"Pork Chop Express"

[SLUG36]

Nice ring! And that's why they call it "fishing", not "catching"; still, it is therapeutic.

exactly, My 12 year old step daughter was bugging me about being bored. I just ignored her. it was nice to get away and do nothing but "wet a hook"

[SLUG36]

I decided to thin the trim rings a little bit and have the center of the rings fill the opening some.

[Tommy2tone_1999]

Got an idea for side graphics for you. Jack Burton's truck from "Big Trouble in Little China"

[SLUG36]

yep, I had found some on the internet. I am so getting those!!!

[SLUG36]

I managed to install the 2 curbside window trim rings. and painted most of the ceiling, still a few spots of filler to sand. the darker grey is the paint.

[rebapuck]

I was at a car show today and fell in love with a '41 Ford truck.

[SLUG36]

I got another gallon of bondo for fathers day and I managed to get the street side window rings installed.

[SLUG36]

After discovering the front upper bunk needed a support across the 5'-10" span. I decided to use some 3/4" angle iron. After getting that installed, I discovered the angle iron tied to the outer walls and the bunk shelf (1/2" plywood) was not going to support weight without dangerously sagging. I decided to add a piece of 3/4"x 1.5" walnut that I have been knocking over in the shop for the past 6 months. I decided to use the same Button head Cap Screws as the window trim rings. but, when I drilled through the Walnut and 1/8" thick angle iron. I discovered that the Walnut board was 7/8" thick. and that the 1" long Button head Screws were to short.

I picked up some more Button Head Screws at the hardware store yesterday in 1 1/4" length and some square nuts to use to bolt toe Walnut facing board onto the angle Iron.

after pulling the Walnut up even with the 1/2" ply, and having the Chamfer milled into the edge of the board. The screw holes ended up to close to the horizontal leg of the angle. I figured the square nuts would be ideal to thread onto the screws. well, after getting home, I discovered I needed to mill 1/8" off one of the flats of the square nut to make it possible to fit the horizontal leg of the angle and thread onto the screw. It was about 9pm last night when I finally finished fitting the assembly up. here is a cruddy pic. some better ones to follow this weekend.

[SLUG36]

a couple of pics of the bunk support I have been working on

[SLUG36]

I hadn't gotten much work done on the PC Express lately. I have a old shoulder injury that has been giving me a hard time.

but, this past weekend in addition to working on the bunk support, I did manage to make some wall panel supports to round the upper corners of the door opening.


this evening, after a large storm passed through. and the temperature dropped. I decided to do some piddling. I started to close in and build a little shelf/table above the fridge. I still need to frame in the sides and skin it all with 1/8 oak ply.

[SLUG36]

the angle iron brace for the front upper bunk wasn't going to cut it. so I had seen some Electrical Conduit "Unistrut" at Lowes. @ $20 for a 10' stick. and I know how sturdy the unistrut is. I welded some 1/4" 4130 steel plates I have had lying around, beveled the plate edges, and welded her up (after sanding the plating off). the plating kinda looked like Cadmium plating they use on grade 8 bolts. so, I decided it was best to sand it off where I was going to be welding.

Pics of the bunk to come later. I have it 90% complete. I still need to install some barrel bolts and a trim piece before I am satisfied.

[SLUG36]

Front upper bunk mostly finished. I added some barrel bolts to keep the upper bunk folded and not falling and bonking someone on the head. I used some 3/8" ss button head cap screws for the catches. I ended up chucking the cap screws in the metal lathe and milling out the center for the barrel bolt to fit. and a shot of how the Unistrut is attached to the walls to support the bunk. also I recessed the hinges on the bunk so when the kiddos are laying down the hinge doesn't make a lump under the padding.

[SLUG36]

I spent the last couple of days building the lower bunk/ table for the front of the camper. the table is about 30"x32", I used 1/2" ply for the body, and trimmed the edges with some 5/4x1 1/2" pine. the edge banding will rest on cleats that are screwed and glued from the back of the bench fronts. and the cleats are a exact match to the edge banding on the table. I was hoping to stiffen up the table, and hope the front of the table doesn't sag where unsupported. after a 12 hour work day and sitting in the stuffy hot camper. I managed to install 2 of the cleats that support the table 1/2" to low.

I am just too tired right now to even try and fix the mistake right now.

[SLUG36]

spun up some table leg "sockets" from some 2x material today.

[SLUG36]

I am still here, build has slowed because of this SE TX summer heat. that and I found a new job that is closer to home and better pay. I put my 2 weeks notice in with my former employer, and my boss flipped out on me and fired me. So, the loss of 2 weeks pay has made things a bit tight. should be back on track in around a month.