Thoughts, ideas, solutions?

Lots going on in the garage of psychological disorders and progressive music.  First, the floor of the trailer was sealed with a nice coat of white enamel.  It's beginning to look like a real project here.  I suppose I should be thinking about flooring choices at some point.  The stepdown and the entry will be done in vinyl and in front of the gaucho as well as under the dinette will be in carpet...at least that is the thinking for now.  I'd like it to be comfortable where it should be comfortable and easy to maintain in the traffic areas.  I sound like a carpet store commercial!

Shockingly professional looking!

It's a nice industrial product...and it looks ok, too.

Before I can get the walls up, I need to get the cabinetry finished out.  The veneer will come shortly but for now, it's time for the some woodwork.  Since both the nightstand and the galley have different requirements, I'll start with the one nearest the door. 

Long storage cupboard for hot dog or marshmallow roasting sticks

Bookcase facing the gaucho

Detail of bookcase showing trap door

Semi-secure storage for keys, wallet, Pop-Tarts, etc!

Now this is where the going gets tough.  I salvaged the original stove and sink reserving them for possible re-use.  Originally I had thoughts of using the SMEV917 dual-burner stove and sink combination but between the price and the difficulty of importing one (it's available in the U.K. and Europe but not exported to the U.S. at this time), I have had to consider other options.  Since full meals will not be prepared in the trailer and the stove will only be utilized for the occasional boiling of a kettle of water, I have come up with a plan that will do the trick.  In order to return the original sink to good trim, it would be necessary to re-enamel it, a $200 prospect. The original stove would need the same treatment and perhaps new valve and orifice components.  Sizing things up with the new galley cabinet (which is slightly smaller than the original in order to accommodate a full-size mattress), a smaller stove is necessary.  By sheer luck, I landed this stainless sink for $15 and my costs for the stove will about $25.  Beats $225 + import tariffs.

A little Barkeeper's Friend and it'll be like new!

This should be easy to adapt

This Saturday will find me cutting openings for the drawers and getting the drawer glides in place.  Next week:  WALLS!  Oh, wait....welting!  I have to get my welting!

It's alive.....It's alive!

I've been making lots of sawdust over at Greg's garage and thinking big thoughts....let's see what's taken place over the last few weeks!  First, thanks are in order to Podiatrist Dr. Rigby and Physical Therapists Nathan, Russell, and Brian for the top notch care they've given me and my foot.  I'm making good progress and it's making walking and moving about in general much better.  I just hope the bill doesn't send me into cardiac arrest!

Little twinkle toes!

In order to strengthen the connecting joint between the floor and the walls, I cut and attached a cleat along the sides of the floor.  It will be hidden after the cabinetry, dinette and gaucho are permanently in place.  I also marked where the grille in the entry floor will be located.  This will be cut in at some future point - I'm still uncertain if I want to do this.  Cutting a hole in the floor is not something I would do without a lot of contemplation!

It might look quite handsome....

....but I'm still considering it.  Maybe.  Perhaps.  What do you think?

Ok, now down to the nitty gritty.  The same day two weeks ago that I attached the cleats and measured for the grille placement, I measured for the galley and nightstand cabinets.....and I measured......and I measured some more.  Even then when the time came to cut the material at Greg's place, I was still concerned but it was time to get to work.

Lots of cutting (old curbside seat riser in the foreground w/ rusty nails!)....

....lots and lots of cutting!

After so much cutting, lunch is in order!

OK, now to see if and how all these pieces fit together...

So far, so good

I'm feeling pretty good about this!

The galley about to be fitted into place

Well, time to bring the goods home for final fitting and placement...

Ok, it all seems to be right....how did I do that?

Yet there was one error but if I don't mention it, it won't be seen!

I was running out of daylight fast even with the extra hour of light we now have.  I'm now driven - I must get the seat profiles cut!  I was able to salvage them when the trailer was deconstructed a year ago and now it's time for them to come into play!

A familiar profile to Scotty enthusiasts!

Success!

Cabinets located and the curbside dinette seat riser in place

Of course, there are still the openings for the drawers in the galley and book shelf spaces in the nightstand that will need to be cut in along with the necessary support pieces.  That will come over the next few weeks.  I suppose my next major step will be selecting and installing flooring material.  One of my friends suggested ceramic tile......I think I'll go with something a little more apropos for camping.  Those silly friends!

I detect camping season is not far off...

Late breaking update:  I had to make a trip downstate and while passing through Salt Lake City, I picked up the material for the walls - 5' x 5' white birch plywood panels.  The cabinets are at the mid-point of each panel which will assist in the joining of each half of each wall.  I know the Scotties interiors were painted turquoise with black and white flecks but I think the golden glow of that era is so much more inviting.  Now I'm REALLY motivated to get that flooring done and soon so I can start on the walls!!!

I can see the golden glow already!!

Eleven Bolt Day is here!!

Soooo....what should I do today??  Install the wheelwells?  Flip the floor?  Bolt the floor down to the frame?  All of the above?  Let's go!

The first step was to ensure the slots between the rim joist and the floor were clear of the waterproofing compound.  Both sides required attention as well as removing a little wood from the opening in the floor - the wheelwells are 31-1/2 inches long and with the new flanges, I should have enlarged the openings slightly before I flipped the floor over for waterproofing.  Once I modified the rear edge, the wheelwells slid into place with minimal effort.

Partially installed streetside wheelwell

Fully installed; time for fasteners

As I mentioned in an earlier posting, I had to drill out the lower rivets and then secured the wheelwells with 1/2" washer head screws and also along the perimeter of the flanges.  It wasn't long and both wheelwells were in place.

Streetside....

...and curbside

It was time to flip the floor over and place it back on the frame.  Thanks to Aaron, Aaron, Ammon, Mike, and Hal.  Of course, I was a little busy so it was a bit difficult to photo-document the process of flipping the floor over.  Following some quick instructions, four of the guys lifted the floor up high so two others could first remove the five-gallon buckets and then move the $60,000 sawhorses over to the other half of the garage.  The floor was then lifted sideways and set on the crates.  We readjusted our grip then flipped the floor over and set it back down.  After conferring briefly, the guys lifted and moved the floor over to the frame while I crawled under to ensure the floor went into place correctly the first time.  No fingers were pinched in the making of this move!

Insert hardware.....$12 worth!

The $60,000 sawhorses becomes mock-up dinette seating

What's in store next?  Cabinetry?  Floor covering?  Walls?  I can hardly wait!