| NASTY surprise [message #142020] |
Thu, 01 September 2011 18:25  |
pickle4k
Messages: 129
Registered: January 2011
Location: San Leandro
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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On my way home from an overnight stay in the Big Valley, I heard wood cracking inside the coach and within seconds a loud crash behind me. I looked into the mirror and saw my driver side cabinets and the content all over the floor. The cabinet broke from the weight? or the bad road condition I was on at the time. At home I discovered that the cabinet was assembled with staples ONLY. NO GLUE! The front side with the doors is solid wood and the rest is slats and 1/4 inch plywood. NO GLUE! Now I need some advise as to the repair. Most parts a still solid and can be reused. Do I remove all of the cabinet and rebuild it outside of the coach or can I reassemble in place?
I am not a carpenter or cabinet maker, but can do home repairs.
Thanks for your help.
Nick R. NorCal
76-23'Transmode-Norris
Rear Bath and
75-26' Avion
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| Re: NASTY surprise [message #142027 is a reply to message #142020] |
Thu, 01 September 2011 19:35  |
armandminnie
Messages: 864
Registered: May 2009
Location: Marana, AZ
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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I had one of my original overhead cabinets come apart when I first got the coach and had to reassemble it. I took it out and worked on it in my garage.
I would definitely say to take the cabinet out of the coach to rebuild it. Some clamps and some glue and then more staples would probably be the best bet.
Armand Minnie
Marana, AZ
'76 Eleganza II TZE166V103202
visit my gmc blog
click here to visit gmcws.org
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| Re: [GMCnet] NASTY surprise [message #142046 is a reply to message #142020] |
Thu, 01 September 2011 21:33 |
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Nick,
I would take it out to rebuild. I have SOME time
this weekend, so call me if you need help (or come buy Elios
for breakfast on Saturday).
Terry
On 9/1/2011 4:25 PM, Nick Roenick wrote:
>
> On my way home from an overnight stay in the Big Valley, I heard wood cracking inside the coach and within seconds a loud crash behind me. I looked into the mirror and saw my driver side cabinets and the content all over the floor. The cabinet broke from the weight? or the bad road condition I was on at the time. At home I discovered that the cabinet was assembled with staples ONLY. NO GLUE! The front side with the doors is solid wood and the rest is slats and 1/4 inch plywood. NO GLUE! Now I need some advise as to the repair. Most parts a still solid and can be reused. Do I remove all of the cabinet and rebuild it outside of the coach or can I reassemble in place?
> I am not a carpenter or cabinet maker, but can do home repairs.
> Thanks for your help.
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Terry Taylor
'74 ex-Eleganza SE
San Lorenzo, CA
http://www.n6mon.org
http://dldesignstore.com
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| Re: NASTY surprise [message #142060 is a reply to message #142027] |
Thu, 01 September 2011 22:20 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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I agree with Armand, but I would use glue and screws instead of staples. When Bruce Tara was working on his "Bank Buster" Royale, he told me the cabinets were of the poorest construction he had ever seen. he said they "gave a new meaning to the term 'smoke and mirrors'". They used great materials (Black Walnut) but poor construction.
PS. I hope I haven't offended you Royale owners too badly! 
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: NASTY surprise [message #142086 is a reply to message #142020] |
Fri, 02 September 2011 08:48 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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| pickle4k wrote on Thu, 01 September 2011 19:25 |
On my way home from an overnight stay in the Big Valley, I heard wood cracking inside the coach and within seconds a loud crash behind me. I looked into the mirror and saw my driver side cabinets and the content all over the floor. The cabinet broke from the weight? or the bad road condition I was on at the time. At home I discovered that the cabinet was assembled with staples ONLY. NO GLUE! The front side with the doors is solid wood and the rest is slats and 1/4 inch plywood. NO GLUE! Now I need some advise as to the repair. Most parts a still solid and can be reused.
Do I remove all of the cabinet and rebuild it outside of the coach or can I reassemble in place?
I am not a carpenter or cabinet maker, but can do home repairs.
Thanks for your help.
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Nick,
I second others vote to remove the cabinet to reconstruct it. If a '76 is like a '73, there are just some giant screws holding the remaining parts in place (use a driver-drill). You will need help to hang the cabinet back up.
If I were you (fortunately not the case), I would collect all the pieces and inspect them for damage.
-Repair what parts can be repaired (probably most). If a part has cracked and you have all the parts, glue it back together, it will be as good as it was before. You may have to wait for that glue to cure before you go on. Where it cracked at the staple holes, you will fill those holes, but you will just have to deal with that as best you can. Brads in new locations works. Do not use screws without body and pilot drilling as that will probably crack the part.
-Do a dry assembly by tapping the staples back where they came out. (This is important because you need to be real clear how it goes together when the glue is running.)
-If the assembly is not stable, go get some strap clamps or ratchet cargo straps and figure out how to tie it up while the glue cures. (I often use line, but I am a sailor.)
-Knock it back apart carefully and think about gloves and all the paper towels that you may need and where the glue will drip and run that you may not want it.
-Ready-Set-Glue - Put too much glue one everything and tap it all together (and tie it up if needed).
-Clean up the dripping glue until it has about stopped.
-Read the instructions and note the cure time, plan on twice that long before you think about messing with it again.
If you can get a helper, have said person stay clean and dry while you are gluing. This will be an amazing assistance.
One of the reasons for tying it up with a strap clamp is so you can you flip it around and upside down to facilitate cleaning up the dripping glue.
If you do not have a big square, you may want to put (leave) the doors on so you have something to check the squareness of the cabinets before the glue cures.
What most people do not know about "glue and staple" construction is that the staples are only there because they are cheaper than clamps. The glue is doing all the heavy lifting.
My test joints (a must in boat building) are sometimes done with screws (at a consignee's request), but they are often less sound than the glue (epoxy) only joints. Sometimes I do both just to demonstrate the facts.
There is a significant strength difference between a good wood process epoxy and plain-jane hardware store wood, but that is also with woods that are very different than what would be used in GMC cabinets. So, use wood glue that comes in an easily handled bottle. (Not Gorilla Glue as it is urethane and expands when curing.)
Sound like a BTDT??
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: NASTY surprise [message #142126 is a reply to message #142086] |
Fri, 02 September 2011 15:21 |
pickle4k
Messages: 129
Registered: January 2011
Location: San Leandro
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Thank you for all of your advise. I don't feel like the "Lone Ranger" anymore, since it happened to others. I will glue, screw, staple, weld or anything else that it needs to keep it from falling again.
Thanks again.
Nick R. NorCal
76-23'Transmode-Norris
Rear Bath and
75-26' Avion
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