Out for refurb.

After wrestling with the vanity for a few days, and then wrestling with the tub drain for another few days, I've got most of the bathroom out. I took my time and was very careful, as I want to be able to put everything back in after I've had a chance to clean it up and rebuild what needs rebuilding. I could have new custom cabinetry made, but I like the utilitarian feel of the original furniture and cabinetry.
Hey Frank, your trailer is one year newer than mine, but your tub is 17 days older.
On the bench and ready to be cleaned up for re-use.
This is the only spot on the vanity that will need to be cut away. I need to decide if I want to just replace the rotten wood, or replace the entire vanity front with new plywood. Opinions? Keep in mind that I am not a woodworker.

Say hello to Pete.

Yesterday I spent a few hours in the back of my trailer taking the bathroom apart. I had a heater going, the music playing, and I was just grooving along. By the time I had finished up, it was nearly dark so I did not get a chance to look things over. Today when I went out to the trailer, I found this. Apparently, "Pete" worked in the Airstream factory back in the early 1960's. He left his name on the vanity underneath the counter top. I have decided that I shall name my trailer in honor of this unknown worker. This worker obviously had a sense of history, and was aware that this trailer that he was building would not end up in a dump rotting as it aged. Pete realised that he was building something worthwhile and had such pride in his workmanship that he wanted somebody, years later when the trailer was refurbished, to see his mark and appreciate what he did. Pete, I salute you.

Not to worry, Frank.

I heard from a good friend that Frank was worried that I had lost my fire since I haven't posted on my blog in a while. The fire is there, not to worry. However, the thermometer has been in the single digits for much of the past 2 weeks, making getting out and working on the trailer very uncomfortable. This is supposed to be fun, and working in the freezing cold is not fun for me.
Somehow my door locked itself, so I enlisted the help of my 9 year old son, Jake, to crawl in through a hatch and save the day. Good thing I got rid of the big mouse nest that he would have had to crawl through to get into the trailer!
Even though it has been cold, I have been busy working on the trailer little by little in my heated shop. Here is a stack of drawers from the kitchen area, all cleaned up and ready to go back in (once the area that they go back into is ready).
Screwdriver, meet Airstream. Airstream, this is Screwdriver.
Progress. I can tell already that this will take much longer than I had anticipated, but that's ok. The process is fun. I have heard many people comment on how much they learned during the process of rebuilding their own Airstream, and I look forward to enjoying the same type of education.