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Topic: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach) (Read 5364 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #20 –
That is impressive.  Well done.

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #21 –
Thanks Harvey! I wish we could, but it is just not in the cards this year. As soon as I can get the plumbing working (I.e., put the tanks, pump, water heater, etc.), I will be staying in the coach while I prep the house to sell as soon as practical (before the market tanks again...). So even though I believe with all my heart that the coach will be capable of a trip like that, we will be limited short local excursions until the house sells. We are looking forward to our first real FT rally (one where we have the coach with us!), I just don't know when that will be. Maybe Quartzsite if there is a rally next year... Sigh ::)
Don
Quote from: Harvey Nelson –
Don & Tys,

This is super!!!

What's the chances you can join us for the pair of California Chapter Spring Rallies:
05/02/2013 - 05/05/2013:  Gold Country Rally

and the

05/06/2013 - 05/09/2013:  'Stuck in Lodi' Rally?

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #23 –
Don,

I just followed the links that wonderwoman Michelle put up of all your work done before I found this forum. It is truly impressive to see the high quality, extensive work put into your rig. It should last forever. Thanks for answering my PM last night also. You are a big encouragement for myself and others here. Keep up the great work.

Larry

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #24 –
Made some more progress in the last few days... Here are pictures of some of it. I installed the aluminum plates which I fabricated much earlier in the project and bedded them in polyurethane roof flashing cement. Messy business that! After the polyurethane cement cured, with the help of Richard Bark from the forum, rolled Epoxy mixed with extra slow hardener and filler and installed the top fiberglass skin (actually the floor of the compartment) in the utility bay. Since the compartment divider was still in the compartment and the bulkhead was already bolted together, this was easier said than done. Once again, most of my clamps of all descriptions were put into play! I will leave it clamped for a day or two before I remove all the clamping cauls. I was very happy to note that all of the holes drilled in the fiberglass skin lined up nicely with those in the framing and presented no alignment issues. Using the bottle of Jack ;D to push the plywood platform down in the middle was Richard's idea. Thanks Richard! I am confident that I will never have to see that basement framing again... almost a shame, but I can live with that!

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #25 –
Awesome work.. ^.^d

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #26 –
Looks like your hard work continues in all its excellence. Are you starting to feel warm and fuzzy? Congrats on this superb job.

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #27 –
Quote
Using the bottle of Jack to push the plywood platform down in the middle was Richard's idea. Thanks Richard! I am confident that I will never have to see that basement framing again... almost a shame, but I can live with that!

One observation...  I would have put THE BOTTLE OF JACK in another location . :) :) ( like inside the installer )
Sorry had to say it.
Gary B

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #28 –
Clamps come off... Now to clean up all the seams for final caulking.

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #29 –
Quote from: acousticart –
Clamps come off... Now to clean up all the seams for final caulking.
                        Better than new. Really nice work Don. Very impressive. ^.^d

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #30 –
I just noticed that my last post made it 666... ::) Not that I'm superstitious, but I thought perhaps I should add another post to get past that milestone quickly! Anyways, I've made a bit of progress since the last posts and have a few pictures so I guess I will put them up there. I made a large clamping platform (caul) out of a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood that has holes that lineup with the bottom of the coach using the bottom skin as a template. I have tested it by bolting it up to the coach and it looks like it will work just fine. I'm contemplating doing this job by myself, so I've been trying to work out a way of managing the skin and the platform and get everything to lineup while the glue is setting up. I decided I need a couple of locating pins on the platform itself to keep the skin in alignment with it so that Will stay in alignment as I raise it to the coach (where there are four descending all thread dowels using the diesel tanks threaded mounting holes). My tests so far seems to indicate that I'll be able to raise the platform into place using a couple of ratcheting straps with the skin attached and install all of the roloks and other fasteners to hold it in place (with little help from a jack) while the epoxy sets up. The last two pictures are where I have glued in the rest of the polyurethane insulation and used jacks and various clamping cauls with polyethylene sheeting on top to hold the insulation in place while the glue sets up.
Don

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #31 –
Don, absolutely stellar work. That coach will last forever. I know you can't wait to see the finale.

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #32 –
Thanks! That makes at least two of us who will be very happy to see the finale!!! I  know Tys will be is more than ready to see it finished... ;D
Don
Quote from: ohsonew –
Don, absolutely stellar work. That coach will last forever. I know you can't wait to see the finale.

Re: Don finishes buttoning her up

Reply #33 –
I have made good progress over the last few weeks. In fact, reached a major milestone... The bottom skin is now fully glued in place and ready for action. There is still some detail work to do down there, but no major gotchas lurking... I'm going to keep the narration of this post down to the bare minimum so I can put it on here, because time is a harsh mistress (with apologies to Robert A. Heinlein). I have plans for a future project to go through my pictures and notes and create a document which has the salient points which might be of interest to all Foretravel owners. Of course I will endeavor to answer any questions forum members may have... :D

Re: Don finishes buttoning her up

Reply #34 –
And a few pictures of the gluing and prep...

Re: Don finishes buttoning her up

Reply #35 –
And finally for today, most exciting part for me. The clamps come off! ;D

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #36 –
An ATTA BOY and karma points to you. ^.^d

Re: Don starts buttoning her up (split from Re: What did you do to your coach)

Reply #37 –
Don,
    Great job. I bet you will be glad to be done with the laying on your back under the coach thing. Hope you get to do some traveling soon.

Mark