Little Girl Refurb 1972

[Minno]

I finished the cushions for the bench seat over the weekend. They can be flipped around to even out the wear, and the stripes still line up. I used 4 inch foam in them. I like the fabric I used so much and have some left over, that I'm going to remodel the remodel before the original remodel is done, and redo the window valances and curtains in the front of the trailer to match! The original fabric I used was a $40 dollar find at a local furniture upholstery shop and I have never been quite thrilled with the color match.
The other side of the table will sport a Zip Dee chair we ordered.



I'm probably going to replace the kitchen window fabrics also at some point, maybe with pink flamingo fabric. The bedroom window valances will probably get re-done with quilt motifs to match the quilt already there - someday!
Chris is working on the table now that we've worked out how to add size to it. It will have a drop in leaf to extend it for an extra 12 inches. Having extra table size or an extra table was something we've been trying to work out all winter. I wanted the extra room for when I'm sewing, or we have company in. He's adding some fancy-dancy embellishments to it, so stay tuned!

Kay

[perryg114]

That should be a nice place to put on your shoes.

Great job

Perry

[Minno]

Well, you're right, it would. Except, it's going to be my sewing storage instead. There's enough room for my Singer Featherweight machine and supplies. Originally, we had thought to use it with a side door as a built in kennel for our Min Pin, Mischief. However, when we measured, he's too tall (big for his breed). That lead to the sewing storage idea. Still don't have a good spot for the kennel...

Kay

[Minno]

Oopsy - Kay missed the word "on" Perry. She thought you meant a nice place to store shoes. Plus, we'll have a stationary table in front of the bench.

I need to build a small wooden filler to go between the back cushion and the side wall to fill in the curve. Not a high priority right now, so it'll be a while.

Chris

[perryg114]

Yes it can be a shoe changing area and a place for your sewing stuff LOL.

Perry

[Minno]

Finished building the table today. Not installed or poly'ed yet, although it does have one coat of poly to seal the wood.



Table sitting on my workbench in the short position.



Opened out and the leaf installed.



Underneath to show the slides and framing.

I used threaded inserts and bolts to attach the frame to the table top. I elongated the holes in the framing to allow for expansion and contraction of the table top.

Currently working on doing an inlay around the outside edge. Will post pics once that's done.

Chris

[Minno]

Table inlay - new fun and games!

I found a web site that sells metal inlay DVD's and metal powder for inlays. My original thought was to use thin pieces of aluminum, but that would limit me to straight runs and according to the DVD I bought, the solid metal would eventually pop out with the movement of the wood over time. So, I bought some aluminum powder and extra thin CA glue, and experimented. We liked the results, so I inlayed a band of aluminum around the outside of the dinette table.




Here's the metal powder laid into the groove I routed on the table (refer to previous post for a picture of the groove). I learned that wildly overfilling the groove produces the best results - very few, if any, low spots that need to have a second application of the powder and glue. The powder is totally saturated with CA glue in these pictures. I also learned that the CA glue stains red alder a bit, so I sealed the table top with a coat of poly before applying the inlay. This is a stinky process, and good ventilation is a must!! I had a fan blowing out one window, and another window across my workshop open a bit to provide cross ventilation. I let the CA glue dry overnight.



Today, I sanded the powder down. Started with 150 grit in my orbital sander, and then switched to hand sanding with 320 and finally 440 grit.




Close up of the inlay.




This evening, I put the first coat of poly on the table top. These two pictures were taken right after I put the poly on, so it's still quite wet. It's a clear gloss, so the final result should look about the same (hopefully).


Meanwhile, Kay was busy this weekend too!




She took the curtains and valances out of the front of the trailer and recovered the valances with the same fabric we used on the dinette cushion. She still needs to make new curtains, and is waiting for me to install the dinette table so she can figure out the new length that they will need to be.


Chris

[reinergirl]

That aluminum ( powder ) inlay is SWEET! Really nice work Minno, love to see new applications like this.

[Aage]

As usual, lovely, unusual work, Minno! Thanks for sharing.

[samyjam14]

Looks awesome!!

Can't wait to meet you both this summer and see the AS!

Hurry up spring!!
:-)
Mary

[GAStreamin]

Amazing table! I'm blown away.

[Mockinbrd]

One hellaciously awesome table.
Mockinbrd

[Minno]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. We can't wait to show her off this summer!

We got quite a bit accomplished today in the semi-balmy weather.




I installed the doors on the stereo shelf over the front window.

We also installed the table today.




Here's the table wall bracket. Using the stack window for setting the table height made it perfect for us. It puts the table top just below 28" off the floor.




Table installed, both without the leaf and with the leaf. Without the leaf is perfect for the two of us, and we can add the leaf and chairs when we have company over.




The dowels I installed to hold the leaf level with the rest of the table weren't quite cutting it, so I added under-table leaf brackets. Now the table top is nice and level both without the leaf and with it. I also installed a latch to hold the end of the table in place while traveling.




Another project we worked on was the curtains Kay remade. With the table in place, the way we had fastened the curtains at the bottom wasn't going to work anymore as the curtains needed to be a couple of inches shorter. So, I fabricated curtain rods out of 3/8" aluminum rod. Used a hammer and anvil to flatten one end, and then a bench vise to bend them to the "U" shape. The side length allows the blinds to fit in behind the curtain rod when they are pulled down.




Here's one of the curtains installed on the curtain rod.




Window by the doors with the new curtains, curtains rods, and blinds drawn.




Other side of the trailer with the new curtains and curtain rods. Before, the curtains went a couple of inches below the stack windows, but with the table installed, that wouldn't work anymore. Now the curtains end just over the top of the table.

We also spent some time working in the bathroom today, re-doing some plumbing and building stuff. Will post more on that project tomorrow with pictures.

Chris

[Lance M]

Very nice Chris and Kay! Great work. Really.

[ND10CentCan]

Originally Posted by Minno

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. We can't wait to show her off this summer!

We got quite a bit accomplished today in the semi-balmy weather.



Attachment 208515
I installed the doors on the stereo shelf over the front window.

We also installed the table today.



Attachment 208516
Here's the table wall bracket. Using the stack window for setting the table height made it perfect for us. It puts the table top just below 28" off the floor.



Attachment 208517Attachment 208518
Table installed, both without the leaf and with the leaf. Without the leaf is perfect for the two of us, and we can add the leaf and chairs when we have company over.



Attachment 208519
The dowels I installed to hold the leaf level with the rest of the table weren't quite cutting it, so I added under-table leaf brackets. Now the table top is nice and level both without the leaf and with it. I also installed a latch to hold the end of the table in place while traveling.



Attachment 208520
Another project we worked on was the curtains Kay remade. With the table in place, the way we had fastened the curtains at the bottom wasn't going to work anymore as the curtains needed to be a couple of inches shorter. So, I fabricated curtain rods out of 3/8" aluminum rod. Used a hammer and anvil to flatten one end, and then a bench vise to bend them to the "U" shape. The side length allows the blinds to fit in behind the curtain rod when they are pulled down.



Attachment 208521
Here's one of the curtains installed on the curtain rod.



Attachment 208522
Window by the doors with the new curtains, curtains rods, and blinds drawn.



Attachment 208523Attachment 208524
Other side of the trailer with the new curtains and curtain rods. Before, the curtains went a couple of inches below the stack windows, but with the table installed, that wouldn't work anymore. Now the curtains end just over the top of the table.

We also spent some time working in the bathroom today, re-doing some plumbing and building stuff. Will post more on that project tomorrow with pictures.

Chris

Aren't we lucky to have a short break from the never ending parade of cold days? Looks like you are continuing in your remodel and would love to see it in person some time we come down to the cities. Or if you are ever headed through Bismarck as well. Nice work I must add.
Sandy

[Minno]

Visitors are always welcome! Our daughter jokingly gives us crap for inviting people over that we haven't met (leftover days from high school when we emphasized that to her). She is just joking. I think.
We enjoy meeting Airstream friends!

Kay

[Minno]

Yesterday, we took a big step in moving the bathroom sink drain. After much debate and thought, and using the trailer for a full summer last year, we figured out we needed more liquid in the black tank. More then we were normally flushing with previous trailers anyway. I think part of it is because we have such a long dump line between the tank and the dump valve. We had it clog on us one time, and that's one time too many... A quick work-around last year was to simply flush the toilet longer, adding liquid to the black tank that way.

We've read on the forums how some folks and some current Airstreams drain the bathroom sink to the black tank, and over the winter we debated if that was an option for Little Girl. After some careful measuring, we decided that the answer was yes, we could fairly easily move the bathroom sink drain to the black tank. Doing so not only adds more liquid to the black tank, but also removed the sink drain line from two places it was kinda in the way.




First off, here's the old sink drain line. It wraps around the rear of the trailer, and then runs under the tub to connect to the drain line from the tub under the tub platform. The two places it was in the way were: 1) at the floor under the shower valve where it sticks out farther then the valve, which would increase the thickness of the wall at the end of the shower, and 2) in the rear hatch where it's directly in front of the light. Inside the hatch, the drain pipe ran right at the top of the hatch opening, preventing me from putting anything taller than the hatch opening in the storage compartment. I want to store the shore power cord and extension cords in that hatch, and the drain line prevented me from doing so easily.




So, we cut the drain line behind the toilet, right next to the rear storage compartment. We removed the drain line from that point to where it went under the tub platform.





At the tub platform, we capped the drain line.




Then I drilled a hole though the floor using a 3" hole saw. That was kinda nerve racking! Even though I was sure of my measurements, there's always that doubt that you're going to miss the tank or come down into the side of the tank... Fortunately, I was dead on, and I then drilled a hole into the top of the tank for the fitting.




Once the fitting was glued in place, I added in the remaining fittings and pipe to connect the drain line to the black tank.

That was the first project today. More to follow in the next post.

[Minno]

Yesterday, we also finished building the wall that will hide all the shower plumbing.



To prep for installing the wall, I first ran power (+12 VDC & a return) from the ceiling to the wall cavity. This will power a light for over the mirror. I glued and screwed a cleat to the bathroom/bedroom wall, and on the outside edge, I glued and screwed five 3" wide pieces of plywood to hang the new wall onto.




Here's the wall installed. The top half is 1/4" red alder plywood, and the bottom half is regular 1/4" plywood. With this wall in place, we were able to sit down and design a cabinet that will be 44" tall and cover the bottom half of the wall. We made an access panel as well in case we ever need to service the shower valve. Currently, I'm making up the plans for the cabinet.


We did a couple of other things today too:



I cut a trim piece out of 1/8" x 2 1/2" aluminum bar to cover the hole under the upper kitchen cabinet next to the thermostat.




I made some brackets and mounted our good luck broom we bought at a Renaissance Festival in Illinois for Little Girl. It has her initials carved into the handle.




Kay found a perfect place to display some pins we have from her parents for some of the rally's they attend. This is on the front window valance under the stereo.

That's it for the weekend. This week I'll work on building the new cabinet for the bathroom and work on the rear curved wall.

Chris

[Bauxter]

Chris, My black tank vent is near the same location as yours. My sink will be on the back wall. Can the vent vertical also be used as a drain line for the sink?

mk

[perryg114]

Do you guys have a floor plan drawing that you might have posted earlier? I am just trying to figure out where you are and where you are going. I like that table and the bench is making more sense now that there is a table in front of it. I am a big picture person. You two are doing an awesome job.

Perry