Awkward it's an old T5 not a T6

[Soundz]

Got those last two cables to batttery terminals cut crimped took care angling the lug orientation so as to not stress cables.wont connect it all until the graft stops on sunday damn working site in this heat is hard core.................

anyways can anyone help me out?

the units /wood malarky will be anchored to van wall and floor with rivnuts where applicable and type D wood insert nuts in M8, ...............I want angled brackets to fulfill this Ii've dug a bit a;ready and obviously pondered making stuff.anythoughts guys??

thank you

 

[Soundz]

For the folks that follow this madness a bit of fun......this is the first step in making sommit............what's it gonna be? and in your mind make a piccy of what you think it will look like in 3D format........I'll come back with the answers sooner rather than latter.cracking on a bit............I kinda thought it would be fun and also cool for you to see that very first step in how so much of this build started out....a base card template

_S2I2524 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

seeya

stu

 

[CAB]

N

For the folks that follow this madness a bit of fun......this is the first step in making sommit............what's it gonna be? and in your mind make a piccy of what you think it will look like in 3D format........I'll come back with the answers sooner rather than latter.cracking on a bit............I kinda thought it would be fun and also cool for you to see that very first step in how so much of this build started out....a base card template

View attachment 169492_S2I2524 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

seeya

stu

Not a clue! Fold out indicators for when the VW ones (don't!) go on the blink

 

[Soundz]

Piccy is yer first step in in making up a battery holder.there's no numbers read here......a ruler used yes for a straight line........but no numbers............

that's yer base template Cab,from that ya make one in ply............in this case no real need to knock up a thin ply template ( I don't need accuracy need a shape that works and to hone back...

.that's how all the above happens buddy all those units are basically routered off thin play templates made with a bit of care which often start as bits of card

From the one in ply in this case I made 6.......... then I glued 'em all together with way too much glue and clamped the hell out of them and walked away for 24

Then I ground into that 3D shape with a sander an some really coarse grit because I needed to allow cable spaces to be able to release the roamers neg terminal cover and then once that rough working 3d shape was there went through the sandpaper grades ever finer to grab something to finish to apply me varnish too added in some really dense foam
and sort of came out here.ha not the most orthodox batt holder but it's rock solid mate.

This is what the card template gave me....the 2 holes at the left have washers in them just to harden up the wood as they are the anchors. foam to right means no huge need for accuracy as that will sit against an not mark me Roamer

_S2I2525 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

You can see RHS how I I ground into that base shape

_S2I2526 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

an dis is how is sits in the SB

_S2I2528 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Working through the oak worktop off cut that holds me isolator,I installed 2 type D wood insert nuts,then added a couple of M8bolts with locknuts to literally force the gizmo against batt and do the job I needed it to addiing in the nylock nuts will mean it won't slacken off..become loose

_S2I2532 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Fun init...a bit of card a bit of madness a lot of VERY strong glue an a bit of graft

Ha finally got my front seats back in.both RIB swivles work nowt fouls all good

Had a good fight with me consumer unit unit lost much swearing though

and my polishing stuff came with the top knocked off..so that was fun it wall allways...ahh well

 

[Soundz]

it wall allways...............LMFAO it was always......but managed to salvage some...........so hung to with the farecla G3 with fairy liquid top( spared no expense) and some Ag SRP and finally started to get to grips with what can be got out of a water based poly eurathane vanish......................a life time ago I was taught to spray cars........... but I've preddy much forgot it all.but there were hunches......long an the short of it lack of confidence in being able to bring this wood varnish back...IE my head...let me down .the prep wasn't up to scratch............but I'm kinda Ok with that as it was all a bit outthere IE my approach..so for the next guy cobbling up a camper on a workmate in a garden...trust yourself......look the finish is ok but there was more to be had

anyways aftter god knows how long on this blummin build we have fiinally got the glue out an stuck the rear cupboard together...............I'm sure you are aware I've used routered slots an strips of ply for the joints.an tightbond iii as the glue............I am as sure as Ii can be that this method will produce sommit akin to a brick S house.....an TBF it has once all the clamps and straps came off and a good day or so for the glue to harden up it#s rock solid.the birch ply laminates will tare before the joints.ya learn stuff by making mistakes building like this,in such a protracted way.

Glue up was hairy as hell so say the least...we dry ran it twice I prepped an re prepped allthe strips....but godammit I was so close to failing here..............base cause ply strips swelling on compact with glue.which is water based.so to be expected.........but on a glue up this size one has to work so fast.so so nearly got caught.even with a 2 stage approach.

Big clamp an massive forces ha and the ubiquitous big bloody hammer saving the day.........ha ha lessons learnt here

The rear cupboard has 2 sets of lights..which poppet picked out yonks back one set in rear shelves one set in what we call the pockets up front..pockets also have a couple of USB points for charging..so that all got wired an tested while the beast cured on kitchen table..................we also had to move the RIB to fit cupboard so more glue curing time.........

First unit finally in van.note type D wood inset nuts fitted back to front.............an idea from a bright spark who owns a T5,bless his cottons......he's also mad a march hare but best not go there

_S2I2559 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

another view..well it's 2 years nearly in the making forgive me milking it

_S2I2560 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Fixings.......again a dept tto another T5 owner who found these for me..........they are 40mm both ways and held by 8MM allen headed button bolts a couple of washers an a couple of split washers.............got 6 anchor points on this cupboard into the bus persay.more stuff will be on going as the rest of the units come into play.it is belt an braces.but then the worst case senario( a shunt) haunts me................folks use iddy bits of plastic an seff tappers as joint .....it fills me with dread..........

_S2I2561 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

The inside of cupboard showing wiring as above.........spirals for tambour fixings an some of my slightly bonkers circular air vents

_S2I2565 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

which hopefully will not only allow air movement through the unit but also save a tad of weight here a bit more detail on that

_S2I2568 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Those were basically from yesterday.Ii'm kiinda gutted wanted to have part of this break .tis the first this year for me actually away in the blummin bus not grafting all hours on it,but hey ho..............RIB is back in place cupboard with some gentle persuading now fits and Ii've also wired up the last set of lights....they live under the lockers to light up the work top.........said locker framework is also installed and secured into the rear unit as well for good measure along side the 6M8 rivnuts used to mount it.it seems to all be rock solid....................

that means I can now mount me control panel ,IE the plinth an start pulling in the lighting circuits USB's and cig socket to switches............... house the inverter control,the BMV and wallas control an hopefully.repeat get the worktop in without pulling it all

we'll see

bye

stu

 

[Soundz]

Leccy basically done absolutely stoked everything works, just water pump to sort really and hook up fridge an wallas once the other cabinets are fitted in place

seeya

 

[JOG]

Leccy basically done absolutely stoked everything works, just water pump to sort really and hook up fridge an wallas once the other cabinets are fitted in place

seeya

Leccy basically done absolutely stoked everything works, just water pump to sort really and hook up fridge an wallas once the other cabinets are fitted in place

seeya

Great progress! It’s all coming together for you

 

[Soundz]

thank you.......Jog it's been such a slow ol slog...................... starting to see all those hours finally come to some base form of fruition is wonderful

Sorry slow getting back.......Took the old lass out late in the day kinda revelled in driving her ...... just rambled some of our local haunts looking for beasties.......then got off to our fav hare spot with camera, yesterday . It was lovely so stop an chill a while . Caught up with our mate who keepers this place talked for ages. then Sat in a field cooked pizza jaffles had siesta in van then went toggin for the eve. I've spent so long now doing bus at every mo I ain't graftting it's difficult getting out on paper how lovely it was to be out in it even if it's not finished.

Ha blummin foam topper is too damn hard.........need to ammend that ......it's finding the right tool for the job .without taking up all the space........we'll see.

Cool having the leccy preddy much there though being able to charge camera batteries via the inverter seems silly but it's those little details which can make a trip.

Still a long way to go part of me is dreading dropping the tank to fit wallas but I'm getting there an seeing wood actually in van is frankly inspiring

Cheers for the reply

 

[Soundz]

Oh guys nabbed this last night........... this is the other side of rear cupboard the base of the breadbin frame an the control panel aka plinth( not quite finished yet still need to fit chrome surrounds but waiting till the front middle cupboard an worktop are in............................ an all the lights in the van switched on IE our final lighting layout

4 different circuits 2X 300mm underlocker lights,for lighting up the worktop cooking washing all that type o jazz.........2 little 100mm jobbies in side the pockets front of rear cupboard........ primarily so I can see to plug in fiddly USB fingies in pockets and plinth......... maybe also as a bit of ambient lighting when sat in rear of van.....3rd circuit is simply to illuminate rear cupboard so I can find stuff.. 3X 150mm...they are made by autolamps.....an then there's our affectionately called space ships.........not shown in this piccy but I'm preddy sure already shown.100mm circles they are......there#s 4 of 'em. We love them.they are touch lights touch once they come on blue a gentle ambient light for eves...touch again they turn white,hold down center button they dim...... really practical an kinda multi purpose think made by marvis? if interested I'll detail more

_S2I2893 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr


Oh off topic ya know I said about popping out water for me beloved beasties.well the result of that seems to be we now have hodge hegs.which incidentally hate me ....but I'm a stubborn sod with animals an as all this bus malarky is about wildlife toggin so I will win an I will steal my my new mate's soul.even though the blummin thing ( there's one in particular I'm working on it's called snuffles.)......... don't want to be my mate but it will be....I've been waring it down. very gently with both water an food an light an random camera sorties . Been here 30 years plus never really had hodge hegs before..ha a bit of water an a kind thought...that's ok init

Had to run off tonight while writing this for another tiny step in prickle B 'd soul stealing think I'm winning but with wild things who knows.an that right there is the draw

seeya

 

[Soundz]

Picking up maybe where I left off......................... an aside don'tcha just love what a tiny bit of thought an a bit of water might bring......ha well it is a wannabe wildlife togs build init

_S2I3099 Snuffles sm j Ddn by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Ok back to camperland
got middle and second cupboard into glue...here is the one up front behind drivers seat..ha funny it took us 3 slow steady stages to get this done.pretty paiinless after the rear unit malarky in clampy mode

_S2I3118 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

without clamps

_S2I3119 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

fitted bread bins

_S2I3109 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

and used speaker cable and some specially bought transparent blue 6mm heat shrink ring connectors.ha ha and some not specially bought M6 button bolts and type D wood insert nuts to use as " stops" to prevent locker doors falling too far...........

NB drilling holes too deep here would mean locker doors become scrap.. why do I do this to myself?

_S2I3111 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

 

[Soundz]

Oh forgot this rear unit doors also installed, ha one bit 'o' wood for doors an surround so all the grain lines up.............. cause that's how ya roll..again the insanity of all this makes me smile......fink posh folks call this OCD now ,let's be fair it's just plain simple madness don't go there have some plastic edging and big gaps .just like new build houses

_S2I3107 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

me EHU is cool huh did you spot it?......................nah .good init

So I'm kinda here right now.............3 units secured,middle one will probably come out to make wiring and plumbing wallas XC duo air intake an exhaust easier............fridge.....CRX 65 is working

the LHS mad curved shell door spice rack thingy sitting on 3 hinges also works , much to my amazement...mind the rack bolt and securing latch fittings have lead me a merry dance. RHS door/ drawer also works again the floor fitting for the rack bolt .......used to secure while traveling was a pain. to nail the floor securing location...but hey pain is temporary...........trust me these curves have been so so challenging to work with and up..but as tough as it's been I'm kinda glad I went there

_S2I3158 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

_S2I3160 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

That's sort of it for now....maybe a couple of years of preddy much every waking spare minute making 4 blummin camper units it's completely insane....that said OMG aren't they solid.................UTTERLY NOT PERFECT but ok for a lad outside on a work mate with a few tools an a stubborn streak.


Sort of an offtopic from a build thing i'd also like to share. I suspect I firstt knew about a Kelly Kettle maybe 40 years back...the base design is over 100 years old..and for pretty much all that time Ii've wanted one.............I'm a bit primative like fires an wood and cooking that way. So anyways I treated us to said kettle.........I held off from usiing because everywhere was so so dry recently old lass has been sparked into life

WOW.......get one......... caviat watch some videos learn how to use so ya don't burn yourself or create a bomb...no rocket science but watch 'em for me

Ha ha we bioled water the other day with bits of dry grass.....nah not wood grass and wildflower stems.

Damn I love that............yes I know I know we have a 230AH Li FE PO4 battery set up.............. with a ferkin inverter a B2B a solar panel mppt all this mad high tech blue tooth energy stuff in our van and yet now I'm waffling about boiling water with dry grass "

ha the ickle fings

seeya

 

[Soundz]

Hmm da graft new build moronity and the chimbo rush madness have sort of kaboshed proceedings.................but who knew there were walnut tambours out there.

stu does .can't really see from my orrible pic but went with a flat matt vanish to contrast the gloss birch again rustins as it's such good tack

_S2I3282 tan smj by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

got worktop polished and all is now sat waiting for the chrimbo taredown drop fuel tank install wallas have campervan game on.

Hmmm need off grid tyres on 18 inch wheels have read all 52 pages off all terrain thread all 18inch thread and am sitting right now in winter wonderland.have watched so many tire review vids me 'ead hurts..all terrain all season need so much help

but then I always did

'elp

_S2I9520Woof Smj TDn by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr


bye

 

[JOG]

Ah, Stu, I’ve missed your scribblings! Hope all is well with you.

Don’t forget fresh water even if it is cold out there

 

[drinfinity]

Loving your work. Did you find a retail supplier for real wood tambour sheet, or make your own? I’ve seen a supplier in the US, but hard to find one in the UK that will sell just a van’s worth.

 

[Soundz]

Ah, Stu, I’ve missed your scribblings! Hope all is well with you.

Don’t forget fresh water even if it is cold out there

It's ok Jog, to just call it my insanity every forum needs a nice lunatic........and You good sir, how are you ?? merry chrimbo mate.

I'm alive bud.sort of in clinging on be fingertips mode right now not sure all fingertips have a grip ,but at least some. do


Jog I finish houses in my game the run in to chimbo is always brutal ,but this year has been astoundingly hard.off the charts hard,ha ha the freeze hasn't helped the old bones either .mind I so so lucky to be earning ...so many of the grafters that hold this country up are strugglin' bro...I feel for 'em bud. REALLY feel for 'em.I'm warm and thinking of new rubber boots for me camper and the grind has me pennies put aside.so as clattered as I am ,i'm a lucky bunny buddy. Glass is still half full


All water at work is frozen even the loos no where to even wash, let alone drink...ha folks have no idea how their houses get made ,we call it "livin the dream"

have had one break since april I fink??so got 3 weeks at chrimbo can't wait to dig into fitting the wallas. ,then at the end of jan I'll have access to my hare spot. So basically after all this making wood smaller lark i'm closing on our bus beiing that wanna be wildlife tog's ickle dream starting up

good init can't wait !!

happy chrimbo dude one more harsh harsh week

bring it the hell on

 

[Soundz]

Loving your work. Did you find a retail supplier for real wood tambour sheet, or make your own? I’ve seen a supplier in the US, but hard to find one in the UK that will sell just a van’s worth.

Ta on the wood.the tambours are here in blighty..they are a walnut veneer on MDF.......I'm a bit of a purist, with wood I guess...I care not for MDF ( read hate),there is something wonderful about carving into a bit of solid stock working with the grain.with nature. now maybe that's ok for a tambour in a campervan..see providing the MDF is PROPERLY SEALED it's going to be preddy inert to warping........thin strips of walnut may have the potential to move all ways under the rigors of cold and damp a van interior experience; so as much as I personally dislike MDF maybe it's not so bad.


Buddy you need to speak to John at tambourline.............originally I was going with oak veneer...walnut only came into our build by chance as a freebee off a bonfire.I couldn't afford to even think of using walnut . Just before purchase I spotted american black walnut as an option for our tambours..I suspected they would be beyond my reach,but were the same price as the oak.........if memory serves our 2 tambours cost around £150...........................So basically, suddenly, I had a way to bring the 3 woods oak and baltic birch ply and the later afterthought walnut, together with the tambours.the dark matt doors also contrast the lights of the ply..........fink it's called serendipity?

Buddy here's your linky

Wood Veneer Tambour Doors

Our wood veneer tambour doors use 15mm or 20mm slat in an attractive range of wood veneer finishes. Dimensions and track to your own specification.

www.tambourline.com

Matey I'm a bit of a scatter brain ( who me).if the link isn't right do come back ask me again...

John is curt but also fabulous in service.............I ordered my runners/spirals. maybe a year before me doors,which he patiently provided. When I came back and ordered doors after all that time,he got me doors here in 48 hours. Mate check what you have measured 4 times and CHECK WHAT IS ON YOUR ORDER FORM AS WELL..there was an innocent mistake on mine.you'll not go wrong with tambourline.but check those numbers !!

merry chrimbo ............does . that help at all or is it unfathomable?

 

[drinfinity]

Buddy here's your linky

merry chrimbo ............does . that help at all or is it unfathomable?

Perfect! Thankyou and Merry Christmas!

 

[Soundz]

Ah, Stu, I’ve missed your scribblings! Hope all is well with you.

Don’t forget fresh water even if it is cold out there

Lmao sorry bud you meant for my ickle mates not me not me at work. Funny !! yup it's being done although having had temps down to -10 here my good lady has had her work cut out.all in hand though....oh and a fox is visiting can't see me getting the lights out and doing this again ........see piccy below,but it looked very much like a vixen, so one never knows I might just get a chance at cubs on the spring..always hope....amaziing what having some water down and a bit of bird food brings wildlife wise !!

_S2I5661 Dark cub sitting smj Dn by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Oh guys back to bus............... I forgot to tell you about this:
we have a RIB bed.we really struggle with sleeping on it...getting old and soft I guess.anyways we got ourselves a hybrid topper thingy from simba it rolls up bulky but not totally impractical ( we have a 120 bed so were able to nab a really good fit). We also have a 3 leaf kinda folding foam contraption,which we upgraded the faom in.to something more dense. At this time I don't know whether simba will be enough on it's own or not...but I'm very upbeat that finally we will get a comfy night of sleep in the bus. To me that is a massive massive thing...........being sleep deprived is no way to enjoy camping,I'm enough if a train wreck already.....so feeling we have solved our own personal conundrum re comfort on the RIB is huge.

sure we are all different have different needs,but it's worth noting new topper for you guys!! As sure as houses I won't be the only guy that struggles sleeping on an RIB bed, which lets face it is such a cracking design in so many ways, it is much used in our busses. Simba is a bit pricey but hey a good night's kip is so important

have a lovely chimbo all....ii'm back to tyre searching

 

[Soundz]

Hmm closing on done finally got the fuel tank dropped and work top and wallas XC duo fitted and the basis of our water system is also sorted so sink is in poppet's swivle tap is in ...................................water bottles in.................................................water might be a work in progress .we will see......
But for now I've got water from the tap and it goes somewhere and doesn't leak. The wallas is def going to keep us toasty in low temps. I love the leccy system.

Oh and those chrome surround fingies for all the CBE type fittings well they are in too.....that was kinda nice.this was something i've waited for for a LONG time ,like the wallas I guess..fink we bought that 3 years ago

Here's ya base finished front 2 cupboards, sink, wallas tap 65L fridge lockers etc

_S2I3361 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Here's some of the stuff that opens :

_S2I3373 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr


Photographers ( I'm a wanna be) deal with this thing they call negative space.that concept has sort of wrapped it's self into this build ...it's a 120cm rib 2single front seats that swivel and a CRX 65 fridge an a wallas XC duo cobbled together on a black 'n' decker workmate in a garden...there is some blummin tight stuff here but somehow I think it might work. Ha slowly she's working out what those 16 jars will hold in the shell door, when she's done I'll share that

Honestly and genuinely that all this might work is bewildering it's just lovely starting to use it even though life is clatteriing me all ways i'm starting to see snap shots of what might be.

haha a snapshot

who don't love a barn owl......now if I hadn't of been stuffing my face in me campervan I might have made a better piccy, but hey

_S2I3428 wing flip smj tdn add c by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Finally Sam.... @Samro soz I haven't replied to your wonderful post re water that is hot.........forgive me bro saw it read it then life sort of closed in. I know you wont be grumpy with me but I did want to apologize for not gettiing back such great detail was and is appreciated Sam

THANKYOU

 

[Soundz]

Hey guys....hmm it's may, I'm preddy sure stuff happened in the interim between me last post in jan. an now .well it did, but tis all a bit of a blur too much work guys far far too much work.

I finally made a tyre choice........OMG me asparagus crowns have arrived and they are HUGE.rock 'n' roll.......LMAO how off topic is real life posting huh Soz lads we grow stuff loadsa food....

anyways

this one time at T5 camp on a T6 forum we got new tyres..we run 18inch wheels( old sportliine) we really wanted an off grid off the road tyre but at the same time I know how I drive an most of it is tarmac..so we read all the tyre threads over an over, cause I'm not the sharpest tool in the box. Came out with 235/55r18 104 load rated mich CC2. Hmm they seem to do the job. stu wanted to go to his hare spot, his keeper mate said basically bud you can't go up there right now they have been muck dumping it's too wet.

Seems they aren't too bad we got there.................don't really know when it was but after years of chasiing we did finally get a boxing piccy

_S2I4289 Closer smj Tdn by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Yeah I know it's 6 years of trying and a work in progress but the best so far I'm still not happy but that is an image maker's gig right?

I managed an old tyre pic of bus as well.......these are 255/45.r18 103...........naturally at sunset...........old girl is preddy huh for a 200.000 miles bargain basement bus....lol I'm shy don't share many bus piccies, should share the odd one though most of you will never see steiinblau in the flesh

_S2I3955 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

forgive tight crop if I show folk where I am they come and kill my hares

Back to tyres...255 to 235 worried me 235 less contact with tarmac 45 to 55 also worried me more side wall has to have a compromise to a pushed corner. Well so far these michelin cross climate 2's simply amaze me

. Be aware I'm never really been able to have prima donna tyres before, ha an' I paid not so much for 'em it was a steal. I have not driven in snow but in serious OMG floded conditions hell yeah, an dry. They seem to translate me as a driver from wheel to tarmac. For a guy that feels we as a nation , thrive on mediocrity I have to take me hat off to michelin ......didn't honestly think I'd say this...just needed new tyres and at the price couldn't resist.

Enough on rubber lets do leccy. We have a 230 roamer SB, solar, hmm there was an upgrade there too................... victron b2b , bmv solar charge controller and vic pheonix 12 1200 inveter. It's the dogs danglies, too me...............................................our simple off grid needs are easily met.

But the bonkers side of it all entralls a simpleton like me.

We got a kettle a 100W kettle , tis 4.5A 230V................we watch on a daily basis 85 ish amps get drawn from the roamer ( 12V ) to give 4.5A at 230V to boil a brew for the house for free.........see if the solar has charged the battery to full I'm wasting leccy which now costs loads, so brews not get made in bus. If we don't drink enough tea ofrcoffee bloody solar fills battery and more free leccy is wasted.

The whole shebang is utterly bonkers...........poppet is starting to catch on..............."so my leccy bread knife is only 100W , I can take that camping ,can't I darling?

Guys there is a real joy here for me.. very simple very humble.....I came here to learn a bit more about off grid leccy..........this thread is here to pay back that debt, but my goals were simple, a fridge that would always start no worries on LB voltage same with wallas ....these gizmos have to start or are of no use

an after alot of 'ead scratching I have this leccy system we use to save us pennies daily an just works when camping..tis utterly bonkers to me.



The funny stuff will I ever use the EHU side of our system , damned if I know, an slowly the B2B is becoming this last stop back up that I thought EHU was meant to be.

Do remember we are simple folks we know nowt of a costa coffee or a next presso watching a kelly kettle boil on grass stems brings us joy, ha but this Li Fe PO4 gig

hmm nuff waffle need a brew

bye

stu