Ah vardo day. We met at Bucky’s for coffee and walked over to the farmers market. Carrots for Raven, snow peas, more carrots, some mushrooms for a stir fry. Off to Shelton’s, ginger, green onions and a small zucchini. Raven gets coconut milk and rice syrup for a recipe she’s trying. To Garrett’s as Raven wants burgundy paint and walnut stain, then home.
I cook up a chicken stir fry, rice and an artichoke as Raven starts early painting the front of the vardo while there is still shade. Lunch is great with a late artichoke, special sauce of melted butter, mayonnaise, my curry powder and a dash of soy sauce. There’s enough left over for two containers of rice and stir fry, one each for lunches.
After lunch I break out the cushion and crawl under the vardo to get the tanks out, loosen the strap nuts and drop each tank. I get the hole saw kit out and match the 1 1/2″ manifold size. Stepping up the stairs to get a good angle I drill the tanks to accept the manifold as straight as I can make it. Still a slight angle and the second one has a bump I need to file out with the round surform. The drain tee has a direction shield I need to remove using a gouge and mallet in the vise, then filing it with the surform. I use a piece of bailing wire to hold the removed tubes in place around the thread plugs and glue them in place using PVC glue and let it dry. Dang this doesn’t work, they still move. I break out a batch of quick Epoxy and get a good seal, that should do it. I drill a couple holes opposite for the vent hoses a 16th small, they fit compressed just fine.
Back down under I fit the inner tank, top strap first loose then the middle strap, adjusting for new strap holes to allow a tighter connect this time. The bottom strap in place and tighten the top, it still moves a little, that’s good for now. Second tank mostly the same but I need to get the upper drain in place so the middle strap goes first loose and maneuver it into position. Tighten it all up with a little give to accept the manifold. As I install the manifold the back tank epoxy cracks a little, damn, I’ll need to reapply some more. It seems this drain tubing is not PVC and isn’t welding. The drain valve to hose connection breaks loose. I’m going to need to redo this. It looks good but is too low and it won’t hold.
I get the air vent hoses installed with difficulty as I need a little more hose in the aft tank hose. I forgot the Tee fitting and head for town, Harry doesn’t have it, back to Garrett’s for a 53 cent part. That works but metal strap shears to secure the hose are hidden, perhaps tomorrow.
Raven does a fine job of painting the front wall red again. It matches the back but the sides are also sun bleached, but it looks really good.
She heads for home with stir fry as I put away the tools, a good day really.
8shotoflove8 