1 Bored Clerk's DIY Camper

[changingground]

Thanks fir the info. I'm intrigued by this modification to your truck, and will be watching your build as well. I may have to learn how to weld aluminum, tho.

 

[rruff]

You rotate the factory filler forward and it ends up at a pretty low angle facing forward. You end up filling between the cab and the bed.

Better than the last camper I made! The fuel filler came out the side, under the camper, and it wasn't a flat bed. I not only had to hold the nozzle, I had to fill at a slow rate or it would overflow.

But it's also a PITA to put holes in the floor and sides and build an enclosure to do it the "right" way.

 

[1 Bored Clerk]

Better than the last camper I made! The fuel filler came out the side, under the camper, and it wasn't a flat bed. I not only had to hold the nozzle, I had to fill at a slow rate or it would overflow.

But it's also a PITA to put holes in the floor and sides and build an enclosure to do it the "right" way.

Oh, my tank has overfilled since the second fill up. That's a separate issue I'm working on. I have an LRA 34 gallon tank.


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[1 Bored Clerk]

Picked up more plywood today. 1/2" marine grade for the floor. I realized I meant to get three sheets instead of two but I can always go get another sheet. Would have been nice to remember while I was there though.

Should get going on the floor next week. Excited to get this one going...then done!


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[rruff]

Nice to live someplace where you don't have to have it shipped! Is that Meranti ply?

 

[1 Bored Clerk]

Nice to live someplace where you don't have to have it shipped! Is that Meranti ply?

Yeah, no shipping was awesome. Not sure what kind of ply it is, honestly. The sign said 'marine'. Haha, that's my expertise level on this stuff.


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[NorthwestNorthernOntario]

.Marine Plywood

Where are you getting the Marine Plywood, over at the lumber place off St. Johns?

 

[1 Bored Clerk]

Where are you getting the Marine Plywood, over at the lumber place off St. Johns?

Mr Plywood on Stark St by 82nd. They have a good selection of thicknesses and good stock on all of it. Shur Way (on St. John's) doesn't carry marine grade but they are still an awesome local source of nice plywood.


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[1 Bored Clerk]

Got the new rear bumper out for powdercoat which means it's camper time!

1 of 2 sheets of 1/2" marine grade plywood. Ready to sacrifice itself for the greater good.

A little trim here...a little trim there...

And two floor pieces are trimmed to size! Now I need to join them together. I know a scarf joint is the way to go (or at least I think it is) with plywood but I don't know how to do that and am not likely to perfect it on the first or second go. So...

I'm going for a 2" wide half lap joint. Once epoxied together, reinforced with two stringers and glassed, I think it'll be just fine.

First lap

Second lap

72.5" x 2" x 1/4" for each one.

And a huge pile of sawdust to show for it.

I'll get the two pieces epoxied together tomorrow and start laying out the cuts for the walls.


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[1 Bored Clerk]

So, I did some cut layout on the composite panels I have and it appears I forgot I have 7 panels...not 6. That means I can do the whole floor with composite honeycomb panels too. It also means I can't mess up a single large camper panel because I won't be able to cut another one but it would mean the entire camper would be composite panels with their probably better R value. Or, I can use the plywood for the floor and composite panels for the walls. 90% of the floor will be covered with a 6" thick mattress. Thoughts?


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[rruff]

You already have your floor structure with the Ute, so the stiffness of the composite isn't necessary. You can insulate your plywood, also.

You really want your bed on the floor? IMO beds are great things to sit on and store stuff under. The panel would make a great platform for that!

 

[1 Bored Clerk]

You already have your floor structure with the Ute, so the stiffness of the composite isn't necessary. You can insulate your plywood, also.

You really want your bed on the floor? IMO beds are great things to sit on and store stuff under. The panel would make a great platform for that!

Thanks for the reply! The floor of the camper will probably be supported on four points by body mounts. I still need to figure that out. I'm not sure how much the flatbed will twist...or how much twisting force the camper will be able to withstand. Lots of unanswered questions there...because I've never done this! Also, the camper is pretty small. It's a live beside. Not a live inside. Just the bed and clothes inside. And enough headroom to sit upright in bed and have a few extra inches.

I've got another idea for securing the camper that involves bolts and springs (and would rest the camper floor directly on the flatbed, but I'll have to mock that up to see if I like it.


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[rruff]

I think for your setup I'd secure it the way the consumer campers are. Nothing fancy.

 

[1 Bored Clerk]

I think for your setup I'd secure it the way the consumer campers are. Nothing fancy.

They typically use some sort of turnbuckle or spring turnbuckle system. I don't really have the room to do that. I'm not sure how FWC flatbed campers are held on. Do they just bolt to the flatbed with no give at all? Just let the camper and frame flex as they are able and hope nothing breaks?


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[1 Bored Clerk]

Got a slow start today but I'm picking up speed.

Got the garage set up to try to contain as much of the fiberglass dust as was reasonable without going crazy.

Cut sheets.

Drivers side wall is cut! This stuff cuts like regular old plywood (except all the itchy, nasty fiberglass dust). I'm wearing a tyvek suit, respirator, goggles and gloves to try to avoid any health or comfort issues.

I've also decided to go ahead and do the floor out of the composite panels. I have enough material and it feels way lighter than the marine grade plywood. So, why not? I've already rough cut those panels. Now I just need to decide how I want to join them together with the tools I have or with what's readily available near me.

More to come today...



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