WVvan
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Hey Landyacht,
You obviously know your stuff. I'll have to build a sanding block like you describe.
Sofa-bed continued:
Back to the End Piece.
Glue on a new edge strip to replace the one I had ruined. To prevent a recurrence of the laminate burn while trimming I read that you can use paraffin wax. So that's what I did. Just rub the edge of a block of paraffin along the laminate where the router bit's pilot bearing will make contact. Put it on thick.
As you can see here, the paraffin did the trick. No laminate burn.
I'll use paraffin on the rest of the edge trimming where burn could be a problem. Hopefully as I do more of this I'll get good enough to where it won't be needed.
Flip the right End Piece over so that we're looking at it's right side or exterior side. Need to drill holes through the sheet of Formica laminate that I installed on the opposite side. Use the holes on this side as a guide for the drill.
If you remember from earlier in the build I have extra holes showing. Only drill the holes that I had previously marked before dissembling the sofa-bed.
Here's how it looks on the other side when done.
In the close-up view you can see chipping around the new holes. This isn't going to be a problem since all these holes will be covered by wood blocks, metal angles or hardware sliders.
I was going to cover the opposite side of the End Piece with laminate when I got to thinking. The original plan was to have the bolts that hold everything together extend through the exterior side of the End Pieces. Then use washers and bolts to secure them in place. That is how I've done it so far in this project every time I've assembled/disassembled the sofa-bed.
But two things got me to thinking. First was when I saw how easily Formica cracked. Since I'd not worked with Formica before I hadn't realized that.
Second thing is the amount of deformation that a nut with washer causes on the side of the plywood. When you combine those two I knew I had a problem.
The original plan would most likely cause some nasty looking cracks on the Formica surface. Time for Plan B.
WARNING: I've not had a chance to fully test this out. It seems like it should work but I can't guarantee it yet.
Get a whole bunch of T-Nuts .
The T-nuts will be mounted inside the End Piece and then complete covered with Formica so there shouldn't be a cracking problem. The bolt ends will not extend through the Formica so it should also look a lot cleaner.
I'm using two sizes 1/4" and 5/16".
The 1/4" and 5/16" refer to the inside threads. The T-nut will be countersunk into the End Piece. To do this I need to find what the outside diameter (O.D.) of the T-nut shank is so to know the size of the hole to drill. This is a drill gauge. It's a series of holes with the diameters listed. I'll use it to get the T-nuts O.D.
If you ever want to get one of these gauges just sign up for a woodworking magazine then let the subscription lapse. Thereafter you will periodically get letters offering a "Special Renewal Rate" for the magazine along with a "Free Gift". A drill gauge is often the "Free Gift". For the 1/4" T-nut it looks like I'll need a 19/64 drill bit.
I want to drill the hole just deep enough to seat the T-nut. Use masking tape to mark the bit so I'll know where to stop drilling. I actually have drill collars but masking tape works just fine.
The "T" part of the T-nut also has to be countersunk. Use a spade bit for this. It's fairly easy to eyeball what size spade bit is needed. For the 1/4" T-nut it's a 3/4" spade bit.
Here's how the hole looks after drilling.
I do a test fit of the T-nut upside down so I'll be sure that the "T" head will sit below the level of the wood before installing it.
Use a hammer to install the T-nuts. I use the orange colored punch (with the hammer) to be sure the T-nuts are below the level of the surrounding plywood.
Installed all the 1/4" T-nuts. Now use the 5/16" ones. First get the O.D.
Oh Look. It's different drill gauge. 3/8" drill needed.
Spade bit for a 5/16" T-nut is 7/8".
The exterior side of the right End Piece with all the T-nuts installed.
continued -
* This post was
edited 07/23/10 03:43pm by WVvan *
Open the pod bay doors Hal.
Once I exit Hal, this is what I do.
WWW.WVBIKE.ORG
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landyacht318
Near a large body of water
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Joined: 07/11/2007
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A trick when you are drilling through formica, and some hard and soft woods, Is to make a small pilot point, stick the drill in the pilot hole, and use the drill in reverse until you are below the level of the veneer or formica. Once below the outer, turn the drill to forward keeping it perfectly level and plum. That way you get no tear out.
Go slow, you don't need to burn it.
If you are worried about both sides, drill through it with a smaller than needed drill, then start from the other side with the correct size drill, but in reverse again till it is deeper than the veneer/ formica.
Yields clean results
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WVvan
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Took some time off this week to go camping.
On Tuesday I'm biking on a gated closed Forest Road through the Cranberry Wilderness when I find my path blocked.
This one's slightly blurry (I was a bit psyched while holding the camera) but you can better see one of the cubs.
After a while the bears ambled off to the right. As soon as I lowered my camera another cub ran across the road. I quickly biked to the spot where the bears had walked into the woods. The land slopped away from the road so I had a pretty good view. I stopped and waited quiet as can be but neither heard nor saw anything. Like they were never there.
By the way I do carry pepper spray with me.
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WVvan
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From today.
Under van tire carrier after removal.
All the tools I used to accomplish the above.
Look at all that lovely empty space!
Full details to follow (eventually).
I wonder if I can relocate the charcoal canister?
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WVvan
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Sofa-bed continued :
I'd hammered the T-nuts into the right side of the Right End Piece. Before covering this side with Formica I used the wax block I had on hand to coat the ends of the T-nuts. This is probably overkill but I didn't want the T-nuts sticking to the Formica when I tighten the bolts.
Apply the glue to the Formica and the End Piece.
Use the same method as before for applying the Formica. Here it is after routing and sanding.
OK. One done.
Start work on the Left End Piece. I'll apply the edge trim first.
I've used up all the Original Formula Contact Cement (flammable) at this point so switching to the Non-flammable Formula.
Here I am applying the non-flammable formula to the edge of the End Piece.
Now here I am scrubbing off the non-flammable formula with a wet rage.
I found out that the non-flammable formula isn't near as sticky as the original formula. With the curved corner causing the laminate edging to spring outward the non-flammable formula wouldn't hold it. I didn't have that problem with the original formula. Back to the hardware store for "the good stuff".
continued -
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WVvan
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Sofa-bed continued:
After getting a new can of contact cement I glued on the edge strip.
Apply Formica to the right side.
Install the T-nuts.
There isn't enough Formica on a single 4x8 sheet to cover both sides of the two End Pieces. I was not going to cover the left side of the Left End Piece since the plan is to have it right up against a cabinet. Problem is I'm not sure how deep the cabinet will be so part of the End Piece might be visible.
I lucked out because I had a scrap piece of white Formica I got a few years back from a friend who didn't need it. Sometimes it really does pay off being a pack rat.
I'll use the scrap piece to cover the End Piece. Here I'm cutting the laminate using my table saw. You can see the table saw leaves a chip free edge.
Route the End Piece.
Left End Piece done.
Have to attach the slider hardware to the End Piece. I have to be careful because if the bolt goes too deep I'll crack the Formica.
Use the caliper to get the hole depth.
I'll use the 1" bolts.
To be sure that the 1" bolts would be safe to use I first used a 1-1/4" bolt since I knew it was too long. I slowly tightened the bolt into the End Piece while holding my hand against the Formica on the opposite side. I kept twisting the bolt till I could feel it under the Formica. This way I'd know how it felt if the 1" bolts were going too deep.
Carefully bolt on the hardware. If you remember from earlier in the build the sliders have to be attached in a certain sequence.
This should be the last time I'm attaching the slider hardware so I'm going to make it a bit more permanent. Use two nuts and a lock washer.
Then use a hand saw and cut off the excess machine screw threads.
Screws all done.
Finish up the Left End Piece.
Then the Right.
The sofa-bed parts all stacked in the garage.
This will finish the main construction work on the sofa-bed. I still have to sew together the cushions and come up with a way to bolt the sofa-bed to the van floor.
Once the sofa-bed has been bolted down I won't be able to lift up the wood flooring. There are two projects that must be done before that.
The heater fuel tank must be installed under the van and bolted through the metal floor.
The Undervan Storage Box (AKA "The Box") must also be bolted through the metal floor.
I'll start write ups on those two projects next.
* This post was
edited 08/08/10 06:23pm by WVvan *
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McZippie
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Joined: 10/21/2009
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Nice! Where did you find the fuel tank?
Tow Vehicle - 2009 Ford 6.0 Diesel - aka Walmart Boondocker
Toad - 2010 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited
Info Clicky
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WVvan
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Had it custom made by a company called Coyote Gear.
Here's their web site: Coyote-Gear
I'll cover it in more detail when I do the write-up but I give the company two thumbs up.
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RVSKIER
Seattle, WA
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Joined: 04/23/2004
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So what's more fun Building the Class B or using it?
I've been following your project for a while looks like your doing a great job, looks like fun too.
RVSKIER
2001 Itasca 30W
Faster, Faster, Until the Thrill
of Speed Over Comes The Fear Of Death
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WVvan
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Hi All,
I did a little project today that wasn't van related but I hope you'll forgive me if I share it with you.
First a little backstory.
In 1984 my Dad retired from his job as a Tool and Die Maker For International Harvester. He then parked himself into his easy chair where he's been ever since. He wasn't much for hobbies.
Here's Dad in his chair. He never strayed far from it.
Well Dad passed quietly away Wednesday night. You can't take it with you because if he could have he certainly have taken that chair with him.
So for today's project I took the end table from next to the easy chair, it had also been there as long as the chair, and some fabric from the chair.
I cut up the end table and used the wood to make a box then covered it with the fabric from the chair.
I will use this as the urn for Dad's ashes. Since he spent the last 26 years in his chair I thought he'd like to spend eternity with it. It's where he was always the most comfortable.
I'd have liked to spend more time on it but the funeral is tomorrow. I figure it's not too bad for one days work.
I've also been going through the family photos to find ones of Dad for the funeral.
Here's my favorite. It's 1932 and deep in The Depression. Dad is in the middle and he's nine. His brother George is on the left with his sister Mary on the right.
Their Dad had lost his business in the crash and they were just getting by but you wouldn't know it to look at their faces. I guess it just shows you can be both dirt poor and happy. As the saying goes, "Count your blessings."
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