Silver Beatle - She's now with an old friend!

[Cliffmeister2000]

Great to see you back at it!

[Rudyjr]

Looks great! I feel better now that I know that I am not the only one that has to clean up before I can start working. keep up the good work, Jim

[jkidd6339]

That's a great looking Teardrop excellent work.

[Constrictor]

Just read through the whole thread. Totally awsome job! I did have a question about the aluminum skin, is it polishable? meaning does it have some kind of clearcoat on it? i want to make my tear with aluminum also but planned on painting it because of it eventually oxidizing.

[aggie79]

Constrictor,

Thank you for taking a look at my build journal. One day I hope to be finished.

The aluminum I used was purchased from a company that supplies sign shops. It is anodized. I believe they called it "bright clear". It is not quite the mirror finish that you get when you polish aluminum, but it stays that way and doesn't need to be repolished. I have put two applications of a carnuba wax on it, mainly to make cleaning it easier.

Take care,
Tom

[LDK]

Hey Tom


They say it's hard to improve on perfection but I know you will when it comes to the Silver Beatle. Can't wait to see the totally finished product. You set the bar for everyone.

[aggie79]

Hey Tom


They say it's hard to improve on perfection but I know you will when it comes to the Silver Beatle. Can't wait to see the totally finished product. You set the bar for everyone.

Larry,

Thank you again for the nice comments. One of the many good things about this forum is that the small resolution photos don't show a lot of the "character marks" of my build. My work can't compare to some of the true craftsman and professionals on this forum, but I'm happy with what I've done so far - just got to get it finished!

Take care,
Tom

[aggie79]

Good morning,

Either I'm getting older or the heat is more intense this year than I can remember for the past several years. I'm not the machine like Earl (Loader) but I have been making slow progress on my cabinets.

I assembled the two drawers for the galley cabinets. I have one long drawer that will hold my camp stove and one short drawer for silverware and utensils.





I also finished the sub-assembly for the center of the interior overhead cabinet. It has space on the bottom for the DVD player, space for a car radio & CD/MP3 player in the middle, and a cubby for remote controls in the top.





I didn't get any pictures but the cabinet doors and drawer fronts are fabricated. There are only two cabinet items left to fabricate - the shelf of the headboard cabinets and a pull-out, tilting drawer for our 19" LCD TV. Then I can start applying the finishes for the cabinets and install all of the cabinet sub-assemblies.

Take care,
Tom

[Constrictor]

another question, i noticed you fully glued down the aluminum sheeting on top of a ply substrate , is this what most people do or is it an accepted method to glue strait to ribs? also is there any thought that the metal needs to move and shouldnt be glued down? i have an aluminum box trailer and its unbelievable how much the skin wrinkles on a hot day. one more question, any issues with the glue sticking to the ply that is slick with varnish?

[aggie79]

Constrictor,

On my aluminum, I used 3M 4200 marine sealant/adhesive. It was applied at the edges and seams only. I used it more for the sealant properties rather than the adhesive properties. Most of the aluminum is floating.

I did sand the epoxy-coated plywood to give it "tooth" and removed the amine blush from the epoxy (before I sanded). I also used acetone to remove oils from the aluminum.

Hope this answers your questions.

Take care,
Tom

[DMcCam]

Your cabinetry is looking great Tom!! I can't tell from the pictures what thickness ply you're using; sure looks strong and square. While you are getting slammed with terrible temperatures, we've been enjoying very mild daily highs. Very unusual for July here.

Take Care good sir,

Dave

[Loader]

Tom,

Those drawers are looking great! Which brand jig do you use with your router?

Machine, I'm no machine, just not smart enough to come in from the heat!

[aggie79]

Your cabinetry is looking great Tom!! I can't tell from the pictures what thickness ply you're using; sure looks strong and square. While you are getting slammed with terrible temperatures, we've been enjoying very mild daily highs. Very unusual for July here.

Take Care good sir,

Dave

Hi Dave,

I'm using cutoffs and scraps for my interior cabinetry components. My cases are 1/2" ply. The center unit is made from 1/2" ply, 3/4" ply and 3/4" oak ply.

The interior of the cabinets will have a painted finish. The face frames, doors and drawer fronts will have a ebonized finish. (This is the same way I finished my headboard face frame. India ink was used as the stain, followed by a couple coats of brown tinted polyurethane, and then followed followed by three to four coats of clear polyurethane.)

Take care,
Tom

[aggie79]

Tom,

Those drawers are looking great! Which brand jig do you use with your router?

Earl,

The jig I used was the mouse that is connected to my computer.

I was going to buy a jig - still may in the future - but due to the expense of the jig and the lack of time I purchased the drawer box parts online. I believe it was around $20 per each drawer which includes the half-blind dovetail sides and the drawer bottoms.

Take care,
Tom

[S. Heisley]

Very impressive...And Smart!