My New Project Chapter Three: It's always more Work than Expected

Sitting in my driveway is a shiny little humpback hobbit hole of a camp trailer.   Who would have guessed a month ago that by the end of August I would have transformed a rolling heartbreak into a totally functional mobile bedroom.  Not me.    With a nearly deranged level of task commitment, I manage to salvage something my wife called, one winter past redemption.  Once I had cut and installed new sides made of 3/4 inch plywood, I figured I had things licked.  Ha.  The hatch was to rotten to save or even use as a pattern.  I had to come up with a curved pattern for the shape of this trunk lid and plan a design that would be strong but lighter than the old one.

I made the ribs of 3/4 inch plywood scraps left from creating the sides and I was even able to use the curved cut.  My jigsaw died while cutting the the sides, so I had to turn to my cordless reciprocating saw to make the several cuts needed to make four plywood ribs.   I used stock 2x2 fir for the crosspieces on the lid then added a layer of hardboard and then riveted the aluminum skin back in place.  I was surprised that the hatch fit as well as it did though it was far from perfect.  It sits a little crooked, but it fits and should keep out the rain.  The whole project is more utilitarian than fancy.

 I managed to layer several coats of Spar Urethane over the epoxy resin I treated the plywood with and waited days for it to cure in our cool wet weather.  Most of the aluminum trim is being reused, backup with silicone.  The cutouts for the doors were used to make new doors, though only one was installed.    

Right now the camper looks a little cockeyed since one door has been replaced and one door is original.  It too will get replaced but not in the frenzy of August.   

A month ago, I wrote about experiencing a different kind of August, in fact that's what I called the blog post.  I was anticipating an August when I would not be looking forward to and starting school in some form or another.  I wondered what would I do.  This is it!  Part of it.  No it's not finished and no, it not showroom quality but as my brother used to say, "going by on the road at sixty miles an hour, who's going to notice?"