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BIGED52 · 01-01-2013, 04:10 PM

Ingrid, Happy New Year! Ed

pinkflamingoes · 03-17-2013, 07:09 PM

Finally finished the wheel wells! With a horrifying caulking job, (but its sealed) and a good go-over with POR 15, they are ready to go on. The problem now is that Jeffs truck is kaput and we cant pull the frame out from under the shell until his truck is out of the way. Sigh

https://plus.google.com/photos/10016...70320292964497

pinkflamingoes · 05-29-2013, 07:10 PM

Two pictures are of the piece of floor we cut, sealed and installed about 10 years ago. Example of what not to do. But we couldnt help the reasons for the delay. Life, etc.

Jeff got plywood and we cut and sealed three sections of floor. We used something called Restor-It to seal. Technically, Restor-It is for applying to rotting wood and sealing it from rotting further. After some research (and Jeff has used it many many times) I found out from the company's site that it can be used on new wood to seal and penetrate into the fibers. It's an epoxy sealer, and dries to a flexible finish, anything can be installed over it. I guess we are the forums newest floor finish guinea pigs, unless someone else has tried it? I searched here and cant find it for anything but restoring some small areas of rot. (Im no expert but I DON'T recommend using this for any rot on an existing floor. I dont know, just...don't. Where theres rot there's usually more rot. If you are torn between stopping rot or replacing the floor, replace the floor.)

So....we have aged almost ten years since we bought her, and I am feeling it. Ow.

Yay progress! Click for pix

New Floor II Photos by pinkflamingoes1 | Photobucket

eljay · 05-29-2013, 08:01 PM

Yay! progress! (and life happens while you've made other plans. I get it!)

NJtoNC · 05-29-2013, 08:53 PM

ingrid, i was able to read your thread from the beginning. It's great to see you sticking to it! I hope to follow your progress in the near future as , hopefully, we ALL begin to recover from this recession...

pinkflamingoes · 05-30-2013, 12:44 AM

Thank you Team Ingrid!

There is so much more information and resources for parts now, and it hasn't really been THAT long since our forced hiatus. And all my friends are still here!!

The personal strain of our financial meltdown opened our eyes to the fact that renting out the house and going part-time full-timing, or even bugging out is not just a half hearted joke anymore, it might end up being what we do, and...not to tempt fate, but it could be...kind of...awesome...?

*ding dong* hey it's us!! Where's the beer? Got an extension cord?"

pinkflamingoes · 05-31-2013, 07:15 PM

Finished sealing side II of three pieces of subfloor today. This weekend I do the rest. Next up: wheel wells and decide what to do with the tanks. Composting toilets were not an option when we ordered the black and grey we have and the composting toilets need no black tank.

so, we will either use tanks as both grey or sell one to someone who needs a black tank.

Yippee!

BIGED52 · 06-02-2013, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkflamingoes

Finished sealing side II of three pieces of subfloor today. This weekend I do the rest. Next up: wheel wells and decide what to do with the tanks. Composting toilets were not an option when we ordered the black and grey we have and the composting toilets need no black tank.

so, we will either use tanks as both grey or sell one to someone who needs a black tank.

Yippee!

Ingrid, What's up with the tanks? I thought you were going to do both gray and black tanks. One in front of the axles (gray) and the other tank (black) to the rear of the axles. Has that changed now? Of course I suppose it depends on where your new interior is as far as locations of shower/ tub, sinks, and commode. So.... what are your thoughts on the new floor plan. Remember... the fresh water tank needs to be above the floor to keep H2O & lines from freezing. I would be interested to see what you are thinking on this. Ed

pinkflamingoes · 06-02-2013, 11:22 AM

Hey Ed, nice to "see" you!!

Look up "Nature's Head Composing Toilet" here on the forums. They eliminate the need for black tank. No dump station, no smell, easy install, easy to maintain, and I am going next weekend to visit some trailer owners who have one and make a decision. We may end up selling the black tank if need be.

pinkflamingoes · 06-02-2013, 11:24 AM

Oh, we'll be buying fresh tank when we know better what we are planning for the new layout. Yes! Above the floor. Thanks for the reminder.

How are you doing anyway?

pinkflamingoes · 08-19-2013, 01:41 PM

We had named her "Elroy" after the city where we purchased it. It's been off the frame for so long I've renamed her "Shell-y".

BIGED52 · 08-19-2013, 09:22 PM

Ingrid, The new name is not only fitting but it makes a lot of sense because she has been just hanging around in the driveway for quite a while! LoL! So glad you are back to working on her. Hope all is well with the family and we look forward to your continued posts as you gain ground on the finished product. Good Luck and Happy Trails, Ed

pinkflamingoes · 08-20-2013, 09:42 PM

Hi Ed! Thanks for keeping an eye on me!

The reason we hadn't made movement was because of time but no money Now there's money and no time!

Never give up!

Condoluminum · 08-27-2013, 11:59 AM

Ingrid-

Looks like it's just you n' Jeff and Ed and me on this thread. Sad to say life has way of testing sense of humor, and the "Money OR Time" conflict has been around a while.. As a serial retiree, I have direct experience with "Lotsa time - not quite enough cash" and then the opposite, as I work into evening on deadlines... We know one of these days you will join us at Casini or Jackson, and the interior will be gorgeous.. Keep on hammering...

pinkflamingoes · 08-27-2013, 09:53 PM

I'm liking the money no time thing a lot better!

Things have gotten pretty good around here. That was a rough 5 years on all three of us, not just financially. Glad that's passed!

Good to hear from you JBMcG!

Condoluminum · 08-28-2013, 12:00 PM

Yup.. If I had to choose one over the other, give me some cash and I'll find the time eventually..

Glad things are picking up, and hope Jeff is busy on profitable gigs...

pinkflamingoes · 08-28-2013, 01:21 PM

We closed the business. The economy and health insurance costs put us under. He's working at his union job, and things are much more stable around here, in all ways. I could not be happier to put that behind us. Small business ownership is overrated. There were other serious financial problems we had too, but one at a time we have eliminated them for better or for worse. We're a family again.

If you're ever around in Alameda give me a call, we can all go out for dinner. You can see for yourself that we actually own a trailer!

pinkflamingoes · 10-20-2013, 03:07 PM

We are in the middle of figuring out whether we have to sell our baby, and how to get her back on her frame if we do (or don't actually). We have already put out a plea for a shell dropping party, and blessedly, many people have reached out and said they'd either gladly help, or if they were close, would pitch in for sure. For now, we are figuring out how to get it READY for the shell-on. It's a bit of a holding pattern.

So Yesterday, partially for fun and partially to work through what our next decision will be, we went to a new AS dealership in Fairfield CA because of aluminum and also because I read that they do service and repairs. I was pretty impressed.

They do work on all years. They were refurbishing someone's triple axle 70's or 80's Excella into The Zombie Trailer (the one for the End Of Days, not a brain eating airstream). They let us stick our head into it, and we asked a million questions about what they are doing about this and that, and they had "the right" answers...I was poking around their brains too to see if the service guy said anything that was a clue to their skills. They are also re-doing the inside of a Silver Streak, some minor interior system fixes, and when he showed us a little thing he did to avoid having to cut into the original wood, I was glad :-)

One of our problems in getting our shell back on is the availability of skill who can come to our house, or we can tow to a place that isn't three states away. Jeff can supervise a floor install and a c-channel thingy, but the belly pan isn't something he can do.

Anyway it was a nice day, and I'm sure the place has their growing pains but it was a worthwhile trip.

pinkflamingoes · 07-20-2014, 06:13 PM

So, this happened....this is our second floor cut and seal because the first set rotted from sitting out before we had a chance to continue. It's not an install, but the floors on the frame...?

We finally just sealed the wood with two coats of paint. We're going to put linoleum down for flooring so it shouldn't be a problem. Sealing it with wood sealer didnt really do the job. We used marine grade flooring the first time and this time too, but the first time the rot happened at the edge where we had sealed. Anyway, we are going to install the floor this time and continue right away, but I still feel a lot better about having used paint this time.

We're looking at a floor installation two weekends from now. Well, I am. Anyone who wants to come on down when we find out the best date, we will feed you BBQ and you will get pie. Plus beer.

pinkflamingoes · 08-17-2014, 08:34 PM

Jeff strung the electrical wires for the brakes and lights. Or whatever it's called. Kinda excited! He put it in a blue plastic conduit from the front to back in the frame. Now the floor goes in.

This guy has been married to me for 18 years today. Someone asked me what the secret is to a lasting marriage; my answer was "Just shut up and hold the flashlight." Happy Anniversary Jeff. I would do it again but I would worry less the second time around. Thanks for tolerating my crazy self.