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.

Windows

Well,  I've made a cardboard template of the cut out for the window.  I discovered another thing last night as I was meticulously examining the door; I realized that the aluminum angle that was used to screw in the screen windows of the original design, are riveted to the door panel.  This is good news because I can easily remove the rivets, trim the angle pieces and then re-install either with bolts or possibly rivets.  I have not found a solution yet for the larger rivet holes.  I don't own a pneumatic rivet gun so I'm looking into other alternatives.

The above image is before I re-painted the door.

Now all I need is some time and a very good saw blade.  I'm hopeful that I might be able to cut out the window openings tonight and rough fit the windows into place.  It should go pretty smoothly.  NOTE:  Way too tired to attempt this feat!  Will have to try another day. 

Interestingly, the template proved to me that the top and bottom portion, or the horizontal section, is exactly the right size.  The area that needs to be altered is the radii and the width.  If I take it nice and slow, things should go very well.

Installing these windows marks a commitment to the project; there's no going back after this.  If I screw it up, there are not extra 1947 Tourette Travel Trailer doors just laying around.  It has to be done right.  The only other thing that makes me this nervous is cutting a hole in the roof of the teardrop to install the ventilation fan.  That is going to really freak me out!