andy.and.beyond
Member
If it makes you feel any better my roof will weigh a tad over 100#. Your build is looking good!
Pop-Up Camper - Custom Build (scratch built) Oasis-Si
- Thread starter VanIsle_Greg
- Start date
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Sounds familiar. We lifted the roof into place today and prepped it for its final fitting...and it weighs more like 75# or so. Ok, so I might have been a bit off, and / or the glass and gelcoat did add a bit of weight. heh. It is still reasonably light, bun not as light as I had mentioned before (#Optomistic).
Now that the glass and gelcoat is done on the roof, as well as the corner trim, it was time to re-mount it on the camper, get it raised into place on temp struts and get the lifting 'stuff' built. Off to Home Depot to grab some piano hinges and pull out the last sheet of 1/2" birch plywood and get ready to cut it up. The last pieces of ply will be made into the front and rear roof supports, as well as the table top. After that we are basically done all of the construction, and it is just finishing and fabric. Mike spoke to his friend who will be doing the fabric, and he has agreed to do it at his house in his garage. This is nice because I can drop off the camper and pick it up when the fabric is installed... nice if it all goes to plan. Or I drop it off, he makes all the fabric and then we pick it up and install it? Either way I am a few weeks away from a nearly completed camper (weather permitting of course).
Today we put the roof in place, cleaned up the glass @ the bottom edge and prepped it for the roof lift / supports. It is all lined up and squared in place, and looks pretty rad.
The underside of the roof with 1 coat of Varathane SG on it. I must say, for only one coat it is looking pretty finished. It is smooth and mostly free from dust. I sanded it well, and cleaned it well and flooded it with about 1.5L of Varathane, so it is well sealed. One more thin coat and it will look stellar. The seams get a 1" strip of poplar installed ASAP. It is milled up it just needs the edges routered and to be tacked and glued in.
This is the roof in its finished height and location. The interior height is a respectable 6'3" so even for me at 6'1" it is comfortable. I cant wait to see it with the grey fabric installed.
Looks a little like a Westy or a hard shell RTT like this...lol.
Tall.
Westy much? heh
Closed up and looking good. The black trim is painted aluminum with the PVC strip in place just like most RV's or teardrop Trailers. It protects the edge of the glass and is held in place with copious amounts of Sika and many screws. The rounded corners up front are left bare as they are the roof drains. The roof will be ever so slightly slanted forward to ensure good drainage.
Still need to install the roof vent. We were going to do it before we installed the roof, but with it open it is only about 4 inches from the ceiling and the lights in the shop. The vent will be installed once we get it outside or at least lowered. I will also install the solar panels once I get it out of the shop and probably at home. Lots to do once I get it out of the shop. Trim, finishing, final wiring, plumbing finishing etc. all the fiddly bits I will do at home.
Now I need to prep the tie downs in the truck bed and need to build the cart for it.
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Thanks a lot!
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
A little more progress this weekend. I was hoping to get more completed, but it has been a CRAZY week for both Mike and I for different reasons. Me, work...him, his work. Ok, same reasons. heh I had planned to get over to his shop a couple of times this past week to get some more varnishing done, still SOOOOO much wood in there to coat.
Yesterday while Mike was working on the roof supports, I was working on the table leg and flooring. His work holds up the roof, mine holds up my supper. heh Both very important.
The roof supports are in and functioning...but. We are going to re-think these and are going to re-design them as side supports and make them out of tubing. The front and rear supports while they work, and a bit cumbersome and require a long stick or pole to open the front. The side hoops will be much easier to operate, and will be less obtrusive. Design underway.
The table leg is a really nice adjustable unit I picked up from Amazon from their used return stock Really CHEAP too, retail was $350 and I paid $160. Works awesome, but required a 3" hole in the floor for full drop without cutting the leg. FINALLY got a window installed too. Nice to see some of the finishing stuff going in now. Its great to be on the home stretch after such a long build.
It seems no matter how I select these to upload, they always upload out of sequence...heh. This last one shows the leg in, and the flooring started. This is basic simple vinyl floating floor from Home Depot. Cheap, rugged and easy to work with. I should add that this little step up gets a 1/2" x 1/2" aluminum edging to protect the floor and to finish it off. Can't wait to see it all in place and cleaned up!
Base / step with a backing face installed. MAN it was hard to get under there to get the bolts tightened up. My forearms are scratched to hell. heh
Before base faceplate install and leg fully extended to test for 'wobble'. There is none for the record, very stout unit.
Front slider window is in. Unfortunately it is sitting a little lower than would be ideal, but the framing for the bunk supports is just above it and it is lined up with the trucks slider so... here is goes. These windows are all custom made by Vintage Trailer Parts (https://www.teardroptrailerparts.com/) who BTW are awesome to deal with and they make nice stuff!
I so want to peel off all that protective plastic.
Front bunk roof bi-fold support (or is that a tri-fold?)
Rear over the door.
fully retracted
Underway. So many hinge screws!!
Yesterday while Mike was working on the roof supports, I was working on the table leg and flooring. His work holds up the roof, mine holds up my supper. heh Both very important.
The roof supports are in and functioning...but. We are going to re-think these and are going to re-design them as side supports and make them out of tubing. The front and rear supports while they work, and a bit cumbersome and require a long stick or pole to open the front. The side hoops will be much easier to operate, and will be less obtrusive. Design underway.
The table leg is a really nice adjustable unit I picked up from Amazon from their used return stock Really CHEAP too, retail was $350 and I paid $160. Works awesome, but required a 3" hole in the floor for full drop without cutting the leg. FINALLY got a window installed too. Nice to see some of the finishing stuff going in now. Its great to be on the home stretch after such a long build.
It seems no matter how I select these to upload, they always upload out of sequence...heh. This last one shows the leg in, and the flooring started. This is basic simple vinyl floating floor from Home Depot. Cheap, rugged and easy to work with. I should add that this little step up gets a 1/2" x 1/2" aluminum edging to protect the floor and to finish it off. Can't wait to see it all in place and cleaned up!
Base / step with a backing face installed. MAN it was hard to get under there to get the bolts tightened up. My forearms are scratched to hell. heh
Before base faceplate install and leg fully extended to test for 'wobble'. There is none for the record, very stout unit.
Front slider window is in. Unfortunately it is sitting a little lower than would be ideal, but the framing for the bunk supports is just above it and it is lined up with the trucks slider so... here is goes. These windows are all custom made by Vintage Trailer Parts (https://www.teardroptrailerparts.com/) who BTW are awesome to deal with and they make nice stuff!
I so want to peel off all that protective plastic.
Front bunk roof bi-fold support (or is that a tri-fold?)
Rear over the door.
fully retracted
Underway. So many hinge screws!!
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Me too Shirk... me too!
I am really getting excited to get it out on the road and to do some camping in it!! Need to look at some air bags still. Anyone have any experience with the Pacbrake stuff? I have AirLift coil insert bags now and have used them in the past...but they are only good to about 1K# so I am going to pull them and put in full on bags.
Either way both systems look good. I also need to go drill holes in my bed floor soon for the tie downs. Can't deliver it to the fabric guy without them!
I am really getting excited to get it out on the road and to do some camping in it!! Need to look at some air bags still. Anyone have any experience with the Pacbrake stuff? I have AirLift coil insert bags now and have used them in the past...but they are only good to about 1K# so I am going to pull them and put in full on bags.
Either way both systems look good. I also need to go drill holes in my bed floor soon for the tie downs. Can't deliver it to the fabric guy without them!
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Tonight I picked up 4 castors to make a camper storage cart with. I am going to build it up in the next couple of days so I will have a spot to keep it and to roll it around when not on the truck. Small steps in a long journey.
8" poly steel castors from my favorite bits and pieces store, Princess Auto. 2 that rotate and 2 fixed. Not bad stuff and BIG = easy rolling.
8" poly steel castors from my favorite bits and pieces store, Princess Auto. 2 that rotate and 2 fixed. Not bad stuff and BIG = easy rolling.
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Sadly I did not get over to work on the camper this weekend... but stuff got done. Mike has apparently been working like gangbusters to get this done (he needs his shop back...heh) and has done a lot of work this past week.
He installed the back door and installed the rear window in the door. Man, does that ever change the way thing thing looks. He also installed the hot water heater box and the Eccotemp L5. I get to do the plumbing, but it is in there and on there, and that's huge. He also trimmed out the rear LPG / Storage cubby and likely started on the door (hatch). This gets a nice polished stainless steel marine vent, should look nice.
I spent a bit of my day yesterday and a couple hours today on the camper 'cart' for storage and for moving it around the driveway. It was too late to take completed pics, but it is burly as heck (overbuilt probably) and has 1/4" rubber on all the contact spots with the tub. Pics later.
I think I will be bringing the camper home this coming weekend or possibly the next...hard to say. Getting so close.
A little blurry, but you can see the permanent LPG heater box and the heater in place. All nicely wrapped in aluminum too.
Door for the heater box installed (thanks for the pics Mike)!
Trailer cart. The finished version has significantly more framing and supports plus 3 x 2x6 full length for the camper to 'sit' on. Hope this rolls ok with the camper on it!
This week I need to get the tie down plates installed and get the camper ready to install. I still need to pick up some nice thick 3" aluminum plate for the lift jack spacers... the small brackets I have are not going to be big enough to clear the 'hips' on the box of my Ram 1500. More pics soon.
He installed the back door and installed the rear window in the door. Man, does that ever change the way thing thing looks. He also installed the hot water heater box and the Eccotemp L5. I get to do the plumbing, but it is in there and on there, and that's huge. He also trimmed out the rear LPG / Storage cubby and likely started on the door (hatch). This gets a nice polished stainless steel marine vent, should look nice.
I spent a bit of my day yesterday and a couple hours today on the camper 'cart' for storage and for moving it around the driveway. It was too late to take completed pics, but it is burly as heck (overbuilt probably) and has 1/4" rubber on all the contact spots with the tub. Pics later.
I think I will be bringing the camper home this coming weekend or possibly the next...hard to say. Getting so close.
A little blurry, but you can see the permanent LPG heater box and the heater in place. All nicely wrapped in aluminum too.
Door for the heater box installed (thanks for the pics Mike)!
Trailer cart. The finished version has significantly more framing and supports plus 3 x 2x6 full length for the camper to 'sit' on. Hope this rolls ok with the camper on it!
This week I need to get the tie down plates installed and get the camper ready to install. I still need to pick up some nice thick 3" aluminum plate for the lift jack spacers... the small brackets I have are not going to be big enough to clear the 'hips' on the box of my Ram 1500. More pics soon.
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
These pics NEVER upload in any order I want them to... lol
So a thing happened yesterday. I finally brought the camper home and parked it in the driveway. To make that thing happen, we needed to get the rest of the tie down system in place, and to get the camper jacked up (scary) and loaded up! Man, those Hijacker hydraulic camper jacks I picked up are TALL. I got a set from a guy over near Abbotsford in BC who rebuilds them as a sideline business. They work great, but it was both Mikes and my first time loading a camper... and that was interesting.
Totally safe, totally easy, and overall a pretty simple operation. Going up was nothing I was particularly worried about, I was a little concerned about the lowering bit... but the jacks valving makes for a nicely controlled descent. Good stuff. The camper fit perfectly, but so perfectly that I ended up needing to remove the inner bed side rails for my tonneau cover, and they are only about 3/4 of an inch. They just touched the sides of the camper at the tailgate bulge.
The tie downs I ended up using are pretty slick with nylon straps and quick releases attached to some rigging turnbuckles with shackle ends. Easy to set up and nice and strong. Plus they have nuts to prevent them from coming loose.
Up high enough to fit in the truck... really high, and I am planning on a small lift for this Ram too! lol
Ready to go.
Me checking out the camper just prior to loading.
Out of sequence... pic of the camper at home on its new cart. Easy to move around the driveway by myself which is handy.
Loaded up and almost ready for the maiden voyage (no pics of that however).
Perfect fit.
The 36" window we ordered for the passenger side is sweet! LOTS of light and air, and makes the camper seem more roomy inside.
The first drive was great. I took it pretty easy as the top latches are not yet installed so the roof was held down by ratchet straps... no concerns about it coming off or prying up, its pretty strong... but still. I pumped up the coil insert air bags to 40 PSI and it only dropped the rear by about 1". You could feel the weight but it was almost a non event. I really should have driven by the weigh scales to get an idea of its finished weight... but ran out of time.
So, now I can concentrate on the finishing touches. All the wiring needs to be completed as well as the plumbing final connections. Oh and the biggest task is to plan out and deploy a roof lifting system. Trying to decide between a manual and an electric system. TBD.
So a thing happened yesterday. I finally brought the camper home and parked it in the driveway. To make that thing happen, we needed to get the rest of the tie down system in place, and to get the camper jacked up (scary) and loaded up! Man, those Hijacker hydraulic camper jacks I picked up are TALL. I got a set from a guy over near Abbotsford in BC who rebuilds them as a sideline business. They work great, but it was both Mikes and my first time loading a camper... and that was interesting.
Totally safe, totally easy, and overall a pretty simple operation. Going up was nothing I was particularly worried about, I was a little concerned about the lowering bit... but the jacks valving makes for a nicely controlled descent. Good stuff. The camper fit perfectly, but so perfectly that I ended up needing to remove the inner bed side rails for my tonneau cover, and they are only about 3/4 of an inch. They just touched the sides of the camper at the tailgate bulge.
The tie downs I ended up using are pretty slick with nylon straps and quick releases attached to some rigging turnbuckles with shackle ends. Easy to set up and nice and strong. Plus they have nuts to prevent them from coming loose.
Up high enough to fit in the truck... really high, and I am planning on a small lift for this Ram too! lol
Ready to go.
Me checking out the camper just prior to loading.
Out of sequence... pic of the camper at home on its new cart. Easy to move around the driveway by myself which is handy.
Loaded up and almost ready for the maiden voyage (no pics of that however).
Perfect fit.
The 36" window we ordered for the passenger side is sweet! LOTS of light and air, and makes the camper seem more roomy inside.
The first drive was great. I took it pretty easy as the top latches are not yet installed so the roof was held down by ratchet straps... no concerns about it coming off or prying up, its pretty strong... but still. I pumped up the coil insert air bags to 40 PSI and it only dropped the rear by about 1". You could feel the weight but it was almost a non event. I really should have driven by the weigh scales to get an idea of its finished weight... but ran out of time.
So, now I can concentrate on the finishing touches. All the wiring needs to be completed as well as the plumbing final connections. Oh and the biggest task is to plan out and deploy a roof lifting system. Trying to decide between a manual and an electric system. TBD.
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Hey Shirk, Yeah I am indeed looking forward to removing the skins. I have been a little concerned about it getting marred by the tarp rubbing on it. Apparently this satin finished aluminum is a bit abrasion prone before it weathers a bit. I am going to put it into a portable shed ASAP, and will pull it off then. I also have a bit more exterior trim and caulking to do and it will be easier without it in place.
As far as weight goes...me too! It was surprisingly easy to load up and to jack up. It hardly dropped the suspension at all... and felt light while driving. I can also push it around easily... it might be under 1000#, but probably not by much? If it is I will be pretty happy and on target with our original plans / goals.
Cost... yeah, more than hoped for, but not much I can do there. I went mid-range on most stuff to save $ but its hard when your raw materials are increasing as you build. I will probably post up some totals at some point. The other thing to consider, if you are in the USA vs. here in Canada, it is more expensive for pretty much everything. So, your mileage may vary.
Are you looking to build a pop-up as well? I actually looked at it the other day and thought "why don't I simply modify the roof and make it a full hard side?" heh Hmmmmmm
Hey Shirk, Yeah I am indeed looking forward to removing the skins. I have been a little concerned about it getting marred by the tarp rubbing on it. Apparently this satin finished aluminum is a bit abrasion prone before it weathers a bit. I am going to put it into a portable shed ASAP, and will pull it off then. I also have a bit more exterior trim and caulking to do and it will be easier without it in place.
As far as weight goes...me too! It was surprisingly easy to load up and to jack up. It hardly dropped the suspension at all... and felt light while driving. I can also push it around easily... it might be under 1000#, but probably not by much? If it is I will be pretty happy and on target with our original plans / goals.
Cost... yeah, more than hoped for, but not much I can do there. I went mid-range on most stuff to save $ but its hard when your raw materials are increasing as you build. I will probably post up some totals at some point. The other thing to consider, if you are in the USA vs. here in Canada, it is more expensive for pretty much everything. So, your mileage may vary.
Are you looking to build a pop-up as well? I actually looked at it the other day and thought "why don't I simply modify the roof and make it a full hard side?" heh Hmmmmmm
I am just over in North Vancouver. Mostly looking for what the unique stuff like the Silka cost.
Ideally I would love to build a stripped down Alaskan clone. We ski a lot (or rather did ski alot before our 4yr old and 2yr old came along) so the winter warmth of the Alaskan style would be nice.
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Ahh... I love North Van, used to live at 8th and St. Andrews and my father in law lives in Deep Cove. I am back over on Vancouver Island in Victoria now... still much love for N.Van however.
Actually the Sika is cheap. I think it is $5.99 a tube at Home Depot, and a box of 12 (as I recall) was a bit cheaper per tube. That stuff is simply amazing... flexible, sticks like poop to a blanket and is waterproof and paintable. (https://www.homedepot.ca/product/sika-construction-sealant/1000684213)
I have a pretty extensive build list with a LOT of details on costs and estimates... but ballpark for all 'construction' materials I am in and around $4200.00. Thats wood, steel, screws, adhesives, paint and primer, insulation, varnish, flooring, skins, trim both aluminum and wood etc. 90% of it came from easily accessible places like Lowes and Home Depot and our local BIG lumber yard, Sleggs. Honestly, the most expensive stuff was the steel for the frame...that was almost $800!
Send me a PM, happy to share more details if you like. Long term plans or short term... I'm not going anywhere. heh
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Too cold and wet to work on my camper now that I have it home and can work on it anytime I want... the irony is not lost on me.
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