Lets Get Back To Building

The basement box has become the foundation of the entire build. Taking that into consideration, I have beefed up the structure of the basement box. I mentioned the angle steel under the sleeping floor in the last post. Remember? The angle steel was salvaged out of some old electronics tower I found sitting around. The cost was $0.00. Here is an actual photo. Notice the holes and slots? The holes may come in useful in the future to connect to, hang to, or strap to.

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The basement is 9' long x 4' wide. x 12" deep. This posses a bit of a problem when it comes to the next step which is cutting and building the sleeping deck or floor of the mini. Back in the post called "On Our Own Terms" I mentioned that we currently sleep in a queen size bed. This means that the sleeping deck needs to be a finished 5' wide. Well, 3/4" plywood does not come 5' wide. In this case, "a bit of a problem" translate to costs a little more money because I needed to purchase two more pieces of 3/4" plywood and cut them to the length I needed. NOT TO WORRY though, you will find a use the 3' x 4' cut off elsewhere. You will actually be glad you have those pieces.

This is the first piece of 4' x 5' 2" sleeping deck. The view is from the front or tow end of the mini. 

This is the second piece of 4' x 5' 2" sleeping deck. Same view as above.

This is both pieces of sleeping deck centered up on the mini. Once the walls go up the finished inside dimension will be 5'- 3/8" x 7' 11-7/8". The primed white framework you see in the photo is the foundation to the exterior galley. It will be sheeted with 3/4" plywood as well. In the last post I mentioned that you would be happy that you had the extra cutoffs from the sleep deck. Well, this is one of those happy moments

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In the photos below I have made a model of the exterior 1/2" wall, the 1/4" interior wall, the 3/4" white primed stud and the 3/4" x 2" wall base plate. This model allows me to move it around the edges of the sleeping deck to check alignments and make certain that things stay square. The few minutes it took to build the model has proved to be an invaluable tool.

The above and below photo shows how I use this fabricated wall model to keep all my measurements in check. This enabled me to pencil mark the sleeping deck exactly where walls would sit and then write myself notes between the lines to remind me what to glue and screw permanently and what not to. This view is the front (tow end) bulkhead.

This is the model being used at the rear (galley end / passenger side).

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The next step was cutting in the two hatches to gain access into the mini's basement storage area through the sleeping deck. This needs to be precise and follow the framework or floor joice if you will. Doing so allowed me to head off the opening between and around the joice so the hatches do not fall through.
  

I screwed these pieces of 1/2" scrap plywood in place so as I cut the hatch opening the 3/4" plywood would not get in a bind or fall into the basement.

In the photo above you can see how I headed off the opening so the piece of sleeping deck that I cut out fits back into the opening for a nice sturdy deck.

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These two access points will also allow us to set up a removable table pedestal down onto the basement floor and sit on the edge of the opening with our feet on the basement floor. We can use the table to eat, play backgammon or use a laptop. You will see more about this as we move forward.   

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