Tuesday, April 19, 2011

I Still Don’t Like Plumbing

but this PEX stuff is really nice.

I’m using the brass fittings with the copper crimp rings and it all goes together really quick.  My system is very simple with only a galley faucet and and shower and toilet.  It’s being made outside in modular sections, one for the bath and one for the galley.

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The plumbing for the shower and toilet sits inside a still to be finished cabinet between the bed and the bath with the feed coming from under the bed.  Almost everything was done outside except for the last two elbows connecting the feed lines.  The crimper needs quite a bit of room.

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So the only crimps that had to be done inside are the two at the top left in the above picture.

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Then everything slides into place inside the cabinet.

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Outside, the fills for the two fresh water tanks, the city water hookup, and the fresh tank vent are all mounted in place.  They’ll just need Vulkem and final fastening to finish.  These four fittings are all marine style.

58 degrees is forecasted for Saturday, so we might head for the car wash tomorrow to get ready for some outside polish work.  It’s way past time for my summer uniform of shorts and flip flops.

-steve

Monday, April 11, 2011

Progress That Shows

Most of the time I feel like I work and work on Island Girl and nothing really shows. Lately, though, things are beginning to come together and often a little work yields big results.

The chrome plater finally got my pieces done and the scare light and the Bargmann H20-2 I doubt have ever looked quite this good. Nice to be able to get rid of the vice grip door handle I've been using for the last two months.

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Woot.com had a really good deal on a full size mattress and it is now cut to fit and in place. I wasn't ready for it, but the deal was too good to skip. When it arrived, the package firmly said it had to be opened to expand within 3 days, so it's in, ready or not.

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On the big job front, my buddy Jim, who usually mans the rivet gun, is sewing curtains. I'm a wiz at hand sewing, but hopeless with a machine, so his help is really appreciated. It's a bark cloth fabric that I was afraid was going to be too bold for my taste, but I'm really happy with the way it looks.

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There's a sink and a faucet visible in the pics too, holding tanks now have fittings, and I'm collecting the last of the crimp fittings for the PEX.

-steve