One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

I know the saying is suppose to be two steps forward and one step back, indicating at least some progress, however the flip side is how things seems to be working out.  

After the fall off the roof of Geet, my progress is somewhat delayed as I am not able to raise my left arm higher than elbow height, but I was determined to get the second coat of paint on before the weather started to get colder.

Remember how great she looked???

However, a day after first coat was on the front of Geet, she started to peel - really peel - in the upper front section only that had bare aluminium, from years of sun fading.  

Thus - the first step backward.

A good vigorous scrubbing, plus a vinegar wash, then a self etching primer had been put on, and once the allowable time elapsed, the scotty aqua had been brushed on.  No where was this extra pre-paint prep necessary, (as no other section of the Scotty had bare aluminum) and after all that prep work, that front upper section decided to peel back to the aluminum the very next morning.  The morning dew must have  done something to aid in this peeling.  

So I peeled, picked and sanded this section again, gave the galvanized aluminum a heavy sanding treatment, and again sprayed with the self etching primer, then painted.

Next morning - another peel back - in only certain sections.

So Geet got another self etching primer treatment and from the front she looks like garbage but it's staying that way until I find out from the Scotty experts on the internet what to do next....

2nd Step Back.

 Her back end and front end are beyond saving.  I can't brace the corners properly until I get rid of the entire lower sections and doing this from the inside is do-able, but very difficult.  

 Bye bye mouse-chewed back wall...

This is where full and proper side and back wall bracing is needed.  Can't do it properly with wood that is disintegrated on the back section (side wall still holding up well.)

 With the weather being beautiful I decided that I needed to bite the bullet and peel back the lower aluminum sections, remove the rotted sections of wood at the back end. 

The side storage door provides a quick area to dump out the remnants.  I just sweep them thru the little latched storage door.

 Peeling back the rear skin means removing the brake lights.  

 You don't want to know what that dark black stuff growing on the inside of this lighting unit was.

 I think removing the light until has been the easiest thing of this whole day.

 Trying to peel back the aluminum skin without warping it or the bracing is a slow process.

 Before I threw away this twisted piece of tin, I need to remember to cut a new piece as it gets affixed/stapled in an L formation to the underside 2 x 2 as a water guard to prevent splash up rot for the flooring.

Once I got the 'peel back' courage, I decided that my front kitchen patch job just wasn't going to do, so I'm removing the bones of cupboard unit and tomorrow morning I'm bringing out the crowbar and getting to work peeling back the front lower section to put in new wood for proper bracing to both the road and curb side walls.

Here is what the kitchenette area looked like before I started demolishing it:

 The side walls are solid, the front wall is mushy.

 Tore out everything but the bones for the three drawers.

 Thought I could simply cut and patch here and there at the front end.

 And this was back when I was thinking Geet would look good Pink - she didn't.

Below is where the kitchen is today. Nice curved piece of wood that Gord did for me - it took alot of steaming to get that bend in the wood.

  I know I need to fully remove this kitchette again, including the drawer bones this time and get that front section of rotted wood out if I have any hope of bracing the side walls to the front wall at both bottom sections.

And that's my Two Steps Backward thus far.

The easy part of my day and the one step forward was when I was cutting the laminate for the countertop.  Using my dremel power tool, masking tape and a yoga mat, it was easy to cut thru without chipping the laminate.  I did a test with the sink cover and it turned out exactly how I wanted it.  Here's the step by step.

 Above - the original sink cover; Below - my dremel tool

 Cut to measure the actual counter top - masking taped around the inner cut out, to prevent chipping of the laminate.

 The cut out section is perfectly sized for the sink over replacement top.

 Leaving a bit of an edge for final sanding with fine sandpaper.

 Slapped on some extra strong contact cement trowelled onto both the top of the old lid and the bottom on the new laminate.  Wait 10 minutes, then carefully place the new laminate on the old lid.

Using a rolling pin will elminate air bubbles, (yes - I promise to put the rolling pin in the dishwasher or no one will every eat cookies I make again).  The new lid needs abit of weight on it to seal for an hour and it should be ready to use.  (No picture as it's under a couple of boards drying right now - will post a photo tomorrow)

Geet's Candy Coating Exterior

Geet's newly painted exterior has gotten at least one coat of colour on all four sides.  

We interrupt this 'remodel' to allow both of my wrists heal.  

I fell off the ladder reaching for my little tool that I left up on the roof.  

I'm drinking coffee from a straw as my wrists ache too much to hold a cup.

Should be back at it in a couple of hours.

Tomorrow I know I'm going to pay bigtime for that fall of today.

Spent the day up on the roof of Geet  - busy digging out the old silicone, tar and unknown roofing 'stuff'. 

The previous owners did their best to try to prevent leaks, but removing all the layers is the only way to start over so that the new interior walls and ceilings have a chance at not getting wet again thru exterior leakage. 

 Using my trusty Dremel tool, chisel and sheer brut strength, I was successful in removing one entire side of 'roof gunk'. 

 Squid came out to give me a hand by doing first coat on the back end of Geet .

Thanks Squid for helping out - Geet's back end looks great!

It's raining today so the second coat of paint can't go on yet - so I'm stuck inside the house cleaning floors and cupboard - boo hiss.

Tomorrow it's suppose to be nice weather again so I'll resume 2nd coat of painting then - I need to kick start this reno on Geet into high gear because my sister-in-law Andrea-Fudge-Ka-Fa needs to stay in this camper next summer when she comes up from Arizona to laze around Clear Lake with me!  And it will be a perfect spot for my parents or sister to stay in when they come visit me at camp next summer.  Another bonus to having two camers at camp is that our Camp Gardener and all around Camp Super-Mom Liz can move into either camper during the weeks she's up at camp in the years to come.  She's such fun and having this extra camper up at camp will mean Liz can stay longer than just a few weeks each summer!

 I can still see pink bleeding thru that front section so I might have to paint that section the Scotty Aqua as well - I'm ok with that.

 Still need to sand some more where I put in the liquid metal from the two spots where part of the old TV antenna use to be.

 Poor Geet - she's looks like she's blinking- I need to get a piece of replacement glass for that front window - for now I justput up the lip of the overhang thingy that use to be affixed over the side door.

I have a tarp over the top & side to protect her from the rain as I removed the

roof vent & side fridge vents to close off and paint over.  I'm such a handy girl.

Geet's Getting Painted - finally!!

Here is Geet before...

 Faded white & blue

Not hardly any paint on back end except for the
previous owners custom painted disney campfire image

The pink front end is proving to require more than
two coats as it was originally stale yellow, then pink, now white.

 But the first coat on the driver side went on pretty smooth,
and my patches with liquid metal from where the old antenna hook up was
turned out great.

 Decided to split the front end into white-aqua-white

 The tint is a shade more Scotty Aqua  then Scotty Blue but I like it.

Guppy landed a new front end paint job - finally.

 Finally had time to pull the trigger & get Guppy's front end painted.  I forsee a couple of stripes & checkers in her future but for now, it's covered up that stale looking original yellow front end.

Living La Vita Muskoka....July - August 2012

 Poor Geet (above) - all she got was a trial paint colouring job - powder pink - no one was happy about that - back to the Scotty Blue she goes....but not until the fall as Guppy is too busy living La Vita Muskoka...(below)

 Although her dinette is looking wonderful, Guppy is still slated for the new laminate tabletop upgrade this fall.

 The Scotty Blue micro-suede fabric on the cushions turned out better than hoped.  Stands up to even the wet and sandy paws of Licorice & Pepsi when they've had enough beach time at the end of the days.

 Contimplating getting rid of the yellow on Guppy's front end.  

Eventually I'll be adding some scalloped fabric edging on the front rock guard to give it a little exterior window treatment.

 Haven't unpacked the outside kitchenette table yet, so these metal side tables will have to do for the time being.

 Lost my outside patio lanterns when lightening hit the row boat oarlocks & shot thru the metal legs of the little picnic table.  I'll have to check kijijji to see if anyone has some vintage ones up for grabs to attach back onto my awnings.

 A sampling below of the switch over from yellow to Scotty Blue on the front lower panelling.  I think it's a keeper.