Trillium 1300 Biggger bed

[colinn]

Hi

I have finally gotten around to modifying my trillium 1300. We have had it for about 8 years and towed it through Saskatchewan, Alberta, Alaska and the Yukon. But the bed was always too small.

We never cook inside ( except my wife's morning coffee ) so a full kitchen is not needed. We have an ARB fridge in the truck with the rest of the food/kitcheny bits.

Anyhow, heres what an afternoon with a grinder and a an oscillating tool can do...

I plan to create a wardrobe, the same as the one next to the door, where the front half of the kitchen used to be. The back half of the kitchen will be an extra seat in the daytime and the extra bed at night.

The oscillating tool with a regular blade is perfect for harvesting the ensolite. The removed material will be replaced once all the construction is done. I might have to harvest some from inside the existing wardrobe and replace it with bubble wrap.

Picture 1 shows some wood framing from the drawer unit I built when the icebox came out.

Picture 3 shows the roof reinforcing where the wardrobe wall will go.

Picture 4 shows where I have filled in the holes in the wall. The big hole was for the furnace. We will be installing a Propex furnace when I can decide on a good spot. Right now I am leaning towards putting it under the front couch (quieter at night).

Let me know what you think

Colin in Edmonton

[Borrego Dave]

You're making it your own Colin, I like it. Keep us up with the info and pics.

[Raz]

Another fearless soul. I assume you have seen Doug's thread. If not, here is the link.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...bed-67977.html

I will enjoy following your progress. Raz

[Island Claire]

"The oscillating tool with a regular blade is perfect for harvesting the ensolite"
Colin, can you explain a bit more how you did this. I have more ensolite to remove so I can fix the door, and I made a mess of the last piece I did. It comes away easily when on wet wood, but sure sticks if everything is good. thanks.

[ckayaker]

Interesting idea! I have a 4500 and am beginning to think of something similar. I was planning to leave the stove/fridge section alone, but remove the sink and underneath cupboards and replace them with a hinged unit which would swing up in the roadside wall. Obviously I'm still in the design stage here, so I will be interested to see how your project goes.

[colinn]

The oscillating tool with a regular blade is perfect for harvesting the ensolite"
Colin, can you explain a bit more how you did this

Hi Claire.

I used a square blade ( not the half round one ) and used an action similar to shearing sheep. The blade easily scooted along the fiberglass surface without damaging it. You can see in one of the pictures that bits of foam were left on the wall but they were only a fraction of a mm thick.

Hope that helps.

[colinn]

I will be interested to see how your project goes.

Hi Michael

Thanks for your reply. I am interested to see how it turns out too :-)

The first cut is definitely the scariest. We looked at a larger trillium like yours last year but we have replaced the axle in ours already and I didn't want to have to do that again. Besides, it just fits in behind the garage.

Let me know if I can help you out with yours.

PS. I just picked up a double kayak for my son and me. Where do you paddle?

[colinn]

Thanks for your reply. I have seen Doug's post. I am going to try and leave the existing wardrobe alone and see if that is OK. If it isn't, I will follow his lead and cut out the bottom. He does nice work...I hope mine looks as good.

colin

[colinn]

Few bits for today.

I removed the lower half of the vinyl flooring. Mostly with a chisel after it had soaked in water. The floor acts like a bathtub so I filled it with about an inch of water and left it overnite to get off the stuborn glue.

I plan on installing some carpet ( probably a matt from canadian tire that I will cut to size) I did this on my previous Trillium and I really like the way I can shake it outside in lieu of vacuuming/ brushing.

I also got to some wood working.

The front piece has been recessed with my skill saw so it will be flush on the front when I am done. I did the recessing by setting the blade on the saw to the thickness of the fiberglass and then dragging it sideways.

Picture 3 shows how, on the front piece, I reused the top part of the kitchen center detail to aviod having a hole.

Picture 4: I also cut the first side piece.

Picture 2 shows the green stripped floor and the square hole to the left of the door. The hole was cut as an access hole for the backing plate to cover the old electrical port on the outside. This hole will be enlarged and will have a pocket installed for holding bits like my towball cover, spirit level and the trailer lock.

Cheers to all and thanks for all of your comments.

Colin

[colinn]

So today was not the most productive on the trailer.

My garage door opener broke on Saturday and today I put in a new one. Who knew a brand new sears craftsman model is exactly the same mechanically as a 13 year old Chamberlain? Unbolt old one...bolt in new one. The electrical connections were even in the same order.

I made a template for the left side of the wardrobe (picture 1) and cut the final version and I have started mocking up a shelf for the coffee maker and also a shelf over the rear-side window (picture 2).

Can any one tell me how to tell the forum that I would like to see the newest posting first to save always scrolling to the bottom?

Cheers and thanks for looking.

Colin

[colinn]

I have bonded the vertial wardrobe walls to the trailer skin and have layed out what it will look like when I am done ( more or less). I am quite pleased with the extra seat position I gained from the bed extension, it should make getting behind the table at supper much easier

The cushions will stay untill next year when I will make/have made some new ones. Cabinet doors will be installed next month as I will not be able to work on the trailer for the next few weeks :-(

I think the most visually important step will be the reinstallation of the harvested ensolite and painting the wood to match the existing green fiberglass. This is the step I am looking forward to the most. I have an idea about the bed extension and where it will be stored but you will have to wait for that.

As always, thanks for looking.

Colin

[David Tilston]

Colin, For someone with only 15 posts, (as of this date) you have added a great deal to the site. Thanks.

[colinn]

Thanks David.

I find the first part of a project like this to be a bit soul sucking. All of the carefull measurements, the design and redesign and it still looks like a pile of plywood. The next step with the painting, wiring and cool little features is what I am really looking forward to.

Luckily I really enjoy the process and am in no rush to finish.

Looking forward to meeting you and your clan in September.

colin

[colinn]

So after taking some holiday time away from the trailer we are almost done this side.

Some sanding, painting and the shelves above the windows on either side ( rear one is not done yet, just in the picture to give an idea of what it will look like) and I can put these tools away.

I have wired in some of the AC as you can see from the wires in the exposed box . The white hatch will give me a little storage for small items around the wheel arch. Paint match is not bad, even when close up.

The little shelves should hold alot of stuff and they can't be seen from the door ( makes the trailer look tidy when it isnt).

The ensolite is back on. It is in 3 bits but the shelves hide all the seams.

You can also see my 'kitchen shelf" with the 10L water container and the coffee maker. Enough to do what we need.


As always, let me know what you think.

colin

[colinn]

This is another view showing the wardrobe better.

The silver bubble wrap is super thick and is what they wrap kayaks in for delivery. I was in at my local boat shop getting some more epoxy and was given it

The bubble wrap looks too short but there will be a nice wooden floor installed that will join up nicely with it.

The bottom compartment below the kitchen will be a hanging locker. I will put in the pipe for the hangers to hang on after the last coat of paint. I have put brackets for a shelf in there in case we ever change our minds.

Oh yes, Doors. I have not forgotten about the wardrobe doors. Wood is precut in the shop waiting patiently. They will be done after some wiring and the furnace.

cheers

[David Tilston]

Wow, nice. You clearly have skills.

[dleverton]

Very nice.
I did much the same with the bed but kept a stubby kitchen. I'm thinking you have a better idea tossing the kitchen and using the space for floor to ceiling cupboards.


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV
Doug L

[colinn]

Thankyou both for the compliments. I got the first coat of green on yesterday and will get another on tomorrow. Should be able to get the shelf over the window in next week along with the wiring for 12V sockets and LED lights. We have a date with friends in Jasper for the September long weekend so a bit of pressure will spur me along.

[colinn]

Next issue is the existing wardrobe. I will not be able to open the door with the wider bed.

So I cut the bottom off of the door and moved up the fiberglass on the inside. I still need to fill in the big square hole with some fiberglass that I saved from the kitchen.

The ensolite is missing from the back of the wardrobe because I needed it to patch the other side of the trailer. I will use the same silver bubble wrap that I used in the new wardrobe to cover the mess once I have run some wires for a porch light and a small red LED for using the portapotti at night.

[colinn]

The new big shelf worked out really well. Still have to have it out one more time to epoxy the LED strip to the underside. I have found that the glue that is on the led strips sometimes fails in the heat so I epoxy them.