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

Posted: April 8th, 2020, 7:33 pm
by wonkywheel
I finally have the doors to a state that I am happy with, for the moment.

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Insulation in and the door in position. I did find that the bottom step bar caused the door to bind :cry: on closing so that will have to move down out of the way. I'm not shortening the door again. :shock:

The PVC was cut and taped in position with 4 screws just to ensure it doesn't move. The tape is to be replaced with aluminium angle edging when I can get some.

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The bottom step bar and the door frame are now out for modification. That is next on the list.
I fitted the angle cover strip to the bottom of the top door so that the bottom door cannot be opened on its own.
When it is finally fitted with the angle I might fit extra internal bracing for a couple of bolts. Also, I am considering fitting one of the Fiamma security handrails/bars and that will need extra support as well.

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

Posted: April 10th, 2020, 8:12 pm
by wonkywheel
Just need edging trims 8-)
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getting there.

A quick edit to add trims

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

Posted: April 13th, 2020, 8:07 pm
by wonkywheel
The weather is not as good today with it being quite cold and windy outside so interior jobs today.

It doesn't look like much improvement but its slow work struggling with floppy PVC sheet with your arms above your head. :(
I had to move the position of the bed end sheet as the edge just missed the spar it was supposed to fix to. This has resulted in the roof vent aperture being out also. :oops: Another cover strip coming. :roll:

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With a slight overlap, both ceiling sheets are now fixed in place, for the position anyway. The outer edges will be inside the top storage box area and as such fixing will wait until I can get more angle.

Attention then moved to the remaining uncovered walls. The wardrobe first. The wardrobe door was practical but only done to ready the camper for an outing. So the door came off and the 3 sides fitted with PVC sheet to make it neet and tidy. A hanger rail fitted but the door can wait as can a wiring trunking.

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

Posted: April 15th, 2020, 10:02 am
by zildjian
Lucky if you have an 'outing' planned (in short term anyway)
having installed plasterboard ceilings in past on new builds I can sympathize on difficulty by yourself, especially to discover
the fixings aren't all where you'd expected the to be :)

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

Posted: April 16th, 2020, 7:54 pm
by wonkywheel
Zildan, with the design on my home computer, not a laptop. I have to go down to the house to check positions where I failed to mark the spar positions while covering them with foil bubble wrap. Even with an odd 2mm here and an odd 3mm somewhere else you would think you could hit a 25mm wide spar. :roll: :roll:
Plus as I got into it more I didn't update the design when the camper was modified.
I have taken to probing with a scriber now. :D

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

Posted: April 24th, 2020, 4:12 pm
by wonkywheel
Slow Progress.

I have managed to order more Aluminium from the warehouse which should be delivered any time soon. I have ordered a couple of door stays to stop the wind blowing them about.
Also, with my build being made to suit all I want, I have decided to add an awning to the side and rear of the camper. Nothing too big and elaborate (or expensive) like a wind out or bag awning. Something on the lines of an old caravan type with an awning rail, support poles, and guy ropes.
I have a large Coleman event shelter complete with sides should I feel the need to entertain but it is a strain to put up on my own. Being vertically challenged as I am, I have to move the plastic caravan steps every time I need to reach any of the velcro roof straps. So it usually takes about 2 hours and 3 cans of lager to achieve. The caravan type seems far easier, and smaller to put up. With the shelter having a floor space of 16 square meters sitting in it on my own is a bit like a #### in a bucket.
With a 3-meter awning rail fixed to the side of the camper and an awning about 2 to 3 meters out, 3 poles 6 guys,(and possibly an Irishman :lol: ) it's got to be easier.
I have picked a nice green stripey material that looks a bit retro/seaside that should arrive next week too.

Outside work has ground to a halt. First, it's too cold, then it's wet, then it's too windy, now it's too HOT.

So it's inside jobs again. A couple of bolts on the doors will either keep them together or the bottom one shut.
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The last of the van carpet was trial fitted to the PVC sheet cladding. I'm not sure if I like it or not so it is standing in place to see if it grows on me.

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To get more of an idea I put the curtains back up to see if it looks right....... :roll: still not sure.

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I had intended to do the dining area in either grey/silver van carpet or a simulated wood effect and if the wood effect vinyl had not been out of stock then I would have burned my bridges.

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Visible in the background is my Ikea foam mattress. It should be more comfortable than sleeping on a throw and a blanket that I have been doing since I started using it.

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

Posted: April 28th, 2020, 3:16 pm
by wonkywheel
The last of the Aluminium arrived this morning. Well, I hope it is. That brings the total cost of box section and angle to £445.00.
I also received a couple of door hold back catches to fit when the rain goes away.
All that is outstanding at the minute are 5 meters of 8mm awning rail with its matching piping and the material to make the actual awning. With it raining and cold outside its a pity the material hasn't arrived as that would have been an indoor job.

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

Posted: May 2nd, 2020, 9:00 pm
by wonkywheel
Nice day today so I started cutting up some of the box and angle.
I just rough cut and marked it up to be able to final cut and fit inside the camper if the weather changes.

My intension was to make the shower booth door from a 25mm box frame but had second thoughts. I had been giving some thought to fitting one of the Chinese erberspacher copy heaters to the camper. I quite fancy one of the all in one units but the size made it difficult to fit in a bottom box under the shower. The advice that Zildan gave me about being able to dry wet clothes in a warm shower cubicle kept niggling at me. So I have started to alter the width of the shower doorway to enable an all in one unit to fit in the cubicle. The width of the heater is 150mm so I have made the door 200mm narrower. This gives me a walled area next to the door to be able to box in a heater. A 400mm wide door is quite adequate to get in and out through and it does give me the advantage to be able to have the door opening direction towards the front of the camper. This was not possible before as I would not have been able to get around the open door while the single dining area bed was in position.
Another deciding factor was that the self-contained unit is fairly portable. I recalled a cold Easter drag racing meeting with a friend's fully enclosed gazebo having a gas heater in it. Pure delight. I am hoping that I may be able to do something similar with my enclosed event shelter should the need arise.

Image It's a bit difficult to make out what is going on but, a 225mm piece of PVC is in position to ensure that the view out the back door isn't impeded much, as that was one of the reasons the depth of the booth was reduced in the first place. No problem there. :lol:
The Celotex for the door that is standing inside the booth will now need to be cut down and fitted inside a welded 20mm angle frame to give a lightweight door that is going to need another PVC sheet to complete. :roll:

On the awning front. Still, no material has arrived despite Hermes tracking saying they have had my 3-day delivery parcel for 5 days and are processing it? My awning will have eyelet holes around the sides to enable guy ropes to be fitted. I did a test fit of both the 3/8
and the 1/2 inch ones in a sample piece of material.
An unsuccessful test fit as it happens:-

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The brass eyelets were quite thin and split when closed with the supplied punch and die. :oops: :twisted: :o
I believe the brass had work-hardened during the forming process and become brittle. I am going to anneal them to try to make them more pliable. Heating up to anywhere between 400 and 800 should do it although at the top end I expect the brass to be as soft as a piece if lead so it will be a bit of trial and error, (As usual :roll: )
You can see from the sample I received the awning was going to be blue and white stripes although when I went to order enough material they were out of stock. I finished up with green and white instead and even then they were 2 meters short on what I really wanted.

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

Posted: May 4th, 2020, 7:39 am
by zildjian
DPD (especially) feature highly in delivery gripes about now with items going astray,
my own garage has been cited as a delivery site for next door neighbours package
while we were both here last week!

Reportedly; expensive trainers were 'not on the van' but spotted and retrieved from his passengers lap on inspection!



where I order from now is dependant on who seller uses for delivery,



as it seems to be a free-for-all at the moment

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

Posted: May 4th, 2020, 3:25 pm
by wonkywheel
My Hermes is my nemesis. The awning material was ordered on the 24th of April on a 3-day delivery service. I subsequently ordered Aluminium awning rail, piping to fit, V92 sailmakers thread, and a spring-loaded door catch all of which have been delivered. Two were actually delivered by Hermes today. My material has had "we have your parcel and are processing it" since Wednesday 29th??? :oops:
I too try to pick a supplier that uses Royal Mail where possible as opposed to "other carrier"