And so it begins

 Hello everyone,

Well, I took a couple of days off from the Diego project and the wife and I went to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Was a very fun show and the band is excellent!!

Before I left I finished the countertop and got it installed.

After I started writing this I realized I don’t have any pics of it installed in the van! I’ll do a little update later in the week and add some pics. I also finished up the top of the electronics cabinet. I’ll post those pics later too.

I started today, running the 12 volt cables for the electronics, realized that I needed to change the battery cable size again, so I ordered some more parts. They should be here by weeks end, and hopefully the electrical system will be fully functional by next week.( with no smoke!!)

While I’m waiting for parts I’m going to trim out the flooring and fill in the sliding door step with something. I’ve got a few other tidbits to do while I’m waiting. Plus, I might start working on cabinets/ shelves.

We’ll, I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon, 

TVI

Just a little update

 Hello everyone,

Just a quick update. I managed to get some of the electronic doodads installed.

There’s still a few more things that will ultimately be installed but, I ordered most of the rest of the parts this morning so, I’ll get started on that as the pieces come in.

After that I started on the kitchen countertop. I built a sort of frame/ trim edge first and made it to fit on the cabinet with the overhang I wanted, then I cut the old basketball flooring to fit the frame. I glued it all together then sanded everything flat except I left a little height on the back sort of like a backsplash.

I’m going to make some little corner pieces to finish the back splash. Then I need to cut out the sink and mount the hand pump faucet. There’s also going to be a pop up plug cube for plugging in the coffee pot etc..

After that we’ll oil it up and that part should be done.

We’ll, that’s my short update. Talk to you soon,

TVI

Feeling like it’s coming together

 Hello everyone,

Finally got the kitchen cabinet made and installed. Seems like that took forever! I have to admit the amount of thinking and then rethinking and making and remaking, I think if I had known ahead of time, I might not have took this project on. That being said, it’s finally coming all together.

The first pic is it assembled and the bottom pic is it installed in the van.

I spent the last two days wiring everything in that cabinet, and then I wired in the 12 volt fuse panel.

I stole the battery out of my grandson’s 4 wheeler and hooked it up to test everything out and, believe it or not, it all worked exactly like it’s supposed too,  no blown fuses or anything!

I also installed the porch light, we have a Moonshade awning and sit outside whenever we can, so that should help with some light under it.

I took the swivel for the passenger’s seat out of the old van, and got it installed in the new van. That makes a world of difference for me when we’re just sitting in the van.

I’ve got all the 110 volt wiring done on the passenger side of the van. Most of the drivers side is done also.

I got a little ambitious today and started mounting the inverter and part of the electronic controls. By the time I’m finished it’s sort of going to look like a Nipsco sub station!!

Well, I think that’s about all for now.

Talk to you soon, 

TVI

Still making headway

 Hello everyone,

Well I installed the electrical box in the van.

No electronics in it yet, but it is in its spot and bolted down.

I’ve just about got the kitchen cabinet all painted on the edges and all the holes cut in it for various things. I’ve got the drawer slides in it for the cooler. I’m hoping to start assembling it today but, we’re supposed to get another 6”-10” of snow today, so I don’t know that I can get it all mounted in the van..

When that is in, I have several electrical boxes and the main switch panel to mount in and wire up and then I can start installing batteries and electronics. After that, we should be able to take it for its maiden voyage! I suspect about two more weeks.

There will still be a lot of work to do, overhead cabinets etc..

If I get the cabinet assembled this afternoon, I’ll try to post some pics of it assembled so you can get an idea of what it will look like.

I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon,

TVI

Making headway

 Hello everyone,

We’ll, I finally settled on a proper layout for the electronics cabinet.

To photo is the bottom of the cabinet, it will hold the batteries and the 110 volt breaker box. The bottom picture is the top of the cabinet, and it will hold the other electronics and the garbage can. I’ve got the frames together and painted.

Plus I’ve got all the pieces cut to “skin” the box.

I can put on some of the skin, but some of it needs to be removable to change batteries etc.. I drilled a hole in the side of the van and mounted a 30 amp, 110 volt plug in, like for an RV. That was a little nerve racking, but, I think I only have one more of those to do and it’s a small hole to mount a “porch” light. Come to think of it, maybe one more, if I end up mounting an XM/ Sirius antennae.

Yesterday I had to take a break for a couple of days, I had to have two teeth pulled out. I need a ton of work done and a new partial plate for the top, so the work is just beginning. Kind of a drag but, it happens.

So this week, I’m going to try and get this cabinet mounted in the van and start serious work on the kitchen cabinet, hopefully it’ll work out.

Well, I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon,

TVI

We have gotten quite a bit of snow

 Hello everyone, 

I’ve spent the last two days plowing snow out of the driveway! We probably got around 8”-10” of snow. I spent yesterday morning moving wood over by the wood boiler and the rest of yesterday plowing the first of the snow. Got up this morning and went over everything again.

I did have a little time yesterday to start figuring out the electronics box. This is the first iteration of it.

There’s still a few more electronic controls that mount up, so I’ll have to make a top box as well. Going to take it outside in a little bit and see if it’s going to fit as planned.

I also started on the lower cabinet for the kitchen. That thing is going to take me some real time and extra planning! That cabinet is going to be full!

The top is a leftover piece of basketball floor I bought a few years ago. I finished my workbenches with it and this was extra. I’ll have to refinish this piece but I like how it looks with all the gray tones.

Hopefully the weather will get better and I can finish the cabinet and then do all the electronics in the next couple of weeks.

Well, I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon,

TVI