Skiers Lodge - Build Thread

Swedeski

Adventurer
Hi,
just want to start of by saying thanx to this great forum and it´s members. Been lurking around alot here getting ideas and planning my build.

Just last week I got the vehicle that will be the platform for my camperbuild. The conditions when scouting a vehicle was:
- 4wd (prefferably "true" 4wd which means High and Low gear)
- Passed the Swedish safety & emissionscontrol inspection.
- Better ground clearance then my 2013 VW Passat.
- And it´s on a budget folks!

Since livning in Yurp I have offcourse been toying around the idea of a Eurovan. What I won´t have with those are "true" 4wd and with my budget I usually ended up looking att Syncros that had 250 000 - 300 000 k on the odometer. From what I´ve heard the trannys are a weak spot when they are starting to reach that milage. Well after spending ALOT of time on our version of Craigslist I enden up with a Chevy 1500 Silverado Z71 from 1998. (5.7 L Vortec) This is how it looked on the day I got it.

DSC_0988.JPG


The smartest choise living in a country where gas is 7.93 dollars/gallon? Hmmm probably not. But man do I love those big trucks.
I didn´t get a Diesel because I would have had to pay around 3000 bucks more (keeping the figures in US dollars since not that many people use the swedish krona) for a Diesel compared to a gasser. Combining that with the tax beeing around 450 bucks more annualy for a Diesel I figured I won´t put so many miles/year on it to make up for it.

Why is it on a budget? Well I spend most of my money and time on another build.
Husredigerad.JPG


Me and the wife are building our hose by our selves from scratch. So that´s kind of a time and money consuming project. So this camperbuild will be as I would call it "on the side".

Just started the general maintenance of the truck. So far no major blow-ups. Hopefully will be posting some building pics soon.

Ohh just forgot...thinking of building a plywoodcamper skinned with aluminum. More on that subject later.
 

Swedeski

Adventurer
some maintenance

Started with the truckbed. Took off the plywood paneling and found some "crap" that´s been there for awhile I presume.
20140523_174551.jpg


Started by cleaning it and by grinding off some rust.
DSC_0994.JPG


Just one hole in the wheelwell that I cut out, patched it up with a steelplate and slapped some plastic padding one. Finished with some black spraypaint. Good from afar, but far from good.
20140604_195313.jpg


Hmm I realise that i havn´t produced anything considering the actual camper yet. So here goes. Scored a window from a scrapyard from an old caravan. In good condition, the opening mechanism just needed a little bit of lube to run smoothly.
20140529_193112.jpg
 

FJR Colorado

Explorer
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. If it's anything as beautiful as the home you have worked on, this will be something special....
 

Swedeski

Adventurer
Purpose and skillset

@ FJR Colorado, thanx for the kind words. Hopefully it´ll be something atleast. I´ve been amazed so many times lurking around this board and seeing other peoples build threads. There are some truly amazing projects out there.

The purpose for this vehicle/camper is merely a weekend-warrior "basecamp". Gone are the days in my twenties when I logged 100+ days a year on skies. Beeing now in my thirties and with a regular job and building a house the time is limited. With that beeing said me and my wife try as often as possible to go outdoors and ski, climb and bike. The camper will serve as basecamp for those kind of activities. Hence the "name" Skiers Lodge. People might say I´m getting old and just want´s it more comfy. But I´ve done my fair share of sleeping in tents, snowcaves and in the back of a regular car. I don´t mind it at all. My vision for the vehicle is that it will render us the freedom to chase down the best weather and snowconditions without looking for reservations and booking somewhere to stay in advance. It´ll let us decide on very short notice where to go and never have to worry about where to stay.
t%25C3%25A4lt.JPG

This is how it usually looks like. (Just a couple of weeks ago, looking out from the tent at Sognefjorden in Norway)

So vehiclewise I´m thinking KIS and KISS. Which would be "Keep it Stock" and" Keep it Simple Stupid". :)
It´s not going to be a rock-crawler and it´s not going to be an "Earthroamer". I will not start out with a lift and slapping some 35´s or something on it. (se our gasprizes in Sweden in my first post!)
What I got now is 4 Cooper Discoverer ATR MS tires in 265/75 R16 (which are not approved for winteruse here in sweden) and some studded Cooper Wheater-Master S/t2 on 235/75 R15. Since I will be driving on snowy winterroads and the "offroading" will be at most on some logging roads it´s good enough for me.

So that´s pretty much the purpose right there...a way of transporting and sleeping in for me and the wife doing "fun stuff".

So what about my skill-set? This pic pretty much sums it up.
2013-03%2520021.JPG

I´m a trained electrician (now working with slightly different stuff) and i´m used to work with woodstructures. My car building skills are very limited to just regular maintenance.
Other factors to the equation is that I don´t own any welding equipment and I havn´t build my garage yet. And the truck doesn´t fit in my parents garage. This meens that I´m limited in my metalworking capabilities an also a little bit limited spacewise. All this makes me leaning towars a wood frame with plywood sheets covered with aluminum skin. But I´m all open for ideas since I know others have way more experience in this subject then me.

Another post with basically no pic´s of the vehicle. So here goes.
20140526_191015.jpg

The engine light was on but according to the seller it was the EGR valve. The truck has no problem with the idle and runs just fine. Got P0404 and P0405 on the scan tool which indicates the EGR valv (didn´t get hustled on that).

20140602_181721.jpg

This looks like a guy that know his way around a vehicle. Don´t let it fool You, first off I had to do some immense googleing just know what an EGR valve is. And I mentioned I´m a trained electrician...this doesn´t meen that I have any experience with car electronics. I know my way around a multimeter but the rest of it I´m resorting to google again!
It semes that the EGR valve is not clogged and neither is the mainfold. The pintle runs smoothly with an increase in voltage going in. The solenoid is ok to but I lack the 10-12 v in the Power Circuit, so will have to look into (resort to more online studies) that.

Offcourse I have to finish with something related to the camperbuild. Found a 75 Ah auxbattery that fits perfekt in the batterytray in the engine compartment.
20140609_162739.jpg

ran some wires back to the truckbed and istalled a circuitbraker. Havn´t hooked it up yet.

For the walls of the camper I´m thinking (based of what is provided by the local lumberyard) a sandwich construction.
45 mm (2x2´s) wood frame, 4mm (1/8 inch) plywood on the indside, Styrofoam, 7 mm plywood on the outside and 0.8 mm aluminum.
Is there a better/smarter way? Any input appreciated.
 

FJR Colorado

Explorer
Maybe use 2x3s for added rigidity?

Also perhaps use a lot of those galvanized steel reinforcement plates? (not sure what they are called in Sweden but is the US they are known as Simpson Strong-ties)

I absolutely love that house you built. If you ever want to come to Colorado, I'd pay you handsomely to build a similar one up at my land in the High Country.
 

Swedeski

Adventurer
@ FJR Colorado, "Simpson Strong ties" - googled it! In sweden we call them "angleiron" and they are a good idea. I´m also planning on using what we here would call "Mounting strips", they are great for adding strucural rigidity (in one-direction preventing the structure to fold like a pair of scissors) without adding weight. Hmm that was kind of hard explaining in a way that makes any sense.
220.JPG

This is from a shed/future guesthouse that we buildt last summer. You can se the strips like a cross on the wallstructure.

Thinking about the 2x3´s. That would be nice also considering the added insulation. Havn´t started to calculate the final weight of it. But my general idea is to keep the weight as low as possible. I think 2x3´s adds somewhere around 70% in weight compared to 2x2´s.

Nominal Size (in x in) Actual Size
(in x in) (mm x mm) Weight(lb/ft)

2 x 2 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 38 x 38 0.55
2 x 3 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 38 x 64 0.94

I definitely have to get the calculator out and se which way I will go. (Figures from: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/softwood-lumber-dimensions-d_1452.html)

Thank You for the input and finally, be careful what You wish for ;-). You might just get a contractor that´s out peakbagging 14er´s rather then building a house. Been a couple of times in Colorado and You must have an awesome "playground" out there!

@ jonnyquest, thanx! Hopefully I can contribute something useful to this great forum.
 
Last edited:

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
From experience, you NEED to start looking at actual weights. Weight gets out of control FAST.

anything 2x is way overkill and way heavy.

From experience, the way to build a strong, lightweight wood framed structure is with 1x2, plywood, and rigid insulation.

My build is just that. 1x2 clear fir, marine grade 6mm ply, and rigid XPS foam

Hit me up if you have any questions.
I check this forum out occasionally, but due to a certain stigma most members on this forum have about anything made out of wood, my build thread is over on pirate4x4

camperTruck.jpg


chassis60jpg.jpg



chassis184.jpg
 

FJR Colorado

Explorer
@ FJR Colorado, "Simpson Strong ties" - googled it! In sweden we call them "angleiron" and they are a good idea. I´m also planning on using what we here would call "Mounting strips", they are great for adding strucural rigidity (in one-direction preventing the structure to fold like a pair of scissors) without adding weight. Hmm that was kind of hard explaining in a way that makes any sense.
220.JPG

This is from a shed/future guesthouse that we buildt last summer. You can se the strips like a cross on the wallstructure.

Thinking about the 2x3´s. That would be nice also considering the added insulation. Havn´t started to calculate the final weight of it. But my general idea is to keep the weight as low as possible. I think 2x3´s adds somewhere around 70% in weight compared to 2x2´s.

Nominal Size (in x in) Actual Size
(in x in) (mm x mm) Weight(lb/ft)

2 x 2 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 38 x 38 0.55
2 x 3 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 38 x 64 0.94

I definitely have to get the calculator out and se which way I will go. (Figures from: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/softwood-lumber-dimensions-d_1452.html)

Thank You for the input and finally, be careful what You wish for ;-). You might just get a contractor that´s out peakbagging 14er´s rather then building a house. Been a couple of times in Colorado and You must have an awesome "playground" out there!

@ jonnyquest, thanx! Hopefully I can contribute something useful to this great forum.

Great looking structure.

I do like those cross braces. And the way you add reinforcement between studs is great.

If you do the sandwiching as you described, 2x2s may be fine. If you used 2x3s you can most likely get by with fewer frame components so the weight delta may not be just a direct multiple.

You can also think about incorporating some aluminum. It is pricey; but easy to work with and integrates well with wood when you use good hardware such as nylon lock nuts and proper washers. Channel pieces and square tubing can work wonders in some situations. And the stuff is so light it seems to float when you work with it :)
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
As stated, XPS foam.

It is a closed cell, rated at R-5 per inch.

And when bonded to the framing, exterior skin, and interior paneling, makes for a VERY rigid yet lightweight panel. :ylsmoke:
 

Swedeski

Adventurer
@ IdaSHO, what a great build! I will definitely have a look at it on Pirate4x4. Awesome work and I will keep a close eye on the weight issue. Might hit You up if I run into some questions.

@ FJRColorado, thanx again for the input. Aluminum is for sure pricey but it´s hard to beat the weight. A monocoque strucutre out of carbon would be nice but I havn´t won the lottery yet. So wood and aluminum will have to suffice. :)

No further progress but I picked up a package at the postoffice.
20140612_162509.jpg

It´s gonna be awhile before it´s mounted and hooked up, but it´s always fun to get new stuff.
 

DEnd

Observer
Don't rule out carbon or fiberglass yet. It can still be a relatively economical choice. I don't necessarily disagree with wood as a choice but a foam core composite structure has a lot of benefits (less chance of rot, less chance of condensation, higher total r-value, etc...). Take a look at Home Skillet's build: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/59177-Hand-built-hard-side-pop-up-camper Since he used a hand layup of carbon fiber the strengths and weight should be fairly similar to fiberglass.
 

Swedeski

Adventurer
@ DEnd, I remember seeing that buildthread before. Thanx for the link and an awesome build by Home Skillet. Haven´t found any carbonfibre here in Sweden which isn´t pricey as hell but If I would stumble upon some for a decent price then I would maybe have to change my ways.

On the subject of prices. I can get a hold of most spareparts for the truck here in Sweden but there isn´t a huge aftermarket for those. So the price is usually pretty high. Checked out my sparkplugs (first time accessing spark plug by jacking up the truck a little and going in from the wheelwell. These trucks are for sure way bigger then my other european cars that I have owned) and they aren´t that bad but I figure I´ll change them. Found some AC Delco Platinum sparkplugs at my local Chevy delaler for a whopping 25 bucks a piece. Found the exact same online on rockauto.com for 4.25. Same with the airfilter. Sweden = 75 bucks, USA = 10-20 bucks. Good thing I have people coming over from US in a month. I will add a little weight to their luggage. :D
 

DEnd

Observer
Like I said Home Skillets build was a hand layup, using that same style you can likely get a similar weight using fiberglass, especially if you can find a way to vacuum infuse the panels (a lot easier said than done though). I definitely think you should model your design in something like sketchup in both wood and glass/carbon that way you can get a decent idea on what the shell weight will be and it will also give you a good visual idea on your layout. After that I would switch to CAD (cardboard aided design) and do a life size layout of your plans. Something that looks like it will work on a computer won't always work in real life, and most of us can get cardboard for free.
 

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