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10-04-2015, 08:58 PM
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#337
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,654
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Looks great and the correct toning on the paint may hide any minor bumps.
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Tony & Lori
1989 Country Coach Savannah SE
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10-04-2015, 09:00 PM
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#338
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Snowbird - Waterford Mi and Citrus Springs Fl.
Posts: 3,609
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Get some sleep!
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1997 37' HR Endeavor, 275hp Cat, Freightliner
03 CR-V Blue Ox, Ready Brake
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10-04-2015, 11:58 PM
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#339
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Vintage RV Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: anywhere U.S.A, Currently back home in Thailand!
Posts: 4,245
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Looks great, Piker! Great job! Rail!
__________________
Retired, and "Always on Holiday!"
1996 Monaco Windsor 38PB, "Mona" 275 HP., 8.3 Cummins, 3060 Allison 6 speed, 2001 PT Cruiser, "Bailey"
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10-05-2015, 09:05 AM
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#340
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Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 36
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+1 to the above compliments. Great job.
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Brian
1974 Jayco
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10-05-2015, 02:52 PM
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#341
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: PNW
Posts: 220
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Piker
Thanks man...
...
At this point, I guess I'm done for the year. The weather is too cold to spray any adhesive so I can't reallly build any more panels... besides, I'm pooped from working so much overtime, and also out of funds for now. Now that I know this can be done, I'll try to save up over the winter for the rest of the materials to finish up in the spring... and probably into next summer... who knows... maybe longer. It's a big project... time wise and $$ too.
At this point, I'm not sure I really want to tackle the other side... if I was going to do it though, the winter would be a great time to get it torn apart and prepped for new panels. It's just soooo much work... and I just really want to go camping... If I do tear it apart this winter, I might regret it come spring if I don't have the money to finish...
....
-cheers
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Finish this side in the spring and GO CAMPING. Then tackle the other side next winter and spring. The thought is that using it will reinvigorate you. This is suggested all the time in the bus conversion world. Do a bit of hard work, use the RV. Rinse and repeat. It keeps the focus on the end goal of enjoying life and not becoming overwhelmed with the overall project.
Mike
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10-06-2015, 07:38 AM
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#342
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,707
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Made a significant booboo...
The new panel is pushed up tight against the inside radius of the fiberglass end cap at the rear of the rv. It's causing the fiberglass to spring out significantly... to the point where If I just rivet through the fiberglass and panel into the frame, I fear the fiberglass will crack.
I'm going to have to drill all the rivets out of the new panel, lift it off the rv, and cut a few inches from the length. All without doing any damage to the panel or adding any additional stress to the seams.
I'm a bit perplexed how this happened since the panel lined up with all the holes really close... The only thing I can think of that caused this is that the original panels didn't have wood clean out to the end of the aluminum, which would then be able to flex around this inside radius. I wasn't able to tell since all the wood had rotted and fallen off the aluminum in this area, leaving only dirty glue.
You win some... you lose some. This isn't the worst possible thing that could have happened. Hopefully this goes well... wish me luck.
-cheers
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10-06-2015, 07:40 AM
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#343
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,707
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10-06-2015, 07:45 AM
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#344
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,786
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Any way to inspect the other side and see how it is put together? Without messing up that side? Maybe the cap can be taken off or loosened enough to see what is going on? Maybe make an inspection hole that can be filled later? Just thinking............
ronspradley
__________________
'95 Monaco Windsor DP 32' Cummins 5.9
Toads '96 Tracker 4x4, '06 Honda CRV AWD
Life's too short to drink diet soda.
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10-06-2015, 08:01 AM
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#345
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,666
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You may be able to see the seam on the other side by removing the tail light.
Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B
__________________
Mike
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10-06-2015, 08:05 AM
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#346
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,707
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I believe I would have to disassemble the interior in order to loosen the cap. I can't see anything from underneath...
I believe removing the panel is the only way. I don't have to lay it down though... I can cut it while it's hanging. Shouldn't be too bad?? Hopefully...
-cheers
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10-06-2015, 08:20 AM
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#347
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,666
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I can't say for sure how much this applies to your coach, but I have mine apart from the inside to repair water damage at the roof/wall seam. Aluminum skin vs. FRP, HR vs. Monaco, both may make a difference in construction methods.
The outer skin does not go to the end of the wall lauan backing. The lauan backer extends well beyond the fasteners, but stops short of the corner radius. I cannot see exactly how far the FRP skin extends past the seam. The edge of the wall panel is visible through my taillight opening, but adds no useful information in my case.
Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B
__________________
Mike
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10-06-2015, 07:02 PM
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#348
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,707
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All better...
With the help of dear Mrs. Piker, it only took about 2.5 hours to drill out all the rivets, slide the panel forward, and cut the end of the panel to fit, then re-rivet the entire panel. The fiberglass lays nice and flat now.
The rivets along the bottom have been drilled out several times, and some of the holes are a little oversized... so i just added a few extra rivets. No big deal.
Sure would be nice to finish this side before next spring... I'd plan a trip for next summer. As it is, it's just not in the cards right now. I like the idea that mikelcan had about the bus conversion guys using their rigs in between stages of the project... so maybe we can still do some camping next summer... we'll see...
-cheers
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10-11-2015, 06:20 PM
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#349
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,707
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I spent a little time trying to cut some of the openings out in the new panel today. Not as easy as I thought it would be.
I tried a rotozip with various bits - standard rotozip bits, flush cut rotozip bits, and even a flush cut router bit. Nothing really works all that good... might be because the rotozip is just too high strung... to many rpms. It just grabs and gouges and breaks bits. Not to mention it doesn't have a very big base... it's just not stable.
I'll see if I can borrow a regular variable speed router from someone. Might work better...
I did manage to get the hot water tank back it, minus the exterior trim that I'm not sure what to do with yet as far as paint/color.
There's a part of me that just wants to leave the aluminum shiny... no paint. Maybe paint all the covers (fridge, furnace, etc) black, and use black vinyl trim and caulk over the seams. This would be the cheapest route to take... and we'd certainly have a one of a kind rv... but it leaves the question of what to do with the fiberglass end caps, and when to do it... I suspect we'd do nothing with them until after the other side is redone... though this means removing all the caulking and vinyl if we do decide to repaint them.
The other part of me thinks if we leave it shiny, it will look gaudy and ridiculous... but if I paint it, I won't be able to afford a professional paint job... which might look gaudy and ridiculous too.
I guess I don't have to worry much about any of it right now... just thinking out loud...
-cheers
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10-11-2015, 09:20 PM
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#350
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,654
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Get a good router.
Many on craigs list for maybe 15 bucks or so.
Do get a new carbide bearing guided bit for doing the cutouts.
And try to get a bit rated for aluminum.
Call around to the industrial supplies.
It will be worth your investment.
Have a helper to spray wd40 as it often is lube of choice for aluminum but check with cutter supplier for suggested "coolant".
Leave in a couple spots to support the panel then clamp in place with 2 X 4 then finish cut.
Try to get a router with the trigger on the hand grips as it gives far better control.
Practice on a scrap.
Also place a layer of packing tape on the cut line and about 4 inches out on the "good side" so the router does not scratch the surface.
__________________
Tony & Lori
1989 Country Coach Savannah SE
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