End caps. I do not like them. ;)
We have spent so much time on these end caps. Last weekend, we went back into Maude to try to prod the end cap into place better, but it just wasn't improving. So we tried to start thinking of other solutions.
Here's where we started this weekend. It's a bit hard to tell, but the bottoms of the end cap just aren't flexing into the corners well enough.
We have spent so much time on these end caps. Last weekend, we went back into Maude to try to prod the end cap into place better, but it just wasn't improving. So we tried to start thinking of other solutions.
Here's where we started this weekend. It's a bit hard to tell, but the bottoms of the end cap just aren't flexing into the corners well enough.
We thought that perhaps, if we cut the bottom foot or so off the end cap, we might not be fighting as much material, and we might be able to get the curviest parts covered. Then we would just patch the parts we cut off with new aluminum.
So we got a new toy! This is a laser level. This way we could line up the laser with the window and then be able to trace a straight line around the curve.
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No turning back now!
Unfortunately, even with cutting off the bottoms, it still wouldn't fit! Turns out that the trailer is enough of a different shape after rebuilding her that the end caps just won't fit. So! We spent the rest of the afternoon/evening researching how to build new end caps. We won't be going with fiberglass (that's WAYYYYY outside our wheelhouse!) But lots of other ages of Airstreams have aluminum end caps. We'll be doing that. We found some videos on YouTube showing the process, and it looks pretty straight forward! We probably should have just gone this route a million years ago, but oh well ;)
On Sunday, since we need to order supplies to rebuild end caps, we decided to tie up a few loose ends!
I caulked some more rivets on the interior, while Mike tweaked the door to try to get the last bit of leaking under control. We're having some rain today, so we'll get to see if it worked! ;)
On Sunday, since we need to order supplies to rebuild end caps, we decided to tie up a few loose ends!
I caulked some more rivets on the interior, while Mike tweaked the door to try to get the last bit of leaking under control. We're having some rain today, so we'll get to see if it worked! ;)
If you'll recall, I patched where the old door catch was and installed the new one, only to have it not match up with the door. We thought we'd have to redo the whole thing! But with the tweaking of the door, it made it so that the door catch works now! YAY!!! We've been propping the door open with a piece of plywood - but no longer!! (It's totally dumb, but I'm REALLLLY excited about this catch working LOL)
And finally, we patched this section by the door where some previous owner had drilled holes to install a lock. It's not a cute patch like most of our others, but there just wasn't enough space. Functional is good enough ;)
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For the first time in a LOOOOONG time, I'm feeling more positive about Maude and our path forward. Those end caps just weren't fitting right, and I had a lot of anxiety about the rest of the project not working out because they wouldn't install correctly.
I'm very thankful to have made some drastic decisions and to be able to move forward with creating the new end caps!
Until next time! <3 Becca
I'm very thankful to have made some drastic decisions and to be able to move forward with creating the new end caps!
Until next time! <3 Becca
