Eleanor: Full Reno Blog

[coloradoup]

Looking good! I like the tile and pine.

[dbj216]

All you need is a steam generator and you would have a great sauna. Many homes had them back in Minnesota. Here in Colorado they are called steam rooms. Same thing maybe, but I don't have either one.

I can only imagine how you got your sister in law to help out. It must have been quite a speech.

David

[TheVagabond]

After installing the vinyl tile, I spent the second half of the week tinkering with odds and ends and wrapping up a few loose ends. I worked on my new city water in and gravity fill inlets, plumbing for the water pump, some electrical for the seelevel and tank heaters as well as their control panels, connecting the 12v fridge, and connecting the Hot (cold) water heater.

Today Abbie put in another long day of painting walls and trim, as well as another coat on our chalkboard wall/panel. Additionally she cut and installed the carpet squares in the front compartments under the sectional.

Meanwhile, I cut and installed the flooring for the bathroom, built a face frame for the rear bed under bed storage, and installed a new deadbolt on the front door. Overall a solid family work day to kick off the weekend.

I made the mistake of placing the deadbolt in a location that seemed like the best aesthetic location from the front. Then, when I went to close it and test it... The screen door wouldn't close over the new deadbolt. (smacking my head). So I had to cut the aluminum cross member in the screen door and bump it up about 3 inches in order to accommodate the new lock. Hopefully tomorrow I can finish the repair of the screen door. Sometimes a project ads more things to my to-do list than I get to check off for completing the project. 1 step forward, 2 steps back I believe they call it.

[dbj216]

Geez. the bathroom looks great. I've not seen anything like it. It is much better than your old outhouse.

What you call odds and ends I call pretty major projects. But you folks got a lot done since the last post. Most likely due to Abbie out there supervising.

I hear ya on the deadbolt lock planning. Here is a photo of what I had to do. I replaced the old broken Bargman lock with the KT lock off my Overlander which looked to be in good shape. I had to move the screen door cross member up about 3" to clear the old KT lock as well as the new deadbolt. So been there, done that.

David

[TheVagabond]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Geez. the bathroom looks great. I've not seen anything like it. It is much better than your old outhouse.

What you call odds and ends I call pretty major projects. But you folks got a lot done since the last post. Most likely due to Abbie out there supervising.

I hear ya on the deadbolt lock planning. Here is a photo of what I had to do. I replaced the old broken Bargman lock with the KT lock off my Overlander which looked to be in good shape. I had to move the screen door cross member up about 3" to clear the old KT lock as well as the new deadbolt. So been there, done that.

David

Oh wow haha that's the exact state of my current screen door. The screen door latching to the front door and closing hadn't even crossed my mind as something to think about until it was already too late and I had cut a hole in my door/installed the bolt. Today I used a propane torch and some brazing rods I purchased from Vintage trailer supply to attach the screen door cross.member higher up. It is currently holding, but I clearly have not mastered the art of brazing rods because the welds are ugly as sin and I suspect I'll be re-doing them in the near future.

Abbie and Laura say hi!

[TheVagabond]

More weekend work

Had a fun day working with Abbie in the airstream. She carpeted inside the wardrobe and under the bed while I connected the exterior grey and black tank valves, installed the clothing bar in our cabinet, worked on some plumbing, and a few other miscellaneous projects. There are few things more enjoyable then grabbing coffee and breakfast together on a weekend, putting on some good jams, and knocking out a few projects, we love our work days together. Eleanor feels like she's getting close to her first trial run and I'm getting a bit ancy.

[dbj216]

It is great you made Elanor a working together family project. It creates memories that will last forever. You will enjoy the maiden voyage when the time comes. You already know it will go fine, and you know you will have a list of things needing improved. We all do.

Say hello to the "girls" for me. Snow today and cold.

David

[TheVagabond]

I spent the day cleaning up things under the kitchen sink and vanity sink.

I am using Hepvo valves instead of p traps in the trailer, this gains me more space in the cabinets, eliminates the need to winterize the traps, and should eliminate any odor issues that can arise when water in the p traps either evaporate or drain out during a bumpy drive.

I connected an accumulator tank to the plumbing system. I'm not certain if it will be needed, but it's a low enough cost that it made more sense to just install one now rather than wait and find out that my pump is loud and /or overworking and having to retro fit one later.

I also finished installing the water pump and cleaned up the wiring for the tank heaters and senders. I used thin 5mm underlayment to create some divider panels under the kitchen sink so anything we store down there won't be constantly bumping into the plumbing or electric, but they are only attached with 4 screws in case I need to work on anything. I then installed some vinyl tiles onto the subfloor inside the lower kitchen cabinets so sink drips and our pots and things don't create any unnecessary wear and tear on the subfloor.

Inside the vanity I built a small containment box for the pump. I left about 2 foot of flexible pipe coiled around the pump and it was between the pump and tubing there wasn't much of a surface for storage in the vanity. I put some of my leftover carpet squares on the underside of the containment box to help deaden any noise coming from the pump and possibly cushion some vibrations.

[Bubba L]

The plumbing looks really good. We’ve used the Hepvos on both our trailers. They’ve worked great without issue. Dry fitting PVC using match marks is the only way I can come close to getting it right after gluing. We installed an accumulator on the 55. Why not? It’s inexpensive. You’re making great progress.

[dbj216]

Way to go Vagabond: You are really thinking "in the box". I've never tried the HEPA traps, but others have and report they work great, and as you said, saves space under sinks and the like. I've never used an accumulator either as I understood the air in the top of the water kinda acts like one. And the carpet squares will absorb noise and protect items stored on top of them.

You're doing surprisingly well for a roughing it Vagabond. ; )

David

[TheVagabond]

Flooring, Multi-table progress, and Cabinet doors

The flooring is in! Because each area of the trailer serves a different purpose, we have a multitude of different flooring selections to fit each need.

As I have previously mentioned,
Under the bed and in the front sectional Abbie installed carpet tiles. The hope is that these will create a durable, sound insulating, floor insulating, protective layer for the subfloor. It also can be easily removed if there are any leaks or subfloor repairs to be done down the road in these areas that are more prone to be damaged.

Under the kitchen cabinets I installed vinyl tiles in order to give one more water resistant protective layer under the sink, as well as adding a little charm to the inside of cabinets. These too can be easily removed for unexpected leaks or repairs in the future.

After some research we went with the "Pergo Defense + Outlast anti microbial 100% waterproof" flooring (I know it's a real mouthful) for the main trailer. I installed it all on the same angle as the kitchen wall in order to maintain our diagonal lines and draw the eye.

I got back to work on the design for what I'm calling my "multi-table".When finished it should be a triple height, slide-able and spin-able dining table/coffee table/breakfast bar/counter height countertop/convertible full bed. I haven't been able to find any existing hardware to accomplish exactly what I'd like, so I'm piecing together a few different things.

I inlaid two 24 inch T tracks in the floor while laying the flooring. These would usually be used in a workshop bench, table saw, or miter bench, or router table. These will receive lockable hardware and allow me to mount the unit securely to the trailer for travel. By installing it on the tracks it will allow me to move the coffee table further from the couch creating extra leg room when desired as well as bringing it all the way to the kitchen counter where it can be lifted and connected as additional counter space and a breakfast bar.

Meanwhile I used 4 brackets that would usually be used to convert a coffee table to dining table height (it gives about an 8 inch lift) and can be locked in the upright position.I have mounted these in 2 tiers reversed from one another in order to create up to 16 inches of rise and 3 heights (coffee table, dining table, counter top)

I purchased an industrial lazy Susan hardware for 14 $. It is rated for up to 1,000 lbs and only about an inch thick. I plan to install this inside of the toekick cavity. It will allow us to rotate the coffee table 360 degrees for whatever purpose we desire while still being mounted to the 2 t tracks.

I purchased some gate hardware latches which will be used to secure the table in whatever positions we have it set up.

The entire thing is mounted by 4 bolts/clamps to the t track and will be easily removed whenever we want the extra floor space, or if we want/need an extra table or end table outside.

I have built and stained the base storage chest that will make up the main body of the unit but I intend to incorporate a few more design elements to make it pop once I've finished the structural work it requires.

Today I set to work on cutting all my styles and rails for all my shaker cabinet doors. I then used 1/4 inch plywood, my dado set, and kreg jig to build each set of doors. After assembling each door I touched them up with a little wood filler sanded them with a few grits (60,150,320) and primed them. I hope to paint them, add protective coats and install them in the coming days.Attachment 413711Attachment 413712Attachment 413713Attachment 413714Attachment 413715Attachment 413717Attachment 413716

[Mikebrady62]

Vagabond,
The only picture that is visible is the doors assembled. The rest of the attachments show they are invalid. I love seeing the beautiful progress and would hate to miss any of the steps.

[dbj216]

Me too. You're making my 75 Overlander seem so ordinary. Gotta see the multi table in action. Heck, my trailer has a fold up and then fold out table. Does that count as a multi table? : ) The son's 69 Globetrotter has a pedestal table that goes up and down, and it has fold out leaves to make the eating surface bigger. But my tables don't compare to your invention.

David

[TheVagabond]

Thanks guys, I will re-post some pictures of the progress. I've noticed that a few pictures will be removed from posts every now and then and figured it was just an admin deciding I was using up too much space in the web service with my pictures. So I usually don't try to re post them if they have been removed.

I made some more progress on cabinets this week. I built all the drawers and made the shaker drawer fronts as well as cabinet shelves. I plan to spend the weekend mounting hardware and getting the cabinet and drawer faces installed.

Attachment 413852Attachment 413851Attachment 413853

[TheVagabond]

Also here are the floors and t track I installed for the table.

[TheVagabond]

It was a fun week of cabinet door, drawer front, and drawer building. I put my kreg jig and dado blades to heavy use. I love working with the kreg jig, it makes short work of quality, strong, and attractive cabinet joinery and speeds the process substantially. I also love using dado blades. I used to be intimidated at the thought of so many blades on a table saw and learning how to properly use them, but the learning curve on these things is actually really not bad. There is something entirely too satisfying about sliding a 1/4 inch piece of plywood snuggly into a clean groove that is reminiscent of winning a game of Tetris or unpackaging a new Apple product

I have built individual cabinets, vanities, entertainment centers, and random other projects in the past, but this was my first full "kitchen from scratch" build. Usually for my home remodels I purchase new or used cabinets, drawers, and cabinet doors and then modify them as needed. In our mountain property I purchased an entire used kitchen cabinet set for a steal on craiglist and Abbie sanded, painted and re-finished all the doors.

However, with the Airstream, there are just too many curves, shapes, and odd design elements to re-purpose traditional cabinets and have them be as efficient and durable as I would like. Not to mention, it would probably take me just as long and more money to modify normal cabinets than to just build everything from scratch.

I have my router and plunge router with me if I wanted to ad any additional design or bevels to the doors, but I'm drawn to the classic shaker and its timeless appeal. It fits the farmhouse kitchen design I'm going for and saves me one extra step in the build, so I happily settled on making all the cabinet doors and wall trim in a squared off shaker style. I like the way these straight and rigid trim lines play with the smooth curves of the airstream walls and the elongating diagonal lines of my floor and wall.

I'm quite satisfied with having gotten all of the drawers and slides installed and level today. My history with hanging drawer slides is very hit or miss. I was once thwarted by the installation of a problematic vanity drawer for over an hour and it still doesn't slide right. I twitch a little every time I open that drawer and it catches a little. I think it has permanently traumatized me for such jobs.

All of the drawers in the Airstream are on full extension drawer slides and I have provided enough space in front of every drawer to actually do so. Hopefully we will be able to create and implement an extensive top down organization system for each drawer. This should help in utilizing every square inch of the drawers as well as substantially adding to their ease of use and functionality. The lowest compartment of the dresser/loft bed will have chest hardware that tilts out. There will be smaller storage compartments built into the cabinet face so that things can be easily organized and slid in/out from above instead of needing to get down low to see into or get things out of a bottom drawer.

While I was installing drawers, Abbie and her mother and sister quickly got another 1 or 2 coats of paint on the cabinet doors and drawer fronts before rain moved in and shut down the operation. Hopefully we can get some protective coats on during gaps in the rain over the next couple days and I can finish our cabinetry!

[dbj216]

Hi Vagabond: I think cabinet building skills is one of the most important skill sets needed for a total Airstream renovation. I am no good at it. But man, your cabinets look fantastic. There are a lot of Vagabond hours in making all those parts and then making them all fit. I thought a Kreg was a fancy coffee maker.
There were several cabinet making shops in my old home town back in Minnesota. I guy can making a good living building custom cabinets.

Well, press on regardless. You folks are so going to enjoy long term traveling in your custom Tradewind.

David

[TheVagabond]

Ever start a project thinking it'll be a breeze and have it turn into a real humdinger?

Last year I casually purchased some gas struts on sale knowing that a day would one day come where I'd be wanting to give my under bed storage a real ease of access.

In my head, building the bed would be the real project, and at some point down the road, i'd just slap on some hardware with 6 screws and in a couple minutes **bada-bing* "gas struts!"....

If there is a trick to installing these things easily.. I didn't figure it out.. it ended up taking me the better part of 2 days and the deconstruction and re-design of a significant portion of my under bed framework to get these things in. But they are in, and they work, so I'll call it a win.

I threw these 2 rear bedroom cabinets together in 15-20 minute increments over the same time period whenever I needed to let some steam off from my frustrations with those dog-on struts. I'd rather take the shell off my frame than re-install those things ever again. not really.. but close.Attachment 414102

[Mikebrady62]

The cabinets are looking fantastic for sure!
As for humdinger projects, mine all go like that. I think to my self “this should only take about 30 minutes “ then half a day later and 2 trips to Lowe’s and I’m done��
As for gas springs.... I had a 2-3 day project involving those and getting the correct ones and installing and reinstalling way too many times to count. But yes in the end they work fine and only took about 150,000 times longer than I had anticipated.

[TheVagabond]

Originally Posted by Mikebrady62

The cabinets are looking fantastic for sure!
As for humdinger projects, mine all go like that. I think to my self “this should only take about 30 minutes “ then half a day later and 2 trips to Lowe’s and I’m done��
As for gas springs.... I had a 2-3 day project involving those and getting the correct ones and installing and reinstalling way too many times to count. But yes in the end they work fine and only took about 150,000 times longer than I had anticipated.

Ha, I needed this. Sometimes you just need to know someone can empathize haha.