Maybe I'll work on my..... something.

I'm not sure why I haven't kept up on your thread. I'm sure I haven't received notifications.
Being an honest person, and recieving confirmation from my wife, I'm sure it had to be my own fault.

Thanks for the updates. So cool to see the rig in use.

Kirk

 

I haven't really been posting much. Not much to post, can't bring my car or tractor up here to work on since I am currently on BLM land and they would frown upon it.
But, other than small stuff, the trailer is working out well.

 

Modified the water tank and moved the circulation pump outside because the damn thing is louder than my main water pump. Put in the flange so I can easily top it off from my 5gal cans.
Got this done today, because they are saying we are about to get smacked with cold and snow this weekend, with potential for record low.


Also had a Magnaflow 12288 muffler installed on the Tundra. Has a little more of a deep tone at idle, a nice throaty tone when I get on it.

 

Today's WTF moment for me. Went to start my generator and the pull cord snapped. Come to find out, the Chinaman who assembled it stripped one of the molded nuts while installing the pull cable assembly and it wouldn't come off the flywheel housing. In order to get it off, I had to strip it all the way down, as the flywheel housing is held on by both the gas tank and carb. All this in a 2'x3' section that I call my hallway as I sat on the bathroom floor. Would have taken it outside, but it was already dark and raining.
To top it off, I don't have the right size hex key with me to take the side covers off. I did have a piece of 3/8" round stock and a file, so I make my own hex key.

 

Oh, and I put roof racks and platforms on top of the truck, along with some sound deadener.

 

Got tired of crawling under the trailer to put the ladder away or get it out. So, the ladder got tired.

 

Bahaha! That's great!

 

I have been thinking about building a rear deck for the trailer. I was thinking a pull out deck that would be on rails under the back, but after some measuring I found that I would only get a 3' deck. It's better than nothing, but I want more.
So, my new plan is to build a fold up deck. I will either buy two 10ft long aluminum scaffold platforms and cut them in half to make four 5' sections or four 7' sections and cut them down to 5'6".. These will get bolted/welded together to make one deck platform that will fit between the tail lights.
I need to figure out the hinges. I am thinking bolted to the trailer and welded/bolted to the deck with strengthening ribs on the platform. But, those will have to get figured out after I get the platform built.

Just need to decide 5' or 5'6" deck.

 

Plase add some pics of the trailer. I'm intriqued.

I just finished up a utility trailer with a fold up gate, so this interests me. Not gonna show pics, since they are going into a couple other threads we frequent.

 

I'll post up pictures when I build it. Just ordered four 7' sections. I'll build it with drop down legs on the end and middle that I can insert scaffold screw jacks into to provide support. If I have enough of the planks left when I'm done, I'll build a fold away step for it.
If I didn't have it before, I'll have the nicest watchman trailer up here....

 

Got tired of having a blind spot to the front of the trailer at night. No longer......

 

I don't like mice. Tried Tomcat Rodent Repellent, but they walked on top of the water tank after I coated the entire top. Let's see how they handle cayenne pepper.... I had a sneezing fit for 10 minutes after I dumped all that on top and around the tank.

 

Started mock up. Got hinges bolted to the trailer and notched the 2" tubing for the hinge arms. Gotta let it get dark so I can use my laser level to get the tubing square to the trailer. Going to cut both ends off the platforms to make them even and get rid of the buggered up holes from the manufacturer.
I'll take the tubing to town with me next week to weld the hinge arms in place. I'll eventually take all the steel parts for sandblasting. Gotta decide if I want to get them powder coated after or just use POR15.

 

I decided that with all the bracing built into the platforms, I don't need to add additional steel bracing. Other than the hinges being welded to the square tubing, it is all bolt together. I drilled and tapped 1/4-20 holes in the square tubing to attach the platforms. This way, I can fairly easily replace one if needed.
I need to cut the sides of the platforms even with the sides of the square tubing and and decide if I want to remount the license plate and light or just cut a hole since it will be at the front corner. If I cut a hole, I might build a access door for it so it is covered when down and I could put a cooler or something under it.
I'll take the steel to get sand blasted on my next trip down. I could only tack the hinges, generator wasn't strong enough to do a full weld, kept popping the overload breaker which made me have to shut down and restart the generator.

 

Sandblaster/powder coating quality went downhill. I am done with that shop. They missed spots sandblasting which lead to poor adhesion, and spots. They didn't powder coat on the inside edge and there are spots of rusty metal showing in the spots that it didn't stick to. I've used this shop for years, but it had different guys there this time. Anyways, I'll pull it all off this summer to clean the missed spots for paint and run some paint or wax down the tubes (already have a schutz gun). For now, it'll be as it is. Before I take it off, I'll do the final marking on the platform edges to get the cut squared off before I trim it with aluminium angle.

I got rid of the plastic bushings that came with the hinges. Reamed them out to be the correct size and installed oiled bronze bushings.

 

I realized how little control I gained back in my hand after surgery when I tinted my kitchen window. Too many uneven cuts, I'll grab some 1/8" black pinstripe tape to cover it up. Anyways, now I won't be baking from the sun through the kitchen window.

 

Alrighty. So, the deck has proven to be a good investment in my mind. Gives a nice spot off the ground to relax. I was able to sit back there and watch the meteor shower, and use my spotting scope to look at the moon. I sweep it then wash it on Fridays to get all the dust off that the log trucks send all over the place. Then fri-sun night I have a clean place that I can walk around on wearing socks.
I put two more panels on the back to take advantage of the angle of the road behind me. I also put truck dock bumpers on it to make sure it sits snugly against the back without hitting the panel mounts (panels get removed to raise it). The trailer got jacked up and put I out some jack stands under the axles along with additional supports under the frame. This way, my tires have been off the ground and it made the deck higher off the ground.

 

Just got a call from my folks.
They had the Airstream appraised by some french dude who was suggested by two local banks. Appraisal was a little off from what I was expecting and what is into it. About $20k into the trailer including the cost of the trailer itself. Appraised for....... $80k. I'm good with that. I was expecting $30-40k. I guess we did something right in rebuilding it.

 

New B-klasse RV runs $100k - $145k. Majority of current new trailers are built of bailing wire & bubble gum by guys still hungover from last night.
A well rebuilt example of an originally well built rig is certainly worth $80k in todays world.
Potable RV/Boat antifreeze was $1/gallon 3 years ago. 2 years ago it was $2/gallon. This year it's $4/gallon.
$20k x 4 = $80k, seems your appraisal is inflationarily correct.