Home Build Composite Panel Flatbed Truck Camper

[smokejumper98]

Progress has been continuing with cabinet work in the kitchen, bathroom and dinette area. I ended up using a Wilsonart product called Thinscape for the counter in the kitchen. It is only 1/2" thick and workable with woodworking tools. It is relatively light weight at about 3 pounds per square foot.

 

[smokejumper98]

Bathroom is coming together also. Working on the fold down counter top/shower wall. Also installed the bathroom screen door.

 

[smokejumper98]

Also working on chest of 3 drawers that lives on drivers side between the fridge and the bed.

 

[smokejumper98]

Added a 12V fan that lives under the dinette seat with the solar stuff to provide ventilation and cooling.

 

[smokejumper98]

I've been working on installing the windows. I purchased the windows off Amazon and they had to be manufactured and shipped from China. I was a little nervous about what I was going to get until I did a side by side comparison to an Arctic Tern window that my neighbor had given me that he had left over from a van build. All together the Amazon windows were 1/3 the price of the same AT windows.

This is the Amazon window.

This is the Arctic Tern window. They are virtually identical on the outside. Only difference I could find was the width of the weep slot.


On the in side, I found slight differences. The Amazon on left and the AT on right. The closing latches were slightly different but no apparent difference in quality. The AT uses rivnuts to hold the window in the opening which I liked, the Amazon window you would run the screw into the aluminum in the same position as the rivet. I could always drill the Amazon window and add rivnuts in the same location as the AT. The lift pistons were also slightly different but, again, no apparent quality difference between the two.

The biggest differences were in the screens which I will detail in the next post. All in all, for the price difference, I would not hesitate to purchase the Amazon windows again as they appear almost identical to the AT windows and may have beeb manufactured in the same factory. My goal was to keep this build under $20K and AT windows would have pushed me way over that budget.

 

[smokejumper98]

Here are the differences with the screens.

This is the Amazon window with pleated shade.

This is the AT shade. Slightly different frame and shade material.

Amazon bug screen with pleated screen.

AT bug screen is flat, not pleated. it is easier to see through.

Again, with the shades/screens I didn't notice a lot of quality difference, they both seem robust.

 

[smokejumper98]

I finally was able to roll the camper outside for the first time. The build has been exceeding my expectations so far. I need room in the shop to pull the bed off my 2016 Chevy Duramax 3500hd and start building the flatbed that this unit will sit on.

I have tried to minimize the amount of exterior openings as much as possible. The yellow fuel can is diesel and I have the diesel heater running inside. It has been working great so far, puts out tons of heat.

The white hatch in the back is to access the exterior shower and to take advantage of some storage area under the rear kitchen area. You can see the Harbor Freight 3500# trailer jacks that I used for my jacks that I modified and built custom mounts for. I will do a post later about how I made those. The mottled look on the photo is just dust, the sides are very smooth.


The rear window over the sink is the biggest one. I really like it. The space to the left on the window will get an access ladder that I still need to build. The area to the right will hold a mini split 12v AC if we decide we need it. I ran the wiring when I built the unit but we decided to run it without AC for now to see if we think we need it. We have never had AC in any of our other campers and haven't found we need it here in the West where evenings cool down nicely.

 

[stomperxj]

Excellent work! Looks amazing

 

[follow Maggie]

This is awesome, my man

 

[tackett]

Could you add a link, or a brand of the windows? I'm considering ordering directly from China, but Amazon could be much easier for a small price penalty.

 

[smokejumper98]

Could you add a link, or a brand of the windows? I'm considering ordering directly from China, but Amazon could be much easier for a small price penalty.

Here are the ones I used.

Amazon.com: RV Window Camper Windows Replacement RV Exit Window, Aluminum Alloy Frame Travel Trailer Exit Window with Tinted Acrylic Pane and Screen, Double-Layer Push out Window 65° Opening Angle,1000x500mm : Automotive

Amazon.com: RV Window Camper Windows Replacement RV Exit Window, Aluminum Alloy Frame Travel Trailer Exit Window with Tinted Acrylic Pane and Screen, Double-Layer Push out Window 65° Opening Angle,1000x500mm : Automotive

www.amazon.com

 

[tackett]

Here are the ones I used.

Amazon.com: RV Window Camper Windows Replacement RV Exit Window, Aluminum Alloy Frame Travel Trailer Exit Window with Tinted Acrylic Pane and Screen, Double-Layer Push out Window 65° Opening Angle,1000x500mm : Automotive

Amazon.com: RV Window Camper Windows Replacement RV Exit Window, Aluminum Alloy Frame Travel Trailer Exit Window with Tinted Acrylic Pane and Screen, Double-Layer Push out Window 65° Opening Angle,1000x500mm : Automotive

www.amazon.com

Thanks - those look just like the ones direct from China (https://chinamaygood.en.made-in-chi...amper-Trailer-Caravan-Hinged-Side-Window.html) as well as Arctic Tern (https://ternoverland.com/550x1100mm-classic-arctic-tern-window/)

Not saying they are all the same, but there's a strong resemblance and it makes me wonder.

Fantastic build - thanks for sharing.