Rick's Boler "Tillie"

[k0wtz]

I can see if rick gets something for free then the whole camper gets turned upside down for its use!


bob

[Rick W in MI]

I have a question for those in the know.

I was thinking about a window shield for my '74 Boler. For one it would keep the window safe and clean while traveling. I would rather not scrub the insects off and risk scratching the window as I have them all buffed and scratch free. It would also protect it from sun damage like I had when I bought it. I was thinking about sewing a cover and installing snaps but then found that I could purchase a Gravel Shield from Scamp that looks like will fit my window. The 20" x 441/2" would just cover most of the rubber. I'm thinking if I bought that for the $85.00, includes mounting hardware, then painting to match, I would have a great thing. Do you think a call to Scamp is an option for me?

Number Two. I have the original tail light and lenses. If any one has a broken one and wants a replacement I would be happy to send them one.
If I can ship USPS flat rate in the states I will give you the lens and pay for shipping if going to a good home. All I ask is you make a donation to a charity of your choice for its value. I also have the black Iron support for the kitchen. Same holds true.

I just picked up the new cushions. All new foam and covers. I am so pleased.
The first picture is when I bought it, before I evicted the ants and other none paying tenants. Funny thing was I did the clean up just outside my garage and I had to scamper myself to keep the critters, exiting their habitat, from entering mine!

Thank you all,
and remember, where ever you go, there you are.

Rick W....in MI

[D Davis]

You are very talented and have done a super fine job, love the taillights and your color choices!

[Rick W in MI]

Well I had to do a lot of head scratching for this part. Well to be truthful I feel I have scratched enough to soon be considered follicly challenged. Anyway, I decided to go with a Heng's HNS-30 power converter. I felt now is the time to do it and I might as well have enough to power what ever I wish to add. This allowed breakers for A/C, Ref. and the kitchen plugs. I added plugs with USB ports on each side of the sink base as well as one in the front with the GFI there for easy resetting. All plugs are now GFI protected as well through this one. I know all park plugs are GFI, and by code all garage plugs must be, but I still wanted the system protected when plugging into any other setting. The lights I used on the sides of the cabinets are chart lights that allow you to one click have blue light and a longer click a white light. Thought it might be fun as a low light, night light, less insect drawing light when not reading. I added and under counter light that is LED also and has an on off switch on its side. The light rotates and will shine down, front facing or to the back, as in this picture, to provide a nice back light. Then I added an extra USB plug that I felt might be a nicer location for use at the table. The one I used also shows the volts to or from the battery. The picture shows that the unit is indeed charging my boat battery that I installed now for testing. When I turned off the shore power it did indeed show the batter had a charge and output of 12 volts. How fun is this!
Hope I'm not boring everyone...

Rick W....in MI

[Rick W in MI]

Well I was able to find a little time to work on the trailer this weekend. I decided to eliminate the refrigerator and put a small window A/C unit in it's place using the trailers side vent for the A/C venting. I was concerned about the make up air for the units cooling so I bought a four inch 120 volt inline duct power fan. I wanted 120 V so I could wire it to run when the A/C ran. I drilled a four inch hole in the floor under the forward seat so the vent was just under the front lip of the trailer protecting the intake from wind and any water that might get kicked up. I bought a small dryer vent with many lovers that I could point toward the rear of the trailer. I bought a wireless remote thermostat that I could plug into the A/C dedicated plug I have, then you plug the unit you want to control into that. So I made a two plug box with a short cord that I could plug into the thermostat controller and the A/C unit and the blower into that. Now I can place the digital thermostat anywhere I want and when it calls for the A/C to run it turns on the power to both units. I now set the A/C to the coldest setting and let the thermostat control air temperature.
I made the drawer bigger under the stove and I also had room for another drawer. I built some shelves in the tall cabinet placing the bottom shelf in first then using pocket screws fastened the sides to it and added shelves the same way so I didn't have to have any fasteners outside the cabinet. I will get material for the drawers and doors and finish them when I can.

Rick W

[Borrego Dave]

Interesting decision Rick, are you planning to use a cooler instead of a refer?

[k0wtz]

I am going to call it ricks purple castle!

what a nice looking job cant wait to see it on the road!!!

bob

[Rick W in MI]

Yea Dave,
The fridge thing was something I went around and around with. I was given the original one but that was in very rough shape and new ones were $$$. My brother in law has a small 12 V one he keeps in his sales van for medications and lunch so there is an option. I also have a small dorm fridge from the kids yet. Yeti and R-Tec make nice ones that keep cold for days. I did a lot of tent camping so I'm use to that I guess. Pulling a camper around will be new for me. I had no idea what I was getting into. One day at a job site the next day $200 lighter in the pocket and bingo I'm an RV owner! While we lived in Nigeria I learned that drinking water at ambient temperature was better for me and now like it that way best. We had a kerosene refrigerator that was for medications for the village and a few personal things. I like powered milk and have found it here in the same round tin at a local Mediterranean food store. As for the meat, we ate local catch of the day. Some times dog, snake, bat or small bird. It was always looked at as Mystery meat, then consumed. Some times I would buy a chicken from someone who raised and let run around the village for an equivalent of $2.30. A days wages for a local worker. I think I will stick with caned tuna fish and chicken. Also I buy peanut butter in the powdered form so... options out there. Sorry for rambling so.... have a good yawn and get on with your life!

Rick W.

[k0wtz]

rick the first time we went to Europe we flew our cooler as a container thinking you know normal as an American. when we got there big surprise ice is not something you get easily in Europe.

grocery stores do not refrigerate eggs orange juice lots of things. we learned to like hot diet coke. oh not really diet coke they do not like
Aspertain in Europe.

so our solution was to buy daily like most Europeans as we shopped we were careful as to what we bought but oh the bread in france we could live on that.

we did not eat out much excepting for McDonalds who we felt we could trust!

your 200.00 camper is going to be worth much more when you are done had to count up labor in your situation!

bob

[Rick W in MI]

I thought I would just add one thing here. Sometimes we hunt and hunt for the right thing for our specific application and other times someone shows us something that we didn't know we needed until shown. I have used in many different situations a plug like this with a remote key fob to turn something on and off so here is the same thing in a wireless thermostat. I bought this one from Amazon.

Rick W.

[Rick W in MI]

Bob how I know that to be true. I remember riding an old bus on Crete and as the bus took off the bread, unwrapped, sitting on the overhead would slid to the rear and when the bus would stop it would slide to the front. When someone got off they just grabbed a loaf and went on their way.

[k0wtz]

i don't understand that bread thing in those far off places is the bread free or surely there is someone collecting. i saw this countless time in Europe people carrying those long loaves of French bread but they picked it up at stores. interesting thing in Europe there are no bread trucks everything baked right in the store or bakery! oh i long for a loaf of that bread. while in rome we picked up a loaf of raison bread the most fantastic bread i ever had. it had a thick crust and was swabbed with molasses!

[Rick W in MI]

Bob, yea people would buy at market or bakery and when they would ride public transport they would put their things in the overhead. I clung tightly to my bread. I would rater consume my grit in another manner.
In Nigeria if I took the 4x4 to work in another village I would buy bread at a local bread stand and put in a plastic bag and leave on the dash and let it steam all day as I ate it. Of all the travels I just loved the breads!

Rick

[k0wtz]

yep I noticed no one bothered to bag their bread I have seen vidios on tv where they were just tossing bread into a truck no bags on the loaves people doing the throwing well!

I wonder do you think that part of the world use a different flour than here to get that flavor and the feel of the bread?

in the grocery stores in Europe they had huge mixers they kept them running all day long. I wonder how efficient everything is but maybe the consumers there will not accept mass produced breads.

oh we were in grocery stores in texas doing everything the old fashioned way needless to say their bakery was busy! there were no frozen doughs in their stores.

bob

[Rick W in MI]

Well I'll give a brief update. I spent some time working on the riser of the floor. I was going to use a vinyl wrap but decided to go with the brushed aluminum. I stuck it all in place using the 3M VHB tape. It's there to stay!
I used a product that is about 3/16 thick that is a hard plastic with painted thin aluminum on each side. I sanded off the paint being careful not to burn through the aluminum skin. I then made a square gig for my drill press so I could keep things square with each other. Does the term OCD mean anything? Well not to me, I just for once wanted things to look that nice!
For what I have i am happy with the results. I also polished some 1/8 x3/4 x 3/4 for the corners to match what I made for the window trims. I covered the painted shelves with pieces of metal flashing I had laying around.
The cabinet drawers are in, I just need to pull them out and blast some clear on them when I do the backs of the drawer fronts and cabinet doors. My thought is to use contact cement and apply the same sign material that I polished and stick to the fronts for a smooth paintable surface. The backs and sides I painted black. Then like doing formica, I will stick the fronts on and set the router to leave a 1/8 inch over hang creating a shadow line behind the painted drawer and door fronts. We'll see, finishing the black now.
New stove installed also.
Get the popcorn, its picture time!

[sokhapkin]

To my taste, there should be no metal parts visible in the living area...

[SteveGP]

I Just saw this thread today. I am in awe of your know-how (and of some other folks around here).

One thought about the Scamp front window cover....We have a 2001 Scamp, purchased new, with the cover. The window cover has several rows of foam weatherstripping on it, to keep the unfinished back of the cover from rubbing on the window. But the foam inevitably collects dirt. Over time, the (plastic) window develops rub marks from the foam.

Still, I'm glad I have the cover. As far as I know, it has not saved the window from a rock. Maybe it has. My Airstream's window cover got a hole in it during its first 3000 miles, so I'm a believer in protection.

[k0wtz]

steve some of these guys are past amazing with their abilities I love all of it!

bob

[ststefan]

looks great! Really good attention to detail.

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by sokhapkin

To my taste, there should be no metal parts visible in the living area...

Proof that tastes vary. I like the look. It's modern, and clean, almost industrial. Nice work. The purple though, that'd be something that would have to grow on me.