A Little Housekeeping

Last day before the day job resumes to get out and work on Zan's Can was today. While Mr. Creature Comfort was taping and painting the other bunk I decided to stay out in our deliciously warm spring and address the rusty back bumper. Another project that will end up taking far longer than I originally expected. Since I was dubious about the infamous Coke technique that several felt compelled to suggest to me, I decided to go old school.

Wire wheel in the hubby's power drill was the first stage. Some words of advise to the ladies diving into a camper remodel, this wheel will bounce and pull like a bucking bronco!! Two hands and total attention were needed to keep from damaging the paint job on the body of the Can. One of the positive things I learned today is that all that "rust" wasn't all rust!! I quickly learned that the bumper had once been painted a brick red. The second positive bit of news is that all the rust is just surface and not structural.

I took the original spare tire off because the initial peek behind worried me. Could not figure out if I was looking at rust/corrosion or debris build up? Just on a roll with positive news today as it was just debris.

Good call on removing it though! Now it allowed me to find the rust on the mounting bracket in time to clean and paint it with the bumper.

After I determined that all of the rust reachable by the wire brush had been removed it was time to go after the odd pockets and corners. I used sand paper and a sanding lock and might even go over it with steel wool before all is said and done.Please wear eye protection and a mask when doing this kind of work!! The amount of fine particulate raised from this process is significant!

Hmmmmmm, so do you think I need to include the manicure repairs in the price tag on this remodel??? Gloves would surely help especially if you have sensitive skin but as  I was assessing the "doneness" of a stretch of the bumper  by running my hand over to feel how smooth it had become the gloves would have been more work for me.

Every fiber of my being wanted to pop open the can of Rustoleum and finish up the paint job!! By the time I had gotten the bumper cleaned up to my satisfaction is was already nigh on supper time ....and with work in the morning...and rain in the forecast for tomorrow I stopped and closed the Can up tight and moved her to the back of the drive.  Trying to keep the snobbery snitches in the neighborhood from setting the real police on us. Say what????? Sigh. We live in an urban area with zoning laws that prohibit recreation vehicles from being parked in front of the house for longer than 3 days.


No fear that I am going to leave you high and dry here on the blog though!! Even with work, Prom for Sweet Pea, and two more Prom dresses to alter [one of which is Sweet Pea's!!] I have plenty of topics to cover.