AguaDream

So as you know I have to get my little trailer painted in time for Hardly Strictly Blue Grass the first weekend of October.  I decided to roll on paint using the $50 dollar paint job method that is very popular for both cars and trailers.  If I had it to do over again I would probably try to spray cause it took so long! Soni Bergman  lends a hand Getting Started--Primer Day 1 After maybe 15 hours of prep work done over the course of a week, my fellow vintage trailer friend Soni came over the lend a hand for the day. We finished up the prep and taping by noon. Followed with self etching primer--2 coats with wet sanding between and after. Then laid down the first top coat with a roller...Ace Rust Stop (basically rustoleum) paint (tinted to Benjamin Moore Mexicali Turquoise) thinned 50% mineral spirits, but no hardener. I'm thinking maybe too thin, and need to go ahead and pop for hardener (Japan Drier is all they have at HD and my local paint store) wh...

I consider myself fortunate to have retained the original dinette bench seats complete with springs.  These are very comfortable both to sit on and sleep on but the original vinyl after 56 years was showing it's age.   Time for a facelift.  Estimates for a custom upholstery job...ran upwards of $700 for both seats--so DIY was definitely in order.  Readers of this blog know I had been considering up-cycling vinyl saved from convention signs.  I even went so far as to pick out sheets of vinyl.  Several factors kept me from proceeding. Not much experience sewing vinyl and a home sewing machine.   Fear that the pattern would have detracted from the overall look Concern that the ink on the vinyl might bleed upon interaction wtih sunscreen. So I decided instead to go with Sunbrella fabric (found for $13/yd with free shipping, job required 5 yards) for it's durability, water resistance, UV protection.  For my seats I'm using Glacie...

I have been a little obsessed lately with paint.  Now that the doors are "almost" done (still need to hang it) I am turning my attention to the most obvious undone aspect of my restoration....exterior paint.  There are many options here...most of which have their own sub options. The first decision was DIY or send it out or a combination. Send it Out Maaco $500-800 depending on the amount of prep required. Higher End Resto/Paint shop $2-3K or more Combination Do the prep myself-- send it out/hire Hire the prep out -- paint it myself Either of these probably comes out to costing around the price of Maaco DIY-- great resources and discussions at these forums Rolled On    or the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum(VSTF) Rattle Cans --believe it, some very nice paint jobs have been done with rattle cans, this link is to a video by a VSTF member $50 paint job--  with Rustoleum or equivalent Alkyd Enamel   roller method http://www.freewebs.com/kc8...

Been working on some more of the final touches in preparation for painting.  The door and screen door on my old trailer were really a mess, but I'd been putting off doing anything about them out of some weird psychological blockage that if I took off the door and couldn't fix it I wouldn't be able to camp again.  So I had suffered with an exterior door which only closed with a gentle nudge at one corner and a screen door that took so much fighting to open and close that it had been nearly torn apart.  So when our July 4th camping trip fell through (not happy about that) I decided to put the time to good use and tackle the doors.   Long story short so far it's been pretty straight forward.  Taking apart the doors was easy.  I used the old ones as templates and got to work.  The aluminum trim was shot so I took them down to the local sheet metal shop to get new ones fabricated.  They will be ready sometime next week. I built out the frame and ...

I got to combine two of my favorite activities over this weekend.  Camping and Kayaking!  Each May I coordinate the Cache Creek Slalom and Downriver Races on Cache Creek (between Clear Lake and Woodland on hwy 16) in California.  You can learn more about the races on my other blog http://tinyurl.com/cachecreekraces .  We had a great time with more than 30 folks participating in the races and another dozen guests enjoying the camp and helping out.  The only thing missing was my son, Ben, who had a big bat mitzvah to attend and couldn't join the fun. I also got to put up my awning and set up camp for the first time with everything (except, paint and upholstery) done, and could really show off.  I really enjoyed having folks come and poke their heads in and oooh and awe.  The flowers were given to all the moms in attendance.   I had a couple of young friends who thought the trailer was a perfect magic place for them. What a great place for ...

After several weeks/months at it, I have finished the boomerang formica table top.  The boomerang was ordered last year from Home Depot (no I don't know where to get more).  The table leg folds on a rockler hinge  which has a positive lock making it very sturdy and easy to fold and store as well.  The  aluminum face nosing on the table came from prohmi.com.     rockler table hinge For the Awning. I ordered a 7 or 8 yards of outdoor (not sunbrella) fabric from FabricGuru and carefully studied the blog instructions from  http://thismontanalife.com/make-your-own-awning-step-by-step/   I was able to get awning rope from sailrite.com   http://www.sailrite.com/Keder-Awning-Rope-Tape#  which makes it really easy to slip the awning into the rail. I also used spur grommets instead of regular grommets, with the hope that they will hold better.  I do plan on using horizontal 1" pvc or wood dowels between the poles to mak...

Now that all the wood work is done,  I'm ready for the last stretch of inside work.   The current  countertop  is a kind of grey linen look that I find really unappealing.  Wayback last year I purchased some of the soon to be discontinued and no longer available Formica pattern Boomerang in the color Aqua.  I was able to pick up at 4x8 sheet of boomerang from home depot for only $35, and have had it stored in my basement ever since. Lately I've also become enamored of the idea of having a tin backsplash.  Looked at all the patterns but nothing was really grabbing me.  I was considering just going with plain when I happened upon this faux tin paneling that is actually a thermoplastic.  I like the wave pattern as it complements my water/agua theme.  I also like that it's a little contemporary. Hopefully this will get installed this weekend. Dinette Benches Once this project is finished it will be on to reupholstering the dine...

My friend Anne applying a little umph to get the skin in the track Optimism and Stick-to-it-ive-ness is a deadly weapon to time schedules. I think that Shasta restorers must have both.  That and loved ones who have deep reservoirs of patience and understanding for missed deadlines. All said, we are looking at being probably 2 weeks behind our latest revised departure date (June 14) and I am trying to inject some realism and take pride in the bits that get accomplished each day and let go of those things that seem out of my control. Can someone come up with a Shasta Serenity prayer? Enough philosphizing...much progress to report.  A couple of days ago my friend Anne and I finished adding the skin and started putting in windows, till I ran out of butyl tape Aquadream has her skin   Me putting in the first window! Yesterday was full of highs and lows.  First the high...and I was so excited I forgot to document it....wait for it.... WE TOWED AQU...

Yesterday was another milestone day. Had my friends Corey and Dave to help for a few hours. We attached the skin to the front of the frame.  I thought this was going to be really hard, but thanks to the expert work of sheet metal genius Chris Mast, the piece fit like a tight glove.  Had to work a bit to get the edges under the pittsburgh seams (open up the bend) without getting a tear.  Trick was to first do one side and then the other, and leave the middle window flashing for last. Yesterday also accomplished Installed the new trailer hitch Finished flipping the axle In progress Windows...in the stage of adding seals and putting them back together.  Replacing glass on most of them with lexan. Electrical is all connected but for some reason the blinkers are working but the running lights and brake lights aren't.  Gotta figure this out before the skin can go on the back. Inside trim is started. (I'll be doing some of this work on the road I think lol) ...

Okay so our departure date was supposed to be June 14....It is now June 18th...and we are looking at departing June 21 or 22. On the original schedule my son Ben and I would be whooping it up at the oldest whitewater festival in the US, FIBARK, which takes place in Salida Colorado on the Arkansas River. This morning is age group nationals for slalom. Next year! Instead, the first week of our summer vacation has been me furiously working on the trailer, and Ben experiencing his first unstructured school break. He's had to make plans with friends day by day. Not too bad...lots of skateboarding, a couple of movies, a day dirt biking. So here in Margueritaville, I've had several wonderful friends and some skilled craftsman helping me get her done. Caps off to Terry, Anne, Laurie, and Micci for helping scrape and polish windows and trim pieces. Corey and Dane for helping with framing, electrical and flipping the axle. And a special shout to Chris Mast at Mastco Sheet meta...