what we're doin thread...

[tin can luv]

Well, I thought that since we were doing so much, and things have really started rolling, and rolling FAST, that I might start a thread o' my own. Can't beleive how this is comming along, amidst disasters like the veneer.

But, a week ago, most everything accept the gouchos were still in tact. Now we're just about empty, ready to order all of the new appliances, and countertops.

Biggest fall back is the spray adhesive. Bought 20 cans at Hoods, our local discount store. Of course the one I bought it from went out of business. The cans just don't spray. They clog up a second into spraying. Two cans have managed to shoot globs of glue out with a sporatic steady spray...
Discount store price $2.50 per can
Regular price $16.00 per can....same stuff, just sprays as it should LOL!!!

So here are some pics, and I'll be working steadily every day. No time to update the website.....

Thanks for taking a look

[tin can luv]

fiberglass endcap veneered in aluminum

[crazylev]

Hey guys.

It's lookin' beauti-orgous. When do you sleep? At this rate you'll finish this one, buy another, and bring both to the June rally!!!

Jonathan

[panub]

ohhh....IT JUST LOOKS GREAT
WE JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT!

[silver suz]

Ron and Tony, what thickness aluminum are you using for your veneer? We have a 1971 Sovereign, and the caps are really sad looking. We were thinking of doing the same in copper (too expensive) or aluminum. thanks, silver suz

[thenewkid64]

Originally Posted by silver suz

We were thinking of doing the same in copper (too expensive) or aluminum.

Have you considered copper foil. I don't know how it will compare in cost, but I like the warmth that copper has.

[tin can luv]

Originally Posted by silver suz

Ron and Tony, what thickness aluminum are you using for your veneer?

Unfortunately I don't know. It's actually aluminum flashing from Home Depot. The widest it comes in is 20 inches, by 50 feet, (aprox. $30 per roll) and different decreasing sizes from there.

I don't recall what width I am using for the encaps, but it's perfect. I'll try to remember to check tomorrow.

We are (who's kidding who. Tony can't see this, so....I am using an upholstery spray glue that is much like contact cement. I wish I knew off hand who gave me this idea, but it was a wonderful forum member who I need to thank publicly, but will do when I have more time.

It's really easy. "Mr. Forum ????" made templates, and I'm sure his looks better, but I just cut and go. It's cheap enough to rip off, which we had to do once already. But that lesson helped us for future veneering.

Once I realized that I shouldn't be scared to drill rivets out, cuz I can replace them later, I was Home Free....

I can't wait to see the finished result. I am going to rivet every seam when I am done. It should look fabulous.

DID I MENTION, THIS IS THE ONE WE'RE SELLING. DON'T GET TO KEEP THIS ONE, IT'S PURELY INVESTMENT FUNDED BY A RELATIVE. But the good news is, she's so in love with it already, she's planning on buying it from us....

So, keeping it in the family, I hope.

Hopefully, she'll let me use if for rallys...as the one we;'re keeping is just going to be plain. Tony likes the vintage look.....

[silver suz]

Tad Taylor at healthy-homes.com did the end cap in a 50's trailer with almond enameled aluminum and then did all the rivets. It's a work of art. I checked the price of copper and its really expensive. I wanted something a little bit toughter than foil thicknesses with wrestling teenagers. They would do a job on it in no time. We found thin solid wood locking pieces made by Bruce, at Lowe's for flooring. It comes in honey oak and light oak. Much lighter weight than pergo. It can be glued or stapled. we hope to do it at a diagonal for the design effect. What will you do around the vista vues for the edge? We have them too. thanks silver suz

[tin can luv]

Originally Posted by silver suz

We found thin solid wood locking pieces made by Bruce, at Lowe's for flooring. It comes in honey oak and light oak. Much lighter weight than pergo. It can be glued or stapled. we hope to do it at a diagonal for the design effect. What will you do around the vista vues for the edge? We have them too. thanks silver suz

I'll have to check out that flooring next time I'm at Lowes. We were planning a run to IKEA in Chicago for their style pergo, I don't know the weight, but it was so cheap. Of course, then there is the cost of gas.....

I am not sure about the vista views yet. I'll post some pics of my start with them. I pulled out the shade, and veneered it,and found an aluminum edging, as for the handle I don't know. The trim around the window I primered, and am painting it with a metalic paint that I am using for around the front windows...Really trial and error, but fear has slowed us down so much, that I am just doing, instead of wondering what if......

[silver suz]

Very nice!! What are you going to do to your roll down cabnets? (sorry, forgot the name- horrendous sinus headache). We were thinking of painting them. Because the dark wood just doesnt blend. I am making fabric shutters with insulation that's basically white with different seashells on it in shades of blue. Blue denum cover on the couch and 2 chairs (teenage boys, you know). Also at Lowes was an 18" X19" chopping block cart with aluminum open shelves and wheels. Perfect for spaggetti pots and other things. But small enough. In a moment of sheer madness ha, ha! I got the set of "nash and airstream" dishes, tablecloth ,etc on e-bay and plain blue glass dishes and bowls for microwaving. Crazy, along with the pink flamingos! But it's too dusty to work in the trailer and it's too much pollen to even go out, soooo....I'm inside.
We are having a polished alum. bath. already have a small alum. sink, sealand toilet, and older son will solder up a shower. I want the diamond aluminum (The raised kind) for the floor and shower floor- for fun- NON SLIP!!! Hub said we can always throw a rug over it! He thinks I'm carrying the ccd look to the extreme. That way my son can solder the bath together for no leaks! Think that will present too much of a rigid structure inside a flexible trailer? We are so far from that point that my fertile brain can create several other senarios. Do you know the chromed aluminum guards on 16 wheel Trucks for mufflers? I was thinking of using that interesting open patterned (long thin ovals) metal as cabnet doors- enought to hide what's inside but lighter than solid metal.
What are you doing with the vista vue shades?
I can't imagine you can't find something in St L? My hub's whole family is there. We will probably come up to visit them when the (if) trailer is done. There are a lot of resources there.
consider cork sheeting (comes in rolls) under the floor. good insulation and gives a more comfortable floor. Are your vista vues doubles or single panes of glass? Mine are single. Will you cover your table with something like sheet aluminum? I hate the tacky fake wood look. but alum. seems too soft. good luck! keep us posted! Silver suz

[silver suz]

Where did you find the great frosted blue glass (on your web site?). You are doing a Great pieces of art! Do you know the restaurant "Space"? My husband's nephew runs it. silver suz P.S. I'll ask my hub what he thinks of riveting into the alum covered ABS. It might shatter the ABS. (Hub designs Peterbilts) silver suz

[jaco]

A few questions please.

First SilSuz do you happen to have a link to Tad Taylors write up on overlamming a domed interior end cap? Were there pictures I hope?

Ron don't leave us out when you get the end cap done all the way around.
I am very curious what will happen at the compound curved turns. I have thought of template for the dome many times but always figured it would have to be a series of long pie slices into some type of fan arrangement.

Are you planning on riveting it thru the plastic in hundreds of places?
I am considering a wall paper type overlay, no rivets thru plastic.
But keep hoping that someone will come up with a computer designed template. Maybe one of those Japanese paper folders gone Airstream mad.

As for the window returns that you painted, (I think Airstream calls them Closeouts). Were they real fragile? I notice some cracks on each side of mine at the upper vista-views. The ones around other windows seem to be in much better shape. I guess they are the dreaded ABS Plastic, version "X?Y?Z?" i.e. there are as many different forms of ABS as there are of flowers.

IKEA is a great place for Airstream Deco thinking, I am amazed there is not one in St.Lou or Denver I'm told. Every AS owner ought to get their catalog.

[swebster]

Ron & Tony - looking good. At this rate you'll finish before me!

[silver suz]

Tad Taylor's e-mail www.healthy-homes.com. I cant remember if they show it on the site or whether it was on a tape we got from him. He is an artist in metal as well as rebuilding airstreams and he does exquisite work. silver suz

[tin can luv]

Originally Posted by swebster@myrvadvanta

Ron & Tony - looking good. At this rate you'll finish before me!

AhA!!!! Your the one!!!!....I couldn't find who gave me the idea!!!! It's going great.....I bought 18 cans of the spray glue at a discount place for $2.50 each, as compared to $7 at the upholstery store.....

Yeah, Only two worked, and it spewed glue EVERYWHERE.....

So, I broke down and bought new cans yesterday....SO much easier...

More to come this evening. Resizing pictures as we speak.

Ron

[tin can luv]

OK, I can't beleive that I was able to get this done amidst yesterdays stress over getting the third airstream.....

Here are the endcap things that I covered for whatever reason, because I don't know what I'm doing with the rest of the cabinet....

Silver Suz, your question answered, we have removed all of the tambour doors and hardware, to be replaced by 14 inch Frosted Plexiglass doors, like the new a/s. A cost of $325 plus $16 per hole drilled for a 'handle' of sorts.

I was slowed up by the bad glue, but it went almost better than expected. There are a few gaps that I will work with later, but NOT now, have to move on to the ceiling and sides. I think, other than haveing to do this to the bathroom to, the worst is over.

I waisted a bit of the aluminum, but it's really not that expensive.

After the aluminum was all glued up. I rivited each one on I think four inch intervals...I just picked a place and started, so I was lucky it looks OK. I kept them close for that hot day when the glue comes loose. THere were aprox 8 rivets that were installed for 'cosmetic'' purposes. They weren't close enough to the plastic, and yes, I just drilled into the plastic...My new moto is...NO FEAR...it can be fixed if I screw it up.

[tin can luv]

To answer more of your questions....In short, I have much to do.....(but love that your interested, so feel free to ask, I just answer short...if you want to know more detailed, PM me please....I don't know about the table yet. The cabinet it's attached to is getting cut off. Vista views are....were double, and cloudy, so I busted out the inner pane. It's beutiful now.

I'm not going anywhere Jaco, I like to brag, it keeps me going....

Yes I know space, might go there with Panub tomorrow. It's less than a mile from me. THis town is so small, in social circles, everyone knows everyone, or, of them, in some way. Like six degrees of seperation, only more like two degrees....LOL

Jaco, the windows weren't too fragile, but the same plastic is inside the ceiling where the vista view shades are, and there are several breaks...Not sure if it will be a problem for me yet.

Silvertwinkie, STOP RUBBING IT IN....I was trying to figure out what we could do with the airstream on our return trip, so we can go to Ikea on the way home.....Otherwise we'll have to make another darn trip.

Too much on my mind right now, so, you figure it out silver...LOL

Oh, the pictures....here goes a bunch

[tin can luv]

I don't think these pics to it justice...

[tin can luv]

Mr Flamingo says "nice job Ron, glad the hard part's done"

[tin can luv]

Well, I went back and ripped out the sides of the cabinets on the encaps, because I wasn't happy with the look. So after MANY hours or playing with them, I have two looks, the left side is revited, but has a few gaps, and the right side isn;t riveted, but looks incomplete....I had to move on, so I'll make my decision later. I finally finished the entire end, well just about. Have to put the window inserts back in, (I painted the plastic inserts, and stripped the aluminum ones. Oh, and still have to re-screen everything).

So, It took me all dog-gone day, but the worst is definately over. I have the frosted plexi doors on order, and installed the aluminum Vista view covers, that still need handles. They are a pain to open and close, but the old handle edges were ugly with the new aluminum look.

I had to put the metal outlet cover on, just to feel like I accomplished something. Rivited (how many different ways can I spell that word?) the side walls, just a basic, to hold it, but may add more later. still have to rivet the bottom portions.

We decided to just cut off the awning what was partially ripped at the top anyway. The brackets had been ripped out of the skin, and the remaining screws were ripping big holes in the aluminum. So, I'll deal with that later. It wouldn't slide out, I assume do to it's age.

Oh, check out my handy aluminum dispensers...LOL, that airstream gets trashed quick when I'm in it, so it's a great place to keep the aluminum from getting scratched.

Don't know if you can see, or not, but placed the aluminum back around the endcap, just over the cabinets. I have to cut it down, but wanted to see how it would look. Quite sharp, and really cleaned up my sloppy job.

I guess it's pic time, I'll start loading them .....

It's die-hard completion time. So Much will be done dailey, keep checkin in.

Thanks for your support.

Ron