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04-28-2017, 05:03 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: n/a, Texas
Trailer: Escape
Posts: 729
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I withdraw my suggestion of drilling halfway through with a spade bit. Not because it is a disaster, but because it is making a simple task too complicated.
I have been happy with the results of using a spade bit to drill holes in fiberglass when installing fittings on boats. The outer edges of the bit give a clean sharp cut through the gelcoat.
For holes larger than an inch I have used hole saws and they work, too, with precautions against chipping the gelcoat at the start. Taping, running the drill backward at the start, etc.
A little practice on scrap fiberglass or thin plywood will give you a feel for the touch.
Good luck. Measure twice.
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04-28-2017, 07:26 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,547
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I too would use a hole saw, using a 1/8" pilot hole to start. With this small of a hole saw, I would use high speed on the drill and light pressure though holdingf it firm, as the gelcoat will tend to grab. The advantage of a hole saw, is the pilot bit not allowing the hole saw to wander. Not sure how wide the flange is on this inlet, but a wee bit of chipping on the edge is minor.
A stepped bit would be my second choice, as it too would hold solid in the hole as you penetrated.
I would not use a Forster bit, while it would make a nice clean hole, these bits are best used in a drill press, and have next to nothing of a pilot point. If you were to firmly tape a pre-drilled block of wood on like Ron described, it would be fine, but that is a lot of work for a simple hole. Mind you, the time it took to type this post took longer than drilling a hole would.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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04-28-2017, 08:24 AM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
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When I installed my port I used a 1/8" bit to start, a 1/4" after that (the size of the web on the largest drill I had on hand - a 5/8"), made the 5/8" hole. then used a rat tail file to finish the hole.
By the way, I also installed a tank wash system for the black tank - a 1 1/4" hole. I used a fine toothed hole saw with tape.
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04-28-2017, 09:22 AM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
I too would use a hole saw, using a 1/8" pilot hole to start. With this small of a hole saw, I would use high speed on the drill and light pressure though holding it firm, as the gelcoat will tend to grab. The advantage of a hole saw, is the pilot bit not allowing the hole saw to wander. Not sure how wide the flange is on this inlet, but a wee bit of chipping on the edge is minor.
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I have done exactly this when I drilled a decent hole for my battery box vent and the hole comes out just fine. Anything that would typically be recessed and attached to the surface will have a flange that covers any small amount of chipping.
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04-28-2017, 09:31 AM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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One trick with a hole saw is to drill a pilot hole thru the fiberglass then use a hole saw with a smooth 1/4" bolt in place of the hole saw's pilot bit .
The bolt helps keep the hole saw centered and doesn't tear up the pilot hole and enlarge it.
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04-28-2017, 12:05 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
Mind you, the time it took to type this post took longer than drilling a hole would.
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I have a similar comment for people I'm helping with a project when they protest that they really don't want to take up my time. "I could have just done it in the time we're taking talking about me helping you."
Ron
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04-28-2017, 12:42 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,547
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
I have a similar comment for people I'm helping with a project when they protest that they really don't want to take up my time. "I could have just done it in the time we're taking talking about me helping you."
Ron
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I have hit this situation all the time training people. I like the quick learners.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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04-28-2017, 01:43 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
I have hit this situation all the time training people. I like the quick learners.
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As opposed to one very good but not a quick learner friend. He wanted to drill a hole in his wife's car fender. I gave him the drill and bit and off he went to the adjacent shop. After a while he returned and asked me if I could sharpen the drill bit. It really didn't require sharpening. I looked at the drill, guess what direction it was going.
Ron
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04-28-2017, 01:52 PM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,547
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
As opposed to one very good but not a quick learner friend. He wanted to drill a hole in his wife's car fender. I gave him the drill and bit and off he went to the adjacent shop. After a while he returned and asked me if I could sharpen the drill bit. It really didn't require sharpening. I looked at the drill, guess what direction it was going. [emoji23]
Ron
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You gave him the bit for drilling on the other side of the car.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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04-28-2017, 03:02 PM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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I had a half a box of nails like that once , they had the heads on the wrong end . Luckily , I was able to use them on the other side of the house.
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04-28-2017, 04:13 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2015 Escape 17A
Posts: 2,347
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steve dunham
I had a half a box on nails like that once , they had the heads on the wrong end . Luckily , I was able to use them on the other side of the house.
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Oh, Shoot. So that's what they're for. I've been throwing away nails right-n-left for years.
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04-28-2017, 10:20 PM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Wenatchee, WA, Washington
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19'
Posts: 179
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Well, Barry, I guess you got an earful on how to drill holes! Whew!
My offering is I just wanted to say your photos are beautiful! I really enjoy them. Looks like you use a touch of HDR?
Nice work!
Chuck
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04-29-2017, 01:21 AM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: palo alto, California
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic #7
Posts: 314
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I just put a 3/4" hole in the side of mine.
I watched a number of vidoes online before I made my hole.
All masked the area with panters tape to stop chipout
and severl ran the drill in revers so the bit/holesaw did not take too aggressive a cut into the surface.
this worked very well for my install.
__________________
7-7-7 Our Marriage
2013 Escape 21 Classic
2014 Sequoia
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04-29-2017, 04:38 AM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Carrollton, Texas
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21, 2017 Toyota Tundra 5.7L 4x4
Posts: 549
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Off topic
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye
By the way, I also installed a tank wash system for the black tank - a 1 1/4" hole. I used a fine toothed hole saw with tape.
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Did you post about installing your black tank wash system? That's a project I would eventually like to tackle on our (yet to pick up) Escape 21. However I've only seen how-to-do-it postings on the Casita forum.
__________________
Rick and Vicky Reed
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04-29-2017, 07:44 AM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,146
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richardr
Did you post about installing your black tank wash system? That's a project I would eventually like to tackle on our (yet to pick up) Escape 21. However I've only seen how-to-do-it postings on the Casita forum.
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Jon's mods to his 17 are generously documented and shared on his website, including the black tank rinse system install. You have to click on "Travel and Photo Webpage" under his signature in his posts and then once on the page scroll down to "Trailer Modifications".
Here it is direct:
Trailer Modifications
The black tank rinse is under "New Modifications for 2013".
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04-29-2017, 08:09 AM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Carrollton, Texas
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21, 2017 Toyota Tundra 5.7L 4x4
Posts: 549
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Thanks. That's a great source of Mod information.
__________________
Rick and Vicky Reed
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04-29-2017, 01:56 PM
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#37
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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I would be very careful with the black tank rinse modification. I have installed them on other trailers that have the tank outside, underneath the trailer. In your Escape, the black tank is located inside the trailer, any leak, either rinsing or otherwise, could get messy.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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04-29-2017, 03:14 PM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,547
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I wouldn't think a properly installed tank cleaner would be any more prone to leaking than any plumbing in the trailer.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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04-29-2017, 03:35 PM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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True, but most forum members are not installers and the numerous posts asking for help, bares witness to that fact. I find myself, as I age,that I make more mistakes than before.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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