out with the old in with the new

[pods8]

there's something to be said for buying RV doors, it's way easier than making your own!!

I would think that getting some panels made would be fairly easy no? Have you heard of anyone trying and being denied?? I haven't talked to the people I got mine from , but I would think they could accommodate a purchaser, I do recommend this product, its just pricey. But I guess you are understanding that with the amount of work to build yours up verses buying, like me, some things are hard to justify the cost for if I can make it, it just shows where the cost is once a guy spends lots of hours and money making something from scratch.

Don't worry, I'm an idiot and I'm still thinking about building my entry door.

At the time I was looking folks were saying the rhinocore was being unresponsive to getting quotes out to the little guys, plus I didn't know if they'd do thinner skins (1/8" over the strong core is definite overkill) because the stock panel weight was a bit high for my desires. Plascore didn't follow up with me on pricing. I had heard nidacore was quite expensive. My brief chat with superhoneycomb was rough (it was like talking to a car dealer, being asked what I wanted to pay rather than telling me how much a panel cost) and I gathered they were just laminating FRP sheets (like at homedepot) to their foam/wood core which if I wanted that I'd just do it myself, I don't want that since it's not the strength/weight ratio I'm going for. On that note if I would just laminate typical polyester resin commercial sheets onto my foam cores it would save time as well. But won't nearly have the same strength/weight ratio as the fiberglass cloth/epoxy resin layups that I'm doing. But maybe trading off some weight for time wouldn't have been such a bad idea. If I wasn't so time constrained these days I probably wouldn't even be batting an eye about knocking out the work though. Ah well.

Carry on!

P.S. Jealous you can weld aluminum, that would open up some more possibilities on things as well.

 

[westyss]

Don't worry, I'm an idiot and I'm still thinking about building my entry door.

At the time I was looking folks were saying the rhinocore was being unresponsive to getting quotes out to the little guys, plus I didn't know if they'd do thinner skins (1/8" over the strong core is definite overkill) because the stock panel weight was a bit high for my desires. Plascore didn't follow up with me on pricing. I had heard nidacore was quite expensive. My brief chat with superhoneycomb was rough (it was like talking to a car dealer, being asked what I wanted to pay rather than telling me how much a panel cost) and I gathered they were just laminating FRP sheets (like at homedepot) to their foam/wood core which if I wanted that I'd just do it myself, I don't want that since it's not the strength/weight ratio I'm going for. On that note if I would just laminate typical polyester resin commercial sheets onto my foam cores it would save time as well. But won't nearly have the same strength/weight ratio as the fiberglass cloth/epoxy resin layups that I'm doing. But maybe trading off some weight for time wouldn't have been such a bad idea. If I wasn't so time constrained these days I probably wouldn't even be batting an eye about knocking out the work though. Ah well.

Carry on!

P.S. Jealous you can weld aluminum, that would open up some more possibilities on things as well.

Thats too bad about being unresponsive to quotes, but just seems like they all do that, I had to really push the two panel makers in BC to give me a quote, I drove to the factories to meet them too! The first company I talked to was terrible, when I got fed up waiting I phoned the owner of the company and asked him if they were still in business, he didnt like that comment but I made my point. So I guess he talked to his salesperson who I had been waiting on a quote from for about seven months and got some action, but they obviously weren't interested in working with me as they quoted over double what I got them for, wasted almost a year on those peeps.
As for the panel design, that really is up to the person who wants it, I originaly had aluminum exterior planned for mine but after seeing a glass panel at the factory quickly changed my mind, way nicer, you can design whatever you want and see if they can make it, I like having glass inside too but that could easily be filon or some lighter item, keep in mind that layers are always added onto filon, like paint or cloth so it seems light but after all the stuff gets added onto it the weight adds up, just lift a gallon of paint, how much does that weigh?
As for welding, well I have a welder and I try to weld but I sure dont classify myself as a welder, Im sure those that are welders cringe when they see my welds:hehe:

 

[Overland Hadley]

Your doors came out GREAT! :ylsmoke:

x2

 

[pods8]

As for the panel design, that really is up to the person who wants it, I originaly had aluminum exterior planned for mine but after seeing a glass panel at the factory quickly changed my mind, way nicer, you can design whatever you want and see if they can make it, I like having glass inside too but that could easily be filon or some lighter item, keep in mind that layers are always added onto filon, like paint or cloth so it seems light but after all the stuff gets added onto it the weight adds up, just lift a gallon of paint, how much does that weigh?

As for welding, well I have a welder and I try to weld but I sure dont classify myself as a welder, Im sure those that are welders cringe when they see my welds:hehe:

Oh I wanted FRP on the panels, I just don't need 1/8" of it. Something between 1/32-1/16 of polyester resin based stuff would probably be fine. My 3 ply epoxy skins are a little under 1/32" for instance.

Well the metal seems to stick together all right, nothing a grinder can't take care of to finish off the exterior.

 

[westyss]

Both under bed storage doors, I didn't believe two of them existed until I saw them together .

Went at getting one of those doors in tonight, had to remove the old RV door first,


there just isn't an elegant way of doing it when Sikaflex is involved, getting as much of the Sika cut behind that you can and pry it off, no saving that door!

Cut the hole bigger and install.

Two down, one to go.

 

[SChandler]

Those doors came out nice. I like the way they break up the side panels. It looks more finished now.

 

[westyss]

Those doors came out nice. I like the way they break up the side panels. It looks more finished now.

Thats what my wife said too, me, I think it looks busy now, but I have the other side to look at where not much is going on.

 

[Ford Prefect]

If I may...

I think it looks a bit busy as well, and I really like the looks of the old camper with no extra doors... I guess I like the stealth nature of the box without the extra doors. IE people will think it is just a work truck rather than some kind of camper for little people who do not like light...

I just read through your entire build thread, wow, this is a really fine truck. Sorry that those first photos are all missing, but other than that it was a wonderful thing to read. You have given me a lot of ideas. I think I would like a lifting roof that will allow three beds when the roof is up. (one King, and two twins) I feel like this would allow me a dining room/ sitting area on one end, and a kitchen on the other.

How did you and your wife feel about the counter top space you have with the temp cabinets? Enough, too much, not enough? Every time I try to mock up a design in google sketch-up I find that I can never get the space I want out of the thing. That is even without putting in a dishwasher, and making a much larger truck. (thinking about a 20-22' box).

By the way, I had an idea for your build of the BBQ slide out.

If you take the very edge of the "table" (closest to the cook) and run a cable up to the door way on either side of the table/doorway, you could then get away without having a down leg. You would have to slide the entire thing out, unfold it, slide it back in and hook the cables on. I was just thinking that with the down leg you either need two adjustable legs, or you will need to carry around blocks and a shovel in case the ground is goofy. Besides with the cables rather than the legs you will not have to put the grill back in the store position to be able to move the truck for wind purposes, you could leave it hanging right out there and just drive around no problem. Well, just a thought. If you need me to diagram it for you to make it make sense let me know. Jay and Alice did something very like this on the Eco Roamer as well, they do not have a grill attached, but they have a bi-fold door that opens like you would want, and the cables keep it perpendicular to the side of the camper body. I am pretty sure you can find it in their build thread, if you have time to go through 300 pages.

Well, very very cool build you have there, thanks for sharing!

Brian

 

[westyss]

If I may...

I think it looks a bit busy as well, and I really like the looks of the old camper with no extra doors... I guess I like the stealth nature of the box without the extra doors. IE people will think it is just a work truck rather than some kind of camper for little people who do not like light...

I just read through your entire build thread, wow, this is a really fine truck. Sorry that those first photos are all missing, but other than that it was a wonderful thing to read. You have given me a lot of ideas. I think I would like a lifting roof that will allow three beds when the roof is up. (one King, and two twins) I feel like this would allow me a dining room/ sitting area on one end, and a kitchen on the other.

How did you and your wife feel about the counter top space you have with the temp cabinets? Enough, too much, not enough? Every time I try to mock up a design in google sketch-up I find that I can never get the space I want out of the thing. That is even without putting in a dishwasher, and making a much larger truck. (thinking about a 20-22' box).

By the way, I had an idea for your build of the BBQ slide out.

If you take the very edge of the "table" (closest to the cook) and run a cable up to the door way on either side of the table/doorway, you could then get away without having a down leg. You would have to slide the entire thing out, unfold it, slide it back in and hook the cables on. I was just thinking that with the down leg you either need two adjustable legs, or you will need to carry around blocks and a shovel in case the ground is goofy. Besides with the cables rather than the legs you will not have to put the grill back in the store position to be able to move the truck for wind purposes, you could leave it hanging right out there and just drive around no problem. Well, just a thought. If you need me to diagram it for you to make it make sense let me know. Jay and Alice did something very like this on the Eco Roamer as well, they do not have a grill attached, but they have a bi-fold door that opens like you would want, and the cables keep it perpendicular to the side of the camper body. I am pretty sure you can find it in their build thread, if you have time to go through 300 pages.

Well, very very cool build you have there, thanks for sharing!

Brian

Brian, thanks for the compliments and ideas, as far as the busyness of it, I was and still am trying to keep it unassuming and boring to not attract too much attention, but it seems like that ship has sailed already, I am considering painting the aluminum to maybe tone it down a bit, so that is an option. And that was the original plan all along for all the aluminum, but I do like the raw aluminum look. The other side will look almost the same, but the passenger side keeps getting busier, I guess it is the business side of the rig any way.

Counter space; feels like we have ample with the temporary setup, and will have even more with the permanent setup
when it gets done so shouldn't be a problem, keep in mind when you build that there will be many decisions made on compromise's, I wanted many things but it all wont fit or work so you do what you can, I try to keep my initial principle's in mind all the time though, like keeping it down in size, or keeping the ability to remove the camper and use the flat deck, things like that are always being tested and make plans hard to accomplish or very expensive, give and take all the time, just gotta be flexible with it all. I hope you are kidding about the dishwasher
With all the bed lift mechanism's out there I am sure you could make a pretty fancy set up to make several levels of bed, I was considering doing something like that to have a seemless bed to dinnette set up but then I came to my senses. Gotta stop somewhere!

BBQ set up; I have some ideas kicking around in my head to not use a support leg, but in the event I do need it I will just use one that will be telescopic to adjust for height or go with something like you described, I was all over that eco-roamer when I met Jay and family too, cool rig for sure, and a bit of an attention getter!!
cheers

 

[AEV Conversions]

This really is a great thread, I've enjoyed reading it to, the best part is you are actually getting to use your camper.

Two questions:

1. What are your door dimensions? I imagine going in is no issue, but how is coming out, enough headroom?
2. I think I read this correctly, you joined the panels together with glue and then glued the Al to the outside with mitered corners, but he Al is not welded at the corners, its more of a finish trim and way to seal it up better, correct? Did you just use a basic butt joint at the corners, glue the foam surface to the fiberglass surface? Or did you do any sort of 1/2 lap joint and glue foam to foam?

Thanks,

dh

 

[westyss]

This really is a great thread, I've enjoyed reading it to, the best part is you are actually getting to use your camper.

Two questions:

1. What are your door dimensions? I imagine going in is no issue, but how is coming out, enough headroom?
2. I think I read this correctly, you joined the panels together with glue and then glued the Al to the outside with mitered corners, but he Al is not welded at the corners, its more of a finish trim and way to seal it up better, correct? Did you just use a basic butt joint at the corners, glue the foam surface to the fiberglass surface? Or did you do any sort of 1/2 lap joint and glue foam to foam?

Thanks,

dh

Door is 5'2" could be more but then you lose somewhere else, I mocked up the flat deck prior to getting it built and mocked up the door with steps to see the dimensions to use. This was optimal for us.

The walls are staggered or stepped with aluminum dowels, screws and Sika, then Sika the corners on to hold it together, no welding.

 

[westyss]

Finally finished all the doors and installed the hatch holder up thingy.
This is the last one.

Next up, put together the slide out kitchen, thanks to expo member 'Sarconcepts' for whipping up a great design, used it exactly how he drew it up, thanks! works great!

In

On the way out

Open all the way

Or slid in close

it will be dressed up some more with a one burner stove, the BBQ shown and on top of the upper shelf will be a work area.

with that out of the way I can start on the interior cabinets.

 

[hdemetrious]

This rig keeps getting more awesome!!! It seems like you have an Isotemp hot water heater. You previously mentioned getting an Espar diesel water heater. I'm currently working on my water system and was wondering what hot water heater system you are using?

Thanks,

Hani

 

[westyss]

This rig keeps getting more awesome!!! It seems like you have an Isotemp hot water heater. You previously mentioned getting an Espar diesel water heater. I'm currently working on my water system and was wondering what hot water heater system you are using?

Thanks,

Hani

Hi Hani, thanks,
Yup, good eye, its an isotemp calorifier, I have an espar D5 for it, the system is mostly planned out and will be the usual set up with the espar heating coolant fluid that will then pass through the calorifier then through two fans heaters and be able to pre heat the engine or vice versa engine heated coolant can flow through all those above, is this what you are doing? And if so where are you tapping into the engine coolant? Are you using electric switch controls or manual valves? I think I will be hooking it up initially just for the camper unit and then set it up through the engine at a later date once the bugs are ironed out.

 

[hdemetrious]

I will be using a marine hot water heater that will be plumbed into the motor to work as a heat exchanger. I don't know where to connect yet. The diesel system looks neat but its pricey, probably out of my range. How much was your unit? I'm thinking of adding a solar water heater to compensate for days we are not driving. Again the diesel is nice but I live in Florida so I don't need to have an extensive heating system.