Whitney's Weakender - Hatch / Galley Lid Redesign - Pg 11

[Alfred]

...Need to order door latches, and still trying to find some metal for the outside. (cheap or free)

Will work for camper parts...

Hey, you're making great progress! I'm building a modified Weekender for a Family of 5 (has bunks). Your pictures look great! Keep us posted! For the latches I used aluminum screen door knobs/latch assemblies. I got them on sale somewhere (harbor freight, maybe) for $7 each. I also bartered some larger topper windows to obtain the type of window I wanted. Look forward to the pictures when you go camping in it!

AL in Asheville

[WhitneyK]

OK, so, in about 2 1/2 hrs last night I went from this:

to this:

(this is why I had my jumper box on the roof, just had to see what it looked like with the lights on [curious side] and to make sure they put off enought light [tech side])

If you will notice, as I mentioned in my previous post, the headboard is also a trunk (one lid up). Gives us about 1' x 1' x 5' of storage.
Below is the footboard and shelf used for luggage:

...and the galley / storage area for extra soda pop and bottled water ... see, it works!


Next, I guess, will be wiring & finishing the hatch lid. My plans were to add 2 more lights on the side like watt's (pun intended) pictured. However, I was informed last night by the one that is going to be using the remaining 1/3 of the trailer, that we can not mount the lights until she see's where all the "accessories" and decorations will hang. If it has a hook for hanging clothes, it's functional I suppose.
The galley door/lid will have a light on it as well.

Doors are made, windows cut out and fitted, interior door skin finished, door hinges ready, interior door frame trim done, just have to paint the edges of the door & openings.

Still need to buy door latches & galley hinge, I know, it's only money ...

[mikeschn]

Whitney,

It's looking real good!

Mike...

[LDK]

You got alot done in that 2 1/2 hours and might I add it also looks very nice.

[S. Heisley]

...now we're gettin' somewhere!

Yes you are! ...and beautifully, too!

[Ivar the Red]

My wife brought out or 20 lbs of love out to verify the build by subjecting it to a cat scan

Looks like we have the same supervisor...






Lookin good.

[WhitneyK]

Well, I'm attempting to salvage the hinge (Hh of sorts) from the back of the camper shell I scrapped for the winders and trim. I had to remove one side of the extruded square tube so it would slip over my 1x poplar board and luan. See pics below. I realize that the opening for the hinge is facing up and would likely take on water and freeze in the winter. I'm thinkin' cover it with rubber / edpm / ??? like as if I was using a piano hinge. Has anyone attempted this feat before? Good? Bad? Indifferent?
Comments please! before I go too far. Anyone?
I haven't cut it down to length yet.

What a rain deverter!

In the previous post I stated I would try to get pics of my wife's "accessories", well here they are:

The cloth is for the curtains (she picked it up at Goodwill) Would like to find the matching comforter (still workin' on that).


More Goodwill and Hobby Lobby 50% off sale finds, like I said, they have hooks so I suppose they are fuctional.
I mentioned in the first post, I'm doin' this on an extremly limited budget.
That would be Mr & Mrs Cheap or Free to you!

[Deryk the Pirate]

Looking Great!

[WhitneyK]

I know I've said this before, but one would think that if you keep tripping and stumbling over something you would move it out of the way. It hasn't worked yet, life still keeps getting in the way, kind of like a whole mess of puppies; always trippin' you up.

Anyway, I got the 1st layer of insulation installed in the roof. Then, after digging a water pond and moving several thousand pounds of rock (what this had to do with me working on the camper on my extended weekend I'll never know), and I wonder why my back hurts all the time? Oh ya, and "we're" still not done with the pond yet.

the wiring is installed, hooked up, and tested.

Even did a temporary installation of my Fantastic Fan to test it out, and it is FANTASTIC!

My 12V system / wiring is in the front and my battery will be located on the tongue, so I decided to put the fuse block (from Autozone) inside the headboard / storage area. Used a piece of copper flat bar stock to attach my ground wires to, drilled and tapped holes in it for screws. Should be easy to access if needed. Still kind of sloppy in the picture, but I'll straiten that up later. Used 14 ga wire for everything except the FF, ran 10 ga to it. Did I need 10 ga? Probably not, but I had it on hand and wanted to be sure.

I ran my "porch" lights to a switch on each side of the headboard and located them in the wall plate below the 12V plug in for easy access, they even have a blue "on" indicator light to remind you that it's on. I'll get a picture tonight. Oh, there it is...

Hooked up the battery, installed some temporary fuses, tested everything, and only blew one fuse. The lighted switches have a 3 wire hook up, 12V - to light - ground, got in a hurry and had the 12v & light wires reversed - easy fix, all is well.

Scrapped the idea of using the camper shell hinge.

Wasn't satisfied with what I was going to have to do to make it weather proof, ain't supposed to be mounted like that anyway, would work, the function's there, just ain't happy with it. I ordered the rubber / continuous piano hinge from Frank Bear along with my 2 door & hatch latches yesterday.

Went to the local salvage yard Friday and pulled off some aluminum roof edge trim, door (knob style) latches (which I later decided not to use), along with some other miss o'lainyous "novelty" items for $20. (stinks to be poor)

Previous total $577.50
So know let's add:
$10 Fuse block
$17.00 14 ga wire (3)
$20 Aluminum trim
$115 Hinge & latches (ouch!)
$22 3/4" foam insulation
This brings my current total to somewhere around $761.50

Haven't had any luck finding "used" siding. I guess I'll have to go with new. Apex trailer repair down in Jeffersonville has aluminum on the roll 103" wide. They sell it by the running foot (going to cost an arm and leg to get the foot though). I'm not sure what the thickness is yet, hopefully in the neighborhood of .032 - .050? That's gonna hurt too!

I'll try to add some pics to this post tonight. There I did it, so I was a day late, oh well.

[shortgmanp]

I just wanted you to know that I was glad to see you at the gathering. I can not wait to see you tear. I must say that it is looking good.

[3822sean]

very nice looking great

[parnold]

Whitney:

It was nice meeting you, if only briefly at CRA2011!

Next time we meet, you had better be in your camper!

[aggie79]

Whitney,

Some how I've not kept up with your build journal. Your weekender is looking great! I really like the flooring and finishes on your interior. You should be camping in no time at all.

Off topic, but we've been wanting to build a pond and fountain, too. That like all the other home improvements - the list is increasing - will have to wait until I get my build finished.

Keep up the good work!

Take care,
Tom

[WhitneyK]

Thanks everyone!
The CRA gathering this past weekend was great! Hopefully one weekend soon, camping will become a reality and not just a spectator sport for me / us. It was good to meet up with some of my new friends I aquired at the Versailles gathering and from the website. It's amazing how just walking around the camp grounds you can look at a TD or TTT and know who's it is and where they are from and I've never met them, just seen them on the website. My wife and m-i-l was with me on Saturday, the m-i-l was impressed at how nice the TD & TTT's really were, she actually enjoyed herself.

Tom, I've tried to put off the "home work" until the build gets completed, but it don't always work. (ain't been mowin' the grass but about every 2-3 weeks, gosh it gets tall when you're a buildin' a camper) We've had the pond project for a while now. There I was, in the garage, minding my own business working on the camper when my wife "strolls" through and grabs the shovel. Being a gentleman, I asked, ... and what are you going to do with that? "I'm going to dig the hole for the fish pond." Would you like for me to help? "No, no, that's alright, I'll do it myself." Well ....... like Paul Harvey says " .... and now you know the rest of the story"!

Just tryin' to keep peace.

[WhitneyK]

I have the outside luan installed on the front portion


I decided to use the plastic / rubber continuous "living" hinge (only cost $13) for the galley hatch. I was cautioned that this hinge may sag in the gap between the hatch and the main body. Whether it does or not, I don't know. So, just in case, I made sure my outside luan sheets met at the hinge to fill the gap for support.


Also, you will notice a red wedge in the gap, after I get my aluminum on the outside (still working on that deal $$), if there is still a little drop I'll have to put some sort of support or rubber bumper in there to keep it up? I'll cross that gap when I come to it.
Here's a shot of the hinge gap from inside


I glued the top ceiling in first, mounted my interior light, routed wires, 3/4" foam insulation, then attached the outside luan so I could get the hinge mounted. The hatch lid is in place with the hinge temp installed. Once the hinge was secured and I knew where everything was going set, I mounted my latch. I did this before I installed the ceiling & outside of the rear portion so I could stick my head through the framework to see where everything was lining up. I would have showed a pic of the hatch lid up, but after I got the outside luan on, it wouldn't clear the ceiling fan above it enough for the camper shell style supports to engage. Only needed about another inch.
A few of the folks I have talked to about the plastic hinge suggested attaching a couple of straps of sorts from the hatch to the main body just in case some day the hinge decides to split and let go. I may do this, I may not, not that I'm disagreeing with them, no, no. With the type of latch I used, camper shell style with the rods, with the hinge removed, the hatch would only raise up about a 1/2" or so. The rods from the latch are going through the struts of the hatch, then throuh the framework that the seal sets on, and then into the outside frame of the hatch. I don't think it will go anywhere. Still might do it "justin case".

Doors are mounted

Handles / latches installed (still have a little tweaking to do there)

Inside door frames screwed in place, this is what the door gasket will stick to

New bearings packed, races & seals installed, fresh coat of paint and the hubs are one the spindles

The white spoke wheels that were on this trailer when I started will have to do for now. Didn't turn out to shabby with a fresh coat of paint, 3 coats actually


Couldn't believe it though, after sanding, wiping down with paint thinner, and 3 coats of paint, the red stripe around the outside kept bleeding through. Word of advise, make sure to remove the red & blue stripes before painting. Oh well, it will be fine for now.


Next is to get my tires mounted on the wheels. At least then I can move it around finally & be able to lift up the hatch.
I'm only scheduled for 2 nights this week on my 2nd job, so hopefully .....