Down the Tubes

Well, that went down the tubes to incompletion.  And got sold.

Just made a bicycle cart ... but can’t remember how to access my Freth’s Recumbents site.

Change of location

Due to a death in the family, we had to relocate to another state.  We gave the trailer frame to our landlord and he managed to sell it.

Slaving Away on the Base

I've spent 2 days slaving away on the base.  I think I have enough basic support.

It is 8 ft wide and 20 ft long.  It's 2" longer on the front than the original camper.  7-1/2" Longer in the rear because I extended from where the back wall used to be, to the back edge of the bumper.  That gave me the total 20 ft length.  The original width was 7ft-8".  I widened it 2" on each side to get the 8ft width.  Due to using 2x4's instead of 1x2's, the inside space will be about the same as the original camper ... just better insulated.

I still need to run some strips up the middle and re-enforce a couple of spots before covering it up.

I kept the original gray-water and black-water tanks.  The black-water tank will be used for the tub.  The gray-water tank will be for the sinks.  We'll be using a sawdust toilet -- we've had good experience with it.

Up towards the front there are things that just don't line up.  Side tabs not lined up with the metal cross-ties.  Step tabs that are just wonky.  I did put crosswise 2x4's centered at the 8ft and 16ft points.  That's so my plywood sheets will properly secure lengthwise.  This all makes for inconsistent measurements between the 2x4's.  And the more expensive pressure treated 2x4's are the ones that warped the most.

I'm going to have to shave the high spots on the twisty 2x4's to level out the floor surface.  I'll use my triangular toothed tree saw to do that.  It's called improvise to make it correct.

My neighbor has offered to use the forks on the front of his tractor to lift the wood frame off the metal frame so I can put flashing on the bottom.  Then he will put it back on the metal frame.  And I can proceed from there.

Relocated .. and some progress

My landlord moved the trailer down next to our cabin. This puts it in reach of the outdoor electrical outlet (30amp) that I installed. Just so I can weld and do other outdoor projects. The springs and one axle (the straight one) were sanded and painted black. The axles and tires are back on the trailer ... which aids in wheel well location and alignment. Today I started construction on the rear section of the wooden base. The base will be basically 3 parts that are connected together. The middle section is not as wide as the other two ... due to working around the wheel wells. Next I will need 5 sheets of plywood for the subfloor ... and so I can work on the issues pertaining to the plumbing for the bathtub and the sinks. That's the part that I'm trying to visualize right now. Once that is worked out, then I can get on with the side walls. Here's a photo

Procrastination is my name

I said I would go out and level the frame again ... but just haven't gotten to it in the heat. Tomorrow is another day for that... :-)

Shuffling the Trailer Around

The landlord was shuffling things a week ago in accord with his project plans ... so he put the extended forks on the front of his tractor, just picked up the entire frame, and moved it down next to the cabin ... where we re-stacked the bricks under it and set it down.  I've gotta straighten the brick piles a bit, make some wooden wedges, and get it all leveled out.

I've also purchased the pressure-treated lumber and flashing to build the wooden base.    Need the foam and 3/4" sheets to cover it.  Oh, and the plumbing connectors to come up through the base for the tub/shower, vent, and sink drains.  That will take some adjusting before I can frame up the walls.  I'm sure it would all be a lot easier if I wasn't dealing with the drain tanks.  But that gives me more options.

Tub/Shower Unit Purchase

     In rebuilding the camping trailer, we wanted to replace the bunkbeds in the back left corner with a tub/shower unit.  The original tub unit was so small that when sitting in it, your chin was on your knees.  And someone had to pull you up out of it ... impossible to get out on your own.

     Anyway, yesterday on the way to pay the utility bill, my wifes says that she wants to go to some yards sales to get some things.  I pass a yard sale sign.  Then a little further down the street, I turn and backtrack to connect up with the yard sale signs.  It didn't look like your typical yard sale ... almost no clothes, no toys, etc.  There were light fixtures, switches, door stops, a bay window, refrigerators ... It was like somebody had been remodeling and had all the leftover parts for sale.
     The prize for us was a tub/shower unit.  Brand new.  And for sale for way less than 1/3 the normal price.  We bought it.  And they delivered it to our place while we continued on to pay the utility bill.
     This was so fortuitous, I give praise to the Lord.  This had nothing to do with my normal lack of brilliance ... I'm usually quite bad at heeding promptings of the spirit.  But in this case, I overcame my normal rebellious nature and just went with it ... and the result was so fantastic!  Thanks Lord.
     The first thing after building the floor/base ... we will need this tub/shower unit so we can plumb to the waste water tank ... before the floor/base becomes a closed immoveable unit.  Then we'll have to build the walls up around the tub/shower unit ... because there would be no way to get it inside through the doorway or a window.
     I am so excited that things are ever so slowly coming together.  Framing and walls can go up pretty quickly.  It's the foundation work and the detail work that take so much time.