Four Wheel Camper Flatbed Conversion

[scheefdog]

I used 3/4" CDX for my new floor pack with gorrilla glue, biscuit joints and staples. Biscuit joints are a great way to make a really solid joint in plywood and they are fast once you figure them out. However, you do need a biscuit jointer though(and I'd recommend #20 biscuits).

I painted the whole thing with oil based paint(like rustoleum). Then I ran 1x4 strips across the bottom of the floor pack(about every 16") to provide some air space between the bed and plywood. They are easy to replace when they wear out.

 

[teleturns]

Thanks for all of your help.

I like the idea of tongue and groove plywood and a runner strip for the butt joint. I am going to run to Lowes tomorrow and see what they have.

As for runner strips under the camper I don't know if I want to go that route. My flatbed already sits higher than a normal truck bed, causing the bottom of the overhead bed to be 6 inches above the truck cab. If I had runner strips the camper would only be getting taller. I know we are talking < 1", but ever bit counts.

On a second thought...the idea of replacing runner strips instead of a floor is a great theory.

I could put a runner strip over the joint on the inside of the floor. Having the aluminum frame for the floor would create space for this. It's a thought.

As for the build, my Spoolgun should be here tomorrow, I will ordering aluminum this week and I made room in the garage to build the floor. My goal is to have a useable shell by July 4th.

I also plan on ordering this....
Portaband and verticle mounting plate

This is a really sweet way to mount a portaband in your vise and use it as a verticle bandsaw. I should be able to cut all of my aluminum using this setup.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I too am watching this progress.

Very interesting & exciting.

I can't wait to see the final pictures.



We have done a couple of flat bed campers in the past, and one with a side door entry.

It is something on the drawing board now, and might <might?> be another future product line from FWC down the road.

Keep up the good work !!

.

 

[teleturns]

Weekend Update

Started building the frame for the floor this weekend. I was absolutely impressed with the spoolgun. It worked great! There was a small learning curve at the beginning (bird nested wire and burnt tips), but I figured it out. Welding the 16g, I switched my Miller 211 dual voltage welder over to 110v and it welded perfect.

The Portaband is a must have. Making gussets was simple.

These small welds are tough using the awkward spoolgun

I welded in a small gusset on all of the joints. I know the welds are not the most beautiful things in the world, but I do know they are 100 times stronger than any of the original welds on my FWC.

Now I have to smooth several of the welds, so I can screw the plywood flush to the aluminum. I also need to go buy a biscuit jointer, so I can joint two pieces of plywood together. I am taking off the week of Memorial Day to make more progress on this project.

 

[Rot Box]

Looks killer! Can't wait to see more :coffeedrink:

 

[teleturns]

Quick Update

Got the camper into the garage. The wind has been horrible here in New Mexico.

Cleaning up the frame

Removed the original corner post

New post installed

Installing the corner piece wasn't to bad. Hope to get the other three done soon.

 

[teleturns]

Memorial Day Update

I got the frame of the floor underneath the camper frame.

I also welded up the front wall. I am eliminating the window that butts up to the cab, because we never use it. Plus I have a headache rack on my truck with horizontal bars across the rear window of the truck.

Tomorrow I am on the search for some aluminum to make slugs for the rear corner posts.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Looking good!

 

[Jeff Wanamog]

I like.

Looks great!
What are you going to use for siding?
Thanks.
Jeff

 

[teleturns]

Looks great!
What are you going to use for siding?
Thanks.
Jeff

Jeff

That is one thing I have not figured out yet. I ordered a sample of Dibond which is a composite aluminum panel and I am really impressed. I am having a hard time swallowing the $160 per 4x8 sheet price. 3A composites makes what they call an "e-panel" which is a cheaper version of their Dibond panels. In town I found the "e-panels" for $90 per sheet.

Dibond was used for the siding on this F-700 Camper build.

Scheefdog used aluminum sheet metal for his FWC rebuild, so I also have that as an option.

There is also an aluminum siding manufacturer here in Albuquerque and I heard they do make siding for RV applications. So I am going to stop by over there this week and see what they have.

Does anyone know where I can get fiberglass panels like the ones used on the newer FWC and Phoenix campers?

Does anyone have any recommendations for siding?

Thanks

 

[wannaby]

ur Wheel Camper Flatbed Conversion

Hi just wondering if you would mind posting a few close up picks of how the top is constructed I would like to try and build something simmiler from scratch.Den

 

[teleturns]

Hi just wondering if you would mind posting a few close up picks of how the top is constructed I would like to try and build something simmiler from scratch.Den

Can you be more specific when you say "top"? Do you want pictures of the roof? The canvas? I will be glad to take pictures for you once I know exactly what you want.

 

[pods8]

Does anyone know where I can get fiberglass panels like the ones used on the newer FWC and Phoenix campers?

I don't know where they get their stuff but the local home depot / lowes usually carry 4'x8' FRP panels in the bathroom section. Usually its the dimpled finish but most manufacturers also do a smooth finished (and different thicknesses) that could potentially be ordered in. I'll let you check it out and decide if you think the material is suitable based on the amount of support framework you have, etc. I believe it runs $30-40 / sheet.

 

[teleturns]

I don't know where they get their stuff but the local home depot / lowes usually carry 4'x8' FRP panels in the bathroom section. Usually its the dimpled finish but most manufacturers also do a smooth finished (and different thicknesses) that could potentially be ordered in. I'll let you check it out and decide if you think the material is suitable based on the amount of support framework you have, etc. I believe it runs $30-40 / sheet.

pods8

You always pull through with great suggestions. Do you have any experience with Dibond? If so, what do you think?

Thanks

 

[homemade]

FRP siding

This is the place I bought sheet aluminum for the roof of my camper http://interstatemetals.com/cat_fiberglass.html. They were expensive but the only place local that I could find what I was looking for at the time.

I used FRP but I didn’t like the look of the Home Depot/Lowes product so I bought sheets from a sign supply business. It is flat, not pebbled, dull on one side and shiny on the other and you can see fibers under the surface of the shiny side - looks like regular fiberglass camper siding that I have seen on other campers. Several yrs ago it was about $60 a 4x8 sheet and was also available in 4x10 sheets or larger. When I called the business for prices the salesman would give me outrageously higher prices but when I came in to buy it and just talked to the counter people the price came down. They were definitely geared for wholesale business rather than retail but sold it willingly enough when I came in cash in hand. Probably other cities have similar sign supply businesses