Lil Diner stuff

[Steve Frederick]

Sounds like I'll have to make another trip up north to get Steve's jump started!

ANYTIME BUDDY!!!

[Steve Frederick]

Here's a teaser of the weekend progress so far..
Wire rough in..

Insulation..


Roof underlayment..Birch ply go's on tommorrow!!

[mikeschn]

That's looking sweet. So you are buttoning it up now!

Did you glue in the insulation? Epoxy resin or construction adhesive?

You must feel like you are on the home stretch now, eh?

Mike...

[campadk]

Nice! Steve are you going to be bringing the Lil Diner to the Spring TearUP along with your cedar stripped tear? You have two cars right?

[Steve Frederick]

Nice! Steve are you going to be bringing the Lil Diner to the Spring TearUP along with your cedar stripped tear? You have two cars right?

Actually, If I get the 'Diner done by then, I'll bring it...The Stripper will be for sale!

[Steve Frederick]

Here are some parting shots, as I went in for dinner..

I left some overhang on the first layer of 1/8" ply. I used the extra as a surface for clamping the final Birch layer. It will get trimmed off flush to the wall, rounded slightly, and 'glassed with the roof.

I used every clamp I own for this one!! The roof is holding about 300# of sand as clamps too. The roof spars didn't budge!!

[beverlyt]

Steve,
You do such beautiful work. It's great fun to see the progress on your "works of art".

What really bugs me is you actually seem to ENJOY building.

What's the matter with you?

Bev

[Steve Frederick]

Bev, My Grampa always said "There's no point in showin' up, If you aren't gonna have fun!!" I have tried to follow that advice!!

[Guest]

Steve,
That was pretty clever thinkin' leaving that over hang there.
Just curious, what type of glue did you use on that 1/8" ply?
While I got you... What instument do you play in the band?
(From User's Polls)

[Steve Frederick]

Steve,
That was pretty clever thinkin' leaving that over hang there.
Just curious, what type of glue did you use on that 1/8" ply?
While I got you... What instument do you play in the band?
(From User's Polls)

PL2000...That lip gets trimmed off and rounded for 'glassing.
I play electric bass, and Appalachian (mountain) Dulcimer. I'm the music leader, lead vocal, for the praise band at my church...

[purplepickup]

Steve, I'm following this real close because I'd like to do my walls and roof very similar to what you're doing. I want the woody look so I'll have to piece panels together on the sides because of my 10'x5.5' size. When you get to the roof trimming and glassing I hope you post something showing what you do. I would guess you will mask off the sides to keep the epoxy off them but the two things I'm wondering is how you will finish off the corner where roof and wall meet, and how you keep the epoxy on the rounded roof from flowing down the slope and out of the cloth before it sets. I've done some glass work on streetrods but never on such large surfaces as this....and never on wood. I'll be patient and wait til you get there. This is a very interesting thread for me. I like your work.

[Steve Frederick]

George, When the time comes, I'll trim the roof flush with the walls. Then, I'll round the roof/wall joint with a 1/4" radius round-over bit. I just let the 'glass cloth on the roof run over the radius. I blend the epoxy into the wall, which is already coated in epoxy/'glass. This method does not require any trim. The raduis is required to allow the 'glass to lay tightly on the wood. Sharp corners will produce bubbles in the finish.
I don't worry about drips on the wall. I just scrape them off in the process of preparing for the spar varnish, later.
Here are some shots of the Stripper at this stage.

[purplepickup]

Steve, when you let the cloth overlap onto the sides, doesn't it make the surface a little irregular because of the extra layer of cloth? The side was so smooth before that. Does the cloth lay flat or bunch up a little because of the curve? Do you apply multiple layers of varnish and sand to flatten and blend the surface?

I'm a car guy and it seems that an activated urethane clearcoat would be a very durable and weather resistant coating to put over the fiberglass. What are the pros and cons of automotive paint compared to spar varnish?

Sorry for all the questions, especially on this thread that aren't really related to Lil Diner. When I get to the glassing stage I'm sure I'll have more questions and I'll start a new thread then. Right now I'm still deciding what I want to do and your work is facinating but it raises questions. I'm one of those guys that likes to do a lot of planning before I actually start making parts. I try to not have to do things twice because I overlooked something.

[Steve Frederick]

I scrape the excess 'glass off the sides while it is still green, able to be dented with your thumbnail. It comes off really quick with a sharp paint scraper. A little sanding, an some more fill coats, and it's ready to sand for finishing.
I think I'll try automotive clearcoat on my 'Diner. I think I'll have to do a few wet sandings to get the surface ready.
Frank pretty much got me hooked on the idea, while he was visiting a few weeks ago. Four coats of varnish...

Man..I'm stuck in a hotel room!! Out on business...Got to get back in the shop!! I will get the day off Friday...Yahoo!!

[Steve Frederick]

Well, I got the last of the difficult...for my mind...things done this weekend.
I built up the hatch seal area on the walls...

Got the hatch framed..

And, I got the galley started...

Got some questions..
Mike, What way was the stove supposed to face?? I remember facing 'Chelle, as she is at the counter??
Everyone...How do you set up gas struts??? I left the skin off the hatch to allow fitting the struts and galley cabinets...My X-ray glasses are broken!!
Next is the stove drawer, and finishing up skinning the hatch...Then, all that's left..Major stuff, is the 'glass work on top..Two or three weeks...and you can have it Mike..patience grasshopper!!!