1989 S1600 White Rhino

[Stealth Camper]

From this distance I cannot offer anything more than condolences, but you have my sincerest of those.

In any case, no matter what you decide - take the time to let the leg heal. And do what Rufus said - keep after the medical people to discover whether there is a break. One of the kids broke her leg doing Roller Derby and had surgery and all that stuff, and of course is pushing a little too hard. Basically had to back off and let it heal again, which meant setback and longer time overall.
(Ok, will try to be less pushy and telling what to do now...)

And while letting the leg heal, maybe your mind can 'heal' with it. I sometimes have to just set my projects aside for a while - even weeks at a time - just to let the brain readjust and reconfigure. Sometimes starting a very small, easily accomplished project can reset the Murphy button - something that gives a success or visible forward progress can help re-establish momentum.

Good luck!!

[rlaggren]

Sometimes the body calls "Time Out" and you have to go with it. Try not to tie knots, just accept the call cuz that's all you can do anyway and be cool with whatever comes. We does the best we can and at some point bashing ourselves about it is just tiresome and worthless. If you want to work hard on something, I'd try real hard to keep your buddy. You and he both deserve it. If he's anything like that brainless little pest that I've had sleeping on my chest for 13 years, that'd be my priority. Ask around, make appeals, whatever. I been through that a couple times. Never know ahead of time what can come along around the corner. I just count it as time/money/effort way better spent on a good friend than on the shrink - the cat's way more help anyway! <g>

Good(!) luck to you.

Rufus

[Headache]

I've had a small break of luck if that's what it can be called. I was very worried about my cat being out in the cold since he's been an indoor cat all his life and he's an old man now. He's been very out of sorts(understandably) and I was also concerned for his mental well being as he's a very personable cat and now he would be alone for long periods of time including when it would be coldest, with no one to snuggle up next to. Despite their seeming ease of being on their own, cats by nature are group animals and live in colonies.

He chose the driver's seat(no surprise there) and I put down some towels and blankets that he could nestle in. He crawled right in and I tried to put a towel over him but he wasn't having any of that. When I went back the next day I found a miserable and shivering cat. The mechanic pulled the towel back over him and this time he didn't move until he thawed out about a half hour later.

We hashed over what we could do and the mechanic came up with the idea to get one of those little defroster heaters and hook it to the batteries. Off to Harbor Freight. I was ecstatic that my Spider kitty would have a warm cab to be in rather than just a warm spot, until I read the directions that said to not have the heater on more than 15 minutes at a time. We were running out of time so on a whim I grabbed some of those hand warmer pads which claimed they last 24 hours. I had also cut a box open and stuffed a blanket inside, then wrapped it with a comforter. Sure enough my cat laid ON TOP of it. I put him inside the box a couple of times and he wouldn't have any of that either. So I tore open the 2 packs of hand warmers, shook them then stuck them under the comforter. I was crying, they barely were warm at all and it was supposed to be like 25 degrees overnight.

What a relief the next day when I find a toasty, purring kitty with an empty food bowl and the litter box had been soiled! The pads were HOT and he was loving that sleeping spot. I was so relieved!

So, what I learned is that he won't lay inside of a box but if the box has no lid he'll lay in it. He also won't lay near the floor. If it isn't raised in some way he's up on one of the seats. My new solution this week is a 12 volt heated dog pad that I'm going to lay inside one half(yep, taking the "lid" off) of his cat carrier then put the comforter(his fave and it was off my bed so it's "familiar") over that and up the sides. The pad will stay about 105-108 constantly, the mechanic will be out working on my truck and will charge the batteries when needed until the truck is back running and I can start it. http://www.gundogsupply.com/popal12vocrm.html

I'm hoping by that time I'll have someone located who will do the floor joists and wall framing. I can handle everything beyond that but I have got to have that framing done first and with my leg still giving me issues I'm not supposed to be tossing those joists around.

[stuartcnz]

It does sound like things are on the improve for you. Like the others have said, break things down to baby steps and an overwhelming job becomes manageable.

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]

Forward motion is forward motion no matter how short or long… Keep goin. I like the dog pad. I have a few 12 volt bunk warmers that I use but they turn them selves off every 45 minutes to protect the batteries I guess. There about 30” x 50” and they work great.

[Headache]

I should have got a bunkwarmer. While the pad is "okay" it's not adequate enough for his old bones on freezing and below nights. As soon as either my auction money or disability comes in I'll be able to get the rest of the materials to fully frame and insulate the box.

I've been very frustrated trying to find a carpenter that will work with my income level, or will work out at all. My doc is concerned that I'm still getting shooting pains and they took more xrays so I'm still not quite released to work on my truck. Anyway, I've had a guy that's made himself out to not be who he was then pushed my project off on his cousin, who called me while drunk as <insert colorful metaphor> and said he could work with me because he thought I was an interesting chick. Then debated me on why I was raising the floor so the tanks could be under the floor and insisted I have them installed outside.

Then another guy looked decent via email, but after asking him several times to call me he's so far refused, so I have no interest in working with this one either.

My mechanic felt bad for me so he offered to do the work at the rate most of the least expensive carpenter as long as I pay for a helper to get the truck unloaded, then loaded back up once the floor is framed in. I agreed to this. I hope this arrangement helps turn my luck and gives my battered self esteem a boost.

If y'all do Turkey Day have a good one.

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]

keep going forward

[Headache]

keep going forward

Indeed indeed!

The weather has been nice enough that the arthritis isn't nearly an issue and one horse pill sized ibuprofen does the trick! I've rearranged quite a bit of the mess that was in the box and it's now enough that I can actually do some work!

Today I'm going to move enough so that I can finally seal up those holes drilled in the floor and run a bead one the wheel well trim to close off that leak. Thankfully it's rained a bunch since the almost hurricane and there's been no moisture come through since but I want to seal the rot off now before it gets a start.

Questions: what would you suggest I use to clean the areas of the walls so when I stick on the roll seal and use the sealant caulk it sticks well? I was thinking of using some glass cleaner but wasn't sure it would clean up the grime. This is on that big vinyl sticker that UHual uses to cover over those big decorative sticker adverts.

Also, what should I use to secure the windows and doors to the box and what size? Sorry for my noobness but a girl's gotta know!

[Headache]

Correction time! I had assumed that the windows were the same as the doors with lots of screw holes in them. They are not. Now I have to figure out how to secure these windows and so far the only way I see to do it is by screwing through the sides into the sections of FRP I cut out for them to sit in.

These are my big windows. The gray tape on the rim around the window is that foam weather sealing tape. I had assumed that the butyl window and door sealing tape would go there. The window on the left has screw holes in it where it looks like someone made their own holes to attach the window.







In this next pic are my small windows and there are no screw holes in either of these.

[somewhereinusa]

These windows are made to have an inner trim ring, that sandwiches the wall inside. If, like me you bought the windows at a surplus store you probably don't have them. I got some but not all.
You have to use your imagination for an alternative mounting solution.


Arrow points to where the screw goes into the channel. Your window with holes probably had the trim ring at one time.

[Headache]

I got mine from fleabay but yep, no trim rings on any of them.

Tomorrow I go get the rest of the materials needed to build 16' of the raised floor, then it gets built and installed. Once the floor is in I'll be able to get things measured and set up for the windows and side door. Hopefully I'll get those holes cut and them installed this coming week but I'll need help regarding the windows. If I have enough money left I'll buy the materials and get the back wall built and installed next week as well. Then I can finish the last 6 feet of the floor with the ramp and get the stair built on the interior of the side door.

After all that is done I can bring in a plumber and electrician to consult on the expensive work. I'll do as much as I can then pay them to do the rest. It's about the only way I can do it and be able to afford quality work.

I'm in a debate over insulation so I'm hoping y'all can give me some feedback. I'm considering this product:

http://www.insulation4less.com/Insulati ... -Inch.aspx

It will be easy for me to work with and install plus it's so much thinner than the blue/pink board I was considering. It's very cost effective and I've been seeing build threads on Airstream and Avion sites where people have been pleased with the results.

I'm just hesitant because the R values of any insulation reflect optimal conditions and not the reality so I'd be unsure of how many layers I'd actually need. I will be able to have air pockets on both sides of it(about 1.5" on each side) for the radiant value but it won't match the over 3" they used for their testing. Some of the Airstream posts I've seen are as little as a 1/4" of air space on each side.

Have any of you used this or know about other builds that have? I'm really interested in those that have lived in their spaces during winter weather.

[Stealth Camper]

Short answer; no.

The foil backed bubble wrap is a barrier to radiant heat and only covers that part of the heat and cold intrusion. (Metal walls on the box do the same thing.) If you have a fiberglass top, then this will help, but still need the foam board on all sides for the "rest" of the heat/cold coming and going. That can be from 60 to 70% of heat/cool loss up to more than 90%. Need foam, too.

[Headache]

The foil backed bubble wrap is a barrier to radiant heat and only covers that part of the heat and cold intrusion. (Metal walls on the box do the same thing.) If you have a fiberglass top, then this will help, but still need the foam board on all sides for the "rest" of the heat/cold coming and going. That can be from 60 to 70% of heat/cool loss up to more than 90%. Need foam, too.

And therein lies my issue, you're thinking of Reflectix which is foil wrapped bubble wrap. Prodex is foil wrapped closed-cell Polyethylene foam with a polyethylene vapor barrier on both sides. If you look at the pictures of both products you'll see the difference in them. Prodex is being marketed as a great insulation for metal buildings which if it does what it claims would be great for the floor but more importantly the aluminum roof.

Only the roof and floor of the box is aluminum, the rest is FRP(fiberglass reinforced plywood).

*IF* it has similar results to foam board the Prodex would cost about $660 for a 2 layer wrap of the interior. The cost of the foam board would be about $800 for a 1.5" layer.

The other reason I was looking at the Prodex is noise reduction which claims it reduces by 19dba per layer.

The floor starts going in today and if I have enough money left I'll get the materials to build the wall that will replace the garage door. It's insulation time after that!

[Stealth Camper]

Ya gotta read the fine, fine, fine print. There is talk about 'prevents 97% radiant heat transfer'.
They all say "we're different", but they are really all the same. If you can get a small sample, cut out a piece and use it as a potholder on a hot skillet handle. If it keeps your hand cool for a while, it may help. (I'm betting it won't.)

Here is a Prodex page, followed by a video about all these radiant barrier products. He gives good ideas on how to use the radiant barrier as part of the insulation system - which is where this stuff really does shine - especially where there is just FRP siding/roofing like your truck. (If you are gonna do the plywood/studs/plywood dead space system, it seems that would cost as much or more than putting in some fiberglass in place of one plywood layer.)

http://www.insulation4less.com/Insulati ... #fragment2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl8GslJ9hnI

This one has even more qualifiers about 3/4 airspace or more and must be used in 'system', and recommends foam or fiberglass, to get to the value.
http://aussieroofing.com/prodex.htm

[stuartcnz]

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this topic has lost several of the most recent posts!