Franks First Build [10/13/2012] "FRANK'S DOG HOUSE"

[crumbruiser]

Hi Everyone! The build continues a bit. I got the interior window trim painted and installed.


I bought and installed some new lights off of E Bay. The map lights I bought just weren't bright enough for the space they needed to light. These RV type of lights do a very nice job.


I can't remember if I posted the foamy step I built so here it is.

I actually have pics of more work that I've done, but instead of the Blackberry phone I was using for all of the pics, I now have an I phone and haven't had the time or ambition to learn how to post pictures with it. The Blackberry I could just size and email the pictures to myself in pdf form, load them on my PC and put them in my gallery. The I phone emails pictures as pictures and not as pdf's and so far, I don't know how to make files out of them. If you have any information on that, let me know.
You all keep up the good work.
Until next time,
Frank

[bdosborn]

Just plug your iphone into a PC and you can download the pictures as jpegs. It's pretty easy to do, windows will open up a dialogue box when you plug in and you can go from there.

Bruce

[Wobbly Wheels]

Looking good Frank.

Those light fixtures use automotive bulbs, so LED replacements are easy to find online and are pretty cheap. It'll cut down on battery consumption and you'll never have to change them.

Quick question on the step, since I need to do something similar:
Do you plan to weight the bottom of it ?
It seems like it would move around quite a bit because it's SO light. Weight is the big thing for me so I'm thinking about a glassed foam box with one side open so that I can throw rocks into it for weight when I set up camp but not have to carry that 'ballast' with me.
Or maybe I'm just overthinking it, I've been known to do that..

[crumbruiser]

Bruce, Thanks, I didn't think about that.
Wobbly, I did cover the step with cloth / glue. I left it outside on the driveway several nights but didn't consider the wind blowing around. Maybe I should cut a couple of holes for a few rocks or some other weights? Thank you.
Frank

[Wobbly Wheels]

I'm not there yet, but I'll need to make a step as well. I was just wondering how strong it is (I'm 6'+ and about 270) and whether or not it's likely to slide or roll around as you step on it. I'd hate to step down in the dark and 'discover' that it had moved, been bumped, etc.
At the same time, leaving one side open would weaken it...

The more I think about it, the more I think a two-step sealed foam box where the steps themselves are hinged lids is the answer. That would make a great beer cooler without taking up space in the fridge and the water/ice/beer should be enough 'ballast' to keep the steps sturdy...

Hmmm...work on the trailer is stalled at the moment anyway...

[crumbruiser]

Wobbly, I weigh in at 195. The step seems to be very solid. I used it when I was working on the green Ranger. It did not slide around. It doesn't weigh much at all, I don't have scale or I'd weigh it for you. It does have 1 extra support piece inside it, you could put 2 or 3 depending on how big you want your cooler step. I should say that I used 1 1/2 inch foam and not 2 inch.
I thought about doing the same thing, installing a hinge and using it for a cooler but mine isn't tall enough to put water bottles in upright or I would have. Of course, there's nothing wrong with storing your beverages on their sides but mine wouldn't hold very much that way. Now my creative juices are flowing , a person could just build their step around a 12 pack leaving a few inches for ice..... Any way, it is a good use of scrap materials and space.
Frank

[crumbruiser]

Hi Everybody,
This is a continuation of my previous post. August was a really bad month for me. I totalled my PT Cruiser, bought a junky truck that refused to mastered and the City of Columbus wrote me a nice little letter giving me 20 days to remove my trailer from the front side of my house due to some sort of zoning. Things were not going my way. I asked if I would be permitted to park it beside the house, the answer, "If you get a permit and have a proper hard surface drive way installed, you will be permitted to park beside the house". Well, I can only tackle 1 problem at a time and I decided to fit the trailer in my garage. I put a caster on the tongue to lower the front as much as I could and I apoligize for not taking more detailed pics but I was kind of upset over, well over everything! Any way, this is the plate that bolts under the frame at the ball hitch thingy.

That wasn't enough, it still wouldn't fit. So I wanted to buy the little 8 inch wheels but the budget wasn't going to allow for that so took a little chance and just took the wheels off. Still wouldn't fit.


Now I was really getting discouraged. I figured if I built it I could rebuild it so I made a couple of modifications.

That sucker fits now!

Now it's inside the garage. Next problem, junky truck.
This will be continued at a later time.
Thank you for your interest.
Frank

[KCStudly]

Ouch. That's pretty drastic. Nothing but a little foam and wood, though. If you can build it, you can rebuild it.

Don't let the bas-turds get you down. They don't know how much relaxation and fun you are going to have when everything comes back together for you.

[Wobbly Wheels]

That's great Frank !

Thinking outside the box...or...how to make the box fit inside a bigger box ?
I have changed directions a couple times on parts of mine and I love how easy this stuff is rebuild and reshape.

Not too long ago I discovered how well canned foam works as an adhesive for the sheets - it's my weapon of choice now. It's cheap and easy and takes about the same amount of time to set up as GG.

Sorry to hear about your rough run. I've been kicked in the teeth a couple times this summer too and, like KC said, it's thinking about weekends in the trailer in front of a campfire that keeps me at it sometimes...

[crumbruiser]

Thank you KC and WW for the words of encouragement!
THE JUNKY TRUCK,
Crumbruiser [Frank] wrecked his car totalling it out [a total loss]. The insurance company was fair, though not exactly generous but still fair and Frank had an idea to buy something for cash so he and his family could benefit from having extra cash on hand after the monthly bills were met. Franks better half said "you should just buy something nice and good so as to not have trouble with it" [or something similar]. Frank usually thinks that he's the man and can make do without. I can buy a minimalist vehicle and have extra money! Thats a great idea I thought. And it is, but misfortune was having his/her way with Frank for a time. He searched and finally decided on the purchase of a 98 Ranger, 3.0 V-6, automatic etc... Frank is a trusting middle aged man who should know better by now being taken advantage of time and time again. Long story short or shorter, the old truck ended up not having catylitic converters [this truck takes 3 at around $1000.00] and I purchased some other parts but the truck refused to run correctly. It smoked and missed and fouled out spark plugs. I put a lot of money in it and ended up giving up , after a long 5 week battle, and traded it in. Here it is at the car lot.

And here is the non economical vehicle that was purchased.

Yes, it is the one in the foreground of the car lot picture. 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab. It's reliable so far, the entire family fits in it. That was 1 of the reasons I bought the PT Cruiser. The bad about this truck is the gas mileage and trying to park it. I would not want to park it in a parking garage because it is BIG! Every thing else is good. Plenty of power and room, plus I think it's COOL looking. Before I bought the PT, I had a 2002 Ranger that was very dependable and a nice truck. So now, I am again a pickup truck man and I like it. Weight is no longer a concern for my build since the Ram can pull around 8700 lbs.
So my build will continue as my misfortune has ended [I HOPE ].
Thanks for you attention.
Frank

[GPW]

Frank, you have a really NICE trailer going there !!! All the best of Luck to you !!!!!

Ps. Camo does cover many sins, reason I chose it for mine ...

[crumbruiser]

Thanks. When the weather warms up, I will be moving it to the driveway to make the repairs. Right now, my garage is so full of stuff I can barely even get to it. I still need to insulate the floor. I'm thinking I may cover the entire outside with wood at some point since weight is no longer an issue.
Frank

[Martiangod]

Refoam and ply it so it stays at the profile you cut it at, will add uniqueness to the build and if push comes to shove you can still get it in and out of the garage.
Don't let the Man get you down.
Can you not get it to the back yard, they shouldnt be able to say anything about trailer being in rear yard...
Bravo on not giving up and enginuity.
Good lookin truck BTW, all you need is to build a topper to match the TD and you will have sleeping quarters for the whole fam damily

Build on!!!

[crumbruiser]

I do plan on making the modifications when it warms up. The city said if I get a permit, I can pour a driveway beside the house and park it there. It would be a tight fit. Living in a subdivision, we only have about 5 feet of side yard. They said that if I put it in the backyard ( it won't fit through my fence gate ) it still needs to be on a hard improved pad. My wife is o k with me hogging up the garage, though I don't like to. I would rather she put her car in the garage. Oh well.
At work, I did buy a topper for it. The mechanics told me it came off of a Ford Ranger. They said they removed it about 10 years ago. I put 2x10s on top of the bed and framed it in sort of so it would fit. I will post pics tomorrow. It actually doesn't look that bad.
Frank

[crumbruiser]

Well here are pics of the truck cap I bought from work. It really isn't "nice" but I do like it because it was cheap [$75.00] and is functional. I did have to drive about 40 miles one way to pick it up and I have around $30.00 in lumber and hardware to attach it the truck.



It is steel and heavy duty. I think it will be very nice when it's all sealed up.
Frank