While I was thinking about starting to make some fiberglass panels, I discovered the two sheets of glass I was going to use as a form was too short. As hot as it was today here in Connecticut, I did not want to work inside the camper, but the next item on the list was to remove the backing lumber used for the jack brackets and the bolts that secure the old brackets to the body of the camper. Easier said than done. The bolts were carriage bolts and just spun around.
Port Side Aft: The first bracket was previously removed along with the rotten lumber backing. It came out fast. Here is a picture that shows it and the damage to the aluminum underneath.
Port Side Forward: This one was split somewhat and as a result came out with some effort. There was some rot around the bolts. I had not mastered the art of removing these yet. I removed all the wood before cutting the bolts and that actually slowed me down some. it is better to split the wood in half, taking the top half off to access the nut end of the bolt and cutting it off with the lower layer of wood helping to both hold the bolt in place, and also protecting the aluminum panel underneath. I cut off one of these from the top. One I had broken off earlier with a ratchet, and the other two I cut off from the outside.
Here is is mostly cleaned up. I later removed all the remaining closed cell foam to make it easier to install the new backing.
Prying the board out caused some damage to two rivets. Here you can see the heads bent over. I'll have to replace these and also leave some space on the backing to protect the back side of these rivets.
This photo shows one unmolested rivet on the right with a bent one on the left.
Starboard Side Aft: This board was mostly solid with very little rot. Here I had removed enough wood to saw the bolts. This was the second blade I broke. Still these came off easy enough and the practice on these made it easier for the last one forward.
This picture shows how the board was split down the middle. I made a few saw cuts and drilled a line of wholes across the middle to weaken the board. I also had to remove screws from underneath going through the end of the aluminum framing up into the board.
Here is it removed, prior to scraping away the rest of the foam.
Starboard Side Forward: This board was solid. I had to remove one screw from underneath. I used my battery powered skillsaw and my cordless drill to weaken the board. I chiseled enough near the bolts to get access with a corded sawsall to lop the heads off. After that I split off piece after piece and levered the last strip out.
Port Side Wing: Next up was removing more of the sprayed in closed cell foam. On the port side wing I removed all the foam. Each end to give me good access for installing new backing, and the middle because between the water dripping from the sink and the yellow jacket nest, the foam was eaten away about 50%.
Starboard Side Wing: I left the foam in the middle two sections and just scraped out the ends for access. I am planning on putting my wood stove here where the old furnace was located. So I need to decide what to do about the panel on the top right, and I'll also need to decide if I want to insulate this area or not. I will probably insulate it and add an air gap barrier with a Stainless Steel or Copper panel for heat protection. My plan is to take the stove pipe straight up through the roof.
Good News: I had earlier found a source for jacks. I had bought a lighter duty jack and wanted to return it. Since then I decided to replace all four jacks because these come with extension for my higher truck bet. This fellow is giving me good prices for his products. Saving me a huge amount of money. With a credit for returning the other jack, I'm hoping I'll be in the $800 range for everything I need.
Next Up:
- Jack bracket backing and reinforcement.
- Plywood floor removal.
- Finalizing Wiring Panel locations.
No comments:
Post a Comment