"Ya gotta see the baaaayyyby"...Rot be gone....and other activities

[Tina]

First off, she's very hard to see...but I have a Mommy White tail out here every morning with her tiny babe across the pond. It's so cute to watch while it goes jumping in and out of the water and playing: (I swear, Mommy can spot me before I even get the door open to get a picture. LOL)

Last year I had a doe here that clearly had just given birth, and apparently as soon as the fawn was standing up steady, she took her to the pond and pushed her in. I guess that's how she chose to clean her up. Mean Mom! LOL

On with the work of the day.....

I took a couple hours of vacation time today and did some more work. This is the last load of composted wood and mouse littered insulation:

That is the last of it, other than dust and dirt here and there to shop vac up. I've emptied that shop vac countless times the last couple of days.
The floor under the water heater, and under the carpeting there is actually the blue insulation. The edge of it, at the back was a piece of 2x2, and it was nothing but black dirt. The front part is the 3/4" plywood that is the floor to rest of the RV, and that's dry as a bone. YEY! So, I got all of that rot out and will replace the 2x2. Makes it a bit easier than I was fearing for sure.

I did some removal of the old sealer (butyl, I'm guessing) to make room for new Butyl tape when I re-install the corner pieces. The old stuff was fairly dried out, but not as bad as I thought it would be.

I got the tracks for the cab over bed slide out screwed down, and the slide out back in there to be sure it's a good fit. Heavy thing, that slide out!!!

And finally today, I managed to fix the thing that started all of this discovery of the back end mess. I have the shower floor supported so when you step on it, there is no sink or slack. Under the bathroom form was a platform that it sat on, under the platform are the pipes and various wiring. The whole bathroom/shower unit is one big formed mold. You cannot separate shower/sink/toilet. The platform had sagged in the center. There was just enough room to get a piece of 4x4 under it and that jacked the center back up which made the large crack join up correctly. It "ain't" goin' nowhere. LOL

Now all I have to do is get the fiberglass stuff to repair it. When the crack is sealed up, I have a long heavy duty plastic cutting board that fits in there perfectly. That will be the area to stand on and will put no pressure on the cracked part of the floor. It couldn't have worked out better, and it's white. ;-) This Mommy has a working shower now. Woo hoo!

Hope everyone is well and safe today.

I'm whooped...but I'm well. LOL

[Tina]

Yes, I checked the length..they will work out good. Thanks! I will seal it up when I put it back together. What a mess!! LOL

[Russell E Johnson]

I would seal it. Will 1" screws reach into the 2x4?

[Tina]

oops, meant to ask if there is some reason that is NOT sealed with butyl in that area.  I need more coffee. LOL

[Tina]

I have a question on the molding on the rear bottom of the camper that goes across the bottom length.
I had to pull off the molding because it was not done right on the ends and I needed to clean out the residual rot in the center. I got to that okay, I have a 2x4 across the back inside now. The molding had no sealer or butyl tape of any kind between that and the aluminum siding. The area joins the back bottom
siding with the bottom strip of aluminum that goes under the camper. Should they have sealed that, or is there some reason that it is done on that area? Here's what it looks like, the molding is quite flat on the back with only a slight raised edge:

It looks to me like someone replaced that molding recently, the screws in there were fairly new. Only 1/2" self tapping screws, I can't  imagine they would have been long enough to secure any reinforcement wood inside.  But, I could be wrong.....I'm going with 1" screws when I put it back together. Just need to know if there is any reason not to add the butyl sealer.

Thanks!

[Russell E Johnson]

I washed the seams first then used denatured alcohol. Unlike mineral spirits this seem to not leave a film behind. 9 months later the stuff is still sticking good.

[Tina]

I've been watching videos on how to use the Eternabond tape.  I am really looking forward to getting that onto the roof, after I get my new vent covers installed.  Would be great to be able to leave the tarp off now and then. LOL

[Russell E Johnson]

I understand that sentiment really well. That is what got me when I was tearing apart. One little section and the rebuilding starts. But that little bit ended up being the entire right wall, from the dashboard to the door.

[Tina]

I don't know why it bothered me so much to still have some rot to clean out.  Every minute I felt like I had unfinished business.  I don't like that feeling, so I just wanted it all gone today.  Sure hope I can have the back end framed up and solid over the weekend.  No clue what the weather will decided to do yet.  I would love to get that sealed up before a heavy rain. The tarp isn't long enough to cover the back.  Might have to add one....

[Russell E Johnson]

Progress is a wonderful thing. I am glad that it is coming together so well. You are going great guns getting the MH into usable shape. At this rate you will be camping in no time at all.