Cargo trailer conversion project

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grashley said:
What type of top do you plan?  I got confused, too!  I follow 7 1/2ft long.  Is it a laminate top?  Is it a stacked hardwood top?  Why is the length a problem?
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Not my first rodeo at this. Gluing long pieces of wood is not easy or fun. Wood planks that long are not usually straight. 1/32" out at the start puts you way off down the line. You can't rip a 7' long board and get a clean cut. You can't joiner an edge that wide and get it straight on a board that long.

I may build the top in sections and do inlay giving the appearance of a continuous top. Maybe like a dumbbell, bow tie or deadmen anchor design. Still thinking about it.

My desk here at home has a 2" solid oak top that's 5 1/2 long. That was no picnic. It was finished with just multiple coats of sanding sealer over 25 years ago and still looks great. That also has 3/4" cherry inlay

 
 

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The most amazing thing is how uncluttered your desktop is.
 
Oldgator73 said:
The most amazing thing is how uncluttered your desktop is.
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LMAO.....I moved all the sh** before taking the pic
 
I bow to your experience!  That desk is beautiful!!

If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then an empty desk ...  ;D
 
grashley said:
I bow to your experience!  That desk is beautiful!!

If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then an empty desk ...  ;D
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lol
 
Most people that work in the IT field usually do not have an affinity to take on projects such as this. Good for you.
 
In case anyone is thinking what a crappy job on the paneling on the left, it's not installed. Both sections are being held up with just one brad nail each and no glue. I needed them out of the way. Suppose I should glue them up this weekend.

Nothing has been done with the back wall yet. You can see it's two sheets of plywood hung horizontally. The top sheet has to come off so I can put two 3/4" pieces of plywood in the gap between the plywood and the outer sheet metal. That will be the support and backing for the AC unit and generator gas tank so I can lag bolt and install supports. That's why I haven't installed the AC unit yet.

I have yet to do the test with my Champion 3400/3100 generator running my ginormous 15,000btu AC unit. This sort of has to be done in one shot. I can't throw the AC unit into the back of my Jeep then back home again. I need to do the test then install it in one shot. If for some reason it doesn't work I don't want to cut the hole in the back.


 

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SkateBoard said:
I guess no recommendations so I ordered this one
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Sorry, you are ahead of me. I would have done an AC unit with a heat strip. Same area occupied both services hot and cold. 15,000 BTU for 700 cubic feet? That is too much AC I think. You need 8-10,000 for 14*7*7 area.

Motorhomes under 32 feet use 15,000 to cool the whole unit. So I am thinking, always a dangerous thing, you have double the AC needs.
 
That would mean to get heat I would have to run the generator pretty much non stop in the cold if I went with the AC/Heat combo. Ya, 15,000 is overkill but I've always done that. I'm from NH, I can take the cold but NOT the heat at all. In the winter I sleep with no heat in the bedroom, window open down to 20F.
 
I didn't think about needing the generator for heat, you are right.

Too much AC you won't be able to get the humidity down though was my worry. If you are cool before you evaporate I worry about mildews.
 
Here is a pic of me in Las Vegas in a similar trailer with a 15,000 BTU AC. None of the other RV's could cool themselves. I also did an experiment that day. I didn't turn the AC until about an hour later. It was 168 inside. It took about 1/2 an hour to get down to 67. Once it got there the compressor did not kick on much.  The humidity was around 40%. I don't think it was humid that day anyway.

Only worked about 4 hours today. The heat and sun has been a killer this week.
 

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SkateBoard said:
Here is a pic of me in Las Vegas in a similar trailer with a 15,000 BTU AC. None of the other RV's could cool themselves. I also did an experiment that day. I didn't turn the AC until about an hour later. It was 168 inside. It took about 1/2 an hour to get down to 67. Once it got there the compressor did not kick on much.  The humidity was around 40%. I don't think it was humid that day anyway.

Only worked about 4 hours today. The heat and sun has been a killer this week.
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70% humidity is the moisture levels I was talking about. The AC unit needs to run long enough to dry the air. But if they work for you that is all that matters.  Everything you are doing looks really good. 
 
satxron said:
70% humidity is the moisture levels I was talking about. The AC unit needs to run long enough to dry the air. But if they work for you that is all that matters.  Everything you are doing looks really good.
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It didn't dawn on me until yesterday when I realized what you were talking about. That makes sense. I think I'll get a humidity gauge and keep an eye on it. I don't do well in the heat at all. I'm wondering if I set the temp for 70 the compressor would cycle on and off instead of running like gang busters non stop.

No pictures today. Lots of crap work I didn't want to do this weekend. More floor with insulation, more wall with insulation and installed the door for filling the fresh water. That required making a back board for the inside plus another one for the intake and exhaust for the propane Suburban furnace. All stuff I really don't enjoy doing. I'm now ready to make the kitchen counter that will hold the sink, gas stove/oven and counter top. I spent a few hours ripping 5/4 pine into 1" sections so I can build the frame. Next week I should make a major progress then it's back to all the other crap like water pump, plumbing, gas lines, electrical and everything else that's not glamorous.
 
Get to make the counter top this weekend
 

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