Re: Speaking of Hammers...

Nice work Jay. Are you going to do the finish work on-site?

Thanks, and I don't know. There really isn't a whole lot of finish
work involved, other than the 8x12 addition to the living room, of
course (header for addition opening is framed in). Truth be told, I'm
giving 90% odds to it spending the next 20 years in my back yard
(Dad's den of inequity). I do have to keep the weight down, just in
case I ever do figure out how I'm going to get the pig up the 2mi
access road to my land (recent reports tell me it's getting pretty
rugged these days), but I'm not too worried about it - my friend's
F350 can tow 19,500 pounds. Who cares if the trailer's chassis is a
bit overloaded - it's not like it'll actually have a valid
registration or anything ;).

And just for a bit of free comedy, I was nailing off the piece of
sheathing that ultimately got cut around the tires. There was a bunch
of complex gussets and beams in that area that all needed to be glued
and nailed, so the markings on the sheathing was also very complex.
Unfortunately, fatigue was setting in with a vengance at the time. I
finished nailing off the piece and was looking around for any spots I
missed, and saw a 16" OC mark with no nails. I shot one into the
bottom of the mark **PSHHHHssssssssssssssssss**... sonofabitch. Right
through the sidewall of the tire that was sitting behind the plywood.
I hope 3 tires is enough to carry the pig.

Very sturdy contruction. Far beyond what you have in any travel trailer
Those roof trusses look like overkill.

No such thing as overkill...I AM an engineer, after all ;). It's
nothing special, I used standard 2x4 house construction techniques.
I't simply a house on wheels - don't need a building permit for one of
those ;). Besides, if it ever really does make it to it's intended
destination, it needs to withstand at least a 6' snow load w/o
collapsing - which is why I can't just stuff a shitbox existing travel
trailer up there, which was my original plan until I found out how
they are constructed.

I'll tell you though, after ripping the original travel trailer down,
I find it completely amazing that those things don't simply fly apart
driving down the road. There is almost nothing holding them together.

What did you decide on the other details? Plumbing, or no? Wiring for 110,
or 110/12V?

No plumbing. Kitchen is 6' countertop with dump sink. Bath is
outhouse sitting 50 ft. downwind. Power is solar (and/or possibly
wind, just 'cause it's cool) charged 12V or 24V system w/ inverters
for 110V power. Secondary input for generator. Wood stove for heat
(I have 20 lifetime supplies of wood) and that's it. Rustic is good -
keeps the wife away.

Any plan for skylights? That would really cut down on your electricity
req'mts for lighting.

Surely you Jest. Why would you need lighting in the daytime?

We were talking about using 1/4" steel plate with reactive armor for
vandal-resistant siding though - that would be cool.

JayC

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