Cut and paste

We very soon ran into our next "issue" There were places where the supports between vertical members was......bulky folded over thick sheet metal. The biggest problem was it was sitting proud by at least an inch. So I decided to modify.....again!

Just like computer work really, cut and paste

A little running in and out, cutting-fitting, fitting-cutting.

 I decided to take advantage of our mild Alberta weather and work outside in the +5C weather

 All said and done things turned out the way we had hoped.

In the evening we had friends pop over to celebrate the season....and Randy's birthday. What better way than a little spin in Fillmore!

Putting up walls

Usually putting up walls is a bad thing, meaning your shutting someone or everyone out,but in this case it's a good thing. It means I get to see the beginnings of what is to come. I have put the interior window skins in place and with the help of Ron, we got a healthy start on the wall boards.

First order of business was tracing the wheel wells. Taking a page from log home building(thank you McIvors) I created a make shift scribe.

Apply the kiss rule and don't get too serious.

Turned out well. We created a template to modify the boards on both the driver and passenger sides and then started to work our way back.

 For one, the smell of fresh cut wood in the air as opposed to metal shavings makes Michelle happy.

Charlie Brown Christmas

Living on an acreage there are plenty of pros and cons. A con? when you run out of 5/16 coarse thread bolts late on a Sunday evening....your day is done. Although the Moose Mountain Hardware store never ceases to amaze me in what they have on hand, it is not Home Depot and thus they do close their doors at a reasonable time. A pro to living where we do? Well the kids and I went Christmas tree hunting...in our own back yard. It was an exhaustive search that lasted about 15 min. I know it's not the Christmas tree lot tree but frankly it's what we prefer. We are always a root for the underdog kinda family so getting a Charlie Brown Christmas tree seems only right!

It is time to prep the interior window skins, first a sandblast, then modifications to allow for the insulation and wall board.

Using a sandable primer I painted the remaining bare metal, a couple of coats for good measure. 













Then with a 220 grit sandpaper spent some time getting to know the window skins.

Having CBC radio in the shop is a true god send.

Anna was having a quiet day, lounging on the couch after getting all her school work done. I conscripted her into service, helping me install all the skins on the passenger side.

Wee little steps

 It's almost not worth posting but on the other hand, progress is progress. After getting a couple sizes of angle iron and playing around with different possibilities for modifying the interior window skin, I finally came up with a solution. Apply the KISS rule and move on.

 So I trimmed the bottom flange, leaving some excess that I could bend to my liking and use as backing for the 3/8" (~10mm)wall board. I know some guys use metal wall boards but being up in Canada, insulation is insulation, and the R factor of even a piece of 3/8" plywood is more than sheet metal....soooooooo, wood wins today!

This is obviously not the wall board but rather a scrap piece of 3/8" plywood just to see what the finish line looks like. And it works!

Seriously?

Where am I, Thompson again?

Insulation from or for reality?

Finally I get a job done. The gas covers are finished and in place, which then means that I can finish the wall insulation-or at least try...

Riveted on and body sealed up the yin-yang

Some of this stuff was finicky hand cutting. But when it's all done such a sense of accomplishment!

As I was working away I decided that perhaps I should get the interior window wells in place, or at the least figure out which one goes to which window.

But....as I paired the interior window skins I came across an "issue"

My plan was always that I was to place a backing board into what appeared to be a preset recess for this very purpose. What I didn't remember or realize was the position of the board relative to the space.

As you can see the slot sites well within the insulation space in the wall. The space that would be available behind the board would only be ...1/2"? Being that I want 1 1/2" EPV foam board... this just will not work. I have to come up with another solution.