2014 Chevy Express 2500 Van Build: Luisafernandes

[HarmonicaBruce]

I analyze more than I actually do stuff, but my current thinking for my van is to put up 1.5 to 2 inches of styrofoam (panels), and then use straight pins to pin quilts, blankets, or bed comforters to the walls and ceiling.  They'll come down real easy to wash, easy to go up, easy to come down, easy to find cheap at church sales, and should be good insulation.  I've never seen it done before but I think it will work good.

 

[Luisafernandes]

I analyze more than I actually do stuff, but my current thinking for my van is to put up 1.5 to 2 inches of styrofoam (panels), and then use straight pins to pin quilts, blankets, or bed comforters to the walls and ceiling.  They'll come down real easy to wash, easy to go up, easy to come down, easy to find cheap at church sales, and should be good insulation.  I've never seen it done before but I think it will work good.

Problem is Bruce, sooner or later the styrofoam will start braking up on you with all that pinning and unpinning. [emoji106][emoji604]

 

[Luisafernandes]

And for those of you in warmer weather, be jealous, be very jealous...[emoji1][emoji23][emoji56][emoji106][emoji604]

 

[98jeeplover]

As many have stated on here you have done a fantastic job on your build and Youtube videos. I answered the plea for help. I found your thread a week ago and read it straight through. I have been living in a GMC Savana cargo that was quickly built 4 months ago just to live in with the intentions of doing a full build in the summer. My plans where already very similar to yours and I'm glad to see how functional it is for you. I had a thought on your, patent pending, Swiss Cheese Board. You stated that the foam yoga mat did make the bed a lot more comfortable but living near the Pennsylvania / Maryland line I understand the condensation issues. I have a bed area heated with my Buddy Heater that keeps it about 60 in single digit weather in an uninsulated cargo van. Its always funny to me laying there in a 50 degree sleeping bag all nice and warm and my pillow is frozen to the wall! I think you could still use the foam. Spray your Swiss Board with 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. Available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc and the underside of your foam mat. Let it tack up per the can instructions and glue the mat pieces to the board. Line the holes with painters masking tape to keep over spray out of them. Then flip the board over onto a scrap piece of plywood to sandwich the foam between them for drilling. Remove the painters tape and use the original holes in the Swiss Board as a guide for your hole saw to cut holes into to the foam. Making a foam covered Swiss Cheese Board. I'll split the millions with you from this patent. You will want to knell onto the wood putting your weight there to help prevent the saw from tearing chunks out of the foam. You might also want to try putting the drill in reverse to use the hole saw to "file" a hole through the foam rather then the aggressive teeth in forward wanting to grab and tear the foam. It should give a smooth, clean hole. Another thought would be to also heat the hole saw with your propane torch like you did to run your fan wires. Again great job on the design and build of your new home, Tom.

 

[Luisafernandes]

As many have stated on here you have done a fantastic job on your build and Youtube videos. I answered the plea for help. I found your thread a week ago and read it straight through. I have been living in a GMC Savana cargo that was quickly built 4 months ago just to live in with the intentions of doing a full build in the summer. My plans where already very similar to yours and I'm glad to see how functional it is for you. I had a thought on your, patent pending, Swiss Cheese Board. You stated that the foam yoga mat did make the bed a lot more comfortable but living near the Pennsylvania / Maryland line I understand the condensation issues. I have a bed area heated with my Buddy Heater that keeps it about 60 in single digit weather in an uninsulated cargo van. Its always funny to me laying there in a 50 degree sleeping bag all nice and warm and my pillow is frozen to the wall! I think you could still use the foam. Spray your Swiss Board with 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. Available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc and the underside of your foam mat. Let it tack up per the can instructions and glue the mat pieces to the board. Line the holes with painters masking tape to keep over spray out of them. Then flip the board over onto a scrap piece of plywood to sandwich the foam between them for drilling. Remove the painters tape and use the original holes in the Swiss Board as a guide for your hole saw to cut holes into to the foam. Making a foam covered Swiss Cheese Board. I'll split the millions with you from this patent. You will want to knell onto the wood putting your weight there to help prevent the saw from tearing chunks out of the foam. You might also want to try putting the drill in reverse to use the hole saw to "file" a hole through the foam rather then the aggressive teeth in forward wanting to grab and tear the foam. It should give a smooth, clean hole. Another thought would be to also heat the hole saw with your propane torch like you did to run your fan wires. Again great job on the design and build of your new home, Tom.

Hi Tom! Thank you so very much for your kind words, for having the patience to read this thread and for watching the videos, and...for answering the plea for help! By the way, from that silly skit Indiana VanJones was born. Now I only do serious motion pictures. [emoji1]
As far as the Swiss cheese plywood, the patent is pending and as soon as I make my millions I'm going to by a bigger van[emoji1][emoji23][emoji56]
Putting the foam back with holes to match the plywood has crossed my mind a few times, and it was a little more comfortable with that extra thin foam, but it's not too bad now. I thing if I'm going to do anything I'll do it in the summer when the weather is much warmer. [emoji295]️
Glad you're making it ok in your van! Post some pictures, and remind me to look at them.
Maybe one day we can meet up; we are not too far from one another.

 

[98jeeplover]

Sounds good. Take care and when your tires need replaced check into Good Year Duratrac tires. I saw you got stuck in the snow/mud. I ran them on my jeep in the past and now have a set on the van. Zero complaints for them on the van on highway, in the rain, 4 inches of snow or soft sand driving on Saint Augustine Beach in Florida last month. Street tires would have gotten me stuck.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Sounds good. Take care and when your tires need replaced check into Good Year Duratrac tires. I saw you got stuck in the snow/mud. I ran them on my jeep in the past and now have a set on the van. Zero complaints for them on the van on highway, in the rain, 4 inches of snow or soft sand driving on Saint Augustine Beach in Florida last month. Street tires would have gotten me stuck.

[emoji1]first snow storm and I get stuck [emoji300]️[emoji300]️
Thank you for the tire info. I'm going to save that. Thank you ![emoji106][emoji604]

 

[98jeeplover]

Plan B for snow: My Jeep

 

[MikeRuth]

Haven't heard from you in several days!!! Hope all is well and that east coast weather hasn't finally eaten you up. 

Mike R

 

[Luisafernandes]

Haven't heard from you in several days!!! Hope all is well and that east coast weather hasn't finally eaten you up. 

Mike R

Mike, I almost got buried alive...in 4" inches of snow [emoji300]️[emoji300]️[emoji1]
All is well, thank you [emoji106]

 

[LeeRevell]

Luis, glad your video was NOT like those Russian winter dashcam videos! Those folks drive crazy fast no matter what the road conditions - cold just makes them stupid. We Americans are not nearly as bad! Still, ice is ice.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Luis, glad your video was NOT like those Russian winter dashcam videos! Those folks drive crazy fast no matter what the road conditions - cold just makes them stupid. We Americans are not nearly as bad! Still, ice is ice.

[emoji1] I always try to drive safe, even more so now with the van[emoji300]️[emoji300]️[emoji106][emoji604]

 

[Luisafernandes]

[emoji1]

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

Are you driving around, or hunkered down?

 

[Luisafernandes]

Are you driving around, or hunkered down?

Right now, working. Later, driving "home" in my home for the weekend.
When the roads are bad I do have to hunker down, not much choice there. [emoji1][emoji106][emoji604]

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

Right now, working. Later, driving "home" in my home for the weekend.
When the roads are bad I do have to hunker down, not much choice there. [emoji1][emoji106][emoji604]

Well, keep warm in any event!

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Just be sure to keep lots and lots of food on hand. You can always melt the snow for water. ?☺

 

[Luisafernandes]

Just be sure to keep lots and lots of food on hand. You can always melt the snow for water. ?[emoji5]

If the snow is yellow, do I melt that too? Is it orange?

 

[One Awesome Inch]

If its orange head straight to the doctor!

 

[Luisafernandes]

If its orange head straight to the doctor!

You sure? Isn't that just extra flavor? Yuck [emoji13]