ViaVacavi adventure vehicle build log
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ViaVacavi
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Fixing the Roof
This actually started about a month ago. Just to recap, there is wood inlaid in some areas of the fiberglass hightop, mainly for the purpose of having mounting points to screw things into. The wood appears to be some type of OSB chip board. The previous owner had drilled a hole through the roof, right in the middle of one of these areas that had inlaid wood. There was silicone applied over the hole on the roof, but water made its way through, causing the wood to swell and crack the hightop.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160316_162833_zpsbjy4xsiq.jpg[/img]
First I cut away the fiberglass on the roof, and dug out the wet, rotting wood
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160411_141546_zpslekgirj0.jpg[/img]
A fresh piece of 3/4 plywood was cut and put into the void. I filled the void with resin , then put the first layer of fiberglass cloth down
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160415_200122_zpsgiblvver.jpg[/img]
Multiple layers of fiberglass was put down, alternating fiberglass cloth and fiberglass matt every other layer
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160420_150224_zpsrzudnqgj.jpg[/img]
This was sanded flush with a belt sander. This exposed quite a few voids in the resin
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201505972406514_zpsomqi4bfp.jpeg[/img]
Another layer of resin was applied to fill in the air pockets that were exposed during the sanding
As it stands right now, that is as far as I've gotten. It's now waterproof, which was the most important part for me. I still have to sand again, then I'll do a skim coat of bodyfiller, sand smooth, prime then paint.
This actually started about a month ago. Just to recap, there is wood inlaid in some areas of the fiberglass hightop, mainly for the purpose of having mounting points to screw things into. The wood appears to be some type of OSB chip board. The previous owner had drilled a hole through the roof, right in the middle of one of these areas that had inlaid wood. There was silicone applied over the hole on the roof, but water made its way through, causing the wood to swell and crack the hightop.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160316_162833_zpsbjy4xsiq.jpg[/img]
First I cut away the fiberglass on the roof, and dug out the wet, rotting wood
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160411_141546_zpslekgirj0.jpg[/img]
A fresh piece of 3/4 plywood was cut and put into the void. I filled the void with resin , then put the first layer of fiberglass cloth down
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160415_200122_zpsgiblvver.jpg[/img]
Multiple layers of fiberglass was put down, alternating fiberglass cloth and fiberglass matt every other layer
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160420_150224_zpsrzudnqgj.jpg[/img]
This was sanded flush with a belt sander. This exposed quite a few voids in the resin
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201505972406514_zpsomqi4bfp.jpeg[/img]
Another layer of resin was applied to fill in the air pockets that were exposed during the sanding
As it stands right now, that is as far as I've gotten. It's now waterproof, which was the most important part for me. I still have to sand again, then I'll do a skim coat of bodyfiller, sand smooth, prime then paint.
ViaVacavi
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Raising the Ceiling
The support bars than ran across the ceiling were 2" lower than they could have been in some places. By simply raising these supports, I could free up a couple of inches of head room in the van.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141910_zpsrujk8fdm.jpg[/img]
Here you can see a metal support running across the roof perpendicular to the van (there are 3 supports total). They sat about 2" below the actual hightop roof, and had a couple blocks of rigid foam glued in place in a few spots.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141856_zpstedtstyw.jpg[/img]
Here is another view of the gap between the support and roof
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141953_zpsbzmjdfht.jpg[/img]
Extending these to full height was surprisingly simple. The picture above shows the bottom of the support after I extended it. I simply had to remove a bolt, telescope the support upwards, drill new holes and reinstall the bolts.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141934_zpsuzeedovy.jpg[/img]
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141939_zps2a5whozj.jpg[/img]
As you can see, now the supports are raised all the way up to the hightop roofline, gaining an extra 2" of headroom in the van
The support bars than ran across the ceiling were 2" lower than they could have been in some places. By simply raising these supports, I could free up a couple of inches of head room in the van.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141910_zpsrujk8fdm.jpg[/img]
Here you can see a metal support running across the roof perpendicular to the van (there are 3 supports total). They sat about 2" below the actual hightop roof, and had a couple blocks of rigid foam glued in place in a few spots.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141856_zpstedtstyw.jpg[/img]
Here is another view of the gap between the support and roof
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141953_zpsbzmjdfht.jpg[/img]
Extending these to full height was surprisingly simple. The picture above shows the bottom of the support after I extended it. I simply had to remove a bolt, telescope the support upwards, drill new holes and reinstall the bolts.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141934_zpsuzeedovy.jpg[/img]
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160507_141939_zps2a5whozj.jpg[/img]
As you can see, now the supports are raised all the way up to the hightop roofline, gaining an extra 2" of headroom in the van
ViaVacavi
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Before I get to some of the other stuff that's been done, I wanted to explain to explain something ahead of time. I keep meaning to do a detailed post on this (and I will eventually), but I did some very extensive material testing, especially when it relates to weight. As I said in the beginning, I feel that most vans are overbuilt and keeping the weight low is a top priority for me. Sometime later this week I'll do a detailed post on some of the tests I've done and materials that I've identified for the build.
ViaVacavi
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Building the Bed
My goal was to build a strong, sturdy and light bed frame for the van. Since the bed is lengthwise, we are going for a standard 39"x75" twin mattress.
The frame was built out of 2x3 dimensional lumber (which in my tests was only 9 oz. per linear foot, vs. 17 oz. per liner foot if I were to use 2x4 lumber). Also, to keep weight down, I was going to top the frame with 1/4" luan.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1212326_rewind_zpsuj5hw14y.jpg[/img]
The frame to support the luan is surprisingly simple. Everything was glued and screwed with 3 1/2" screws for added strength
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1226399_rewind_zpsjbvuweul.jpg[/img]
A healthy bead of Titebond II wood glue was applied to the face of the frame
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1245572_rewind_zpszpr0awcz.jpg[/img]
The luan was screwed down with drywall screws every 6" into the wood frame. The glues and screws are very important, as holding the 1/4" luan in tension will be very important to make such a thin substrate strong enough to support the weight of two people without sagging.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1405576_rewind_zpserjsc4om.jpg[/img]
A simple leg setup with diagonal bracing was screwed onto the bottom. I recessed the legs about 4" from the front edge of the bed to give some toe room, and made sure to gap the legs so that there wasn't interference with the wheel well when installed.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1411382_rewind_zpswtpsjds1.jpg[/img]
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1427527_rewind_zpsy5vyefej.jpg[/img]
While still a little rough around the edges and no finishing work had been done, the resulting bed frame fit perfectly, was extremely strong (I could stand in one of the unsupported areas of the luan with barely any noticeable deflection), and it was pretty light at 46 lbs. complete. Overall I'm quite happy with how the frame came out, and even though I took very good care to make things as light as possible it came out heavier than I would have wanted.
But I think the biggest takeaway is that surprisingly, even with minimal bracing the luan is plenty strong enough to use in this application.
My goal was to build a strong, sturdy and light bed frame for the van. Since the bed is lengthwise, we are going for a standard 39"x75" twin mattress.
The frame was built out of 2x3 dimensional lumber (which in my tests was only 9 oz. per linear foot, vs. 17 oz. per liner foot if I were to use 2x4 lumber). Also, to keep weight down, I was going to top the frame with 1/4" luan.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1212326_rewind_zpsuj5hw14y.jpg[/img]
The frame to support the luan is surprisingly simple. Everything was glued and screwed with 3 1/2" screws for added strength
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1226399_rewind_zpsjbvuweul.jpg[/img]
A healthy bead of Titebond II wood glue was applied to the face of the frame
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1245572_rewind_zpszpr0awcz.jpg[/img]
The luan was screwed down with drywall screws every 6" into the wood frame. The glues and screws are very important, as holding the 1/4" luan in tension will be very important to make such a thin substrate strong enough to support the weight of two people without sagging.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1405576_rewind_zpserjsc4om.jpg[/img]
A simple leg setup with diagonal bracing was screwed onto the bottom. I recessed the legs about 4" from the front edge of the bed to give some toe room, and made sure to gap the legs so that there wasn't interference with the wheel well when installed.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1411382_rewind_zpswtpsjds1.jpg[/img]
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1427527_rewind_zpsy5vyefej.jpg[/img]
While still a little rough around the edges and no finishing work had been done, the resulting bed frame fit perfectly, was extremely strong (I could stand in one of the unsupported areas of the luan with barely any noticeable deflection), and it was pretty light at 46 lbs. complete. Overall I'm quite happy with how the frame came out, and even though I took very good care to make things as light as possible it came out heavier than I would have wanted.
But I think the biggest takeaway is that surprisingly, even with minimal bracing the luan is plenty strong enough to use in this application.
ViaVacavi
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Bed Build - Change of Heart
Now that the bed frame was built, it was time to shop for a mattress. After quite a bit of time on amazon reading reviews and looking at various options, a 6" memory foam mattress was ordered.
While I was doing this research, I accidentally got sucked into checking out bed frames. I really though I did pretty well building a bed frame at 46 lbs! Then I was seeing some very highly rated frames around 15 lbs each, and the prices were pretty reasonable! I decided to order a bedframe that caught my eye and figured that if I didn't like it I would use Amazon's excellent return policy to send it back. To be honest, the ONLY reason I ordered the bed frame was simply weight reduction - I could shave 30 lbs just by replacing the bed frame I just made with the one I ordered. After ordering though, I noticed another huge difference between the two - my bed frame allowed for absolutely zero airflow through the bed, and I instantly remembered all the stories of condensation problems under mattresses in other van builds. As this frame that I ordered is actually a grid of welded wire, this would allow the maximum amount of air through the memory foam, hopefully cutting down on moisture and condensation issues with the bed.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_191105_zpsdjztvd0t.jpg[/img]
It's amazing how small of a box a 6" thick twin mattress can be shipped in. It was actually kind of fun cutting the plastic away and watching the mattress seemingly quadruple in size in a matter of seconds as it returned to shape.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_133852_zpsntbcjgbr.jpg[/img]
The bed frame only needed a few bolts installed and was ready to go. Its fully assembled weight was only 21 lbs and boy is it strong. You can see here just how much open space there is to combat moisture and condensation issues.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_134653_zpsalwr2ter.jpg[/img]
As luck would have it, the front and center legs landed perfectly, almost as if it were sized to fit perfectly between the driver's seat and the gas filler neck.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_134658_zpsa0ua9afg.jpg[/img]
I wasn't quite so lucky with the rear leg though, which was a mere 2" too far back, and hitting the wheel well
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_140301_zpsgeypnkgw.jpg[/img]
I cut that rear leg off, and used a scrap piece of 2x3 to extend the leg in a way that the wheel well was no longer an issue
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_200601_zpsuax4lvhg.jpg[/img]
With the mattress installed, the bed sits perfectly level with the bottom of the windows. The resulting combination is seriously the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on! On top of that, a 21 lb frame and a 17 lb mattress... 38 lbs. for a completed bed, for under $160 brand new. And it's insanely comfortable! Another plus, is that there is a ton of room for storage underneath, with over 12" of clearance for totes!
Here are the links to the mattress and frame that were purchased from amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Signature-Sle...&refRID=8DX3K0Q7BMZ25SV294MH&ref_=pd_ybh_a_44
http://www.amazon.com/SmartBase-Fou...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
I guess it was a bit silly to think that I could build my own frame anywhere near as light as current manufacturing techniques. Lesson learned for me! And cost is hardly a factor, since my bed frame, between glue, screws, luan and 2x3s cost nearly half as much as my home-built one, was nearly double the weight and cost me a good chunk of my day to build. Moving forward, I'm going to pay much closer attention to commercial offerings.
As far as the old bed? My daughter needed a new twin bed frame anyways, so it will be put to good use
Now that the bed frame was built, it was time to shop for a mattress. After quite a bit of time on amazon reading reviews and looking at various options, a 6" memory foam mattress was ordered.
While I was doing this research, I accidentally got sucked into checking out bed frames. I really though I did pretty well building a bed frame at 46 lbs! Then I was seeing some very highly rated frames around 15 lbs each, and the prices were pretty reasonable! I decided to order a bedframe that caught my eye and figured that if I didn't like it I would use Amazon's excellent return policy to send it back. To be honest, the ONLY reason I ordered the bed frame was simply weight reduction - I could shave 30 lbs just by replacing the bed frame I just made with the one I ordered. After ordering though, I noticed another huge difference between the two - my bed frame allowed for absolutely zero airflow through the bed, and I instantly remembered all the stories of condensation problems under mattresses in other van builds. As this frame that I ordered is actually a grid of welded wire, this would allow the maximum amount of air through the memory foam, hopefully cutting down on moisture and condensation issues with the bed.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_191105_zpsdjztvd0t.jpg[/img]
It's amazing how small of a box a 6" thick twin mattress can be shipped in. It was actually kind of fun cutting the plastic away and watching the mattress seemingly quadruple in size in a matter of seconds as it returned to shape.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_133852_zpsntbcjgbr.jpg[/img]
The bed frame only needed a few bolts installed and was ready to go. Its fully assembled weight was only 21 lbs and boy is it strong. You can see here just how much open space there is to combat moisture and condensation issues.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_134653_zpsalwr2ter.jpg[/img]
As luck would have it, the front and center legs landed perfectly, almost as if it were sized to fit perfectly between the driver's seat and the gas filler neck.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_134658_zpsa0ua9afg.jpg[/img]
I wasn't quite so lucky with the rear leg though, which was a mere 2" too far back, and hitting the wheel well
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_140301_zpsgeypnkgw.jpg[/img]
I cut that rear leg off, and used a scrap piece of 2x3 to extend the leg in a way that the wheel well was no longer an issue
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_200601_zpsuax4lvhg.jpg[/img]
With the mattress installed, the bed sits perfectly level with the bottom of the windows. The resulting combination is seriously the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on! On top of that, a 21 lb frame and a 17 lb mattress... 38 lbs. for a completed bed, for under $160 brand new. And it's insanely comfortable! Another plus, is that there is a ton of room for storage underneath, with over 12" of clearance for totes!
Here are the links to the mattress and frame that were purchased from amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Signature-Sle...&refRID=8DX3K0Q7BMZ25SV294MH&ref_=pd_ybh_a_44
http://www.amazon.com/SmartBase-Fou...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
I guess it was a bit silly to think that I could build my own frame anywhere near as light as current manufacturing techniques. Lesson learned for me! And cost is hardly a factor, since my bed frame, between glue, screws, luan and 2x3s cost nearly half as much as my home-built one, was nearly double the weight and cost me a good chunk of my day to build. Moving forward, I'm going to pay much closer attention to commercial offerings.
As far as the old bed? My daughter needed a new twin bed frame anyways, so it will be put to good use
ViaVacavi
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- Dec 18, 2015
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Test Kitchen Layout
Another big requirement for me was an indoor/outdoor kitchen. I mush have sketched out 20 different kitchen variations, using everything from elaborate hinging designs, heavy duty drawer slides, you name it. Then it hit me. Why reinvent the wheel? The side door is already a very heavy duty hinge. So I started testing several kitchen layouts that utilized the door as a hinge. The basic idea is that the entire kitchen will swing outside with the rear-most side door.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160508_055744_zpshbus6onc.jpg[/img]
The first obvious modification is to remove the door stops from the doors so that they can open beyond 90 degrees. These were easy to remove and now the doors can open nearly parallel to the length of the van. While I was at it, I removed the inner door skins to open up a little extra storage space in the doors (perfect for shoes!)
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1541112_rewind_zpsferz2xlq.jpg[/img]
I mounted a set of very heavy duty brackets to the inside of the door with 1/2" bolts. I used a scrap piece of OSB as a test countertop. With the door open, you can see how the entire countertop hinges out with the door.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1540542_rewind_zpsntmlcckz.jpg[/img]
This first test counter was 54" wide, and even at this size the counter still easily clears the bed when opening and closing the door
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1542415_rewind_zps2cnmtnie.jpg[/img]
Here is the 54" countertop swung all the way in with the door closed. At this point the countertop is a bit narrow (16", as it was the scrap I had on hand - the final version will be 18" deep)
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_141257_zps50drewez.jpg[/img]
Later tests showed 48" to be a better width for the kitchen. It left a lot more room to get in and out of the van through the other side door
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201772525111056_zpskpklbsjl.jpeg[/img]
This isn't a great shot, but here you can see I added a 48"x18" sheet of luan over top of the OSB to get a better feel for the usable counter. I like the 18" deph, as it's large enough to fit everything it needs to and also leaves a decent sized aisle way between the kitchen and the bed. I'm thinking 48" might be a little too short, so I'll probably keep trying different lengths until I find one that has the best balance.
That's about it for the kitchen for now. The plan moving forward is to actually build a cabinet on the inside of the door that is 15" deep and hinges out with the rest of the kitchen. The 5 gallon fresh water jug and 5 gallon gray water jugs will be just behind the side doors and will not hinge out with the rest of the kitchen to minimize weight on the door hinges. There will be additional cabinetry beneath the overhang that swings out, I'll just have to play it by ear and see how much space I have left for cabinetry with the water tanks in position. I'm hoping to start and finish the kitchen this weekend. The plan is to use 3/4" pine and Luan to build the cabinetry.
Another big requirement for me was an indoor/outdoor kitchen. I mush have sketched out 20 different kitchen variations, using everything from elaborate hinging designs, heavy duty drawer slides, you name it. Then it hit me. Why reinvent the wheel? The side door is already a very heavy duty hinge. So I started testing several kitchen layouts that utilized the door as a hinge. The basic idea is that the entire kitchen will swing outside with the rear-most side door.
[img=640x474]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160508_055744_zpshbus6onc.jpg[/img]
The first obvious modification is to remove the door stops from the doors so that they can open beyond 90 degrees. These were easy to remove and now the doors can open nearly parallel to the length of the van. While I was at it, I removed the inner door skins to open up a little extra storage space in the doors (perfect for shoes!)
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1541112_rewind_zpsferz2xlq.jpg[/img]
I mounted a set of very heavy duty brackets to the inside of the door with 1/2" bolts. I used a scrap piece of OSB as a test countertop. With the door open, you can see how the entire countertop hinges out with the door.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1540542_rewind_zpsntmlcckz.jpg[/img]
This first test counter was 54" wide, and even at this size the counter still easily clears the bed when opening and closing the door
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...20160516_1542415_rewind_zps2cnmtnie.jpg[/img]
Here is the 54" countertop swung all the way in with the door closed. At this point the countertop is a bit narrow (16", as it was the scrap I had on hand - the final version will be 18" deep)
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_141257_zps50drewez.jpg[/img]
Later tests showed 48" to be a better width for the kitchen. It left a lot more room to get in and out of the van through the other side door
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201772525111056_zpskpklbsjl.jpeg[/img]
This isn't a great shot, but here you can see I added a 48"x18" sheet of luan over top of the OSB to get a better feel for the usable counter. I like the 18" deph, as it's large enough to fit everything it needs to and also leaves a decent sized aisle way between the kitchen and the bed. I'm thinking 48" might be a little too short, so I'll probably keep trying different lengths until I find one that has the best balance.
That's about it for the kitchen for now. The plan moving forward is to actually build a cabinet on the inside of the door that is 15" deep and hinges out with the rest of the kitchen. The 5 gallon fresh water jug and 5 gallon gray water jugs will be just behind the side doors and will not hinge out with the rest of the kitchen to minimize weight on the door hinges. There will be additional cabinetry beneath the overhang that swings out, I'll just have to play it by ear and see how much space I have left for cabinetry with the water tanks in position. I'm hoping to start and finish the kitchen this weekend. The plan is to use 3/4" pine and Luan to build the cabinetry.
ViaVacavi
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Upper Cabinets
I got a good start on the upper cabinets this week. Again, low weight being my primary goal, a lot of thought and effort has went into this portion. I know I've already said it, but up to this point I did a series of test for suitable light and strong building materials, which I'll detail in a later post. In the end, I decided to build the upper cabinetry out of 1/2" EPS foam, re-enforced in key areas with 1/2" lumber and laminated with a mixture of Titebond II woodglue and canvas. This is also known as "poor man's fiberglass", and many small boats and even campers have been successfully made with this technique. The test panels I did prior to starting the cabinetry were unbelievably light and strong (around 5 oz per square foot!) I'm just going to skim over what I've got done so far for now, but eventually I plan on covering the process a little more in detail.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...B_IMG_14635903047907847_zpsjd8breb7.jpg[/img]
I had some bed slats on hand that just happened to be 1/2" thick
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_133032_zpsn8a9x8lf.jpg[/img]
I ripped them down into 1/2" sticks on my table saw.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_161153_zpspaa2tlih.jpg[/img]
Using a mixture of the 1/2" lumber I resawed, and some 1/2" foam, I started building out the cabinets
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160520_111150_zpsnmplqmix.jpg[/img]
I used Gorilla Glue to glue the foam to the 1/2" lumber framework. I used masking tape to hold things in place while the glue cured.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...B_IMG_14637615896892164_zpscq2k6ccr.jpg[/img]
Then cut in door openings. These will be lined with 1/2" lumber also before being covered with canvas.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160520_111214_zpsgykhlzwu.jpg[/img]
It's hard to really describe just how much storage this adds, but this picture shows it pretty well. Each side cabinet is 14" deep at the bottom, and 54" long. The rear storage area is 68" wide and 20" deep. The storage areas are just over 13" in height. This adds up to over 20 square feet of storage area, and nearly 23 cubic feet of storage just in the hightop area, while still leaving plenty of head room where it's needed.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160520_125450_zpsinbimu4w.jpg[/img]
The cabinet set was built as 3 pieces. All were removed so that I could trim excess glue, fill low spots, etc.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160521_102645_zpsy4nlvvpz.jpg[/img]
Laminating with canvas is a bit of a chore, and pretty messy work. This section took me two days, as I had to wait for one side to dry before starting the other side. Actual laminating time was only a couple of hours, but it really takes a while to dry fully
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160521_111341_zpsn4y0vt0f.jpg[/img]
This is the only cabinet that I've laminated so far, and I just completed it yesterday. I checked it this morning, and it's incredibly stiff and light. I didn't actually weigh it yet, but if I had to guess right now the entire side cabinet assembly probably weighs somewhere between 5 and 7 lbs.
One thing to realize with this method is that it doesn't make for a perfectly smooth finish. Small irregularities are here and there, which I planned ahead for. When these are done, I'm going to do the "paper bag floor" technique on them, which looks great with such irregularities.
One other thing I wanted to mention. I will be making another test panel, as last night I had a great idea for a method that would not only be lighter and stronger yet, but also easier to manufacture. I just wanted to test the idea first, as I can't recall ever hearing of it being tried. I'll detail it when I get around to doing a building materials comparison post.
I got a good start on the upper cabinets this week. Again, low weight being my primary goal, a lot of thought and effort has went into this portion. I know I've already said it, but up to this point I did a series of test for suitable light and strong building materials, which I'll detail in a later post. In the end, I decided to build the upper cabinetry out of 1/2" EPS foam, re-enforced in key areas with 1/2" lumber and laminated with a mixture of Titebond II woodglue and canvas. This is also known as "poor man's fiberglass", and many small boats and even campers have been successfully made with this technique. The test panels I did prior to starting the cabinetry were unbelievably light and strong (around 5 oz per square foot!) I'm just going to skim over what I've got done so far for now, but eventually I plan on covering the process a little more in detail.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...B_IMG_14635903047907847_zpsjd8breb7.jpg[/img]
I had some bed slats on hand that just happened to be 1/2" thick
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_133032_zpsn8a9x8lf.jpg[/img]
I ripped them down into 1/2" sticks on my table saw.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160518_161153_zpspaa2tlih.jpg[/img]
Using a mixture of the 1/2" lumber I resawed, and some 1/2" foam, I started building out the cabinets
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160520_111150_zpsnmplqmix.jpg[/img]
I used Gorilla Glue to glue the foam to the 1/2" lumber framework. I used masking tape to hold things in place while the glue cured.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...B_IMG_14637615896892164_zpscq2k6ccr.jpg[/img]
Then cut in door openings. These will be lined with 1/2" lumber also before being covered with canvas.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160520_111214_zpsgykhlzwu.jpg[/img]
It's hard to really describe just how much storage this adds, but this picture shows it pretty well. Each side cabinet is 14" deep at the bottom, and 54" long. The rear storage area is 68" wide and 20" deep. The storage areas are just over 13" in height. This adds up to over 20 square feet of storage area, and nearly 23 cubic feet of storage just in the hightop area, while still leaving plenty of head room where it's needed.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160520_125450_zpsinbimu4w.jpg[/img]
The cabinet set was built as 3 pieces. All were removed so that I could trim excess glue, fill low spots, etc.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160521_102645_zpsy4nlvvpz.jpg[/img]
Laminating with canvas is a bit of a chore, and pretty messy work. This section took me two days, as I had to wait for one side to dry before starting the other side. Actual laminating time was only a couple of hours, but it really takes a while to dry fully
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160521_111341_zpsn4y0vt0f.jpg[/img]
This is the only cabinet that I've laminated so far, and I just completed it yesterday. I checked it this morning, and it's incredibly stiff and light. I didn't actually weigh it yet, but if I had to guess right now the entire side cabinet assembly probably weighs somewhere between 5 and 7 lbs.
One thing to realize with this method is that it doesn't make for a perfectly smooth finish. Small irregularities are here and there, which I planned ahead for. When these are done, I'm going to do the "paper bag floor" technique on them, which looks great with such irregularities.
One other thing I wanted to mention. I will be making another test panel, as last night I had a great idea for a method that would not only be lighter and stronger yet, but also easier to manufacture. I just wanted to test the idea first, as I can't recall ever hearing of it being tried. I'll detail it when I get around to doing a building materials comparison post.
ViaVacavi
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- Joined
- Dec 18, 2015
- Messages
- 181
- Reaction score
- 0
Other Odds & Ends
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_194550_zpst9lii862.jpg[/img]
It's always fun cutting a hole in a perfectly good vehicle
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_194858_zpsag5ryyts.jpg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...0160519_195105_zpswqbr1ypk.jpg~original[/img]
Even though the new shore power input (15 Amp) is right out in the open, it blends in very well and you'd only notice it if you were looking for it.
Speaking of RV stuff, we successfully went to the BMV here in Ohio and got the van re-titled as a motorhome! There are a few reasons why we decided to do this:
It's been a lot of work lately with little play, so it's time that this can provide a little joy and relief, even though it's not done yet. But as you all know, all you need is a place to sleep, a place to cook and a little storage room. We already have that and more, so time for a break for a bit. I'll continue working on laminating the cabinets this week, and maybe even starting the full kitchen build out. When those things are ready, It'll go back to the garage for a few days for the new additions!
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160521_202429_zpsrheq8c5q.jpg[/img]
We secured a great deal at a local campsite. $595 for the entire year, with electric hookup! The lots are huge, nicely wooded, and very close by!
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201773467534616_zpskhxrlzls.jpeg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201775507945625_zpstdlgyo32.jpeg[/img]
Between the skylights above and all of the windows , the views of the surroundings are amazing. Probably not the best setup for cold weather with all of that glass, but we will eventually make insulated covers for the Windows
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201775507425612_zps2ri5u605.jpeg[/img]
Here you can see a cheap plastic chest of drawers for some storage while the cabinetry is being finished. Of course, there is still tons of storage under the bed, over the cab and in the doors for now. You can also see the temporary 120v outlet location, and an infrared heater (400 watts on low, 800 watts on high )
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201775507905624_zpsp023lagm.jpeg[/img]
This experience is showing us just how little we need. Cabinets, electrical systems, fancy trim work... None of that is needed ! We will get there eventually because we want it, but definitely not a need!
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_194550_zpst9lii862.jpg[/img]
It's always fun cutting a hole in a perfectly good vehicle
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160519_194858_zpsag5ryyts.jpg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...0160519_195105_zpswqbr1ypk.jpg~original[/img]
Even though the new shore power input (15 Amp) is right out in the open, it blends in very well and you'd only notice it if you were looking for it.
Speaking of RV stuff, we successfully went to the BMV here in Ohio and got the van re-titled as a motorhome! There are a few reasons why we decided to do this:
- Where we live, RV insurance is very cheap!
- RV insurance normally has a "storage" option, where your insurance is dropped dramatically during times when the RV isn't in active use. As we are not yet full-timers, and unlikely to be for a little while yet, this is an attractive option
- We're sure this is just more of a musing, but I could imagine an interaction with police where they may be a little more understanding when they see that the vehicle is actually titled and registered as a motorhome. They might even notice this when running plates, and have less apprehension knowing there is likely travelers/campers inside.
- We've seen areas marked as RV parking ONLY. Technically this is now legally an RV
- We've seen areas marked as RV parking Prohibited. Even though technically it's legally an RV now, I would think being a passenger van it wouldn't stand out enough to warrant scrutiny. It's kind of like having the best of both worlds.
- Some camp grounds will only allow RVs (we've seen verbage of no conversion vans). I believe showing title and registration could get around these limitations too at some places.
It's been a lot of work lately with little play, so it's time that this can provide a little joy and relief, even though it's not done yet. But as you all know, all you need is a place to sleep, a place to cook and a little storage room. We already have that and more, so time for a break for a bit. I'll continue working on laminating the cabinets this week, and maybe even starting the full kitchen build out. When those things are ready, It'll go back to the garage for a few days for the new additions!
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160521_202429_zpsrheq8c5q.jpg[/img]
We secured a great deal at a local campsite. $595 for the entire year, with electric hookup! The lots are huge, nicely wooded, and very close by!
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201773467534616_zpskhxrlzls.jpeg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201775507945625_zpstdlgyo32.jpeg[/img]
Between the skylights above and all of the windows , the views of the surroundings are amazing. Probably not the best setup for cold weather with all of that glass, but we will eventually make insulated covers for the Windows
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201775507425612_zps2ri5u605.jpeg[/img]
Here you can see a cheap plastic chest of drawers for some storage while the cabinetry is being finished. Of course, there is still tons of storage under the bed, over the cab and in the doors for now. You can also see the temporary 120v outlet location, and an infrared heater (400 watts on low, 800 watts on high )
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201775507905624_zpsp023lagm.jpeg[/img]
This experience is showing us just how little we need. Cabinets, electrical systems, fancy trim work... None of that is needed ! We will get there eventually because we want it, but definitely not a need!
highdesertranger
R.I.P HDR
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2012
- Messages
- 22,892
- Reaction score
- 87
nice work. I truly admire your perseverance with the engine. highdesertranger
ViaVacavi
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- Joined
- Dec 18, 2015
- Messages
- 181
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- 0
Updated Weight Report
Updated the weight report with the installed bed information. With floor and bed fully installed, we still have nearly 400 lbs remaining in the weight budget. Upper cabinets aren't finished yet, but early indications indicate the completed upper cabinet set should come in under 20 lbs. I'm starting to think it may be possible to have a wet weight that is lighter than my original starting weight!
[img=640x722]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/20160524 van weight_zpsyppa4lie.jpg[/img]
Updated the weight report with the installed bed information. With floor and bed fully installed, we still have nearly 400 lbs remaining in the weight budget. Upper cabinets aren't finished yet, but early indications indicate the completed upper cabinet set should come in under 20 lbs. I'm starting to think it may be possible to have a wet weight that is lighter than my original starting weight!
[img=640x722]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/20160524 van weight_zpsyppa4lie.jpg[/img]
ViaVacavi
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BradKW said:Great work so far! I really find that foam board cabinetry very interesting...never seen it before.
Where did you see that...any youtube links?
I worked on AV-8B barrier jump jets when I was in the Marine Corps. as an Airframes mechanic. In the aviation industry various foams are used in construction and repair work due to its excellent compressive strength and light weight. In fact, there is a popular DIY ultralight made almost entirely out of foam and dacron fabric with very minimal wood (Google search Sky Pup). Part of load testing the 20+ foot wing span is placing 500 lbs on both wing tips. This wing is 90% foam and can support that kind of weight with that leverage!
RQ Riley is a pioneer in using foam and fiberglass for one-off vehicle bodies (http://www.rqriley.com/frp-foam.htm ).
There is also a forum dedicated to foam-built travel trailers, called "foamies" ( http://tnttt.com/viewforum.php?f=55 )
All of these things leverage the compressive strength and light weight of foam, combine it with an outer skin that has a high tensile strength and the end result is a light, strong and stiff composite.
I'm still waiting to get a chance to test a composite that I believe will be cheaper, lighter and stronger than the canvas/foam that I'm using on the cabinets. I won't get a chance to until the end of the week though
ViaVacavi
Well-known member
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- Dec 18, 2015
- Messages
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First Upper Cabinet Installed
It was a busy Holiday weekend, so not a whole lot got done.
The first part of the upper cabinet system got finished with the canvas/glue layup, and installed. The whole canvas/foam method doesn't provide for a perfect looking finish, so early on we decided that we would add a finish that actually plays to the advantage of the imperfect surface. Having read about a lot about "paper bag floors" and having seen a lot of pictures, we wanted to give our new cabinets this look.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796810838184_zps1iidqxuq.jpeg[/img]
She started by taking brown paper bags and ripping them into random shapes all around the same size
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796855679305_zpshxu9bq64.jpeg[/img]
And set up a quick work station to do the glue work
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201798877009837_zpsmkln93uv.jpeg[/img]
Not long later, all the pieces were glued into place and left to dry overnight
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796695755307_zpsmnxkzhwb.jpeg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796793077740_zps8ftionzf.jpeg[/img]
We still have to stain and polyurethane the cabinet, but that will be done last when all 3 cabinets are in. Pictures really don't do it justice at all, it's a very unique and pleasant look. The staining steps later will really bring out the seams and creases in the paper, giving a very strong random grain.
As of today (Thursday), the matching cabinet for the other side is ready to go in, which will probably happen on Saturday. Then the process of adding the finish will repeat.
It was a busy Holiday weekend, so not a whole lot got done.
The first part of the upper cabinet system got finished with the canvas/glue layup, and installed. The whole canvas/foam method doesn't provide for a perfect looking finish, so early on we decided that we would add a finish that actually plays to the advantage of the imperfect surface. Having read about a lot about "paper bag floors" and having seen a lot of pictures, we wanted to give our new cabinets this look.
[img=640x853]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796810838184_zps1iidqxuq.jpeg[/img]
She started by taking brown paper bags and ripping them into random shapes all around the same size
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796855679305_zpshxu9bq64.jpeg[/img]
And set up a quick work station to do the glue work
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201798877009837_zpsmkln93uv.jpeg[/img]
Not long later, all the pieces were glued into place and left to dry overnight
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796695755307_zpsmnxkzhwb.jpeg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201796793077740_zps8ftionzf.jpeg[/img]
We still have to stain and polyurethane the cabinet, but that will be done last when all 3 cabinets are in. Pictures really don't do it justice at all, it's a very unique and pleasant look. The staining steps later will really bring out the seams and creases in the paper, giving a very strong random grain.
As of today (Thursday), the matching cabinet for the other side is ready to go in, which will probably happen on Saturday. Then the process of adding the finish will repeat.
ViaVacavi
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2015
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- 181
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- 0
Refrigerator and Storage
This week we also got a refrigerator. We are in a situation where 95% of the time we have shore power available, and don't really have a full 12v system installed yet, so we decided to get a 120V mini fridge. It's 3.1 CuFt. in the refrigerator section, and has a separate freezer section. We chose this over the normal 12v cooler-style fridges for several reasons:
- We normally have shore power
- We prefer a vertical fridge
- Having a dedicated freezer was important
- We don't have our 12v system designed yet, no extra batteries or even solar installed. We are already using the van and needed a fridge now.
- Cost! A decent 12v fridge can be pretty expensive. For how little we actually need the extra efficiency of a true 12v fridge, it just didn't make sense financially at this point.
That being said, I've already done schematics to do a pseudo-12v conversion. The idea is to put all controlling circuitry on 12VDC. This will be easy, as it's just simple bimetallic thermostats that operate the compressor. I will power the thermostat and light circuit with 12VDC, which will eventually terminate at a 40Amp Solid State Relay, which will in turn port power to a small 200-300 watt pure sine wave inverter to power the compressor. This will allow me to continue to use the 120v compressor, and since the inverter will only be powered when the thermostat calls for the compressor to run, parasitic losses will be minimalized as much as possible. I won't have numbers until this is done of course, but I believe that the average power consumption will only be around 25% more than a true DC refrigerator of the same capacity, which is plenty acceptable for our application.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160531_194508_zpsdizpfdb6.jpg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201802079449896_zpsruuq54us.jpeg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160531_194603_zpslmvu3pab.jpg[/img]
So far so good! We are very happy with the size and performance of this setup. I'll do a detailed post when we do the pseudo-12v conversion to the fridge
Storage Totes
Lastly, we found some really good storage totes for under the bed. One of the things we liked about the bed frame we ended up with, was that it had a full 12 1/2" clearance for totes beneath
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160531_194536_zpsyt9i3juw.jpg[/img]
We started with 4 53-quart totes, which are 12 1/4" high. 4 fit very easily under the bed and provide a huge amount of organized storage. We will add 2 more next time we go by WalMart. Between these, and finishing the upper cabinets, I can't imagine that storage will be an issue for us anytime soon. We still have the kitchen cabinets to do, along with lower cabinets in the rear along the walls, beneath the windows.
This week we also got a refrigerator. We are in a situation where 95% of the time we have shore power available, and don't really have a full 12v system installed yet, so we decided to get a 120V mini fridge. It's 3.1 CuFt. in the refrigerator section, and has a separate freezer section. We chose this over the normal 12v cooler-style fridges for several reasons:
- We normally have shore power
- We prefer a vertical fridge
- Having a dedicated freezer was important
- We don't have our 12v system designed yet, no extra batteries or even solar installed. We are already using the van and needed a fridge now.
- Cost! A decent 12v fridge can be pretty expensive. For how little we actually need the extra efficiency of a true 12v fridge, it just didn't make sense financially at this point.
That being said, I've already done schematics to do a pseudo-12v conversion. The idea is to put all controlling circuitry on 12VDC. This will be easy, as it's just simple bimetallic thermostats that operate the compressor. I will power the thermostat and light circuit with 12VDC, which will eventually terminate at a 40Amp Solid State Relay, which will in turn port power to a small 200-300 watt pure sine wave inverter to power the compressor. This will allow me to continue to use the 120v compressor, and since the inverter will only be powered when the thermostat calls for the compressor to run, parasitic losses will be minimalized as much as possible. I won't have numbers until this is done of course, but I believe that the average power consumption will only be around 25% more than a true DC refrigerator of the same capacity, which is plenty acceptable for our application.
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160531_194508_zpsdizpfdb6.jpg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...ived_10201802079449896_zpsruuq54us.jpeg[/img]
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160531_194603_zpslmvu3pab.jpg[/img]
So far so good! We are very happy with the size and performance of this setup. I'll do a detailed post when we do the pseudo-12v conversion to the fridge
Storage Totes
Lastly, we found some really good storage totes for under the bed. One of the things we liked about the bed frame we ended up with, was that it had a full 12 1/2" clearance for totes beneath
[img=640x480]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/IMG_20160531_194536_zpsyt9i3juw.jpg[/img]
We started with 4 53-quart totes, which are 12 1/4" high. 4 fit very easily under the bed and provide a huge amount of organized storage. We will add 2 more next time we go by WalMart. Between these, and finishing the upper cabinets, I can't imagine that storage will be an issue for us anytime soon. We still have the kitchen cabinets to do, along with lower cabinets in the rear along the walls, beneath the windows.
ViaVacavi
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2015
- Messages
- 181
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- 0
Updated Weight Report
Here is the updated report after adding the refrigerator and one upper cabinet this week
[img=463x640]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/20160602 van weight_zpsmrha9x9t.jpg[/img]
Still about 330 lbs to go before we even get back to the starting weight! Looking good!
Here is the updated report after adding the refrigerator and one upper cabinet this week
[img=463x640]http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/...avi/20160602 van weight_zpsmrha9x9t.jpg[/img]
Still about 330 lbs to go before we even get back to the starting weight! Looking good!
ArtW
Well-known member
Nice work, I had one of those bed frames in my S&B, and me and my ex thought it was the best bed frame ever
ArtW
Well-known member
Only time I disliked ours was when we moved it, being in a S&B and both of us being fat, we had a queen, which was pretty much 2 smaller frames with some metal 'bridge' bits holding them relative to each other, so you had to take the mattress up and move the frame in stages (ours might've been a different brand, we got it at WalMart)
totally worth it for the sleeping experience, though
totally worth it for the sleeping experience, though
