The Winnerwell tiny wood stove gave us installation options because of its portability. We decided the spot that made the most sense for it is our dinette. When it’s time to pull the wood stove out of storage, we convert our dinette into “bed mode” without the cushions, set the stove there, and vent it out the window. Here’s the breakdown of our wood stove setup.
Read MoreWater is a precious resource when you live in an RV and boondock a lot! Our kitchen sink foot pedal modification allows us to save so much water and make our 40 gallons of fresh water last for over a week.
Read MoreSlapping some solar panels on your rig to charge your laptop or run a TV is great, but when you start trying to replace propane-powered appliances, like an electric water heater, things get a lot harder. It can definitely be done, though – the Toaster is rolling proof!
Read MoreA collection of photos showing our 11-month long process of transforming a 2001 Fleetwood Prowler into the Toaster.
Read MorePeople are always curious why we chose the silver siding, what the material is, and why the Toaster is named that.
Read MoreWe thought we were prepared to use self-leveling epoxy after watching videos and reading through articles. Turned out there's a lot about using self-leveling epoxy that no one talks about. We ended up learning them the hard way.
Read MoreOur kitchen countertop has been the bane of our existence for the last 1.5 years. The wood veneer has been slowly cracking and peeling off since we moved in thanks to water splashes. It was finally time to do something about it. Unfortunately the project turned out to be extremely stressful.
Read MoreEvery time I come across RVers who have switched to lithium batteries, the first question that comes to mind is: how the heck can they afford lithium batteries? It’s no secret that they are expensive! Lithium batteries can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000. So then, how the hell did we afford them?
Read MoreAbout a month ago we realized our RV batteries were no longer performing at full capacity. Does that mean we ruined our lead acid batteries after using them for only two years in the Toaster? If so, what do we replace these batteries with?
Read MoreWhen we decided to spend the winter season in the snowy mountains of Washington, we were a little bit hesitant. RVs and freezing weather doesn't exactly go hand in hand. But with the right preparations it can be a successful and enjoyable experience. Check out our video on skirting the Toaster.
Read MoreCome and take a tour of our home, that we lovingly call "The Toaster".
Read MoreThere was a lot of damage to the original bedroom area. The whole front wall and roof was rotted because of water. So the walls in the front half of the bedroom came off. This gave us an opportunity to make some changes that we wouldn’t have otherwise done.
Read MoreWhen we rebuilt the RV, the slide had to be removed so we could take off the siding. But aside from that, very minimal work was done to it: interior walls and cabinets were painted and the couch reupholstered. Since we didn't do a lot of work on the slide, I'm going to talk about the pros and cons to our slide and slides in general rather than specifically the rebuild aspect of it.
Read MoreSince moving into the Toaster, Jerud and I have spent too many hours discussing what we wish we had done with the area. If only we had known how much we would dislike our dinette seating, the interior would have looked different.
Read MoreWe didn’t set out to rebuild a whole damn RV. The original plan was to buy a standard RV trailer, install solar equipment, and maybe hit the inside with some paint to cover up the original décor. But it turned into much, much more than that. It’s a good thing we didn’t know that at the beginning, or we’d never have started…and today we’re glad we did what we did. But yeah, it was a big project. Here’s a big-picture look at what we did, and what it took.
Read MoreWhen we had our suspension replaced, the shop made a mistake. The good news is that we caught it quickly, and the shop stood behind their work and got it fixed at no cost to us. But I believe things only ended well because of our persistence. If you are considering having work done on your own suspension and want to be more familiar with some details, I hope you will read this post.
Read MoreWe’ve been living in the Toaster for over a year now. So we’ve had a lot of time to stare at the inside of the RV and wishfully talk about what we could have done differently and what we’re happy with. Rebuilding the Toaster was hard. Not having lived in it beforehand meant we didn’t know exactly what kind of features and changes we would want. We didn’t know how we would use the space. Like the saying goes, “Hindsight is always 20/20,” and I find that saying popping into my head a lot nowadays.
Read MoreSo, we know exceeding RV weight ratings is a bad idea. We know how to weigh our rig. Now let’s talk about one potential solution to overweight RV issues. The Toaster recently got an axle upgrade, and it wasn’t as expensive as I had feared…but it wasn’t as easy as I had hoped, either. Here’s what happened.
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