This should be it...

[Guest]

...Because drawing is starting to get old.

I had a time of it, getting the furnace situated, but hopefuly this will work.
(I know... More tounge weight)
Well, at least I found a space to haul the barbeque.
Each Square is 3" x 3".

Side Profile w/Table


Top View


Side Profile w/Bed


Galley View

(Both Ovens, Refridgerator and Cutting Board to be mounted on Drawer Slides)

Transit View


Ellipse Profile

[mexican tear]

Dean
Looking good
kai

[mikeschn]

Wow, nice package Dean!!!

I especially like the way you turned the furnace, and fabricated that 90* duct for the front. I want to see that photo when you build it.

You've really packaged quite a bit of stuff in there. All the comforts of home, eh? What happens when you have to camp at Walmart?

Mike...

[Arne]

I just realized, my 'good sam club' message died with no responses...

I did a search on 'free camping in the USA' and the Walmart thing showed up.....

Has anyone with a tear ever 'camped' at a Walmart?

Jim at Rot Doc mentioned being able to camp free at Padre Island, TX.

Back in the 70's I took off for a 3 month road trip around the perimeter of the USA in an old dodge van. I found really neat places to camp near large cities was the long-term parking areas of airports.... Great TV reception, available bar, toilets, etc. In New Orleans, I could even rent a room for 50 cents that had sink, toilet, shower.

Can't do that with a tear, though.... Also, Jim said the free camping in Norther CAlif along the pacific coast was a thing of the past. When there one night, I saw more stars than at any other time in my life.....

So, anyway, anyone with a tear ever do the Walmart thing???.

[mikeschn]

If you go here...
http://home.centurytel.net/edevold/alaska1.htm
Dave and June talk about camping in an occassional Walmart parking lot!!!

Mike...

[Guest]

Wow, nice package Dean!!!

I especially like the way you turned the furnace, and fabricated that 90* duct for the front. I want to see that photo when you build it.

You've really packaged quite a bit of stuff in there. All the comforts of home, eh? What happens when you have to camp at Walmart?

Mike...

I'll definately take a picture of that for you. speaking of pictures... Your live web pic thing you did, is an incredible way to document your progress. That was a good reference, Thanks.
I really can't relate to the Wallmart thing. The only time my tear will be stopping at Wallmart, will be to stock up on Hickory chunks for the Barbeque.
I still plan on getting the profile template made this weekend and I've got a little forewarning for you... Once I do get construction underway, I will probably be asking a ton of questions :!:

BTW that Rot Doctor stuff looks like a very good product. What's your take on using that stuff, if the body is going to be skinned with sheetmetal ? I'm trying to come up with an adhesive that will flex with the expansion and contraction of the sheetmetal and not "break" loose. If I can't find the "right" product, plan B is to glue the sides and float the top. Please comment, if I'm way off base here.

One More Thing: I'm going to be making a hinged leaf for the table. It will go over on the side that the door exits to the outside privacy area.

[mikeschn]

Your live web pic thing you did, is an incredible way to document your progress. That was a good reference, Thanks.

Are you planning on doing a webcam thing too?

I still plan on getting the profile template made this weekend and I've got a little forewarning for you... Once I do get construction underway, I will probably be asking a ton of questions :!:

Bring on the questions!!!

BTW that Rot Doctor stuff looks like a very good product. What's your take on using that stuff, if the body is going to be skinned with sheetmetal ? I'm trying to come up with an adhesive that will flex with the expansion and contraction of the sheetmetal and not "break" loose. If I can't find the "right" product, plan B is to glue the sides and float the top.

If you are going to float an aluminum or sheet metal over the body, then just use CPES. That way, even it water gets under your skin, the wood won't rot away. As for finding the right adhesive... good luck... aluminum expands at a different rate than plywood. I don't know how you're going to find a glue that can handle two different expansion rates, and not break...

Mike...

[Guest]

If you are going to float an aluminum or sheet metal over the body, then just use CPES. That way, even it water gets under your skin, the wood won't rot away. As for finding the right adhesive... good luck...
Mike...

I'm not concerned about water from the outside getting in, but I'm sure there will be some condensation going on under there.
I'm looking at some different flexible caulks and even some different glazing tapes, but I've got my doubts. If I do find a flexible caulking that will have good adhesion on both materials, I'm faced with the prospect of getting the right thickness of caulking in the application, to get the flexible union. I think the radius bend on the sheetmetal will cause a squeeze out situation. Right now, the leading candidate is a caulking that goes by the name of "Mono", a poly urethane based product. It's touted as having tennacious adhesion and it is deffinately "Glazier Unfriendly." (I got my "hunch" it will be added to the list of, "Yep, that on broke loose too")
One of the problems I've seen using caulking to adhear sheetmetal, is during the condensating tempuratures, you get a nice profile of condensation on the exterior surface, that shows exactly where the beads of caulking are. Not a pretty sight.
No web cams in the near future here.

[Laredo]

Dean,
Wally Worlds sometimes encourage camping, sometimes not.

Here is a good link if you want to know about S. Padre Island:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park

and here is another handy reference:

http://www.freecampgrounds.com/othercamps.html

good luck w/ your search.

I don't know how many places still do, but lots of little towns used to have free (or nearly free) camping places as long as you didn't want to stay more than 3 nights. Availability of amenities, however, varied. Coleman Park in Brownfield, TX had free spots for up to 3 nights, and so did Stephenville, Tx in the park down on the Bosque River.

[asianflava]

Jim at Rot Doc mentioned being able to camp free at Padre Island, TX.

Funny you should mention Padre Island, I am going to camp there next weekend. A group of guys have an annual fishing/camping trip there. We go to Padre Island National Seashore near Corpus. You can camp on the beach for free but you have to pay a couple bucks to get into the park. You need a 4X4 to get to the remote places, we usually go down to the 45mile marker. It is definitely primitive camping. Scavange wood to build a fire, other than that, all you have is what you brought with you. Bring lots of fresh water. I guess it would be possible to bring a tear that far. We had a jeep so we had to trailer our tents and camping stuff.

As far as Wal-Mart camping, from what I've read. You can do it as long as you blend in like you are just parked. That means no setting up awnings, bbq pits, etc. Basically, it is a good place to pull over and rest overnight.

Hopefully Ivan won't ruin this little vacation like Frances did my other one.

[Guest]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the suggestions on where to camp, but I don't have any problem with finding places to camp. (Someone else brought that one up)

[Arne]

Dean, so where do you find these places to camp....?

[mikeschn]

Hey Arne,

I just bought a copy of this...



I took the picture in front of the flaar so that Andrew couldn't pick on me!

I think it will have been the best $20 I ever spent... but ask me again about it next year, when I've had a chance to test it...

You can also pick up a copy here...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... 51-0632758
Mike...

[Guest]

Dean, so where do you find these places to camp....?

Well,
I camp at places that Ive been camping at all my life. There are about 15 places that I would call some of my favorites, because I seem to frequent them on a regular basis. I tend to stay closer to the coast, away from the heat. Maybe things are different out/up here in the Redwoods. There are numerous places to camp around here. Besides all the places to camp in the redwoods, there are six major rivers nearby with countless areas to camp, not to mention all the smaller rivers and creeks with spots. If you drive over the first range of coastal mountains away from the redwoods, then you get into the mountain lakes that have places to camp. I know of many places to camp where there isn't even bodies of water. If I went camping every weekend at somewhere different each time, I have no idea how many years it would take to hit all the spots around here. I've looked at the campground websites and viewed what they show for this area... what a joke, they just scratch the surface if that. Maybe I've been taking this "places to camp" thing for granted and I'm really fortunate to live where I live? (Hmmm... Maybe that's why they call this area God's Country)
I spent about six hours flying over Humboldt County a couple of years ago.
I thought I knew this county like the back of my hand, but when I got up in the air, I felt like I had just scratched the surface too.

Oh Mike,
I got the material (three pieces) for the template today and I'm going to glue it up first... Guess what? Yep, I gotta work both days this weekend. Sorry Chief.

Oh... Arne,
If you think I'm pulling your leg, just ask Kai, (mexican tear) he used to live in this area too.

[catrinka]

Hey Dean

I seem to remember camping somewhere along the coast and near the redwoods where there were a lot of sand dunes. Are you near there? Or do you know what I am talking about? This was about 25 years ago.