SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Self builds and DIY projects
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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 19741Post wonkywheel
October 26th, 2017, 10:37 pm

Just a small update

After a nudge from Zildjian I thought I ought to post a progress report.

With the break for Santa Pod Teardrop repairs, then 2 weeks holiday in Cornwall work on the demountable has been a bit slow. The grinding disks finally arrived. The hold up was caused because the manufacturer ceasing production on the thin cutting disks I wanted. I thought cutting disks could be useful with my ever improving welding ability meaning its not so easy to rectify mistakes(see dimensional errors below)

The idea of leaving all that aluminium box section laying about in the backyard un-nerved me a little. With this in mind, I fitted a couple more CCTV camera's and updated the software so that I could access the system online while I was on holiday. I also virtually took the the whole build to pieces. This was done to enable me to store it more securely and more importantly ready to weld the sections together. Because this is an outside build in a backyard :roll: portability is important.

I decided to weld together the horizontal sections all first but leaving the outside shape to be welded with the vertical sections. This will mean I can play about with extra spars for window fitting and move all the pieces about until I weld horizontals to verticals. This will need to be done close to the where the truck is parked ready to mount it.


I will get some photo's sorted this weekend(weather permitting)

So far, I have the centre table welded. Glued the aluminium laminate to it. When the edging strips are fitted along with the aluminium angle I will have a legless coffee table :lol:

The cab over double bed base is welded, although dimensional errors mean I need to either cut 10mm off 2 spars or add 10mm to the other 2 spars to enable the final side to be welded on :oops:
That will wait until I am sure it will fit in between the main side rails.
In most cases I have taken the aluminium corner pieces off. This allowed me to stitch the faces together in position then weld a fillet down the intersecting corner.
In the area where the turnbuckle clamps will work, the corner pieces were welded in place for added stength.

Thats about as far as we go for now

Image
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 19846Post wonkywheel
November 3rd, 2017, 10:13 pm

Here are a few of the photo's I promised ;)

Image

A lot of the disassembled verticle pieces :o

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Although my welding skills are improving, with so many joints to set, prep, weld and then grind/buff to finish. Progress seems very slow. Much slower than my consumption of Aron gas, as I am almost 1/4 way through the first bottle. My bottle should last for about 4 1/2 hours welding but we will see.

Image

This is the near completed cab over bed section. (minus the ill fitting final sections)

Image

On a welding note.
I noticed on this picture the weld build seems a little high/big??
Next session either a bit more power, or a faster run, or perhaps a slower wire feed????????????????????????? :roll: Or perhaps all of them :geek:
Practice makes :?
If welding gives you Lemons, reach for the G&T 8-)

There are only so many welded joint pictures a forum can take, and I think I have reached the limit. So no more untill there is acual build progress.

I have ordered a couple of transport windows that should arrive next week.
One is to give light and ventilation over the galley area(Horizontal slider). The other is a vertical slider to put in the top section of the stable door type I am planning. (to stop the dog escaping)

Second thoughts on my jack legs.
I think I may have over-engineered them with quite a heavy section aluminium box but will live with it for now.
Have deceided to use a limited length of screw (400mm) and add a third center section to the legs. This will drop down to near ground level and be secured with a locking pin. Ordering for this will wait untill I can get a better idea how much more box, h section and angle I need to take me through to completion. :!:
Bevel gears and bearings are on order.
Last edited by wonkywheel on May 8th, 2019, 12:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

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Big Jim
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 19848Post Big Jim
November 3rd, 2017, 11:47 pm

Are you doing all your welding outside ? Wind blowing away the gas can make quite a difference . I would weld what you can in the garage ( or kitchen ) or use some sort of windbreak . It looks like more heat is required . It would be good to get a pretty flush weld , but you are making good progress .

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 19853Post wonkywheel
November 4th, 2017, 8:59 am

Thanks for the input Jim.
I will try a bit more power to get more heat into the weld. It's a very fine line between penetration and blow through with only 16swg. I could also turn up the gas flow a bit as the gas miser is set to 7-10(about 1/3 way open)
Outside build I'm afraid, and the kitchen so small there is only just enough room for me and the welding trolley so that's where it will have to stay. I thought I might try the same idea as I did with the teardrop build. A big cheap tent off ebay, but having set fire to the dry grass in the backyard twice with the weld spatter, being shut in a burning tent did not appeal. I could try a gazebo with a couple of sides? we will see.

There won't be much progress today.

Image

The view from the back door shows its pouring with rain. In the background you can see the almost finished legless dining table. At least the build is totally waterproof which is a step up from my delaminating teardrop.
Last edited by wonkywheel on May 8th, 2019, 12:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 19906Post wonkywheel
November 8th, 2017, 12:25 am

Slight set back

In an effort to keep up with dressing the welds back to flat before welding the internal fillets I made a mistake. :oops:
The grinding wheel on the disk grinder. Well, the one that is left, after the NEW back up failed and went POP :twisted:
needed replacing, as it was worn out. I try to use it until it starts to get hot, then leave it to cool down while I do something else.

Elf and safety in mind, I switched off, removed the plug then changed the disk ;)

Upon going back to grinding, after putting on my protective over goggles, gloves, hat, and ear defenders. I noticed that the guard had moved around off centre.
Without thinking, I rotated the guard to put it back in position.

BIG MISTAKE :oops: :roll: :oops: :roll: :oops: :roll: :(

My finger protruded over the edge of the guard, resulting in a very dirty, roughly 5mm slot down the end of my thumb.

Boy did I say blow it *!~~#*#

With my thumb then looking something similar to a cloven hoof I went to my daughter for assistance.
As an NHS person, she is used to dealing with idiots.

The building gloves I had on had a rubber palm grip. This melted with the heat from the grinding operation and it stuck to my slotted thumb :shock:
After 20 minutes with tweezers and a scapel, it was as clean as it was going to be, as the feeling was starting to return. :shock: ouch!!

A day taped up. a bit throbby(not a real word but you know what I mean)
A second clean then treated with honey :geek: :geek: !!!!!!!!!!
A day later and it looks like a thumb again :lol: :lol: :lol:

So another day or two , weather permitting it will be back to the build :D

The door vertical slider window nor the sink horizontal slider window have arrived yet so I have that to look foreward to 8-)
(Part 1 of the What window question)
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
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zildjian
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 19910Post zildjian
November 8th, 2017, 7:27 am

Glad you were wearing at least some of the PPE but grinders have A&E just written all over them don't they, hope finger gets better shortly mate and take it easy :)

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 19942Post wonkywheel
November 11th, 2017, 11:50 pm

Thumb much improved now folks. ;) The honey seems to have cleaned and promoted healing. Well enough to allow some more work on the build.
Managed to keep all my fingers and thumbs finishing off dressing back all that had been welded. :)
Prepared and set up the next lot ready to weld, although the weather doesn't look very promising for tomorrow and its church parade in the morning.
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 20080Post wonkywheel
November 24th, 2017, 10:14 pm

All the horizontal frame sections have now been stitched together apart from the outside spars.

These will be welded to the vertical sections with a good chance they will all fit together for assembly.
I still need to dress the surfaces back to flat with the DISK GRINDER :roll: then fillet weld all the internal joint for strength.
I am trying to stitch together as much as I can, rather than doing the fillets, before the gas runs out. I increased the gas flow to improve weld quality. I think the quality has improved, just at the cost of higher gas consumption. It is becoming obvious I will need another 10kg bottle of pure Argon before I finish the build. (I dont think it will ever be completely finished, always work in progress, especially when it reaches a usable state 8-) )

The two full-length heavy duty side sections have some of the verticals welded to them. Next job will be to take off the unwelded horizontal outside sections and weld them to the verticals.

I know I said there are enough pictures of weld but, I'll try to post some more tomorrow to make the above ramble understandable :?

I can now see a light at the end of the tunnel. Is it the end of the tunnel or just another train crash approaching ;)
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

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wonkywheel
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 20096Post wonkywheel
November 25th, 2017, 10:42 pm

More photo's 8-) to explain the last post.

Image
The roof horizontal laying out, top down. on the workbench :lol: with the edge pieces still screwed on, as welded. It was done in this way to
hopefully hold the welded pieces in correct alignment. Seemed to work :?:

Image
Edge pieces are taken off ready to be welded to the rest of the verticals.

The next horizontal section is the seat base level.

Image

This was put on top of the roof section to check line-up.....OK ;)
One of the side vertical pieces in the background with the cab over area farthest away

Image
Note the beefed up 2"x1" 4mm walled rectangular box edges to stop flexing.

The part welded side sections, again with 2"x1" strengthening, are standing in position to check the fit.....OK ;)

Both side pieces standing in position with one of the end pieces.
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The two side section were then inverted and test fitted to the seat section horizontal, while the welded roof section put away for later.

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Seems to be going to plan :roll:

Horizontal taken apart ready for the vertical build.
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I want to complete the side vertical sections complete with the cab over bed to get the true silhouette to enable me to cut the 2mm fibreglass
sheet outer wall. This comes off a 2.55-metre roll in any length you want, but it's not cheap. I have had a 6-metre roll laying in the garden for 6 months and am eager to unroll it and see what it looks like. It has a film protected high gloss surface on one side only, so, side sheets are not interchangeable making layout critical. In fact you can see it in some of the photos in this post. It's laying under the blue weed covered tarpaulin up against the fence. (even if I do say so myself :oops: my daughter and I made really good fence builders)
Providing it's as good as I hope it to be I estimate I will need another 8-metre roll for the cab over, roof and back

Talking of going to plan
Image
You can see from the CAD that the nose dosen't have a right-angle anywhere.
This means I cannot use the small angle pieces to screw it together prior to welding(as I have done with all of the others) It will be a case
of clamp and weld :? .
The framing for the bedroom windows needs to be cut. I waited until they arrived before wanting to commit to cutting.
Similarly, I will wait until the SEITZ 700mm x 400mm dining area windows arrive before cutting the framing. WINDOWS QUESTION DECISION
Last edited by wonkywheel on May 8th, 2019, 1:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" .......(Winston Churchill)

2007 Ford Ranger "Thunder" 4x4
Camper aedificavit domum
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zildjian
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Re: SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

Post: # 20101Post zildjian
November 26th, 2017, 8:53 am

Very good, can you take a fence down to get it out ultimately, I live fairly local to you

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