I need a rain free weekend!

Not much in the way of updates however I've come to a grim realization.  The paneling I purchased and used to repair the bunkend wall is also what I intended to repair some of the water damaged edges of some of the inside boxes.  This paneling was purchased on the cheap.  It looked perfect.  Nice and shiny white.  However, it also primarily consists of cardboard which, as I've come to realize, is not appropriate for my needs.

First, after popping up Frostbite following the weekend flood causing rain two weeks ago, I noticed some discoloration around the corners where some water leaked in through the tailights which I stupidly forgot to caulk around.  Second, and this was even more stupid, I noticed when screwing them onto the frame that the screws wouldn't tighten fully.  The cardboard wouldn't hold tight around the screw because, well, it's cardboard.

I'm going to have to scrap the cheap paneling and using something actually made of wood or, at least, something stronger than cardboard.  Fortunately, my neighbor, Kerry, after listening to my problems during a regular conversation, volunteered that she has some beadboard left over from repaneling her dining room.  She has one full panel and another half panel that she is going to give me.  Thanks to her, my paneling problems are solved.

I will make a trip to Lowes this weekend because I need to pick up table and counter top material.  I also need some table edging of some type.  If the stupid weather gives me a break this weekend, I can actually start rebuilding the inside.

I've decided not to paint until I get a fitted cover for Frostbite which I'll have to mail order once I get the money.

No work planned for this week as my afternoons today and tomorrow are already booked.  I'm hoping for nice weather on Fri. and plan to get started redoing the bunkend paneling with the beadboard.

New Floor Install - The Final Chapter

I realize that it's been a week or so since I last posted but that week has been very eventfull.  We has a thunderstorm that lasted an entire weekend last week and flooded many areas of Nashville.  My wife has eye surgery.  Plenty of things to keep me distracted from working on Frostbite.

Yesterday I did manage to get Frostbite popped up and finish putting down the floor.  I think I might have bent the stupid safety hook again.  As I was cranking her up, about halfway, I hit a wall.  Trying to be careful not to crank it too hard I pulled against the blockage and it wouldn't budge.

I lower her back down and tried again.

Same thing.

I had been meaning to hook Frostbite up to Bluebell and pull her up a few feet as she has been ever so slowly slipping down the hill since I've been working on her.  Now, when I pull out the bunkend at the end of my driveway, the tent hits my pear tree.  Since I was getting nowhere with cranking her up, I decided to hook her up and move her back up the driveway a bit.  I was hoping the problem would magically fix itself as I did this.

Once Frostbite was moved and unhooked, I tried to crank her up again.  This time, success.  However, the safety bar was definately not the same as before.  It still hooked but I had to push it down with my hand.  I also suspect that this is causing the roof not to close all the way as I had to push down on a corner to latch it when I was done for the day.  I'm afraid that I will need to remove it again and use my metal bending technique to straighten it out again.  This time, I will figure out some way to keep the thing from getting stuck when it is being raised.

Despite all that, I got the floor in and, at least I think so anyway, it looks great!

That mess of wires is the gas and electric that comes in from the floor.

Yes, there is a small gap against the wall but it will be underneath the galley and noone will know it is there but me.  Just accept it!

I will find some edging to install over the gaps under the bunkends once the boxes are installed.

Notice that there is a 1 inch gap between the tile and the door threshold.  I plan to get a wider threshold that will cover the gap and put it down on top of the current threshold.  I checked and there is enough of a gap between the door and the floor to do this.  * I hope* anyway.  I didn't measure. 

Taking the current threshold off would be a major pain as it is underneath the door jamb hardware and all of it would have to come off first.

Now it is finally time to start painting and reinstalling the inside boxes.  Some parts of the boxes will need to be repaired and rebuilt and I already have the wood and paneling necessary to do this.

I also went by the Tool Box and picked up my $40 per gal special paint for the outside.  I'll need a full day to paint that so maybe next Saturday.  We'll see.  Hopefully, I can get started painting the boxes this week in the afternoons.