more tank repair

It is amazing how little time it takes to break something, but the hours to put it back (especially when parts aren't available to replace them and you have to repair instead).

I'm not good at it, thats for sure, but this round turned out better than I anticipated, at least so far. A couple hours yesterday, some cure time, form removal and another coat today after trimming things to size and here's what we have so far.

Will get sanded then likely another coat to fill minor imperfections then I can finish the internal bracing and get the bottom back in. The skirt was broken out I'm guessing to gain access to fasteners that didn't exist.

Vent installed

The stock vent cover for the refrigerator was undersized, allowing wind driven rain, or any kind of snow accumulation to fall into the vent, down the scoop and onto the floor (thus why there was no floor left behind the refrigerator compartment. I resealed the collar, filled the old holes and installed the new vent (an original early 60's vent, all aluminum, sealed and riveted in place. Also did some polishing on the area, shaved the rivets from last sprin where I had to repair the rear bow that was damaged at some point before we brought it home.

Polishing some more

nice weather the first half the day so I went ahead and tried to get a few passes on the rest of the curb side of the trailer, make her look better, make the neighbors happier. 3 passes on most of the areas (need to go back with my polishing wheel and cut in around windows, handles, gutters, and other hard to reach areas and probably at least 2-3 more passes with F7 to get a consistant shine (minus the beauty marks). I know many love that gray color, but I just don't. I don't mind the scratches, dings, pits etc, but never been one for the dull gray.

Here's a few from today.

polishing, shaving, what causes?

Finished shaving the rivets from the patch on the rear curbside end cap segment. Think it turned out pretty good for my first one.




I've been polishing areas, mostly to make the neighbors happier, but moreso because I want to clean the seams, identify any leaking rivets etc and get all them sealed before the weather turns. I am really surprised how much filform is on this, and wondering if F9 or G6 would be better than the F7 I'm using. Wondering what others have encountered.

This is what a lower panel by the door looked like after an hour of work with F7.



One other interesting thing on the polishing side, is that I'm running across these streaks around areas that dripped, gutters for the doors and windows, rivets on corners of window frames, etc. It is white at first, after further polishing it still shows, and is almost rainbow colored. Any ideas on how to remove this?



Finally, wondering if anyone has insight on these handles. On all 4 corners of the trailer, just above the window, screwed into the last bow front and back. Any ideas on what they are for? Very pitted, been there quite awhile obviously. Only think I could think is maybe they were for guide ropes when they were being lifted on and off ships at the various ports?!?

patch going in

fixing the end cap slice. Tried a larger patch with nice rounded corners and evenly placed rivets, but that wouldn't lay flat, figured that out thankfully before drilling any new holes.

Thought about rounding the corners on the patch but the groves from past caulk removal and reapplications made keeping the same exact shape necessary, crooked holes and all (it gives it some character).

After lots of fussing, lots of clecos and adjustments finally got the piece of .032 2024 to lay right and got rivets going in. Took a picture before dark, but before I finished the last dozen or so rivets.

Tomorrow need to clean up the exta tempro and shave the rivets, polish the area and ready to finish up the end cap seams, one more pass with F nuvite, some localized polishing around the #'s and decals, then can install those before I ruin them on my desk, and the back is pretty much ready for the crummy weather.

back at it

Well back at it finally after a couple months of intense schedules at work. My "new" water tank arrived yesterday, to my disapointment the whole bottom is rotted out (notice all the jb weld and fiberglass trying to stop leaks under there that someone did) and will either have to be cut apart and rebuilt or flat out replaced. Lots of wasted money either way it goes. Here's what the first picture looked like over email, then what it looked like when it got here.





I had planned on getting that tank installed and that hole sealed up front, but instead for now until I figure out a plan, I started in on the rear end cap that had some leaks. First part was to start polishing, remove all the AO off the skin, some caulking remover, some glue remover, still more to do before I can reseal the seams and install the rest of the WBCCI #'s and decals while the vinyl still comes off the paper.



Last thing this afternoon is I removed the scab of a patch on the curbside end cap segment from the AWC I presume and removed the tar and whatever else that was. Tomorrow I plan to start the patch and hopefully get that installed and all sealed up.

just about done

Things came to a screeching hault about a month and a half ago as we started the marching season here, and I found myself on average at school 70 or more hours a week. When I was home, family time and simply digging out of the week and trying to recover came first. Thanks for all the emails about getting back to work, thats just what I look forward to doing after our last gig tomorrow. I the next few weeks before the cold really sets in I need to finish the paint stripper work, then need to play a few gigs to save up for the Zolatone materials and get that sprayed.

Found an aluminum pressure tank to replace the galvanized one it came with up front, so can get that installed and sealed before winter, get the front belt line wrap back on, and finish my fiberglass repair up front and on the bathroom fixtures while the money comes through.

My hope is to have the zolatone all finished up and flooring down this winter so next spring we can start putting things back together. Have baby #2 coming in late April, and am taking our band and choir to New York City and Washington DC in late march early april. Busy Busy.