Today - removing old, and building the new, wheel-well framing on the galley side.
The day dawned cooler than normal. It was still blustery, but at least not gale force like it can be (like yesterday). Clouds looked to hold more rain than desirable (like the day before yesterday).
That's the nice thing about Wyoming - if you like the Spring season, we get several - every year. Often, we'll get that warming trend in January or February. It's a trick I tell you, a trick!
But once you get outside and start working the ground, you THINK it's Spring, so you get to work pulling your world back from the precipice of the Wyoming winter.
And then the Spring snowstorms hit. 7-12" of heavy, wet stuff. But you don't need to plow now, it quickly melts with the arrival of your next Spring. (that's two - count them two). After the melt, and the world takes on the smells of moist earth, you pull on the boots and you go "be in it" - it's so beautiful! Nice to be outside, the warmth of the sun, and then a few days later - another 7-12" of heavy wet snow. This happens 7-12 times.
I think there's something in the Holy books about 7-12 being numbers of symbolic completion, so there's that. But after 7-12 times, it's summer and the hot wind dries everything out and all your Springtime work with tender plants and stuff, dies a horrible death! DW is a gardener. There is no tougher job in Wyoming. They should have a "world's toughest jobs" reality show starring Wyoming gardeners!
But I got distracted. The day was cooler, and more blustery than desirable, but I could tell I better get my butt on the ground and work the camper from outside and below, before the next rain storm (this year more rain than snow). Let's see what we can do about that framing around the wheel well.
I've been somewhat impressed by the original build of this camper. It appears all the interior panels have been glued to the framing members, in addition to the staples or twist nails. The camper corners have been glued, and lap jointed - we saw that on the left, rear corner repair.
But here at the floor level, the lower plate (horizontal framing board), while glued to the paneling, was just nailed to the floor framing edge (16d nails for crying out loud!). But that was good enough, and made for easier disassembly.
Note on this photo, the 1/8" hardboard of the lower galley wall as a spacer between the framing and the floor edge. Also note the 3/4" x 3/4" additional spacer on TOP of the framing, but it isn't found elsewhere along this lower edge. I wonder why here? Just between these two studs (at the forward portion of the wheel well)? Third note: the newer looking stud board is new and loose, positioned for effect.
I pulled it out and pulled the framing away from the floor (removed nails) so as to get the hardboard piece out. The new galley lower wall paneling will come down into the vacated spot.
Which revealed the floor edge: 2x2, maybe 2x4 flat (why else the 16d nails?) framing, with the 1/2" plywood underlayment on top.
But at the back of the wheel well, there's more work to do. This is the spot where the bridging boards over the wheel well opening had rotted and fallen out. I did have to pull some of this end with tools, and it took with it, the back layer of glued and water damaged paneling. But, if you look close, this is better than it appears.
And further back.
We'll get to some of the under-floor covering another day.
Here we see the remaining stuff after cutting out the damaged end of the bottom plate, or the bottom horizontal framing member that fastens to the floor. The damaged stud is still there, although kind of hard to determine (it shows my cut line, marked toward the top).
Here's a shot that shows it better.
I find I didn't get a shot of it cut out, but here's where we got to soon.
Now, let's see if I can show how we got here. First I sized and cut that reddish, horizontal member directly rearward from the wheel well, and nailed it in place, with Gorilla glue. The glue expanded and filled the voids and dripped on my tools and blanket.
With my bridge supports in place I made the bridge, this board. It's a 1x8, placed on top of the front and rear bottom plates, then marked by sight and various measurements. Then taken out and cut with a jig saw.
Then I slid the lower wall half paneling into position, set the bridge in place, and marked the paneling for cut. After removal and cut on the bench, we got this.
Then I cut my new stud shorter, and put it on top of the new bridge (see it leaning inward here?) and cut another 1x8 for the upper part of the bridge, bringing wood above the top of the wheel well.
Here's how those three new boards are taking shape on the inside.
I might just mention a electrical tangent right here. Note the 12 volt trailer lights wiring hanging? At the rear, it's at a certain height. The new stud has a groove at the same height for pass through.
But forward, it was too low, as I wanted to put in framing right where it's at. So I carefully cut the wire out of the forward stud, and cut in a new groove at the correct height.
Then with the three boards back out of the camper, I put the puzzle pieces together on the bench.
And made the aluminum flashing gussets by cutting to size, and folding over with the mallet. I found two thicknesses better than one, once those staples started pounding it.
I chose to put the gussets on the outside. In the event these boards need future replacement, it will be easier to replace from the outside. For the same reason, I did not glue these to the paneling, or to each other.
Then with the assembly in place, I added the attachment gussets at the stud and rear lower plate,
And at the forward lower plate.
The new nails are staged, but awaiting more lower-wall framing build, prior to insertion of the paneling.
Tomorrow we'll show how that came together.
