Factory Tour on 9/3/15

[NW Cat Owner]

Two more photos of the underside of the 5.0TA, plus a shot I took of another trailer, this one with custom graphics. I'm sure if the new owner is reading this thread they'll recognize their trailer! Pretty nifty font.

[NW Cat Owner]

Okay, last two photos. These are of the Wall of Flags by the top of the warehouse ceiling. We saw these at the end of the tour.

I wish I had taken a photo inside the office of their map of the country (US and Canada) that's filled with stick pins of flags for where all their trailers have been sold. The map also showed the world in smaller scale, but they didn't have one for The Netherlands! Seef, if you're reading this, you need to tell them to get it on the map!

And that's it for the tour of the factory. Greatly enjoyed it and we were grateful for all the help we got in getting questions answered.

Before going to the factory, we stopped by Pioneer Building Supply and confirmed they do carry the flooring we want. Got a price on that, as well as the carpet I want installed instead of that icky (to me) tan color. Yep, you can do that. I also spotted a sink that I fell in love with and one of the gals there searched the internet for it and called their rep when the site didn't give too many details. Crystal at ETI confirmed they can install it. YAY!

One thing we did not do was go through the drive-through stand for fresh picked corn that was on the road to the factory. I love fresh corn on the cob. And I've never bought it from a drive through stand. But I didn't know if I could take it across the border, so I had to pass. But, if you're picking up your trailer soon and you can take corn with you, be sure to look for it just as you turn onto Industrial after getting off the highway.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

....plus a shot I took of another trailer, this one with custom graphics. I'm sure if the new owner is reading this thread they'll recognize their trailer! Pretty nifty font.

Laura, the photo tour is just great. Thanks for posting it. These will come in handy as a reference for all sorts of questions about the build.

As for the trailer with the custom font, that's actually an older Escape, probably in the factory for repairs or modifications. That was the font on the early Escape models. You can also tell from the rock guard (not flush but on the surface of the trailer) that it's an older trailer. The later ones have a single pane window and a rock guard that pushes in to fit flush.

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Laura, the photo tour is just great. Thanks for posting it. These will come in handy as a reference for all sorts of questions about the build.

As for the trailer with the custom font, that's actually an older Escape, probably in the factory for repairs or modifications. That was the font on the early Escape models. You can also tell from the rock guard (not flush but on the surface of the trailer) that it's an older trailer. The later ones have a single pane window and a rock guard that pushes in to fit flush.

Thanks Bryan - kind of what I figured. When Dirk saw the trailer on the hoist, he said "take lots of photos" and I did.

And thanks for the info on the older trailer. We're not getting a trailer with a rock guard/front window, so we're not knowledgeable about the differences. I love the font, though.

[Canadark]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

The next 4 photos show the inside of a trailer (don't remember what size, maybe a 21', but don't quote me on it). The insulation (the shiny stuff) has been installed as well as the inside liner (the white stuff).



I don't know what the white thing is inside the trailer.

Shower unit, I am pretty sure. These can't be fit through the door later.

[Loren & Cathy]

Laura. I think I can say on behalf of everyone that reads this forum, a huge thank you for the pictures of the Escape plant. It was also neat that you saw our trailer getting the finishing touches. Better get your order in because the way Escape is slowly getting further behind you'll have the cash before the trailer is ready. Thanks again. Loren

[Donna D.]

This thread is almost as much fun as the "It's Friday" thread. I'm thinking some of the pics that Laura posted are those "finished" pics for those that are waiting for pickup or delivery! NEATO!

Can't help it, I love pictures...

[Winelover]

Thank you, Laura and Dirk for the Escape factory tour and pictures! Excellent job!

Thanks for making my dream of an Escape trailer a little more "real". Pictures on their website and brochures have nothing on the seeing them in person! Thanks for sharing!

Denise

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by Loren & Cathy

Laura. I think I can say on behalf of everyone that reads this forum, a huge thank you for the pictures of the Escape plant. It was also neat that you saw our trailer getting the finishing touches. Better get your order in because the way Escape is slowly getting further behind you'll have the cash before the trailer is ready. Thanks again. Loren

Thanks!

Yeah, I really wanted to put down a deposit, but we might be flinging a bunch of money towards the city of Seatac for some code violations for when we put in a larger, flatter area for parking. Or at the very least to the engineering firm that's helping us resolve the situation, as well as the costs of getting it up to code. Therefore, we can't put any money down on a trailer until we know how much that will cost and for how long it'll get dragged out. If it wasn't for that, we would have put down a deposit.

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

This thread is almost as much fun as the "It's Friday" thread. I'm thinking some of the pics that Laura posted are those "finished" pics for those that are waiting for pickup or delivery! NEATO!

I was thinking the same thing, Donna, as well as for the in-progess photos. There were sheets next to each trailer with the names of the owners, but I didn't want to take photos of those (well, I did of one, but I didn't post it) as I knew I wouldn't be posting them publicly. They may not want others to know what all they're getting.

I took a bunch of pictures of the inside of the display 5.0TA that I plan to put up as a separate thread as there might be others interested in the detailed photos I took, as well as the measurements. I've seen some questions from folks wanting to know about the insides of the cabinets for containers and what not. I've got a few other things to take care, but I hope to get that done this weekend.

[Iowa Dave]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. Made me say to myself, hey, there's really quite a bit to building those things. And answering myself. Ya think? Great pictures.
Dave

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by Winelover

Thank you, Laura and Dirk for the Escape factory tour and pictures! Excellent job!

Thanks for making my dream of an Escape trailer a little more "real". Pictures on their website and brochures have nothing on the seeing them in person! Thanks for sharing!

Denise

You're welcome Denise. Some of the technical wording was provided by Dirk as I was clueless about what I was seeing. He loves stuff like that; I'm like "whatever, just give me the damn trailer".

And you're right, seeing the few photos on their web site is nothing compared to more detailed photos. Heck, I didn't even know there was storage under the stairs of the 5.0TA until we viewed one and the owners showed up. I think that should be touted about as it's great.

If you can tour some in person, your dream will become even more vivid. and if you fly into Seattle and drive up like that couple from CA did, be sure to stop at this gas station/convenience store on the way up there (in Everson or Deming - can't remember) that has a sign up for "real milk shakes". Dirk got one and just loved it. You can pick from a variety of flavors already frozen and filled in a cup. You slap in it this stirring machine and set for how thick you want it. And then you get your own milkshake. From a company called F'Real. I think we'll have to stop there coming and going next time we cross the border. Dirk's still raving about it!

f'real: milkshakes, smoothies, frozen cappuccino

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Very interesting, thanks for posting. Made me say to myself, hey, there's really quite a bit to building those things. And answering myself. Ya think? Great pictures.
Dave

Thanks Dave. Yeah, there's a lot to building them. And lots I didn't notice or see because the tours are during their lunch break. I was telling Dirk this evening that it would be great if you could do something like a time lapse video of just one trailer, from start to finish. Even if it wasn't your size trailer it would be cool to see all the steps involved. How the cabinetry is attached, how the trailer comes out the mold, holding tanks attached, graphics applied and even the couch cushions flung into place.

I'd watch that video multiple times!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

Dirk was pretty impressed that the trailer is actually molded as one piece instead of the two halves curing separately and then glued together.

Actually, the two parts are moulded separately (like most other moulded fiberglass travel trailers), and then bonded together with fiberglass cloth and resin across the joint (like most other moulded fiberglass travel trailers), but the big difference is that the bonding together is done while the two parts are still in their moulds, so they line up precisely and no hardware is needed to hold them together during bonding. That's why the top part looks like it's mounted on a rotisserie spit - essentially it is, so they can mould it, the flip it other to place it on top of the lower part. They have to cut out the door to get in to bond the parts together.

The bathroom/shower parts are placed in the lower half before the upper half in put over it, because once the two are bonded together there's no way to get those big parts in.

[Donna D.]

Here's how it's done by Brian's description. I scooped these pictures for Ten Forward's Baby Book.

[cpaharley2008]

If they put the bath inside the 21' before joining, what happens to these inside pieces when the unit is flipped?

[Iowa Dave]

There's a klunk sound and all is well
Dave

[Fletch Dobbs]

Terrific pictures and commentary! Thanks for posting!

Fletch & Pam

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

If they put the bath inside the 21' before joining, what happens to these inside pieces when the unit is flipped?

And how do the bath pieces not stick to the fiberglass trailer that's curing?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

If they put the bath inside the 21' before joining, what happens to these inside pieces when the unit is flipped?

The halves can be flipped, but they don't flip the joined unit. As Brian mentioned, the top half is flipped "right side up" so the upper mold can be attached to the lower mold. The bath inserts are placed in the bottom mold before the joining.