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Kristof · 12-30-2018, 11:25 PM

Hey Andy,

Not sure about faster. I have a pretty solid plan and am focused but weather, my site issues (no power) and some of these problems like the bolts are just setting me back. I have a welder, a sand blaster and 3/4 inch marine grade plywood ready to go. I have to go back to work this week and was really hoping to have the shell off over Xmas.

Sheet foam under the floor? I have seen several folks do this differently, some used reflectix under the floor and others spray foam, etc. Since I am installing an ALDE system with floor heating - I am going to insulate the belly pan with some spray foam in critical areas - but leave it to drain mostly. I am running tubes down from the channels to drain out - most of the issues I have seen are wall moisture with no where to go. Sounds ambitious I know but it seems better than the just leaving it the way it was. Up here in Canada there is a very large temp gradient day/night and the air condenses on the cold surfaces (windows are the worst). Need somewhere for that moisture to go to. I am also painting the floor board with marine paint before I install.

All this said by next weekend I want to have the shell off. Wife is ill and friends are enjoying well deserved time off so me and the genny are going out tomorrow on a mission to get those bolts out!

Kristof · 12-31-2018, 07:24 PM

Not as bad as I thought. Took a hammer and got about 65% of the bolts without grinding. Looking good - just noticed the frames have a low rivet on each frame piece where it sits on the C channel. Those will need to go. ALso shifting from four main frame pieces to five pieces. This is a 31 ft shell and the only videos and shell offs I have seen were from smaller versions. This will add some structure in the middle allowing me to move the main supports more towards the middle than the ends. Lot's to do but I assess we are close to starting some jacking soon. If the weather holds tomorrow . . .

Minno · 01-01-2019, 10:53 AM

We found lots of screws hidden in the C channel when we did our floor replacement. Just when we thought we had them all, we'd find another one. They are well-hidden!
Good luck with your shell off project. may your winds be light...

Kay

Kristof · 01-01-2019, 06:13 PM

Hey Kay,

Thanks for your good thoughts. We are taking advantage of the weather and making a lot of progress.

Kristof · 01-01-2019, 06:16 PM

Went out and put in 3 full hours at Lucy today. Have to admit this time of the year when you get three full days of sun and no rain - make the most of it. Got rid of some more pesky screws and bolt's - the most effort so far was on the three bolts that hold the door frame into the floor. Finished the shell off frame - decided to add a fifth middle frame section as we have never seen anyone do a 31ft this way before. Added some top side lengths of 2 X 4 to stop any twisting which may occur.

We have maybe another hour or two of work and we are ready to lift off. Need some more car or house jacks for the lift. Need to clear the area and move the camper out of the way. Saturday is predicted to be sunny and clear and no winds - so that is the day it will be! Stay tuned to this channel to see how it goes and what is next.

(typing with rubber gloves on so not verbose today - my hands have not done well the past few days at Lucy)

PS: If anyone can tell me why perfectly good pictures rotate when you upload onto this forum would appreciate the advice.

dbj216 · 01-01-2019, 07:46 PM

Me thinks you need a bigger couch for your tired out doggies.

I hear you with the rubber gloves. I wear nitrile gloves in my shop as Colorado is cold and very dry. My skin splits like crazy. I keep my hands greased up under the rubber gloves. Seems to help.

Rotated photos seem more likely with phone photos. Maybe the phone is portrait some times and landscape other times while taking photos. Folks say the photos have to be cropped to fit the required dimensions of Air Forums. I use a point and shoot camera always landscape position that works okay for me.

Your shell is well braced for sure. The bracing looks heavy. Maybe you can rent some "equipment jacks"? We used them to move machinery in the factory. It's just a big bumper jack so to speak. Hydraulic bottle jacks with about 6" of travel may also work. You will be walking around the shell lifting each corner maybe an inch at a time until you clear the frame and can pull it out. Then lower the shell very carefully, again about an inch at a time on each jack.

Good luck with the lift off. Most folks do it just fine. You will too.

David

rmkrum · 01-01-2019, 09:24 PM

Just be sure to tie the shell down for safety after you get it off the frame...

Jeremy9107 · 01-02-2019, 12:02 AM

good progress. a bit tardy on the suggestion for the rusty bolts, but if i had a rewind button, i would have used a multitool. just learned of this nifty tool and have found it to be quite useful on many things in the Airstream renovation.

Kristof · 01-02-2019, 12:07 AM

Hey Jeremy tried it. The blade burnt out in short time with little effect. I am looking hard for pure metal cutting blades. Otherwise I agree.

Minno · 01-02-2019, 08:20 AM

Try O'Keefe's Working Hands hand cream. As an RN (now retired as of yesterday, Yaaay!), I've had to wash my hands every 2 seconds for many years. This is the best stuff to heal splits and cracks.

Kay

Hittenstiehl · 01-02-2019, 08:35 AM

Congrats Kay!

Kristof · 01-02-2019, 06:30 PM

Finished Lucy's Solar Plan today. While this may seem not connected to the shell off process, there are going to be two lines of effort shortly. The first line of effort is restoring the frame and floor as well as modifying the various storage tanks and belly pan area, gas runs and wiring. The second line of effort (while the shell is off) is solar panel installation and completing any work on top of the roof. Need a plan to do that. It is attached to this post - each panel is a 12V 100W panel - and as you can see we are going to save on copper and weight by running a 24V system in the trailer. Suggestions as always are welcome.

dbj216 · 01-02-2019, 07:52 PM

Congratulations on your retirement Kay. After 5 years of retired life, I ain't going back. Retirement is a perfect job for an Airstreamer.

And thanks for the tip on O'Keefe hand cream. I'll give it a try.

Now back to lifting that big shell off the frame.

David

Minno · 01-03-2019, 07:42 AM

Sorry Kristof,
Didn't mean to hijack your thread. Just happy I made it.

Kay

Kristof · 01-03-2019, 05:19 PM

NP no hijack. I enjoy people conversing - I do not take these threads that seriously. Sometimes I learn something.

Kristof · 01-04-2019, 10:50 PM

Well Lift off is on for tomorrow! Weather is not great but not bad - it will be a 0900 call for sure. I got one fully qualified Petty Officer First Class Hull technician on board and a house contractor neighbor who knows his way around weight and balance. We are taking it one inch at a time - today I managed to suffer through a one inch front lift to discover two frame plates I had missed and a couple rivets. WoW! took an hour to do that one inch. I surmise that it will be the same for the whole shot. If it rains there will be no video - and this is Vancouver island in January. Follow on shots for sure.

Kristof · 01-05-2019, 03:30 PM

It was a very early but busy Saturday morning here in Victoria, BC - where I was supported by 2 very qualified helpers to assist with Lucy losing her shell. It was a game of inches - and fasteners we had forgotten or realized were there after we started to lift - of belly pan wrap that was a cover for a whole series of rivets we had missed - of a steel plate from the trailer frame that was secured to the rear channel between the skin and the channel that I have never even heard about in any of my reading - and other androgynous challenges in getting the shell off. As they say no plan ever survives contact with the enemy and today's activity was proof that that idem is true.

That said the frame design was excellent and the shell is now wholly supported by the frame. We managed to conduct the lift after reading and viewing many different experiences folks have had doing the same thing - and we were prepared for the eventuality we would be short something - just not tools and brains. It was those two things that saved the day - and lot's of discussion with slow easy lifting and lot's of small wood blocks to hold things up. We did not manage to get the trailer out as I think the day would have been too long and there really was no point in rushing things along. The real issue now is figuring out how to get the shell onto the ground after removing the trailer frame.

A successful day and a very proud one as well. Thanks to the many folks who have ventured on this journey before me and with providing so much advice and encouragement. Thanks to Clayton and Steve for being smarter, braver and shorter than I am - both things you need to be to navigate around inside that crowded space. Thanks to the weather gods for holding the rain and wind back and easing the strain. Thanks to Max for ensuring I had all the tools we needed plus lot's of water bottles for hydration.

Plan is to watch the weather and pick a day next weekend to remove the trailer and bring it home. Not sure if we will leave the shell on the saw horses or lower it to the ground that day or not. We shall see how the trailer removal goes. As always we will keep you posted.

Bubba L · 01-05-2019, 05:08 PM

Congratulations on a successful lift off. Don’t know how much wind you get up there, but consider lowering the shell to the ground as soon as you can. Sure isn’t a bad idea to anchor the shell. Good luck and keep up the great work.

Kristof · 01-05-2019, 06:26 PM

We are trying to find a method to get it to the ground. We can anchor it NP. And yes we get wind here - lot's of it. The reason we did not take it off the trailer today was just that - we will wait for a good day when we can do both activities.

dbj216 · 01-05-2019, 07:16 PM

Congratulations: You've just earned the "shell off" vintage Airstream merit badge. There are more people who have climbed Mt. Everest than have removed an Airstream body from the frame.

Let's see how many merit badges you have earned so far. There is the belly pan off, there is remove plumbing and electrical, there is gut the trailer, and how many more have I forgotten? Soon you will have frame welding, subfloor replacement, axle replacement, shell on, plumbing, wiring, wall insulation, replace interior skins, build cabinets, whoopee! Many more to come.

Good job on a safe liftoff.

David