squinting with my glasses off helped keep me on track.

These cuts are 25 degrees to allow attachment to the 50-degree tongue.



This last picture is the 20-lb fiberglass propane bottle that just arrived. It has a rubbery plastic framework around it and the whole thing is quite light. The best part is the ability to see the propane level thru the translucent fiberglass. Way cool.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Very nice, Mike!

If you need an extra set of hands while I am still unemployed, just let me know. I'll PM you my phone number.

[S. Heisley]

Wow, Mike! That is one beautiful garage! It's gonna suffer while you're building...wait and see.

I'm curious about that propane tank. Have you weighed it to see what the thing weighs empty? I think the 20 lbs is the weight of the propane that it will hold. I'd like to know what the combination of tank and propane would weigh. Thanks.

[myoung]

:o Wow, Mike! That is one beautiful garage! It's gonna suffer while you're building...wait and see.

I'm curious about that propane tank. Have you weighed it to see what the thing weighs empty? I think the 20 lbs is the weight of the propane that it will hold. I'd like to know what the combination of tank and propane would weigh. Thanks.

With careful planning and taking my time and keeping the floor covered with cardboard, I hope to keep the suffering to a minimum.

The propane tank can be seen at http://www.rvupgradestore.com/detail_66-4962__175.html. It weighs 12.8 pounds empty and can hold 19.2 according to the specs. Thus, the combination is 32 pounds.

[S. Heisley]

Wow! 32 pounds. Thanks for the info, Mike.

[myoung]

Okay, I've resolved the windows issues with a set of 3 exit/escape windows to replace the crank-out models that didn't close properly. Must have be a manufacturing flaw.

Now I have 5 windows all from Callen Campers a.k.a. CustomRVWindows in El Cajon, CA. I drove over on Wednesday to return the old windows and get the replacement windows and get a new window that will be the skylight in the popup top.

BTW, CustomRVWindows accessible on Ebay has hundreds of windows in stock in many sizes, shapes and configurations. Well worth a look, if you want new windows or replacements. Nice folks; excellent customer service. Call Tammy.


Here's the fixed-pane front window that will go above the galley on the slanted upper section. It is 30x10-inches nominal.


This is the 22x18-inch fixed-pane skylight for the popup top.


The three exit/escape windows at 30x22-inches will be installed on both sides and the rear.


The opening mechanism is a simple pin-hinged bar that rotates into the locked position without protruding too much into the interior. There is a screen not shown in this photo.


In the fully open position, the bottom extends out about 8 inches, which should allow for more ventilation than the crank-out windows that only opened on the lower one-third. The trade-off, I suppose, is that the screen on the crank-out was that much smaller so visibility would be somewhat better on the crank-out than on the exit/escape windows with the screens installed. Perhaps, I'll leave the screens off when the flying creatures are not around.


As you can see, the opening is quite large.


To allow a range of openings, I'll add some means of adjusting the opening bar extended length. I can think of several ways of doing this. The simplest way might be to insert a small wooden wedge between the bar and the edge of the slot thru which a moves.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Here's the fixed-pane front window that will go above the galley on the slanted upper section. It is 30x10-inches nominal.

Mike what's going on in the left edge of this window? It looks broken, but I can see reflection in it?

[myoung]

Mike what's going on in the left edge of this window? It looks broken, but I can see reflection in it?

Yeah, that's funny. What you see is a reflection of a succulent and its wok-pot-shaped planter.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Oh, I see it now!

[myoung]

I worked on the chassis a bit today. I cut the longitudinal box section pieces to length and mitered the end of each to 12.5 degrees. Then, I made a 12.5 degree cut in the center of a 10-foot length of box section forming two halves that will be the sides of the tongue. The length of each side of the tongue should be 51-3/16ths according to my drawing.

Rather than cutting them to length, I will wait until we assemble the pieces for welding. There may be some difference between the precision of the drawing and the real world of material assembly, so it doesn't seem prudent to cut them to length just yet.

When the cuts are finally made for the two sides of the tongue, the left over pieces will be about 8 inches long, which should be suitable for welding to the end of the tongue and elevating the hitch connector 3 more inches.

I'm pleased that there is almost no waste from the three 10-foot lengths of 3x1.5 box section pieces. Luck really.

[Miriam C.]

Very nice windows. Love em...

[S. Heisley]

Mike, seeing your beautiful one car workshop, I've been wondering where you will build or put all the extra parts for your trailer, once the body is built. I'm assuming you have another garage that you can borrow storage space from or you are going to build some overhead racks or storage.

Even with a two car garage, I occasionally feel cramped in. By the way, I found that, before the sides were up, the deck made a wonderful work "bench/table".