Monday Evening

Was able to get a couple of hours in this evening on the Carpe Diem.  I jacked up the teardrop and was able to bolt the storage boxes to the frame.  Then, was able to install the headliner on the wheel well covers.

I tried to make the 'edges' where they meet look as nice as possible.  I think I'll add some kind of black rubber trim on each of the 'seams' to make it look a bit more finished.  If nothing else, there is a neoprene seal that goes on the bottom of the garage door that I saw and think might work.  The bulkhead is all 'finished' and looks outstanding!

I glued and screwed the right galley side board in place.  I put a dab of silicone on each of the screw holes as I screwed them in.

Was able to finish the tray that the cooler will sit in.  All I need to do now on the galley is decide on the height of the 'counter' and begin blocking it out.  I found a design that I am going to replicate.  Here is an image of it:

It comes from the Tiny Trailer Company.  I like the way they incorporated the Coleman stove into a pull out drawer that doubles as a cook stand.  I also like the two pull out drawers.  Those could be used to hold utensils and cooking tools.  My design will be a little different on the drawers and lower cabinets; but the idea is sound.

Not going to have any time the rest of the week to work on the Carpe Diem.  Will have to plan and do 'virtual work' on the additional systems. etc.

Galley Work

Very busy family weekend.  Only had time to put in some of the headliner in the galley on Saturday.  I think it looks awesome!  However, I'm not sure if it is the right material to have there.  It cleans easily, is mildew and rot resistant, but I am going to think on whether or not it is the best for this use.

As I said, it was a very, very busy family weekend.  I did get another section of headliner installed; the section where your feet rest is now insulated and carpeted.  It looks terrific.  My camera does not do well in the low light conditions in the cabin right now.

We had lots of the burnt orange paint left over from our basement remodel, so I decided to paint the plywood.  I had treated the 'back' sides with Thompson's Water Seal, and had originally 'stained' the wood in natural stain.   I was hoping for the nice 'color' that comes with birch plywood.  Because I only used 'pine,' I was unhappy with the grain and color with the natural stain.  I 'anchored' the wood to the aluminum using 3/4" stainless steel screws from the inside of the cabin.

I also completed the installation of the insulation and headliner at the 'foot' of the cabin.  I've discovered that if I 'wrap' the fabric over the insulation, it looks really nice.  Also, the insulation, when installed, hid all the screws. 

Another project that I did complete was making the 'box' to hold the cooler.  This box will be mounted with a full 'pull out' drawer slide.  It's coming together nicely.

Huge Progress!

What a great day!

My father-in-law arrived last evening.  Today, he and I accomplished a huge task:  we installed the Fantastic Fan!  This was something I had been feeling a little anxious about, to tell the truth.  Cutting a hole in an aluminum roof that had no hole in it for nearly 70 years took some gumption.  With my father-in-law there to give some guidance and advice, we measured three times, squared everything up with the sides, drilled the pilot holes and cut away the opening.

 

Pilot holes drilled.

 

Three sides cut.

With some trepidation, I cut the final side and... it didn't fit!  We had to pull out my handy new $1.99 Harbor Freight metal rasp to smooth out the cuts a little and... it fit.

It was my father-in-law's idea to put the wood across the top of the teardrop.  It worked perfectly, giving me something to lean on when I was cutting the aluminum.  

My father-in-law was mighty impressed with the vent.  The fact that it only pulls 3 amps when on high and that it moves 938 square feet a minute is pretty amazing.  What I'm thrilled about is that when I lay down and look up, I can see through the fan!  I can't wait to get out in the Carpe Diem for the first time and look at the sky through that vent!

The other major accomplishment was that I started experimenting with the foam and headliner.  I covered the bulkhead sliding doors with the headliner and then cut a piece of 1" foam for the area that is essentially the 'headboard' of the cabin area.  I was amazed with how rigid the foam became when the headliner was glued in position.  So, I covered the foam with the contact cement, then applied the headliner.  I was careful to wrap the ends and top and bottom edges.  I think that gives it a really nice, finished look.  I ended up using Locktite adhesive to hold the foam to the aluminum of the bulkhead area.  I'm not sure what is best to hold the foam to the aluminum, but it seemed to work well.  The image you see above is mid-glue.  I've got everything clamped to hold it and ensure a tight bond.  One thing I discovered though is that the clamps I purchased at Harbor Freight are great for wood, but not so good for foam.  They 'crush' the foam and leave 'dents.'  Mental note to self for future applications...

Here are a couple of views of the vent open.  It brings in a tremendous amount of light and is going to be so welcome once we get it all wired.

We discovered that the roof is rather flimsy; there are no internal roof spars of any kind in the original design.  This wouldn't be a problem if we weren't trying to install things on the ceiling.  So, we talked about how using 1"x 2" oak spars and blocking to 'frame' the hole for the vent, will add some rigidity to the ceiling.  It will also make the foam insulation easier to mount.  Rather than having one large piece spanning the entire ceiling, we will be able to have several smaller pieces.  This will make it easier to keep them in place and hopefully, it will make it easier to cover as well.

Moving on with the insulation and headliner makes me feel like I've made some BIG progress.  If I do have any time this weekend I plan to get the galley cabinets in place.  We have a ton of family things this weekend, so I doubt I'll get anything done. 

Hinge Trouble

I started to tinker around with my new hinge tonight, only to find out I've got a problem.

Take a look:

What you are looking at is the discoloration of the metal from the adhesive used to hold a rubber gasket underneath the piano hinge, which was original on the teardrop.  The new hinge is one I bought to hopefully solve my leak issues.  Unfortunately, as you can see, the hinge is too narrow and does not cover the 'gap.'

Here is the original hinge:

Significantly larger; probably double in mass and girth.  I think I'm going to have to resort to replacing the rubber gasket and re-installing the original hinge.  I'm wondering if I should resort to my bicycle tire gasket solution again?

One thing that I did notice about the 'hatch' is that it is much more rigid with the horizontal stabilizer piece I re-attached to it.  Also, it seems like the hatch fits perfectly over the sides of the galley.  This was a problem on the trip back from Tennessee.  It seemed to be quite weak and wobbled a lot.  It now feels more solid.

Now, to find a gasket that is five feet wide and 1 1/2" thick, or something that would work like that.  I wonder if butyl tape would be sufficient?

Door and Hatch Locks

What a difference a few swipes with a square file can make!  Thirty seconds later, the brand new chrome handles fit perfectly in the antique inner assemblies.  I WD40'd everything and tried them out.  I decided not to mount them yet.  I figure that when I polish the skin it will be easier to do the door without the handles on.

The new chrome handles are going to look sweet on the shiny new skin!  I've got a chrome little 'button' that will go on the bottom hole.  I can't figure out exactly what that was for on the old handle. 

Here is an above view of how the old mechanism fit with the new handle.  The original designers came up with a pretty good way to 'hold' the locking mechanism by placing the metal on a block of wood.  It looks much better with a nice coat of Rustoleum!

Side view of the same thing.

This is my new chrome galley handle inserted into the original latch.  I'm going to need to add some 'bushing' to the shaft of the handle.  It is a few millimeters thinner than the latch socket.  Interesting, a millimeter here/there sure makes a difference.  I think I like this latch mechanism a lot more than the 'new' one.

Vent Placement and Interior Cabinets

I've been thinking about the placement of the Fantastic Fan.  For several reasons I can imagine it being directly overhead in the cabin.  The first is that the fan's blades are clear.  This would be really neat to look up at the night sky.  Also, my wife and I are big fan people.  We sleep with a fan on at night, both for the sound, which helps us sleep, and the movement of air.  In the worst case scenario, a really hot night, having the fan blow directly on our faces might be great.

However, the shape of the interior of my teardrop only has a very slim area that is 'flat.'  That spot is about midway in the cabin.  Believe it or not, this impacts a bunch of other things.  I have reading lights that I plan to install at the front/top of the cabin, just a bit away from the bulkhead doors.  I had planned on putting in a dome light.  It has a red/white bulb to allow for night vision.  Now that I'm getting closer to the point of installing everything, I'm thinking of putting that dome light closer to the cabinets in the cabin.  This would be helpful when trying to get into the cabinets when its dark out.  I think the reading lights will be useful for general light and of course for reading.

 

So, I've had some discussions with folks about interior cabinets.  One friend of mine says to keep the 'shelf' that currently sits in the interior of my cabin.  It actually, as I've said before, could double as a bunk for a person under five feet.  It is also a convenient place to stow just about anything that fits in the large area (5' by 2').  However, I'm leaning towards doing something like this:

 This would basically be exactly the same amount of 'space,' it would just look more 'finished.' At least that's how I feel about it right now.  One thing for sure, I want to insulate all of the walls.  I don't want to take the easier route of not insulating the exterior walls inside the cabinets; otherwise those cabinets will 'sweat' when we are in the cabin.  I plan to make the cabinets fit the entire width of cabin.   I know some designs have a space for a built in DVD player, etc. but that is not a huge need for me.  Most of the time I spend will be out of doors.  If the need arises to being socked in due to rain, we could always watch something on our iPhone!  Not the big screen, but in a pinch it could work.

Possible Issue: Thanks to a Fellow Teardropper for the Head's Up

Emmit, a fellow teardropper, shared a possible concern in a comment to me.  He wanted me to be wary of the basket on my tongue because it may impede my turning radius.  I think, in fact, he is right, but I won't know for sure until I can hook it up and give it a spin in a parking lot.

However, I think I may have a solution and, once again, Harbor Freight, may have come through for me.

Here are two inexpensive, possible, solutions:

 

 Both of these 'could' work; they would give me an additional foot of clearance.  One even gives me a step!  Thank you Emmit for the head's up.  You may have saved me a tail light!

Worrying and Planning

I woke up in the night 'worried' about the storage boxes.  Yes I installed them with a strip of aluminum angle, but I screwed them into place; and the screws are 3/4" screws.  That means that only half an inch is biting into the wood.  A few big bumps and... I can just see them skidding across the freeway as I went through a major city.  Yikes!  I am going to keep the screws in place, but I am going to bolt the aluminum to the frame.  Then I won't have to worry about it at all.  Now that I have the jack stands, its just a matter of jacking up the frame and drilling the holes for the bolts.  Shouldn't take more than an hour.  Famous last words...

So, once again, Harbor Freight has come through for me!

 

For less than $20 I will be able to have a jack that I can keep in my storage box for an emergency!  Plus it will ease my mind when I bolt the storage boxes to the frame.

Another problem I've discovered is that the new handles are a millimeter or so too 'thick' for the interior mechanism.  Rather than file down the handle, which is a really nice chrome, I am going to pick up a set of files from Harbor Freight.  These will allow me to file down the mechanism, which receives the shaft of the handle.  

 

Again, look at the price!  

I may work on the door handles this week too; it would be great to be able fully close the cabin.  The next logical project would be to put the hatch hinge in place.  I can just see me spending days working on the galley cabinets only to shut the hatch and realize that I can't get it to close by 1/8"!

It would also be nice to see how the insulation and headliner would look on the door panels.  I am planning to glue the headliner to the foam and then put the foam onto the aluminum.  Because the doors edge is part of the door seal, I'm thinking that I would leave a 1/4 inch gap around the top.  I will probably then add a layer of foam weather stripping, which will compress when the door is closed.  It will be exciting to see how the doors turn out!  It will also teach me a lot about working with the different adhesives, etc.

 

Sunday

Today was a very productive day!

I started by making a trip to Harbor Freight.  I bought two jack stands for $21.00.  They allowed me, with the help of the jack from my Honda, to lift the teardrop about two feet off the ground. In doing this, it gave me the chance to properly mount the storage boxes.   I ended up using the jack to hold each box in place while I screwed the aluminum angle onto the frame.  I was able to slide in underneath and work easily.  Not a bad way to work by yourself, if I do say so myself!  It's a little hard to see in this image, but the jack is on the axle and there is about a foot of space between the wheel and the floor.  That was a very good purchase.

After mounting the boxes, I cut the aluminum for the storage box lids.  I am so glad I re-did the aluminum because I think it looks TONS better in its shiny finish rather than painted black like I had originally had done.  After cutting the aluminum, I installed the headliner and then glued the aluminum pieces in place.

 

Doesn't that look awesome?

The next project was to install the aluminum angle that originally held the aluminum to the frame.  The aluminum was pretty badly cut and bent, as you can see from the before images above.  I installed a 1" x 2" green treated board behind the aluminum angle and it pulled the ragged aluminum into place.

That front section looks 'finished' again.  I had originally planned a piece of aluminum diamond plate, or my rubber idea.  It looks so good that at this point, the 'cover up' will still look great, but it won't be hiding anything.  

I took a little time to figure out how the reading light fixture would be mounted inside the teardrop.  The lights swivel and thus have a 'ball' like feature that extends below the plate.  I found that mounting it on a piece of 3/4" plywood was just about the perfect amount of space.  I'll cover this in the headliner material and mount onto the styrofoam to give it a finished look.  This got me excited about how the finishing touches are going to look.  

 My wingman showed up with a present.  He had a cargo basket that he was not going to use anymore.  He made me an incredible deal on it and it fit perfectly on the teardrop's tongue.  I had originally thought I would just buy one from Harbor Freight, but the ones they sell are bolted together and do not have a mesh bottom like this one.  This basket is all welded steel.  The great news about it is that I will be able to easily remove the basket and use it on the tow vehicle's hitch if we ever need or want to use it.  It has a fold up hitch mount that easily slips onto the tongue piece.  I am going to add a couple of bolts and one or two 'U' bolts to hold it on the tongue.  Lastly, I'm going to add a couple of conduit clips through the teardrop to help it ride firmly.  What a great addition to the Carpe Diem!

This image shows how nicely it rides on the tongue and how cleanly the aluminum came together by mounting that strip at the bottom.

 The next project was to replace the aluminum strip that sits on the end of the hatch.  This is the piece that I 're-tooled' to get it as straight as possible.  You can see that I painted it with Rustoleum to protect it.  I installed it with stainless steel screws.

The hatch is off, that's why this image is vertical.

The next project was to try out the new lock sets I ordered.  Unfortunately, it looks like the inner locks are not going to work for my rebuild.  Unfortunately, I would have to drill new holes for the handle in order for the latch to hit at the appropriate spot on the door.  It's right now when I am SO glad that I did not pitch the original door hardware.  A quick coat of Rustoleum and I think the original door latches and locks will work just fine!

 

The original outside door handles were in bad shape.  One of them was missing, the other had been mangled and was beyond salvaging.  However, I ordered these new beautiful chrome handles.  I will only have to slightly adjust the interior latches in order to get these new handles to work perfectly.

I may end up keeping the original latch for the hatch too.  It's on the lower left section of the image above.

After a thorough cleaning of the garage and putting all my tools and materials back in place, I was able to close down the garage and head back inside ready for the work week.  If I have any time this week, I'll work on the galley cabinets.  All in all, it was a great weekend!

Saturday

My Wingman, Jim Tingey was back for a status update today.  He helped me jack up the teardrop in order to anchor the edges of the plywood floor which needed to be bolted together.  We also completed the bulkhead installation of the green treated board.

Next, I measured and cut the first piece of headliner for the floor.  Simply placing it on the floor of the teardrop immediately made a huge difference!  The whole space was more 'finished' and pleasant.  Unfortunately, I had to remove the storage boxes and start over with the aluminum trim.  I was too eager to have the floor boxes in place and realized that with the headliner on the floor, I would need to re-do the aluminum edging.  Nonetheless, it looks much, much better.  I didn't use any contact cement yet.  It's too cold and I'm weighing the benefits of the material I have.  I may end up returning the gallon of contact cement and going with a spray adhesive from 3M.  I'm researching that for a later date.

In addition to 're-doing' the trim, I decided to anchor the boxes to the frame with some of the left over aluminum angle material that was left over from removing the galley.  I screwed the angle to the frame and then screwed the boxes to it.  This is a much more secure way to do the floor boxes anyway.  I should have done it that way in the first place. Well, I should say, I tried to do this.  I need to invest in some jacks to get the trailer up in the air, even a few inches will greatly increase my ability to work on it.  I plan on picking a set up from Harbor Freight tomorrow.

I showed the door hardware and the ventilation fan to Jim.  He was impressed with the fan!  One thing I discovered, kinda by accident, is that the fan's blades are clear which allows you to be able to 'see' the stars through the vent!  I'm thinking about where to place the vent in order to take advantage of this awesome design feature.

I may go ahead and cut the opening for the ventilation fan tomorrow.  It would be nice to have the additional light in the cabin while I'm working on it; plus this would motivate me to get the other electrical work started.


I started measuring the cabin for the foam that I plan to install.  I turned to Sketchup again to help me with figuring out my materials.  The end result is pretty cool, take a look:

Above you can see the 4 x 8 sheets with all the individual sections marked out.  My plan, at this point is to install the headliner on the individual pieces of foam and then install the pieces.  By doing this, I should eliminate the need for large sheets of headliner to be installed.  That's the plan at this point.

I'm getting ahead of myself.  The galley needs to be at least roughed in completely before I can start installing the electric.  

Fellow Teardropper: Gary from New Zealand!

I recently discovered that someone from New Zealand had been reading my blog.  I came to find out that the person is Gary and he writes about his beautiful, hand made teardrop on his blog entitled:  A Teardrop for Gary and Rose.

Gary's blog is full of images of he and his wife's teardrop being viewed by hundreds of curious onlookers.  One blog entry mentioned that over 700 people visited him when he set up his teardrop at a vintage caravan show.  I also love that Gary brought his teardrop to a wedding and spent the night in it after a night filled with revelry!  Now that's good planning! Nothing like a 'bring your own hotel' kind of guest!  I look forward to being able to bring my teardrop with me as an alternative to hotels!  Gary's blog also shows many of the insanely beautiful personal touches, like his ingenious windows!  I am looking forward to studying his design and implementing some of his techniques into my re-build.

Rain Day

Well, I've never had a rain day before, but today school was closed because of the torrential rains we've gotten overnight. Unfortunately, I was already at school!

So, I journeyed home and decided to tackle the windows. Six hours later I had them installed.

I have to say, I knew it would not be easy to cut the aluminum doors to fit the windows. I was EXTREMELY careful. I started by using my cardboard template.

I put the window in place and was immediately heartbroken. I had cut it too big. I couldn't understand how this could be, the template was meticulously made and I measured three times. It turns out the radius of the window was slightly larger than the piece of aluminum that sandwiches through the door. I had used the wrong part of the window as my guide.  (Notice the teeny tiny light coming through the top right corner of the frame.)

I immediately was crushed. How could I have been so dumb? I was beside myself. I thought about my options. I considered making new doors out of wood; ordering bigger windows; etc. none of those options appealed to me so I sat down and sulked. I decided to hope something at the hardware store would inspire a solution.

I went to the hardware store and looked at every type of weather stripping, Velcro, plastic I could find. Nothing would work. So I wandered the aisles trying to think outlet side the box. Defeated, I drove towards home. Then I had an idea; make a gasket, but with what?

I steered towards the bike shop. I purchased a bike inner tube.

Twenty minutes later, I had made my own gasket with the tube. Another trip to the hardware store for some adhesive. I was able to split the tube and work it over the aluminum where the window would sit. I was then able to install the window in a way that provided just that teeny bit of difference I needed from my 'mistake.'

It took a couple of hours to trim the other window. I went through seven metal scroll saw blades all together. I went to the bike store and bought another tube. I was able to quickly make another gasket and install the new window.

Now, the windows are installed and the doors are back on the teardrop. What started as a heartbreaking 'mistake' ended with a unique customization! I'm hopeful when the adhesive sets up that I can add a little more silicone sealant to the gaskets to ensure that they are watertight.

The cabin is already much lighter with the windows in place. I feel proud of my problem solving skills, for today.

Another Fellow Teardrop Blogger

I have been reading the blog of fellow teardroppers, Rebecca and Darrel, who built their own teardrop and then have been traveling around the United States in it.  The two of them have embraced the simplicity of teardrop travel and write about their adventures here:  http://turned-about.blogspot.com/

One of the most helpful elements of their blog has been their detailed descriptions of their build.  I particularly was interested in how they installed their solar panels by thoughtfully bringing the charging wires into the ceiling via the ventilation fan.  I am going to consider such a design when I get to that part of my 'build' as well.

Another element that I think makes their blog unique and fun to read is the honesty with which they write about their experience on the road.  They talk about how they solved various challenges and how they adapted their trailer to their needs.  Nobody can predict how they will 'use' the teardrop space, but we can learn from others along the way.  I will surely continue to follow their travels.