Hello to all. It's been a while.

[Raspy]

This Raspy  (John). I haven't stopped by to say hi in quite a while.

As some of you great folks here know, I sold my Oliver (hull 92) and bought a Black Series HQ19, in 2019.  As usual, I've done a lot of mods and we've been traveling a lot in the West.  Utah has become our favorite area.

I think it was 2017 when John Davies posted a picture of the suspension on a Black Series trailer and  piqued my curiosity.  Eventually, that lead to us getting one and that lead to me starting a business selling Australian articulating hitches (McHitch).  I retired from my other job at the end of 2017, but now I'm back in business and looking to retire again!  Sheesh.

Every time I see an Oliver somewhere I smile.  We would have been at the Rally in 2020 if it wasn't stopped by Covid.  We won't be going to Guntersville this year either, but I'm hoping we can get clear over to North Carolina and Virginia, as we make a loop around the Country late Summer or Fall. 

I really enjoyed hanging out with all of you, both here on the forum and at the Rallies in 2018 and 2019.  If any of you need a place to stop, near Lake Tahoe/Carson City, we have a full hookup site here at home.

BTW, do any of you know where Hull 92 ended up?  After we sold it, the new owners sold it again and I have no idea where it is.  I hope they are out having fun with it.

Take care everyone!

John 

[topgun2]

John - 

Good to hear from you - as usual!

Just thinking about you the other day - you might remember that you kindly bequeathed your old microwave to me low those many years ago.  Well, that poor thing sat in my workshop under a cover until about two weeks ago.

While doing some wiring in the kitchen cubbie right above my microwave I noticed that the frame around the microwave was a bit out of joint.  Upon further investigation I found out that the front two "feet" on the microwave had broken (due to over-flexing of the thin sheet metal to which they were attached).  Not to worry - I've got Raspy's microwave that I can use as a simple swap!

Nope - I quickly found out that one of the front feet of yours had also broken AND you (like me) had not had the benefit of a brace at the top of the unit that attaches it (basically)  to the underside of the wood that surrounds it.  So, I then noticed that you had drilled four holes in the frame, probably assuming that this would be enough to hold the microwave in place.  I'm assuming that once you found out that this didn't work you simply decided that you really didn't need that bad boy and converted the space into a liquor cabinet 😁.

In studying your old microwave and taking some measurements (without having to carry mine back and forth from the storage yard where the Ollie is located) I found out that by using the brace mentioned above plus supporting the bottom with a 5/8 inch thick board AND drilling two holes in the frame at the center points, ALL of the microwave movement is now eliminated. 

Thanks once again for passing your microwave along instead of simply throwing it out.  It really did help in finding the solution and saved me a bunch of time in figuring it out too.

Bill

[SeaDawg]

Hi, Raspy!

Great to see you here again. I see you occasionally on another forum, but I  don't post there much...

I've seen your videos for the new trailer online. Well done!

Thanks for dropping by, and don't be a stranger. I still remember,  and love the stainless countertop you did on hull 92. Don't know who is enjoying it now. They may not be active on the forum.

[AndrewK]

Raspy,

Is hull #92 the one with the stainless steel counter top?

if so,it is in San Diego being loved and towed with a diesel VW Touareg.

Andrew

[Mike and Carol]

Hey John, glad to see you pop in and update us.  I also see you over on Fiberglass RV forums.  Glad you’re still enjoying your HQ19, I bet Shane is selling a bunch of them.  Hope to see you out on the road again.  Mike

[Raspy]

2 hours ago, AndrewK said:

Raspy,

Is hull #92 the one with the stainless steel counter top?

if so,it is in San Diego being loved and towed with a diesel VW Touareg.

Andrew

Yep, that's the one.  It would be fun to hear from those folks sometime.  

Thanks for the reply!

[Raspy]

2 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

Hey John, glad to see you pop in and update us.  I also see you over on Fiberglass RV forums.  Glad you’re still enjoying your HQ19, I bet Shane is selling a bunch of them.  Hope to see you out on the road again.  Mike

Mike,

Yes.  Shane is really busy and I'm supplying him with the hitches that go on almost all of them.   Every time we go to Utah, we stop at his place for a visit, or to drop off hitches.  

Hope to see you one of these days.  Any fun trips planned?

John

[Raspy]

3 hours ago, topgun2 said:

John - 

Good to hear from you - as usual!

Just thinking about you the other day - you might remember that you kindly bequeathed your old microwave to me low those many years ago.  Well, that poor thing sat in my workshop under a cover until about two weeks ago.

While doing some wiring in the kitchen cubbie right above my microwave I noticed that the frame around the microwave was a bit out of joint.  Upon further investigation I found out that the front two "feet" on the microwave had broken (due to over-flexing of the thin sheet metal to which they were attached).  Not to worry - I've got Raspy's microwave that I can use as a simple swap!

Nope - I quickly found out that one of the front feet of yours had also broken AND you (like me) had not had the benefit of a brace at the top of the unit that attaches it (basically)  to the underside of the wood that surrounds it.  So, I then noticed that you had drilled four holes in the frame, probably assuming that this would be enough to hold the microwave in place.  I'm assuming that once you found out that this didn't work you simply decided that you really didn't need that bad boy and converted the space into a liquor cabinet 😁.

In studying your old microwave and taking some measurements (without having to carry mine back and forth from the storage yard where the Ollie is located) I found out that by using the brace mentioned above plus supporting the bottom with a 5/8 inch thick board AND drilling two holes in the frame at the center points, ALL of the microwave movement is now eliminated. 

Thanks once again for passing your microwave along instead of simply throwing it out.  It really did help in finding the solution and saved me a bunch of time in figuring it out too.

Bill

Bill,

I fought with that microwave mounting until I gave up and remodeled the entire cabinet.  It tried to jump out of the cabinet twice while I was on a trip to Death Valley.  The re-model fixed it!

I ended up with a smaller microwave, a wine rack, and utensil storage.  Along with a drop down door that gave more workspace.  All as part of the same original cabinet.  Much more useful, I thought.  There are pix of it around here somewhere.

I remember showing the stainless countertop and microwave cabinet to Scott Oliver, but he sort of had no comment.  I wanted him to offer the stainless as an option.  It would be easy for them to get a bunch of blanks cut out and simply install them as off-the-shelf parts.   It was the most durable and functional surface I could think of, while still being lightweight.

John

[SeaDawg]

Near the bottom of this thread are two photos of Raspy's microwave cabinet. Very nice.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2335-cabinet-to-replace-microwave/page/2/

[SeaDawg]

A sidenote.

Our microwave died from lack of use, since we have no inverter,  and rarely have 120 hookups. 

Our cabinet revision is in the same thread. I'm very happy with it.

Raspys mod is really good for folks who still want a microwave,  but want extra storage.   And, can live with a small microwave. 

[Mike and Carol]

2 hours ago, Raspy said:

Mike,

Yes.  Shane is really busy and I'm supplying him with the hitches that go on almost all of them.   Every time we go to Utah, we stop at his place for a visit, or to drop off hitches.  

Hope to see you one of these days.  Any fun trips planned?

John

Leaving this weekend for a month in KY, TN and AL.  Then in July we’ll be in CO all month.  Thinking of a UT, NV, CA trip in Sept/Oct.  I’ll let you know if the fall trip to your neck of the woods happens!  Mike

[hobo]

Raspy,

When you're in VA this fall, you're more than welcome to  drop anchor at our place in Berryville, VA (close to Winchester, VA right off of Interstate 81).  We have water and 30 AMP service available.  We're located on over 3 acres which borders two farms so you have lots of privacy.  Huge firepit too.  Would LOVE to see your rig.

We have a 12 X 28 concrete pad in front of the barn where we store Hobo or you can park in the grass closer to the firepit if you want. 

We'll be gone a good portion of September but the offer is good even if we're gone. Only six homes in the neighborhood and no one can even see you when you're on the property.  

Hobo (Paul and Donna) Hull 414.

 

[Raspy]

6 hours ago, hobo said:

Raspy,

When you're in VA this fall, you're more than welcome to  drop anchor at our place in Berryville, VA (close to Winchester, VA right off of Interstate 81).  We have water and 30 AMP service available.  We're located on over 3 acres which borders two farms so you have lots of privacy.  Huge firepit too.  Would LOVE to see your rig.

We have a 12 X 28 concrete pad in front of the barn where we store Hobo or you can park in the grass closer to the firepit if you want. 

We'll be gone a good portion of September but the offer is good even if we're gone. Only six homes in the neighborhood and no one can even see you when you're on the property.  

Hobo (Paul and Donna) Hull 414.

 

Paul,

 

Wow. That sounds great!  We have no ties in Virginia, but I want to see the Smithsonian and not sure yet how to make that work with a big truck and travel trailer.

No idea of the timing yet either, but definitely later in the year.

Thanks,   John

[SeaDawg]

Radpy, we've camped a few times outside of DC, and taken the metro into the National Mall.

https://www.novaparks.com/parks/pohick-bay-regional-park

From Pohick Bay, we drove to the nearby shopping  mall, and took a courtesy bus to the metro station. I don't know if the mall still cooperates with parking or not, but I'm sure you could find out online. 

We've also camped at Greenbelt Park, walked to the train station, and took the metro to the National Mall. Traffic was worse driving into Greenbelt, but it was nice to just walk a bit to the station.

Beats driving a big truck into DC, and struggling with parking.

 

[topgun2]

And, the last I heard - parking in DC is way expensive.

[hobo]

15 hours ago, Raspy said:

Paul,

 

Wow. That sounds great!  We have no ties in Virginia, but I want to see the Smithsonian and not sure yet how to make that work with a big truck and travel trailer.

No idea of the timing yet either, but definitely later in the year.

Thanks,   John

John,

If you drop anchor here in Berryville,  you can simply drive east of us for about 35-40 minutes and get on the metro rail system that will take you right into DC.  No traffic or parking worries.  For that matter, if we're around, I'd be glad to take you into the metro stop and pick you up whenever you got back.  You also need to visit the Smithsonian's Air and Space museum complex on the grounds of Dulles Airport.  IAD is a easy drive from here.  It's about 15 miles west of DC lodged between us and the District.