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

Posted: April 5th, 2018, 8:44 pm
by zildjian
By design or chance, batteries and often fresh water tank ends up between seats and against bulkhead as they are the two heaviest elements so best as far forward as you can get them.
Getting interesting as it's being built up now, and you picked a good day for it today :)

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

Posted: April 6th, 2018, 9:11 pm
by wonkywheel
Not such a good day today weatherwise although it warmed up later. With the promise of nice weather, I decided not to spoil a 4-day weekend so I did more to the camper 8-) instead of going to work.
I finished welding all the pieces that needed to be done to ensure a good fit.
I welded the outer framing for the rear door and tried it in the hole. Making the parts in a modular fashion has its problems :? . The back vertical wall didn't quite match the already welded base block leaving the doorway too narrow at the bottom. I had aimed at about 10mm all around clearance at this stage.(the reveal is 3mm each side, the door corner edging 1mm each side leaving 1mm ) I consider this is hardly enough and might have to go for a thinner reveal. With this in mind, I had to grind through the weld and adjust the offending spar with a lump hammer :ugeek:

It is a testament to how my welding had improved. :lol:

Some extra support spars were screwed into place at points I thought looked weak
All the vertical sections were tacked together in situ then the whole thing disassembled into the base block, horizontals and verticals. :shock:
I will go through all of these, fillet welding where necessary. Some of the corner pieces used to screw together the frame were welded in situ. This was for added strength as they are a heavier gauge and allow a bit more power without blowing through. When all assembled none of the joints will be visible and just to be sure I might take out all the screws, that are technically not doing anything, and open the tapped hole out to take a 4mm pop rivet. Beld and braces I know but, I noted the screws had started to show signs of rust. I'm not sure if you can get a galvanic type electrical corrosion but I think aluminium rivets will quell my fears. ;) I had used stainless self-tapping screws originally but found if the pilot hole was dead on the recommended size I could break the head off. If I used a larger size drill, as required in thicker sections I could strip the threads out :(

Image

Bits all over the place.
At least it allowed me to give the work area a bit of a spring clean, ( Cut the grass :lol: ) it was getting quite shabby plus the dog has only got short legs and was beginning to refuse to use it. Image

The fiberglass sheets will have to come off too as I will need to weld all the seams together on final assembly. This will be done at the top of the garden near the rear access road. The base section is almost completely welded up, apart from the added supports. This will go back to the work area (lawn) to have all the checker plate refitted and the corner angle pieces fitted and sealed.

Still a lot to do to get my watertight box but I'm getting excited :oops: :oops:

I still need to find and easy way of taking the cover off the back of the pickup. 4 of us rearly struggled taking it off and putting it back. It could just be that 2 of us were short Arses :roll:

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

Posted: April 6th, 2018, 9:22 pm
by zildjian
I have the truck canopy off now so if you think it of use at this stage I could load camper one weekend and pop over so you can compare measurements etc

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

Posted: April 7th, 2018, 8:02 am
by wonkywheel
Thanks, Zildjian you're more than welcome at any time.
I don't think it will be necessary to load the camper and bring it over here but if it's out of hibernation I would like to come over again to take another look and check out as many of the things as I can remember I missed last time.
I'll bring a tape measure and a notebook this time :roll:

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

Posted: April 7th, 2018, 10:55 am
by zildjian
Sure, I think you have my phone number but let me know if not

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

Posted: April 8th, 2018, 8:26 pm
by wonkywheel
Sorry Zildjian, meant to ring you today but it slipped my mind.(found your number eventually :roll: ) Will call in the week

With a view to getting close to trying the whole shell onto the truck :lol: (I have only tried the base section before)
I was thinking about getting the canopy off the back of the pickup. Last time getting it off and then back on again afterward was such a problem. Not only was it as heavy as hell but also difficult to manage. I didn't like having to rely on other people to help me lift it and even then I managed to damage the paintwork while standing it on its end. :cry:

I have been trawling through the posts for inspiration(WHAT ON HERE! I hear you shout :oops: ) but only found a fleeting mention on the subject using a modified engine hoist. After checking out secondhand prices on ebay and the cost and time involved in fetching any that were available I decided to order a new one to be delivered to work :shock: ( I keep kidding myself that all the tools and equipement that I have purchased for this camper can be sold at the end to recover some of the cost :| Fat Chance)

[urlImage][/url]

It should look very similar to this.
I am hoping that I can get the boom over the centre of the canopy and lift it with the fitted roof bars. The theory is the base will straddle the rear wheel whilst the boom should reach the middle. It might not work the first time but I can see adjustment possibilities. Having read some of the feedback on the purchase site it does appear larger caster wheels would help it move on uneven ground. So 1. Big castors on the back wheels will increase the clearance height over the canopy while lowering the angle of attack ;) 2. the length the boom is out fully, it is rated a 1/2 a ton lift. I know the canopy is heavy but it's not 1/2 ton so I could fit a longer boom to reach providing I can put my 12 stone on to act as a counterbalance. (The hydraulic cylinder is rated at 8 ton)

I could modify my skip find to carry either the camper or the canopy[urlImage][/url]
It will need extending to carry the camper but is about right for the canopy. Cut in half with slide in tubes 8-) sorted

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

Posted: April 8th, 2018, 8:38 pm
by Toshbins
I use a similar crane to lift off the roll bar/roller shutter combination from the back of the truck. I’ve had to extend the arm so that the 1 ton rating at short reach is very much reduced at the length that I’m operating at and the ram only just copes. I should have gone for a two ton version.
There was a purpose built canopy lifter for sake on the forum a while ago.

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

Posted: April 8th, 2018, 8:50 pm
by zildjian
Precious little anywhere on this subject as few have found a good way of doing it, Grant I think came up with a solution but that was within a garage so not applicable here,
Think like me and everybody else you'll have to grab a couple of people at start & end of Summer to remove & fit canopy

see if you can time it to coincide with bob-a-job week (like me)

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

Posted: April 8th, 2018, 10:18 pm
by wonkywheel
Toshbins,
I chose the 2 ton because the boom height was 500mm higher. I will see if it works out when it arrives :)

Zildjian,
I envisage an on/off situation so if I can do without a boy scout I'll be happy

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

Posted: April 11th, 2018, 6:10 pm
by zildjian
Sunday then, I'll put the kettle on :)