The 68 Frolic

 It's another job that's not photogenic, but it is an important step ahead. l got the plumbing done, all except mounting the drain spigot for the gray water, and making a connection to the water heater. I decided a while back that the best thing for me to do was to take out the old black tank. My guess is, it was less than 10 gallons. I really had no choice, the old plastic had turned brittle. The top part shattered like glass. I couldn't figure a way to put in a black and a gray tank, so I decided to go with a small, 10-gallon, gray tank and use a porta-potty type toilet. It'll be set up as a wet-bath.  Tank's in.  Shower pan is in place. Drain from kitchen sink & shower pan installed. I had already installed a new fresh-water tank, gravity inlet for the tank, and inlet for city water, 12v. pump. The old, original faucet shined up pretty well. The old sink was in good shape. Used them both.  Except for the lines connected to the pump, all the freshwater lines a...

  While I've been busy with a bunch of other things--getting the garden spot fenced in and ready to plant, doing some household chores, and taking advantage of some ministry opportunities, I haven't quit on the Frolic project. I promise I'll do a post with a bunch of pictures and/or a video before too long, but I have been making some progress.  I accomplished a very nasty and unpleasant task. I had scaled and painted the roadside wheel well some time ago. Over the past week or so, I got serious and crawled under the trailer and went over all the metal--frame, axle, and the other wheel well with a wire brush on my side-grinder, then gave everything that hadn't been painted a new coat of paint. I got the new brake mounted on the curbside spindle and bolted on the new--not obsolete--wheel. Along the way I routed new wiring--in new plastic conduit--and did some other repair and patching. I shined up the old wheel well trim and installed it on the curbside. I'm much bet...

 Some people would say, Everything was going too well--even if it was going slowly. A streak of bad luck was bound to come."  Well, I don't believe in luck. I used to tell my runner son, before a track or cross-country meet, "Son, I don't believe in luck. Run hard." I do, however, believe and try to be guided by Solomon's wisdom. " Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all" ( Ecclesiastes 9:11,  ESV). If you didn't reach Solomon's final conclusion, you might say, "That looks an awful lot like luck to me." I'll leave it to you to look at the wise king's final thoughts  on the matter. It is clear that if one never looks up from Solomon's "under the sun" view, luck is about as good an explanation as any. The bottom line on the matter is se...

 I mentioned recently that though I have been busy on the Frolic project, I haven't done anything very photogenic. Well, my new tabletop for the 2-person dinette that I built struck such a lovely pose that I just had to oblige. I thought this is cherry, oak, and walnut. My Brother-in-law, who is good at recognizing woods, thinks the lighter wood, at least most of it, might be sassafras. I know my Father-in-law did cut some sassafras. Whatever it is I'm pretty pleased with how it looks. It is extra nice because this wood was all harvested by my Wife's Dad and his buddy.  The counter for the kitchen area is also butcher-block. It's not quite as far along. I also mentioned that I had the plumbing roughed in. A lot of it is hidden under and inside cabinets, but here are a couple of views of the area under the old dinette bench, where the water tank lives. The colorful piece of webbing is something I had on hand.  Thanks for the encouragement.

 I did a lot of measuring, researching, consulting, at least a little worrying, and a good bit of praying about what to do about Frolic's running gear. It has an old set of wheels that are rarer than hen's teeth. I couldn't find a spare. A breakdown on the road could be ugly. Frolic was made in 68, an era of change, not only for the people of America but for the trailer industry. I'm told that about that time was when spindles--the things hubs or brake drums are mounted on. The wheels attach to the hubs or drums, allowing the wheels on the trailers to go round and round. After a lot of angst, research, and prayer I ordered a new set of stuff that looked like it would fit. A, "Thank You, LORD!" went up when they actually did fit. I spent most of a week getting the freshwater plumbing done. tank, pump, connection for hooking up to city water, etc. I am joyful about letting you know that the test was dripless. Rejoice with me. BTW, I'm about to get to some th...

 I've been busy, really busy actually, on the Frolic. It's just that nothing I've done recently has been very photogenic.  I got started on building a new tabletop. I'm using oak, cherry, and maybe a little walnut in a chevron butcher block design. The countertop will be out of the same material. So far, I made a ripping sled to allow me to cut the pieces more accurately. I actually cut up some oak and cherry to make the strips. I've glued up two of the four pieced that will make up the table. So far I'm encouraged. I've figured and researched, looking for an answer to what to do about the brakes, drums, and bearings. The question has been, "Can I keep the axle I have?" Like the little train, "I think I can." but I have to confirm the fit after the new parts arrive. I've painted. AND, I've figured on, fetched materials for, measured for, figured some more on, worked on, fetched more stuff for, and wrestled with the plumbing on the...

  One of my mentors, not in person but via books and the spoken word, talked about the importance of cleaning away rubble before attempting to rebuild. Dr. Jay Adams was talking about counseling, helping people build a better life, but like any good illustration, the concept works on both ends. I found it true in my own life, and vicariously in the lives of those I counseled. I have found it equally true in dealing with various remodeling, fixer-upper projects. Not to argue with the good Dr., but there are times when the old is useful and can be used in building the new. Not only does this save labor,  sometimes,  incorporating the old into the new and improved project can sometimes actually make the new better.  Sometimes.   Wisdom is required to decide when. One way or another I've been fixing, modifying, and trying to improve old things for about sixty years. As I look back I find that I have made more mistakes concluding that something is good enough, "...