Flies

Small job nearly done.

I didn't write about it at the time, but I had a hell of a job getting the front window sorted out. Below is a picture of the original front right window, and you can see black bits in the window (shown on left)

Well, as I only needed one window, and the other one was better I wasn't going to use it. But I broke the other one, hey ho.
The window is made from 2 pieces of plastic bonded together with an air cavity. There are 2 tiny holes on the inside at the top, and on the outside at the bottom. The holes are supposed to be sealed with little plugs, but these are long gone.

The black stuff you can see almost looks like dirt, on close inspection you can tell it is years accumulation of flies who have foolishly flown or crawled through the little holes and died, the decomposed to varying degrees. I thought 'there's nothing wrong with this window, but I don't want to look at that!' and so it begun.

Google was some help, but not much, the most common viewpoint was 'let the, rest in peace'.

I was successful in getting out every corpse, body part, bit of dirt. This is how:

• Numerous rinsings with warm water into the holes at one end, slosh it around, and run through 
• As above but with bleach, followed by soap, then more warm water
• Submerge the whole thing in the bath for a proper soak, then run dry
• At this stage it was a lot better, but there were some stubborn souls.
• Vacuum cleaner carefully over a hole (do not seal the other holes, it pulls the plastic faces together not helping)

And now for the killer technique!

• Bend over a pin to mak a hook, that just fits inside the hole.
• Use this to impale and drag the last clamped on corpes.

Feeling very happy with myself, I reinstated the window. Now about 2 months down the line I happen upon an ad on eBay for caravan window bungs! I hadn't even looked, the seller was
http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/caravanbitzmark?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
now they have arrived, I try to fit them, and notice 2 flies have got in! 1 is dead and 1 crawling around. Anyway the holes ar 2 small, I use a 5.5mm drill bit to enlarge it- you have to be careful not to go too far with this. Below is the result, I will have to get the the fresh corpse and plastic shavings out, I expect just the vacuum cleaner will do it.

News

Long delay since my last report, not to say nothing's been done, just that I haven't written.

So, it's not leaking but there are still issues with a few bits of damaged panel around the bottom, and the seals are not all perfect yet.
But I am now cracking on inside.

Alan has helped with the insulation too, so there is quite a lot of progress to report. Insulation now almost complete to both sides (2 x 20mm, existing and recycled from ceiling and other bits and bobs)

 Before doubling up

After.

And the front (50mm Celotex, 75mm in some parts as there is more space)

And the ceiling (50mm Celotex)

Then adding 3.6mm plywood is quite easy, either staple gun or nails into the timber frame.

I don't have enough plywood to finish but will leave the centre front bit a while as I plan to route wires here.

Easter part 2

Sunday

Rain expected until mid-afternoon so I just saw some wood at home and stay away.
It clears a bit later than forecast so I put in an evening shift. No photos, but I make steady progress:

1. Fill hole in floor with 18mm marine ply (cut earlier at home), underlaid with spare polystyrene. This will need bolting securely with strips of wood underneath the repair, another day...
2. Work on the side windows. I understand them now having done the front panel. I strip the inside section of the rubber seal away so I can thicken the walls on both sides with strip pine
3. Try to get the corroded steps out from under the door. This is hard, I only manage to loosen 1 of 4 bolts. I will have to cut a groove in the bolts, they are round, and turn when I move the nut - WD40 is not enough. I haven't got a Dremmel, google suggests I can do this with a circular saw, next time...

Monday
Forecast is good, I hope to get the rest of the J section on today and tidy. It goes kind of slow, I am being careful to ensure all the internal wood is secure and in good contact with the aluminium. I am determined to do better bending the Js today. Back half of right hand side goes OK, the bend is quite sharp, while the J doesn't stay perfect it's not bad. By the next one (front half left side) I have the technique, it isn't perfect, but this is what I recommend:
Gently hold the aluminium in position and nudge around the bend. Do not keep applying force at the same point but wiggle it about so the pressure is spread around the curve. I found given the amount of bend, and the size of the aluminium this only worked to an extent.

You go past that point, and the J does find a weak point and the symmetry is lost. However, you can correct this after, when the profile is in place with careful use of a hammer and chisel/ object to hit.

I decide not to put the last piece up, instead tidy up what I have done, this first means undoing the extra overlap hence change of shape around the front right corner I described last time (see last pictures from previous post). This looks like a bodge, and I don't want to have to see it. So I peel back some of the new rail, remove the nails onto the timber underneath. I then need to install a more carefully shaped piece of pine to hold the original shape - this matches what I did on the other side. The original aluminium was damaged in this area, which is why I had the not so bright idea to conceal it.

 Good decision, I have a couple of holes in the aluminium to deal with, but this will not be a big problem, I will use Isopon 38.

Other pictures of the finished sections (I will try again to improve the shape of the rail another day).

Easter, part 1

Back for 4 days, more or less uninterrupted so I have high hopes!

Quite rainy on day 1, so I stay inside and try to sort out more of the timber framework. First some good news, I thought my centre rail repair last time was a bit dodgy but inside in the rain it is perfectly dry! Also all round the new panel and reinstated window is dry, maybe I can do this!
Make quite a lot of progress, but its not very interesting stuff. I hack out some of the ply below the roof on the leaky side, install framework around the window on one side, and generally tidy up.

Day 2.
Good weather, so I arrive early after a stop at the hardware store to get a handful of stainless steel screws and a suitable drill bit for the awning rail (to be done with aluminium J section). I am following ideas from the 1973 Bedford campervan restoration blog that I have given a link to. I ordered quite a wide J though, www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk, as my edge is not very neat. The idea is the edging will be a feature.
First I strip all the duct tape off both sides and clean off the residue - white spirit then meths. The get to work with my hammer and chisel to get the overlap right and secure with plenty of nails on the vertical.

On the leaky side, and despite my best efforts to lower the ceiling now the ply is out of the way, there is about a mtere length where there is no overlap. I use plenty of nails on both sides to make the best of it.

All round I fill an old nail holes with Isopon 38 (car body sealer).
Oh, I had a chat with a passing caravanner, and he reckoned 'you know what you're doing!'
Now for the fun bit. I rough out how far the first 4m run of aluminium will go, prepare 2 holes, and insert foam backer rod (to hopefully stop the J collapsing when I press it round the bends).

Stood vertically the excess foam wafts around in the wind and looks kind of eerie in the fading light, I wish I'd videod it.

My original plan was to use narrow (18mm) mastic roll and beef up on the vertical wirh tube stuff, but I go for the standard (32mm) to ensure it covers all. I had to beef up the wood at the bottom of this side due to rot, I end up overlapping the aluminium more which changes the shap a bit ( not much). My first fix is close to the rail above the window, then I go for the bend. It goes OK but does collapse a bit... I can't undo the bend, the seal is still good, but not quite as pretty as I hoped. I think this is because the J profile I am bending is quite big (18mm wide), and it is a bit cold. I will be more careful with the next one. The fix along the roof goes well, but not quite so easy down the front, where I forced the aluminium overlap. It's getting dark, will have to quit, but it will be OK I think!

New front panel

More fine weather so I decide to go for replacing the front panel. First a rough
layover of the new composite panel.

My measurements are Ok I think. Now to remove all 3 windows and the surrounding aluminium, which is in small pieces. I will keep the bottom section to provide a key for the new panel.

Some collateral damage, yes he was still alive!

I attach the new panel with 3 screws on each side and a strip of mastic on all 4 sides, it goes on OK.

Then I realise my error, in putting the window cavity as high as I thought possible, I failed to allow space for the window hing mechanism at the top. After considering a few options, I enlarge the hole and end up having to fill a gap at the top, the repair is just visible above the window in the picture below. I did the repair with the strip of composite aluminium from the bottom and some car body sealant, which sets like araldite.

It was a bit fiddly but the end result is good, and now all the internal wood around the front is replaced and secure.

I wrap up the remaining unprotected joints with duct tape, and will be back at Easter.

More sunshine

Day 2
Found I have acquired  a six-pack of bruises from extreme leaning over the ladder. 2 on my hip bones, 2 on my upper thighs and 2 just above the knees - no picture of that sorry sight!

A sunny start, first I go to the hardware store to get some replacement screws and a new screwdriver!

Next I loosen all the screws down the centre rail, then one by one replace them with new ones. Pick up the Sikaflex 221 and bulk out the mastic to ensure it seals. I work down the length af few times, doing a bit on each run before the penny drops; this sealant is not right, it is starting to set. I had googled it and found it was 'flexible', but this is not enough, it needs to be non-setting.
At least the sun is shining, but I go about undoing my work and picking out the duff sealant before it dries. Quick call to the caravan dealer, 'Whitford's', confirms my suspicion, so I break for lunch and head over there to get the right stuff.
Catch the weather forecast over lunch and they promise showers in the next few hours, just when I wanted some luck...
Anyway, I get the rights stuff, jam it in, tighten the screws just enough before the heavens open. The excess sealant is squeezed out, just as it should be.

Do a quick dash down each side wiping the sealant close but am out of time.

Hunker down out of the rain. Later it stops, and  I find evidence of a small leak, the rain is gone at least an hour before I venture back onto the roof to mop up and add a bit more sealant. I take the interruption to rip out the fridge and sink, they can go up to the dump - an early decision vindicated  when I see the state of them (below).

The big push

Finally some time off work, and good weather!
Plan this week is to get the roof completely sealed and the front panel replaced with the aluminium composite I ordered at about Christmas.
First morning, I take the centre rail off entirelly and clean up all the old mastic with white spirit, then meths..

The paint I have ordered for the job has arrived, and I toy with idea of painting before reattaching the rail. Decide against. I don't have all the panels ready, and it'll rain again for sure!
I use a roll of standard width mastic, and realise too late how sticky it is/ how tricky it is to get the rail in the right place first time! End up wasting some....

With the awkward angles leaning from the side, I find it hard to generate enough force to tighten the screws enough. But the mastic is non-setting, I'll buy some more  screws and try again tomorrow.