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Van crew - assemble


blutarsky

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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 

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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. 

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  • 5 weeks later...

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 🤦🏻‍♂️ 

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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. 
 

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I feel for you. Is it salvageable? 

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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..! 

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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. 

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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.

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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. 

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Edited by blutarsky
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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 by blutarsky
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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... 😉

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