Maintenance & Restoration

Francesca Knowles · 05-09-2013, 01:32 PM

By the way, Norm: Love the new "name"!

Must take forever to "initial" things, though...

Francesca

Ngrimm · 05-09-2013, 04:37 PM

I won't be bored for a while. I spent the past couple days dropping the axle 4 1/2". I like the way it sits a lot better now. Not as likely to bang it up. I had to fix a couple damaged fiberglass areas on the lower corners and don't want to repeat that. The interior needs to be put back in including reflectix and hull liner. Surprisingly only one four inch break on the overhead fiberglass cupboard. I think I'll see if my Dad will help me make some new doors. Although he's 84 he still does a lot of wood work. Good excuse to take a 900 mile road trip.

djtriceflt · 05-09-2013, 05:02 PM

Mr. Norm,
Outstanding!!! “The difficult we do immediately. The impossible takes a little longer.”—Motto of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, (also Naval Sea Bees) T

Thanks much for sharing your 'Scamp Saving Skill" with us and congratulations!!!

Donna D. · 05-09-2013, 06:52 PM

My eyes are bugging out!

For me to say WOW doesn't quite seem like a strong enough expression. Truly, truly amazing work Norm

Carol H · 05-09-2013, 07:07 PM

Awesome work!!! Looks great!

D Davis · 05-09-2013, 07:49 PM

Norm, unbeleivable work! WOW, You realy did put Humpty Dumpty back together again...Amazing...still can't get over it...What a beautiful job.

Ngrimm · 05-09-2013, 10:11 PM

Thank you for your kind words. I imagine others have done more work on their trailers but the results may not be as obvious. Thanks go out to those on the forum that made suggestions early on since I wasn't really sure where to start.

Vivian L · 05-18-2013, 02:54 PM

Fabulous job Norm. You must feel so proud. As I mentioned some time ago we had an ice collapse on our boler roof which after popping it back up left a sag in the roof. We added a Fantastic Fan a couple of years later and the sag became a real problem in that it was now deep enough that the water filled up and spilled over the edge of the fan into the interior and landed on the bed. Not nice. After reading the many suggestions on how to get rid of the sag we went very simple and it works. We propped the roof back where it belonged, used two pieces of square aluminum tubing (one for each side of the fan) on the "inside", bowed to the proper curve, put tabs on the ends and bolted that through to the outside of the "bump" with matching tabs for strength and voila, no more leaks.
We had a big wet dump of snow this winter and that roof went nowhere. Since we have a taupe carpet finish inside, we never painted the braces and nobody really seems to notice them up there. We don't do fiberglassing so this was the best solution for us.
Bizzian

Ngrimm · 05-19-2013, 02:04 PM

Thank you Vivian. I think you are on the right track with the aluminum bracing. My attention has now turned to the inside of the Scamp. This is where the work really begins because before I can start gluing the Reflectix I need to level out the fiberglass that I added to the walls and ceiling. Part of it is from repairing the breaks but just as much is from all the reinforcing I felt were necessary to get rid of sags in the roof. After that I need to rough up all the smooth areas where new resin was applied so the glue will stick properly. I guess I'm getting soft because running that angle grinder overhead is wearing me out. Oh well, lots of iced tea breaks.

GMike A · 05-19-2013, 02:15 PM

I am using the angle grinder too but am using one of those paint/metal remover discs that look like the lunar surface. Dang it works great. I finally finished up all my interior FG work this morning before the heat hit. A bit more work on old rotten OSB and then I want to fix the exterior with Bondo and get that all set to paint before I start the insides. I could put up the Reflectix prior to painting as it will all be covered later. This really is a Humpty for you. Looking great.!!!

GMike A · 05-19-2013, 02:23 PM

Just as an FYI and I hope this will work as I envision. I am going to take 2" spring steel stock strips that have been radiused and fiberglass them to the interior wall and up to the ceiling and across. Perhaps two of them spaced in the front prior to the vent- right across the wheel well area seems pretty good. The curve should provide structure to the roof yet be thin under the Reflectix. My Casita had a full size cabinet with microwave as soon as you walk in and that was supporting a segment of the roof. I want to open that up so that when you step in you can see to the back and only have a half cabinet. Hope that makes sense.

Ngrimm · 05-19-2013, 02:47 PM

Yeah I think I know what you mean. We had considered eliminating the closet by the door. Do you think there will be any problem glassing in steel due to having a different expansion rate than fiberglass? That's what I think I read somewhere so I used a three inch piece of plywood across the roof just ahead of the vent. It is about the thickness of Reflection so I figure I won't insulate that piece. Let me know how yours turns out.

GMike A · 05-19-2013, 07:37 PM

Jeez Norm I never thought about that. Now I have to perhaps rethink it. I will look at co-efficients of expansion for different metals. a 2 inch wide strip wont be much. BUT what if on the top end of the roof side you made a elongated U bracket so that the tip of the support only fed through the end of it and as the roof heated and contracted the tip could move in and out of the bracket like a tongue (sorry for the analogy). What if a half dozen U brackets were FG'd in but the spring steel was attached at the wheel well BUT allowed to free float around the radius while providing upward pressure but in free-form movement.

Byron what do you think about this idea?

Ron in BC · 05-19-2013, 10:02 PM

I've achieved the same result in other projects by glassing in an 1/8" thick plywood batten about 1" wide. When it is covered with glass cloth the result is a stiffener much stronger than you would expect.

It's quite easy to do. Use epoxy or polyester resin to put the batten in first, with props holding it in place. Wetting out the glass overhead, being such a small thin amount is easy.

GMike A · 05-20-2013, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I've achieved the same result in other projects by glassing in an 1/8" thick plywood batten about 1" wide. When it is covered with glass cloth the result is a stiffener much stronger than you would expect.
.

Thanks Ron. That would be a heck of a lot cheaper than spring steel. Good idea.

Thomas G. · 05-20-2013, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I've achieved the same result in other projects by glassing in an 1/8" thick plywood batten about 1" wide. When it is covered with glass cloth the result is a stiffener much stronger than you would expect...........

The strength comes from having the two layers of fiberglass separated, which is why foam core is so strong.

lightfoot · 05-24-2013, 10:20 AM

I just recently signed up here (looking for a used Scamp myself), and just was lurking around looking. I stumbled on this thread, and had to comment. WOW, that is some impressive work, pal.!!!!!! Even though i'm pretty handy, i'm not sure i'd want to tackle a project that big, but it sure is nice seeing the progress you've made.

You Da Man!