Happy Camper
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1963 Shasta Deluxe Airflyte
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Post by Happy Camper on Jan 23, 2024 0:29:31 GMT -8
Hi everyone, Thanks for contributing all the info. Wish I found this site before I bought. I thought 50 hours of research was enough. Just found out here that mine is a deluxe. I am a new owner and all the posts I'm reading about all old trailers having rot and falling apart on the highway concerns me about mine. It appears all original in good condition except newer exterior paint and floor linoleum. The only water damage I can find so far inside is a little darkness inside on the rear corners birch. In the rear storage area below that, there are a couple of inches of soft plywood in both bottom rear corners, but a pick doesn't go into the framing. Towed home 100 miles just fine. Good grease and new tires. The bottom wood along the sides in the angle iron seem a little soft but intact in some areas as an icepick penetrates it. It will be stored indoors as a bedroom in a live/work complex I'm renovating for the near future. I am presuming I am okay as long as I stay off the highway, but if I want to take it on the highway, it seems from what I'm reading here it may eventually be a problem. Is there a way to address this without taking it all apart as I have too many other more important projects to do first and I would hate to damage an otherwise original panel good condition trailer. Also, where do I find Birch Plywood as I want to build a TV stand since the rear bed space is 80" and I only need 75". Also do I use a stain and a flat lacquer to match existing birch? P1010003 (13) by Greg McDowell, on Flickr P1010004 (9) by Greg McDowell, on Flickr
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idaho211
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Post by idaho211 on Jan 23, 2024 6:57:34 GMT -8
I am sure others will chime in, but any interior wood damage indicates more extensive damage under the skins. You can lift the lower skins but not remove to check for floor sill rot and you could replace if needed. Most have a degree of rot. Any rot will structurally compromise the integrity which could cause failure. Any pics?
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Happy Camper
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1963 Shasta Deluxe Airflyte
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Post by Happy Camper on Jan 23, 2024 11:14:11 GMT -8
I am sure others will chime in, but any interior wood damage indicates more extensive damage under the skins. You can lift the lower skins but not remove to check for floor sill rot and you could replace if needed. Most have a degree of rot. Any rot will structurally compromise the integrity which could cause failure. Any pics? I can't figure out how to post pics yet. I am now wondering if the angle iron along the bottom sides below the bottom softish wood sill is original. If I have to take this trailer apart, I will have to buy a second one to use first.
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Post by vikx on Jan 23, 2024 12:14:37 GMT -8
Your trailer should be fine stored inside. The problems with vintage trailers occur when they are on the road and out in the weather.
I'm curious about the angle iron you described. If it is below the sills, not original. The front, rear and side skins should be lifted so that you can inspect the wood. Any soft spots need repair before taking it on the road. Edge trim, awning rail, roof protrusions, doors and windows should be re-puttied.
Birch ply is available, you just have to search for it. Many of us use shellac as a finish.
We are always happy to help.
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Happy Camper
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1963 Shasta Deluxe Airflyte
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Post by Happy Camper on Jan 23, 2024 18:22:28 GMT -8
Your trailer should be fine stored inside. The problems with vintage trailers occur when they are on the road and out in the weather. I'm curious about the angle iron you described. If it is below the sills, not original. The front, rear and side skins should be lifted so that you can inspect the wood. Any soft spots need repair before taking it on the road. Edge trim, awning rail, roof protrusions, doors and windows should be re-puttied. Birch ply is available, you just have to search for it. Many of us use shellac as a finish. We are always happy to help. Thanks for the reply. The angle iron is hugging the bottom corners. Half on the side and half on the bottom. I didn't even notice it till I started reading here. I prefer original as possible and repairs as such. Are you the one who sells a book hardcopy and/or electronic? I don't want to be asking questions if can find the answers in a book first. I tried doing a search on this site but doesn't seem to work for me searching topics. I would prefer not removing the sides for over a year unless it is not much more than unscrewing since it won't be on the road. I think I will probably need to address the angle iron as part of the process and be ready for many more issues that will likely be arising while I'm at it. I read that Home Depot orders Birch, but I heard it doesn't exactly match so I was hoping on advice unless all new Birch is the same as Home Depot. P1010002 (15) by Greg McDowell, on Flickr P1010001 (16) by Greg McDowell, on Flickr
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Post by vikx on Jan 24, 2024 12:48:18 GMT -8
Doorskins can sometimes be found at local lumber yards. They are 1/8 and usually have nice patterns. Yes, my eBook is here: vintagetrailerrepairmanual.weebly.com/ It doesn't address add ons like the angle iron seems to be, tho. Lots of good info and photos. It is electronic. Email help and questions always welcome. Also try Larry's site: cannedhamtrailers.com/ He has many videos on repairing vintage trailers.
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newin62
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1962 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by newin62 on Jan 28, 2024 4:20:50 GMT -8
Hi Greg,
I most certainly could be wrong but to my eye it looks like the interior of your trailer is Ash. The grain in Birch is a bit finer and not as open so it stains more evenly. Unfortunately Ash ply is not available any more because of the ash borer beetle. Oak has a very similar grain to Ash and can be used as a substitute but it can be quite dark depending on the species.
Peter
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Post by Teachndad on Jan 28, 2024 6:14:08 GMT -8
Hi Greg, I most certainly could be wrong but to my eye it looks like the interior of your trailer is Ash. The grain in Birch is a bit finer and not as open so it stains more evenly. Unfortunately Ash ply is not available any more because of the ash borer beetle. Oak has a very similar grain to Ash and can be used as a substitute but it can be quite dark depending on the species. Peter Peter makes a good point about the paneling. Red oak or white oak offers a good match for the grain in ash paneling. I don't remember which one tho. Do a search on red or white oak panels in the search bar on VTT and see what comes up. I would also call around to lumber yards to find the paneling. It's a little more, but the quality could be better. Somewhere on our site is a thread about paneling sources. I think it focuses on birch, but if they have birch, they problaby have one of the oaks I previously mentioned. Also, in regards to the unusual angle iron on the sides, It could act like a catch for rain water dripping down along the sides and then holding it under the skirt board that runs under the sides of the trailer. That could accelerate wood root. That's just a guess. If you can slide a piece of paper down between the skin and the back side of that angle iron, I would expect water to get in. You are in California and some famous old boy band wrote a song about how much it rains in California. That helps. Your trailer is stored in doors, so it's protected, but still I would be curious as to what you would find once the skins were removed as Vikx suggested. Going underneath and sticking an ice pick or an awl into the wood that's covered by the angle iron might tell you the condition of the wood or just wait until you get to the point of pulling the skins. I once had a Scotsman that had angle iron added on the front at the bottom of the front wall, and the water had cascaded down the front from above traveling under the angle iron and then rotted the wood severely underneath. That angle iron had been added for wall support by some PO, but it made things worse by feeding the rot. I tried looking for the thread, but I can't find it. It had photos in it. Rod
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Happy Camper
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1963 Shasta Deluxe Airflyte
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Post by Happy Camper on Jan 28, 2024 20:31:14 GMT -8
Hi Greg, I most certainly could be wrong but to my eye it looks like the interior of your trailer is Ash. The grain in Birch is a bit finer and not as open so it stains more evenly. Unfortunately Ash ply is not available any more because of the ash borer beetle. Oak has a very similar grain to Ash and can be used as a substitute but it can be quite dark depending on the species. Peter I think you are right. I was thinking it looked more like oak than Birch unless I take off my glasses then birch it is. I only read so far that they were birch. Did deluxe come with ash or was ash an option? Mine seems original. I will call it ash for now on.
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Happy Camper
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Post by Happy Camper on Jan 28, 2024 20:52:07 GMT -8
Thanks for the advice. I won't buy any paneling without taking a sample that doesn't have shellac. I am familiar with white and red oak. I did find some soft spots on the sill, and it makes sense that the angle iron collects water. Not sure why they would add the iron. I will have to learn how to lift the skin as I don't see screws on the bottom yet and am thinking it might be hard with the iron in the way. I will want to remove the angle iron permanently eventually, but it won't be in rain with angle iron or on the highway until I can see the sill condition.
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Post by vikx on Jan 29, 2024 11:20:48 GMT -8
The bottom skin is usually stapled or nailed underneath which the angle iron is covering.
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jester76
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Post by jester76 on Feb 4, 2024 18:35:11 GMT -8
Did you ever decide what to do for interior stain?. I wouldn't be able to say that it would work for you, but I use amber shellac for my birch panels It's off the shelf and I actually use a cup gun and spray mine. Very similar match without going through all the trouble with using alcohol based dies to mix with shellac. Very low pressure, 40psi.
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Happy Camper
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1963 Shasta Deluxe Airflyte
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Post by Happy Camper on Feb 4, 2024 21:16:38 GMT -8
Did you ever decide what to do for interior stain?. I wouldn't be able to say that it would work for you, but I use amber shellac for my birch panels It's off the shelf and I actually use a cup gun and spray mine. Very similar match without going through all the trouble with using alcohol based dies to mix with shellac. Very low pressure, 40psi. Thanks, I'm using Amber and that is good advice. I'm even using it on a stove cover and a TV stand that are a different wood I already had, and it is acceptable. I'm just using a cloth and four coats. Hopefully when I try to match new Oak with old Ash I don't have to stain or dye. Never heard of a cup gun for spraying. My experience is with rolling and brushing houses and rattle cans for other small jobs. Never liked spraying houses. Want to learn how to spray cars and trailers though.
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