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Aerowood · 01-04-2010, 04:26 PM

I will most likely use prodex if my wallet will let me. You have to remember that I am just a humble aircraft mechanic that is only responsible for the lives of the people that fly on the aircraft that I return to service. A typical car mechanic at the local Chevy dealer make more $$$ then we do.

Kip

fotochop · 01-04-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerowood

S with a Z, I am installing both a catalytic and a forced air.

The forced air is on order and I had not bought the catalytic that I wanted to install yet, until today. My wife and I were coming home from the Tree Farm with a new tree for the front yard and stopped at a Garage Sale at a farm house close to the tree farm. I bought a brand new, still in the sealed box, Olympic 6100a catalytic heater for 75 bucks. It's an older unit but works perfect. I'd rather be lucky then good anyday.

Kip

You won't regret putting in the new furnace, Kip. Granted, they are battery-hogs when boondocking (but you can use your sweatbox cat for that!). I just finished installing a "new" (salvage, paid $300 on ebay) Suburban NT-30SP after tossing the infamous "recall" Nt-22 and we're nice and toasty inside (folks don't realize it gets chilly down here...we're hitting THIRTY-ONE DEGREES tonight!). The idea of that 22 leaking CO was just too scary to contemplate so I tossed it. It WAS a big@ss job on the install, don't get me wrong, but worth it.

Zeppelinium · 01-04-2010, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VIKING

Kip, check out Prodex at www.insulation4less.com
This is better than Reflectix. Uwe turned me on to it!
Best to you,
Rich the Viking

These guys are in Castle Rock, but I don't think you can do a local pickup. If you're interested, 2333 used the Prodex in his Tradewind (?). I don't know if he sold it or stored it for his year in Africa. I used a couple small pieces in my insulation test two years ago. As I recall, it did marginally better than plain bubble insulation available at Home Depot (you can see comments about this in the first post in that insulation thread). Maybe 1 square foot wasn't a good test--the Prodex certainly looks and feels like it ought to perform better.

Zep

VIKING · 01-04-2010, 08:34 PM

I think the Prodex was easier to use than fiberglass, by far. The things that sold me on it were the 19db sound deadening quality (I couldn't find a sound rating for Reflectix), and the rigidity, compared to Reflectix makes it easier to handle, and it doesn't collapse when subjected to high heat, the bubbles do. And I got the idea to begin with from Uwe, whose work is most impressive to me.
I used my Safari at Burningman this past August/ September and I had no problem keeping it cool inside in the Nevada desert. I only ran the ac for a few hours one day and I could have done without it.
I made window covers out of 1/8" plywood, laminated with Prodex on one side. They fit into the screen clips and tracks and take their places when I want privacy, dark, or increased insulation value. I also laminated one layer into the top of each metal roof vent lid, and I made a two layer sandwich to cover the entire vent opening from below. They have holes that fit onto the handle pegs, so I pull the handles off , push the covers onto them and then push the handles back on to hold them in place. With all of the covers up I can blackout the interior, and on a ninety+ degree day last August, with the sun shining on my roof, I cranked up my little 8k btu window ac and got the inside temp down to the minimum setting of the ac: 64 degrees!

And the total cost for my Safari for insulation and tape was just over $300.00

Rich the Viking

TG Twinkie · 01-31-2010, 10:09 AM

It too was surprised with the interior and the (in my opinion) poor quality of how the aluminum skin is installed. Now I must admit that I'm no expert at skinning a trailer or aircraft. But all I've heard over the years is that the AS is the "Rolls Royce" of travel trailers. I'm in the process of revamping my Argosy. I'll just have to live with the interior skin. Does anyone have a source for the plastic edge trim and the channel trim (I call it)? Used around the tub and other places in the interior. It's plastic 1 1/16 wide with a step or lip on each side.

dufferin · 03-25-2010, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerowood

I finally got back from Peoria Ill. for awhile and my brother came over and helped me install the top sheet of the water tank platform. We shot the top sheet of .040 2024-T3 on with 1/8th countersunk solid rivets. A piece of 1/2 foam insulation will glue on top off this skin. This mod is going to save me alot of weight. I'm guessing somewhere around 50 lbs

That would make a nice subfloor...

Aerowood · 03-25-2010, 05:26 PM

It would make a nice subfloor. It would be rather expensive though.

Kip

bedfords · 03-26-2010, 09:57 AM

Back to the Prodex. I emailed asking if I could pickup. Zep was right: A big No Go! I guess shipping charges apply.

dufferin · 03-26-2010, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerowood

It would make a nice subfloor. It would be rather expensive though.

Kip

I know....

TPdrums · 04-11-2010, 08:58 PM

[QUOTE=Aerowood;546572]I took the double pane wing window apart and cleaned up the outer pane and checked it to size with my single pane. It's the same size but 1/16 thicker. In the process of removing the Plexiglas from my window I broke the plexi in many pieces, I'm committed now. I could not use the gray gasket due to the increased thickness of the new glass. I next straightened my frame up and cleaned it up. I put soap on the new glass and it slipped right into the frame. Tomorrow I will inject sealant between the glass and aluminum. [QUOTE]

Can you explain a little more, about what you have done here. I'm jumping into redoing my wing windows soon, and it seems you've done just what I am needing to do... What kind of sealant did you use? And, how did you inject it? you didn't have a gasket in there? And since it was a dual pane, how did you resolve all the extra space from the now missing plexiglass?

Here's a pic of how mine looks now....

Aerowood · 04-12-2010, 12:10 PM

My GT wings are single pane glass and the frames are for only single pane glass. I had one that had been previously repaired with Plexiglas, that was crazing. I could not find a single pane replacement without a large output of cash so I obtained a double pane frame with glass from Zep. I disassembled the double pane unit and separated the two pieces of glass, I used the outside pane, but I don't think it would matter which one I could have used. The new glass was thicker then the original so I was not able to reuse the old glazing gasket. It was in rough shape anyway. I had to use a little soap to get the glass to slide into the frame. Some reforming was also necessary. I had cleaned the internal portion of the frame with acetone before I slide the glass in to clean it. I used water to rinse out the soap after I had installed the glass. I sealed it up after it had dried out with an aircraft fuel tank sealant that can be injected with a pneumatic caulking gun. Vulcum in a regular caulking gun would have worked just as well. I did mask everything off with black electrical tape as it will go around corners well and leaves a nice straight line. I then used my finger to press in the sealant a little deeper and leave a pleasing fillet.

Kip

TPdrums · 04-12-2010, 02:19 PM

Awesome!
Thank you so much for the extra clarification. I'll do just that to mine then too. however mine are dual pane, and missing the inner pane of glass. This means there is more space is all, I'm assuming... I will pull it off the trailer, dismantle the frame, re-shape and clean, then reassemble in the same way it was. Adding new Vulkum to seal it. Then reinstall... Sounds simple enough, but I'm sure it will get plenty messy. I'm looking forward to windows that don't leak though

Thanks again for the assurance, and the helpful tips. You've got some great experience. Thanks for sharing.
Todd

TPdrums · 04-12-2010, 02:26 PM

Ohhhh, I just got it... You used the dual pane glass, in your single pane frame.... That's why you didn't have to alot for the space left after removing the interior pane....
I don't have that luxury

Any suggestions of how to treat the extra space?
Should I just fill it with sealant, or try something else?
The frame now has a strange set up of an old frame that holds the glass in under pressure from screws along the interior of the frame... i think this has to have been a home done job.... Should I try to replicate it, or is there a better alternative that you have seen?
Thanks again.

Todd

Aerowood · 04-12-2010, 03:21 PM

What you have is not all that bad of a solution except for the screws. Just as a though, you could maybe make some plastic fillers as spacers and delete the screws thus wedging the glass to the outboard portion of the frame and then sealing it all up. I'll think on it some more.

Kip.

rc707 · 05-17-2010, 11:09 AM

Areo,
The only thing I can say is that you are truely inspiring. I have followed this thread and look forward to each of your posts and pictures of your craftmanship. WOW!!