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Post by hilldweller on Feb 22, 2014 15:19:13 GMT 10
Thank you for those nice comments Seeshell and Don Ricardo. It is great to log in on here and see new replies. Well the last piece broke as I was attempting to fix it in place I think it got too dry as I was diverted onto other activities after steaming and it sat in the garage clamped to the bench through a couple of hot dry days. Also think I need another big clamp or two to help with that process. Might be able to get a replacement length of timber tomorrow and start again with the steaming. Fingers crossed. Now assuming things move on from the three cornered van stage, what do I do next? Can I take the roof off? Pleeeeeeease? The rotted canvas, water damaged hardboard and badly sagging framing all need to be replaced. (Apologies for repeating pics but I can't work out how to refer to them, four pages back). Although I'm trying to keep things original, I think the framing needs to be done differently or it will just sag again. I've seen pics where the roof framing goes both across and fore-aft following the curve of the roof and am thinking that might work nicely, without being too much of a departure from the look of the original. Any thoughts?
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Post by hilldweller on Feb 20, 2014 13:10:20 GMT 10
Like you roof mine isn't stuck to the roof but rather stretched and held with a moulding on the roof and timber under the hatch. It makes me wonder if this was the normal method of attaching canvas and adhering with paint came later ? I have seem old adds from the 60s for a product called celastic which when an activator is applied sticks to the surface . Would be interested to know others thoughts on this ?? It may just be a period thing or a commercial practice vs home made technique ( cobber maybe a new thread called " what's on top" ) That's interesting about the roof. Mabel's roof is canvas and held as you describe, not painted or glued. The painted-on coverings I can recall on here are calico, not canvas, and I had wondered whether canvas is too thick for the 'paint as glue' technique. Just a theory - I'll be interested to see what replies you get. I like the idea of a "what's on top" thread
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Post by hilldweller on Feb 19, 2014 18:30:19 GMT 10
If you say it lines up Al, I have no doubt that it does.
So, prior to your invention of the Icechest Potty, and consequent induction into the SoI Hall of Fame, what was the traditional way of dealing with melted ice?
I have a feeling ice chests may not have been as much of a feature of early vans this side of the ditch, perhaps due to the presence of freezing cold refreshingly cool streams in which to cool one's bevvies, pretty much everywhere one would wish to camp.
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Post by hilldweller on Feb 18, 2014 13:20:47 GMT 10
Wow that roof canvas is in unbelievable condition Interesting about the colours. It's going to look awesome, whether cream and beige or a single 'cream beige'. I would have thought (and I have no basis for this whatsoever) that with the roof being a different material it might also have been a different colour. Though having said that if you painted the same colour on canvas and bondwood I'd expect them to look a bit different because of the different textures. Looking forward to the next instalment.
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Post by hilldweller on Feb 16, 2014 11:28:34 GMT 10
Thanks Al - much appreciated and I've added a block as you suggested. Clamps now off that first one and all is well. The other front corner has been bent and is now clamped to the van and tomorrow hopefully when those clamps are freed up I'll be able to get the steamer back and do the two rear ones.
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Post by hilldweller on Feb 14, 2014 18:00:00 GMT 10
Hello all The four corner uprights need replacing and since the bend is a fairly gentle one I wanted to see if I could replicate the original bent timber. Laminating narrow strips of ply is Plan B. So, having read everything I could find on here and elsewhere, I expensively purchased some 32x40 rimu and cut it down to 32 square, hired a wallpaper stripper/steamer, and removed the first (and worst) of the old corners to experiment with. It came off in one piece but succumbed to a whack against the bench. Nailed offcuts of the old doors to the bench using the original as a template. Bought more clamps. Happened to have a length of plastic downpipe so cut a circle of ply to plug one end, with a smaller circle in the middle to take the pipe from the wallpaper stripper, and found a bit of hessian for the other end. Put a couple of nails through to hold the timber off the bottom and when it went soft under the heat added a few more nails along the side to prevent it collapsing too badly. Left it an hour and a quarter (an hour per inch) then donned gloves to extract the rimu and clamped it as quickly as I could. The clamps that wind in with screws worked best. It took a bit of pressure but the timber bent smoothly with no sign of splitting. Left it overnight. Day 2: Gingerly removed the clamps and it sprung back a little but definitely now a reasonable approximation of the original. Bought more, bigger, clamps. Did a trial fit to see if it would follow the curve on the caravan, which it did with a bit of pressure. Took it off again, pre-drilled some holes and put it back, this time with glue, nails into the endgrain on the front and side horizontals (as per the original) and screws into new blocks for a bit of extra support at the lower end. So that’s where I’m up to – a very interesting experience. I’m pleased with how it looks but a bit worried that since it took some pressure to get on because of the ‘springback’ when unclamped from the bench, there will presumably be pressure on the joints and all the adjoining rails. Can someone tell me whether it should now settle into its new curvy shape or do I need to do revert to plan B?
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Post by hilldweller on Feb 13, 2014 17:27:59 GMT 10
Lovely job, as usual. It is good of you to share how you get things so neat and tidy Looking forward to the next instalment.
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Post by hilldweller on Feb 1, 2014 12:32:13 GMT 10
Hello Ray Haven't seen you on here much lately. It's nice to have you back and I hope all is well in your world
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 31, 2014 18:41:46 GMT 10
Or if neither of the above works buy a second hand curved corner window - with or without glass - from a 'donor' van.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 31, 2014 18:24:02 GMT 10
Hi Al Thanks for your encouragement with the framing My initial thoughts on the front window were the same as yours but on closer inspection the original framing doesn't allow it. The lowest the front window could go without moving that wide piece that runs across the front is 1 1/4" higher than the side windows. At one point I was quite definitely going to do that and I may yet, but I'm worried it might look as if it was supposed to be the same and just missed. I think what I'll do is try making a frame to fit the gap that's there and see how it looks. The back one really does need to stay at that height. I haven't posted a good pic of the shelf but what you can't see is that the brackets which support the shelf also support the table so there'd be a few things that would need to move, and as a general rule I don't want to change things that look original unless there's a good reason. Your comments on a 'balanced' look had me laughing because to my eye she's not remotely balanced in any respect. She's both really tall and really short so that when you stand next to her it seems as if she's taller than she is long, and her wheels are ridiculous All part of her quirky charm She must also be very heavy - it doesn't look as if any thought was given to either weight or aerodynamics. Nice explanation about the 'drip strip' on the windows - thanks. I'm intending to copy what is there on the other windows so will re-create that. I would have thought it would be sensible for the sill to protrude beyond the cladding but that's not the way it was.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 30, 2014 6:21:12 GMT 10
Wow that's so exciting I would take a bit of time to get acquainted with the van and work out what you're trying to achieve before actually doing anything. There are some threads on here that would give you an idea of how other people have approached older vans eg Cobber's thread on Ol' 36 (linked from the thread below - might help you work out how you want to proceed. I found the advice on this thread helpful for my van. vintagecaravans.proboards.com/thread/11264/preserve-make-new-retrofit Good luck and please keep posting on here
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 27, 2014 18:20:18 GMT 10
Lovely pattern though, on the floor. Hope you manage to salvage it. The new cladding looks great and I love the fridge
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 27, 2014 17:52:19 GMT 10
A little more progress (and thanks Al for the advice on splinting etc) …. The framing has now been repaired, apart from the curved corner uprights which are next on the list, and the rails along the top which need to wait until I take a closer look at the damage from above. Although I’m trying not to do anything inside, the bowed linings needed a few ‘adjustments’ before the new straight framing could be fitted. The new framing is a mix of bits re-used from pieces removed from other parts of the van, cut down recycled house doors and new pine. Front and back window openings have been reframed and the outer part of the sills is sitting in place but not yet attached. Very pleased with those two little pieces as they have a sloping top and a rebated bit on the outer edge where the cladding will sit, and looked rather daunting Would appreciate any comments on the size/placement of the front window as there were no clues as to the original height. I’ve been looking at pics on here of 30s and 40s vans - this site is such a great resource - but there’s a lot of variation. The back one is definitely the right width and the height is probably also about right given the shelf below.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 21, 2014 6:22:27 GMT 10
Am following this thread with interest - lovely looking van . You'd think awnings would be one of the first things to perish and I'm sure that is often the case but, as yours shows, if they're stored correctly they last forever
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 20, 2014 18:13:28 GMT 10
Eureka! You know when you do something and it’s not quite right and you do it again and it’s still not right and you do it again and it’s nearly right and you convince yourself it’s the best you can do, and you shut the garage and go inside and clean up, but it keeps bugging you so back out to the garage for another go and suddenly something shifts by a couple of millimetres and finally IT FITS! Or perhaps it’s just me LOL . But anyway, I just had one of those moments Here is the offending piece, now sitting as it should (and don’t anyone dare suggest otherwise!). The issue was a tiny bit of ‘give’ in the chassis rail to which the timber is bolted, finally fixed by loosening the bolts and jacking the rail before re-tightening. When she’s towable again I’ll find a chassis engineering person to tell me whether some further reinforcement would be a good idea for modern towing speeds etc. That right front piece was the worst, with more rot evident once removed than was visible from the outside, and perhaps it hadn’t been providing quite the support it should have. The other three possibly could have been patched but they would have been big patches. I’m rather unreasonably anti pine at present but I’ve used treated pine for those lengths with a coat of paint for good measure and so the new timbers don’t stand out when viewed from underneath. Will try to stick to recycled rimu for the rest. This is the other side – those ones went on easily – and a shot showing new rust inhibiting paint on the briefly exposed metal underneath. The metal looked good with no flaking and the bolts were in pretty good condition considering their age but I’ve replaced them with galvanised. So that’s three pieces done (and a fourth ready to go on, hopefully tomorrow). Only about 397 to go . If Mabel hadn't been a vintage van at the beginning of this she certainly would be by the end! Thanks for your post Al. I think I’ve worked out a plan for the remaining ‘red’ areas, and I’ve sanded the green ones and hardened and filled (still need to sand) the yellow ones.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 16, 2014 13:26:54 GMT 10
That's a really interesting technique. Looking forward to further pics.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 13, 2014 12:23:20 GMT 10
Hello all Been away for a lovely holiday in the Caravelle but back home now and trying to fit in some Mabel time It helps that other jobs like weed control keep getting rained off I’ve marked up the framing with coloured chalk as per Al’s very helpful suggestion and – predictably – have another question : where only a short section of a longer length needs to be replaced, should I cut out and replace only that part or will that compromise strength? (Also various related questions about joining and glues etc). The pieces I’m most unsure about are the verticals either side of one window and the door (damage from fittings rather than water) and the two horizontals along the roof line which are both badly damaged at the ends but OK inbetween. All four vertical corner pieces have enough dodgy areas that I think they probably need to be replaced in their entirety so I’ve been reading up on how to bend timber. There's also a vertical on the offside that has bent itself, under pressure from warped hardboard on the inside, and will need to come right out. Have also been experimenting, rather nervously, with the new tools and the recycled door has disappeared. The longer lengths have been set aside for window framing and for practice I’ve been trying to turn the offcuts into 1 ¼ square lengths which can be used for framing repairs. None of the first batch are quite 1 ¼ square The door was 2 inches thick and weighed a ton but the rimu is absolutely beautiful and in perfect condition under the surface scratches. I need to get a second one to have enough for the windows.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 13, 2014 8:28:43 GMT 10
So are you van-less at the moment Ray?
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 13, 2014 8:26:16 GMT 10
Wow! That's georgeous and a great buy! You'll find lots of helpful advice on this forum to help you fix up whatever needs fixing. I also thought 'Home Beautiful' when I saw the pics. Please post more Edit: Just had a closer look at the pics and noticed several old photos. Had she been in the same family for a long time?
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 13, 2014 8:22:03 GMT 10
Thanks Don. You and the other mods do a great job keeping the site going.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 9, 2014 15:45:18 GMT 10
Wow what a find! Looking forward to more pics
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 7, 2014 18:07:40 GMT 10
Looks great. I like those patches Very impressed with the upholstery too! Keep going....
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 7, 2014 18:02:50 GMT 10
Hi recently acquired an Olympic Debonair which will be towed behind my Mustang (Both have no name). I was thinking about a few options to call my van. so far on the list is Carriage (horse and carriage) Power (Horse power) Dewey ( After Dewey Bunnell songwriter for "America" who wrote "I've been through the desert on a horse with no name") www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPaSDpJhqY0America (America rides on the back of a mustang) Jockey,Saddle (Sits on the back of a horse) Horse, Pony (Mustang is also known as a Pony car, so I would have a horse and pony) Trails (Pony trails) Any other suggestions, i am sure after a few more Rumbos I will come up with some more. Sally.
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Post by hilldweller on Jan 7, 2014 17:57:27 GMT 10
I'll be interested in the replies to this as Mabel (NZ) has/had a canvas roof and the only NZ-er I've discussed old van roofs with (strangely I don't often come across people who want to discuss such things;)) also spoke of 'canvas'. The Aussie threads I've seen on here refer to (and use) the much lighter calico. I had wondered whether canvas was considered more suitable for our rainier climate - but I could be completely wrong.
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Post by hilldweller on Dec 22, 2013 17:23:47 GMT 10
Sounds good Donald80 It's surprising how cheap the old timber is if you buy it that way. Small amount of further progress: deconstructed the kitchen window, which had some obvious rot on one bottom corner. As it turned out both bottom joints just fell apart once the glazing beads and glass were removed. The top corners were good and solid and it took me a while to realise there was star-shaped bit of metal driven through motise and tenon, well hidden below the surface. Once those were out they came apart with a bit of persuasion from a rubber hammer. Hoping to be able to re-use the top piece for that window and might be able to cut the rotten bottom ends off the two side pieces and use those for the smaller front or rear window. Thought to measure the old framing marks on front and back and discovered the front was narrower than the back. It’s going to be very small indeed, with a pane about 12x14. The mortise and tenons look very complicated and I’m glad I’ll have these to copy. Oddly enough, since I hadn’t done any other sort of joints before the Caravelle, I have actually done mortise and tenons, but they were simpler than these ones and it was several years ago under strict supervision.
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