Looking Forward to the End....A Little Closer

I wanted to start this week's entry with some information for those who have either purchased and received a poor quality trailer with safety issues and for those that placed a deposit on a trailer and did not receive one or a refund.  There are avenues you can move forward with against Crybaby Teardrop/Surfside Custom Trailers.  Let me start with the folks that did not receive a trailer, I encourage you to file a report with the Huntington Beach Police Department, they are aware of this business and you can have a report taken at the desk.  I also encourage you to leave feedback on Yelp, both business names are there.  For those who have received a trailer with safety issues such as a cut axle, doors that do not stay shut, and if your trailer is registered as a utility trailer please contact me immediately I have information for filing a report with the proper authorities.  As a trailer builder trailers must meet certain safety standards before they are deemed worthy for the road.  I ask everyone who has suffered because of their business practices to contact me in moving forward with a lawsuit against them.  tabitha.wbtb@gmail.com Now on to some fun stuff.

The  weather has been a bit weird some days it's up in the 90's with blazing sun and then days like today were I have to come to a stopping point because we are in a flash flood warning.  No rain yet but didn't want to be working and have a downpour.

                                       

Waiting for the weather to pass.

                                       

We started the back cabinet with the shelf bottom.

                                       

I cut the uprights to fit the slope of the roof.

                                       

I secured the uprights with 1"x1"'s and framed the top and side with the same to support the face.

                                      

With some wood glue and nail gun the face started to go up.  I used the leftover pieces of cedar to match the rest of the interior.

                                      

The weather finally passed and I headed back out to complete my project.  The face to the cabinets installed.  The cedar planks were not very wide and they were thin and I worried the table saw would splinter the wood so I decided to use my tile saw.  I added some water and it cut the boards beautifully and I didn't need to sand any splinters.

                                      

Both side cabinets will have doors and the center we will leave open.

The rear cabinets trimmed out now here comes the before and after!

I had to share again, this was our rear shelf which broke our first trip out.

Pillows, clothes pins, sheets and a deck of cards..... this should not have broken but you can see the material that was used... no glue, no reinforcement, just this held in by the over-sized stereo housing.  Look at the ceiling falling down in one spot and off to the side it doesn't even go to the wall.

When we got the trailer the shelf looked normal until we put something on it.  The speakers we moved to the ceiling so they wouldn't get damaged by gear during travel.  The stereo we removed and use just an XM receiver and amplifier connected to the speakers.  The new cabinets now fit the space and are built to last.

My project list keeps getting smaller and with this complete the cabin is finished.  I still have some big projects ahead of me, I mean I still have to replace the windows, galley lid and hinge, have all the pinned joints on the frame welded, secure the under bed storage floor, have the rims and fenders stripped and powder coated, rebuild the spare tire mount, and seal the undercarriage.  Looking at this list may make some cringe but this is an eighth of what it was and doesn't make me dizzy looking at it anymore.

In closing I want to share some camping hacks to help during your next trip.  It's summer and that means bugs and other critters are out just waiting for their next snack to roll into camp.  Now we don't like bringing chemicals into the wild with us so here are a couple of natural recipes that work really well.

Mosquito Spray

Catnip

Lavender 

Vinegar

Almond Oil

Spray Bottle

Soak the catnip and lavender in a jar of vinegar for 2 weeks (cloves also work well in place of catnip), strain into a spray bottle and add 1-2 TBSP almond oil (olive oil can be used in place of almond).  The oil helps it stick to the skin better.  Mosquitoes, flies, and other bugs do not like the smell of these and will stay far away.

You can burn sage bundles to keep bugs away, use the bundle like incense and let it smoke in a container on your table.

Cleaner

Vinegar and lemon/orange

Soak lemon or orange in vinegar for 1-2 weeks and put it in a spray bottle.  This will clean and disinfect counter tops, tables, and stoves.

If you're in bear country use plain vinegar, you don't want to attract any unwanted guests.

Bear and Small Animal Deterrent

This one is easy, take some old rags and put them in a container that seals well, add ammonia to soak them.  Once at camp pin them up around the exterior of your camp.  The ammonia cuts the smells of any food and kind of jams the animals noses, they'll go on to another camp that smells of treats.

Remember when you are camping in bear country to put all you food, spices, toiletries, dirty clothes, and anything with a smell including cleaners into the bear box or up in a tree.  Make sure you've cleaned out your car too, a bear can smell a french fry or used candy wrapper from 3 miles away.  A bloodhound has a nose 10x greater than a human, a bear has a nose 30x greater than a bloodhound.

Have a great camp and stay safe!

Nose Cabinet and Cabin Trim

Hello all this has been a harder week than most with the trailer but when all was done I have a beautiful nose cabinet/headboard.  Looking back at the original nose cabinet that fell apart on our very first trip when we put pillows and a couple battery powered small lanterns on top it was put together with scrap and you can tell.  They used low grade pine, 1/8 plywood and bead board and staples.    The front of the nose cabinet was two thin 1/8 pieces of plywood not even one full piece across which was only stapled to the pine sides so when we put sheets and towels inside it pushed the plywood out popping the staples.

The original cabinet Crybaby/Surfside installed.  The top broke as soon as we set a small lantern on it.

The nose cabinet with the ceiling that fell off our first trip out.

This was the back of the lid when we took it off.

This is the front of the old lid that didn't even fit the cabinet.

The new cabinet I used routed wood trim that holds cedar planks and backed it with 1/4 inch plywood for strength and sits flush with the trim in the back.  The lid I used a solid piece of pine which I trimmed out to give a more polished edge.  The nose cabinet is taller now and very secure and I feel it is sturdy enough to hold anything we put inside or on top.

The new nose cabinet fits securely at the head of the cabin.

The beautiful pine lid framed out and fits beautifully without the two inch overhang the original had we'd bump into.

The nose cabinet gives us space to store linens, jackets, and towels in the trailer.

The lid is stained but I still have to stain the trim.

I have some things I want to plus the top of the cabinet with along with finishing staining the trim.

I added our cabin trim to the ceiling which has really made the cabin look finished and polished.

The cabin trim went in very nicely, I used a synthetic wood in the deep brown.  The synthetic wood has more give and play in it to fit the bend in nose easily.  Now it's time for our before and after picture of the nose cabinet and I can only say, "WOW!"

It's like night and day, craftsmanship and quality materials make all the difference!

Well the next and final project in the cabin is the cabinets at the back, I'm excited and anxious to build them.  I'm excited we will have the storage we need for the items that stay in the trailer which will get the clutter gone and make camping in the guppy much more enjoyable.  I can't wait for our next trip out to camp to enjoy the new changes, our next trip will be to Yosemite which will bring some new challenges because it is bear country and they come into the campgrounds regularly.  Alex will be able to get her national park passport book stamped for a new park and she'll be able to sleep in her hammock tent.  I have a few crafty projects for her to help with to prep for the camp including making a bear bell for the bear box and we have plenty of time to do them.

Until next time stay safe and enjoy your camp!

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!