"The X-II" 5-Wide Convertible Teardrop

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Dang Zach your movin right along! It looks like it will definitely be stout enough!

And are you sure your Outback is rated for 300 #s? Or is that just the rating on the hitch itself? I've seen a few posts about hitches over on subaruoutback.org about the hitch being rated higher but the Outbacks themselves are actually only 200 #s.

Do you have a cross section drawn of how its going to look inside? I'm just trying to figure out what its going to become with all those steps in the floor. Lol.

And this one is a 5x10 right? That extra space is going to be nice! I already wish I built mine at 10' just for the extra storage space!

My mistake Robbie - just checked my manual. 4cyl is 2700/200. 6cyl is 3000/200. I should still be good on the tongue weight since I didn't move my axle back. Instead, I chose to build forward a little. Here's a quick section showing why my deck looks strange. And yeah, its going to be a 5x10 teardrop.



I had to build up to fit over the wheels, and I decided to use some of the extra space to make small storage compartments on each side of the frame. The two in the cabin will be accessed from just inside each door.

The electronics compartment across the front is actually built out in front of the trailer frame, and isn't seen in any of the build pictures yet. Should have pictures of that this evening.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

We finished the last piece for the deck. I know there's only pictures of my buddy working, but I swear I'm working on it too!

The piece he's sanding is the very front panel for the deck, which is the cover for the electronics compartment.



We flipped the trailer on its side and put on the first coat of Black Beauty asphalt fence post paint.

[Ratkity]

Geesh Zach, that looks way too clean and purdy! Where are the drips on the floor? The splatter in your hair? A black looking beagle? LOL..

Great job so far!

Hugs,
Ratkity

[jabrobbins]

Quick Progress. Did you stretch the frame to get 10 feet or just overhang the plywood deck? It looks like a foot overhang in the front and less than that in the back.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Geesh Zach, that looks way too clean and purdy! Where are the drips on the floor? The splatter in your hair? A black looking beagle? LOL..

Great job so far!

Hugs,
Ratkity

LOL thanks! Not my garage so I gotta do what I can to keep it clean!

Quick Progress. Did you stretch the frame to get 10 feet or just overhang the plywood deck? It looks like a foot overhang in the front and less than that in the back.

The only modification I did to the trailer frame was to extend the tongue. Instead of moving the axle back, I designed the teardrop to be more forward on the frame.


Got the main deck finished this weekend! It still needs painted on top, but its starting to develop into what I imagined! Here's a pic of the underside of the wheel well... painted with asphalt fence post paint, and caulked with asphalt sealant.



And the "finished" deck...

[Oldragbaggers]

Man, Zach, you don't mess around.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

No rest for the weary, Becky!

Unfortunately the next major step involves 2 4x10 sheets of 3/4" Oak plywood, which aren't exactly cheap. It will probably be a couple weeks before I get those and continue to make progress.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Despite being sick for the past few days, I made a trip up to my workshop/storage shed in the woods tonight. Got some undercarriage sealing done and got the deck painted by lantern-light. (No electricity and no heat.)



First coat of Kilz Premium Primer...

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Ugggh. I hate being sick!! I never really get sick sick. But I did this week. Went to the doctor yesterday because the Grim Reaper was standing by my bed when I woke up. A little cough turned into a nasty sinus infection and I feel like I'm going to lose a lung. So I took yesterday off work, and went in a little late this morning just to get a few things done. Then my boss told me I sounded like $hit and looked like hell, and that I should go home and rest. I think he didnt want me getting him or the rest of our tiny office sick.

Despite my horrible cough and the fact that my head feels like its up and elephants a$$, I hate sitting around and being completely idle for hours on end. So I ventured down into the basement and slapped a few coats of Kilz on the compartment doors.



This is the electrical compartment door that goes towards the front of the trailer deck. The one edge is beveled because it will rest at the front curve of the X-II. The notches on that edge are there because of the way the trolley-top section sticks forward a bit.



Now I can rest for another hour or two and maybe play some video games. So much for my camping trip this weekend.

[dmckruit]

Zach,

Go to the drug store or grocery store and pick yourself up one of the NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kits:

http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php

I used to have chronic sinus infections but since I have been using this nasal rinse once a day I haven't had one since. I use mine with warm water. What I do (as told to me by the nurse at the allergists) is to squirt about 1/4 of the bottle up one nostril (it will come out the other side), then snort inward so that some of it comes out of your mouth. This clears the eustachian tubes. Then repeat on the other side and continue till the solution is used. After each nostral rinse, gently blow your nose into a paper towel or tissue. You won't believe the mucous that comes out each time. Hope this helps, and feel better. This may help you get rid of the infection faster.

I used to use the netti pot, but it never helped me with anything. The nurse said that since this is a squeeze bottle, it forces the water into the upper sinus cavity.

Dave

[crumbruiser]

That is good advice. I have a pot at work and the squeeze bottle at home. My Dr told me to use it every day.

[Deryk the Pirate]

Hey Zach your makin great progress but be a good patient and get some R&R

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Thanks for the tips guys. I've tried the netti pot before and couldnt stand to use it.

I'm feeling much better today, thanks to the antibiotics. Should be 100% in a day or two!

[S. Heisley]

When I have a head cold, I just make up a cup of warm salt water so that it is about the taste and temperature of tears. (The small amount of salt keeps the water from feeling like it's burning your interior tissues.) Then, I pour a little a a time into my cupped hand and sniff it up one nostril, holding the other nostril closed. I repeat this with the other nostril. It takes a while to learn how to do this without being bothered by it, though. If you're doing it right, some water will run out of your sinuses several minutes after you're finished. Once I learned how to do it properly, I found that it helps immensely!

Hope you’re feeling better soon, Zach.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Woohoo!! Feeling 99.9% better! (besides a little cough)

Unfortunately the short work week due to illness killed my paycheck, so probably won't get much done on the X-II for a couple weeks.



I did post up a video of some of the RGB LED strips that I bought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Aq4LgCco_o

These are controlled with a remote RGB controller that lets you change modes - solid color, flashing colors, white strobe, or fade. You can also control the brightness of the solid colors, and the speed of the fade/strobe.

These will be mounted inside my teardrop, facing up in the trolley top section, projecting all the crazy colors onto the white convertible roof. Should be interesting (inside and outside) to say the least

There will also be regular LED lighting that won't send me into a seizure.