options questions

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

and I'm suspecting that moving the black tank would be complex. not only the drainage fittings, but also how its supported by the frame.

Yes, as I see (I have been looking through all the build photos I can find, & watched the build video once, will do again) there are restrictions on ETI moving too much around underneath, or even on top. So now switching to the idea of moving the walls on the Queen bed over into a full bed, 6". Seems to be a support/cross bracing built in to the back part of the stove/bed wall. I haven't seen a photo of that framing early enough. Maybe it is built 1st, because it is a support. SO I don't know if ETI would move it over 6", & put in a 21NE Kitchen, or something I do later, even if I leave some of that wall, & go down to fiberglassing in of a 2nd anchor piece 6" over. New counter. Other side could be some type of pull out storage, (kitchen pantry type). I have a long wait til my build, no use asking ETI yet, what they'l do, as it seems they are cutting down on too much customization bit by bit. Meanwhile there is so much to see & read about in here, for ideas. Like just saw someones nice storage "something" that sits against front wall on E19's dining table. Gives me an idea to design up some kind of fold up "Desk set up", for "Office" use.

[Centex]

FWIW in the very early stages of my shopping for an Escape (looking at the E19 and 21NE) I asked about, and provided sketches, adjusting cabinet / bed arrangements.

Specifically, as a solo traveler I was exploring the possibility of a narrower rear bed with cabinets added aft of the existing reefer & kitchen bulkhead on each side. This proposal would not conflict with wheel wells, windows, nor affect any plumbing / tankage in any respect.

ETI politely declined the mod, citing overall weight distribution as a major reason - not that they knew my proposal would be a problem, but that they had a set of established and proven weight distribution data for each of their floorplans and did not want to undertake the work required to 'prove out' weight distribution for the different cabinet / bed platform arrangement.

I can understand and accept that, no worries, we moved forward and as y'all know I ended up with a 5.0 much to my ultimate satisfaction.

My point being - when talking about floorplan mods, in addition to potential issues already raised and even avoiding changes to the basic shell configuration, there's also the matter of weight distribution to consider, and ETI seems loathe (understandably, IMO) to consider individual customizations which might alter weight distribution.

Just for your consideration, Happy New Year Everyone!!

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

Yes, as I see (I have been looking through all the build photos I can find, & watched the build video once, will do again) there are restrictions on ETI moving too much around underneath, or even on top. So now switching to the idea of moving the walls on the Queen bed over into a full bed, 6". Seems to be a support/cross bracing built in to the back part of the stove/bed wall. I haven't seen a photo of that framing early enough. Maybe it is built 1st, because it is a support. SO I don't know if ETI would move it over 6", & put in a 21NE Kitchen, or something I do later, even if I leave some of that wall, & go down to fiberglassing in of a 2nd anchor piece 6" over. New counter. Other side could be some type of pull out storage, (kitchen pantry type). I have a long wait til my build, no use asking ETI yet, what they'l do, as it seems they are cutting down on too much customization bit by bit. Meanwhile there is so much to see & read about in here, for ideas. Like just saw someones nice storage "something" that sits against front wall on E19's dining table. Gives me an idea to design up some kind of fold up "Desk set up", for "Office" use.

Escape has come a long, long way since the days of "you can have any interior as long as it's oak."

There are only two ways that you can have a radically different interior. One, convince ETI to sell you a bare shell. That's not likely. Two, do what many of us have done to varying degrees. Deconstruct whatever you like inside and build what you want.

Ron

[cpaharley2008]

The nice thing about Escapes is if you are not happy, you can always sell and purchase something else!

[Small but Sweet]

The support framing that you were wondering about, went up on day 2 for our 21C. These photos are day 1 and day 2.

(I freaked out when I saw the second photo because we asked for a straight booth and that looked like a U-shape being made. I was wrong, it's just where they set something down briefly.)

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Centex

FWIW in the very early stages of my shopping for an Escape (looking at the E19 and 21NE) I asked about, and provided sketches, adjusting cabinet / bed arrangements.

Specifically, as a solo traveler I was exploring the possibility of a narrower rear bed with cabinets added aft of the existing reefer & kitchen bulkhead on each side. This proposal would not conflict with wheel wells, windows, nor affect any plumbing / tankage in any respect.

ETI politely declined the mod, citing overall weight distribution as a major reason - not that they knew my proposal would be a problem, but that they had a set of established and proven weight distribution data for each of their floorplans and did not want to undertake the work required to 'prove out' weight distribution for the different cabinet / bed platform arrangement.

I can understand and accept that, no worries, we moved forward and as y'all know I ended up with a 5.0 much to my ultimate satisfaction.

My point being - when talking about floorplan mods, in addition to potential issues already raised and even avoiding changes to the basic shell configuration, there's also the matter of weight distribution to consider, and ETI seems loathe (understandably, IMO) to consider individual customizations which might alter weight distribution.

Just for your consideration, Happy New Year Everyone!!

Thanks! That is the information I need, as far as what they will be willing to do. The amount of change in weight distribution moving walls which they build as a non reinforced walls(#1 & #2 on pg #8) in the first place, & adding cabinetry where is was)compared to like a water tank is very little. Double axle trailers are much less reactive to uneven weight, why all horse trailers no matter how light weight, are double axles. 1000+ lb animals moving around a lot, changes the weight distribution fast. And you do feel it in your TV!

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Small but Sweet

The support framing that you were wondering about, went up on day 2 for our 21C. These photos are day 1 and day 2.

(I freaked out when I saw the second photo because we asked for a straight booth and that looked like a U-shape being made. I was wrong, it's just where they set something down briefly.)

WOW, Great! no wonder I have been able to find any photos that early, it is EARLY. Yes, on the piece going across the back! Have to look, close. Looks to be the face frame for center top cabinet(lunch break?). Build it as a unit. They work fast, has to be hard inside a such a cramped place. Shows how they can be moving up builds.

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Escape has come a long, long way since the days of "you can have any interior as long as it's oak."

There are only two ways that you can have a radically different interior. One, convince ETI to sell you a bare shell. That's not likely. Two, do what many of us have done to varying degrees. Deconstruct whatever you like inside and build what you want.

Ron

Yes looks to be Deconstruct & rebuild that small area, is what I'll be doing. Looks like I can peel that white interior "siding" back & add a new fiberglass rib. Other side of new rib would be covered by a real back splash of some kind. I've done 3 fiberglass custom shower bases for handicap roll-in showers. One my own. See if I can up load a photo in here. Ready to fiberglass, Backwall(outside wall), has later of insulation, Lower Durarock pieces go on later.

[Ron in BC]

Pretty much the whole interior is held together with screws and pin nails. Easy to pull apart.

I make adaptive devices for handicapped folks also. Lot's of demand.

Ron

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Pretty much the whole interior is held together with screws and pin nails. Easy to pull apart.

I make adaptive devices for handicapped folks also. Lot's of demand.

Ron

I'm glad to hear they use screws & stuff for taking apart easily. One crew I work with, we did a lot of renovation work. The 1st step, is what I called "Delicate Demo". I'd do it, as the guys would tend to....... ah, get carried away!!!



I'm finishing my last house, I designed to Age In Place in. My Father is 95, using a walker, but not a wheelchair yet.


Were you adding the foil bubble wrap for insulation here? I haven't seen it in other photos. I added some 1/2" ridge insulation under the bed in the Rialta(had a R value of 4, same stuff I used on exterior shower wall). No fun as it is stiff. Lots of angle cuts & tape together with foil heating duck tape.

[Ron in BC]

Yup, sometimes it is easy to get carried away.

No, I didn't add the reflectix. That's my old 19. At the time I think it was an option called "extra insulation." Now they use the the same foam backed white vinyl as the interior and I think it's now standard, not an option.

Since the material is probably readily available it should be easy for you to blend in any bare areas that are left if you remove items from some areas.

Ron

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

I'm glad to hear they use screws & stuff for taking apart easily. ....

Note that the thin plywood finish paneling is invariably glued to the underlying framing and is difficult to remove intact / suitable for re-use IME (BTDT already, the glue to the solid wood framing is stronger than the plies of the thin paneling). The same holds for the foam-backed vinyl wall-covering material glued to the fiberglass shell, it's virtually impossible to remove while keeping the foam backing intact.

ETI was more than willing to sell me yardage of the foam-backed wall covering, sheets of the OE paneling material, and lengths of the various matching cabinet trim pieces for delivery inside my trailer when purchased. The only minor 'downside' is their insistence to cut the 4x8 paneling to 4x4 pieces for safe shipping atop the bed mattress (on the 'upside' they did make clean and square cuts).

The 8' long strips of trim pieces were packed inside a tube laid on the floor of the trailer. Worth noting that ETI uses a number of different pre-finished vinyl-wrapped wood and plastic trim sections in our trailers (L-corners, flats, channels, etc). If wanting to 'exact-match' with extensive mods it is most beneficial to study another local trailer closely to get a handle on the different sections you may want to order (thanks to local 5.0 owner David Murphy for allowing me to do that!).

Your ETI sales consultant can give current 'loose materials' prices, IMO it was all quite reasonable, I'd already exhausted efforts to find exact-matching materials at any price local to me before I finalized my build-sheet.

Obviously, the key in that is having a complete list of what you want for delivery inside your trailer - separate shipping of those bulky materials is cost prohibitive and fraught with risk of shipping damage.

Just for your consideration if you anticipate undertaking significant 'additive' interior cabinetry mods as I do, I'm very glad to have those exact-matching finish materials in my workshop so I can effect original-appearing cabinetry mods.

Have Fun!

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Centex

Note that the thin plywood finish paneling is invariably glued to the underlying framing and is difficult to remove intact / suitable for re-use IME (BTDT already, the glue to the solid wood framing is stronger than the plies of the thin paneling). The same holds for the foam-backed vinyl wall-covering material glued to the fiberglass shell, it's virtually impossible to remove while keeping the foam backing intact.




ETI was more than willing to sell me yardage of the foam-backed wall covering, sheets of the OE paneling material, and lengths of the various matching cabinet trim pieces for delivery inside my trailer when purchased. The only minor 'downside' is their insistence to cut the 4x8 paneling to 4x4 pieces for safe shipping atop the bed mattress (on the 'upside' they did make clean and square cuts).


Have Fun!

Yes, wood glue holds better than the wood itself. So even "Delicate Demo" will only work for having small leftover pieces to work with.



On getting matching materials, I was hoping ETI would sell me some, & then read a post of someone's Build List, & at the bottom, it had all what you said. Must have been yours?! Hopefully I can get them to cut plywood say 2' x 6'4" for the brace walls...... slip it in the egress window onto the bed?


Thanks! I'm getting all kinds of answers /ideas from here, to help me even being to plan anything.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Centex

Note that the thin plywood finish paneling is invariably glued to the underlying framing and is difficult to remove intact / suitable for re-use IME (BTDT already, the glue to the solid wood framing is stronger than the plies of the thin paneling).
Have Fun!

I view it as "win some, lose some". There are other areas, like the one at the foot of the bed where it's possible to remove the whole wall panel, complete with top and bottom moldings, without damaging them.

So it's gentle disassembly, save what you can, but have some replacement material on hand.

Ron

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The nice thing about Escapes is if you are not happy, you can always sell and purchase something else!

Some of us, just UNdo what we don't like, & do what we want. I've had to do it with PAID subcontractors(fired), many a times. I'll do it in the Escape.

[Chasing Trials]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I view it as "win some, lose some". There are other areas, like the one at the foot of the bed where it's possible to remove the whole wall panel, complete with top and bottom moldings, without damaging them.

So it's gentle disassembly, save what you can, but have some replacement material on hand.

Ron

So right, Love that there are so many build photos to see, as to not go in blind.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Chasing Trials

So right, Love that there are so many build photos to see, as to not go in blind.

There's a ton of photos showing hidden areas. And there are a lot of hidden areas.

If you're wondering about opening up an area and if you'll hit anything important just post. Collectively there are no hidden space mysteries.

Ron