Van crew - assemble

[ian the worm]

Insulate, sound deaden and ventilate.

Ply and carpet line. Then just use it with camp bed and bucket and hooks on the wall. Nothing fixed. 

Probably make a headliner shelf and bulkhead. 

[blutarsky]

Are you fitting solar? I just splashed out on this kit from eBay: https://bit.ly/2S0WB9b

Also bought a reversing camera as the XLWB makes Bluebell a  bugger to reverse. Reversing into my drive has become a fine art, as i have to line up the corner of the hedge and the opposite fence post to know I will get round. Reminds me of the *niche reference alert* bit in Swallows and Amazons *middle class childhood klaxon* where the kids are trying to sail into a cove at night using storm lanterns. 
https://bit.ly/3iKEbEF 

[blutarsky]

Busy day! 
Reversing camera fitted, plus a Fiamma Turbo Vent and an MPK roof vent. As luck would have it, it’s started raining fairly heavily this evening so we got the perfect opportunity to see if the vents leak and touch wood it’s so far, so good. 
 

Solar panels and brackets arrived today so hoping to possibly get them on the roof tomorrow, or the smaller vent I’m putting in the bathroom. Failing that, I’ll put in the shower tray and toilet. 

[ian the worm]

Roof leak solved. 
Roof ventilation installed. 
Floor insulation and ply and carpet completed. 
Bed received. 
 

[funkychick2007]

Tht was quick work! 

[blutarsky]

3 hours ago, ian the worm said:

Roof leak solved. 
Roof ventilation installed. 
Floor insulation and ply and carpet completed. 
Bed received. 
 

Ready to hit the road! 

[blutarsky]

Maiden trip, fold out camp bed in the back bungee strapped to the side of the van! Camping stove for coffee! Stag do in the ass end of nowhere done 

[ian the worm]

Overhead shelf and half bulkhead done.

Bed is a perfect fit.  

[blutarsky]

Yesterday’s job - cutting ply to fit the ceiling and using a router to cut grooves into it so it looks like wood panelling. 
It was all going well and I got it onto the ceiling. On doing so I discovered the hole for the bathroom roof vent was too small and needed to use a multi-tool to enlarge it. 
When I finished, I realised I’d left the underside of the roof vent attached and hadn’t needed to enlarge it at all - hence I now have a hole that’s too big and have to start the whole job again. FML 🤦🏻‍♂️ 

[deebeedoobee]

We lined our van’s roof. So we can see blue skies no matter what the weather outside.

[ian the worm]

This evening I am plywooding the ceiling. 

How the walls look so far (with and without my daughters flat)

 

[ian the worm]

I spent all day saying “Blutarsky says careful not to bodge the vent cutting”. And yet, about an hour ago I found that I also have cut my vent hole badly. 

I would mind, but I know a thing or two about holes. 
 

[blutarsky]

9 hours ago, ian the worm said:

I spent all day saying “Blutarsky says careful not to bodge the vent cutting”. And yet, about an hour ago I found that I also have cut my vent hole badly. 

I would mind, but I know a thing or two about holes. 
 

I feel for you. Is it salvageable? 

[ian the worm]

It’s amazing what carpet can hide. 

[blutarsky]

4 hours ago, ian the worm said:

It’s amazing what carpet can hide. 

I don’t have that luxury as we’re having a wood finish 😔 

Here’s the second attempt in progress… 

On the plus side, I have realised I can get away with routing thinner ply so I’ve ended up saving a lot of weight on the roof. 
I’m also getting bloody good with a jigsaw..! 

[ian the worm]

Nice shop there. 

And CAD (cardboard aided design).

[blutarsky]

24 minutes ago, ian the worm said:

Nice shop there. 

And CAD (cardboard aided design).

Not mine, my dad’s, but a useful resource to have! Still got one section of ceiling to get up tomorrow - pics when it’s done. Pleased with how today’s work went though, much neater. 
Also managed to insulate my CAK water tanks and hammerite the brackets which hold them under the van today. 

[DarrenVonBoathook]

4 hours ago, blutarsky said:

Also managed to insulate my CAK water tanks and hammerite the brackets which hold them under the van today. 

What did you use to insulate the water tanks?

Edited July 28, 2021 by DarrenVonBoathook

[blutarsky]

9 hours ago, DarrenVonBoathook said:

What did you use to insulate the water tanks?

Just the silver bubble wrap. I’ll get a picture. 

[blutarsky]

11 hours ago, DarrenVonBoathook said:

What did you use to insulate the water tanks?

 

[Quark]

I don't have a camper and I'm crap at building stuff.

I find this thread absolutely fascinating!

[SighMo]

1 hour ago, Quark said:

I don't have a camper and I'm crap at building stuff.

I find this thread absolutely fascinating!

I'm the same; no interest at all in getting a camper but love this thread...needs more pics please.

[blutarsky]

A couple of PSAs for anyone considering their own van conversion… 

1 - don’t go too overboard with this PET insulation until after you’ve got all your fixings done. This is because if a screw catches the insulation it will wind itself round the thread, melt, form a rock solid blob of plastic, and prevent you getting your fixings in. 
 

2 - if you convert a minibus and find these metal mounting points on the roof, ignore them. I thought they’d be great for mounting to, but they’re so solid self-tappers can’t get through them and they’re difficult to fix to even if you pre-drill them. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by blutarsky

[blutarsky]

1 hour ago, SighMo said:

I'm the same; no interest at all in getting a camper but love this thread...needs more pics please.

More pics coming up. 

3 hours ago, Quark said:

I don't have a camper and I'm crap at building stuff.

I find this thread absolutely fascinating!

You should give something a go - you’ll probably surprise yourself. I’m an English teacher with very limited building and DIY experience but I’m doing this campervan and I’ve even built an extension on my house. You can learn anything on YouTube. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by blutarsky

[SighMo]

3 minutes ago, blutarsky said:

More pics coming up. 

You should give something a go - you’ll probably surprise yourself. I’m an English teacher with very limited building and DIY experience but I’m doing this campervan and I’ve even built an extension on my house. You can learn anything on YouTube. 

Only meant the camper van bit. Since I bought my circular saw and watched a bit of You Tube I've transformed the house and garden... 😉