Raising the Roof

The exterior roof, even though it will be covered in waterproof vinyl, will be epoxied and then painted. That's just in case any water finds it's way to sit there. The nice thing about the vinyl all the way to the back, using snaps, is that I can inspect the entire roof any time.

The interior roof will be the same color as the interior walls, nutmeg.  The stained spars give the interior a nice contrast with the nutmeg color.
The roof will start on the same spar where the screen ends.  A nice piece of trim, just in front of the roof line, will look nice when the vinyl gets rolled back.

UPDATE  04/01/2013
With a 50 degree plus day the roof has been glued in place.  The upper trim on the flat portion of the roof is also glued in place.  Next step is to add trim to front radius, then screen for the front , then vinyl for the entire top!

Profile pics

Rear trim and galley looking good!

Will add door holders and cargo box to complete galley!

Roof spars in!

Roof:
1/3 Front radius will be screened in.
2/3 of roof to the rear will be flat.

Git 'er done before cold weather moves in!

Right now my knee replacement surgery is keeping me from overdoing anything with the camper.  The cold weather will be here fast enough.  By the time I'll be feeling better to be working on this project  the weather will prevent much more from being done.  Next weekend should be 50 degrees so it looks like that would be a final chance for pulling it outdoors for some final tinkering until spring.

The latest push has the front trim primed and painted. My oak  molding has been cut and is ready for the screen installation.  This was a fun part helping Kate with her convertible build so it was a blast to look from the cabin out through the screen on my own convertible td!  Only the front radius will be screened.  After that the camper will have a flat roof.

The rear trim is now glued in place.  Maybe that warmer weather will allow some primer and paint.

We'll see what next weekend, both the weather and my knee, has to offer!

Storage pockets for galley.

My favorite storage pockets should work great in the galley. It is so small so these two single pockets will hold a lot.

My exterior rear cargo box will hold more galley stuff, like cooking gear.

I have a towel/napkin rack left over from Ikea. Part of my Xmas trip to NY includes an Ikea run so I'll be able to look for some more cool storage items.

Oak added to corner trim.

Not only is the oak strong for the corners but it allows for a nice way to begin my screening on the front section of the camper.

The horizontal piece of oak will just have brads and some some silicone.  If there are any issues with the screen I want this piece to come off for screen repair or replacement.

All four corners need to be primed and then painted.  Should be a fun and easy project to steal away a little td time in the garage on turkey day.  Weather here in Cleveland: should be 61 degrees.

Sanding done for corner trim

Using 1/4" 1 x 3's for corner trim.  Should warm up enough tomorrow to glue them in.

Curtains Up and Pocket Storage for Door

Found valances at Walmart for my small windows.  My driver side door gets double pocket storage.

Weather perfect for lower trim painting

Note the cane in first photo!

We have some nice sunny and warmer days coming up. With moving to the cane I need to balance being up and about, working on my exercises and not allowing my knee /leg to swell.

Today was the perfect set up......................Nice sunny weather and feeling good enough to be up and working on easy trailer stuff.

UPDATE: NOV 18, 2012

The trim is now glued in place due to the nice break in weather here!

Final work until spring!

Lower trim is cut and primed.

Window framing makes a nice support for a 12" shelf for the cabin.

It's almost 5 o'clock and this project is being tucked away until spring as I recover from knee replacemnt surgery.

Life is Good...................

Lower trim started

If time allows I'd really like to get the lower trim installed before my knee replacement surgery.  Just need to do the sides as the front and rear trim are already in place.

A template made of a scrap piece of luan will help me with my cuts, especially at the fender areas.

I've got both a wood and metal section of my frame so I'd rather be kneeling or checking under the trailer now rather than later.

Galley bulkhead cut, stained and urethaned!

Found a nice 4' x 4' birch panel to cut down for the bulkhead. It's feeling good to get this far prior to stopping for surgery. 

I've got three days to do a little more on the td until it's tucked away till spring!

Final side wall glued in and both doors installed.

With the driver wall installed today I was able to get both doors finally installed!

In the spring I'll add the door handle.  I'm swapping out the keyed lock for the turn knobs.  This way the door will be more secure while driving down the road.  If anybody was a smart alec and tried to lock me in the turn knobs are easily opened from the interior!

I stained the three spars that will go up front for the screened area.  They will get spar urethaned tomorrow.

On my shopping list is a trip to the box stores to pick up and cut the wood for the galley bulkhead.  Then it's just framing the rest of the ceiling to be ready for a roof vent.

It's coming along..................

I've got the passenger side wall glued and screwed in place.  The front and back are done.

The driver side wall gets glued in tomorrow.

The sidewalls have 2 coats of spar urethane.  I'll do the third coat in the spring.

Framing for the roof has started.

I will be framing in an area for a roof vent. There's plenty of room for one.

The 1x3's are cut to length for the front portion that will be covered by screening.

Vinyl will run from the front all the way to the back of the roof.

To add insulation and sound proofing I'll add closed cell mini foam, 1/4" thick under the vinyl.

The wood for the roof will be 1/4" thick.

 I'll place the nice stained side facing into the td since the top is covered by vinyl anyway.

The counter is in place and I need to pick the wood for the bulkhead.

All the windows have been framed in and butyl tape used along with stainless steel screws for the installation.

The doors will be installed using the butyl tape just like the windows.

The interior floor was painted. 

The fender areas were spar urethaned, then lightly sanded.

  They have a coat a primer and I'll add black paint for the final coat.

Since there is no room for trim behind the fender

 I'll add a bead of silicone where the sidewall meets the metal frame.

That worked great for Kate's convertible td build.

Feeling much better that all the heavy stuff will be completed

 by my surgery date this coming Monday, the 22nd.

The knee replacement will keep me out of the garage this winter.

In the spring I can install the roof, add the vinyl and trim(lower frame and all corners).

Then Paddy and I will be ready for late spring camping.

Window and door cut out.

Wall profile complete!

I like the "Rimple" front with the "Simple" back!

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Window frames nicely with 1 x 2's

The front window is mounted horizontal.  Originally  I thought I'd go with the side windows vertical  have decided to install them like thr front. They are 12" x 18".

I think the windows are too heavy for the cargo doors so that's why they will be mounted to the side of each door.

Stained and then spar urethaned, the 1 x 2's make a nice frame around the window, especially against the expresso color I picked for the interior walls.

Many thanks Bill!

Bill cut the nicest lines for my side walls with his circular saw. My little camper is 40" wide and 74 1/2" long.

Now I have the side walls ready to cut for the curved "Rimple" front.

Cheap 48" clamps, from Harbor Freight, work great for my little camper as it will only be wide enough for a traditional twin mattress. They are holding the side wall in nicely before final installation.

 The push is on because I would like all the heavy stuff done before my knee relacement surgery in 2 1/2 weeks. This way in the spring I can add the screen and vinyl top.  I'm excited to pull this out of the garage come spring for those solo trips with my dog and me.

Added solid floor

I went round n round about the floor.

I did have an open floor on the tent camper. But I thought I wouldn't really be able to easily seal out water.

I kept the additional framing but removed the various width 1 x's. There is always use for some primed and already painted boards.

Instead I opted for a tradional floor but with all the framing went with 5/8" instead of 3/4". The trailer is only 6' long and has plenty of support.

Paddy has her eye on the new project.

Wall go up next!

Front Wall with Window

With such a small td a window up front should make the interior seem larger. Plus I loved the front windows in my first td build.

The window can be installed vertical or horizontal. They are shed windows at about $18 each. The comapny said other trailer builders had purchased them too.

Rear Wall

Here's a peek at the rear wall.

The cargo door is 36w x 22h.  Will most likely have a slider so the counter top comes out and over the cargo box that sits below.  The door opens up and will have a t handle mounted higher or even off the rear flat roof.

There will only be a counter and the storage box for the galley as the sleeping area runs the full 6' of the trailer.

The bottom unfinished board is trim and will be painted black.

First there was the mini-trailer with tent setup.

Very nice but very noisy sleeping. I forgot just how much you hear in a tent.

My buddy Bill put the bug in my ear..........."You could make a small td out of that trailer".

So begins the Simple Rimple.............half square rear, half round front/with screen and vinyl roof.

Goal:  A td 6' long, 41" wide.  Two doors. Three windows. Half galley.

Room for just me and my dog!