It's Ended, RIP. Update 11/13/12

[atahoekid]

Really Super to have the kids involved , because they LEARN valuable life skills , unavailable to the little couch potato “gamers” / texters'... Growing up I helped my Dad do EVERYTHING around the house , now I can make Anything

I think that's where I picked up my DIY skills too, although I'm willing to try more stuff than my dad ever did... but it was his influence that gave me the confidence to try stuff. My son on the other hand, has minimal skills at best even though I did try to get him involved, he never did show interest. He would just walk away after a while. To my recollection, he's never operated a skil saw or ever operated a drill press. Makes me sad to think about it... He'll probably never know the thrill of building it yourself or completing a project.

Catherine, I hope your kids get the thrill out of doing it themselves and keep gaining the skills that are virtually lost on today's kids... Nothing necessarily high tech, but infinitely valuable..

[atahoekid]

I must be out of my mind! But we'll make it work!
Catherine

That's the right attitude!! The great thing is that foam isn't really that heavy and with enough ingenuity and temporary blocking or supports (a well placed 2x4) here and there, you and your twins might be able to pull it off. I've been working with a bad shoulder for the last couple of weekends and I've been able to handle the 2" foam sides of my 6' high by 12' long sides and the 2" thick roof panels (4'x7') by myself. Anyway, good luck no matter how you get it done. Remember small steps, one at a time...

[Catherine+twins]

My stepdad is being great. He has suggested a few changes, as I suspected he would, but when he looks at the limits of the medium, as well as the limits of the garage, he then reverts back to my ideas. Since he has never had or been interested in a camper, he has very few real "you're doing this all wrong" moments.



Yesterday we stood the walls up!


We're using some foam scraps to space the tops of the walls, pinned in place with bamboo skewers, while the ribs are glued in place. Today we'll finish the ribs and start the skin. But I have a meeting at noon, and I have to be at work at 3:45, so our time is limited. Gotta go!

[eaglesdare]

glad to see you back at it! it sure is looking great. i think its also wonderful your dad is helping you.

[atahoekid]

There ya go!!!! Looking good. A few well placed blocks, a few pieces of foam and a couple of bamboo skewers and you're in business. It's almost camping season, so get to it... (don't you hate when life (work) gets in the way of good progress)

[Catherine+twins]

Yeah, camping season is coming. My son's first cub scout camp out of the year is May 5, and while young Webelos are supposed to set up their own tents and sleep in them, dear daughter and I would rather sleep in the trailer. Hey, in early May, even at the camp ground only 5 miles out of town, night time temps on our mountain side will probably still be in the 30s, low 40s if we are lucky! At last year's campout we woke to 29 degrees and fire restrictions! We were still able to use gas stoves, but the boys didn't have any flames to huddle around while waiting for their pancakes.

I'm working evenings until the end of the month, and DSD is retired, so we're making use of the daylight and good weather. Unfortunately the weather is supposed to get windy tomorrow afternoon and for the next few days, so we can't move the body outside to apply the roof. Until I get the box enclosed, I'm afraid our spring winds would just rip it to shreds. Oh, and it has to be outside to apply the roof (on a calm day), as my clearance on the garage door is that close. I'm thinking we'll work on the back wall tomorrow, as that can be started outside in the morning and moved indoors to dry later on.

Here you can see our foam stringer and its bamboo skewer bracing the wall while the Gorilla Glue sets (and oozes).


My kids are ready to camp!


Catherine

[GPW]

Ps. a serrated kitchen knife will remove those GG drips in a flash ...

[atahoekid]

Yeah, camping season is coming. My son's first cub scout camp out of the year is May 5, and while young Webelos are supposed to set up their own tents and sleep in them, dear daughter and I would rather sleep in the trailer.

My kids are ready to camp!


Catherine

I was a Boy Scout when I was younger and served as as Assistant Scoutmaster for a few years while my son was in scouting. I agree with you. Let the boys sleep in the tent, I'd take a trailer. (Wish I had one back then, I did the tent thing too!) Great memories. Glad you're a part of your sons troop adult leadership.

[eaglesdare]

8)

Ps. a serrated kitchen knife will remove those GG drips in a flash ...

yes it does. also i found using parchment paper flattens it out and won't stick to it. i had to use that once when putting a couple pieces together, but did not want it to stick to the ground. anyway parchment was all i had at the moment, and it worked. but on a vertical wall or roof it probably won't do any good.

[Catherine+twins]

DSD Peter and I glued up the last pieces for the roof panel before he left for his appointments. Then I was alone for the day. My task is to cut out the back wall, and at least rough the door in.

I sat at the kitchen table for half an hour, checking my numbers, drawing little plans, checking my numbers again, and then I decided that if I didn't just start cutting I was going to waste the whole day! So I marched down to the driveway where I am working today, measured, cut, and stood the back wall up against the side walls. WOW! Of course, it needs a door, but WOW!



But the devil is in the details. The driver's side is 3/4" shorter than the curb side. How did that happen?

Since it is tough to cut a wedge tapering from 0 to 3/4" over a length of 64", I glued a 4" piece of scrap to the top of the wall, and I'll take a bit off both the top and the bottom to square things up again.

[atahoekid]

That's a good way to solve the problem. I know what you mean about "how did that happen"? I've done the same thing... I try to always remember. "Measure twice, cut once."

[Catherine+twins]

I can't believe how close we are getting! The roof is on!!! The wind was picking up by the time we had gathered glue, skewers, bricks, tape, etc, so Peter showed that he could open the garage door an extra 2 inches, just enough to move the cabin PLUS roof in and out of the shelter. We slid the whole thing back inside and got to work. We put the roof loosely in place, using 1x2s to hold it up off the side walls while we applied the GG. Then, starting at the bottom front, we started spraying both the walls and the roof with water and skewering and bracing it into place. Then we added tape where things seemed to be gapping a bit, and then bricks on the top where it's mostly flat. When we finished, I went back and gave another squirt of water at any place where we had a bit of gap. Peter just looked at it, no foaming yet, and declared that it wasn't working and we would have to start all over again, it was a failure. Actually he was great, not arguing with my build strategy until that moment when he didn't see any foaming, but it was lunch time and we were both a bit tired.



It's okay, when we walked back around to the other side the glue was filling the little gaps, giving us (him) hope that it was going to work out!





His next worry is that the glue isn't strong enough. Not to worry, I explained, the canvas wraps over the edges from the walls to the roof, then the roof canvas wraps over from the roof to the walls, and the join is reinforced. We'll be getting proof of concept soon, as a big storm is blowing in on Sunday, and he wants the camper out of the garage so he can protect his second car.



Okay, I was surprised he let me keep it in the garage at all after he got back from his trip. I got an extra week!

Catherine

[wagondude]

Great progress!

Bill

[mezmo]

Looks like Foam TTT acupuncture! Ha!

Your progress must be encouraging - seeing the idea
shaping up physically in front of you is quite satisfying, eh?

Wishing you continued success and progress.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[GPW]

Really looking NICE !!!