marcro

Yep, I'm very pleased with the floor, the micro vee detail between planks makes the floor look older than it is. Still debating the finish....satin or semi gloss?? My knee is all self inflicted, its been operated on 4 times over the years.......the result of being a boat builder and playing competitive ice hockey and inline hockey. The bad news is I will have to sell my dirt bike as riding off road will not work so well...........the good news I will still be able to ride on the road, so I get to keep the Indian!! To all......I appreciate the interest, comments and watchers.......It really does help to keep me motivated to continue on with enthusiasm.

There have been a few developments of late that has forced a change in the order of work to be done. After years of having a knee issue, a fall has seen me back with the surgeon. He said............what were you hoping for? I said.........just pop on in there for a tidy up and I will be good for another 10000kms.........he just laughed at me and said its time, so despite being a little young for this operation I am facing a total knee replacement. This means all work involving kneeling will become very difficult in the future, so I have been faced with having to do kneeling jobs. Bought a small vanity and basin for the head, on special from Mitre 10 Fitted the macrocarpa TG&V to the RH push out Moved on to laying the floor This is Kahurangi Rimu, timber was milled from the wind fallen trees blown over by the cyclone that caused devastation a few years ago. The flooring has been glued down using a foaming polyurethane adhesive, the underside of the planks have longitudinal grooves for the adhesive to penetrate, this locks each plank in place. Planks will be lightly sanded using a belt sander, the v grooves give the floor an antique old school look. Flooring will be finished using a conventional polyurethane, 3 to 4 coats semi gloss. First coat to seal timber, nice colour!

Sneek peek......................... Kahurangi windfall rimu for the flooring, Clear macrocarpa TG&V to half the wall height, paint finish above........... Anything to get out of pushout framing and lining!!!!

Push out time...............opened the side up and began by installing the fixed bottom rollers. This involved exposing the bottom rail before welding the rollers axle tab in place, a hole was then bored in the vertical frame to support the other end The slide out hole has been carefully packed out to match the clad dimensions of the push out I have welded some square stubs to the side of the truck deck, these are the foundation points for the jig that is fitted when we want to slide in or out the push outs. I Have decided that I will fit 4 of these on each side, creates a great base for scaffolding planks meaning that work on the side of the truck becomes easy.

Finally finished with foam insulation and lining in the front and rear lofts. View from entrance looking up at rear loft. Rear loft has one single berth, large drawers have been built under the bunk. Time to think about a ceiling lining and decorative timber work. Front loft looking forwards, lining and insulation completed, time for a ceiling and decorative timber. View looking to the rear of the front loft, had to narrow up the entrance/exit as I cannot decide on bed orientation. the extra width means the bed could go north south with the foot of the bed forward................been avoiding the second push out...............looks like I might have to get into that next.

The cupboard in the bathroom has been finalized and undercoated, the cupboard has a false back for access to the shower plumbing and two shelves set above half height, the balance of the space will be used for hanging cloths jackets etc The balance of the bathroom has been undercoated, All set now for decorative floor. The stairway to the front loft has been made and fitted. Bottom section is removable to access what will become a technical space, it is likely I will fit the water pumps and hot water boiler within this area. View looking up to front loft, all lined, some insulation to ceiling fitted. Had to narrow up access in order to fit bed arrangement, bed will sit north south with the bed head across this bulkhead.

I've been looking for something to stow on the rear deck, a bike perhaps to act as a run around when the truck is out and about................... Porch ornament?

Here is a view of the bathroom area closed in, looking from middle of truck to the rear door. I have installed a one piece molded fiberglass shower stall, acrylic free zone!! (must be the boat builder in me) The balance of the bathroom has a false bulkhead across the rear which will be accessed from the outside, this has also allowed for a built in cupboard that will be above the vanity, toilet will be opposite the shower stall. Push out, even managed some wiring for lights Here's a view of the push out pushed in, windows have yet to be cut out. There is a roller set mounted beneath the push out located on the floor at the out side wall line, the front rollers are rubber and soft enough to not mark the floor. The unit locks out on 4 x 20mm stainless steel pins that push into the wall frames. I have purchased a 2 1/2 seat Divan type lounge settee that sits in this push out, the settee converts to a double bed for the occasional guest. The facing trim around the push out will be solid timber and has yet to be installed.

Exterior update.............. Exterior has paint! I have installed the first batch of windows More windows. Push out is pushed in, windows have yet to be ordered for this Front window installed. More to come......................

Bet you thought I had given up! I have been very slack...................no progress photos!! There have been issues getting photos to post so I stopped trying. Enough of my incompetence!! I will go through the truck and post some update photos soon.........Promise.

The final sheets of ply have been laid for the flooring substrate, this prompted the need to make some decisions about shower, vanity and toilet choices as the pipe work needs to pass through the corten steel deck. Decided on a fiberglass shower liner rather than something acrylic, it would seem that there are only a few manufacturers of such things left in NZ, after choosing a model the waste location could be marked on the deck and holes cut for drains and water pipes. You will notice that a tyre has conveniently appeared where the drain will be!! Same was done for the vanity waste and pipe work. Time to start framing up the bathroom. Framed up wall, temporary until the shower stall arrives. The rear loft is now enclosed with the access now defined, the idea is that there will be a vertical ladder attached immediately below the opening. Started to run cabling about the place. Being an electrical engineer I couldn't bring myself to pay for new cabling so have decided to recycle. Most of the interior will be 24 volts DC, there will be some 240 Volt AC but only a few power points. All recycled cable will be tested especially its insulation. The next steps will be to line and create the rear loft sleeping area..............

The front loft floor has now had the structural timber beam added that carries the hinges. This to a large extent stays in position of its own accord when in use due to the weight and lifting force exerted on the hinge line. Given this I have fastened it into position using only high tensile screws. The moment of truth, borrowed the mainsheet from my yacht to give it a try. The final choice of block will be much lighter and of a side by side configuration so as to maximise the available lift. Initial lift shows everything to work as expected. Have begun the interior floor………..weather has driven work inside. Began by battening up and adding stiffeners where needed. 40mm Insulation was then added before the 12 mm plywood flooring substrate was laid on top, remembered to cut holes through the steel deck for sink waste and plumbing to pass through. The floor will have a southern beech solid timber overlay added later, this will provide the decorative finish as well as stiffen the plywood substrate. The current rain has proven the structure to be rain resistant…..so far……..small consolation for what has been a crappy period of weather. Next………….more floor!

Progress has definitely slowed, the weather has been wet !! typical Northland weather. As is the way the holiday weekend came with high expectations for jobs to be achieved but produced only one day where outside work could be done. Started by finishing the back door steps, now finished in teak, the steps will have a clear finish. The steps have two separate compartments accessed by lifting the stair tread, ideal storage location for shoes and boots. The treads will have a non skid material added for safety. The dreaded forward floor was built some time ago, its a pretty significant structure in its own right as it spans 2.5 x 2.8 metres and will need to carry reasonable weight unsupported, the floor is hollow with insulation fitted within the voids. Here's the floor, painted the bottom in anticipation of fitting it. PS looks quite insignificant in this photo! The next step is to lift into position, I have been avoiding this for some time as it is heavy and requires lifting on to the roof followed by sliding through a section of unclad exterior followed by lowering into position. The lift was executed using a front end loader on a tractor and proved rather uneventful in the end, lowered into position the fit was perfect with the right amount of clearance for interior linings, the clearance is required in order to clear the linings when lifted up. Nice close fit over the cab. Next step is to build the floor infill that has the hinge line on it, then I will be able to check cab clearance while working on the trucks engine.

Have been battling the weather of late so progress has slowed. Have managed to complete the bulk of the external cladding leaving only the push outs to do. There is a small section of cladding across the rear of the front loft that has been purposely left of to allow for the forward loft floor to slide on in. The rear loft has begun to be closed in with the floor being fitted. The overhead panel in the doorway will be angled to allow head height for going down the stairs. The steps have begun to take shape, each section of the stair will have a lift up tread for storage of footwear etc. The plan is to clad the steps with a decorative timber that will be varnished. The tarps just don't work so I have fitted temporary panels for weather proofing reasons until I get round to dealing with the push outs.

The floor above the cab has been built but is yet to be fitted, it will hinge along the rear edge and will be lifted using a light weight block and tackle arrangement that will clip on to a flush ring set into the floor and a "screw in" eye bolt in the ceiling. If it all works properly the cab will have sufficient clearance to tilt in the usual manner. The mock up worked so I am confident.......i think!.