Starleen2 build- Texas camper Mod /New windows

[Loader]

Looking good Scott. The exterior access to storage will be a very nice feature.

[jbyrd]

coming along nicely, I really like the design you came up with!

[pete42]

Scott you have me wondering why the one side weights more than the other
"Left tire = 220 Right tire= 170 tongue = 160 total = 550 lbs so far"
50 pounds is a lot since it looks like you weighted it empty or just plywood floor.
great looking build I like the spray undercoating I may do that to my cargo trailer

pete

[starleen2]

Scott you have me wondering why the one side weights more than the other
"Left tire = 220 Right tire= 170 tongue = 160 total = 550 lbs so far"
50 pounds is a lot since it looks like you weighted it empty or just plywood floor.
great looking build I like the spray undercoating I may do that to my cargo trailer

pete

Pete - the answer is pretty simple. It is the placement of the front jack that is making the difference. Both tire weights should be equal (or very close) if the three points of measurement were a perfect triangle. However, If you look at the trailer again you'll see that the jack is placed on one of the A frames a little farther back thus there is "more" trailer and plywood on the left side

[starleen2]

Got up early this morning (6:30am) to be greeted with 65* temps - a rather strange occurrence for August in Texas. It would have been a good day to work on the camper but alas, sometimes my days are filled by other people. Today I officiated a funeral for a friend. Not many people showed up for the graveside only service, but we said our farewells. We went to lunch and somehow managed to lose a $200.00 check - we checked the wallet, purse, and almost tore the car apart - but no use it was gone. While still sore about the loss, our almost new car (2010 Chrysler Sebring which stays in the garage and rarely driven) was involved in a minor accident. It didn't do too much damage, but scraped and scuffed the paint. This certainly added insult to injury on a day that was not working out well.

Later this evening I was out in the garage cutting out some radius corners when all of a sudden I heard a car race by the house. I didn't pay it any attention - people always race up and down the road - but still it did catch my attention. A few moments later I heard sirens blasting and coming down the road. I put down the tools and went to look what was causing all the commotion. That's when I saw the flames and smoke. One of our neighbors home was fully engulfed in flames. The family all made it out OK, but the home is in total ruin. Our hearts sank.

That's when Mrs Starleen turned and said '"You think we've had a bad day - Just think about the day the neighbors just had and the days to come for them!" It kind of puts it all in perspective doesn't it. Someone at this very moment is having a worse day than you.

[starleen2]

Time for the roll out – see folks – I told you it would clear the garage door header –
I took it outside to get a good sense of how it will finish and blow off the sawdust. I’ve still have a few more items on the exterior that will require some attention before moving to the interior. Ceiling and roof panels will bee the last of the major construction details – installed after the interior panels.



Rear with taillight temporarily installed

Air conditioner cut out

[bc toys]

doing a great job Mr Stewart can't wait to see it next month and meet you and your family see you at Joe Pool

[2bits]

Finally got a chance to hope on the board and check out your build! I like the way the front pulls in just enough, and how did you get the angles to level out the framing of the floor? You are moving right along!!

[starleen2]

Finally got a chance to hope on the board and check out your build! I like the way the front pulls in just enough, and how did you get the angles to level out the framing of the floor? You are moving right along!!

Thanks Thomas - it took a few times before I realized how to do it. Basically I just cut a 2x3 to the proper length and wedged it between the center and edge rails - leveled them across and then traced a cut line with the same angle. Then knocked em' out and went to table saw a did some cuttin"

[2bits]

That's exactly how I woulda done it! Nice!

[starleen2]

Today was not one of those typical hot August days – A front blew through and lowered the temps to a work in the garage level.
Let the insulating begin! The walls are 1 inch thick, so I searched for 1 inch thick foam board insulation. None in our area – and I really did not feel like driving to Dallas for it (+ towing a trailer!) So the second option was ¾ inch foam and ¼ inch foam panels = 1 inch foam. I had another idea. Spray foam in a can. Let me say for those who are contemplating the same thing – It doesn’t work well for side wall insulation. I spent the better part of a day scraping off all the drips and slag. In the end it just didn’t work out – more wasted than a benefit. Do yourself a favor and get the foamboard.

The panels with an X on them are finished with foil tape around the perimeter. I left plenty of wood space for the glue to adhere when the interior paneling gets glued and tacked on.

Here you can see the backside of the taillights – I still have to install the blockers across the back wall


First Interior panel installed. A router made short work of the window and cargo hatch cutouts.

[2bits]

Progress! Down to installing interior panels!

I totally feel your pain on the spray insulation stuff! It is "great stuff" for filling crevices, and i used it around the perimeter of the living room floor in my "big trailer" and man what a pain it was to trim back.... Everyone take heed of the preacher man's word lest you regret the error of your ways!

[jbyrd]

really looking good. Just a tip I discovered with spray foam if you use a grinder with a sanding flap disc it works wonders cleaning it up and carving it into any shape. I used spray foam to filling the gaps around my tongue box and to build the front lower panel on the tongue box (fitting a piece of wood there would have been a nightmare) and then epoxy and glassed over, worked fantastic.

[starleen2]

Finished Insulating the back wall

Installed more interior paneling

Even got the first ceiling panel in! You can also see the framing of the front sleeper. I also made the framing for the cabinets – but the picture will have to wait for another day!

Break time - actually nap time (the photographer woke me up only after the picture )

[crttaz]

Time for the roll out – see folks – I told you it would clear the garage door header –

How much air did you have to let out of the tires though?