Tuesday 12 June 2012

Progress.... HIP HIP HURRAH

We have been productive... HURRAH!!

We visited our TROLL shop and got some great bargains. TROLL is what our local tip shop is called for some wonderful, magical, reason. I remember going with my mum to dump rubbish and picking through the tip looking for treasures, but it was stinky, and you touched some really questionable stuff looking for those treasures. Its much nicer now and I highly recommend you get to your local tip shop regularly. Honestly you never know what amazingness you'll find! We bought a cupboard, that will become a bench seat/bed and a timber double bed frame for about $6. We also bough an old locker, 2 metal out door chairs, a BBQ and a laundry sink for home for an extra $32. 

Spanner Wielder spent a day on the Caravan of Wrighteousness on Sunday and rapidly ticked some items from our list!!

He fitted the new (to us) stabilisers. We bought these at a garage sale for $2 each. I had no idea what they were, but felt like we needed to buy them. So I dragged Spanner Wielder over for a look, and sure enough we needed them, they also marked them down from $4 while I was hunting up Spanner Wielder!!

Our old stabilisers 
Our pretty new stabilisers
One of the pins were broken, so we assumed that's why the last owner replaced them and put them in the garage sale. It was a very easy fix though. Spanner Wielder simply knocked the broken pin out, found two bolts that fit, tightened the bolt enough that they were stable, but loose enough that everything could still pivot, and, finally, welded the nut in place. Simple right, well it sounds simple when Spanner Wielder explains it! If you are thinking about buying a caravan that is as crap shacky dilapidated as ours, its probably important that you know someone who welds.

Its also important to have good footwear, Spanner Wielder wore sand shoes and steeped on a nail. I did some Googling and because he had a tetanus booster 5 years ago (from, believe it or not, jumping stepping on a nail) he didn't need another one!


He also took down the shower, rain door sun roof, ready to fit our salvaged sky light.


We both spent the afternoon at the van Monday. Squiggle Butt was asleep in her porta cot so we couldn't be too loud. Initially we did a lot of measuring. We're hoping to have detailed plans (well measurements) so we can just start framing, rather then having to figure out placement of items, how things fit together as we go. We also plan to do a quick stock take of what we have, so we know what we still have to get. 


An example of some of the rot.


Spanner Wielder and I also got on to some demolition... you know the fun stuff. most of the panelling has now been removed and we have a pretty clear picture of what is salvageable and what needs replacing. Much more of the frame is salvageable them we thought thankfully. However where the broken rear windows have let a lot of weather through and much of that area needs replacing. I honestly don't know how it hasn't fallen to pieces, I can't figure out what's holding the back together.

My gory wound

During demolition I bashed my finger on a rusty nail. Now I know I haven't had a tetanus booster recently, but I'm taking my chances. I'll head in for a needle if my jaw starts locking up, but not before!!! 


Today was meant to be our first scheduled day working on the Caravan, and wouldn't you know it  Spanner Wielders been called into work. I'm hoping to go down to the workshop after Squiggle Butt wakes up and do some tidying, we didn't clear out much of the panelling before knocking off Sunday. I'm also hoping to trace out the curves in the kitchen, ready to frame out. It'll be tough to get a lot done though as Squiggle Butt is pure mischief, and there's so much damage she could do! Plus look how grotty she managed to get last time, and she was asleep for most of it!!


1 comment:

  1. Your litle miss looke less than pleased, looks like you have plenty of work ahead of you.... but HURRAH FOR PROGRESS

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