OurBoler.com 74 Boler rebuild

[Nelmes]

Been Sanding and Sanding And Sanding. The wood has been treated with a pre-stain wood conditioner, and the pieces to be painted have been filled.





The fiberglass furniture had old pieces of wood to attach them together and to the floor. These have all been removed, any sloppy fiberglass work cleaned up and new wood pieces cut.



Also cleaning up the fiberglass pieces I have found the remains of a wasps nest, silicone and a as yet unidentified substance all hidden under the paint. With this cleaning up these pieces has taken longer than anticipated.

[Nelmes]

With some help started installing the carpet in the Boler. Should keep it well insulated and no seams.



Then started cutting the vinyl flooring.

It is dark now, everything else is light and bright, to lighten it back up.

[Nelmes]

I added a piece to square off the corners of the dinette seats. This way the cusion will be long enough for the bed,



A larger window was installed by a previos owner, and the closet was flexible enough to push over to make room. I am adding shelves and want it to be square so I trimmed up the closet.



Wood conditioner, stain then coating it with Varathane, still finishing the wood pieces.

[Donna D.]

Looks like a massive jigsaw puzzle Thanks for sharing the build

[BigEast]

Thanks for posting this -- I didn't know that IKEA sold stainless steel sinks. Their prices are way better than at conventional building supply stores. In my town, Home Depot stocks only one small bar sink, and the price is $150. I just looked online at IKEA and found something called a Fyndig for $35. I think that's what's going into my '72 Boler!

[Nelmes]

Thanks Donna. At first I kept all the pieces organized, but have spending far too much time with them and can now tell what is what. Hopefully they will be all installed before the end of the week!

Thanks Louis. glad it helped. The $35 sink is what I got, the receipt has it $30 for the sink and $5 for the strainer. I was going to put in a $9 princess auto basin and a strainer from home depot for $20, but the Ikea sink is much nicer and the same price. I find buying stuff at Ikea, even just to cut up (or steal the hardware out of) and make something else out of is usually cheaper than going to the hardware store and buying the piece.

[Evergreengirl]

It looks like it's going well. Look forward to seeing all those pieces come together back in the trailer.

[Nelmes]

I have been putting off fixing the Boler door. A friend did attempt to repair this over a year ago, however it still hasn’t hardened. So I cleaned it up, used a piece of cardboard that would be flexible enough and already had a non stick surface. Using wood strips I clamped them to the door to make sure it held it’s shape. A layer of fiberglass body filler, then a few layers of fiberglass and another layer of body filler. Pulling off the cardboard and trimming it up I am happy with the result.





At the same time I have been patching up a few cracks in the furniture and filling holes and chips.





The dinette extensions is moving along. I am using body filler to match it to the fiberglass.



I also made a list of parts I still need to build out of wood and started knocking them out. I cut out some molding, a bunk bed railing, doors for the toilet and a light mount for the dinette.

[Nelmes]

Been busy staining wood, painting furniture, hoping to put it together soon.



My 4 year old spent 3 hours working on it, I rolled, he cleaned up with the paint brush, and did an amazingly good job (just on the under side though, just in case).

[Otters]

You're doing a great job, but I sure hope you get it road worthy soon so you can take that cute little one camping. When I was a kid my day built a fiberglass boat in our huge screened porch. I thought he'd never get it finished. But remember helping him out to this day--now in my 60s. Those were great memories he made with me.
Linda

[Donna D.]

Chris, very smart having your son help you. Not only because he's making memories like Linda mentioned, but he'll respect the work put into it and take better care of the trailer too. Nice picture! Thanks for posting it

[GMike A]

Hello, I am curious as to the finish on your wheel wells? Its hard to see with the darkness of the photo but were they sanded and painted or did you lay insulation over them and paint them grey. Just cant tell from the photo but looks like a satin finished floor Super job and lots of pictures which I enjoy and use thinking ahead for my cabinetry and interior. Cool.

[Nelmes]

Thanks Linda and Donna. I remember helping my Dad with projects (not sure how much help I really was), great memories, I agree.

Mike. The wheel well closest to the door is covered with the came carpet as the sides. The one under the sink was spray painted with rustoelum universal, that one was just sanded and painted, no insulation. The spray paint works really well on the fiberglass.

Hopefully I can find time to put the interior in this week. We are moving this weekend, so regrettably the trailer is the less important project until then. I will post more pictures when I do

[Nelmes]

Took a break from packing for the move to start putting the interior in.



The front bench and some molding held the floor in place.



The corners of the dinette where squared off to make the bed wider, turned out well.



It is fun to finally get to start putting the pieces together.

[Dave_L]

Thanks for bringing us along on your trailer rebuild, reat work and its been fun to see the progress. Awesome.

[GMike A]

I'm truly impressed. On your remake of the galley, seats etc. Did you go back in and sketch what you wanted and then go from there. Of all my weak points, carpentry leads the list and I cant cut a straight line. I am starting from scratch on my interior and not sure how to tackle it yet. I kept the back upper storage and the two back corner seats for templates but all else was trash. So I am going to have to figure out how to put my "Humpty" back together again.
Are you a carpenter by trade. Regardless if you could share your thought process and or ideas when you have 6 hours to spare that would be great for me.
thanks again for taking so many pictures.

[Nelmes]

Thanks Dave

Mike. this is the first project I have taken on and have only done a little wood work with my father as a boy.

To make the interior I measured up the interior of the Boler, sketched up what I wanted, then purchased the wood. Almost everything was build on a table saw, it cuts straight so I do not have to. The cupboard doors where made by coping a youtube video.

I built it in the trailer to fit (always checking to make sure it would still fit out the door). I used cardboard to get the curves, then transfer jig saw. I then sanded it to fit perfect. I quickly learned doing it right is the easiest way, but sand paper can fix a lot.

For filler if needed I used wood glue mixed with saw dust and to finish I used bondo if needed.

To stain I jest read the stain can and followed the directions. Sanded well, use a wood treatment, then stain, then a few layers of the clear finish. Once done I sanded it with a 2000 grit from the body work section of a store.

I glued and screwed everything together. I found the hardest part of any new challenge with this project is starting, a few dumb questions at the hardware store and lots of internet searches got me here.

I would make sure you have a good table saw, mine was too small, making things more challenging. I would also get a good sander, as you will be using it a lot. I also found a small rotary tool did anything I didn't have a tool for and quickly shaped the wood when needed.

The design, measurements are all detailed I think earlier in this post and for sure on my blog, ourboler.com.

For wood I used pine boards, 15" by 96" and pine plywood. If I was to do it again I would use more of the full pine boards.

Any questions let me know, I have asked my share to get this project this far Good luck with your trailer!

[GMike A]

Thanks. I will check you blog. I was thinking of using Birch Plywood for non supporting structures but then would have to deal with exposed edges of ply. Will have to think about it a bit more.
Wont clog the thread.
appreciate it and you work has paid off.

[Nelmes]

I used hardboard for the panel inside the cabinets, light and worked well.

[Nelmes]

Yesterday I watched a youtube video, then it was time to install the counters. Some contact cement, a table saw and jig saw.





I don't have a router to trim it up and sanding was not fast enough, after some other attempts I found a metal file worked well.

Then another YouTube video and it was time to install the veneer, and bunk hinge.



To install the sink I struggled, until I unscrewed the counter, installed the sink and screwed the counter in again.