Confessions of the first-time egg owner

[rabbit]

This touches on a subject near and dear to heart of all eggpatchers, namely what to do about unsightly, beat up locker doors. I have noticed over my time here that the urge to jump in and "brighten up" or "personalize" a second-hand trailer appears to prioritize itself way ahead of much of the remedial cleaning, overdue maintenance, and replacement that lies ahead for most of us. About a year ago plus, I also took this path in dealing with the new little house on the driveway. A Burro trailer, as many of you know, is very much like a refrigerator inside due to what seems like acres of white gelcoat on the glass inner shell. So, yeh, when you get it home and wonder what you've gotten yourself into, that white interior suggests that the winds of Feng Shui blow cold in a Burro. It was also a cold February and checking out running gear, water and waste systems, 3-ways, furnaces, etc. was intimidating, to put it mildly.

So I decided I'd recover those strawbd. locker doors. I did think briefly about replacement. After nearly 37 yrs. as a boat, airplane, restoration and exhibit carpenter, I don't think it exceeds modesty to say that I had the skill to do so. But I could also see all that important but unfamiliar stuff lurking ahead. I'm glad I took the short route and simply covered the existing with MBA interior/exterior vinyl (Forest green and Navy blue, I wanted to add orange and yellow but my wife restrained me.) For those with the time, skill, and money, no question that a natural finish hardwood face frame and doors really dresses up and irons out the "irregularities" of glass walls and openings. But I do pat myself on the back for taking the expedient "shelfpaper" route to happiness because I certainly had my hands full the following April and May with all that other stuff which underpins the new "nest" and makes it sanitary, comfortable, safe, and working as it should. So my advice to those who feel overwhelmed by the demands of a down-at-the-heels trailer is: Add a touch of your personality to the cosmetics first thing; it's a psychological necessity.

Also consider the absolute time you have to devote to correction and replacement of mysterious and offputting mechanical, sanitation and electrical systems and also the time window to certain interim goals of restoration which will allow you to use your trailer before you tire of "all work and no play". Don't "fix" things you can live with and slight things you can't live without.

jack

[avfn]

well put! awesome post!

[Roger Kimble]

You hit it right on the nose!

[Per Walthinsen]

Jack:

Well put. We started camping in our Burro almost as soon as we got it, but the tinkering bug hit me hard and still has me in a stranglehold. Sometimes I insist on going camping just to be able to say that life is not all about "mods."
No, not really. Oregon is too interesting for that.

I have one piece of advice: If you are into electrical stuff, get an electrician's "fish tape" and see where between the shells it will take you. In and around, over and through, down and up, etc. The Burro is made for that.

[rabbit]

I "borrowed" the living in a refrigerator thing from Per, folks. It is very funny and very true.

jack

[Donna D.]

Anyone who's ever been in Per's and Kathy's Burro knows it's far from a refrigerator (but I understand the comparison). Their trailer is wonderful. If I was asked once, I was asked six times at this past NOG, if I knew who owned the trailer with the central vac. Per, your reputation precedes you.

Jack, thanks for the story and memories

[Gilda]

As one who loves decorating the interior of my Scamp in themes using fabric for the curtains, cushion covers, comforters, and placemats as well as accessories such as area rugs, I'm right there with you.

I hate to put a damper on this discussion, but I am compelled to make the following comment. I overheard a salesperson at the Container Store mention why the store does not sell a popular brand of adhesive plastic shelf paper. It turns out that insects love to eat the adhesive! So please be forewarned. Do not use self-adhesive shelf plastic for this reason. In addition, insects are attracted to the cardboard boxes which contain food items such as cereal and crackers, etc. Remove the cardboard boxes before bringing these food items on board.

'Hope this information is a help to everyone reading this.
Happy camping!

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by rabbit

This touches on a subject near and dear to heart of all eggpatchers...

About a year ago plus, I also took this path in dealing with the new little house on the driveway.

...that white interior suggests that the winds of Feng Shui blow cold in a Burro.

You have a way with words. I actually shivered when reading that last one...

[Thomas G.]

Good post. I see a lot of parallels between camper trailers and houses.

I often chuckle when new homeowners excited tell me all about the new curtains and counter tops they must install right away, when I've noticed that their roof is on its last legs and the ceilings have water marks.

But that said, the decorating niceties are the sugar that makes the rewiring and reflooring medicine go down.