fools rush in........1971 boler 1300 reno

[flatlander]

I forgot to mention that I did some painting and installed the Fantastic fan. The photo of the fan does not have the trim on it yet, but I am waiting to address/create the wiring plan.

Apparently one can never have enough pretty shiny things and I just had a new light fixture added to the mix. I guess a good plan for me is a very fluid one.

Maybe someone could help me out. Someone here mentioned a souce where LED lights where available that would fit into a 120V socket ? It would save me Macgyvering and canabolizing a LED flashlight ???

anyway more to come

[sheephills]

Thanks for the great informtion Hue. Im wondering how i could best go about covering up the furnace hole im my boler as i dont use a furnace in it anymore. And since im painting and redoing the outside i would like to cover that up.

[sheephills]

Also forgot to mension great pictures and following your thread right along.

[flatlander]

I can only offer suggestions from my personal experience, but maybe that is good because niether you nor I will likely learn to fibreglass like a jouneyman.

The two ways I tried was

A) tape a flat peice of something tightly against the outsid surface of the hole you want to cover. It should be firm because it is what will hold your new fibreglassing in line with the outside surface, and if it bends out when you put the glass in then you will have a lot of resurfaceing and bondo work. Tried that.... no fun

if the taped surface stays flush with the outside I would start laying fiberglass from the inside in reverse order. A layer of light bondo, then pour a little epoxy down to hold the next layer of glass against the bondo, then if you need stuctireal strength I would slapp on some of that magic Hair Bondo. As far as timing goes I would let each layer start to set before putting the next layer down. Tried that more fun....

C) cut a piece of fibreglass canabalized from some where else, tape it in place and fibreglass the seam , the a layer of finreglass mat. After it sets you can bondo the other side where it needs it. If things go right you moxt of the finishing work shouod be along the seams tried that too

I have attached some photos of what I did with my firnace holes left when I removed the furnace, on the outside wall of the trailer I employed option B, and on the inside back dinette seats I changed the hole to meet my requirements for a long opening. I chose option A for that one.

Fibreglassing gets much better when you stop letting it push you around. Like everything often the only thing resting between success and failure is confidence.

h

[Roy in TO]

You could also make a piece of fiberglass on a flat surface outside the trailer to use as a patch.

[Thee Jimbo]

What is the model of your furnace. I have a 1980 scamp and my furnace is under my sink (ok "was" under my sink, PO took it out). I like the location under the dinette. Thinking this might be a different model.

Thanks for the help.

PS do you like the locaiton, or is that why you are patching the hole, a no bueno location.

Thanks again. . cheers

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Thee Jimbo

I like the location under the dinette.

Remember, if under the dinette and you have the bed set up, not only will the heat be trapped under there, but you'll be restricted in using the space for storage. Certainly wouldn't want to risk a fire.

[Thee Jimbo]

I thought about that. Was wondering about maybe the Angled part between the dinette and the sink. Just trying all angels Thanks for the thoughts on that

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Thee Jimbo

Was wondering about maybe the Angled part between the dinette and the sink.

That might work, if you never, EVER had bedding hang down over the furnace grill. Stay safe

[sheephills]

very helpful thanks alot hue.

[flatlander]

the furnace was an Atwood Hydroflame II 8012, put in by the PO. I tested it before I removed it it toasted up the place quick.

It was a forced air Furnace, and it was way too much furnace for such a little trailer. It also would have drawn too much power as I only boondock with it and have a tight energy budget.

If I thought I needed some heat I would try a wave 3 heater -very
efficient and no electric draw

That said it was a great furnace, and it basicall vented strait out the outside wall. If I had kept it I would have moved it as its location was pretty dangerous for reasons Donna previously stated. It would fit- work excellent and be very safe vented out the the front of the trailer under a dinette seat or it might fit with a little mod under the sink.

h

[sheephills]

so here an interpertation of your post hue and roys. I dont have any pieces of extra fiberglass, it would be ideal to cut a piece from the benches or cupboard or something right(i dont really want to do that). so this is what im going to do make a fiberglass patch and patch from the inside of the boler. what would be the next best thing to use as a patch just fiberglass mat or should i use something more structural. this thing is the only thing that i dont know what to do about it.

[flatlander]

Sand and wash the fibreglass about two inches around the hole, and cut 3 or 4 pieces of fibreglass matt about 2 ½ in larger than the hole

I would get a piece of plywood or something similar that is bigger than the hole. Then I would lay a strip of tinfoil or waxed paper on the out side of the boler ( so the fibreglass will not bond with the plywood), and the firmly tape the plywood to the outside of the trailer. The firmer it is and the more it follows the contour of the exterior the less outside finishing work to be done.

Go to the inside of the trailer, and lay out your stuff ( resin/ hardener) measuring cups and measuring spoons. I find that cheap plastic measuring cups and spoons are perfect for mixing the resin and hardener. 1/3 cup of resin and ¼ Tsp of harder is the perfect amount for me to use before it starts to harden on me. Mix the resin and hardener in a plastic container not the cups or you wiol not be able to use them again to measure.

I learned to have everything nearby because once the hardener starts working you do not want to be looking for stuff.

Mix the resin and liberally coat the sides of the hole and the wax paper, the press a layer of fibreglass mat, then spread more resin on it with a spreader, poke or tuck the fibreglass mat to the edges around the hole. The better you are able to do this the less finishing work. I am a beginner so trial and error has taught me that if I can get the first layer just right, or if the stiff is giving me a hard time to let the first layer sets . Then I can add several layers on top of the first without disturbing how it seats in the hole.

Laying several mats down will have much more structural strength that fiberlassing a piece in.

After it sets, you can take the plywood and wax paper off the fibreglass matt should be in line with the exterior surface and just need a little bondo to finish. I’ll try to post a photo in the next day or so of a vent and furnace exhaust that I filled as described.

h

[flatlander]

Been working on a built in boondocking on cooler with top access from the dinette seat and from the top where the fridge used to be seated. One cooler two access doors, It will have a built in drain and some built in cedar racks to aid airflow and keep food dry. I am using the pink insulation R10 value and filling in the cracks with spray foam. The photos just show the dry fitting, I will show more photos later as the final construction has to be in sync with putting the furniture back in as the cooler flows from the dinette into under the stove. Besides gluing the insulation together I will also have two layers of the silver reflective foil. Pretty shiny stuff

I got most of the ideas from boat builders who use onboard high efficient ice coolers.

Also fitted the cherry wood table you can see in the photo is going to work well. And in case you guys thought I was doing all this work unsupervised you are mistaken.

I am having an ongoing cold war with my door but I will put everything door related I have been dealing with in one post soon.

I am picking up 2 6 V batteries, and getting a wiring lesson on Friday so I do not blow the new batteries up. I really need the lesson.

I found a good deal on some flooring so I ordered it and the furniture should be ready for paint. The next couple of weeks should be fun.

h