FoamStream...

[GPW]

Bonnie , I picked up a stainless steel lockset at the HD, and put it on the FS ... Seems to hold up well being outside and the door knob feels (to me ) more “Natural" than a lever type camper/RV lock .
If you choose to go this route , I’d highly suggest buying /borrowing , a hole saw set specifically made for drilling out the door holes for the knob. Makes it EASY to do then ...

[Jack B.]

I'll take your word on the canvas to foam as you've more than amply tested that adhesion. I was just super impressed with how strong a bond produced with foam on foam. Instead of using thick slabs it makes working with thinner sheets in layers much more practical for making sharp curves.

Jack

[GPW]

Jack, whatever works Best for you !!! Many methods have been explored ...

[bonnie]

Spent my last day of vacation getting the garage in order, mostly, and swapping out BUB for the Nookery. Then my neighbor lent me his sawsall and I started the teardown of BUB. One more portion of the driverside wall and BUB will be no more. The axle and tires may already have a home. I will keep the coupler as I may put it on the Nookery. That's still up in the air.

My youngest, who is teaching English in China posted "MOM, that looks like a real trailer!!" High Praise to GPW's great skills.

After I get BUB taken care of, For June so far, I plan on getting the door knob mounted,,painting the frame and getting the name stenciled onto the sides. After I recover $$$$ from the trip and buying the Nookery, I will be camping. Garage camping for sure in the meantime. I need to sort out where everything goes and what I will be taking.

Glen, what date would you say you declared the Nookery finished? I thought I might get one of those decals to put on the back. Something like: GPW POC #1 DD MMM YYYY. POC is proof of concept.

[GPW]

"MOM, that looks like a real trailer!!" I can’t recall seeing a Fake trailer ... unless we count factory RV’s ... ( Gosh , don’t get me started... )

I can just send you a provenance... likely tripling the value of the trailer

As an Artist , had I signed it , that would have elevated it to ART ( Marcel Duchamp ) , and the price would have been Much Much Higher ... True !!!

Finished ??? It isn’t finished yet huh? Are they Ever really finished??? Really , it wasn’t till I went back and did all that re-finishing lately , and especially upgrading the hinges , that I felt it was getting closer to finished...

[GPW]

RE: As you were driving away , I was thinking to myself ... s***, I forgot to tell her the door doesn’t lock from the inside , no knob ... So many little details for we OCP’s ... I’m never finished with anything ...

I dunno’ about painting over the powder coat on the frame .... although faded it has held up quite well to living outdoors for 3 years now , so you may want to just touch up the few tiny rust spots and maybe just wax (car wax) the rest ... To get a really good shiny paint job , you almost have to spray it on ... why I suggested saving the powder coat and just doing the little touch ups .... Much easier , Thriftier too ...

[wagondude]

Wow! Go on vacation for a week and a whole bunch of stuff happens. Every thread has two or three pages to catch up on. Good score Bonnie! Glad to see the little foamie stay in the family.

[bonnie]

I dunno’ about painting over the powder coat on the frame .... although faded it has held up quite well to living outdoors for 3 years now , so you may want to just touch up the few tiny rust spots and maybe just wax (car wax) the rest ... To get a really good shiny paint job , you almost have to spray it on ... why I suggested saving the powder coat and just doing the little touch ups .... Much easier , Thriftier too ...

There's an idea. I may well do that.

Wagondude, I am thrilled with my little teardrop. It's gonna be so fun.

Spent two hours tonight cutting more sides off the BUB. Almost done. Had to stop to take the tongue wheel off, which took forever. I wanted to mount it on the Nookery, but the bolts are too long. I'll pick some up this weekend. Then I got the tail lights off. I can't budge the nuts on the tongue. Don't know what I'll do there. My little muscles aren't up to the task. I'm thinking it might be safer to take the wheels and hubs off and get the trailer floor on small pavers on the ground to cut it into pieces. Whoever said demolition is easy, wasn't five foot tall and a grandma.

[Wolffarmer]

I can't budge the nuts on the tongue. Don't know what I'll do there.

This is where having a real cutting torch comes in mighty handy.

If you don't have an oxy/acetylene cutting torch. You could use one of those little propane torches that screw onto the propane bottle and heat the nuts up real good then let them cool down a bit then try.

Or just get a cheater bar. Something to give you more leverage.

There is also a less well known method of a hammer and sharp chisel.

Randy

[KCStudly]

to add to what Randy said, if it is a matter of rust getting the fasteners off, when using heat touch it with some wax after you take the heat away, like a cheap candle or canning paraffin. The heat draws the wax in and lubricates. It's an old mechanics trick and it really works, usually better than penetrating oil.

If it is just too much torque for your strength or not enough leverage, a cheater bar is usually just a piece of pipe the right diameter to slip over the handle of your wrench to increase the handle length, and therefore the leverage, but a proper breaker bar, or larger sized ratchet is preferred.

With combination wrenches, you can sometimes hook another box end wrench over the open end of the first wrench and get more leverage. Here's how http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM_Sel3kMII. (Unfortunately this guy doesn't know the trick about turning the draw bar side ways and using gravity to help loosen the ball nut, but that is a different story.)

[bonnie]

Randy and KC, thanks for the hints. I will try the double wrench thing. It's not rust, just lack of oomph.

[Mary C]

Spray the bolts with WD 40 two or three times , that might help and it is ok to growl, I find that helps too.

Mary C.

[PKCSPT]

Ah yes, the growl. I find that without that I don't have much luck.

[Wolffarmer]

I wanted to mention the method of using 2 combination wrenches but that is just impossible to describe. Did not think to look up a Youtube vid. I have used that method a lot. WD-40 is a poor penetrating oil. Actually I feel no penetrating oil is worth the money as they really can not penetrate fast or far. Plus the best penetrating oil is home made 50/50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission oil out performs them all. Just has a poor shelf life.

Randy

[GPW]

Rent a Gorilla ... Find a local child , you know , one of those Large children , one that has the youth and strength to rip it apart ... (Brute Strength ) Make em’ a sandwich, give them a couple bucks , let em’ at it !!! Couple years back I had a young guy (bigger than me ) to help with a building project ... very Handy for heavy lifting and assorted feats of Strength... And then they go home ...

For really Stubborn bolts , I’ve seen my friend/neighbor/band member , turn his stick welding machine up high and Burn the bolts off ... QUICK!!! ...