Basket Test

So, on the way home this evening, I stopped at Target and picked up a couple of different baskets to try.  Why baskets and not build wooden bins?  Good question.  Not sure yet.  My thought is that they are lighter, some of the choices can be broken down to be stored flatly, and they are already made.  One negative is that they are not the exact size I want them to be.  The first was essentially a cube; in fact they are made for those cube storage units that have become so popular recently.

This one is a bit taller than the second one that I tried this evening.  Conversely, it is not as long or deep.  This leaves a little more of the shelf unused.  Not sure how I feel about that at this point.

You can see from the image above that it fits nicely in the height and is a little short in the depth.

The second bin was a bit deeper, but shorter.  It also did not breakdown to store flatly.

You can see from the image above that it is a bit longer or deeper.  Looking at the images again, I don't see a significant difference in their depth.  Either way, four of the baskets would fit nicely in the space.  There would be just a teeny bit of wiggle room with either choice. 

With the idea I had earlier about the slide out shelf and the power center below the main shelf, I think I'm ready to keep the shelf as is with the baskets.  I'll stop by Target tomorrow and pick up the additional baskets and see how that feels when I add the additional insulation.  The good thing about using the baskets is that I can easily convert it to open storage again without doing any damage.  Can't wait to finish the insulation and install the headliner this weekend!

Baskets and Electrical Outlets in the Cabin

So, after some thinking and brainstorming I've possibly come up with a solution for my dilemma on the cabinets.  I need to 'hide' my wiring chase on the bottom of the shelf.  So, I'll build a very short 'false bottom' to the shelf.  On top of this, I will place baskets similar one of these:

These would have many benefits over permanent cabinets.  1). I can take them out to organize clothing, etc.  2).  They can be cleaned easily.  3).  If I ever feel the need to use the shelf as a bunk, open storage, etc. I can do so without any permanent damage to the teardrop.  4).  They should be easy to access as well.  They could be tilted easily to see what's inside thanks to the shape of the ceiling.

I'll need to decide what 'ideal' sizes would be.  As you can tell from the image, there is a slight slope  at the back of the shelf area where the ceiling comes down.

The rear measurement is about 13" from the base of the shelf to the roof.  So, I'll look for baskets that are about 13" tall.  The length is about 21" so there will be a little bit of 'open space' in the back.  I'm planning to put a small shelf in front of the electrical outlets.  I'm thinking that they would be a good place to set an iPhone, etc. to charge.  I just had another idea that might be even better.  I could make a slide out shelf that would accommodate a laptop, iPad, heater, etc.  This would solve many problems for me.  The good news is that I have an extra set of drawer slides that will work perfectly!  I really like the fold down drink holders that are often used in boats.  I would like to place one of them on each side of the door for Erica and I to put our beverages.

I can't wait for the school year to end so that I can get busy finishing up all of the projects for the interior of the teardrop.  Once I'm done, I'll be able to start polishing that old aluminum!

Half Day

Today I took the Illinois certification test for the Library Information Specialist position I have been working to complete.  I have one more class after this semester and then I'm done.  The test allowed for five hours and began at 7:15 a.m.  Not the way I usually like to start my Saturday, but it did get me up and moving.

After a refreshing nap, I crawled under the teardrop and marked the dimensions of the frame's support beams.  I did this with the intention of creating two storage areas in the floor of the teardrop.  Ultimately, I had hoped to store the spare tire, jack, etc. in them.  In the end, the darn spare tire would not fit.  I guess I'm glad I've spent the time, energy and money to make the storage areas, but I was very frustrated that the tire did not fit.

My first attempt at the storage bin was 12" deep.  It seemed too deep even before I installed it.  I ended up taking it all apart and trimming it to about 6".  That seemed visually to look a lot better.  Below you can see it as a 12" bin.

Here are the two bins after being coated with Thompson's Water Sealant; the back bin was created on an angle to make room for the axle.  Both bins are about 6" deep.

Tomorrow I will caulk and install the two boxes, make their lids and install the aluminum flashing around them.  I think the spare tire is going to end up being mounted in some way up on the tongue like you can see in this image.  Another project I want to get done tomorrow is installing the green treated wood in the bulkhead area and measuring and making a template for the mattress.