Where can I work on my Van

[Belchfire]

Hello All

I think I will have one day a week to work on my van
I need a place to do the work that won't attract undue attention

Someone told me big box stores like Home Depot are good spots
I would need a source of power for tools
Will Home Depot of places like that let me use power?
Thanks

 

[ccbreder]

Power is the real problem. i use robi battery drivers and drills. i also have a battery reciprocating saw. I do find i need a plug in, especially saws. But i just bought a small generator. so will see.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

My plan is to go to Home Depot, rent a generator and do the work there. I think I'll end up buying a used cordless drill as I know I'll get use out of it after the build is done.

 

[Bdog1]

You could use an inverter for 110v items. Even if the van has to run. You probably want/need one anyhow.

There's not much you can't do with battery tools there days , especially on a van building scale.

 

[Kimbopolo]

Maybe a business where power tools are commonly used. Like an independent auto mechanic's place of business or a perhaps a body shop?

 

[Luisafernandes]

Yes, some Home Depots and Lowes rent tools. You can probably rent whatever you need, including saws and drills (if you don't already have them, or don't want to buy) and generator. All you need is to buy some gas, park in the shade (if available) out of the way in some corner and do your work.
A friends driveway.
Storage unit. Not sure if you could plugin there, or even do the work on the van. Wouldn't hurt asking them.
[emoji106][emoji604]

 

[Reducto]

I did pretty much all of my build using a cordless drill and a corded jigsaw. The saw runs on my 350 watt inverter just fine. I just keep the speed low and don't overtax it. Hardware stores will do simple cuts on plywood for you which gets you at least part of the way there.

I've completed projects in home depot parking lots and in dispersed camping areas without any troubles. Camping spots are best if you need to unload a lot of stuff from your van before working. I try to keep the projects small and stay out of other peoples' way.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

i havent used the circular or jig yet but the new 20v cordless lithium stuff is pretty powerful. ive used the older nicad 18v ones and i can tell these are much more powerful, the sawzall is a beast. buy a good aftermarket blade tho.

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ive also done work at carwash, the unmanned powerwash kind..people expect you to unload at the vacuums and sawdust is easy to remove

 

[LeeRevell]

In my younger days as a muscle car fanatic, a couple of us rented a larger storage unit room, big enough to hold a car, our tools, and a little space to move around. We did have a 110AC outlet and lights. Down several doors was a bathroom with sink, so we had access to water. Also had an outside spigot.
The place wasn't fenced, and had no security back then. But several small businesses worked there, so someone friendly was always around. We even had our own resident drunk living in a smaller unit nearby. He made some wicked 'Apple Jack'......
Rules may have tightened nowadays, with health, safety and security concerns, not to mention insurance.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Doing it in a rental storage unit, or similar, is an excellent idea. However I wonder if they have rules and restrictions about noise... ie skilsaws etc?

 

[Almost There]

Doing it in a rental storage unit, or similar, is an excellent idea. However I wonder if they have rules and restrictions about noise... ie skilsaws etc?

Most all of the ones near me are unattended and I rarely see anyone around.

Even if the van doesn't fit inside, as long as it's got electricity, you're good there and it's a great place to store both stuff you've got to get out of the way to work and also to store materials. It may not have an electrical outlet just a ceiling light so you'd have to get one of the adapters.

As long as you can get it by the month, it's probably the best idea if you don't have a friend who has a driveway.

 

[cdiggy]

I have a storage bin and they have spaces to store boats and rvs too. I see guys working on their stuff all the time. One guy regularly charges the batteries on his beautiful 35'+ diesel powered wort housing extension cords ran acrossed the asphalt. Don't really know if he has permission to do that but he is getting away with it.

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That was "diesel powered wort hog"... Damn spell check

 

[Reducto]

ive also done work at carwash, the unmanned powerwash kind..people expect you to unload at the vacuums and sawdust is easy to remove

I've worked on cars at those before. Overnight there is nobody around to care what you're doing.

 

[LeeRevell]

Doing it in a rental storage unit, or similar, is an excellent idea. However I wonder if they have rules and restrictions about noise... ie skilsaws etc?

That drunk living in a unit I mentioned did report us once to the Sheriff Dept.
Funny thing though..... The deputy responding was my cousin, and he told the old coot he wasn't supposed to be living there anyways, so "Shut up or move out!"

Some mini-storage companies nowadays are fenced, and you can only get in when they are 'open'.
For a few years I used one local to my current home, that was unfenced, They had no one on duty at night but do have video cameras everywhere. Still break-ins are not unknown to happen.

 

[akrvbob]

I know several people who carry cheap tents if they have to set up a decoy camp of some kind like in a tent space at an r/v park or a walk in campground. Also, if your van is in the shop, you can set up the tent at a nearby RV park/campground and stay in it while the van is being worked on. You can also use them as shower or poop tents or as a guest room for visitors.

If you have a tent, you can head out onto public land and unload your stuff while you are working n the van. The tent would be less than a months storage space and be multi-useful.
Bob

 

[sparky1]

maybe IF you said where you are, their might be someone close that would be able to help.?

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I built mine at work using their power on weekends and in the evening , the one thing I regret not having bought when I started was a set of cordless tools that Makita sell it is a six piece cordless kit with drill, screw gun, reciprocating saw, skill saw, jig saw, grinder and some even have a bonus flashlight for around 650 to 700 dollars would have been all the tools I would have needed. I still plan on buying this unit as it has it's own bag and will be great to do work for myself or others while on the road. I have seen people working on cars and motorcycles at those storage places which is a great idea, I was fortunate to have a space at work to store building material as I was living in mine from the first day I bought it, at first a partial sheet of plywood balancing on the wheel well as a bed but it doesn't take long to get it to some degree of comfort. happy new year

 

[Duck]

Boatyards are another good option for this, power, workspace, accesibility and other issues are solved, and if you're not driving the van during the covnersio you don't have to worry about moving it.
Watch home depot for sales on tools,
Milwaukee 12v drill, impact driver(couldn't live without it) LED flashlight, and a cordless sawzall called a hackzall plus batteries and a charger were on special a while back, 149$ for the set.
This week should have good sales as well.
I prefer milwaukee over Makita for their tool selection(far better, car chargers, heated jackets, vacuums etc)and their aggressive sales, we use these tools all day every day at work, and out of the 3 kits I've bought(plus at least a dozen single tools) I've only ever had one problem, and that was an out of the box alignment issue on the jigsaw.

A good cordless jigsaw, and blades will go a long way to filling the gap left by not having a circular saw. Festool blades are expensive but they are the best for anything specialized, for the regular old plywood type cutting I use the bosch clean cut or progressive blades.
I can cut up to a 4x4 wood post without issue(extra long extra ridgid blade), metal(short and long blades), fiberglass(carbide tipped blades) even foam insulation(serrated knife blade) with the festool blades I have.
Using the same batteries to power my shop vac, which gets connected to the jigsaw means that no power is required to do basic cutting cleanly. A little slower than a circular saw, but it will get the job done.

 

[highdesertranger]

belchfire it would help if we knew what area you are in. highdesertranger

 

[flying kurbmaster]

yes the little 12 volt milwaukees are great. small easy to handle and plenty of grunt, I mentioned the Makita because that particular 6 piece set is a good deal and has everything you need and very respectable tools, staying with one brand is the way to go whichever way you decide so the batteries are interchangeable, if you go with the 12v Milwaukee you still have to go with a second type of battery for the rest of their tools, like the jigsaw, don't you? or do they make a 12v jigsaw, circular saw now