54-55 Shasta camper frame off restoration the rebuild begins

All of us hit a point in our restoration where we say "This is really taking longer than I expected!"

All of us underestimate the work/hours needed, especially on our first camper. We also underestimate how much it will cost.

You're doing a great job and you're moving at an impressive pace.

I got home tonight and my prediction came true, the camper was still there. So I put on my work clothes and went and did the following:

-I cleaned up all the extra wood scraps around along the walls and floors
-I ruff cut all the cabinet doors
-Started building the exterior door
-Ripped a couple boards for my brothers deck
-Cleaned a corner piece for the back end

The one item I can't find is the exterior water fill piece that filled a canister in the cabinet, I remember putting in a safe place so it wouldn't get lost. It isn't lost but I forgot the safe place. I may need to see if someone has one of these for sale. 

And talking about my brother he started working on the door for under the bed.

So of the 10 - 1\8 x 4 x 8 birch plywood I have 3 left, of the 10 - 1\4 x 4 x 8 I have 1.5 left and the one 1\2 x 4 x 8 birch I use 70% of that up. I also bought 3\4 inch pine for the bed and a 1\2 pine for the kitchen that I used most of or used as a work bench on the saw horses. I hope this helps someone later when figuring out what to order.

Here is picture of the new door frame. If you are asking why such a big opening in the top, I also bought a window with a frame for it so we will see how that goes.

20170720_211033 by Tom Ress, on Flickr

It is getting closer all the time, I see the end of at least the ability to drag the camper out of the garage. Came home a bit early last night and slept for a couple hours to get rid of the migraine. My brother came over and we worked on putting the rubber around the frames and seals around the windows. I think we can start to install some windows tonight.


20170724_213211 by Tom Ress, on Flickr

20170724_213228 by Tom Ress, on Flickr

Lookin very good, Tom!

That thing looks awesome. Please tell me you're not going to polish it and make it all shiney. Love the aged look on the skins.

I have been on vacation for a day and a half and must be having some type of reaction because I am finding I just want to sleep. Maybe I needed the break. Averaging 4 hour a day 7 days a week since March 28th maybe has taken its toll on me. I did spend some time looking around for the 2 hinges that I am missing. No luck.

I'm backkkkkkkkkkkk.

Last night was my first night back to work on the camper in over a week. It started off a bit slow but came together as the night went by.

Work list last night:
- Got another coat of varnish on the door and storage door
- Tested and got all the wiring for the tail lights done and installed
- Got rear skin installed
- Got rear window installed

20170807_211426 by Tom Ress, on Flickr

20170807_220318 by Tom Ress, on Flickr