North Carolina, 2013

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Before we leave I also have to fix the crack in the additional freshwater tank we installed.  Eternabond doesn't stick to polyethylene all that well so it seems.

Only one real answer - Plastic welding.  Works great and is not hard.  Make sure there is no water in the area to be repaired or it will steam up creating bubbles that will leak.

80 watt soldering iron
White polyethylene ice maker tubing.

Dave

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Thanks Dave!  That is exactly what we are planning to do.  The crack is near the top right under the filler hose inlet, about 6 inches long.  Should be a pretty straightforward repair, and can be done in place if I take everything out from under the bed first.

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Another day, another lots-of-dollars hopefully!

I set the booth up before I left last night, so I can relax a bit this morning and drink lots of coffee.

The pups woke me up again last night around 3am to go out...that's a good thing!  But man I can't wait to sleep in someday...lol!

Kev

[pvoth1111]

Harbor freight sells a plastic welding kit comes with everything you need and they sell assortments of the plastic rod as well....not all plastic is the same.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

I tried the Harbor Freight Plastic Welder kit.  I found the soldering tip to be too light weight for this application.  It would bend and finally break.   I recommend a Weller 80 watt iron with a wide tip.

Dave   

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Yep...going with the Weller and the coil of icemaker tubing for sure!

Last day of Hell Week is DONE!  Not the best sales day, but acceptable.  Actually not a bad thing though.  It means I still need to do a full run of the cheaper catapults which I can build quickly, but I don't have to build to completion any other catapults for next weekend...I'm pretty ahead of the game this year.

That means I can make and prep a lot of PARTS this week, which is what takes so long, and have them at the ready for the following week.

Which will give me time to install the water heater and fix the soft spot in the floor.

Yay!

Bourbon time!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Lots to do today!  Have to get the mail...the new Corningware coffee pot arrived...go get materials and outdoor carpeting (which is how we are going to try to keep the new inside carpet cleaner, by laying it outside the entrance of the RV to help keep dirt from being tracked inside), get back and put my materials away, install the outdoor carpet on the dirt porch, then make a big garbage run to the dumpsters.

Also gotta change out the peat moss in the composting toilet.

At 1pm Patti has an appointment to finally get the stint removed, so hopefully the x-ray will show the stone particles gone and they'll remove it and she can finally be back to her bouncy self!

And that is pretty much all I have planned on my "day off"...lol!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

All items on my list are done!  Except the outdoor carpeting.  I'll get that done by the end of the week.

While at Lowes, I noticed the rubber floor mats, the ones that look like puzzle pieces along the edges, were on sale!  So I picked up 4 packs of them.  It was enough to do the whole floor of the RV so we could throw out the pet stained throw rugs, with one pack left over...in case the puppies thing they are good to chew on!  And Paladin already started chewing on one.  It will make housebreaking a lot easier.  We'll probably put them back in over the new carpet next week with pet pads underneath until the housebreaking is complete.

And the best news of the day!  They were able to remove the stint from Patti's kidney, and she's already feeling almost back to normal...a little wonky from the pre-procedure meds, but she'll be back to herself by tomorrow...SWEET!!!

By the time all was said and done, it was past 4:30pm...so I get SOME of the day off now...lol!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Patti says she feels GREAT today!!!  SWEET!!!

She wants me to take her grocery shopping first thing this morning...whole beef tenderloins are on sale today at Harris Teeter!...Then I have to get all my parts cut, planed, and chopped out today and get started on the drilling process. 

The Corningware coffee pot came in yesterday...and MAN does the coffee taste extra good this morning!  Once you get used to a perked cup of Joe, drip coffee just barely cuts it!

The Girard water heater is supposed to arrive on Thursday some time, so I have to get everything done before Thursday night so I'll have all day Friday for the install.

Kev

[Stripe]

Good to hear Patti's doing way better!

The Corningware coffee pot came in yesterday...and MAN does the coffee taste extra good this morning!  Once you get used to a perked cup of Joe, drip coffee just barely cuts it!

I made my GF read that part....  She had no comment..  This stems from our argument that perked coffee was worse than drip.  I disagreed when she said that perked coffee doesn't taste as good..
Let's see how long it is until she starts talking to me again..

[M & J]

Shame, shame, shame.......

[Stripe]

 W%

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LMAO!!!  Perk coffee done right is way better than drip.  Not as bitter, but richer with more flavor.  If its done right.  Otherwise it can be way too bitter.

Here is how we do it:

Add your hot water to the perc pot.  We love the Corningware type because they leave no metallic taste.  With a perk pot you can start with hot water...makes it perk faster.

Add your favorite grind to the basket.  If you don't grind your own beans, or the grind is too fine, you'll see our remedy for that below.

Now put the perk pot on the flames, and let it come to a good rapid perk for a couple of minutes, but not enough to boil over...then turn down the flame really low, so its still perking, but over a very low flame.

Let it perk for a few more minutes.

Voila!  A perfect cup of joe!

If your grind is too fine, like it often is when you buy preground coffee, pour your coffee through a strainer basket into your cup so you don't have grounds floating in your coffee.  We use a small stainless steel fine mesh strainer.

If done right, even cheap beans or a cheap grind like Maxwell House tastes good in a perk pot.  Start using good Columbian coffee, and its awesome!  Start grinding your own beans, and you'll be in heaven!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Well, looks like a got a day off yesterday after all.  A painful day off!

Since taking my desk out for the carpet install, I've been sitting on the porch to read or be on the computer...leaning way over with my weight resting on my elbows.  My shoulder hasn't been happy about it the last couple of days, and totally rebelled yesterday!  MAN was it painful!  It was behind the shoulder blade, and was so bad I could barely move my neck either.

I made sure I sat straight all day and was careful how I slept last night.  Its still sore this morning, but at least I'll be able to get my work done.  No way I was going to be able to chop and drill the way my shoulder was yesterday.  Getting older sucks...lol!

Not a big tragedy though...I'll still be able to get all my work done by Thursday night, then install the new water heater on Friday.

Gotta take the pups out, then fire up the equipment...time to wake the hippies!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

I got everything cut out and drilled, and all the dowels sanded and in the dehydrator.  Also got most of the armatures sanded, although I still have to make a dozen more.

Today I have to sand the sides for the Bandit catapults, then assemble them all and string them all, and of course stain them all...but all that won't take me more than a few hours.

The water heater is on the truck for delivery today, so I'll pick it up from the mail shed this afternoon and look in the box to see what exactly I'll need for the project.  If I need anything obvious, I'll run up to Lowes or Home Depot this evening to I'll have the parts on hand.

According to the manual I downloaded, it looks like the hot and cold water inlets are in relatively the same position as the original ones on the old Atwood.  12 volts is already in place in the compartment, so the only thing I can think of that may be problematic is the length of the original propane line.  I'm not sure how much play I'll have, or if I'll have to extend it, or what.

I'll also have to buy a hose coupler and hose clamps to connect the two engine coolant lines to each other, since the original onboard has the engine heat exchanger option.

It was bloody cold out this morning...30 degrees!  In North Carolina, and its not even November yet.  I'm hoping this isn't going to be a super cold winter, although Patti says her joints don't hurt for once.  She's been taking hyaluronic acid and glucosamine for her rhumatoid arthritis, and she says she hasn't been this pain free in 30 years!

And she feels even better today since they removed the stint in her kidney.  My Patti is BACK!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

So we got all the catapults done, although we still have to stain them tomorrow, and the much anticipated water heater arrived.

I won't be able to install it tomorrow though, since there is apparently a difference in cutout size between an Atwood hot water heater, and the Suburban, which is the type of door and flange the new water heater came with.

So 68.00 later, I ordered the right door and flange (I'll sell the other on eBay hopefully), so the project will commence on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

So tomorrow I'll fix the soft spot in the floor, recoat the floors with Kilz, and go get and install an 11 foot piece of outdoor carpet in front of the coach to try to keep the new carpet cleaner.

I'll also pick up a small lazy susan, so my welding friend can retrofit it to replace the worn bearings in our passenger seat pedestal.

So tomorrow its projects instead of catapults, just not the water heater yet.

Kev

[Stripe]

Cool..  And the coffee instructions got saved..

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LOL!  Just be aware that its getting harder to buy Corningware coffee pots on eBay.  They were all recalled in the late 70s because of the glue in the 74 version coming apart were the metal meets the ceramic.  Earlier and later versions didn't have the problem, but someone tried to sue eBay when theirs came apart, so eBay stopped letting them be sold period, regardless of year.  If you read the listings carefully though, a lot of the folks selling the "parts" will throw in the pot for free.

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

BRRRRRR its cold today, and tonight is supposed to get below freezing!

I'm going to have to leave our water on at a trickle so the hoses don't freeze.

Hopefully it doesn't get cold enough to kill the flowers at our booth!

Once it warms up a bit I'll be cutting out the bad section in the floor and see what kind of braces I need to install to support the new piece of plywood, if any.

Once that is finished, I'll be making a trip down to Home Depot for stain and Kilz and whatnot, and an 11X12 piece of outdoor carpet, then get back, lay the carpet down outside, put the pups in the yard, and put another coat of Kilz on the floor.

Also have to pick up dog food and marshmallows as well, and bag up water beads this afternoon...I sure don't want to do it tomorrow morning when the temps are freezing!

Coffee first, then back to it!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Everything on my list got done...sweet!  The floor is fixed and kilzed, the outdoor carpet is laid and staked down, I got dog food and a bigger collar and a name tag for Paladin, and got the catapults stained and the water beads bagged up.

The only thing I forgot to do was pick up a lazy susan for the chair pedestal, but there is still time...I'll just have to make sure I do it next week!

Time to read for a bit!

Kev

[sasktrini]

Kev, being new around here, I have no idea what you are talking about, building all these catapults.  Curiousity is killing me though.  I enjoy reading your adventures and advice.  Got pics of some of these things you are talking about?

Cheers.  Corey

[Mr. T]

Go to the home page and scroll down to the bottom.  Kev has an advertisement called Seige of the day.  Lots of pictures, etc.


Don T.

[sasktrini]

   That's too cool!

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Thanks!  It sure is a fun way to make a living, and finance all our vacations in between!  I love being a fulltime RVer!

Its COLD this morning, I tell ya!  28 degrees!  Brrrrrrrrrrrrr....

We should still be busy at the Faire today though...its Halloween weekend, and kids get in free, and then trick or treat at all the booths.  The Faire provides the candy, so this weekend is always nicely busy.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a lot warmer...thank goodness!

Kev

[ClydesdaleKevin]

It was a great day at faire!  Even being as cold as it was, having Patti back to herself equalled great sales, and it was busy enough too!

Should be an even better day tomorrow.  We had a delightful dinner with old friends of Patti's at The Outback after work...they came to Faire to visit, up from South Carolina.

We are probably going to go visit them for a couple of days when this faire ends, on our way to visit my sister in St. Mary's, GA.

Hanging with the pups for a while, going to read a bit, then go to sleep.

Gonna be a busy day tomorrow!

Kev