Solo women's studio and home on wheels

[Caroline57]

well I see others have weighed in and said ply wood is lite.  well how thick of plywood are you thinking of using?  also for the use you are talking about I would only use marine plywood.  considerably heavier and considerably more expensive.  highdesertranger

Haha I just haven't gotten that far yet, Im going to finish the rust and repainting, removing the bolts and rear air conditioner first. But I'm thinking pretty thin, and just to add in I've considered building a metal frame for it, but I have nothing set in stone. And I plan on using regular plywood, and waterproofing it much the same way you would a log cabin! Also if it helps anyones opinion I'm 5' 4.5" And I need to be able to stand in it, just so you know I'm not like six foot two trying to bold a four foot high top.

 

[highdesertranger]

haha got it on the height. so when you said boondocking what about tree branches. thin plywood does not handle tree braches well. I would still use marine plywood. highdesertranger

 

[Caroline57]

haha got it on the height.  so when you said boondocking what about tree branches.  thin plywood does not handle tree braches well.  I would still use marine plywood.  highdesertranger

Tree beaches are a good point. And I Yeah Ill look into what kind of ply wood, and ask my brother. He really thinks I should build a metal frame, and said that wouldn't be that hard, and then sort of fill in the empty space with plywood. And with that method, If one of the ply wood sheets breaks (say tree branches hit it) you could relatively easily pop it off and replace it. I do know the coating that I would put on to make it waterproof is like a thick plasticky stuff that makes the wood look like glassy, and I would imagine that would have to help reinforce it and make it stronger. The metal frame thing I don't totally know how you would do, but his engineer brain has some sort of idea. I will for sure keep everyone updated on what I decided to try. If I completely fail, then Ill just try something else haha Im not easily deterred!

 

[akrvbob]

Be sure you take lots and lots of pictures, I'm really looking forward to see what you do!!

I'd suggest you start a blog, the combination of your youth, female, artist and vandweller could build you a big following!! It'll also sell your art work.
Bob

 

[SternWake]

As a carpenter, I do not think you realize the amount of work required to build a roof strong enough, light enough and attached strongly enough to be safe, functional, and last more than one winter out in the elements.


The fiberglass roofs are generally  are curved, and arched, with very few flat surfaces.  This makes them stronger and lighter and more rigid with little need for more reinforcing, and the reinforcing is in the flattest areas of the roof.  Flat plywood is going to require a rigid frame.  If this is wood it will be bulky and heavy.

Also, any wood must be completely waterproofed, and No, paint cannot accomplish this.  Paint is temporary, and it will not deal with the rather large amount of contraction and expansion  of the plywood with daily heat cycling.

My fiberglass roof is about 220 to 250 Lbs, and when I have driven around without it, the Van felt like a freaking sports car around corners.

I'd really not be so dead set on building your own raised roof out of wood.  I have the skills and tools to build such a thing, and if someone asked me to , and pay me 3x my labor estimate, it I would still talk them out of it. 

But, here is someone who did build one partially out of  Wood, on a metal frame.  I used to see this van around town often, but not in a while.



Best of luck.

 

[Caroline57]

Be sure you take lots and lots of pictures, I'm really looking forward to see what you do!!

I'd suggest you start a blog, the combination of your youth, female, artist and vandweller could build you a big following!! It'll also sell your art work.
Bob

Its in the process    http://www.withthewind.org 
I haven't started it yet but I'm going to put up detailed post on the stages of the conversion on my website, I will probably link my it in my posts here because its so much easier on my site to post tons of really high quality large photos. I plan on posting pictures here too, but I have a professional camera so I have to do a lot of scaling down and stuff to get pictures that I can put on here and its a pain, So as I detail the conversion here Ill probably link certain parts to the posts there for additional pictures. Great minds think alike!

 

[Caroline57]

Also, any wood must be completely waterproofed, and No, paint cannot accomplish this.  Paint is temporary, and it will not deal with the rather large amount of contraction and expansion  of the plywood with daily heat cycling.

I had no intention of painting it, and I'm aware this doesn't water proof anything. I will treat it more like you would the wood used on a log cabin. And like I said, you never know until you try, and Im pretty dang sure I'm gonna try. If I fail there are always fiberglass manufacturers waiting to swoop in and save me! And yeah that guys a photographer and he sold that van to someone else when he found a sprinter van that was a really good deal.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

don't get discouraged about your wood build, you can use a steel or aluminium frame but in my opinion it is not necessary, cost more and adds weight, there are light weigth woods like cedar, to make ribs, check out how they build ribs on a plywood boat, remember people stand in these boats, attach ,motors, sails, go crashing through waves, pull them up on shore and the plywood is usually no thicker than a 1/4 inch, if your design requires a lot of curves which is best for aero and stability then you can consider cutting your plywood in strips and layering it like old dingies or a mixture of sheets and strips. To waterproof these wooden boats they use epoxy which is basically painted on, Marine ply is likely the best way to go but I would research if it is safe to live under it. I am not sure what they use for treating it, I know, many areas don;'t allow treated wood to go inside a house, due to chemicals, toxins, etc. maybe marine ply is not an issue as many people live in plywood boats.

 

[Caroline57]

don't get discouraged about your wood build, you can use a steel or aluminium frame but in my opinion it is not necessary, cost more and adds weight, there are light weigth woods like cedar, to make ribs, check out how they build ribs on a plywood boat, remember people stand in these boats, attach ,motors, sails, go crashing through waves, pull them up on shore  and the plywood is usually no thicker than a 1/4 inch, if your design requires a lot of curves which is best for aero and stability then you can consider cutting your plywood in strips and layering it like old dingies or a mixture of sheets and strips. To waterproof these wooden boats they use epoxy which is basically painted on, Marine ply is likely the best way to go but I would research if it is safe to live under it. I am not sure what they use for treating it, I know, many areas don;'t allow treated wood to go inside a house, due to chemicals, toxins, etc. maybe marine ply is not an issue as many people live in plywood boats.

Thank you for your support and faith in my idea! Haha it means a lot to know at least one person doesnt think I'm crazy. yeah I don't know about aerodynamics, but ill consider it. My plan was to kinda try and keep it as simple as possible. Ive looked at a few plywood boats and intend on doing some more research in a bit, but there super cool. They make me wanna make my top removable so I could use it as a boat! But I'm not that ambitious haha. And also Im not comfortable using something full of chemicals as my roof. I don't eat chemicals, or put them on my skin, I don't really wanna breath them in. So ill look into that.

 

[Camping Cajun]

Welcome!

Think long and hard before removing the stock interior.  A lot of people make that mistake then regret it.  Many wind up selling them and purchasing another one with the interior intact.

A wood high top might be on the top heavy side too.  I think I'd try to find a fiberglass one in a wrecking yard if possible, might even be cheaper too.

Good Luck

Your comments are exactly what I am mentally debating. My Dodge Ram 1500 Conversion Van (2003), the interior) is in near excellent condition. I understand the need for proper insulation for camping or living comfort.... plus wiring, certain installations and the possibility of pulling the bench bed out to create a bed with more storage under..... BUT.... I am choosing to try and work with the interior intact for now. Small steps for me to see how I like it for day trips and maybe overnighters. I imagine one exception will be a type of high volume vent or standard roof AC for RVs (plus the addition of batteries and maybe solar).

 

[Camping Cajun]

Welcome, Caroline!  We'll be following the process with you and cheering you on!

mockturtle,

Is that your camper in the photo? Did you buy it that way or did you modify? Thanks.

 

[Camping Cajun]

My name is Caroline and I'm 20 years old and currently living in Michigan. I bought a 2005 Ford Econoline E-350 passenger van that I will be converting into a little artist studio and home. I named her Velma! I plan on moving into my van full time this fall when the build is done. Then I will travel, work, and spend as much time as possible outdoors. Im doing mostly everything by myself with the help of family and friends from time to time, so recommendations are welcome! I plan to build a wooden high top and install a small solar system to power a few things. I have already started to gut the interior of the van and work a little on rust, but progress has been slow because I'm currently working two jobs. My last day at my full time job is in two weeks then I will be spending all my time on Velma until she's done. I don't have the whole interior designed yet, but right now I plan on focusing on fixing all the rust, removing the rear air conditioner, and figuring out the top. This is a picture of the before! Let the work and adventure begin!

Welcome Caroline. I am new to the group here as well. I am also beginning plans to convert my van for camping and would love to live a little on the road. I am starting a bit later in life so its a bit difficult to envision just "hitting the road!". My career is a very niche area of healthcare and doesn't translate to the road. Part of figuring the new vocation for me is merely part of a new and enriching journey. Hugs to you and I look forward to hearing on your progress.

 

[ilovemyvan]

Caroline said: "Thank you for your support and faith in my idea! Haha it means a lot to know at least one person doesnt think I'm crazy".

Caroline stick to your plans. They are yours and don't let 'No-Sayers' influence you. There is a fine line between trying to help and being pushy. The line might have been crossed a little here. I'm sorry for the welcome you received. You are a bright lady and you will figure it out, I have no doubt.

I am really looking forward to see what you will come up with.

Take care.

-Nicole

 

[Caroline57]

Welcome camping cajun and thank you so much Nicole, I'm not easily deterred, I really feel like a wooden high top is the best choice for me so I'm going to do it. And I'm really looking forward to this project so I can't wait to update everyone as it progresses!

 

[highdesertranger]

like I stated in a previous post I was just being realistic. Camping Cajun Mockturtle has a Tiger built by Provan. my buddy has one, they are nice 4x4 MH. Flying K, I have to disagree about the plywood boats. my brother in-law was a commercial fisherman with the Oregon dory fleet before he passed. he had a plywood dory one thing it wasn't was light weight. it wasn't 1/4 inch plywood either more like 3/4. in respect for him taking me out on the ocean fishing with him I helped him work on the boat a lot. believe me when I say the upkeep was never ending. there was always painting and fiberglass repair to be done. btw all the plywood was marine plywood. highdesertranger

 

[skindeepfx]

Welcome camping cajun and thank you so much Nicole, I'm not easily deterred, I really feel like a wooden high top is the best choice for me so I'm going to do it. And I'm really looking forward to this project so I can't wait to update everyone as it progresses!

I think you should stick to your plan 
There are plenty of wooden builds out there.  Some good epoxy from a wooden boat  supplier will make this watertight , no worries.
This could look awesome.
In fact i was planning to build a wooden teardrop trailer based on a Zeppelin design before i stumbled on the project i am currently working on.
Cheers 
M

 

[Caroline57]

Skin deep- A wooden teardrop would be SOO cool! You have to do it someday! And thank you!

 

[Suanne]

Hi Caroline57,

I checked out your website ... nice start! We use to have a wooden teardrop trailer. It was surprisingly lightweight, at 700 lb in total. You might find the forum for teardrops and tiny travel trailers (tnttt.com) helpful. The folks on that forum really know their woodworking, and how to make trailers lightweight, watertight, and insulated. I'm sure you'd find some helpful tips as you implement your vision.

Please stick around and share your progress. I'm excited to see it unfold.

Suanne ... who lives out of a Prius

 

[skindeepfx]

Skin deep- A wooden teardrop would be SOO cool! You have to do it someday! And thank you!

Check out this linky 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-BAhyKWVOSldv8Omqeo5UWcEdsL21UzdfJ3xjwV3i2A/edit?usp=sharing

This as a wooden teardrop camper was my plan until i found my Avion C11 truck camper 

It will happen some day, minimal costs and crafty  

Keep true to your plans 

Cheers 
Michael

 

[Caroline57]

Hi Caroline57,

I checked out your website ... nice start!  We use to have a wooden teardrop trailer.  It was surprisingly lightweight, at 700 lb in total.  You might find the forum for teardrops and tiny travel trailers (tnttt.com) helpful.  The folks on that forum really know their woodworking, and how to make trailers lightweight, watertight, and insulated.   I'm sure you'd find some helpful tips as you implement your vision.

Please stick around and share your progress.   I'm excited to see it unfold.

Thank you! Its taken a lot of work to get my website to this point, but I'm still figuring it all out and putting it together. If I don't continue my posts here, you can always check my progress there or on instagram if you have it I can give you my name! And I will for sure check that out, I have gotten a lot of helpful links from people on here! 

Micheal- Thats so cool, haha I know this isn't really relevant but my first thought seeing that is how much the two and three year old boys I nanny for would love that. Its amazing. You defiantly should pursue that. And yes minimal cost. I plan on going to recycle some wood from the dump myself tonight! I know the more money I spend on the build the less I have to travel with! And Im a firm believer in not buying anything new if we don't have to, not even because of money but because over consumption has devastating effects on our environment. Theres just no need to chop down new trees!