'71 Starcraft Wanderstar- "The Hilton"
Thought I should post this up because the "Search" feature doesn't return any results and there might be some useful info for older Starcraft owners or those that are mad enough to embark on a complet...
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Thanks guys! Got a little time in burning the evening oil so I enlisted my son to help me launch a few ceiling panels onto the rafters. Rather than just show the accomplishments, I thought I'd show a simple way that I use for cutting openings in panels.
The opening that I'll show is a chase for the two electrical junction boxes and a place for the center light. It will later be covered by an aluminum plate/light fixture.
I use a circular saw set to the depth of the panel and carefully cut along my marked lines:
Here is the finished opening cut with the circular saw:
To finish the cut, I use a Japanese pull saw, a Dozuki. I could use just a utility knife but the Dozuki is a better tool for the job, it slices very fine.
The finished opening:
The opening in the ceiling:
I could have used a jigsaw to cut the openings but I would have to drill a starter hole, prop the workpiece over saw horses and clamp it because even my good Bosch jigsaw is going to catch once in a while and will shatter any small pieces of paneling. The circular saw makes easy work out of it.
The ceiling turned out to be one of those jobs that I was dreading needlessly. I think it took me three hours to cut and install almost all of the ceiling. I still have one small panel in the very back to get up there but was waiting to cut that and, with the offal of that cut, install the sloping back piece in the back wall, first. Efficiency of using materials is what I like to think is happening.
The ceiling looking forward:
The ceiling looking towards the rear:
The marks on the walls near the ceiling are my chalked layout marks, a straight line for the stud locations and a "v" for the rafter locations. I can use these to reference where I attach cabinets, shelves, and bunks, later. I also plan to add in some screws with finishing washers into the ceiling panels. My 1 1/4" brads are holding everything now but I'd hate to hit a bad road and open the door to find half of my ceiling loose.
The opening that I'll show is a chase for the two electrical junction boxes and a place for the center light. It will later be covered by an aluminum plate/light fixture.
I use a circular saw set to the depth of the panel and carefully cut along my marked lines:
Here is the finished opening cut with the circular saw:
To finish the cut, I use a Japanese pull saw, a Dozuki. I could use just a utility knife but the Dozuki is a better tool for the job, it slices very fine.
The finished opening:
The opening in the ceiling:
I could have used a jigsaw to cut the openings but I would have to drill a starter hole, prop the workpiece over saw horses and clamp it because even my good Bosch jigsaw is going to catch once in a while and will shatter any small pieces of paneling. The circular saw makes easy work out of it.
The ceiling turned out to be one of those jobs that I was dreading needlessly. I think it took me three hours to cut and install almost all of the ceiling. I still have one small panel in the very back to get up there but was waiting to cut that and, with the offal of that cut, install the sloping back piece in the back wall, first. Efficiency of using materials is what I like to think is happening.
The ceiling looking forward:
The ceiling looking towards the rear:
The marks on the walls near the ceiling are my chalked layout marks, a straight line for the stud locations and a "v" for the rafter locations. I can use these to reference where I attach cabinets, shelves, and bunks, later. I also plan to add in some screws with finishing washers into the ceiling panels. My 1 1/4" brads are holding everything now but I'd hate to hit a bad road and open the door to find half of my ceiling loose.
