Camper Progress

Painted today. Found a blue that matches the blue in the tweed of the bench. It was Bahr premium paint+primer, and I got a gallon for 9 dollars.

After 4 coats on the countertops and camp boxes (my great grandfather made the camp boxes. My dad passed them to me recently. With my son, this will be the 5th generation to use them), it was time to install the counters. Here is a picture of the interior in "packed" mode.

The idea is, the two boxes in front get removed from the camper, and get converted into tables that go outside the camper. The white box in the middle flops back (there is a piano hinge connecting them) onto the blue countertop in the rear of the photo, making a small galley kitchen. Once set up, it looks like this:

My wife spent about 2 hours giving the camper a good cleaning while I was working on the counters.

I got the gas lines re-run easily. Next is the water lines. I am soaking all the connectors, so I will tackle it in a day or so.

After the water lines are done, all that is left will be replacing the matress, and putting in a new A/C unit.

I'm pleased with the progress!

Camper tear-out

The refurbishment of the camper started yesterday. I spent about 4 hours cleaning and tearing out. When I finished, right before I closed it all down, it looked like this:

It's cleaned out, and the countertops are removed. The sink and stove are stored at the moment, and the hoses and water reservoir are removed for cleaning or replacing as needed. I checked the propane lines, and they are in good shape. Hopefully I can just replace the regulator, and be in business, there.

I cut out new countertops using 1/2 inch finish grade plywood, using the old countertops for a pattern. I found a 4' x 4' piece of plywood at the hardware store that they had marked as scrap, and got it for $3.75, so the countertops came out pretty cheap. 

Another trip to the hardware store is likely today, so I can pick up paint( Im going to look in their 'oops' paints, to see if they have a color I can stomach for cheap), water lines, a propane regulator, and various screws. 

It's coming along.

Clutter

Believe it or not, this is what productive Leatherworking looks like.

Seen on Craigslist

No crap, I legit just saw this...

https://batonrouge.craigslist.org/cto/5746845874.html

Figured I needed to share!

The Great American Road Trip: Getting Started

For years, my wife has waxed poetic about one day wishing to take a road trip down Route 66. I've humored her, but honestly didn't think it would happen until after we retired. She posited several months back that next summer would be her last free summer for probably the next 20 years. She has 2 years of clinicals for vet school, followed by 10-15 years of hard work building a practice.

She was right. In a flurry of frenzied planning, she decided that we could camp up and down the historic western road for several weeks on just a few grand. I got on board, but wasn't too excited about the prospect of tent camping for weeks on end.

But then she talked to her dad! Her dad has a glorious treasure-trove that only a true scavenger can appreciate. The family joke us that if you need it, give him a week, and my Father-in-law can find it among his stuff. She remembered that they had a pop-up camper when she was a child.

Long story short, he still had it, and didn't mind passing it on to her.

My son spent a week with him recently, to enjoy the last remnant of his summer, and when I went to pick him up, Father-in-law met me halfway with this beauty:

He did a few things to get it road-worthy. He put new tires on it, and scabbed together the wiring, and knocked the rust off the tongue, and touched up and freshened the paint. But the best thing he did? He stored it properly. You know, put it up reasonably clean, and put it under cover.

As such, it's really in pretty great shape. The cabinet tops and doors need replacing and painting, the propane regulator needs replacing, it may need a new A/C unit, it needs a new matress, and the cushions on the built-in either need replacing or maybe just a good cleaning.

I put on new tow-chains, and re-wired the brake lights today, and bought a piece of plywood to replace the countertops.

Basically, for a few hundred dollars, I'll have this thing in good shape. Hopefully, I can take it on a few trial runs this fall.

Updates will continue.

Life, Man.

Sooooo....

Things have been a little crazy lately. Let's see...

Bought a set of AR500 level III plates and a carrier a few weeks back. After the recent cop slayings local to me, I decided a set of plates were worth investing in. After I ordered them, I got a check in the mail a few days later, covering the cost of the plates, from my father-in-law. It's nice to know that he likes me enough that he wants me alive. Not everyone can say that about their father-in-law, but I have a good one.

Went to a gun show. Didn't see much of interest, but it was only a block away from Cabellas, so I went there, and came out with a new spyderco. I put a fancy "zip-tie" upgrade on it.

And my little Ford Ranger gave it up. The transmission just couldn't take living any longer. Traded it in on a used 2007 F-150 with 116k miles.

The Ranger was a good truck, but I really like my new pickup.

Making Meatpies today. Got Murphy's Law coming in tomorrow, so I gotta cook him something worth eating. We plan on going to tour the USS Kidd tomorrow.

Wow! What a busy few weeks!

Another 'Professional'

I've been digging on the classic Nelson 'Professional' holster design lately. More accurately, I've been making what is referred to as a 'Professional' in common holster parlance, these days. Nelson's original design didn't have a reinforced mouth, like most made today do. The reinforced mouth was added by Milton Sparks' version of the Professional, a feature that he borrowed from another Nelson design, the Summer Special.

It's interesting how we got to the current crop of designs we use today for holster making. Brilliant leatherworkers evolved these designs over centuries, always building on the shoulders of the last generation's great leatherworkers.

Also, RW emailed me, saying he got his holster. He said he liked it, which makes me happy.

If you have some custom Leather needs, feel free to email me at

lazyjdleatherworks@gmail.com

Between myself, my brothers, and dad, I have access to quite the variety of handguns, so I can cover many common handguns.

I'll try to put up a gun list of holsters I can make in the next week or so, but if you are wondering about a particular gun you want leather for in the meantime, let me know. I'll do my best to accommodate your needs, at a very reasonable price.

All my leatherwork is patterned, punched, sewed, dyed, formed, fit and finished by hand, so if you order from me, you will have a truly one-off holster. Hope to hear from ya'll.

Sight Upgrade

I went with the wife to a beauty supply store today. They had cheap fingernail Polish, so I picked up some for sight paint. Gave my carry guns an upgrade.

Total cost? $3.18. Did 4 guns, and have enough to do 40 or so more.


I think the math works out okay on that. They're no Tritium job, but they came in at tenths of a cent on the dollar, in comparison.

I'll take it.

RW's Holster

I had a gentleman contact me in reference to a holster. He has a Ruger Super Blackhawk Sheriff's Model (3.75 inch barrel, Bisley configuration) that he wanted a holster for.

We emailed back and forth several times, and settled on a design that he was pleased with. I've been working on it during the evenings first the past few days, and finally got it together.

I am happy with the way it turned out, although the acrylic top coat made the holster appear a bit redder than I was hoping for.

At any rate, if you read this, RW, I'm going to ship it out Monday morning. Once you get it, make sure it meets your needs. If you have any problems/questions/concerns, please let me know.

I borrowed my father's Super Blackhawk as a form, and it fits wonderfully.

Except a little over 3 inches of barrel hangs out the bottom!

Which means it should fit RW's gun perfectly!

In reference to the last post...

It's finished!

I like the way it turned out. Definitely an understated, classically styled carry rig, reminiscent of the Nelson Professional.