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Old 01-16-2016, 06:11 PM   #435
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My hat is certainly off to you for such a great job ! Look forward to see running down the road with your family waving out the windows !



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Old 01-16-2016, 07:18 PM   #436
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Thanks for the compliments guys... the encouragement really helps to pull me through.

So I'll start with some good news today... We went to the notary and got new plates for the RV. All we need now from a legal perspective is a state inspection and we're ready to hit the road. Of course... without windows... or a door... it might be kind of a chilly ride.

I spent some time today getting the roof reattached to the side wall. I lucked out and inadvertently left the heavy aluminum strips that hold the awning attached to the roof aluminum (just with the caulk). It was rigid enough that I was able to drop some straps down from the rafters and hook them under the rv to pull the roof down close to the sidewall. I then used a board wedged against the ceiling to push it the rest of the way down tight against the walls to drill each hole and install the rivet. Surprisingly, the holes in the frame lined up really well.

So, the roof is now attached... the next step will be to route the windows out so I can finish installing the rest of the aluminum track that holds the vinyl trim.

Sorry about the glare in the photo's...

-cheers









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Old 01-16-2016, 07:29 PM   #437
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In other news... not so good news...

One of the holes in the aluminum track had some caulk in it. I never thought twice about it and just drilled right through... turns out, the caulk was put there by the manufacturer for a reason...

Poof...

I hit a wire... melted the end of my drill off... and tripped the breaker. And wouldn't you know it, the circuit I hit also had the converter on it.

I could kick myself. What a stupid mistake. There's no way I'm pulling the exterior panel back off at this point... but all might not be lost... it looks like the wire might be accessible from behind a cabinet inside the RV... now, the cabinet is open to the interior wall at the back, but hopefully I can just remove the cabinet, cut the wall out, fix the wire... and then reinstall the cabinet with a false veneered back on it to cover the hole in the wall. It's a bummer, cause it's extra work... but at least it looks like it might not be a terrible fix...

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Old 01-17-2016, 05:48 PM   #438
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I managed to get the windows and doors cut out this afternoon. I forgot one opening though... for the hood range over the stove. I had planned on drilling a hole where it exited the rv while the panel was on the ground, but I totally forgot, so I'm not even exactly sure where it goes. Hopefully I can get to the opening from inside and poke a hole out through or something so I can tell where to start cutting with the router.

I also got the rest of the aluminum strips up that hold the vinyl. Lots of rivets. I played around with the trim samples that I ordered too. I really like the big heavy black one... but it would be a real pain in the rear to caulk since it doesn't have the longer edge on one side... The other stuff would probably need painted though, so it's a toss up.

Still not sure if I want to try and rivet the seams of the plywood down... I don't think it will actually remove the apparent line that you can see... so I should probably just leave it...

All for now I guess... the weather is turning bitter cold this week, and my torpedo heater has about had it. I probably won't be getting much more done anytime soon.

-cheers



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Old 01-17-2016, 06:27 PM   #439
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Looks good Piker!! You're doing a great job!
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Old 01-17-2016, 06:41 PM   #440
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Looks awesome. Great job!!
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Old 01-17-2016, 07:41 PM   #441
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How big is that wire?

Did it blow in half or just blow a fuse?

If the wire is intact you may be able to fix in place.

First confirm If wire is intact and with an ohmmeter confirm if it is grounded or not.

You can use a tooth pick to push the wire away from the metal and see the short go away.

This is risky as there may be a bundle so using a harbor freight inspection camera to see what is going on.

If it is only one wire and just nicked you could inject silicon rtv into the hole and fill the area then hold in place with the toothpick.

Confirm not shorted and plan on repair later.

This all depends on exactly what is going on.
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Old 01-18-2016, 05:41 AM   #442
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Thanks guys...

I have to admit... I'm struggling just a little bit inside my head with the visible "artifact" at each plywood seam. Truth is, they don't show up in the pictures like they do when you're standing right next to the rv. I had been hoping for a "like new" appearance... but that's not really what I'm getting here. It's more of a "homemade" look. I kind of thought the seams were going to be an issue when I got started last fall, but I guess I had hoped i'd still be satisfied with the outcome. Right now it kind of feels like an AWFUL lot of work for something that might not turn out to look a whole lot better than it did before it started. Kind of has be bummed just a bit. I don't think there was anything I could have done that would have made it better... getting rid of the rot and corrosion is definitely a plus though.

I guess there's not much I can do about it now... take my lumps and keep moving forward... I just keep reminding myself that perfection doesn't exist in this life. Never has... never will... doesn't mean I can't learn to be content.

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Old 01-18-2016, 05:46 AM   #443
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TQ60 View Post
How big is that wire?

Did it blow in half or just blow a fuse?

If the wire is intact you may be able to fix in place.

First confirm If wire is intact and with an ohmmeter confirm if it is grounded or not.

You can use a tooth pick to push the wire away from the metal and see the short go away.

This is risky as there may be a bundle so using a harbor freight inspection camera to see what is going on.

If it is only one wire and just nicked you could inject silicon rtv into the hole and fill the area then hold in place with the toothpick.

Confirm not shorted and plan on repair later.

This all depends on exactly what is going on.
It was a 12-2 120v wire. I think I drilled right through the hot wire, and my drill melted when I hit the neutral. When I look into the hole, I can see the neutral... I can't see the hot. I will have to tear this apart and repair... probably with one of those kits you use to repair an underground electric line when it gets dug up (been there... done that). They have butt-splice connectors with screws for solid conductors, and a shrink fit sleeve that goes over each line, and another one that goes over the whole bundle.

I just hope I can get to it easily from inside...

-cheers
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Old 01-18-2016, 06:29 AM   #444
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Boy what a drag. Done that a few times back in my working days as a demolition guy.
It looks like a professional job to me. Its something I wouldn't want to take on.
Nice workmanship.
On a side note I think it would look good going down the HWY with the straps on...
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Old 01-18-2016, 08:30 AM   #445
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In reality it doesn't look bad to me. You will be surprised how much better it will look when painted. I know you are seeing every blemish because you are up close and personal with them.
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Old 01-18-2016, 08:39 AM   #446
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Like Terry said, it looks good from the pictures. When I took off the old decayed decal/stripe on my MH and painted that and all of the faded maroon paint, I knew it would not be perfect and it is not but it is such an improvement over the old that I am completely satisfied. My 20/20 repair, it looks good from 20 feet at 20 miles per hour.

For your seams, maybe you can put some trim over the seams and make it look like that was the way it was meant to be. Either way, it will be a great improvement and look fine.

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Old 01-18-2016, 09:35 AM   #447
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Thanks guys... for the encouragement and compliments. Sometimes, the toolmaker in me wants everything within "50 millionths." I'm doing my best to try and balance that mindset with reality.

In the end... I'll be camping with my family... and i will have learned many useful lessons along the way.

-cheers
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Old 01-20-2016, 06:16 PM   #448
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Decided to take a chance and try riveting up along one of the plywood seams where the panel was bulged out a little. Turned out to be a good decision. It didn't remove all of the bulge, but it really improved it, and the rivets don't look bad at all. I think once I get some paint over top of that mirror finish, it will be even less noticeable. I'll go ahead and try to do the other seams at some point too.

The weather is just too cold to spend too much time in the garage right now... and running that big torpedo heater every day would use enough fuel to take me across the country and back... I did manage to get the new air compressor running... it seems to work pretty good for an el-cheapo pump. It fills a 60 gallon tank in half the time my old 3hp setup could fill a 40 gallon tank. I should be able to do everything I need to do with it... as long as it holds up. I still need to get it bolted to the floor and some manifolds piped up.

all for now.

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