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skyclad · 12-23-2015, 09:54 AM

just called zolatone. in 1962 their paint did have lead in it.

also, they said it is possible to paint over the old paint after cleaning and priming it with a primer that can accept water based paint.

good to know!

skyclad · 12-23-2015, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzyHomemakr

As you shop for a composting head, don't neglect the new kid on the block, C-Head. I have a Nature's Head, but probably would have gone with a C-Head if I had known about them.

Suzy, can you say more about your experience with Nature's Head and why you'd choose a C-Head now?

thanks!

SuzyHomemakr · 12-24-2015, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyclad

Suzy, can you say more about your experience with Nature's Head and why you'd choose a C-Head now?

thanks!

We use the Airstream for weekend outings, and try to use the campground facilities as often as possible. If there is a standard sewer outlet at the campsite, I use that to dump the pee bottle. Hopefully during a stiff breeze! Dumping that bottle in a tiny enclosed stall can be quite grim. I usually up-end it in the toilet and run while holding my breath!

Otherwise, the Nature's Head is a sturdy unit, easy to install. All of these composting toilets require gentlemen to remain seated through the entire performance.

The C-Head is much less money, and uses an old gallon milk jug as the pee bottle. Nature's charges like $60 for a new bottle, which gets yucky after a few months of use. A soaking in bleach solution makes it all better, though.

A clever person could fab up a decent composting toilet- they aren't rocket science under the hood.

SuzyHomemakr · 12-24-2015, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyclad

just called zolatone. in 1962 their paint did have lead in it.

also, they said it is possible to paint over the old paint after cleaning and priming it with a primer that can accept water based paint.

good to know!

I used a couple coats of Kilz-II. Worked great! The coverage charts are generous- I wound up with lots extra. Rolling it on is the way to go, and using a chip brush to stipple in the corners. It's a really good product, covers well.

riowerks · 12-24-2015, 12:00 PM

SuzyHomemakr - What was the good/bad/ulgy of moving the bathroom from back to center? (Is this worth a new thread?)

We've got the entire bathroom out and our trailer didn't come with any tanks, so we're at a point where we could switch it if the Designer (me) gets her butt in gear.

skyclad · 12-24-2015, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzyHomemakr

The C-Head is much less money, and uses an old gallon milk jug as the pee bottle. Nature's charges like $60 for a new bottle, which gets yucky after a few months of use. A soaking in bleach solution makes it all better, though.

thanks SuzyHomemakr! i definitely like the easy replaceable parts on the c-head. i'll plan to put one in my trailer when i get to that point.

SuzyHomemakr · 12-25-2015, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riowerks

SuzyHomemakr - What was the good/bad/ulgy of moving the bathroom from back to center? (Is this worth a new thread?)

We've got the entire bathroom out and our trailer didn't come with any tanks, so we're at a point where we could switch it if the Designer (me) gets her butt in gear.

For me, it was a no-brainer. We wanted a queen bed, so that was that. Ran some PEX for water, 3/4" vinyl tubing for the drain, and installed the composting head. The most complicated part was adding a weird curved piece of bulkhead so that the window was entirely in the bathroom. Since there are lots of weird curved pieces in my design, it fits right in.

Chatooga11 · 12-25-2015, 09:25 AM

is your user name in reference to the river in NC? beautiful place. growing up i spend my summers canoeing and kayaking all over that area. fond memories![/QUOTE]

Yes, it is. I also cut my whitewater teeth on the Chattooga River. I think I want my ashes dumped in the section IV put in when I die. Here is a blast from the past...

skyclad · 01-04-2016, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chatooga11

Yes, it is. I also cut my whitewater teeth on the Chattooga River. I think I want my ashes dumped in the section IV put in when I die. Here is a blast from the past...

OC-2! Nice! what position/side do you prefer? i'm a stern-right guy myself. C-2 on the Ocoee was one of the best times i've had. miss it!

scoboatin!

skyclad · 01-04-2016, 09:14 AM

Happy New Year!

i've been away from my project for a week and need to get back to it. currently i'm chewing on a few questions/issues...

is there an easier way to safely remove the asbestos tiles than a heat gun and scraper?

is it better to strip the leaded zolatone off the interior panels before or after i remove them? (if i remove them before stripping i can hire someone to do the stripping while i move forward with the rest of the work, but i don't like the idea of bringing leaded, flaking paint into the rest of my workspace)

and thinking a bit further out...

do i need to replace the belly skins? and if so is there a clever way to avoid having to remove the buck rivets around the floor line? (for example by leaving the "banana skin" section of the belly pan, cutting the rest away and adding a sheet of aluminum that runs the full length of the belly.)

with a shell-off floor replacement, it sounds like one of the biggest challenges is getting everything to line up again as you put it back together. is it possible to replace the floor and belly pan without lifting the whole shell off so as to avoid this issue?

would love to hear if any of you have suggestions about these issues.

DavidsonOverlander · 01-04-2016, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyclad

Happy New Year!

with a shell-off floor replacement, it sounds like one of the biggest challenges is getting everything to line up again as you put it back together. is it possible to replace the floor and belly pan without lifting the whole shell off so as to avoid this issue?

would love to hear if any of you have suggestions about these issues.

This can definitely be done, and many Airstreams have been repaired this way. It just means that you have to replace the floor section by section while you make frame repairs/alterations, paint the frame, etc. I put the frame up on blocks (front, back and at the axles) and made sure it was level before taking anything apart.

Later I removed all of the interior skins. I probably should have done that first but hadn't decided to do that at the time that the photo was taken.

You can see at the ends of the outriggers in front of the axles where I left enough plywood floor in place to keep the shell attached to the frame.

skyclad · 01-04-2016, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidsonOverlander

This can definitely be done, and many Airstreams have been repaired this way. It just means that you have to replace the floor section by section while you make frame repairs/alterations, paint the frame, etc. I put the frame up on blocks (front, back and at the axles) and made sure it was level before taking anything apart.

interesting. thanks for the tip!

so you removed belly pan first and then floor? or vice versa? how scared should i be of buck riveting to get it all back together?

MarkR · 01-04-2016, 03:53 PM

Buck riveting is an easily learned skill AND it's fun / cool.
there's lots of info on this site which you can read - which is helpful - but it's one of those things that, by following some basic fundamentals and a few practice rivets, you'll have it down. You need a compressor, a rivet gun, the right "rivet set" and a bucking bar . . . (oh, and a partner).

DavidsonOverlander · 01-04-2016, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyclad

interesting. thanks for the tip!

so you removed belly pan first and then floor? or vice versa? how scared should i be of buck riveting to get it all back together?

Yes, I removed the belly pan first, then the floor. It goes back together with pop rivets, not bucked rivets. There are special rivets with a larger head available through Vintage Trailer Supply for the belly pan.

MarkR · 01-04-2016, 09:53 PM

Sorry, yes, the pop rivets are for "blind" holes - like the bottom of the belly pan. The perimeter connection between the Wrap, the Bottom Channel and the Skin (ext. wall panels) needs to be Buck Riveted.

SuzyHomemakr · 01-05-2016, 06:29 AM

You should probably get a good pneumatic rivet gun first thing. Even though I didn't take down my internal skins, I wished that I'd gotten a good gun at the start! I kept thinking, "Just a few more rivets..." over and over again!

skyclad · 01-05-2016, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzyHomemakr

You should probably get a good pneumatic rivet gun first thing. Even though I didn't take down my internal skins, I wished that I'd gotten a good gun at the start! I kept thinking, "Just a few more rivets..." over and over again!

what sort of rivet gun helps with removing rivets? i got the tool for my drill, but is there something better?

skyclad · 01-05-2016, 01:28 PM

well i answered one of my own questions today... the easier way to remove floor tiles is with a heat gun and a oscillating rotary tool with a scraper blade. i'm staying away from cutting blades as i don't want the asbestos to get in the air. it's still a pain but below my pain threshold. gonna remove the tiles only where i plan to cut the floor to get it out, then use a circular saw to make the cuts.

progress!

rivetsforlife · 01-05-2016, 08:07 PM

Based on some of your photos, your 62 is identical to my 64. I have discovered that the floor tile adhesive is water based. A section of the old floor was left exposed to rain and the remains of the tiles just fell off. I am not doing a complete floor replacement, so I am going to try removing the rest with a spray bottle and putty knife.