I Love the Smell of Cedar In the Morning!!!

I feel like I've been on a role this week, the projects may not be big but they make a big impact.  It hasn't been easy, with my disabilities I've had to take a lot of breaks and it takes me longer than most but I get there.  I will take this time to thank my family because without them I wouldn't be able to do it.  My tool monkeys are amazing and I say that with all the love in my heart and they know my limitations and step up to help.

With the galley done I turned my attention back to the cabin, I mean after all you gotta be comfortable and like where you sleep.  We still needed to finish the back wall, add the cabin sockets, install the trim, and build the new cabinets.  I started with adding the last of our sockets in the cabin for charging phones and such and I laid wire for a TV if we decide to add one down the line though we've talked about it and don't really want it now.  Adding the sockets made me want to install the master kill switch again, when we started our electrical I got overwhelmed had it in then took it out because I needed to build a box to house it and didn't want to tackle it at that time.  I also tossed around where to place it and decided to keep it down by the battery.  It's a great thing to add it kills all power from the battery so during storage and travel we don't have to worry about our battery life and the BIG plus is we don't have to disconnect the battery any longer.

The master switch is toward the front with the red key.  I upgraded our solar regulator which is mounted on the back wall.  I took the time to drill a hole and route the wires away from the back of the stove pullout.

Everything fits well now and I don't have to worry about disconnecting the battery with the master switch.

After the wiring it was back to the cabin to address the back wall and kick this pig into the barn!  I picked up two more boxes of cedar and started to work.  I can tell you on ours I could use one full plank then had to cut an eight inch piece to finish the row.  Since the bottom three rows would be hidden with the mattress I used the plain boards and alternating a full plank and the eight inch piece.  It went pretty fast to my surprise and when it was up I sealed 3/4 of it with a polyurethane, the other part I oiled with cedar oil because it will be the back wall to the cabinets at our feet.

Cedar is a great way to keep the little homies out of the trailer.

The cedar up and time to seal it to protect it for years to come.

Had to share our light switch I framed out with a tiny frame from Michael's.

This is the door for our fuse box, yes this is the glow in the dark resin.

Here it is glowing after just five minutes in the sun.

The back wall sealed and ready for finishing work.

This is huge for us, we've been kicking this unfinished back wall and wires for over a year.  I've been worried about our fuse box during travel and without the cabinets we've stuffed things at the head of the mattress.  Tomorrow I can add the trim and then........ THE CABINETS!!!  I love doing what I was told couldn't be done by Crybaby/Surfside, the cedar is a constant reminder of that and it makes me very happy.

Finished and waiting for trim and cabinets.

The turquoise accents run throughout the trailer.

Thank you all who have messaged and contacted me regarding the trailer and also those who have reached out with a similar experience with Crybaby/Surfside Trailers.  I created this blog to document our experience and educate others so hopefully they will have the tools to evaluate the builder and make an educated decision and not one swayed by teardrop colored glasses.  This is not how a trailer especially a custom build should be upon receipt.  Nobody should have to worry about axles breaking, doors or galley lids failing, leaks, or electrical problems with a brand new trailer.  Take these blogs and learn what to look for and what questions to ask.  Ask to see the fuse box, ask to speak to clients, climb around inside and under the trailer, ask to see proof of how long they have been building trailers.  If a builder is dodging or changing topics those are red flags, if they don't want to openly share information run far run fast even if they build themselves up to be outstanding homespun family folk..... this is business, you are trading the money you know you've worked hard to earn for their services not their friendship.  

I take all your comments, emails, messages and such to heart and thank you for the positive feedback on the trailer.  There is nothing left from Crybaby/Surfside except the skin, we would have gotten more if we'd have ordered a kit and we laugh about this all the time.  We went with this company because of time and my injuries prohibiting me from building one from scratch or a kit and look...... I had to rebuild ours from the bones out.  I've had to make time and work around and sometimes through my limitations with help and blinding pain.  When you have no other option you have to figure out a way to work it out or roll over.... I've never been the roll over type.  I hope that you all will not have to face these challenges but if by chance you do please reach out..... heck if I can do this anybody can.

Stay safe and enjoy the camp!

Working On the Details

The days have been very windy here making it difficult to work but I switched gears and worked on some finishing work in the galley.  Disney Imagineers have a term Walt would use when they went above and beyond what anyone thought was possible he would say they, "plussed" it.  Well that's what I've done with the galley.  Since I used a burl wood it had knots and holes throughout and instead of filling them with wood filler I took the opportunity to use a turquoise resin which is UV reactive to fill in the cracks and knots in the wood.  Once I sanded them down I followed up by adding copper veins through the wood and turquoise resin.  The results are stunning and at night glow!  While I worked on this I took my blue painter's tape and walked through the galley tagging everything that needed to be finished or touched up.  It felt so good to step back and see a completed project..... the galley is done, finally.

The resin glows a beautiful blue at night.

The resin poured into the cracks and knots smoothly.

Copper veins made the grain and the turquoise pop.

I insulated the area the cooler rests in including the floor, hopefully it will help keep the ice from melting fast.  I cut and bent a piece of tin to cover the stove slider for easier clean up.  The galley took time but it was time well spent and I wanted it done right not fast.

The metal makes grease or spill cleanup easier.

All the walls and floor are insulated in the cooler space to help keep things colder longer.

The labor of love took over a year but it's done right.

The stove and cooler sliders make camping life much easier.

I may at a later date upgrade my counters to the copper I originally wanted.

I'm so please with how everything came together in the galley.

Time for the "Before and After" photo.  Crybaby/Surfside Trailers gave us a wreck of a galley.  The drawers had 2 1/2 inch gaps between each other, the cabinet door was warped and cracked, the flooring didn't go all the way through the galley, the shelf was broken, and they never installed the pullout for the cooler.  We won't get into the leaking galley lid that is another blog post all in itself.  Now everything has been rebuilt, we have moved the speakers from where they were originally put in the back splash, the sinks is closed off so it cannot leak on the battery or stove, new pullouts have been added, and all the cabinets and drawers have been replaced with ones that fit. 

The before and after you would never know it's the same trailer.

Now that the galley is out of the way I turned my focus on finishing the cabin.  It was time to tackle the leaking vent.  Remember way back when the galley and cabin leaked?  I ordered a new vent to replace the one Crybaby/Surfside installed.  The vent was never right, not only did it leak but when we would travel down the road it would open and we couldn't get it to stay closed.  Well I found out why, the crank box was broken, no surprise they used the cheapest materials they could.  Upon removing the vent we found they ran a bead of the glue I provided them to use on construction instead of sealing the vent properly.  This glue is a permanent glue not meant for this type of application, it was designed for boat building to ensure a permanent watertight seal which I wanted for the seams and joints on the trailer.  I swear he used it everywhere but where it was suppose to be used.   So after my husband spent two days removing the old vent I came behind him to remove the rest of the glue, clean it, and install the new vent.

The old vent, notice that it doesn't close and it has yellowed.  We requested the smoked vent because the sun here in the desert is harsh.... we got this vent instead.

I had to throw this in I have no idea what this was, it was a tape of some type that was just left and not even cleaned off.  I just found this when we climbed the ladder, it only took some goo off to remove.  I would have never given someone a trailer that wasn't cleaned and polished.

The broken gear on the vent.

This is the vent once we removed it, notice there isn't any sealer on it..... wonder why it leaked.

Here is the glue he put in attempt to seal the vent.

Along with a putty knife and hammer we used razor knives to remove the old glue.

Once the glue was removed the area was thoroughly cleaned with denatured alcohol.

The new vent was prepped with butyl tape before it was screwed into place.

The new vent in place and the excess butyl tape was wiped up before the final steps.

Silicone was used over each screw and along the edge of the vent to ensure it is completely sealed.

Sealed and drying.

Love this low profile metal vent.  It has a beautiful rain overhang so you can open you vent without the rain getting in.

The new vent looks perfect and fits much better than the old vent.

You can hardly see the vent.  It works beautifully.

After the work was done I made a new flag pole bucket, this time I painted the concrete before adding the sea glass and pebbles which I resin in.

The resin is a little lighter than the concrete and holds the stones better.

Yes I did use the glow resin for this too.  Now we can see where the flag is at night.

With some of the extra turquoise resin I created a watchman for the trailer.  This little gargoyle you may recognize, this is one of the gargoyles from Disney's Haunted Mansion.  Not quite sure where he will go but every trailer and home should have a watcher to protect them.

This weekend I am finishing the back wall and building cabinets.  It's nice to see the light shining again at the end of this tunnel.  The project list is getting smaller and the trailer is finally looking the way it should have from the beginning.  Until next time, stay safe and enjoy your camp!

South Rim Grand Canyon and Snow in May!

Wow what a weekend!  I wasn't expecting camping with snow in May! We packed up the trailer and took our annual Mother's Day camp to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We camped here the first trip out in our trailer over a year ago and it's such a great campground we decided to come back.

The new axle and balanced tires made the drive so much smoother and without the worry of, "Will we make it?" We pulled into camp at the Mathers campground which was full and made our way to our sites.  I love the Grand Canyon campgrounds because all the RV sites are a horseshoe pull through.  They are very big and not stacked on top of each other.  We were close to the restrooms and water which makes life at camp a little more enjoyable not having to hike for either one.  The restrooms are heated with outlets for a quick charge or for the ladies to plug in a blow dryer or curling iron.  The campground is close to the market, showers, and laundromat.  The showers are $2.00 for 8 minutes, the laundromat has vending machines WiFi and TV so you can catch up on news while washing.  They have an ice machine just outside the laundry to fill up the ice chest.  The market is large and stocks everything from knick-knacks to fresh veggies and meat. Firewood is $7.00 a bundle and it burns well.

The campsites are large and well maintained.

Trailer sites are pull through.

The South Rim is great camp and offers a lot of activities and areas to explore.  There are miles of trails to hike and the area is rich in history and wildlife.  Mule deer and elk walk freely around and have no fear of any tourists.  The Kaibab squirrel look quite a bit different on this half of the rim, they are leaner and red/brown with tassels on their ears.  

The elk are everywhere in the park.

Young calves graze along with the cows, the bulls have velvet buds right now.

The river below can be seen in many of the turnouts.  The native tribes of the area made their home on the river in the winter when the valley floor was cooler and summered on the North rim during the hotter months.

The tower is another great place to explore.

During our camp I tested a few new gadgets that we truly loved.  The IL05 Solar Portable LED Camping Lantern Light and Cell Phone Charger and the Dynamo Solar Powered LED Lantern.  These both were great lanterns and charged quickly during the day.  Our youngest loved that she could plug her IPod into the IL05 and charge it along with the lantern.  My favorite upgrade was the pull out drawer and cooler light.  It was so nice not having to heft the cooler around or bend and stoop while juggling a light to find things inside in the dark.  Our splurge also made the trip a bit more enjoyable, we found reclining camp chairs and they were great to relax in while enjoying the campfire.  The only thing I didn't like about them is they don't fold up very small making them bulky to pack away.

The two lanterns to the left are the new solar lanterns and glow much brighter than the battery powered lantern on the right.

The small solar panel charges the IL05 and provides energy to charge other devices too.

The cooler was a dream in the new pullout.  I added insulation to the walls and one bag of ice lasted 5 days with only 1/4 cup of melted ice.

I love camping in the trailer while I continue to build because it gives me ideas and shows me what is working and what isn't.  One thing I decided to upgrade next and mainly because of the snow and wind is upgrading to a tent canopy that attaches off the galley and provides a screen room or fully enclosed galley area.  I've also decided to build two more chuck boxes but I plan to tweak their construction to fit our needs.  We had an issue with our solar controller and I ordered a new controller when we reached home.  I'm going to take this opportunity to move the unit to an area where it doesn't get bumped or knocked around.

When we arrived back home I started back into work on the trailer putting the finishing work on the pullouts.  Once these are finished the galley work aside from a new galley lid will be done.  You have no idea how happy I am that one area of the trailer will be complete and it will allow me to put my energy into the remaining projects.  If the weather holds this weekend I am going to build the nose cabinet and put the cedar on the back wall.

The pullouts start as just plain wood construction.

I bent and added tin to the stove pull out for easier cleanup from grease and messes.

I added my beautiful burl wood to the pullouts.

A rich stain to match the rest of the galley.

When completed the pullouts will match the drawer faces. I have a surprise that I am adding to the faces to really make them pop.

I have to share some important information with anyone who has purchased a trailer from Crybaby Teardrop Trailers/ Surfside Custom Camping Trailers, please check your axle for welds and have your tires balanced.  These are important safety issues that have not been addressed properly by the builder.  I have been contacted by many owners who have shared some scary stories with me including having the galley latch fail on the road causing the lid to fly open and the doors not installed properly causing them to open while traveling.  We've had that happen to us and lost a good set of wheel chocks because of it.  

I'm going to end with a couple of photos this time.  Until my next post, be safe and enjoy your camp!

Duck Rock.

Looks like Fred Flintstone had a cool teardrop of his own!  We couldn't resist stopping at Bedrock to get a snapshot with the first tear!