2. Forward Progress
January 10 brought more forward progress and motion.
I had some baking to do, so he got a jump start on the trailer while I did stuff in the kitchen. After discussing with friends and sources as to “WHAT’S NEXT” – we knew it was time to get the trailer prepped for sandblasting, primer/powder coat and paint. That meant – removing all unnecessary metal within the trailer: the large divider down the stalls and the small divider on the feeder shelf. I am positive our neighbors are happy how quickly this process is actually moving along – and that the loudest part of the process is complete. Cutting out the metal was loud, but Chris blasted through it in just a few hours.
As for exterior, we had to remove all of the handles, the backdoors, and the trim pieces. I lost count how many rivets I undid! Chris prides himself on his array of tools but he knew we would go through drill bits like crazy – so he bought lesser expensive bits than he normally would. We broke several! That stung a little less knowing it wasn’t as much of a cost adding up. We also had to remove all of the reflectors, lights, and wiring. This was a perfect job for me. Simple enough to do and kept me out of Chris’ hair.
The last thing left to do was remove the floorboards. At first glance, this seemed like it would be an easy task. However, the bolts holding the boards to the frame were a bit stubborn. Several tools came out: Skill Saw, Sawzall, Multi-Tool, Angle Grinder/Cut-Off Wheel, hammer, crowbar, impact drill, WD40, Coors Light, and sheer determination! Shout Out to #dewalt !!!
As we closed the book on Sunday…we ended up with a gutted trailer, a pile of rubbish scrap, and a “save” pile.
Next up: later this week, will take the trailer over to our friend, Dennis Matthews’, house. He is helping with the metal work, metal replacement and some metal fabrication that needs to be done prior to sandblasting.
