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there was quite a thread on this a couple of months ago. at the time I decided to do some testing. I still haven’t gotten around to installing the headliner yet, but I will do so later this week.
after some research, I bought a spray can of Scotch Super 77 adhesive (maroon can). at the time I hadn’t yet sanded/varnished the inside, although I had done so on the inside of the galley hatch on the workbench. I sprayed a light coating of the 77 on a piece of rubber floor mat, made of the identical material (pkg of 8 2×2 interlocking panels $10 at Costco). I let the spray dry until tacky. but not wet, as directed. I pressed it onto the inside of the hatch, inverted it, and left it overnight.
the panel remained attached, and when I removed it, it came off cleanly, as it surely would not have with contact cement, or even perhaps carpet tape.
I bought it at Michael’s with one of their weekly “40% off one item” coupons. the can says it will cover 200 sq ft.
ken
congratulations on finishing your TD!
I finished mine just before the eclipse and took it on a 600 mile round trip to view it. every nut that wasn’t a lock nut vibrated loose.
my son just returned from a 2000+ mile trip, and the lock nuts on the machine screws acting as hinge pins on both doors vibrated off. the hinge screws stayed in place. I had noticed when I installed them that the screws were not quite long enough for the lock nuts to get a good bite on. I replaced them with the next longer size. (Home Depot has a wide selection of stainless screws, bolts, nuts, washers, etc at reasonable prices.)
other than that everything held together well.
ken
Attwood was very responsive, but the bottom line is that the user/builder/contractor/etc is responsible for design and sizing. they didn’t address my question as to why the piston relaxes 2″ now rather than the 1″ originally. in fairness it was 10-15F cooler the other day than it was when I originally installed, so the ideal gas law would predict some lesser degree of pressure exerted by the piston at lower temps.
CLC determined that 20# force was sufficient, and I assume they were reluctant to oversize the force since the tradeoff is more opening force = more closing force on the hinges.
having said that, I believe 30# gas springs are desirable over the 20# ones supplied.
ken
I am using the CLC-supplied hasp, but I have an issue with the gas springs. later this morning I’m going to call Attwood and talk to them about it.
the gas springs are rated for 20# of force. clearly the hatch and the hasp weigh much less than the 40# that two springs should support. this might be an issue of how Attwood rates the force.
when I first installed the springs (3 wks ago) they opened to 19″ under the weight of the hatch. the springs are supposed to extend 20″. my son just returned from a week-long trip with the TD and now the springs only extend 18″. this translates to an opening of 34″ rather than 46″.
I’m going to ask Attwood if the springs are acting as they are designed, and CLC should have supplied a set with higher force, or if these are defective.
just a thought–you might get a spray can of Rustoleum plastic paint/primer to apply to the mushroom before the interlux brightsides paint. having said that, not all plastics are created equal, and plastic paint/primer may not stick to this material. the good news is that I found a source of the same manufacturer of mushroom vent on ebay (from an RV supplier in RV heaven in Northern Indiana) for about $12/free shipping so if you do a trial on one of your vents and it fails you can replace it cheaply.
dyeing the epoxy is an intriguing idea. I would advise contacting MAS epoxies to ask them. alternately, you could contact interlux about the possibility of dyeing the varnish. since it’s organic-based, perhaps the addition of minwax oil stain would be compatible.
I think you’re right that if you dye/stain the wood before epoxying, then you sand or scuff the wood, it will be very difficult to touch it up and match the original dye job.
yes, there is variation in the color of the plywood veneer from piece to piece, but I thing that adds to the allure of the finished product. also, note that the interlux varnish has an orange hue so 4-5 coats of varnish will darken the wood somewhat. I am very pleased with the final appearance of mine after 5 coats of varnish.
ken
thanks for the info on the rim dimensions.
I’m wondering about the drainage holes. it seems like they invite road spray and dust/dirt, and if I were to gasket the lid, very little to no water will intrude from the top which would need to be drained out.
what has been your experience?
thanks
mike–i received the replacement mushroom vent yesterday, and it is the same brand as what CLC supplied.
rovineye–a followup: how wide is the piece called “top”–the rim that goes flush with the sides/front/back that the box flange attaches to? and is it 11/12 mm thickness?
thanks again
ken
also–is the plywood for the box 6mm, 9mm, or combination? the hymnal does say that the flanges are 18mm.
thanks
Instead of “travel plugs” I used the frost king foam gasket material like was supplied for the door and hatch gaskets. I installed the front vents using the goofy white rain guards and I needed a layer of 7/16 thick plus a layer of 5/16 thick to get a seal when screwed on fairly tight. On the rear I didn’t use the rain guards so it took two layers of 7/16 to seal. I can unscrew them enough for air flow without having to totally remove them.
BTW, the same outfit that I linked to sells a set of 4 vents for just under $40/free shipping.
