Karin's Campster Renovation

[k corbin]

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Not a very pretty picture but the progress of being done with patching, puttying and applying primer and now finally getting some colored paint on the exterior sure feels great.

The red and black Honda Element is my tow car and the color scheme will match. Painting in a parking lot at the commercial building where my friends workshop is. Not ideal but I am happy to have a place to work so not complaining about it. The beach is at the end of the parking lot so sometimes wind is an issue but at least there is that cooling breeze most days and break time is pretty spectacular with Puget Sound at my feet and the Olympic mountains across the way. When I walked out ton the each Saturday evening a float plane pulled up to the beach! There was a wedding going on next door at the beach club, sometimes the planes bring or take away a bride and groom. Lots of distractions but I had already put in lots of hours of prep work that day and was enjoying the sunset as my end of the day reward

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Says you because you have mad skills

You've never seen me operate a saw

I accept no excuses you have a brain, you can learn the right way to use tools. Step up to to the plate and quit making excuses.

You must think I was hatched knowing how to do stuff. Wrong, I just wanted to know how so I put myself out there and learned. I did not know the right way to use a saw when I picked one up but I worked at learning the right way to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=015ET8ioHjg

[Bruce Thomas]

Are you going with a red about the darkness of the tow vehicle?

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Bruce Thomas

Are you going with a red about the darkness of the tow vehicle?

You will have to wait and see

[Bruce Thomas]

So will you..

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Bruce Thomas

So will you..

I did not blindly decide to paint my trailer those colors without knowing the consequences of doing so. I appreciate the solar gain of a medium color because I am more in need of that warmth benefit than having white for the very few really hot days we get.

For some reason you don't seem to understand that I own and also drive on a daily basis that tow vehicle that is painted that fire engine red with black trim so how could I possibly not comprehend exactly how hot it gets inside? I personally think that after owning it for the last 8 years I might just about have figured out how hot those colors are.

They have actually issued an extreme heat warning for my location for Friday,... OMG the high temperature is going to be 83 degrees!!!! I might have to take a break that afternoon or maybe I could park in the shade?

I have zero intention of traveling to hot locations in the summer time. I think people who go camping in 100 degree weather are pretty deep into ...well lets just say that is not happening in my trailer life.

[Bruce Thomas]

Joke all you want...dark colors warm things...you must wonder why most campers come white or lightly colored?
Go sit in that car next sunny day and report back.

Leave the ac off

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Bruce Thomas

Joke all you want...dark colors warm things...you must wonder why most campers come white or lightly colored?
Go sit in that car next sunny day and report back.

Leave the ac off

Why do you think I have no clue about how hot it gets in the car I have been using everyday all year long for the last 8 years?

I have a white RV, a Sunrader, it gets pretty hot too, about the same as my red and black car. We have a white Ford 350 van, extended, it also gets about the same temperature as my red and black car.

Honestly Bruce, you don't have to try and be my savior.

[Bruce Thomas]

ill remove this now...I know you read it. Take care

[Bobbie Mayer]

Actually, red shouldn't get that hot. Red reflects red light, which also should mean it is reflecting the near infrared light (aka heat). Downside is absorbing blue which means absorbing ultraviolet which means fading. Though dark reds tend to be red mixed with black so who knows? Well, it turns out someone measured them.

https://www.picotech.com/library/res...nd-temperature

Note white wasn't included in that test, and white should still be cooler than red (even if red should be cooler than blue).

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Says you because you have mad skills

You've never seen me operate a saw

Or me either!

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA

Or me either!

Well come on up to Seattle and I will give you lessons on using saws.

I used to teach a class in beginning woodworking using for that class project a birdhouse. I showed how to accurately cut the wood with all kinds of different saws. A power miter saw, a hand saw, a jig saw, and a circular saw. I did not teach it using a table saw as the class was essentially one that could be taken to various locations. They also learned how to accurately drill holes and drive nails. The image below is a CAD model of the birdhouse I designed for the class. They had to learn to make 90 degree cuts as well as angled cuts because it is important to learn how to set up an angled cut. The house was designed to be built with the inexpensive cedar fence boards you can purchase at Home Depot.


The mad skills birdhouses are in this photo album along with other small and large scale buildings
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...Q0z6E4jYq8Idee

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Bobbie Mayer

Actually, red shouldn't get that hot. Red reflects red light, which also should mean it is reflecting the near infrared light (aka heat). Downside is absorbing blue which means absorbing ultraviolet which means fading. Though dark reds tend to be red mixed with black so who knows? Well, it turns out someone measured them.

https://www.picotech.com/library/res...nd-temperature

Note white wasn't included in that test, and white should still be cooler than red (even if red should be cooler than blue).

I guess that explains it Good find, thanks for posting the link. I never thought about red being cooler than blue or green but I also never considered that it would be hotter either. My red color is fire engine red, it is not a dark red, it is about as true a red as you can get in a paint color.

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by k corbin

Well come on up to Seattle and I will give you lessons on using saws.

I used to teach a class in beginning woodworking using for that class project a birdhouse. I showed how to accurately cut the wood with all kinds of different saws. A power miter saw, a hand saw, a jig saw, and a circular saw. I did not teach it using a table saw as the class was essentially one that could be taken to various locations. They also learned how to accurately drill holes and drive nails. The image below is a CAD model of the birdhouse I designed for the class. They had to learn to make 90 degree cuts as well as angled cuts because it is important to learn how to set up an angled cut. The house was designed to be built with the inexpensive cedar fence boards you can purchase at Home Depot.
Attachment 98667

The mad skills birdhouses are in this photo album along with other small and large scale buildings
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...Q0z6E4jYq8Idee

Dang. Google says the album is not available. Would love to take a class. I've taught myself a LOT, using the tools we have available in our garage. For some things we don't have the correct tool, or the correct space. I've managed a lot using a power drill and a jig saw... but some finishes have not been ideal. I'd like to rebuild the missing closet in my Lil Bigfoot, but don't quite have the chops in my garage to make it happen nicely. Roughly, maybe...

[shaggydoink]

I'm really looking forward to seeing the new colors KC!!

Jonathan

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by shaggydoink

I'm really looking forward to seeing the new colors KC!!

Jonathan

Me too! Now I just need to come up with enough dollars to get the red sprayed on the sides by a pro shop. It might not happen right away

[shaggydoink]

I feel ya... I just ran a expense report for my project to date and have a feeling my poor camper will have to live with the Tim Burton theme for a while.

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by shaggydoink

I feel ya... I just ran a expense report for my project to date and have a feeling my poor camper will have to live with the Tim Burton theme for a while.

You can name it "Patches"
they use that name for Pinto ponys....

[k corbin]

Look at that pretty Chinese red lantern, ie pop top canvas.
It says "Party Time" but I will need a party of at least two to get it up on the roof of the trailer. To me it does very much resemble a red Chinese lantern when back lit and those lanterns are often trimmed with the color black. Red is a lucky color.

I used a layer of 3/8" closed cell foam against the underside and laminated the surface with white marine vinyl. The craft and fabric store Joann's has some thinner marine vinyl. I chose that instead of the premium thickness of marine vinyl both for cost and to keep the weight down too. Plus I had a 40% off coupon for it. I purchased some 1/2" high nylon spacers to put underneath of the hardware pull handles so that they did not compress the foam and vinyl. The handles I chose had a small backer plate under each end of the bail which made a very nice finish to the look.

Now I am working on putting a finish coat of clear lacquer on the wood trim pieces that will go on the inside of the fiberglass roof opening and against the perimeter of the fabric against that white vinyl. I will wait to install the tie down latches until after I get it all in position up on the roof.

There will also be buckled adjustable webbing straps on the inside to act as a secondary security measure. I will show how I make the later. They are not attached to the canvas, they are screwed through the oak trim, through the shell, through the fabric and Velcro, and then secure into the wood frame of the pop top.

That natural colored brown wood that locates right against the roof will eventually turn dark grey, close to black. That wood species is Ipe and it is very rot resistant as it has a lot of natural oil in it. I am not going to paint it because it does not take paint all that well due to the oil. It is a super hard and strong wood, excellent for screw holding so there is not much danger of having the pop up top fly away but I will still use those suspender straps just in case. Besides the straps serve a secondary function, they will constrain the rolled up fabric when I unzip the openings for ventilation.


Other than the sewing job getting the springs back in was hardest part. I have to position myself so I am pulling with my right hand towards my left. Being right handed that was my strongest arm, I could not manage to stretch them out far enough with my left arm. One of the Z bracket clips the springs hook into broke, it had been bent once to often work hardening the metal so it stress fractured at the bend. Fortunately my partner had some scrap metal on hand so I bent a new one using the vise, hammer and a block of wood. Not as nice as having a bending brake but I got the job done and it is stronger than the original as the metal was thicker. I though about replacing all 4 of those clips but it is not all that easy to bend a very short Z shape with a somewhat primitive set of tools. I really miss my old workshop and tools but I needed to downsize a few years ago so now I just have to make do with the frustration of making do. But I get by despite it. However having the right tools for every job and an easy to work in space that is well organinzed...well that is my idea of luxury.

[Glenn Baglo]

You'll have to be careful doing your makeup under that red canvas.