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Nov 22, 2019 10:20:46 GMT
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Hi all has been a slow week on the camper front due to the cold wet weather. Its a bit warmer this morning so I managed to get a bit done. All of the panels and lining is now finished and have also trimmed the tops of the rear doors. I hope to get a bit more done this afternoon, hopefully getting the split charge system in. Cheers - mike
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Nov 26, 2019 16:24:54 GMT
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Hi all,
have got a few hours in on the camper. I have a potential customer who needs a very specific spec for her needs. The camper must include heating, storage for a portable toilet and enough room to be able to use the toilet when the bed is made up.
This will be quite a tall order for a short wheelbase van so I have been looking into whats possible.
My final solution is to have a bench seat along the offside wall with the storage for the toilet under the bed behind the drivers seat, there will also be storage in the bench and it will house the heater. On the nearside will be the fridge which will have to be mounted at a higher level than normal as it will sit above the wheel arch,the will also be a kitchen unit that will overlap the sliding door by aprox 18 inches to give space for a sink and hob. The bed will be the same width as usual bu may only be 5ft 6 long. The customer is 5 foot so there should not be a problem.
I have also been running some wiring under the van and fitting the split charge system. I think I have also spotted a problem with the alternator. The split charge relay does not kick in until it sees 13.2 volts at the battery and its not kicking in as it should. I have measured the battery voltage with the engine running and it only showing 12.4 volts so I have ordered a new alternator which should arrive tomorrow.
Cheers - mike
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Nov 28, 2019 16:08:01 GMT
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Hi all
have been working on the campervan of doom today !!!
I set to this morning as the weather was overcast but not raining.
The rebuilt alternator arrived yesterday so I thought I would change it, looked a not to bad a job but turned into a nightmare.
Every fastener was seized, the auto belt tensioner was seized so I couldn't release the tension on the belt,both alternator mounting bolts were stupidly tight and to top it all of, when I finally got the new alternator in position the bolts would not go in more than a turn or so. Took it of to find both threads in the alternator were damaged and full of paint. I ran a tap through them to clean them up afterwhich it bolted up ok.
What should have been an hours job has taken 5 hours of blood seat and tears and to top it off its been raining all day so i'm now soaking wet and freezing cold. All part of the benefits of being self employed i guess.
Cheers - mike
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Nov 29, 2019 17:47:43 GMT
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Hi all
went over to Grimsby this morning and the van didn't miss a beat.
I got back just after lunch so got a few hours to start pattern making. As this is a new design which I think will sell well I need to make a full set of drawings and patterns.
I should start making the actual panels tomorrow so will have something to photo.
Cheers - mike
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Nov 30, 2019 12:40:03 GMT
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Hi all had a few hours on the camper this morning as the weather is glorious!!! All the main panels for the kitchen area are made. This afternoon I have a few bits if edging trim to fit and some pocket holes to drill and they are done for now. I have not cut the holes for the doors yet as i'm fitting tambour doors and aren't sure of the exact sizes needed yet. I should make a start on the panels for the bed unit later, all being well. Cheers - mike
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Nov 30, 2019 15:41:50 GMT
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Hi all, got a couple of hours in this afternoon. I have finessed the fit of the kitchen unit and drilled all the pocket holes. That's as far as I can go until the doors and vents arrive so I have made a start on the bed unit. The customer wants storage for a toilet and needs it to be accessible when the bed is up so I have placed it behind the drivers seat. With the drivers seat pushed and tilted forwards there's plenty of room for the toilet storage. So far I have made and trial fitted the panels and finessed the fit to a point where I'm happy.It works well as storage but needs to be accessible so the top part of the front panel needs to be hinged. I have done some measuring up and it would be possible to have a swiveling cassette toilet in my next build so I may offer it as an option. That's it now until Monday afternoon as I have a stairlift to fit on Monday morning. Cheers - mike
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Hi all
I spent the morning fitting a stairlift for my father in law which was fun. His house is a victorian terrace in a mining area so has suffered lots of movement during the past hundred years so everything is out of true. Anyways its in now and he's happily zipping up and down the stairs. After lunch got a couple of hours in on the camper this afternoon and finished making up the last of the pattern panels for the bed box.
I have made the bed end panels and the intermediate support.The rearmost end panel will have a door so that the bed box can be accessed from the rear of the van and there will also be another door in the front part of the bed box.
Tomorrow should see the bed box finished and hopefully the tambour doors for the kitchen will arrive.
Cheers - mike
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jpsmit
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,254
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sounds like great projects all! Please however don't get stupid about wearing yourself out post surgery!
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sounds like great projects all! Please however don't get stupid about wearing yourself out post surgery! Thanks, i'm limiting myself to no more than six hours a day with weekends off for now but its a struggle! Cheers - mike
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Hi all, got a few hours in on the camper yesterday and this morning. All the panels for the bed unit are now made and the fit has been finessed. Just the doors to hang before final installation. The tambour doors arrived for the kitchen unit yesterday so I have cut the holes in the kitchen front panel and fitted the doors. It was quite a faff as I had to make 4 hockey stick panels to allow me to fit them. Normally you make the units to fit the tanbour doors but this limits what you can do so i make the hockey stick panels which gives the the flexibility to mount them in the middle of a panel. I will be doing a final fit on the kitchen after lunch and then measuring up for the worktop and the bed base. Cheers - mike
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hi all the carcasses for all the units are now finished and installed. I may get another hour later today to make up the template for the worktop. I probably make a top cupboard for above the kitchen as I have some board left over and it will also enable me to fit another strip light. Cheers - mike
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Hi all had an hour watching the snooker earlier so no much else done today. I have, however, made up the template for the worktop. Just need to sort out a sink now. I have a couple of options. I can either sit my standard smev sink or use one of my own round custom sinks. Will have to see how I feel tomorrow. Cheers - mike
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hi all I got a couple of hours in this morning before the heavens opened. I have cut the hole for the sink and pop up electric socket and made up the storage box for the leisure battery. Thats it now until Monday. Cheers - mike
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luckygti
Posted a lot
I need to try harder!
Posts: 4,912
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Very tidy. I’m just getting myself ready to get stuck into the back of my VW T3 DoKa, and designing and fitting a small cooking set up for one side. There’s not a lot of room, so it’s been fun! How do you cut the boards? I’ve got a cheap table saw and a router set up, but just trying to get to the point where the finish looks good without having to sand and paint it all to cover anything up
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Jan 10, 2020 13:57:19 GMT
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Very tidy. I’m just getting myself ready to get stuck into the back of my VW T3 DoKa, and designing and fitting a small cooking set up for one side. There’s not a lot of room, so it’s been fun! How do you cut the boards? I’ve got a cheap table saw and a router set up, but just trying to get to the point where the finish looks good without having to sand and paint it all to cover anything up hi there make yourself a straight edge long enough to suit your longest panel. Cut your panels 2-3 mm oversize and then use the router with a 12.7mm straight bit to trim them to the final size. If you use 15mm board tou can buy corner moulding in lots of different finishes. Use this to connect the units sides and front panels. For other joints in you units buy a pocket hole jig and some proper pocket screws. You should get a neat and professional looking job. Cheers - mike
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Jan 10, 2020 14:41:50 GMT
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Hi all
I should be starting on the final jobs on this camper tomorrow.
I've not done much over Christmas due to having the grand kids and fighting off a throat infection.
She should be finished next weekend all going well ready for a few days away in Scarborough.
Cheers - mike
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Jan 11, 2020 14:38:48 GMT
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Hi all got a few hours on the camper today the top unit for above the kitchen is made and fitted. I still need to connect up the leds. Next job will be to do the final fit on the rear roof trim. Cheers - mike
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Jan 19, 2020 13:47:48 GMT
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Hi all, I thought I would add a little more detail on how to get a good, straight finished edge on the furniture board. I cut all panels 3mm oversize using a jig saw fitted with a slim japenese style blade. The difference being japanese blades cut on both the up and down stroke whereas standard blades only cut on either the up or down stroke. Next I use a flush trim bit in my router and use a jig to trim the board to the exact size I need with a good clean edge. Here's some pics
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Jan 19, 2020 13:53:54 GMT
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Hi all had a few hours to spare this morning before the snooker started so got a few bits done. The unit over the kitchen is finished and the led lighting wired and working and the rear roof panel is now finessed and fitted. I have also had the sewing machine out this week so all the curtains are made but just waiting for the curtain tape to arrive so I can finish them. I have also made the second cushion for the seat / bed and made and fitted its cover. This week should see the extending part of the bed made and fitted and the last two cushions made and upholstered. I have also got to fit nose edging to the side and rear door openings and a few other odd jobs. Cheers - mike
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