Leaderboard

In the past I’ve used everything from 3M-4000 to nothing at all. I need to remove it again soon for something new I’m gonna try. Based on the fact that the factory is now using some sort of silicone caulk (it’s my understanding), I will probably use that this time. The 4000 stuff is awfully expensive since it generally hardens before I need it again. I also have an idea about making a permanent gasket that I plan to experiment with while I have the insert out. If it works I’ll post the particulars.

For those of you interested in my craft of making cutting board, I though I would do a quick overview of the process. It all starts with templates for the sink, in this case 2017 Elite II. A top cardboard template that is cut to the finished size, faucet location/cut-out and corner details are establish. I second template is made for the bottom which is use to hold the cutting board in place by dropping down into the sink bowl. Once these are checked for fit, I can make as many as I need knowing they will all be the same. Rough saw 1 1/4” thick Cherry and Maple are select and measured for total board feet need to build all the cutting boards. The board are then milled on the jointer to establish a flat bottom side and then passed through the planer for a perfectly flat board. The final thickness is 7/8”. These are then ripped down on the table saw – Cherry to 2 1/3” and the Maple to 1/4”. [attachment file=IMG_0859.JPG] With all the milling done the boards are then arranged in the ship decking pattern and glued together with food safe, water proof glue. These large panels are then cut to rough size cutting boards. Using the top template the corners are rounded and faucet location are cut on the bandsaw. The final size is cut on the table saw for last minute adjustments. The bottom template is then use to mark the bowl location and the wood is removed from around the edges at the router table. This allows the cutting board to sit inside the sink and not move. Last step is sanding and more sanding and more sanding. 80, 120, 220 and 320 grit sandpaper are used. The final step is a coat of mineral oil and they are done. It takes about 3 days to make a run of 4 cutting boards. Some people have ask why I do this? And think I am a bit crazy. It's not for the money for the wood alone cost what I charge. It is for the love of working with wood and created something I can share with others who value my craft. Over the next few week I will begin shipping these board to their new Oliver Owners. I hope they enjoy them as much as I did making them.

You are discovering the frustrations of picking a TV. I originally wanted a self contained "offroad capable" camper, and I finally convinced myself that I was going to get a high quality truck camper (Northern Light), put it on a 3500 diesel pickup and go exploring. I bought the truck first, a very nice low miles 2006 Laramie Cummins 5.9, then discovered how horrible it was on rough highways, and it was even worse on potholed forest roads. I put a set of $1200 aftermarket Corbeau suspension seats in it but it still beat us up. I was faced with the unpleasant realization that a truck with a 1200 pound diesel engine riding over the front axle would never ride smoothly enough to please my back, even with a $5000 aftermarket suspension. My wife hated EVERY single aspect of that '06 Ram, and it made for some pretty tense vacation drives. We decided that we would get an Ollie, park it instead of pulling it everywhere off pavement (using it for a base camp), and we tried pulling it for a season with the Ram. While it was effortless in terms of power and braking and got 16 mpgs towing/ 22 empty, it never felt right and I could not venture off-pavement without turning the two dogs into quivering wrecks. I decided that a TV that performed "adequately" on the highway and did REALLY well (empty) on rough roads was way better than a stellar TV that could just not get off the pavement.... After another jarring trip, my wife showed me an ad that popped up on Autotrader. There was a white 2013 Land Cruiser with tan interior (a rare combination, my favorite) at a local dealer, and would I like to go look at it? My son was visiting and he is a real car nut, and like me, he loves Land Cruisers of any vintage. He is always ready to go watch his dad make a fool of himself or to help him buy another vehicle. The truck was luscious inside and out and I could not believe how well it drove. It had a brute of a drivetrain (381 bhp, 403 ft lbs) and best of all an 8300 pound tow/ 800 hitch rating. I was smitten, and we traded the Ram in on it on the spot. Land Cruisers do not stay long on dealer lots, you have to act very fast. The 200 tows very well considering its short wheelbase, and it pleases my wife in every single way. That is SO important. When running solo, it can tear down a potholed forest road at 40 mph and not shake you around, and it will just go anywhere, without any effort or drama. Point and shoot, you are there.... If it fits, it can go. Rodger, you need to understand that you can not have decent offroad performance and great towing ability in the same vehicle. The requirements are diametrically opposite. A long travel, loose and comfy off-road suspension with lots of ground clearance is the LAST thing you want when towing up to 3.5 tons at freeway speeds. So your basic dilemma is: do I ... Pick a short wheelbase truck that will easily get me around in the CA desert, in comfort and safety, but will struggle with a heavy tongue weight and have hardly any payload left over for all my stuff..... Or pick a long wheelbase truck optimized for towing, and have to suffer from a really harsh ride offroad and get stuck or broken down because the setup is far from ideal.... Buying a long wheelbase ZR1 would be very smart in terms of easily towing an Elite, but it is entirely the wrong choice for exploring and boondocking away from the crowds. A difficult decision, made worse by your lack of direct experience offroad. Can you join up with a local Jeep or Land Cruiser 4x4 or Overland club and ask to go along on some rides? That would show you where your personal limits are, and might help you to choose a combination of TV and trailer that will suit your future needs, so you don't end up regretting one of the purchases. I love my 200, if I did not have it I would probably be looking very hard at a lightly used (no offroad) Power Wagon. https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a30282/the-dodge-power-wagon-is-an-irrationally-wonderful-tow-vehicle/ John Davies Spokane WA

I used to be much more impatient and wanted instant gratification on all endeavours. Many of the things that stand in the way of adventures and dreams have value of their own and are worthy of being in the way of other things. Like raising a child for instance, or pursuing a career. Having someone tell you what you must do is ridiculous. The best they can offer is their own experience based on their own priorities and the results of those decisions. After camping all my life, I have come to the conclusion, for me and at this stage, that a trailer is excellent. A little cabin that offers so much, yet can be parked, unhooked and left behind to allow side trips. A place to get out of the worst weather and be so comfortable. The ability to stop anywhere and be there. I have also realized, at least for me, that things take time and time makes them better. I now try to not look for the completion of the project, but at the process of the project. This has helped me build a much better house, for instance, that took about seven years to build. Or build a cruising sailboat and live the dream while building it. I had never had a boat and didn't know how to sail, but while building it, I was able to learn a tremendous amount about everything involved with building, rigging, sailing and cruising. Then it was time to go and the adventure unfolded in front of us. Unforgetteble. The only problem is if you stop making progress. Even as you prepare for your adventure, you are living the dream. Of course, all adventure includes some risk and we will never be prepared for everything. So we all must find the best balance between "go now" and "wait until absolutely prepared for everything", which isn't possible. While dealing with other priorities, we have the perfect opportunity to prepare for the next adventure that must wait for it's time to arrive. Dream, imagine and prepare. I don't worry so much about waiting too long. None of us know when the end will arrive and completing an adventure isn't really the goal. But looking back on so many fine times, learning so much and making such good connections with others, certainly gives a lot of peace. I want to keep travelling, but I'm not in a hurry to go. I just don't want to get so weak I can't do it and realize I missed the chance. Adventures always turn out to be far richer and different than I could ever imagine while in the planning stage. Preparing and going just start the wheel rolling. Then the real fun and experiences come along and make it all so worth while. Because of that, I do very little planning or reservations or set dates to be places. Come up with a rough outline and go. Play it by ear. Have a few definite goals along the way. Judge when you are ready to head back. It's good to go and it's good to be home.

@Rodger & all you adventurous AARP members, you are awesome! Great advice from all of you; here are my 2 cents to help you convince Rodger to get moving! Duke & I got married in 1995. At that time our retirement dreams were pretty far apart, & far down the road, but the common denominator was we knew we wanted to travel. (He wanted to convert an old school bus & have a tree farm in Georgia. I didn’t.) Anyway, fast forward, we are now getting all our ducks in a row to make that leap to retirement &, at the end of the year, start long term traveling in our Ollie However, to get to where we are today, the best & scariest picture painted for me was this: Get out your tape measure & extend it to 80 inches. Go head, do it. Now, point to your age in inches. That looooong distance between the beginning of the tape and your age is the life you have already lived. Now look at the distance between your age & 80 inches. THAT is approximately the life you have left to live, maybe. Duke is 68 & I am 60 & it scares the hell out of me that we MIGHT have twelve years to enjoy our retirement together. Most of our parents were depression babies. They worked hard, lived frugally, saved their money, lost their health, and then died. They did not get to enjoy the retirement they worked so hard for. I refuse to let that happen to us.