Classic Winnebagos & Vintage RVs

TOUCHDOWN!  We have arrived safely at the Kentucky Renfaire in Eminence, KY! 

This is copied and pasted almost verbatim from the last post from Oklahoma, 2012, so if you already read that one, you can skip reading this....lol!

We drove the whole way yesterday, all 700 miles, and when we got here, what kind of flying bugs are all over the meadow where we parked for the night?  FIREFLIES!  Yippee!

Oh yes, we had a couple of mechanicals, but nothing that stopped us or kept us from getting here.

At first, everything was fine, and the drive was pleasant...then it kept getting hotter and hotter and hotter!  We left early in the morning when it was still cool, although muggy as heck.

Operating temps were great, 210 for the water, around 170 for the transmission.   Then the temps soared into the 90s outside with bright sunshine beaming off the roads.

Engine water temps went to over 220, and the transmission temps climbed to close to 200...so on come the fans, and everything dropped down to 210 and 170 again almost immediately.  So I left the fans on for the whole trip.  They work great, although up some of the big Ozark mountains, temps still climbed to over 220 and up to 200, so before we leave Kentucky, I'm going to install the old transmission cooler back right where it was and us it in tandem with the new one.

Now for the mechanicals...

After a while, especially once we hit the REALLY high temps, the engine started acting funny.  It still had plenty of power, but instead of sounding like a Cessna up hills, it started to sound like it ALL the time...sputtering and mini backfires, and some hesitation during acceleration.  Water temps were still in the 210-220 range, and the trans temp stayed pretty steady around 170...so I figured maybe my choke linkage had slipped?  I pull over into a rest stop...which we were doing very often for the dogs since Sheba still has a tummy bug...and the choke linkage was fine.  BUT, one of the AIR hoses had come loose from the air cleaner housing due to a loose hose clamp.  I put it back on, tightened the clamp, and we hit the road again.

Problem solved!  Temporarily anyways.  We rode for another hour or so and all was fine, so my guess was that the AIR forcing air into the air cleaner housing was helping the carburetor get enough air and not have to dump fuel causing sputtering.

Then the temperatures outside climbed even higher, and it came back.  A quick pull over showed the hose still in place...but the heat coming off the engine was pretty intense, even with the water temp being 220 and the transmission staying less than 200.

We had no choice but to keep going...performance and economy was fine, but she was LOUD!  Once the sun went down and it got considerably cooler outside, and even though the water and trans temps were about the same as the hot daytime temps, the rig started running fine again, nice and quiet except the uphills.  So now I'm pretty convinced that while the coolant and trans temps were fine, the upper manifold temps were high enough to cause the gas in the carb to reach boiling point and start perculating.  I believe the high pressure air from the AIR system dumping into the air cleaner helped keep the carb cool enough to prevent it, until temps hit into the high 90s outside. So before Kentucky ends, I'm going to install a new fan clutch (the engine fan only came on a couple of times the whole hellishly hot trip!)...a performance version that will come on sooner in high temps and stay on longer...to help purge the very hot air out of the engine compartment and keep the intake temps lower.

Okay, last mechanical problem...on our last gas stop in Illinois, temps still soaring in the heat wave, we pull into the gas station, and the power steering starts only working intermittently.  As long as the RPMs were up, it worked fine, drop down to parking lot speeds, and it works intermittently, with the belt, which is plenty tight (maybe TOO tight from the shop), squeals.  The fluid level is dead on, so my guess is that the bearing in the pump is almost dead...so it looks like I'll be installing another power steering pump also while we are here in Kentucky!  And it wasn't just the heat...when we pulled in the Renfaire parking lot last night around 12:30am, it was only around 50 degrees outside, and it was still barely working at low RPMs. 

Oh yeah, one last thing...I forgot to replace the high beam pigtail plug, so I had to use low beams the whole way at night.  Which was fine, because once we got to Kentucky, especially the back roads to faire, the fog was intense!  We were driving about 20 miles an hour or less the last 12 miles, it was that hard to see.

So we are here, we are safe, I have some more work to do on the RV, and thus begins a new chapter in our adventures!

Kev

 :)clap  And it looks like the heat wave is over too!  Low 80s today, and getting cooler and cooler into the weekend, with a projected high of 71 for Saturday...YIPPEE!!!

Kev

While watching the weather on TV yesterday, the radar picture showed that Muskogee got hit with a pretty good storm just after you left.  I guess you got out of town just in time.  Glad you made it.  That was a long haul for one day.  I was betting that you would spend the night at the Flying J in Mt. Vernon.  Hope you get all the mechanicals fixed.  You've got me concerned about my HR.  I don't have any of the cooling add ons that you have and I will be driving it over some of the same hills you were on, although from a different direction.  Since I own a Cessna I can tell you that my HR doesn't sound anything like it, but it is loud all the time.  There are times when my power steering belt will squeal and other times it doesn't.  Wonder why?

Time for an auxiliary air ram fan parked in front of the radiator to help shove air through for those low rpm times when the motor drive fan just can't push enough air :). 

So we decided to just go ahead and do a quick temp setup of camp yesterday, and then set up our booth tent completely, which we accomplished by 4pm.

Then it was a little rest and relaxation time with friends we haven't seen in a whole year!

So today Patti is going to get some tax stuff done, while I finish setting up camp and the workshop.

Then tomorrow, we have the whole day off...SWEET!

Next week I'll have to build some catapults, shampoo the carpets AGAIN, and then get to work on some of the RV stuff we want to accomplish before we leave to NY.

Always busy!  Glad I get a lot of vacations!

Kev

Hey Kev is the waterpump and the power steering on the same belt ?   Squeeling belts noise only comes from slipping  A belt that does not fit the pulleys correctly can be very tight but still slip  Slipping causing lack of power assist in steering and overheating due to lack of pumping water . Just a thought  belts need to be up from bottom of groove as they drive on there sides  Frank

Thanks for the info, Frank!  I'll check the belt fitment when I'm under there working on it next week.  I wouldn't be surprised if they used a wrong belt either, after all the mistakes they made this past time when it was in the shop.  I still need to talk to Kurt and Jerry and let them know what their mechanic did wrong...pretty sad actually, since I used to trust their work!

It didn't really overheat though...water temps never got past 220 and the trans temp never exceeded 200 and mostly ran at 170ish.  And it was HOT outside, pushing into the high 90s for a good deal of the trip.  Probably the hottest outside temps I've ever run this RV in before.

I will check the belts though, and eliminate the obvious and cheapest stuff first.

Okay, so our porch and camp is completely set up, as is the workshop...and I finished it up just before we got one heck of a gullywasher storm!  We stayed nice and dry under the awning, watching all the latecomers set up in the rain...for some reason I derive a sick and twisted pleasure from that... :)rotflmao  Especially since most of the latecomers are coming in from the Tennessee Renfaire, just one state over!

I would have had the whole day off today, but a rear brake line on the Jeep started leaking...a very minor leak, but I know its going to get a lot worse and quickly if I don't fix it today!  Its raining, but a shop in town quoted me 60 bucks to fix it, so yep!  I'll let them do it!  So while they are fixing it, I'll walk to the post office and mail out an internet catapult order, then walk through the 6 antique stores and flea markets that are all right in town and within walking distance of the garage.  I'll even stop in and have some bacon and eggs at the local little breakfast joint...and by then, the Jeep should be ready to go...SWEET!

So I should get off my butt soon and get the Jeep to the shop, so talk to y'all later!

Kev

170 bucks later, ALL the rear brake lines and the feed lines, all the way up to the master cylinder, are replaced.  Turns out, every time they tried to splice into a line, it was too rusted and broke.  Still, not a bad price for all new rear brake lines, all the way to the MC!

While waiting for the job to be done, I had breakfast in town and mailed out an internet order...and then walked through the antique stores and flea  markets...and found, and BOUGHT, a Nordic Track Sequoia!  For 30 bucks, like new!  Obviously hardly or never used.  I did a 20 minute workout on it today and its just what I need on the road to get back in shape and keep in shape on my limited time schedule and considering how expensive gyms are and how inconvenient they are.  I plan on using it every morning, 20 minutes a day at first, then 30.

So tomorrow we open up for opening day!  We are all ready to go!

Kev

Yesterday was the best opening day we've ever had at the Kentucky Renfaire...SWEET!  Awesome 71 degree weather, and more people through the gate then ever on opening day.  I'm hoping this is going to be the trend this year!

Today is going to be 80, as is the forecast for next weekend, so here's hoping to a cool and busy show this year! 

I used the Nordic Track for another 20 minutes yesterday morning before work, but its catching up to me...my muscles are so sore...everywhere!  Gonna skip it today so I can walk...lol!

The Atkins is still going well...lost 24.2 lbs so far!

Kev

Clydes, I wish you the best of luck with Atkins, the only big drawback to the diet is the moment you stop living the diet, your weight immediately goes back up, hence why the big fad of South Beach/Atkins died out a few years ago.

Hey, I bought my wife (now ex) a Nordic Track Sequoia!  Turned out to be the nicest clothes rack she ever owned...     :)rotflmao

To be serious though, its actually a nice workout, and super easy on the joints.  Well designed!

Yep Redneck, that is why it has to be a complete lifestyle change, not just a fad diet.  I'm using the Atkins to get to my goal weight, at which point I'll just switch over to a healthy low carb diet with small portions instead of eating like I was still in Highschool...lol!

LMAO Dilbert!  Our old Total Gym became a clothes rack too...it was too much of a pain to keep reconfiguring and it took way too long to get a good workout on.  I'm liking the Nordic Track because its a quick 20-30 minute workout that hits you hard cardiovascularly and at the same time gets almost every muscle in your body...and like you said, its easy on the joints and back.

So today we are going to drive around Shelbyville and visit the antique stores and thrift stores, and hopefully I can find a used bandsaw or scroll saw on the cheap...we were actually busy enough on opening day that I'll have to build some catapults!

I'll also keep my eyes open for an RV dealer too...gotta find the relief valve for my hot water heater, or else order one tonight.

So this week I'm going to keep it light, maybe a total of 75 catapults and a couple of ballistas.  And then next week, we'll be going to Friendship, Indiana for the annual blackpowder event put on by the NMRA, and of course walk through the reenactment camp and the HUGE flea markets that surround the event.  SWEET!  We are going to go at least once...maybe even twice!

I'll get to work in earnest on the RV and building stock for New York after that week...I need a couple of easy weeks before I get back to the hard work...lol!

Kev

So I went out in town today after breakfast and found an old but perfect Craftsman scroll saw for 30 bucks at the pawn shop.  Then I went to a mom and pop shoe store and found a pair of leather Puma sneakers pointy enough to fit in the toe straps on the Nordic Track for 23 bucks on clearance, then went to Walmart and picked up some cheap tank tops and workout shorts.  Then went 20 minutes on the Nordic Track when I got back. 

I also found a local place in town that has oblong cedar gazebos for 4000 delivered and set up, and they self finance!  They look pretty darn cool and will make a perfect renfaire booth with some modifications, so after Patti looks at it, it looks like that is what we are going to do to solve the building problem here in Kentucky...if I don't put up a permanent structure this year, I lose my perfect location on the main street of faire...and I can pay it off from New York...SWEET!  Its 10 feet deep by 16 wide, and even the shingles are cedar.  Patti loves the pictures of it, so I think its going to be a go!

I ordered a new Atwood water heater relief valve on eBay, so it should be here by the end of the week, so that problem will be solved.  I sprayed the threads with PBBlaster so it will be easier to remove the old one when the other one gets here.

So I'm taking the rest of the day off!  Tomorrow I'll set up the workshop the rest of the way, then get materials and start working on the catapults. 

Kev

So this morning I'm going to pound out 20 minutes on the Nordic Track, then finish setting up the workshop.  Then its a trip into town for materials, then I'll have to get cracking making some catapults.  Sure not used to having to work in Kentucky, but its not something I can really complain about...lol!

Kev

Alright!  The workshop is completely set up and organized, all materials are gotten, and the "new" scroll saw works great with its new blades.  Even have the stain rack set up.

So today its plane and cut out parts, drill a lot of holes, disassemble a bunch of mousetraps, drill some more holes, glue and clamp, etc.  I should be able to get a lot of it done today, and maybe even finish up by tomorrow evening and have Friday off!

Saturday is going to be dodgy...Patti has an appointment with a heart specialist, which somehow got scheduled a year ago for a Saturday, so I'll be running the booth solo.  Oi vey!

Kev

You're going to miss her radiant smile to draw in customers. 

LOL Dan!  Yep, I sure will!  We did find a friend of ours, Arlene, who is going to work in the booth on Saturday...she's nice, but not nearly as pretty as my Patti...lol!

Warmer weather is coming in for the weekend, high 80s low 90s, but its not supposed to get humid at least.

So today I have to attempt to finish up the catapults so I can essentially take tomorrow off and relax.  The part for my water heater is supposed to come in today as well, so I'll get that in place so Patti can have hot water in the RV.  If your water heater is going to break down, at least Kentucky is the place for it to happen!  The shower houses here are amazing, better than most high end campgrounds!

After morning coffee its going to be another 20 minutes on the Nordic Track, and tomorrow it gets bumped up to 25 minutes for the week...then 30, where it will stay, with just a gradual increase in tension week by week.  What a great machine!  I'm already starting to tone up, and in combination with the Atkins, I'm down into the 230s now...SWEET!  Still got a long way to go!

Kev

hope patties heart visit is for nothing to seriouse would not like to see anything bad happen to you guys befrore me and teresa get a chance to travel and hopefully meet up with some of the people i have been chatting with and i include you and pattie in that list kevin  maybe i will raise a red soldier or 2 if the doc lets me

Thanks Arberg!  She is seeing a specialist for her blood pressure issues.  All tests reveal nothing wrong with her heart or arteries, and her lab work comes back like that of a 20 year old, but they have no idea why she still has high blood pressure unless she takes the medicine for it.  So the specialist is going to make sure there aren't any blockages or whatnot.

So today isn't going to be a day off after all.  Still have to finish the catapults, after I pound out 25 minutes on the Nordic Track, which will happen after I finish my morning coffee...lol!

Next week, its Friendship, Indiana, for a day trip at the National Muzzleloading Association event and all the awesome flea markets...woohooooo!!!

Kev

Got all the catapults done...and have to go bring them to the booth soon, along with a supply of marshmallows.  Patti's doctor's appointment is today, so wish her luck! 

29 pounds lost on the Atkins so far, along with using the Nordic Track every day.  Still got a long way to go, but I'm making progress!

Kev

Patti's cardiologist couldn't find anything wrong with her heart or  vascular system, and all her labs came out textbook normal...more like  those of a 20 year old in her doctor's words.

So he switched her to a  different and supposedly better blood pressure medicine...so she's gonna  be fine!  Yay!!!

So tomorrow it will be a lot more fun at faire with my pretty baby by my side...SWEET!

Kev

Good the hear.  She's a keeper.
Wish I could come visit at Kentucky and compare it with Oklahoma.  My kids said they thought the Oklahoma Faire was a little bigger than the Kansas Faire, but they recognized some of the performers as being at both events.  Oklahoma was my first visit to a Renne Faire so I have nothing to compare it with.  It was a lot of fun even for an old fat man like me.   However, somebody needs to teach the young lads how to sit in a kilt.  I was seeing WAY more than I needed to see! LOL  On the other hand, maybe they WANTED to show it all.   

LOL Dan!  The workers and vendors and employees at that faire are SUPPOSED to wear skivies under the kilt...nothing we can do about the patrons...Patti taught me early on to be as graceful as a Catholic shoolgirl when wearing a kilt... :)rotflmao

So its another day at faire today, but at least Patti will be there with me.  Next week, its Friendship, Indiana!  A VERY fun place to visit!

Kev

Yay!  Its a rainy day and a Monday, so I'm taking a WHOLE day off for the first time in a long time!  It was a terribly slow weekend, so aside from building a few larger machines and prepping out some parts, its going to be a very light week.

After my workout on the Nordic Track, which I'm upping to 30 minutes today, we are going into Shelbyville to check out some of the antique stores and flea markets, and then that's pretty much it.

Tomorrow, we are going to Friendship, Indiana to the big NMLRA event...then I'll work on some catapults on Wednesday.

We also had some folks from Disney come to the faire, and we received two free tickets for an early screening of Brave...which we are going to on Thursday night...SWEET!  A bunch of us are going, and we are all dressing up in our kilts and whatnot...lol!

By Thursday all my parts should be in for the water heater, so hopefully it will be as right as rain again.

Kev

So we had a blast in Friendship, IA yesterday...weather was pretty good, not too hot, and good times were had by all.  Although the trip there was interesting.  One of our friends following us got pulled over by a State Trooper for crossing a bridge we were all crossing that was under construction.  Apparently, the bridge was restricted to vehicles under 3 tons.  The signs were ambiguous though, and we all just thought it meant no big trucks and semis.  She has a 97 Ford F-350 with duelly wheels...and they didn't just give her a ticket, they gave her a court summons!  Seriously?  Yes I know her truck is over 6000 lbs, heck, even my Jeep is 4900 lbs empty...but the signage should have been more specific.

Anyhow, we got there and walked around and looked at everything.  There was nothing there I wanted to buy though.  But it was fun looking.  They must have raised their vendor fees this year because everything was way more expensive than last year.  Even the gun prices were a major joke.  Beat up guns you find in the back of every gun shop covered in dust with no collectable value, priced at 100-150 bucks in the gun shops, were priced at 300 and up by these vendors...dummies!  Patti did make quite a few purchases for her grandsons though (ages 8 and 10), so she'll be the coolest gramma in the world when we get to NY this year.  Rattle snake skins, skulls, arrow heads, sling shots...lol!  Stuff little boys should love...unless they got too sissified with video games and not being in the Boy Scouts.  We tried talking the parents into putting them in the Scouts, even offered to buy all the uniforms and books and pay the dues...but they couldn't be bothered.  The kids are in karate, which is good...but the Scouts are something every boy should experience.

We did have lot of fun, and will return again next year!

So today, after another 30 minutes on the Nordic Track, I'm going to take a trip down to Walmart and buy 3 gallons of white vinegar and several gallons of bottled water...can't use the water while the hot water tank is soaking for 24 hours.  Then I'm going to drain the hot water tank, replace the drain plug, remove the pressure valve, and using a funnel, fill it with the 3 gallons of vinegar and 2 gallons of water, and let it soak for 24 hours.  Then tomorrow, when the thermostat is supposed to arrive, I'll flush it out thoroughly with a garden hose and put in the new anode drain plug, replace the thermostats, and reinstall the pressure valve, fill it up, and hopefully that will solve all my water heater woes.

Also today, I'm going to reenforce behind the grill mount...I'll finally have time to do it!  And then between the rest of today and tomorrow day, I'll drill and router and sand out my ballista parts and start getting those assembled.

Tomorrow night we are going to an early screening of Brave...SWEET!...so I'm making it a date night with Patti...gonna take her to Outback first for dinner!

So if all goes well, I'll either have Friday completely off, or mostly off after finishing the Ballistas...which are all I have to build this week since the weekend was so crappy sales wise.

Alrighty then...enough rambling...gonna have my coffee, take the pups out, get in my morning PT, and get to work on my projects.

Kev

Got distracted at a huge thrift mall with lots of antiques in a town called LaGrange, so a lot of my projects didn't get done...but I found a couple of neat treasures!  For those days when we have quiet tea by ourselves with no visitors, and are drinking right from the kettle as it were, I found an awesome plain white china cup with a gold rim for Patti, a matching MUSTACHE cup for me, with matching saucers, for a whopping 3 dollars...and the cups are mug size for a real cup of tea...LOL!  I found Patti a little stuffed Tweety Bird dressed as Robin Hood, new with tags, for another 2 bucks (she loves Tweety), and a VERY high end set of poultry shears made in Germany for another few bucks.  The ones that came with our Wolfgang Puck set sucketh.

I found Patti some Boylan's Creamy Red Birch Beer at a local market, her favorite.  They only had 4 bottles, so I ordered 2 cases for her...lol!

Then I got the vinegar and whatnot at Wallyworld, came home and poured it in, and had tea with Patti on the porch with our new cups.

The new thermostat and ECO came in for the hot water heater this afternoon, so by tomorrow afternoon, the water heater should be back to new!

So besides my 30 minute workout today on the Nordic Track, that was what I accomplished today...it was a very good day!

Pretty soon I'm taking Patti out to dinner at a local restaurant called Scriber's Station...should be yummy!

Down to 235 lbs now, between the Atkins and the morning PT...That is very close to 30 lbs so far!  At least 35 more to go!

Kev

So the hot water heater is all fixed!  Flushing it out with the vinegar and replacing the ECO and thermostat switches did the trick.

I also got the BBQ grill mount all reenforced yesterday as well, with oak supports behind the sheetmetal.  Good thing I have some woodworking skills though...there wasn't a straight angle behind the sheetmetal anywhere, and it took some creativity to do the job right and tight.  I used all stainless hardware.

Then I took Patti out to the movies and dinner.  We were invited to a special early screening of Disney's Pixar movie, Brave...and it was a very good film!  Then we had dinner at a restaurant nearby. 

All in all, it was a productive and fun day!

So this morning its another 30 minutes on the Nordic Track for my morning PT, then I have to finish building 4 ballistas.  It won't be a long day at all, and if I have time, I'll do my weekly maintenance on the Nordic Track...basically just oiling the bearings with 3 in 1 oil, and wiping the wooden parts down with Old English.

Kev

So the first thing I did yesterday was jump on the Nordic Track, of course.  Then after breakfast and a shower, I decided to go ahead and do a very thorough maintenance of the machine.  Had to unbolt the side boards to get to the roller bearings for oiling, but it was easy, and allowed me to get all the wooden parts very thoroughly with Old English.  Even wiped down all the metal parts...took a while, but now that its done once very thoroughly, future maintenance will be a fast wipe down once a week with Old English, and a monthly oiling of the bearings.

The ballistas went quick, and I had them done and stained by 4pm.

Then went to the store and got marshmallows, snack bags, and dinner stuff.

Hopefully today and tomorrow will be a lot busier at faire than last weekend!  Last weekend was pathetic.

Kev

So yesterday was a craptastic day...a "passing" thunderstorm decided to just stop and stall right over the faire...for over 4 hours!  I thought I was going to have to build an ark!

Then the sun came out around 2PM, but by then it was too late for a lot of patrons to come in through the gate, even though it was a "Father's Free" weekend with the purchase of a kid ticket.  Today its more previously unpredicted thunderstorms, apparently all day...so this weekend is pretty much a wash...

Ah well....looks like I'll have lots of time to work on the RV this week!

Tuesday we are going to the Shelby County Faire with some of our friends, and are going to watch the antique tractor pull...lol!  When in redneckville, do as the rednecks do, eh?

Then on Thursday we are going up to Louisville to the Good Sam Rally, a huge RV show and event...should be fun!

Kev

Sorry about the crappy weather.  We could sure use the rain around here.  The rain gets within a couple of counties of us then just disintegrates.  Tractor pulls are fun!  I go every year to the tractor pulls at the state fair in Missouri.  They had a 7 year old kid driving one.  I have never been to a rally but would love to go to one.  They had one at Sedalia, MO (site of the State Fair) last year but I couldn't make it due to other obligations.  Hope you have a great time.  Love reading your posts.  Keep them coming. 

Gonna be a busy and fun week!  Today we are going to antique stores and thrift stores, tomorrow the county fair and tractor pull, Wednesday night its dinner at an old friend of Patti's house, Thursday its the Good Sam RV show in Louisville, and sometime this week I'll have to find time to build 50 catapults...but that will be easy, since all the parts are already cut out for them.

After coffee this morning, I'm hopping on the Nordic Track for 30 minutes and raising the setting to setting 3...then a shower of course, since its already bloody humid outside.  Then off we go into town for breakfast and antiquing...yay!

Kev

Quote from: ClydesdaleKevin on June 17, 2012, 07:53 AM
When in redneckville, do as the rednecks do, eh?

Best way to find the real fun in an area is to follow the Rednecks :). 

Play, Play Play.

Hm?  And here I thought this was a working adventure thread.   :)rotflmao

Dave

Wasn't there something said about if you love you work you'll never work a day in your life? :p.

Exactly!  And it suits me well...I'm a burst worker by nature...give me a project, and I'll bust my hump until its done, no matter how hard the project or how long it takes.  And I'll love every minute of it, provided I also get lots of time off for fun and play...lol!

So it seems that a hive of some sort of nasty black wasp has moved in somewhere under the RV.  They have white tipped butts and hind legs...and are aggressive as heck!

And they are smart and elusive as well!  I can't figure out where they live, since every time I grab the can of hornet spray, they dissappear!  As soon as I get busy doing something else, like working out or cooking on the grill, they come back in force divebombing me!  I've only managed to kill 2 of the buggers!

I'm thinking of fogging under the RV if this keeps up, nasty creatures!

So today I'm going to try to kill as many as I can before the county fair this evening.  Grrrrrrr...at this rate, I might have to put the screenhouse up just to have a safe haven to work out in without getting stung!

Kev

So what would medieval people do to fend off the pests?  You could summon King Arthur and his merry men to ferret the little buggers out and dash them to their end.  Wait, that should have been Robin Hood.  Maybe the Pied Piper could lead them out like he did the rats, or was that snakes?  I have such a hard time with history!

LOL Dan!  Apparently just keeping the can of Raid within reach while I used the Nordic Track did the trick and they stayed away from me the whole time.  But I did manage to observe them while working out, and it seems that the new nest is under the rig, right under the BBQ grill mount I reenforced last week...good thing I did the project when I did!

I'll still have to eradicate them though...gotta change the transmission fluid and filter next week, and its right near where they are flying in and out...hmmmmm...

I put a 3/4x2x4 piece of plywood under the Nordic Track today, and it made all the difference in the world with stability and level of the machine...sweet!  Its just big enough so all 4 rubber feet fit securely on its surface, instead of sinking into the porch mat and soft ground underneith. 

Gonna run to the hardware store for a 3/8 round router bit, then stop at some thrift stores, then put on the cowboy boots, jeans, and Stetson and blend in with the locals at the tractor pull.... :)rotflmao

Kev

Here it would be bib overalls and a John Deere cap.  (I have a Ford tractor.  The big boys don't even talk to me.)

Kev
I think the wasps would be hornets, so be alert they really sting.
JD

So far the wasps/hornets seem more curious than aggressive, but I still can't have them living under the RV, especially since I have the trans fluid/filter project coming up, and its time to grease all the fittings too before our next trip.  One of these evening really soon, I'm going to crawl under with a light and a can of hornet spray and see if I can find the nest and get rid of it.

We had fun at the tractor pull, then went to wallyworld and bought the new Sherlock Holmes, which is what we did last night...lol.  Good movie!

Today, after the morning workout and shower, I have to drill out the catapult parts, sand them, and start assembly.  Then this evening we are going to an old friend of Patti's house for dinner in Louisville.

Tomorrow is the Good Sam RV show in Louisville, which should be a blast!  Not so much for the new RVs, but for the new RV gadgets they are always coming up with.

Kev

Be careful, Those buggers can be trouble  Especially if you are on the ground . Make shure you have a couple cans of spray and test ea one to make shure they work . investigate after sunset when they are all inside and watch out for the falling wounded They fight to the death! Good Luck ! Frank

Thanks Frank!  My cat sleeps right under where they are nesting, and they don't bother him, but I'm not going to take any chances while working on the RV...they gotta go.

Slight change of plans for this evening...going to meet Patti's friends at a restaurant in Shelbyville, which to me is a better plan...not nearly as far as Louisville.

So for now I'm going to go get the small amount of materials we need for the catapults...hotter than hades today...then come home and work on small household projects until time to go. 

Kev

Dinner was fun...Patti's old friends are really nice folks.  The restaurant had a lot to be desired though, Cattleman's.  Had I been drinking soda, I guess I couldn't complain, since refills would have been free.  But because I was drinking club soda, the idiots charged me 3 bucks a glass!  Really?  It comes from the same spout as the soda, without the syrup...yep, never eating there again!

So after my morning workout and whatnot, we are heading up to Louisville for the Good Sam Rally...its mostly indoors, which is a good thing, since its going to be in the 90s and humid again today.

I'm saving the catapults for tomorrow...and then next week I'm probably going to work on some indoor carpentry projects, like rebuilding my desk, reworking the cedar chest into a love seat of sorts, and installing the cabinet, plumbing, and electric for our eventual Splendide washer/dryer which we will hopefully purchase in New York this year. 

Kev

The RV Rally was fun!  The nicest coaches there, in my opinion, were the new Winnebagos and Itascas...they have come a LONG way in design, cabinetry, and overall fit and finish.

But the really neat stuff was all the gadgets and new wingdings for RVs. 

And we found the toilet we are going to buy when we get to New York!  The Dometic 310, in bone color!  Full ceramic bowl inside and out, and the way they designed the ball valve seal, you can replace it when it wears out without taking the toilet apart, or even off the closet flange!  Awesome!  And its only 150 bucks!  Not only that, they sell a flange conversion kit for 50 bucks that allows you to use it on ANY flange, even ones set up for the Bravura style with the weird bolt offset.  (Which, by the way, will allow you to convert the old style flange to any new toilet).  Its definitely a winner in my book!  Not only that, there isn't any hollow spot behind the toilet for dirt and dog hair and nasties to build up...its solid right to the floor with a foot pedal flush.  Yep, we are definitely buying one in NY!

Lots of other neat gadget there too...from remote tire monitors, to a really neat trailer toad that also has a motorcycle carrier built onto the top of it (3500 bucks, but if you wanted to tow a car AND a Harley, its a pretty awesome design)...neat!

When we got home, I ran the dogs out in the field with a Chuckit ball thrower and the kind of balls the dogs can't pop...they slept like babies last night...lol!

So today after the Nordic Track and whatnot, I have to build 50 catapults to completion, then go out and get marshmallows and whatnot for the weekend.  Then I'll run the pups again tonight...they really need the exercise! 

Ah Kentucky...we don't make a lot of money here, but we have a lot of fun, and get a lot of stuff done!

Kev

It seems the wasp problem may have sorted itself out...we haven't seen a single one flying in and out from under the rig in a couple of days.  It could be that they were just gathering mud and water from the puddle that was under the RV and has now dried out.  Hmmmmmm....

I forgot to mention that at the RV show, there were 2 companies selling LED bulbs for florescent fixtures!  Basically, they go right in where the florescent bulb would go...and then you rewire the fixture and bypass the ballast altogether.  Estimated life of over 60k hours.  And they come in bright white and a softer yellow as well.  Prices ranged from 35 to 40 bucks a bulb though, for the larger bulbs like what we have in our ThinLites.  We are definitely thinking about it though, especially for the 3 lights we use the most, especially the one right over the sink  (we go through a LOT of bulbs!).  We saved the business card, so if we buy a set, we'll let you all know how they perform.

So after my morning coffee and whatnot, I'm going to go set up the booth, come back and work out, shower, and get dressed in funny clothes...it should be a great day!  85 degrees, Steam Punk Weekend, and special guest performer Dr. Kaboom SHOULD make it a profitable weekend!  One can hope!

Kev

Ah.... I do so ever love a good Steam Punk gathering :).

So it was a decent day yesterday.  And its going to be hotter today, so we'll see what the crowds are like. 

Patti and I have been talking it over, and we are seriously considering dropping this faire altogether.  Plans are now in the works to get the RV ready for serious boondocking.  2 more batteries, 200 more watts of solar panels, a good charge controller and battery usage meter, all the interior lights replaced with LEDs, and the water transfer pump that I bought from Northern Tool replaced with a new Sureflo pump that will actually work...lol!  A Splendide combo washer/dryer is also on the list.

This will enable us to boondock even more this winter, and will also allow us to save up money from Arizona and Muskogee next year, and instead of coming to Kentucky and not making any money anyway (the owner doesn't advertise worth a darn, and won't take any constructive criticism from anyone), we can go on another boondocking adventure in the summer up north!  And see things like Mount Rushmore and other northern attractions in places that will be much cooler in the summer.

I like this plan, and it would make Patti very happy too...she's never been a big fan of this show in Kentucky, but we were both hopeful it would grow over time and become a better faire...but not with the bungling way the owner and his family run the place.  We gave it 5 years...we think its time to move on and have more adventures instead.

It would just mean that instead of coming to Kentucky right after Muskogee, we would stay in Muskogee for another 2 weeks or so and build our stock for New York and ship the stock to Patti's son's house in New Jersey, where he can hold it for us until we get there.  Then we would have over a month to get to New York, and we could take our time and see attractions and whatnot along the way, and also go out of the way to major attractions.  Yep, the wheels are turning for a change of plans!

This week the weather looks like its going to drop into the mid 70s all week, so I'll be reinstalling the stock transmission cooler, changing the transmission oil and filter and pan gasket, and greasing all the fittings. 

I'll also do some of my interior projects, but the first thing I'm going to do inside is install the cabinet for the washer/dryer, run the plumbing lines and drain for it, and the power line.  Then it will be ready to just drop in the Splendide when we can afford it in New York.  As a part of the project, I'll also modify the oak cedar chest we bought last year and make it a built in part of the new cabinet, dropping the top a little, and having some cushions made for it that will convert it to a small loveseat with cedar lined storage under the cushions.

This week I'll also have to do a significant sized run of catapults to start building up stock for New York...and that should eat up most of the week.  The following week I'll be able to build in a new desk and chair opposite the love seat...a nice setup with storage...probably redo the floor under the dinette and stabilize the dinette table...and possibly have time to start repairing the 3 cabinet doors in the RV that need attention...in addition to building more catapults for New York.

Yep, we gave it a chance...more than a fair chance...but we think its time to say goodbye to Kentucky after the show is over this year.  It will take a lot of scrimping and saving, and a lot of planning and prep work on the RV, but the payoff will be another great vacation every year.

Kev

The weather report changed...again...and its going to be hot all week...actually, its probably going to be hot the rest of the show...doesn't matter though...I still have to get the transmission oil and filter replaced, grease the fittings, install the oem trans cooler back in place, and build a bunch of catapults for New York...its just going to be very hot doing it!  Ah well...

So today after my morning PT and shower, Patti and I will go into town and get materials and the trans parts and fluid...have breakfast and whatnot...and take the rest of the day off.  The rest of the week is going to be very busy!

And I'll still have to try to find time to install the washer/dryer cabinet and plumbing and electric, since I sure as heck won't have time for it in New York...lol!  We'll just have to see how much time I have this week, since the other projects, including the catapults, are more critical.

I also have to troubleshoot and repair the power steering on the RV before we leave to NY.  If I'm lucky its just a slipping belt...but I have a feeling the mechanic overtightened the belts and ruined the pump...we'll see!

I also discovered that MorRyde is located right over in Elkhart, Indiana, and they said they could raise the position on the back suspension for me and replace the 2 rubber bushings that are wearing, for less than 200 bucks...but I don't think we'll be able to spare the 200 bucks this year from this dying show...not unless the last 2 weekends are stellar....which is highly doubtful.  If it all goes well though, we might make an appointment for after the show and stop there on the way to NY and have them do the work.  Otherwise, we'll wait until next year and go there right after Muskogee to have them do the work.

I've got a lot of work to do in the next 3 weeks...then we'll have about 3 weeks off before NY starts.  And by then, I'll REALLY need the vacation time!

Kev

So the work week plans evolved, as always.  Today, after morning PT and whatnot, I'll be jumping right in on the catapults.  Hopefully I'll get them completely finished in 2 days, leaving me 2 days to work on the RV.  A heat wave is coming in for later in the week, so how hot it is will determine whether I'll be doing inside projects, or the mechanicals outside.  Either way, projects will get done...lol!

I had a GREAT score at the local flea market yesterday.  I found a 5 gallon gas can, circa 1980s, in near new condition.  And its the first gas can I ever had that didn't leak, not even fumes...lol!  Not only that, it doesn't have all the safety crap on it, it has a vent with a cap, and a long filler spout.  I dumped 5 gallons of gas in the RV yesterday without spilling a drop, without having to use a funnel, and the way the can is shaped, every drop of gas comes out when tilted all the way up.  SWEET!  I'll be hanging on to this gas can, I tell ya!  We didn't fill the RV before getting here since there weren't any gas stations along the way where we could get the RV in, so we are starting to fill it up with the gas can a little every time we go out.  Well worth the 10 bucks!

Someone bought my old kilt, which helped offset the cost of the new one...so that made me happy too.

As far as the Nordic Track Sequoia goes, I'm seriously thinking of just stripping it for parts when the Nordic Track Medalist gets here.  I could sell it for around 100 bucks, but just a set of new American made drive rollers with clutches go for that, never mind all the other rollers and pulleys and bushings.  Eventually I'll wear those parts out on the Medalist, although it will take years, but it will be nice to have the parts on hand for when it eventually happens. 

At one of the flea markets in town there is a person selling oak cabinet doors and faces, and he sells them CHEAP!  4 dollars a door, and they are nice panel doors neatly routered and joined.  So after my catapult work today, I'm going to go back with measurements and see if any of the doors will fit my needs for my interior projects, like the washer/dryer cabinet and whatnot.  I can't even get the raw oak for that cheap!

My weight was down to 231 this morning, and at this rate I'll be down into the 220s by the end of the month!  I haven't been down into the 220s since I was IN my 20s... :)rotflmao

Okay, that's enough rambling...

Kev

All the parts are cut out for the catapults, so I'll be able to finish them up today after my morning workout and whatnot.

I SCORED at the flea market with new oak cabinet doors too!  I found 2 perfect size replacement doors for under the dinette, since one is so warped it is unrepairable...it would crack right in half if I tried to straighten it.  I also found the prefect size doors to replace the broken and battered and poorly repaired cabinet doors under the sink, which if I tried to repair would result in them looking crappy and full of wood putty because of just how badly the PO "repaired" them.  I also found 2 doors that are just a little bigger than necessary for the washer/dryer cabinet I'll be installing, but cutting and inch off of them all the way around and re-routering them will be easy and look great.  While I was at it I bought another single oak cabinet door for the desk I already designed and will be building...hopefully here, but before the winter...and found another perfectly sized door to replace the old CRT television in the dash with, turning the open space into a compartment with a door (which will eventually also have a radio/cd player installed into it with some gauges to make it a "hidden" door with a secret latch.  Total for all the doors was 40 bucks!  (Some of the doors were more money than others, 10 bucks each for the large doors, 5 for the ones under the cabinet, the rest were from 1 dollar to 3 bucks).  These are solid oak raised panel doors, unfinished...I couldn't even buy the oak for that little!  SWEET!

So after I finish the catapults today, I'll be doing inside cabinetry tomorrow and Friday, which works out great since its supposed to be almost 100 degrees those two days.  I just couldn't pass up such a sweet deal on the doors, and its going to look awesome when its all said and done.  Just replacing the damaged doors is going to make a huge difference cosmetically in the kitchen, and it will look very professional when they are all installed.

That will leave me next week and the following week to finish the cabinetry projects, attack the mechanical projects on the RV, and be ready to leave Kentucky in time to get to New York by the 21st, when the campground there opens.

My new Nordic Track Medalist should be here today according to the tracking numbers, although the monitor, shipped through the USPS, might not be here until tomorrow or Friday.  If I have time I'll strip the parts off the Sequoia once the new machine is all set up and ready to go, or else I'll get to it next week.  I'll be setting up my annual eBay yardsale next week as well...lots of neat stuff I have no use for going up, like gun parts, holsters I don't need anymore, a long bow and arrows, a viking axe, a b-stardo sword (combat ready, the real deal), etc.  Time to clean house, as it were...lol!

Kev

LMAO!  It changed the spelling to b-stardo sword...too funny!

Kev

I was wondering about that, I've never heard of that type of sword, though I am familiar with the one that's name refers to a child whose birth lacks legal legitimacyâ€"that is, one born to a woman and a man who are not legally married.

So the medieval weaponry sold to one buyer, a friend of mine Tim who sells swords and whatnot at various faires...sweet!  So all the hard-to-ship stuff is gone, and as far as the Nordic Track Sequoia goes, I'm definitely going to strip it for parts! 

The "new" Nordic Track Medalist arrived yesterday, so I set it all up yesterday evening, so this morning's workout is going to be on the new machine...SWEET!  It sure is pretty, with all the walnut and brass...lmao!  Woodwork aside, I really like some of the features of the Medalist, like adjustable feet in the front to raise the incline, the ability to adjust the tension on the fly, and the scales on the flywheel and arm rope pulley that tell you how many pounds you are pulling against.  And of course the new monitor that even tells you your pulse rate.  Yep, love the new one!

After the morning workout, I'll be doing cabinet work inside all day.  Gonna be a hot one!  I'll have to go outside to use the power tools, but most of the work will be inside in the AC.

This evening I'll finish assembling the catapults inside, in the air conditioning, and stain them when the sun goes down.

My morning weight was down to 229.6 this morning...AWESOME!!!  The diet and exercise is paying off! 

Kev

I got pretty involved with the cabinets yesterday, so this morning, after my morning workout and whatnot, I'll be assembling the catapults inside in the AC.  Then I have to run to Walmart and buy marshmallows and whatnot for the weekend, and also a very small cheap dome tent.  I have to be able to have a clean room for the spar urethane I'm using on the cabinets...the workshop is too dusty with sawdust, the RV is full of dog hair, and leaving them outside will result in too many bugs and dust getting stuck in the finish...lol!

So what I got accomplished yesterday was as follows.  I fit and finished the new cabinet doors that go under the sink, the same with the ones that go on the lower dinette openings, and made a new trim piece for where the new cabinet door is going in the dash, refinished the cup holder that comes out from the dash, and designed a special hinge for the new cabinet door in the dash...which has to be a revolving door style hinge, way offset to the side, in order to recess the door back as far as I want it to go and still be able to open it!  So it will be a pivot system, top and bottom, with protruding dowels as the axle.  Then I stained everything golden oak and have them hanging on wires from my stain rack. 

When I come home from the store with the tent this afternoon, I'll have to wait for the sun to go down, and then stain all the catapults outside on the stain rack, and put on the first coat of urethane on the the cabinet doors in the small dome tent. 

Then we have a hotterthanhell weekend coming up...I hope we get some customers!

The workout on the new Nordic Track Medalist was awesome!  Just being able to see what poundages I was working against got me working harder, and I was blissfully exhausted when done.  SWEET!

Alright, enough rambling....

Kev

 W% We're having a heat wave...a tropical heat wave... W%

Over a hundred degrees yesterday!  Ye gads!  And its supposed to be just as hot all weekend.

After completing the catapult assembly yesterday...inside in the RV in the air conditioning...I took a trip to wallyworld and bought a very tiny dome tent for 20 bucks...just enough for the varnish room.  And I picked up the marshmallows while I was there of course too.

A quick side trip to Lowes and I picked up 4 1x2 pine boards 4 feet long to use as a rest for the cabinet doors while they get varnished, and I scored 2 hinges for 4 buck each that are made for recessed cabinet doors...they swing out and away when you open them...SWEET!  So now I won't have to fabricate a swivel hinge for the front dash compartment.

Around 7:30 pm, a huge bunch of wind gusts came in and cooled everything down quite a bit, so I was able to stain the catapults and put the first coat of urethane on the cabinets a couple of hours earlier than I anticipated, which was great!

Once my coffee kicks in I'll bring the marshmallows and catapults up to the booth and set it up, then come home, work out on the Nordic Track, and take a quick shower...and by then it will be just about time to open up the booth for the weekend.  I seriously doubt we'll have much of a crowd with the predicted 100 degree weather forecast, but one can hope!

Kev

Quotea huge bunch of wind gusts came in and cooled everything down quite a bit,

Oh?  You mean the 80mph ones that tore down trees, resulted in thousands without power, tore up several things at the Kentucky NASCAR track and made one heck of a lightning show?

This heat wave sure is making things interesting.

Quote from: ClydesdaleKevin on June 27, 2012, 08:06 AM
LMAO!  It changed the spelling to b-stardo sword...too funny!

Kev

Well, the censored words program isn't faultless... LOL!  All I could think of for that word was, a scene from the movie Titanic, where the Italian kid curses out the crewman for shooting a passenger.

LOL Mark!  Hey, at least it was close enough to be understood in the context with a sword.  And yep Dave, the very same wind storm, but it didn't hit Eminence nearly as hard as Louisville...it came in out of nowhere hard and heavy and was a bit alarming, but no trees or tents went down, and the temperature dropped a good 10 degrees afterwards.

Very surprisingly, there was a decent turnout at the faire yesterday, especially considering the heat wave and the Nascar race.  We had our second best day this year at the faire, which isn't saying much, but it was better than the total washout we were expecting.  I sent Patti home around 3:30 though, as the heat index kept going up and up and up...it gets its hottest around here around 4-5 pm. 

More than likely though, this is going to be our last year at this show, and next year we'll just go on another boondocking adventure right after Oklahoma.  This show simply isn't worth the faire fees to do the show anymore.  The owners keep funneling away money to theirs and their daughter's horse farms instead of investing in advertizing.  And we're not the only ones who are going to leave...it will probably be a mass exodus.  This has been one of our worst years ever at this show, comparable to our first year 5 years ago, and typically a show gets better and better every year.

Around 9pm last night I brushed on the second coat of urethane on the cabinets, so tonight I'll flip them over and put on the first coat on the front side of the doors. 

Once my coffee kicks in, I'll pound out another 30 minutes on the Nordic Track before it gets way too hot again, and then it will be time for faire again.  Hopefully we have another decent day like yesterday.

Kev

A HUGE thunderstorm rolled in last night...lighting actually striking in the campground, so I didn't put the coat of urethane on the cabinet doors, but rather made sure the tent was secure and then glued the trim piece I made for the dash compartment in place with clamps.  I also had to wrap my Nordic Track in tarps because the wind was blowing the rain onto the porch!  I'm going to have to get a cover for it, maybe a heavy duty grill cover that I can put over it and cinch down.

It was another record breaking hot day yesterday, but surprisingly we made some sales to the few brave souls who came out to the faire.  I sent Patti home again to the AC around 2pm.

On the bright side, we won't have to build any catapults at all this week for closing weekend, so I get to work on the cabinets all week long, and maybe even get them all finished this week!

Since next weekend is closing weekend, I'll do all the RV mechanicals the following week.  The campground for New York opens the 21st, so that will give me 2 whole weeks when we get there to build up stock for opening day...no point in building it here this late in the game when we can do it there and not have to carry it all up there.  Plus, I have the use of a REAL workshop at that faire, indoors with lots of space, shelves, and work benches.  Yep, I like this plan!

So this morning I have to untarp the Nordic Track and set it back up, then work out and shower and whatnot.  Then I'll do the maintenance on the Nordic Track which I haven't done yet, then disassemble the old Nordic Track, stow the parts I want to keep, and put the rest in the dumpster.  Then its cabinet work all the rest of the day.

Next week its the grease fittings, trans fluid and filter and gasket, OEM trans cooler back in place, check all the belts and fluids, and of course fix the power steering...which is either just a loose belt or a bad pump from being overtightened by the AZ mechanic.  I'm hoping its just a belt, since it works at higher RPMs, but stops on lower RPMs, and the fluid level is fine.

If the heat wave is still here when we are ready to leave, we are seriously thinking about traveling only at night when its cooler, and staying in State Parks or other affordable RV parks during the day, but we'll see how the temps are, and how hot the RV runs in them after the work is done.

Never a dull moment!

Kev

So I accomplished everything I wanted to yesterday.  The sink and dinette cabinet doors are ready to be reinstalled, the cup holder is in place and secured by an extra rubber doghouse hold down I had laying around (underneath where you can't see it), and the dash cabinet door is fitted, hinged, and stained with golden oak Minwax. 

Today's projects include reinstalling the finished cabinet doors, fixing a small water leak at the water heater and under the kitchen sink, running plumbing lines, a drain line, and electrical to where the washer/dryer cabinet is going, cutting down and routering the cabinet doors for the washer/dryer cabinet (they are close, but need to be trimmed a bit), and getting the first coat of urethane on the dash cabinet door.  Since I'll have to run to Lowes, I'll go ahead and pick up the wood I need for the washer/dryer cabinet and all the plumbing and electrical stuff, and get to work on that cabinet too.

If I can get that cabinet done between today and tomorrow, I'll refit the cedar chest and get that bolted down too, hang the shelves in the bedroom, and maybe even get started on rebuilding the new livingroom computer desk and built in seat with dogfood storage under the cushion.

So first its Nordic Track time and a shower and breakfast...after my coffee kicks in.  Down to 226.4 lbs as of this morning...SWEET!

Always busy!

Kev

I got all the plumbing fixed...a local hardware store had what I needed, all the fittings and elbows and even the laundry fixtures made by Flair-It...awesome fittings that tie right into the old grey plumbing lines and also new PEX lines, just by slipping them on and tightening a collar...best ones I've ever used, and you don't have to use a PEX tool (expensive!) or the PEX bands, and you can remove them and reuse them if needed.  About 3 bucks a fitting, but worth it.  I didn't get to the drain yet, or the electrical wires, but I got the stuff to do it with. 

Dinette and sink doors are installed and look beautiful, and the first coat of urethane is on the dash door. 

Today's tasks include building a skid platform for my Nordic Track with 2x4s so I can keep it off the ground in the rain and level it if our camp isn't level, then use the 3/4" thick piece of plywood I have sitting under it now to use as a subfloor under the washer dryer cabinet...there is some water damage under the carpet where it is going, not bad enough to rip up the old plywood, but concerning enough to where I want to reenforce it with the new ply. 

Then I'll build the cabinet for the washer dryer, which will take most of the day, and get it stained this evening, and another coat on the dash door.  If I have time I'll run the wiring for the cabinet, and the drain pipe as well, but we'll see how much time I have left.  DANG copper wire is getting expensive!  I'll also be working on modifying the cedar chest into a cedar lined love seat today as well.

Tomorrow I'll urethane the new cabinet, finish any other detail work needed, and then hang the new oak shelves in the bedroom.  By Friday, all should be done and ready to reinstall everything...so it looks like I won't have time to build a new desk and seat with storage until New York...but I might be able to squeeze it in next week, since the mechanicals aren't going to take very long, maybe just a day.

After my morning coffee and Nordic Track workout, its time to get to work!

Kev

So this project isn't going as quickly as anticipated, but its going, and looking great so far!  I got the floor fixed and reenforced, the drain pipe and air break is installed for the washer dryer, the electric outlet is wired in, the cabinet doors are drilled, hinged, and coated with Minwax golden oak, the cedar chest is now sitting at couch height, the carpet is cut in, the tack strips are moved and installed where they need to go, and the first coat of urethane is applied to the front of the new dash door. 

I also built a frame from 2x4s for the Nordic Track to sit on, and stained and sealed it while I was at it with leftover stain from my last catapult run.  And wrapped it with a cheap tarp last night before bed just in case...we've been having some unpredictable thunderstorms lately here in Kentucky.

Today I have to finish the work on the cedar chest...still needs to have wood bracers installed inside to hold the lid up, I have to cut down the lid so it sits inside the opening of the cedar chest, sort of like the way our dinette's have a recessed panel that lifts up, and then install some oak trim pieces on it and bolt it down.  Then I have to make the body of the cabinet for the washer/dryer from start to finish, get is stained by this evening so it can get the first coat of urethane tomorrow, and make the temporary countertop for it from a nice aspen board I bought at Lowes, and get that stained as well.  (Patti wants to replace all the countertops with Corian eventually, but we can't afford that yet, so I have to make one that looks nice for now and will blend in with the rest of the furniture).  Then I have to put the first coat of urethane on the cabinet doors for the washer/dryer, and the final coat of urethane on the dash door, which I'll be able to install tomorrow.

If I have time today, I'll start modifying and hanging the new shelves and whatnot in the bedroom, getting rid of the crappy plywood stuff the previous owner put in, and at the same time giving us a nice place to put the DVD player and hiding all the wires.  I'll get as much of that done today, and finish it all up tomorrow, except the reinstall, since I have a few more coats of urethane to put on in the varnish tent before it can come back in the house and be bolted in.

Next week, it will be RV mechanicals, like the transmission fluid and filter and OEM cooler reinstalled, grease fittings greased, and the belts checked, and if necessary, the power steering pump replaced...but I'm hoping its just a loose belt.  If we have time...and money, since its last weekend here in Kentucky and its supposed to be HOT...I'll make and install the new desk, but realistically I think that is going to have to wait until New York.

Then after a week or so, we'll be making the 800 mile trip to New York...yay!  We'll finally make some real money again!

This morning I stepped on the scale, and it read 224.8...which means I have lost a grand total of 40 lbs so far!  Woohooooo!!!   :)clap   At least 25 more to go, but getting there!

So after my coffee, its Nordic Track time, then a shower and breakfast, then back to work on the cabinets.

Kev

Drink your coffee while eating breakfast on your Nordic Track in the shower... effective time management -  :)rotflmao

LOL Mark!

So this cabinet project is taking forever!  I SHOULD have them installed today, then taken back out and the first coat of urethane applied.  The dash door is ready to install, and the first coat of urethane is already on the cabinet doors.  Today I have to fit the cabinets back in, add wooden mounting blocks to the cabinets, then screw it all in place, unscrew it, put in moly bolts where it attaches to the hollow walls, reattach it, make sure everything lines up square and true, fit the countertop piece, which is going to recess inside the cabinet since its already high enough, then go get more golden oak stain and stain that too, touch up any stain, put a second coat of stain on the cabinet panel, since it didn't absorb the stain like the rest of the cabinet and is too light in color, get another coat of urethane on the cabinet doors, and so on and so forth.  If I get all of that done today, I might have time to modify and hang the oak shelves in the bedroom, but it looks like that might have to wait until next week.

Its going to look great, Patti will have her washer/dryer, and we'll have a couch of sorts again in the living room, but MAN this project is a pain in the butt!

Almost time to hop on the Nordic Track and get my morning routine over with so I can get to work.

Kev

The cabinet framework is all in place and the dash door is reinstalled.  The first coat of urethane is on the front of the cabinet doors, but there is only room in the varnish tent for them alone, so I left the framework inside and installed to keep them safe from the weather until I can urethane them.  The first coat of urethane will go on them Sunday evening.  I also got another coat of stain on the side panel, and a coat of stain on the temporary countertop.

So today begins the last weekend of the faire.  And the heat index is supposed to be 106...ye gads man!  Someone turn on the AC here in the midwest!   $@!#@!

I hope people show up and buy some catapults...we'll be okay either way, but things are going to get tight on just our savings...

Time to work out on the Nordic Track, shower and have breakfast, and then bring the marshmallows and fan and whatnot up to the booth. 

Kev

Another craptastic sales day in Kentucky, but we managed to pull off a few sales at least...and then I sent Patti home again back to the AC.  One more day today...supposed to be about 10 degrees cooler, so hopefully more people will come out.  Yep, we are definitely dropping this show, but we might pick up Saint Louis instead next year, which runs the month of June.

I got the last coat of urethane on the cabinet doors, so this evening I'll put the first coat of urethane on the countertop.  Yep, this project is still ongoing!  I'll be working on it all through next week while getting the engine stuff done at the same time.

New York is coming soon!  And as long as there isn't another hurricane and all the rain we had last year, we should do great!

Kev

It was a marginally better day at the faire yesterday, and we made JUST enough money to not be stressing out over finances, and will still be able to get the parts needed to change the transmission filter and gasket and fluid, reinstall the oem trans cooler, grease the fittings, and fix the power steering, be it just loose belts or in need of a new pump.

So in between finishing the washer/dryer cabinet and cedar chest love seat, and hanging the oak shelves in the bedroom, I'll also be working on the mechanical projects this week, getting them done as quickly as humanly possible while still doing all the jobs right. 

I'll also have to break down our show tent, set it back up in the campground, and wash it with water and my RV brush, let it dry completely, then pack it away in the RV compartments (can't use soap, since it would take the sealant out of the canvas).  I'll also have to pack up the workshop, check all the air pressures and fluids, and get ready to hit the road to New York.

Today's tasks are to get the side panel cut down and installed on the side of the cabinet, get the top cut down on the cedar chest, install the braces in the chest for the top, get the trim pieces reinstalled on the chest, make the oak trim pieces for the edge of the countertop, bolt the chest down, and then this evening put the last coat of urethane on the countertop.  Then I'll crawl under the RV and check the belt tightness at the power steering pump...if they are loose, then I'll just tighten them and that should be it...if they are tight, that means the pump is going out....which means my AZ mechanic overtightened the belts...grrrrrrr!!!  In any case, I'll then run out to town and get the parts I need, including new brackets for the OEM trans cooler, the trans fluid, the filter and gasket and gasket cement, and a tube of grease...and possibly the new pump.  That will give me all the parts I need on hand for the projects, and it should only take me a day or two, even with the pump...and of course working on the cabinets and shelves in between, and letting urethane dry at night in the varnish tent.

That should soak up all my time today.  I'm estimating that I'll have all the projects done by Friday, the 13th, including packdown, which will allow us to leave here on Saturday.  The weather gods appear to be letting up on us with the heat wave, and it looks like the temperatures here are going to be in the 80s all week and next week... :)clap Getting all the mechanicals done and packing down in over a hundred degrees would have sucked!

So after my coffee kicks in and I get in my morning workout on the Nordic Track, the projects will recommence! 

Kev

The cabinet side wall is installed...I found it easier to cut with a carpet knife and a straight edge than a saw...the cut came out perfect and clean.  Its all glued and nailed to the side wall, so tomorrow I have to take it all back out of the RV and put on the first coat of urethane...the countertop gets its last coat tonight.  The cabinet doors are hung on the cabinet, aligned, and roller latches installed to keep it closed for travel.  Looks great and professional, if I do say so myself!  The cedar chest to love seat conversion is also finished, and the chest is screwed down to the floor...I'll have to have cushions made for it when we get to New York.

Tomorrow morning I'll be running out to Napa for my transmission gasket and filter, some gasket cement, and then I'll go to Walmart and get 11 quarts of transmission fluid and a tube of grease.   I should have most of the mechanicals done tomorrow, depending on how long it takes me to replace one of the power steering belts and tighten up the rest!  Turns out that 2 of the belts going to the pump are loose, and one is totally off and mangled.  So before I run out to Napa in the morning, I'll have to remove that belt so I can get just the right sized one.  I'll also have to reinstall the OEM tranny cooler before we leave.

So now I'm off to the hardware store to get some more urethane bristle brushes so I can recoat the countertop this evening, and start urethaning the cabinet body tomorrow evening.

Wednesday is the day I break down my show tent and set it back up to wash it in the campground...and then pack it away once its dry.

And in between all these projects, I still have to pack everything else and hang the oak shelves in the bedroom...busy busy!

Kev

So today is the big day when I do all the mechanical stuff on the RV, or at least get started on it.  After my morning workout I'll throw on some work clothes and crawl under the RV and see what belt needs to be replaced on the power steering pump, if any...now I'm not so sure the belt laying in there slipped off or if it was left by the mechanic from when he changed all the belts...I'll know for sure when I count all the pulley grooves and see if any are empty.

So, off to the Nordic Track, then back to work on my huge list of stuff to do!

Kev

So I got the belts all fixed.  Had to get a shorter belt for the power steering and fix the pulley the mechanic damaged, but it went pretty quick.  Then I drained the transmission fluid, changed the filter, cleaned the pan, put the new gasket on, and tightened it back down.  Then I reinstalled the OEM transmission cooler, and poured 6 quarts of transmission fluid into the transmission, the amount that drained out.  I let it warm up to 150 degrees with my foot on the brake and the transmission in drive, then checked the fluid, and had to add a little more than a pint, which is what the transmission cooler holds, so yep, its spot on!

After that, I put one more coat of urethane on the countertop...it needed another coat so be as shiny as the rest of the cabinetry, since its aspen instead of oak, and doesn't have as tight a grain.

And that took my until around 7pm, when I was quite happy to take a nice hot shower!

Patti cleaned out and packed down the inside of our show tent while I was working, so today I have to break it down, bring it to camp, set it back up, and wash it with a hose and RV brush...no soap though, since I don't want to take the waterproofing out of it.  Then it has to dry completely before it can be packed away.

Then I'll fit the countertop to the cabinet and add the oak trim pieces, nail and glue them in place, then disassemble the whole cabinet and bring it out to the varnish tent so I can get the first coat of varnish on them tonight.

After that, I'll have to start getting the shelves hung in the bedroom and the oak trim pieces made and installed, and try to get that all finished today...I can't pack down the workshop and power tools until that project is done.

Tomorrow I'll start packing up the compartments and Jeep, and get everything stowed between Thursday and Friday, and put the final coat of urethane on the cabinet...which will allow me to reinstall it on Friday and be able to call that project done.

So it looks like we are right on schedule!  Patti is going to mail out some internet orders today while I get the other stuff done, so the Kevin and Patti team is on the job!

The gas can I bought at the flea market has done its job, and the RV is full right to the top with gas.  If we get our normal fuel economy, we should only have to stop for gas once along the way.

If all goes well, and I'm sure it will, we'll be hitting the road to New York bright and early Saturday morning...SWEET!

So now its Nordic Track time, breakfast, then back to work!

Kev

So the pavilion tent is all washed and pretty much dry...gotta get it packed up today, so hopefully it won't rain.  All the stock is ready to pack into the RV compartments and is sitting under a tarp in case it did rain.  And the cabinet body has its first coat of urethane. 

Today I have to pack all that down, then finish the shelves in the bedroom completely...I'll also pack up everything I probably won't need for the project in the workshop, and put the last coat of urethane on the cabinet this evening.  Then tomorrow all I'll have to do is finish packing up the workshop, reinstall the cabinet, which will finish that project, pack up the porch stuff into the Jeep, and make a massive dumpster run.  That will only leave the final battoning down process Saturday morning, like rolling in the awning and bringing the Nordic Track inside, and then we'll be on the road to New York!  Once we pull out of the faire, we'll stop in the parking lot of a nearby bank and hook up the Jeep, and then we're are on our way!

So far all is going according to plan...so hopefully the weather gods will be kind and it won't rain.  They've been predicting a possibility for thunderstorms every day this week, and those forecasts continue through the weekend.

Kev

Blue skies and safe travels!! 

Thanks Don!

So I ended up getting a phenomenal amount done yesterday.  The RV is all packed, the workshop is all packed down and stowed, and I even made the great big dumpster run...SWEET!

Everything that goes in the Jeep is staged and on the porch ready to load up.

I also got the last coat of urethane on the cabinet body, and modified and hung the shelves in the bedroom. 

That means that today is going to be a fairly light day comparatively.  I have to do the final install on the washer/dryer cabinet, take down the shelves in the bedroom and replace the screws with expanding molly bolts, take down the decorative box over one of the bedroom windows and fix it and hang it back up with mollies, make some sort of a tie down for the safe in the dash so it doesn't move around when travelling, glue back on a piece of rubber molding outside that came loose during the heat wave, and then go to the store with Patti to get a few things for the road trip.

When we return, I'll top off our freshwater tank, check and top off all the air pressures, check the fluids, and then finally load up the Jeep with everything on the porch except a couple of chairs, the small table, and the Nordic Track.

So Saturday morning all I have to do is roll up the awning, stow the chairs and table in the Jeep, fold up the Nordic Track and put it in the house, unhook and stow the electrical cable, hoses, and sewer hose, and hit the road!  And hook up the Jeep of course to the tow bar before we travel too far.

We'll be in New York soon enough!

I'll get started on all this after my morning coffee and workout...gonna be interesting working out on the road itself!  I'll be using the Nordic Track in the living room for the first time instead of on the porch.  Its paying off though!  43 lbs lost so far!

Kev

Kevin, perhaps you should consider bolting the safe into the dash through the bottom of the safe or a more secure location would be some place along the floor. 

Some grade 8 hex bolts of a fairly hefty size should do the trick, just remember to measure the length so that you can drill a cotter pin hole on the threaded end (which you want inside the safe) so that you can pin the bolts so they can't be backed out :).

That is the eventual plan, Redneck!  Right now we just have a fire safe, but want to upgrade to one with a combination lock that can be bolted down...just gotta wait until we can afford it...lol!

I got the cabinets done yesterday, washed the nose of the RV (lots of bugs in the grill and on the windshield from the trip to Kentucky from Oklahoma), rinsed the dust off the Jeep, and stowed my extra hoses.  Also checked the tire pressures on the Jeep and RV, and aired up the Jeep's rear air shock, and topped off the front air bags in the rig.  Checked all the fluids, and then began the final packdown.

So the Jeep is now loaded up, with enough room left over for the stand I made for the Nordic Track, the last 2 porch chairs, and the 2 porch mats...and the other few things left that need to go in the Jeep. 

After my morning workout, I'll bring the Nordic Track inside the living room and fold it flat, then stow the rest of the stuff in the Jeep, roll up the awning, and bring in the the shore cable and hoses.  Then dump the tanks and bring in the sewer hose...already filled the freshwater yesterday.

Patti is almost done battoning down the inside of the rig, and will have that finished in no time, so we'll both shower in the shower house after breakfast, and then we'll hit the road!

We decided to hook up the Jeep in the faire parking lot, right near the exit...way easier than trying to negotiate the RV in the bank parking lot, especially since they are open on Saturdays.

So thus endeth the chapter.  Next up, New York!

Kev

Kevin, I am on the 6th day of 10 at Boy Scout camp.  You might have a good understanding of that.  It has FINALLY rained.  Got about 1/2 inch yesterday.  Cooled things down quite a bit and, more importantly, settled the dust.  We have 27 boys and 26 adults.  5 of the adults don't have any kids in the troop.  We just take the kids to camp to have an excuse to play in the woods.  This is my tent partner snoring away.  I'll bet any of you would trade in your air conditioned RV to be in a hot tent with 27 screaming kids running through the campground.  It's a great life!
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi903.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac232%2FQuietWater%2Fphotobucket-1869-1341955667015.jpg&hash=d28194e49346ed697447e90c8d2dc8e348122c4e)

Ah...those were the days Dan! 

I'd still love to do some tent camping some time...being a fulltime RVer, I don't really consider this camping anymore...lol!

Kev