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flyfshr · 03-05-2007, 12:30 PM

Hey, I think that window from Toaster came from me. Was the aluminum red in color? I have a lead on a few more, if anyone reading this is interested. Things are looking good, keep at it and post more pix.

Brad
FF

A-Merry-Can · 03-05-2007, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfshr

Hey, I think that window from Toaster came from me. Was the aluminum red in color? I have a lead on a few more, if anyone reading this is interested. Things are looking good, keep at it and post more pix.

Brad
FF

yep! you sent me pics of the poor airstream prior to being butchered. sooo sad...

you might recognize the other window here...

http://www.airforums.com/forum...6-post303.html

she's on the back of my 18 footer.

cheers, mate!

jp

A-Merry-Can · 03-05-2007, 01:04 PM

forgot to ask, is there any reason why i can't run all of my sewer vents out a single pipe? that's teh way it was in my 18 footer. i can't figure out why a 19 foot globe trotter would need 3. i assumed i could run a vent tube up from the drain pipe to the grey tank, and put a "T" connection in there to run one from the black tank as well... leaving only a single hole/pipe sticking through the roof... much beter than having all 3, less than 3 feet apart, poking through the end cap! yuck!

jp

C Johnson · 03-05-2007, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

forgot to ask, is there any reason why i can't run all of my sewer vents out a single pipe? that's teh way it was in my 18 footer. i can't figure out why a 19 foot globe trotter would need 3. i assumed i could run a vent tube up from the drain pipe to the grey tank, and put a "T" connection in there to run one from the black tank as well... leaving only a single hole/pipe sticking through the roof... much beter than having all 3, less than 3 feet apart, poking through the end cap! yuck!

jp

Yes, I think there is a reason for the two vents. One for the black tank alone and one for the rest of the sewer system. Thats the way my Caravel is set up anyway. Not knowing how you are doing your tanks though, you might get away with one vent. You could plumb the sewer system vent and black tank vents together, I would think. Depends on routing of the pipes. In my trailer it was just easier to reuse the existing two holes and routing.

A-Merry-Can · 03-05-2007, 04:43 PM

i'm planning on running the black and grey tubes half way up the wall before T-ing them together. that should give me plenty of vertical distance to make sure the vent stays clear. The way things are set up, the black tank can vent straight up from the top of the tank. So can the grey, in fact. i'm thinking at this point it will be ok to run them together. i can't tell you how much i hate those sewer vents poking through the rear endcaps. especially when you know how hard it is to replace those panels! ha!

jp

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 12:59 PM

for the arm-chair airstreamer, here's a little sequence i did at lunch today... vent-pipe-ectomy #2...

step one, remove that caulk mess around the pipe. there is NO way Airstream did this kind of work. i can't figure out why the forward vent has an aluminum cowl around it, and a clean simple seal, while the rear 2 looked like this mess. horrible!

anyway, i removed the big chunks with a screw driver and putty knife...

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 01:00 PM

step 2, remove the pipe by pulling it into the trailer, then get rid of the crud-covered rusty ring...

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 01:01 PM

the shell was covered with excess caulk and sealant... nasty stuff... so i let it soak for 2 hours in caulk remover...

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 01:02 PM

next step was to clean all that mess up, and hit it with the buffing wheel to polish the metal. i like a clean aluminum surface to seal to... no dirt!

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 01:04 PM

i flattened out the bumps from the old screw holes, and taped the patch in place, making sure to mark one edge with a pen for re-installation. VERY important to make sure the holes line back up when you put it on...

... then i drilled, and clecoed away...

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 01:06 PM

take it off, clean up teh aluminum shavings, and put a good amount of sealer on there. i used alcoa, so i wouldn't have to open up a fresh tube of vulkem. it works great. so far i have done 7 patches this way, and no leaks!

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 01:08 PM

rivet time!

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 01:18 PM

i don't have a rivet shaver, $200 for one NON-motorized tool! so i dremel mine, clean the surface with acetone, and buff to a shine! ouala!

i know all this is basic stuff that we all already know and do... but it's fun to see the pic sequence, no?

jp

GreatPumpkin · 03-06-2007, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-Merry-Can

i don't have a rivet shaver, $200 for one NON-motorized tool! so i dremel mine, clean the surface with acetone, and buff to a shine! ouala!

i know all this is basic stuff that we all already know and do... but it's fun to see the pic sequence, no?

jp

YES

Living vicariously until I retrieve mine from winter storage at the end of the month.

pinkflamingoes · 03-06-2007, 02:55 PM

I don't want to hijack this thread...I have a question though, when you do an aluminum patch, what do you do to the patch so the edges of it are smooth? Or do you just cut out a piece of aluminum and put it on that way? Your repair job looks gorgeous. Nice work, I'm following this thread. I'm glad you rescued this baby.

Marti · 03-06-2007, 03:56 PM

I say we save EVERY airstream and if we can't camp in em, we BOWL in them...

muddy_hollow · 03-06-2007, 04:07 PM

how did you cut the aluminum into a perfect circle? Hmm?

A-Merry-Can · 03-06-2007, 06:05 PM

well, i spose i should bestow my technique to you fellas, huh?

1) measure the hole, and add an inch to the widest part (including any extraneous holes you'll need to cover up)

2) with a fresh piece of aluminum, scribe a circle with a compass of the desired circle. i then coat it with a fast drying dye/paint and scribe it again so i can see the line clearly as a bright white line.

3) with a metal shear, i make a series of straight cuts just up to the line, but not touching it. you could probably do this with hand shears, too if you don't have access to a big shear.

4) on a benchtop belt sander, rotate the piece flat, and sand away the extra material right up to the white line. then flip it over, and just touch it with the sander to get the burrs off.

5) with light sand paper, dress the edges so they're nice and smooth

6) draw a straight line across the circle, right through the small center dot left by the compass.

7) with a protractor, mark off an angle, based on how many rivets you want to install. on my smaller patches, i wanted 6, so i drew the first line at 60 degrees (60 X 6 =360). on the larger patch i'm putting in tomorrow, i used 30 degrees (12 rivets). stay tuned for pics of that!

8) once all the tick marks are drawn around the edges, come in an even 1/4" on each one, and punch a small dimple. Now clean the piece with MEK, and revel in your work.

the patch i made tonight took 20 minutes, and should take another hour tomorrow to install on the trailer. i'll post pics when it's done!

remember kids, you heard it here first! good luck!

jp

A-Merry-Can · 03-08-2007, 04:47 PM

... i promise! now i need to order my light. i'm doing the recessed Grote light here. i think it'll look great! better than a hole, anyway!

jp

pinkflamingoes · 03-08-2007, 05:13 PM

Looks beautiful. Thanks for the step by step, I'm not there yet but I have a few holes I'd like to patch up eventually. Using a circle or oval pattern makes it look like it's not a patch, especially if you put something on there, like a bottle opener or some other useful gadget that attaches to the wall; a hook for towels, a metal sign of some kind, etc.