Wednesday, February 24, 2021

How To Build Flat Panel Cabinet Doors On A Budget

 


 Nothing!  And I mean nothing will give you more return on investment in regards to home value than remodeling your kitchen.

Arguably the most important part of that kitchen are the cabinets.  

You could spend thousands of dollars hiring someone to tear out all those cabinets or you could save yourself thousands of dollars by simply refacing them yourself.

What is refacing?

It simply means to remove the doors and refresh them and the carcasses hanging on the walls in some manner.  That could simply mean applying a fresh coat of paint.

However, the doors on my kitchen cabinets are pretty far gone.  They are delaminating and swelling.  Plus some of them are damaged.

So for me I need to rebuild my doors.

I have chosen a flat panel rail and style design.  It is actually going to be an upgrade to the one piece MDF melamine doors that were originally there.  

Flat panel doors consist of five pieces.  2 styles and 2 rails along with a center panel.

 


If you have your existing doors you can simply measure your existing doors.  This will give you how wide and how tall the final dimensions that your new doors need to be.  However, you can not just go and cut the pieces to those measurements.  

You have to back into them.  If you notice in the photo above the stiles go the entire length from top to bottom.  The rails however, do not.  

They are short by the width of the two side pieces plus any joinery you may be using.

In my case I have decided to use tongue and groove joinery.

 


Anybody with a so-so table saw can make these happen.  You can watch my video and get a pretty good idea on how to accomplish a nice fitting joint.  I always start by cutting the groves first.

WHY?

Because every piece needs a grove cut in them.  That is not true for the tongues.  So to keep things as simple as possible at first I always cut the part of the joinery that every piece needs, the groove.

How deep and how wide those grooves have been cut will then dictate the size of the tongues.  Whittling down tongues to fit grooves is a lot easier than trying to do it the other way around.

The only pieces that get tongues cut are the rails.  

I usually like to use a half inch tongue.  So the length of the rail will be the total width of the door minus the width of the two stiles plus two half inch tongues.

Example:

Door width = 20"

Door length = 30"

Tongue length = .5"

Rail and Stile width = 2.5"

20 - 2.5 - 2.5 + .5 + .5 = 16" or 20 - 5 + 1 = 16"

So in this example the length you want to cut your rails would be 16" for your doors to be the proper width.

The center panel follows a similar formula.  Using the example above, the width of the center panel needs to be 16".   (Technically I undersize my panels by a quarter inch to allow for expansion and contraction but if you didn't you would probably be fine.)

The length would follow the same formula as for the rails above except to use the doors length to work back from.

30" - 2.5 - 2.5 + .5 + .5 = 26"

So a 26" x 16" panel will need to be cut in order to get the final dimensions we need for our door.

NOTE:  Be careful not to over size the panel.  You can under size it but do not over size it. 

Now that we have the technicalities out of the way it's time to assemble our doors.  Here is a pretty nifty video, if I do say so myself, show exactly how I go about door assembly.

 

If you are a visual learner then this is right up your alley.

If you're interested in what to do after you've mastered the building part of the process then check out the next step.


Don't forget to visit my YouTube channel for more videos on simple and easy DIY projects.  Be sure to hit the subscribe button and click the notifications bell so you don't miss a new project. 

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Happy DIY'ing!

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Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Budget Friendly Kitchen Remodel


 

A kitchen remodel is one of the first things people look to in order to freshen up dull living spaces.  However, the price of said remodel can quickly climb into the tens of thousands if you have professionals come in and gut the place for a completely new room.

So often times in a search for budget friendly options to remodel a kitchen the term "refacing" comes up.

Refacing kitchen cabinets is a popular project for homeowners looking for a straightforward renovation option that won't break the bank and doesn't require a ton of experience to do.

The great thing about do it yourself fixer upper projects such as refacing cabinets is that you get to pick how far and how deep you feel comfortable going.   

Option 1

 

You can simply repaint your current cabinets.  This is the easiest path forward for most people with limited exposure to tools.  All you need is a brush, a roller, a couple gallons of paint and a little determination.

Option 2

 

You can go a step further and replace your handles and hinges.  However, hardware can get expensive quick.  I've seen people's resolve melt quickly when faced with that price tag as well.  Many times I see them try to keep there current hardware.

It's amazing what a little spray paint can do for old rusted handles and pulls.

At least for a little while.

This option is not my favorite as the new paint eventually begins to chip leaving people feel like all there hard work was for nothing.

Sometimes a simple coat of paint just won't do.  Sometimes you need to go deeper.

This is when people give up.  They think their cabinets are beyond help.  They think theirs need to be replaced in whole and there is no way around it.  

In reality cabinets have to be pretty far gone in order to not be able to save them, especially the carcasses.  

What is the carcass of a cabinet?

 


 

It is the box part that is attached to the wall.  Not including the doors hanging on them or the shelves inside.  

Usually the carcass will be just fine and it's just the doors that are damaged and in need of replacing.

This was the case with my cabinets.  I knew I could save them and save the cost of replacing them. 

Is it really simple and easy?

It is if you break the project as a whole down to individual steps and tackle each one as if they were there own project.  When I look at something like refacing cabinets this is how I look at it.

1. Build new cabinet doors

2. Paint those new doors

3. Replace Handles

4. Reattach Hinges

5. Reface the carcasses

6. Rebuild kitchen drawers

7. Stand back a let my family Ohh and Ahh at my mad skillz.

So yes it is really simple and easy!  Are you ready to take on this project?  Are you ready to learn new skills and feel good about yourself when you're done?

GOOD!!!  LET'S GO!!




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Saturday, February 6, 2021

How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets Without Pulling Your Hair Out!

Painting cabinets is easy and simple.


How To Paint Cabinets


Painting is one of those chores that everyone usually comes face to face with at least once in their lives.  Whether it's just a bedroom or a whole house, this post is going to break down my technique I use to get consistent repeatable results.

Tools

One of the first things people think of when you mention painting anything is brushes and rollers.  Also messy paint buckets and the even messier cleanup.

It's enough to send shivers down the toughest spines.

I find one of the best ways to get the results you want when painting cabinets is to not touch either of those.  I go the way of the sprayer.

WAIT, Wait...

 I know what your thinking.

"Spraying is so complicated and daunting."

Not the way I'm going to show you in this video.

 

1.  Air Compressor

I use a 6 gallon pancake compressor.  I don't endorse Ryobi and have no affiliation with them.  I honestly don't even have a lot of there tools in my shop.  

I just happen to have this one because when I was shopping for a new compressor a few years ago I knew I wanted a vertical style compressor.

This was the only one I could find.

Hardly a ringing endorsement I know, but with the exception of having to replace the regulator its been a pretty good unit to date.

The main point to take away here is that you can do painting with a cheap small unit.  You don't need one of the tall large ones that sit in a corner of the garage taking up space.  Plus I am also able to use this to air up bicycle and car tires when needed.

Compressors are useful on a number of occasions outside painting.  So I endorse getting one, no matter what brand.



2.  Spray gun

This one I have in my shop is a general purpose suction sprayer that I picked up someplace I can't remember over a decade ago.  It's been a good performer for me and reliable as well.

It's simple to learn and master because it only has one onboard adjustment.  For the most part you just hook up the air hose and adjust the PSI to get the look you want when applying paint to your project.

There are other styles to choose from as well such as a gravity feed spray gun but I don't like those so I don't use them and will not be going into them in this post.



3. Cabinet Paint

Don't be fooled by the names manufacturers put on there paint cans.  Often times it's the same stuff just with a different label.

What you want for cabinets is something that is enamel based.  If you use a latex based paint your doors will stick closed anytime the humidity in your home gets to high.


Step 1

Now that we have our tools and materials on hand we can get busy painting.  Whether you have new doors like I have for my kitchen remodel or you are reusing you cabinet doors you will want a good primer for a base.

Without a primer there is a possibility you could see any imperfections in the wood below.  If you have ever seen painted oak cabinets you know what I mean.

The wood grain of oak is notorious for showing through paint.  A good coat of primer will help diminish that possibility.


Step 2

 
Now we can set up our air compressor and make some adjustments according to the style of sprayer you may be using.  Always be sure to check the max PSI your sprayer can safely handle.
 
Mine can handle a max setting of 45psi.  I like to use a pressure between 30-40psi.  This is personal preference however.  

Different pressures will give different looks.  Experiment on some scrape wood and see what you like and don't like.

How thick the paint is will also have a baring on the finish look as well.  I use a 3 cups of paint to one cup of water ratio to thin my paint for spraying.  Again play around with this and see what looks good to you.



Step 3


Technique.

There are four main things I keep track of when spray painting kitchen cabinets.

1. Viscosity -  This is simply how thick or thin the material you are spraying is.  In this case the material would be paint but you can spray on all sorts of materials.

As I mentioned earlier I use a 3 to 1 ratio for most paints.  This will vary a little based on different brands of paint but for the most part 3/1 gets me what I'm looking for.  That gives me a little bit of texture to my cabinets.

I don't like a completely flat look.  I feel it tends to look fake so I go for a more organic feel in the kitchen.

2. PSI - Again different psi's will give different looks.  So play around.  Find what works for you.

3. Distance -  If you spray paint from 3 inches away that will have a certain look to it.  If you hold your sprayer 6 inches away that will have a different look to it.  In general I like to be about 12 inches away from my project.

4. Angle - This is something people get snagged by and don't even realize it.  Holding the sprayer at a 90° angle across the door will give a different look than holding it at a 45° angle.  I'm not saying 45° is bad I'm just saying don't combine 45° with 90° on the same project.

Final Thoughts

Watching the video above and keeping track of the four points I just laid out will help get a wonderfully looking new kitchen in no time.  Well it is a step in the right direction at least.  There are still a few things that need to be done to complete the look but this will get you going.

Don't forget to check out the entire series I have on a Budget Friendly Kitchen Remodel here.

If you like this project be sure to subscribe to our news feed.  Anytime a new design or article is posted we'll send you an email.  No Spam ever!!

Also don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for lots of entertaining videos on projects and homesteading.
 

Until then!

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Monday, February 1, 2021

Build A Cedar Shower Bench

Build A Cedar Bench for the Shower







Materials


4 - 2x2s

NOTE: All board lengths are 8' long unless otherwise noted.

Choice of Wood Sealant
 


Cut List

8 - Bench Slats @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 18"

4 - Legs @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 18

2 - Horizontal Leg Slats (top) @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 13.75"

2 - Horizontal Leg Slats (bottom) @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 10.75"

1 Bottom Slat @ 1.5" x 1.5" x 18"

Cutting Diagrams


2x2s





Step 1

Cut all your pieces to length as shown in the cutting diagrams.  Then attach two vertical leg pieces to a horizontal leg piece both top and bottom.

I recommend a 1/2" dowel joint to join the everything together.  They are strong and look good.



Step 2

A similar procedure for the bench slats.  These can be glued together initially and allowed to dry.  Then 1/2" dowels can be drilled and set to strengthen the shower bench.


Step 3

The bench slats give some resistance to sheer forces but we need something for the bottom of the bench as well.

Glue the bottom slat in place.  Allow to dry.  Then set another couple dowels






Final Thoughts

The whole project needs a good sanding.  If you sanded each piece as you went along this step won't be such a chore.

Since hands and other body parts will be moving in and around the shower bench you will want to sand all the edges smooth to the touch.  Take extra care around corners and smooth heavily.

Since it is made of cedar you don't need to stain but a good weather resistant seal is recommended as cedar does change color over time to a dirty greyish green.

That is usually desired on outdoor furniture but maybe not in the shower.

If you like this project be sure to check out the other two that go along with it and make yourself a set.  

Cedar Shower Caddie

Cedar Shower Mat

Plus be sure to subscribe to our news feed.  Anytime a new design or article is posted we'll send you an email.  No Spam ever!!

Also don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for lots of entertaining videos on projects and homesteading.


Until then!

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Saturday, January 30, 2021

DIY Cedar Shower Caddie

DIY Small Activity Caddy

A simple caddie for the shower.




Materials


1 - 1x6


NOTE: All board lengths are 8' long and 3/4" thick unless otherwise noted.

Choice of Stain

Tung Oil



Cut List

1 Hanger @ .75" x 5" x 4"

2 Vertical Back Pieces @ .75" x 1" x 16"

2 Rail Pieces @ .5" x .5" x 9"

2 Rail Pieces @ .5" x .5" x 5"

1 Shampoo Shelf @ .25" x 5" x 9"

1 Soap Shelf @ .25" x 5" x 5"

Cutting Diagrams


1x6


Step 1

Lets start with the hanger.  

Now I know you're asking, "How do I cut the rounded top?"  That's not a problem.  No geometry required.  

Grab a bucket.

Place it on top of the 1x6 and slide the bucket forward or back till you get the rounded top you want.  Then mark a line around the bucket.

Set the bucket aside and use a jigsaw to cut across the line and sand down.  wal-lah, you have a rounded top.

Then drill a 1" hole 2" down from the appex of that top.  

A jigsaw or handsaw can be used to cut the mating slots for the vertical back pieces.




Step 2

The two vertical pieces can be cut and two daddos routed near the bottom for the shelves.  Each daddo is 3/4" thick.




Step 3

This next step can be one of two ways.  First you could do it the way I have designed it here and cut for strips to dimensions.  Then cut half laps on each of the ends.  Mate them up and glue together.

You could also take one piece of lumber sized 5" by 9".  Then drill 4 holes a half inch in from each corner big enough for a small jigsaw blade or a manual scroll saw blade. 

Mark lines a half inch in all around the edges.  Place a blade as mentioned earlier inside one of the holes and cut out the inside material.  

Sand it down.



Step 4

Next is the shampoo shelf.  This one is simple just cut a piece to the listed dimensions.



Step 5

The soap shelf can be cut just like in step 4.  To attach this to the bottom simple glue will not be strong enough.

I recommend dowel holes drilled from the bottom and set in place.

Final Thoughts

The whole project needs a good sanding.  If you sanded each piece as you went along this step won't be such a chore.

Since hands will be moving in and out around the shower caddy you will want to sand all the edges smooth to the touch.  Take extra care around corners and smooth heavily.

Since it is made of cedar you don't need to stain but a good weather resistant seal is recommended as cedar does change color over time to a dirty greyish green.

That is usually desired on outdoor furniture but maybe not in the shower.

If you like this project be sure to subscribe to our news feed.  Anytime a new design or article is posted we'll send you an email.  No Spam ever!!

Also don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for lots of entertaining videos on projects and homesteading.

Until then!


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Friday, January 29, 2021

Build A DIY Cedar Shower Mat

DIY Cedar Shower Mat 

A simple mat made of cedar for your shower.



Materials


2 - 1x6 (Some lumber yards will allow you to purchase lumber by the board foot instead of precut lengths.  If so then you only need 10' board feet.)


NOTE: All board lengths are 8' long and 3/4" thick unless otherwise noted.

Choice of Stain



Cut List


2 Side Rails @ .75" x 1.5" x 20.75"

12 Inside Rails @ .75" x 1.5" x 20"


Cutting Diagrams


1x6s






Step 1

Lets start with the front and back pieces.  Cut to length.  Then measure and mark 3" in from both sides and 1.5" down from what will be the top of the activity caddy.  Mark the waste material using a pencil and use a hand saw or pull saw to cut the shape shown below.

Then you can route a 1/4" rabbet along the bottom of the workpiece and two 1/4" dadoes down both sides of the center section.



Step 2

A similar procedure for the two side pieces.  The one difference to note here is that 1/2" rabbets get routed on each side of both pieces.

Step 3

Apply wood glue to each of the four side rabbets and assemble the four pieces.  Clamp together lightly.  Just firm enough to be able to accomplish the next step.






Final Thoughts

Once the project is dry it can come out of the clamps and be sanded down.  This is a simple design that is perfect for those just getting into woodworking.  It gives you an opportunity to practice tongue and grove style joinery in a project that won't be wasted if you get it wrong.

If you like this project be sure to subscribe to our news feed.  Anytime a new design or article is posted we'll send you an email.  No Spam ever!!

Also don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for lots of entertaining videos on projects and homesteading.

Until then!


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Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Grow a Mobile Garden in Small Bags






Gardening is in full swing here at Simply Easy DIY.  

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Monday, January 25, 2021

How to Install Concealed European Hinges on Cabinets


Installing hinges sounds like it should be easy.

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DIY Install Cabinet Hardware Handles

 

You walk into your kitchen and your brought to a halt.

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Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Choosing the Best Tow Vehicle for Full Time RV Life


 

So you've done an internet search for "best truck to tow an RV with".  Maybe not those exact words but you get my point.

 

You're hear because you want a nice simple and easy answer.  Perhaps a recommendation or two on a brand and model.

Someone to tell you if you bought "this" RV then "that" truck is the right one. 

I get it.  I wanted that too.

However, the first thing I feel needs to be covered is that there is no "right" truck.  

Buying a truck to tow an RV is a giant exercise in deciding what is important and what is not so important.  Unless money is no object.  Then just go buy the biggest and most powerful one on the lot.

If you miss it the first time, no worries, you can just buy another because money is no object.

If you're like me however, you need to get this right the first time.

I get that too.

Where did I start?

Well, I started to list what I thought a truck needed in order to tow safely in order of importance, or at least what I felt was my order of importance.  I knew the more things I got on the truck the more expensive it was going to be and I did not have an unlimited budget.  As the search lingered on, my list began to change.  That is OK.  In fact, it is suppose to change if you're doing it right.

Some things that once were on the top, began to fall to the bottom.  Others fell completely off the list.

Why did this list change?  Because I didn't understand what would become my first step to finding the best tow vehicle for full time RV life.

STEP 1 - Understand not all trucks are created equal!

When I bought my truck I knew what I wanted it to do.  Tow.  Armed with that information I went shopping.

In fact, I almost bought one.  Glad I didn't cause I would have been upset.

I didn't realize that when you hear the commercials tell you "best in class towing capacity", you may not be getting much towing capacity at all with the truck you're about to buy.

That's because they use a very specific vehicle configuration to determine "Max" tow capacity.  They use that number in there commercials.  It doesn't mean all there trucks they produce and find on dealer lots will be able to tow that much.

There are four main things that determine how much any particular truck can or cannot tow.

1. Engine (Duh!)


Most manufacturers have multiple engine choices to choose from.  Chevrolet has a four cylinder option for there full size half ton Silverado.  Ford has chosen to stick turbos on many of there engine options ranging from a 2.7L 6 cylinder twin turbo engine as well as a beefier 3.5L option.

All manufacturers to my knowledge offers an 8 cylinder engine but you might be surprised to learn that 8 cylinders often do not lead to better tow capacity.

Ford's best option for the highest tow number is the 3.5L twin turbo engine but it is also the most costly option as well.  It is a hard to find option on there lower trimmed trucks such as their XL and XLT.

The last I checked the 3.5L had a max tow capacity of just over 13,000lbs when combined just right with other things on this list.  However, before you click the box on that order sheet at your local Ford dealer, understand towing that heavy an RV is not a job suited for a half ton truck.

Dealerships, manufacturers and truck enthusiasts seldom mention that towing 13,000lbs loaded on a flat bed trailer is a lot different than towing a huge box acting as a wind sail down the road.  If you have never towed before or maybe you have towed but just not an RV then allow me to illuminate the situation for you.

Get a sail boat.  Load it on a trailer and hitch it to a truck.  NOW PUT THE SAIL UP!  Commence towing!!!

In my opinion and my opinion only, towing more than 7 or 8,000lbs of RV is a job better suited for a three quarter ton truck.  That would be an F250 in Ford's world or a 2500 for other brands.

2. Wheelbase 

 

The longer the distance between the front axle and the rear axle the more that truck will be able to tow in most cases.  It will also be a more stable towing experience.

An easy way to get an idea if the truck your looking at has a longer or shorter wheelbase is by looking at two things.  What style cab and bed length.  As an example I will go with Ford again because I'm very familiar with there option choices.  A supercrew cab with longbed will have a 157" wheelbase.  On the flip side a regular cab short bed F150 will only have a 122" wheelbase.

Obviously the truck with 157 inches between its axles will be more able to resist tail swing from a trailer hooked to it's backside.  Consequently it will often be rated to tow more as well.

3. Axel Ratio 

 


This is a little known component that has a huge determination not only on the maximum tow capacity of any truck on the road but also fuel economy.  In fact, most car salesman will have NO clue what this is or how it affects anything on a vehicle.

Few people know that the "best in class numbers", commercials tell you about are determined using an axle ratio that most dealerships don't keep or keep very few of in there inventory.  

I went shopping for a 6.2L gasoline engine F250 a couple years ago.  I saw if I got an axle ratio of 4.10 it had a tow rating of 15,000lbs versus 12,500 for the other axle ratios.  Non of the dealerships in my area had any trucks with the 4.10 ratio.  They said they only stocked trucks with the 3.73.  

In fact their was only one in the whole state of Florida.  I asked why and the sales manager shrugged his shoulders at me.  He said he's never lost a sale over axle ratio.  

I guess he can't say that anymore.

4.  4x2 vs 4x4.


 

That's right, whether a truck is a two wheel drive truck or a four wheel drive truck will also determine how much it can tow.  Many people are surprised to learn that four wheel drive trucks often have a lower tow capacity than their two wheel counterparts.

What else affects Towing #'s?

There are other things that will swing payload and towing numbers up or down but for the most part those four items should get you in the ballpark that you need without too many surprises.

However, I put a few other things on my list for a truck I wanted to tow a rig.

Tire size. 


 

I'm not going to get to deep into this one because it will make your head swim.  However, take these two tire sizes for example:

275/55R20

245/70R17

Both are options on an F150.  If it were me comparing two identical trucks and the only difference was these two tire sizes then my decision would go like this;

If I want to tow (and I do), then I want the 275/55R20.  Why?  Because the first number 275 is the tire width.  This will give me more surface contact area with the road than the 245.

If my trailer goes to swinging then I want more grip. 

The second number is the distance from the outside of the tire to the rim.  So essentially from the road to the rim.  It is the wall of the tire.  The walls of tires flex.  They flex left to right and forward and back.  You hit the gas, they flex.  You turn a corner, they flex.  You hit a bump, they flex.  The smaller number indicates a shorter wall.  This shorter wall flexes less than a taller wall.  

If my trailer gets squirrely on me, I don't want too much flex in my tires.  They also translate less body roll inside the cab while cornering.  The way I describe it is it feels like the truck has it's feet more firmly planted on the road.

The trade off is usually you feel more of the road.

Tow Package. 

A tow package is an option offered by manufacturers that gives you a receiver hitch from the factory.  You also might get a beefier stabilizer bar.  Often times it also indicates the presence of an auxiliary transmission inter-cooler.  In lay terms it is an additional radiator that helps keep the transmission temperature in check.  

Pulling heavy loads puts additional stress on the transmission causing it to run hotter.  This in turn causes the fluid inside the transmission to break down quicker.  

Not having an inter cooler doesn't mean your truck would tow less and having one doesn't mean your truck can tow more.  It just helps keep everything working harder longer with less potential for problems down the road.

Having one in my opinion and my opinion only, is always better than not.

So which truck is the best?

I know you probably did a Google search and just wanted a quick answer.  A brand, a model and an iron clad reason why that one is the best.

I can't give that to you and you shouldn't expect anyone to give that to you.

If you are going to pull a box on wheels down a road then you owe it to not only yourself but also your family and anyone else's family you'll be on the road with to understand what it takes to do it safely.

Some will say, "Buy the biggest and strongest truck then you don't have to worry about what it can tow.  You'll just know it can."

If you walk onto an RV dealership lot the salesperson may say it is better to buy an RV first, then you know for sure what truck you need.  

I think both ideas are hogwash.

If you lose your mind and buy the prettiest RV you walk into because it most closely resembles your house and you find yourself the not so proud owner of a 14,000lbs monstrosity of a rig, then you may be in for financial heartache. 

Some trucks can cost upwards of $85,000.  The bigger the rig you buy the more it will probably weigh.  This in turn most likely means you need a more expensive truck.

So how did I choose mine?

When I bought my truck I picked a Ford F150 with the 2.7L engine that had a tow package and 275/55R20 tires.  Why?

I wanted a daily driver as well as a tow vehicle.  Fuel economy was a factor in long term ownership cost as well as upfront price.  Full time RV living means you are towing often but not everyday.  I don't want my truck to suck the life out of my wallet when we are stationary for awhile.

I'm not afraid to admit I'm not made of money.  Long term ownership costs are always a variable I consider when making purchases.  The 2.7L engine has proven to give me 22 MPG over the last three years of ownership.  Since I wanted fuel economy when not towing, that put the three quarter ton trucks out all together.

The 3.5L twin turbo from Ford towed around 13,000lbs.  The V8 around 10,500lbs.  The 2.7 engine had a tow rating of 7600lbs in the configuration I purchased.  I knew from other research that I wasn't willing to tow more than 8000lbs of RV with a half ton truck.  So I didn't need to spend the extra cash on the V8 or 3.5L engines.

The 2.7L became the go to choice and as for the tow package I knew I wanted that for long term ownership potential

As for the tires.  I test drove a few trucks with 17" tires and felt a noticeable difference in the handling when cornering at speed.

Think interstate on ramps and interchanges or perhaps the occasional yellow light that you want to make a turn at.  So the 20" tires became a must.

My order of importance wish list went like this:

1.  Fuel Economy when not towing.

2.  Truck price and long term ownership costs.

3.  Stability and handling for safety while towing.

4.  Tow Capacity

5.  Tow Package

Final Thoughts

I knew early that I wanted a Ford product.  I am not endorsing them or feel they are the best brand of vehicle manufacturer available.  I realized in my research they had the most options available that were stocked at dealerships in my area.  This gave me the most bargaining power when visiting dealerships.

If one didn't want to play ball I walked and went to another.  I was confident I would find another truck optioned similar to what I wanted elsewhere.

At no time did I ever treat the purchase as anything other than a business decision.  I didn't care if it was black, red, white or Polk-a-dot.

My truck sat on the dealership lot for 4 months.  I watched it in my autotrader account for three and a half of those.  Dozens others came and went, but this one remained.  Four days before the end of October in 2017 I called the sales person I had spoke with months earlier but not since.  

He remembered who I was and two of my children's names.  I gave him the stock number of the vehicle and an out the door price with trade.  He already had my trade info from my previous visit.

He called me back 5 minutes later with a yes.

Now all I had to do was find the right (but not perfect) RV to go along with my new truck.

Watch for that post next!

Thanks for visiting my humble website.  Be sure to visit my YouTube channel and subscribe.  I post videos on DIY projects, homesteading and RV living.

My family and I have sold our house and are living in a 30' bunkhouse travel trailer until we find our next homestead.  Be sure to follow me on Facebook and subscribe to my YouTube channel to keep up with the journey.

Until then!

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Friday, January 15, 2021

Family of Six Sells House - Moves into RV - Goes Debt Free



Where do you start a story like this?  Do you start it from when the house sells?

That's not truly where the journey began though.  Starting it there would be cutting the journey and the story short.

Sometimes the most interesting tidbits of anything worth telling happen before anything begins.

It begins as a seed.  Like all seeds, it is small.

You can ignore it...

for a time.

Soon it begins to grow.  It spreads its roots in your heart; your spirit.  You find more of your thoughts consumed by it.  

You go to work and throw yourself into the thing that once brought you fulfillment.

It no longer does.

Before you know it your YouTube home page is full of recommendations that just a few weeks earlier you wouldn't have even known anyone did videos on those subjects.

So where did we start?

Perhaps a better question would be "When?"

3 years ago.

In order to live in an RV you have to consider how you will get said RV from place to place.  I knew the first step in making our seed that had grown into a dream, a reality, was to get a truck that was up to the task.

The second was the RV itself.

Which one is the best?  Is this brand better?  What model makes sense for us?  Floorplans?  How about weight?  

A lot of information to consider for sure.  In future posts I will address and go into depth all of these questions and more.  Be sure to subscribe to our newsfeed and/or subscribe to my YouTube channel so you won't miss anything.

What was next?

We needed to sell our house.  I still needed to fix up a few things that had been hanging out on the "To Do" list.  

1.  Replace kitchen countertops.  I did a YouTube video showing my replacement of ours.  I had always liked the look of wooden countertops.  So I took this opportunity to put in some butcher block ones that I had my eye on for some time.

2.  Reface kitchen cabinets.  Our cabinets were made of MDF and covered with melamine.  They were probably built by the lowest bidder when the house was built.  I kept the carcasses as they were structurally sound but the doors had to go.  I decided to rebuild those myself.  You can check out my video on that project here.

3.  Put up a screen enclosure for the back lanai.  I decided not to take the time to record this project as I just needed to get it done.  I used aluminum extrusions instead of wood for the framing.  It cost more for the materials but I figured the look would be more traditional for the area the house was in.  It took two days and cost around $1000. 

Their were other small projects and repairs as well.  Home ownership is a constant barrage of things that need to be done.

As much as I tried to stay up with it, working a full time job and raising four young children is time consuming enough.  I was always a few tasks behind the proverbial eight ball.

So I took a few weeks off work.  That's right I said a few weeks.

The fact I had so much saved up was a testament to how fast life passes.  Before we realized it, years had passed since our last vacation.

I was still grappling with weather to buy the RV before or after listing the house.  If I went a step further and waited till after selling I could pay cash for the RV.  However, that left my wife and children in limbo until we could find one and take delivery.

In order to buy one before we sold I would have to do a loan and that felt contrary to what we were trying to do in the first place.

Be debt free.

I was beginning to get overwhelmed.

Once we listed the house for sale the game was on.  Their were showings.  After showings came the questions from real estate agents and those they represented.  Everybody wanted the most house for the least amount of money.  

All we wanted was whoever was willing to pay the most money and be the least hassle while doing it.

 

 

 

 

In upcoming posts I will go in depth each step along our journey.  From finding the right tow vehicle to finding an RV that made sense and worked for our family to figuring out where to stay and getting the best rates at RV parks.

If this is your first time here be sure to subscribe to our website newsletter.  We'll send you an email whenever a new post is added.  Also head over to YouTube channel and subscribe there as well.  Be sure to hit the bell notification so you don't miss the journey to our new homestead.

Until then be well and stay safe.

 

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