Boler Mods.

[Con]

Added more photos to Webshots album, re: Fabrication of rear window cabinet

[Con]

For anyone who has a Boler and might be interested in building themselves a cabinet over
the rear window; here is a lofting pattern made from my templates.
Laid out to these dimensions will give you a pretty close fit.
Door shape, size and location at your own discretion.

Pattern.pdf

[Con]

I think I am going to modify my cabinet pattern.
Right now the bottom would sit approx. 2" above the top edge of the window gasket.
What I am considering doing is making the bottom almost touch the gasket.
That way I can move the curtain hangers from above the window and mount them to the bottom of the cabinet. That will also increase the storage capicity.
If anyone wants to wait about a week till I make and post that mod, please hang tough!

[Brian B-P]

...What I am considering doing is making the bottom almost touch the gasket.
That way I can move the curtain hangers from above the window and mount them to the bottom of the cabinet...

That's how all of the curtains in my B1700RGH are done, stock. The curtains hang from track which is screwed directly to the cabinets - I think this works out well.

While I have seen the same track in new RVs (usually used for the shower curtain), I could not find it in a quick web search, so I don't have a photo or link to illustrate the type of track. It appears to be extruded aluminum, and is basically a common I-beam curtain track, but with the top flange much wider on one side, with holes for the mounting screws.

[Con]

Ok! Here is the modified window cabinet pattern. I like the size of this a lot better.

Pattern_2.pdf

The pattern layout.

[Con]

The pattern taped and ready for the fiberglass matte except for some embedded woodwork for mounting hardware and doors.

[Con]

Added more photos to Webshots Album Re: minor mods

[Herb P]

Added more photos to Webshots Album Re: minor mods

That's awesome! Especially providing the template for others. That was going to be this summers project on my 13 before Yuri bought it.

Home Depot sells some nice 'decorative' fiberglass sheeting that I think would finish off such a cabinet nicely...

[Andrew D]

[quote]The pattern taped and ready for the fiberglass matte except for some embedded woodwork for mounting hardware and doors.

Attachment 5345

Just wondering how the upper cabinets are coming along?

[Con]

Do you really want to know? Ran into a few problems.
1st. off I tried glassing last fall in our garage, it stunk up the whole house so had to wait till this spring to carry on outside.
2nd. Once the weather got warm enough to do it outside I ran out of resin, went to Canadian Tire and they were out of it.
3rd. I had to spend over a month ripping apart and totally rebuilding our sun deck and repainting all our fences.
4th. Got more resin and let it harden and when I was sanding with the belt sander the cord got caught in the belt and stripped the timing belt. Ordered a new one which took over a week to the tune of $30
This turning into a saga
I am working on it in between other things. One mistake I made was not
embedding enough wood framing near the ends of the bottom panel.
After I glassed it, it curled.
I of all people should know better! Anyhow I can fix it by making a couple of slices on the saw, flatten it and re-glass that part.
After I get it sanded, apply a skiff coat of Bondo, primed, sand and paint it it will look fine.
By using the cardboard as a base it is very light and surprisingly strong. I know helicopter rotor blades are done much the same way but they use a plastic honey comb celled material inside and then cover with a polycarbonate or similar material.
Once I get it done I will post some pics.

[Andrew D]

[quote]Do you really want to know? Ran into a few problems.
1st. off I tried glassing last fall in our garage, it stunk up the whole house so had to wait till this spring to carry on outside.
2nd. Once the weather got warm enough to do it outside I ran out of resin, went to Canadian Tire and they were out of it.
3rd. I had to spend over a month ripping apart and totally rebuilding our sun deck and repainting all our fences.
4th. Got more resin and let it harden and when I was sanding with the belt sander the cord got caught in the belt and stripped the timing belt. Ordered a new one which took over a week to the tune of $30
This turning into a saga
I am working on it in between other things. One mistake I made was not
embedding enough wood framing near the ends of the bottom panel.
After I glassed it, it curled.
I of all people should know better! Anyhow I can fix it by making a couple of slices on the saw, flatten it and re-glass that part.
After I get it sanded, apply a skiff coat of Bondo, primed, sand and paint it it will look fine.
By using the cardboard as a base it is very light and surprisingly strong. I know helicopter rotor blades are done much the same way but they use a plastic honey comb celled material inside and then cover with a polycarbonate or similar material.
Once I get it done I will post some pics.

Attachment 8002

Sorry to hear things haven't been going well with your project. I'm sure it will all be worth it though in the end, and they will look as great as all of your other "fab" projects!

[mitch]

Sorry to hear things haven't been going well with your project. I'm sure it will all be worth it though in the end, and they will look as great as all of your other "fab" projects!

I totally agree with Andrew !! Hang in there ! It's gonna look FABLULOUS !!!

I have also had a couple of really lousy weekends when everything that could go wrong with our trailer mods did. One day I went back and forth to Home Depot three time for more stuff or to exchange something because it was the wrong size.... We feel your pain too !!

Your work looks amazing, chin up !

Mitch

[Con]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I will get it done after I work through my "HoneyDo" list!

[TMP North]

I can't see your pictures at that link... is it changed?

[Donna D.]

Theresa, you are in a thread with the last post that was five years ago. We haven't seen Con for a while either: Last Activity: 01-05-2013 11:02 AM Maybe he'll pop back in and give you a response.....

[Con]

Hi all,
Donna, glad to see you are still involved.

I am still alive and kicking. Got involved in a number of other things.
Webshots changed their whole format unnoticed to many members and 100's of us had our albums blown away. Pissed of a lot of people in the process.
So if any one whats to contact me it will have to be thru my email con-quistador37@shaw.ca.

I still have all my pictuires and tutorials on the door fix and my screen door if any one is interested.

We sold our Boler, it went in 2 days to an older couple who are totally thrilled with it.

In May 2011 we left to go across Canada in our 2003 17' Bigfoot. We did a 11,000 miles in 3 1/2 months. We went to Newfoundland (spent a month there) Tugged the trailer with a 2101 Hyundai Santa Fe and averaged 17 miles to the gal.

Every thing worked well, had a few minor fixes but was able to do it on the way.
Got home and had a list of 50 items to fix, change or improve on. Spent a month or two fixing those. Although Bigfoot has a good reputation for a good product, as a retired designer and fabricator come handyman I found some serious design problems with the unit.

I now know a Bigfoot inside and out so anyone needing any advice on one, I can help.

We got rid of the Bigfoot to my brother in law so we are trailer-less now.

[Donna D.]

Glad you found your way back to FiberglassRV Con. Your presence has been missed.

Years ago, I uploaded your fantastic writeup about the Boler door fix to the Document Center. I feel your pain about losing your offsite photo album. Over time, we're going to lose all those wonderful photos that folks have linked within a thread, when offsite services either go away or members delete the album. That won't happen if folks would just embed photos here rather than link.

Are you looking for another all molded towable?

[Con]

Hi Donna,
No not really, my wife and I are not really that into trailer life.
I get as much enjoyment out of tweaking and doing mods as I do traveling.
I would much rather jump on a plane and land in Peru or Chile and hike the Andes or the Amazon.
However I still have all my photos and I am willing to provide my knoweage and experience for those that want it.

I had a query form a Dan last week about the Boler door fix and sent him a copy.

Later
Con

[Cheech00TS]

Originally Posted by Con

Cleaned and painted the grill, added a stainless steel screen, re-attached whole assembly with 3M double sticky Arcylic foam tape between the grill and screen and SS bolts. This eliminated the leaky pop rivets and screws that were cracking the fiberglass.


Attachment 4621

I know this is an ancient post, but does anyone know where to find this vent cover assembly? Please PM me if you've ever come across one for sale.