With the 2 week winter break I have been spending a lot of time working on the Bee-mobile. As mentioned earlier I had a little snag with the Airstream'ers but have worked out a pretty good deal. I traded my 63 Round the world Caravan Safari for a 1966 26' Airstream Overlander. Overlander-all I am pretty happy with the trade however shortly after the deal and the first rain storm I found out there was a lot more work involved with the Overlander than I had originally thought. It started leaking like a sieve and had to tear apart a large section of the rear internal shell to do a hack patch job. I sprayed some black funk trunk liner stuff out of a rattle can on the backside of the exterior areas that were patched, what a mess… However, at this point I think I have the situation under control but I won’t know for sure until the next rain. The frustrating thing is I just want to get this project done and I keep running into hurdles. I’m sure the Creative Work Fund is wondering what the hell and quite honestly my wife wants the trailer out of the front drive. Even if it is much nicer looking then the Safari, It does take up a lot of space. They say that Airstreams are found in both the Smithsonian Institution and the Henry Ford Museum. An Airstream trailer was selected by NASA to house the first astronauts back from the moon but I don’t think Meg really cares where they house Airstreams. I try and tell her “More than 60 percent of all Airstreams ever built -- including some built from the original five-dollar plans -- are still rolling down the highways today”. She doesn’t say anything, but I know what she’s thinking……..
Aside from the leaking issue, a couple of things that needed to be done immediately to the Overlander was to install the two front lower sections of the interior shell directly below the window. I got a super duper CuFe ( Copper Iron Design Inc.) deal on two 2 pieces 64” x 34” .032” grade aluminum, Andy even threw in a couple extra small bits he called fall offs. Andy Bradford has been my metal go to guy for ages, he gives me great deals and his guys are always there to help with fabrication. I will enlist Loyd to do the design and installation of the armatures that will hold the beehive in place as not to tumble as we are “rolling down the highway”. The other thing that needed to be done was to add another ½ inch sub-floor before I could lay the unfinished oak hardwood. I completed both those things today so Wednesday Rhue and I can start the hardwood install. It’s exciting to actually see this project moving forward, I say this with a big sigh of Airstream relief.
AIR-STR-EAM
You can kind of see where the trailer had been leaking. Note to self: before buying next trailer look for water spots.
Major leak was behind the patch of this refigerator vent on the exterior shell.
Spraying the black trunk funk. Gotta love that Bondo......
Laying the first sheet of sub-sub floor. 1/2 inch ply. Check out my new Rigid driver. Orange is the new blue in the case of my drill. My old Makita just wasn't up to the job.
Tools...
Screws....
More screws.....
Power cord....
Cordless....
This is an awful image but it gives an idea of the hive element in the trailer. Directly under the rear vent will fit 10 hive bodies, a screened bottom board cut directly in the camper floor, and a custom top to vent the bees out the roof. Each hive will have alternating plex sides as to experience the colony in the round. The bee tower will also have scanners built in the sides to scan the daily hive activity. Where the bees vent at the top of the trailer will also be monitored by video.
Congrats Rob, it looks great. Glad you got those leaks found, plywood looks like you did a great job, and same with the new material in the back. Look forward to seeing that oak go down.
Posted by: Scott Goranson | January 02, 2009 at 07:38 PM
now for those bee release forms for the bee-ality show. soon the bee drama will be revealed! but sincerely: very exciting Rob!
Posted by: sarah domke | January 06, 2009 at 12:00 AM
With smiling face desperate plight.
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