Cliff starts a Grasshopper / Weekender!

[Cliffmeister2000]

3 coats on! It looks great! I thought I would have to wait until the weekend so I could do it before the temp got to 90º, but we had a gully-washer blow through and when I got home from work Tuesday night it was only about 84º! I took advantage of the situation and finished up the painting!

Mike, I mixed up the last of the second gallon of Uniflex before I realized I was out of 1/4" nap rollers, so I put the final coat on with 3/8 nap. It went on thicker (duh), but it also "self leveled" better! I am extremely pleased with how it looks!

Question: I am going to do "Final installation" of the Fantastic Vent Saturday. It came with a styrofoam "gasket" that looks fairly inadequate. How have you installed your vents? I'm concerned that I don't want to make the installation "permanent" with glue. It has a motor, and motors wear out.

[mikeschn]

I used silicone instead of a gasket. (I didn't have the gasket.)

I put a good sized bead underneath, making sure the screw holes were completely surrounded.

Then I ran my finger along the outside edge, with silicon, making a fillet all around.

Last, I made sure that the screw tops were covered in a fine layer of silicone.

I'm waiting for a rain storm to test it! Yikes!

Mike...

P.S. It comes up pretty easy with a putty knife. But be sure to use silicone, not Lexel. Lexel is a glue, and you'll have a heck of a time getting it back off.

[Cliffmeister2000]

I used silicone instead of a gasket. (I didn't have the gasket.)

I tried the silicone, it worked just fine. Thanks, Mike!

Not much progress over the holiday weekend. We had some pretty awesome monsoon activity which dropped the temperature to the high 90's and low 100's, but raised the humidity to an unbearable level for me. I like my water level below 23%, thank you very much. Stayed indoors for the most part and complained. Felt good!

[Cliffmeister2000]

Getting closer!


Fantastic vent on permanently


Doors on permanently, with windows and handles


Door jams on and ready for weatherstripping.


No picture, but the taillights are on and working also. Not a bad days work. I need to put the weather stripping on the doors and hatch, and put the hatch latches on, and this thing will be camp-able! Still tons to do inside, but a major milestone is just around the corner!

[Cliffmeister2000]

I have reached a critical point in my build. I want to install gas struts to assist in opening and keeping open the galley hatch. I don't know where to begin as far as attachment point, closed length, open length, etc. I opened the hatch, and supported it on a pole and put the pole on a scale. the hatch puts 32 lbs on the scale.

I don't have a great picture of the galley in its present form. This picture shows the hatch.



And this one the cabinet frames inside


Any help would be appreciated.

[Cliffmeister2000]

here's a little better picture of the galley

[Cliffmeister2000]

I found my answer here:

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=8880

Thanks to emiller, who provided this link http://www.mcmaster.com/

After typing "gas struts" in the search box, it responded with a full-on tutorial and sizing guide. Much appreciated, emiller!

[Cliffmeister2000]

Okay, I have my gas struts installed. The hatch opens like a dream! In fact, it opens by itself! It takes quite a bit of downward pressure to close it, and I will have to hold it to engage the latches, once the latches are installed!

Any ideas what I did wrong?

[bgordon]

Hi Cliff,

As far as I understand it, you did nothing wrong! Except of course buying struts with a higher torque than you actually needed!

On the upside - in a few months or years, when the struts have started to become worn, your hatch will still open easily!

Looks like a win-win situation te me...

[Cliffmeister2000]

Thanks, Barrie,

I started with 1 strut, and it would not stay open. I added the second, and it won't stay closed. It also doesn't stay open at the max height I want. I think I'm going to add a telecoping arm to lock the hatch open higher than the struts will support.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. I was laid off my job after 22 years, and had to adjust mentally. I'm over it now.

There is still a lot to do. Lots of interior and exterior trim, 13 cabinet doors, and some decorative paint or decals on the outside. But we have camped in it, and the camping went real fine!

We went to my daughter's home for Christmas, and she didn't have room inside, so we slept in the Weekender in her garage. Quite cozy, even though it was 36 degrees outside!

Then, New Year's, we went to Lake Havasu City, with the intention of camping in our friend's front yard. However, we got there early, and found a state park on the lake. I made an executive decision and plunked down the $15 fee and we stayed there overnight. It was grand!



Parker, AZ, on the way to Lake Havasu City, AZ


Backside view of the rig


We need curtains


Pillowcases will work for tonight

[planovet]

Nice job! Looks like the front is starting to get beat up a little from rocks or is it tar? Maybe some diamond plate would help.

[Cliffmeister2000]

Looks like the front is starting to get beat up a little from rocks or is it tar? Maybe some diamond plate would help.

It's just mud from pulling onto a muddy side of the road to let the speed demons get around me. I am planning about 18 inches of diamondplate in the front, as soon as I can affort it!

[RogHodge]

Cliff-
Sorry about the job. Glad you got to get away and spend time with family.
I'll pray for you.
My Greek is very rusty- but I did take 2 years worth

[Cliffmeister2000]

Thanks for the prayers. The Greek says "God Bless"

Cliff