"Fred Sanford" build

[Woodstramp]

Well, I had planned on sealing the roof edges today, bu that fell through....decided to to some other stuff this weekend. Decided to give the camper a high speed (70mph) test to check for sway.

Aside from the axle being a little stiff it towed great at 70....no sway. Happy camper now that I know the design isn't prone to sway.

Pulled over after first highway speed test.



Rear view of new skin ....minus finished seam seals....yeah, that's duct tape.



Also, Sweety and me decided that she was to decorate the interior in a style using a quilts...we love hand made quilts...her family has made them going way back. We even have some of her grandmothers family heirloom quilts we may use.

The main idea with this camper was to use as much "junk" as possible and the quilts fall right in that catagory. Thrifty women could take scraps of cloth and make something nice and usefull. We've been trying to come up with a fitting name besides Fred Sanford. Though I liked Fred.

Got to thinking about that old Dolly Parton song "Coat of Many Colors". It was a song about a poor girl's mother making her a winter coat from scraps. The thought hit us to call our camper "The Coach of Many Colors". That will be the name.

[CliffinGA]

Hey Chuck looking good bud. Sorry been busy visiting family in the hospital this weekend but it is at that state park. I will post you a link later to the gathering. Its called Tear days of Summer and there is information I believe under Southeast tab or on Tearjerkers site under Ga, Al and Tn tabs. Like the name that's one of my favorite Dolly songs.

Cliff

[Woodstramp]

Sorry to hear of family troubles. Don't know if we can go to the gather, but would like info, just in case we can.

[CliffinGA]

Chuck I copied this from the GA TJ site for the gathering:

Tear Days Of Summer 2011"Roll Call"
by Neil & Ramona Souther » Fri May 06, 2011 2:11 pm

Tear Days Of Summer 2011 roll call,let us know and we will add you name to the list.We had 25 Campers last year lets make this one even better.
Tear Days of Summer 2011 will be at Cheaha State Park in Alabama,
July 14-17. This park is located east of Birmingham and is the Highest point in the state. It has a lake and a pool and some great hiking. We will try to get the Mountain Top campground as it is closer to other park facilities. here is a link to the park http://www.alapark.com/CheahaResort/Camping/

For reservations, call 800-ALA-PARK or 256-488-5111.

Glen & Sheila
Karen Williams
Tony & kim
Neil & Ramona
Ann S
Cliff & Sherri
Frank & Vickie Hamilton
Jennifer Certonio
John S
Kenny



Hope you can come over for it. I was hoping to have mine finsihed by that time but I'm about to take mine back apart to redo the sides do to an inexperienced screw up and and miscuts and missanding. I may have it back together by then but we'll see. We will have my small sleeper atleast to take along.

Cliff

[Woodstramp]

Thanks Cliff. Prolly won't have the rig campable by then.

Cheaha is a nice place. We've camped in several spots on the mountain over the years.

[synaps3]

The build is looking great so far. I'm very impressed by your resourcefulness; the amount of repurposed materials on this build is astonishing. It all comes together to make something awesome too.

[VaLEWF]

Your trailer looks good. I also am impressed with your "scrounge-ability". I hope I can happen upon a few items that I can repurpose on my build.
Keep up the good work.

[Deryk the Pirate]

Looking great! So have ya tried out the air conditioner yet? I want to do something similar in mine, being on the back side and able to be pulled out for when I dont need it. I am just concerned about it being able to vent the heat out properly and pull in fresh air to cool the cabin. Do you leave the back hatch open when its running?

deryk

[Woodstramp]

Deryk,

I've not finished the condensor side ducting yet, but here is a pic of what I have done:



The fan draws air in the sides and exits the hot air out back. I used a round-to rectangular adaptor (from Home Depot) there on the left. On the outside (round end) a 6" screened dryer exhaust cover (plastic) from HD.

Got to looking and I will have to add another intake on the right side too. I was just going to intake on that left side, but the compressor is on the right intake. The puny load this little TTT is going to put on this 5K BTU unit probably won't require a draft across the compressor, but I will put an intake there too. Just in case. Haven't studied where exactly I draw that air in yet..

To let the heat out I have (but not installed yet) an 8" elbow will be installed and it will shoot the hot air down (through the floor ) and away from the back of the TTT. Where it transitions through the floor, I will make a screened (to keep critters out) cover. The leading (wind side when towing) edge will have a slanted metal flap to keep rain water from the tires from splashing up into the exhaust hole (while towing) and to help shoot the air (while running the AC) toward the back.

You will also have to consider condensed water accumulation in the bottom pan of the AC. The bottom tray will, in humid weather, fill to the brim and slosh out. Mine came with a drain adaptor (pop out black plastic plug, install black plastic drain + drain hose) This will be ran through the floor.

We did test the AC all night (before I closed in the back of the TTT) We sealed the cabin with insulation board and the hot air just blew out the back of the open TTT. Worked great. I didn't have the drain in, so we had some condensate water slash on the floor, but the drain will take car of that.

BTW, I like Parnold's idea for his AC. His he turned it into a poor man's Pet Cool, buy using flexible ducting on the evaporator side. He just hooks the flex tubes up in the window.

[Boanerges4]

Chuck, Im enjoying the build, keep it up. I have a ?? about the roof skin. What did you use for skin and how did you join it in the middle and what trim did you use on edges? Thanks Dennis

[Deryk the Pirate]

hmmmm CaseyDog has an interesting idea But he has it vented only on 1 side....

deryk

[Woodstramp]

Chuck, Im enjoying the build, keep it up. I have a ?? about the roof skin. What did you use for skin and how did you join it in the middle and what trim did you use on edges? Thanks Dennis

Dennis,

6 foot wide aluminum was gonna be a bank buster for me, and I wanted metal, so I got to thinking about thin steel. I recalled picking up and order for my corrugated steel roofing (back when I built my house). Got there early and got to watch them prep my order. That steel comes on huge coils. The folks at the roofing company draw the flat steel from the coils through corrugation dies then chop it to the ordered length.

Called a local supplier and ordered my pieces uncorrugated. It's only available (here) in 41" widths, so I will have a seam in the center. Those two sheets were about $70 for both. It is only .015" thick and these two sheets added about 70 lbs to the build. The supplier recoiled my order, and put it in a large tube....was able to bring it home in my little PU. Also had him tape the ragged, cut edges so when recoiled for pick up the edges wouldn't scratch. Also, it is available in about any color you'd care for.

As to applying.....center line drawn in the middle.....sheets butt there...center seam will eventually have a band of aluminum....edges will have some plastic pieces. Note on that....I will post pics on the details of this later.

[Woodstramp]

Deryk,

Well, that is slick. Looks like they are big enough to let it breath well. I really like the vent faces. Wonder where Caseydog got them?

Anyhoo, been mulling around ideas for a second camper (a smaller TD offroadish one). Gonna totally rip off Casey's engineering there for that one.

[Deryk the Pirate]

they can be gotten at www.defender.com they sell marine stuff. Could even get it in stainless steel but I dont know if I wanna polish it lol. I agree its a great idea....Im thinking of going that route can always paint it to my trailers colours.

deryk

[caseydog]

Deryk,

Well, that is slick. Looks like they are big enough to let it breath well. I really like the vent faces. Wonder where Caseydog got them?

Anyhoo, been mulling around ideas for a second camper (a smaller TD offroadish one). Gonna totally rip off Casey's engineering there for that one.

I bought my vents at West Marine. They were chrome, but I etched and painted them black.

CD