Checking off some more boxes off the pre-winter checklist.

Despite having to dodge the rain throughout the day, I did manage to get some stuff done this weekend.

I don't think I will have enough warm weather for concrete left this year, so I put a second piling next to the one that looks like it is washing out.  I don't think both of them will wash out, so this should hold until I get some free time and nice weather next year.


In addition, I got the outrigger supports cut and installed today.  They are very tight, I had to measure each on individually (it appears some of my rafters are not perfectly straight...), but they are all in and good and snug.  This is mostly because I was lazy when I built the outriggers and didn't build/install them in the traditional manner.


I hope to get the design for the ridge board rafter supports done tonight.  It is just the board that attaches the rafters on each side together around the ridge board, so it should be simple.

I also started to install driveway markers.  I need a lot more than I bought though.  I only got about halfway up one side of the driveway...


A side project I am working on during the too-cold-for-paint stretch of weather we have been having is an air conditioner cover for one of my coworkers.  I designed it on one of my trips to Valence.


I have the 2x6 outer frames marked up and ready to be cut.



So here is the updated to-do list before winter:

1. Buy a new truck.
2. Install the outrigger supports on the shed.
3. Install the inter-rafter supports for the ridge board.
• Hopefully get the design done tonight.
4. Rework the pilings for the shed.
5. Remove the trailer tanks.
6. Sand and paint the trailer.
• In progress
7. Weld the new pieces onto the trailer.
• This will likely get pushed out to next year.
8. Put gravel down in the driveway.
• Nice to have.
9. Install driveway markers.
• In progress
10. Stabilize the mowers.
11. Cover the piles and stuff on the slab.
12. Electrical panel work.
• Nice to have
13. Install the mailbox.
• Nice to have

A day late, but weekend progress.

I didn't do much on Saturday.  I went to a party and spent most of the day chopping up veggies and making creole rice.

Sunday I went up and did some prep work.  It was too cold to apply the rust converter, but the trailer is at the point where I just need a quick wire brush (literally just a quick gloss over) and then roll it on.  I removed the various screws and things attached to the frame.   I also hit all of it with the grinder and wire wheel, so I just need to knock off the fresh rust before I convert it.

Screw holes


There were still running lights on the sides.


I also cleaned out from underneath the trailer.  It was quite messy, and not fun to crawl around in.  Some of the dirt got blown back under, since it was very windy, but it is still much more pleasant to lay in.  This way I can also use a creeper to get around underneath the frame.


All I need is a warm day at this point, I have the roller, a tray, and the gallon of converter (which I hope is enough).

I also measured the distance needed for the outrigger/rafter supports.  Hopefully those will be marked and ready to cut tonight, though I will probably wait for tomorrow to actually do the cutting.  I am also working on an AC cover for one of my coworkers, so I will hopefully get that drawn up tonight so I can create a bill of materials.

Quite the reversal from yesterday.

Unlike yesterday, I got a lot done today.  The sun was out and everything dried up by the time I rolled out of bed.  It was warm enough to boot too.

Unfortunately I had another casualty today.  I busted my pry bar.  It isn't supposed to be straight...


And this was on top of its existing "condition".  Fortunately I have dad's nice one, this one just happened to be on top of my toolbox which is why I grabbed it.


The back quarter or so of the trailer frame is complete.  This was all completed using the wire wheel.


So apparently all that time in France eating lots of food and not working out at all has made me a wimp, this was a lot harder work than I expected.

All the underlay is off too.


On a side note, the axle design on this trailer isn't like any I have seen before.  Hopefully it isn't an issue, since the tiny home will be a lot heavier than the camper that was previously on it.


For the rest, I will likely be using a rust converter.  It arrived this evening.  The hope is that it is a lot faster, since there is no cleaning, just glob it on and it does the rest.  It will be interesting to see next spring which one held up better.

Weather didn't cooperate, not a lot done

The weather for today did not meet expectations.  Everything was wet because it rained last night, but it was supposed to be decreasing clouds and in the 70s.  It never got past around 62, and didn't hit that until almost 4 when the sun came out, and the frame never really dried off.  So I didn't get any painting done today.  I did get a bunch of the underside ripped off though.





There are two things left to remove.  This bolt was being very obnoxious.  I think I will just cut it off tomorrow.


And this bar is the former support for the stairs.

Beginnings of painting and tanks gone.

Yesterday I got the aluminum side corner pieces off.


The ones on the ends are still in place since they are kind of a pain to get out.


I had a half day off from work, so I managed to get up to the property and get some more work done.  I got the last tank and spare tire removed, and started the trailer.

The pile of crap of everything that has been removed.


I originally though Matt might have missed the spare tire when he was hacking things away with the reciprocating saw.  That was not the case.


Today's main weapon of choice was the grinder.  The wire wheel works well.  The grinder's sincere lack of power (it is dying) wasn't a big issue either.  The one I got for the drill works as well, but is much slower.  I was intending to use some rust converter, but apparently my home depot doesn't stock it.  I have some on order, but want to get as much done as possible before the weather gets too cold again.


I also got the first part of it painted.  I didn't go all the way back since I intend to remove that and properly extend the back a couple of feet.


It is nice and shiny.


I am reconsidering leaving the metal on the bottom on.  I don't want to reuse the styrofoam (I know there are ants at least living in it), and it is glued down to it.  In addition there are a bunch of holes in it.  I would probably spend as much time repairing it as I would installing new.   If I can come up with a quick way to get rid of the styrofoam it might still be worth leaving it but if not, it might be easier to just remove it and install new.

Hole:


Wheel well:


Obnoxious pain in the butt styrofoam.

Nearing ready for the trailer painting and some leaf peeping.

Unfortunately no pictures today as I forgot the camera, but I made some progress, despite the fact that most of my tools are in my car which is at the mechanics, getting my tires rotated and replacing the rear bearings since they were starting to make noise.

I still had my grinder (without the wire wheel) and the reciprocating saw though, so I was able to complete the removal of the flooring in the front.  There was one board left where the ants had colonized the trailer.  I also got the outer bent parts of the aluminum skin off.  The last thing I managed to get done was I got the black water tank out.  It was easy since the supports were rotted through anyways, I just cut them out and the tank came with them.

Most of the interior of the frame is cleared at this point, I also got the ducting removed as well as most of the plumbing that was still in there.  There is still tank in there (the gray water tank) that was being obnoxious, but shouldn't bee too bad once I have my full complement of tools.

Unfortunately, when I left there was just the beginning of surface rust on the support beams, but it is now much more rusted.  I know it has been exposed to the elements for the first time, but I really didn't expect it to rust this quickly.  I might end up trying the rust converter anyways.  It is a bit more expensive, but also gives me a base primer on the metal, so I don't need to do 3-5 coats with the paint+primer I bought.

It is supposed to be nice for the first half of the week, so I will hopefully have more updates tomorrow with actual pictures.

Second Valence Trip pictures are up.

All of my work trip photos are up:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147455986@N05/albums/72157675155928936

I finally got to see the Eiffel Tower.  I had to sacrifice dinner in Paris to see it, but it was worth it.  In hindsight, I should have gone to the Eiffel tower, gotten dinner in downtown, and then just taken a cab home, since the subways leading back to the hotel stopped at 11PM, which was the reason we had to skip dinner.  At least we know for next time.

Other than that, not a whole lot of adventures on this trip, it was too short.

Our rental car this time was an Opel Astra.  It was brand new (only 9000km on it).  It is good to know that I haven't forgotten or really gotten rusty on driving a stickshift.  I had no stalls or anything like that.  The car actually wasn't bad.  Much better than the Citroen C3 we had last time.

The exterior was just like any other hatchback, here a quick rundown of the interior can be seen on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA-0GXfqbTk

New truck!

I finally traded in the crappy old Dodge that I had and got a newer 2011 Toyota Tundra.  I went and picked it up today.  It was a long walk to the dealer (my bicycle decided to bust its schrader valve last night when I went to put air in the tires), a little over 7 miles.  My feet hurt, but it was worth it.

Profile Shot


It has the towing package, and there are two plugs there, a 6 pin and a flat 4.


It has a bedliner, and a cover.  Not sure how I feel about the cover yet.


The only physical blemish on the outside of the truck.


Spacious back seat.  The seats fold up, just like my dodge.


Driver door.  Power windows and locks.  And a random cubby hole.


I haven't quite figured out what all the buttons are, but power mirrors, the dome light control, bed light.


I haven't figured out the steering controls yet either.


I haven't seen a cruise like this in a while.


It has the hauling mode, and the shifters for the manumatic mode, though I haven't figured out how to actually engage that yet.


A very nice simple control panel.  The radio does have XM satellite radio, but I probably won't pay for it.  FM still works fine for me.  It also has an auxiliary 3.5mm and a USB port.  I also got a free CD with it, there was still a Simon and Garfunkel CD in the radio.  One more thing I like - the AC is not forced on when defrosting.


Another cubby hole and two 12V outlets.


Pull out cupholders, like my dodge, only these ones don't creak and groan like the Dodge's did.


Trailer brake tester/adjuster.


It has an additional compartment over top of the glovebox.


Floor mats, vinyl ones that won't collect moisture (I hope).


It also has a manual rear window.


When the bed cover was installed, it looks like they didn't part of it correctly.  It is just silicone though, nothing that will cause rusting issues later in the truck's life.

To do list before winter

Today I went up, checked on everything, cleaned up a little bit of the lot since some of the styrofoam pile blew around, and started to build a checklist of everything that needs to be done before winter sets in, since fall came and is going fast.  When I left for France, we were consistently in the upper 80's and my air conditioner was still in use.  My windows have not been opened since I returned, and today is the first time my apartment has hit 70 since I got back.  Since I will be gone again next week, time is rapidly running out.  I had originally figured with how warm we had been that I would be able to work well into November, but that doesn't appear to be the case anymore.

Here is the list, roughly prioritized (with any limitations that might affect it):

1. Buy a new truck.
2. Install the outrigger supports on the shed.
• Needs to be done before snowfall.
3. Install the inter-rafter supports for the ridge board.
• Needs to be done before snowfall.
4. Rework the pilings for the shed.
• Needs to be done before the ground freezes.
5. Remove the trailer tanks.
6. Sand and paint the trailer.
• Needs to be warm enough to paint.
7. Weld the new pieces onto the trailer.
8. Put gravel down in the driveway.
• Preferably before the ground freezes, but not required.
9. Install driveway markers.
• Needs to be done before the ground freezes.
10. Stabilize the mowers.
11. Cover the piles and stuff on the slab.
• Needs to be done before snowfall.
12. Electrical panel work.
• This is a nice to have, I will be losing the generator before winter.
13. Install the mailbox.
• Needs to be done before the ground freezes. 
• This is a nice to have, strictly speaking it is not necessary.

It is foliage season here, so it was a pretty drive up there, though my specific lot hasn't really begun changing yet.  I did however see a pretty blue butterfly enjoying the sun.