Back East Don Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 This is becoming the never ending project or at least at points had felt that way. Roof is done. Got the tires and shocks replaced. Rear tail lights are working again so might be able to get an inspection sticker soon. Took a couple extra days off this week and took the RV down to the auto paint supply shop and had them match the paint. I had brought a piece of the trim but was told there was not enough flat surface area due to the curve. Was asked if I could bring a bigger section so I brought the whole rig. Enamel was $32 a quart or $107 a gallon. I walked out the door with paint, reducer and hardener for about $150. Everything is aluminum which complicate things. I used self etching primer on the bare metal then high build primer on top of that. The first primer will adhere to aluminum but directions indicate not to top coat directly to it. Prep work was the most work as there was lots of old sealant and caulking. Finished primer yesterday and sprayed top coat this morning. Here is all the trim hanging out curing. Also sprayed a small section where a bungee cord scratched the side this winter. Shop did a great job matching the paint. Over the summer will tackle a section at a time as I patch and repair holes and other damage to the front, sides and back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Done? I don't think so. Motor homes are never done. One project may be done, but there are many other things waiting to become projects. I took out my LP tank and the retaining strap broke, it never ends. I will be happy when I get mine to the point of useable. Simple little things, like I now have 4 weeks into replacing 2 airbags, not 4 weeks of solid work, but length of time for project. Getting it off stands and rolling again will feel like a major accomplishment. I find myself standing there or laying under it, thinking why did I buy this thing? I will feel much better when it is d⃥o⃥n⃥e⃥ usable. Good luck Jim SW FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Done? I don't think so. Motor homes are never done. One project may be done, but there are many other things waiting to become projects. I took out my LP tank and the retaining strap broke, it never ends. I will be happy when I get mine to the point of useable. Simple little things, like I now have 4 weeks into replacing 2 airbags, not 4 weeks of solid work, but length of time for project. Getting it off stands and rolling again will feel like a major accomplishment. I find myself standing there or laying under it, thinking why did I buy this thing? I will feel much better when it is d⃥o⃥n⃥e⃥ usable. Good luck Jim SW FL You are probably right. I'm in the middle of the second go at this rig. I spent a whole lot of energy on the inside first time. So good news is there is nothing functional inside that needs to be done. Only project there is to rebuild the dinette. I removed it as it was falling apart and replaced it with a RV couch. Wife wants the dinette back. What I am working on now started as wanting to make the thing water tight and has now morphed into project make it look more respectable. Finished my end of week project early and so have tomorrow off. Should be the best working day of the week as it will partly cloudy and only up to the high 70's. Got some body work planned to repair some small holes that have had poor repairs done in the past then filler and primer. Using MarineTex epoxy to bond aluminum patches to my aluminum sides as I worry about many automotive fillers adhering correctly. The old bondo job was pretty bad. Then a little painting next week will go a long way to improving appearances. First camping trip is scheduled for June 20th so quickly running out of time. Was looking at the cab when I got home tonight thinking it wouldn't be too hard to touch up and paint and the vicious cycle continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 My last big project was a bus conversion from seated coach to motor home. There was a bus conversion forum which was invaluable and those guys insisted on getting one useable and using it no matter how far it had to go, referred to as camping in a tin can. Sleeping bags, ice chest, paper plates and porta potty was considered usable. They had seen and I got to see people start one waiting to finish before using. They would get discouraged and walk away from large chunks of money and time.I had mine and lived in it for 10 years and it was still not "done" the day I sold it. So if it runs, safe to drive and there are not lots of parts falling off use it. It is surprising how much support you will get from the RV community when doing so. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 I'm kind of stuck with a catch 22. I've got the trim ready to go on but would like to make other bits look a little better before installing them. Don't want to try getting the inspection with out the trim being back on. Otherwise it is ready for both road and camping. Today I got most of the front of the berth prepped. Little holes in the aluminum have been patched and I've got most of it leveled out with body filler and half of it primed. Red glaze on one side has it looking pretty good and is ready for paint. I took out half the clearance lamps and got quite a bit of the sanding ready. Would have it all done this weekend but predicting showers on Sunday and want to let the filler and primer cure a day before top coat. A little convertible would be a more practical hobby. At least it would fit inside the garage. We are a bit limited this season as we are mostly stuck at home taking care of my mother-in-law. But have arranged some dates with other family members so we can get away. In some ways this project and others around the house have been helping to get me out of the house. I am missing the beach though but got a good sun burn on the top of my head today. Not quite enough clouds and was too late grabbing the hat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 The extra day this week is going to turn out to be handy. I'm losing tomorrow to rain. Got the entire berth prepped for paint and 2 more sides from above the top pin stripes ready to spray. Patched 4 dime sized holes in the back with marine epoxy and sheet aluminum yesterday and today I blended them in with some body filler. Will be painting both the entire front berth and rear of the RV along with just the top side. Just a bit of red glaze to fill some pin holes in the filler left, primer then top coat. Re-assemble the trim and I'll be on the road again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 You are making good progress. I do not know how to paint so do not get myself into those situations. I will be starting the radiator, timing belt, AC etc soon. Jim SW FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Cleaned up and organized things in the garage as I watched the rain. Going to be a few days of this but we really need it as it has been dry. Thursday and Friday are supposed to be dry. Primer Thursday evening and spray on Friday if I can get the job I'm working on done early. Anyone who can shake a rattle can is able to paint. The hard part is the patience required for all the stuff that has to happen before spraying. This part of the restoration has been really nostalgic. When I was young I used to buy old clunkers and fix them up a bit. Had two Landcruisers, one rust bucket from here in the North East and the other one I bought in Arizona that except the faded paint was pristine. Painted them both but keeping the rust bucket from falling apart was a particular challenge. First time I sprayed paint with metal flake in it I really screwed it up though. Zebra striped my old Firebird. Had a really crap gun that was just not up to in and just not enough experience. That was a lot of sanding before spraying it again. The motorhome paint is dead simple. One step enamel. A bit different than stuff in the 70-80's as it is already pretty thin. Mix ratio for viscosity is so different. Nearly was at 8 to 1 with thinner and a small amount of hardener. Some of the cheap spray guns you can get today do a really good job. I was very surprised at how well the $37 HVLP gun I purchased handled the paint. Body fillers are still pretty much the same. My skill level with this is all very much rusty but trust me, if I can do it, it can't be that hard. The tools other than the spray gun are dead simple. Plastic spreaders, sandpaper and wood and foam blocks. Any kind of painting has always presented challenges for me as I was always in a rush. Now I'm older and it would seem I've developed some patience. 20 days and counting till the first trip of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Anyone who can shake a rattle can could have the ability to do a good paint job....if they know how to move it correctly across the surface to get an even application. Most people who spray paint think they know how to do it without any instruction but they generally tend to stand still and sweep the spray paint applicator in an arc which results in uneven coverage. The trick is to keep your hand at the same angle, always parallel and exactly the same distance to the surface. You must move your arm instead of pivoting your wrist and on larger areas you must move your whole body while keeping your hand at that same parallel angle and consistent distance to the surface. There are also optimal patterns of movement across the surface to ensure even coverage. You also have to pay attention to the speed of your movements so that the coverage is of the same thickness. Some people will develop the feel for the "dance" with the spray gun faster than others. Those persons might not even be aware of what it is they are doing which is why they might think everyone can do it without any instruction. The rest of us have to be constantly focused and aware that we must do a tightly choreographed body dance pattern with the sprayer as your partner and that it is set to an internal music with a specific pace. Some folks never will be good painters as they can't feel that required and acquired coordinated rhythm. However do remember that learning a new skill does require a little practice so don't give up too fast if it is not achieved in one minute's time. Go through a few cans of paint practicing on flattened cardboard boxes as your test surface before you start on your real project. Stay focused on what you are doing and always be "in the moment" instead of letting your mind drift off into over-spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 ...letting your mind drift off into over-spray. A respirator can help with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rad wolfe Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 on vertical surfaces it's important not to spray 2 much at each pass as the drip factor is critical. A light touch is important and as Corbin states a practice run on cardboard helps... I'd suggest using a glossy surfaced cardboard or use hardboard so you get a feel for a non-absorbent surface . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 "80% of a good paint job is the prep, before you even mix the paint." - Andy Warhol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Corbin you put "how to spray paint" into poetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I misspoke, I do not want to paint. I do not like the smell, the mess, the cleanup. Brush and roller, rattle can, I'm OK. For spraying I am better off just doing the prep and then paying someone who likes to spray. Jim SW FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 I misspoke, I do not want to paint. I totally get where you are coming from. When I was young I did it out of necessity. The only time I really enjoyed doing it much at all was the last Lancruiser. I had the luxury of time and was able to take it all a part and do it up right. That one came out great. It was also just a cool vehicle that was pretty much perfect except needed some fresh paint. Made a whole lot of difference. Was also over 20 years ago. I don't think I have too many more paint jobs in my future. So I can look at this as sort of the end of it. I hope anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 You've also got to have somewhere to do it, if you want to spray. Beyond small jobs with a rattle can, I know I'd have my neighbours screaming to complain if I fired up a compressor with a spray gun. 'Good walls make good neighbours.' - Robert Frost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 The stars finally align and the weather cooperates. Got the front painted this afternoon. Tomorrow if I can turn off my phone, I'll start putting the trim all back. Got a quick stop in Boston early morning but a hard stop at 9am. I'll have most of the day to finish just in time for camping next friday. Not perfect but looks so much better than before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 It looks beautiful. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson4 Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 +1 ! Very nice, Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 More milestones. Got the front completed including the last two plastic trim pieces this weekend and put the interior berth together. There have been some posts about how to brace the front of the berth. My solution was to install a length of rectangular box tubing that is fastened from below with about 20 self taping screws. More than does the job at supporting the weight and was light as well. Today I went out and got the rig inspected. Passed so I'm legal again. Now I'm driving doing errands to burn off the two year old fuel. I used stabilizer and dry gas but will be happier with a fresh tank of gas in it. Tomorrow I re-hook up the water and flush it all out and then clean and begin to return the bins of camping essentials. I am also tempted to stop at the CAT public scales that opened up next to the place I get my inspections done. Curious to see how well or poorly I did managing weight during restoration. Now driving down the road without embarrassment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermonter Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Nice work! I'm also rebuilding the front bunk area on my rig, but luckily I am not in too much need of paint. I might snag your idea for supporting the bunk area, I thought about using a metal strap, but a rectangle tube is probably a better idea. Replaced the entire floor structure, wall carpeting, front window support, Tore it all right down to bones! It was and still is a heck of a project, but the payoff is incredibly rewarding. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 One of those cases where being a little bit of a pack rat paid off. When steel prices began to shoot up, I started saving bits I thought might be useful. I had two of these from a fabric seat porch slider type bench that we got rid of but figured would be useful for something. I was using them as clamping bars for long glue set ups so now with only one remaining I'll have find an alternative. You should be able to find various sizes at the many online metal vendors. The thinner box tube has less flex than a heavier length of angle so it made sense for this application. Was also thin enough that self taping screws drilled fairly easily into it. I did use washers to back up the screw heads. Everything gets covered up by the bottom piece of trim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermonter Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Yeah I live right down the road from Capital Steel in Vermont, so finding scrap lengths shouldnt be too much of a problem. Great idea, someone had mentioned using aluminum for it's light weight, but the price of aluminum is up it seems. Do you have any pictures of the steel installed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 In the first picture a couple of my posts back there is a picture with the tube installed. It was tan but I put a coat of epoxy paint on the plywood and figured it would help with adhering the rigid plastic velcro strips so I painted half way up with the roller. It is the piece with the 3 holes on the end. Doesn't span end to end but is enough bracing to firm things up. I had a section of 1/4" angle iron but that was so much heavier and not as rigid. I had the berth apart for the second time to repair what should have been done the first time. Took the laminated plywood support I originally installed as it really didn't do the trick. Didn't help that it took the brunt of all the leakage the last couple years. Rained quite a bit today and even after spending the day driving around with it, still water tight. Looking at your picture you'd have to figure the best way to make this idea work with how you plan on finishing the interior wall at the curve. On mine it is just on the edge of the decking. The aluminum then curves down to meet it. I made a strait wall panel that goes from the bottom of the window down. I gave up on trying to come up with something that matched the curve. I didn't take any pictures during the first rehab and this was just an add out of necessity to take the stress off of the repaired front. It is all sealed up at this point otherwise I would grab some detail shots for you in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 I found this neat extruded aluminum a few rears ago. 3/4" plywood fits in the groove an the flange lays on top of the cut out. It makes a very solid bed platform and light weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 I found this neat extruded aluminum a few rears ago. 3/4" plywood fits in the groove an the flange lays on top of the cut out. It makes a very solid bed platform and light weight. I like that shape, a small letter h profile, called "h beam". I have commonly only seen the capital H profiles. That has some real potential uses. I need to take a drive down to Pacific Iron and Metal one of these days. I keep putting it off because of all the mega road construction in that part of town plus the sports stadiums which really play havoc on traffic. I pay by the pound rate for extrusions there versus buying it by the foot for considerably more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermonter Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Yeah. I don't have 3/4" plywood on my bed. It's a 3/4" pine skeletal structure with a 1/4" sheet of luan (luon?) whatever it's called on top. I'm thinking I would get one long aluminum rectangle tube the same dimensions as the piece of pine the runs the length of the bed from window to window, and replace the piece of pine that's already there. I'd do the whole skeleton in aluminum if I could afford it! Again, Nice work. I appreciate the work you've done as I've recently discovered just how much work is involved in doing this kind of stuff. Side note- saw a Chinook on the interstate today. That's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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