SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

[wonkywheel]

Thanks for the offer Zildjian.
I know you are only half an hour away from me and you are more than welcome to come over at any time. I see in one of the threads that you have put the camper into hibernation. In the spring I would like to come over again to check out your utilitys when it awakes.

I think I should be OK. When I start to assemble and weld the horizontal sections to the vertical ones I will do it at the other end of the garden. I have hard standing for a car and my truck as well as the teardrop next to an access road.
The problem with that area is that because, when the gates are left open unattended, things tend to disappear. I will need a secure anchor to keep all that aluminium from being weighed in
The CCTV cameras are a good deterrent but.....not as good as a pickaxe handle

It was a nice bright crisp morning so I managed to cut the nose sections ready for welding. I cut the window support spars as well.


You can see the "build " area in the photo along with a smart car nose.
Hoping for fine weather and a burst of energy next week.

[Big Jim]

I can probably give you a days help when you need more hands .
Jim

[wonkywheel]

Thanks for the offer Jim. I hope I will be OK, I have a big son
I will let you know if I get stuck.
You too are more than welcome to call in for a cuppa, or a beer, if you ever find yourself at the point the A6 crosses the A45.

[wonkywheel]

Good find in the scrap bin at work.

This framework with large castors on was in the metal scrap bin at work. It used to house a hopper/dryer but is now surplus to requirements.
I saw one in there a couple of months ago but the bin was emptied before I got back to it.
I am hoping that as its about the same height as my tailgate I will be able to raise the camper (If I ever complete it ) drive away, then lower it onto the trolley. I should be able to push it around to position it out of the way.



Good eh

[wonkywheel]

Managed a bit more assembly and welding this weekend.

I got the nose section built up on the left and right hand vertical sections

This is the left hand side with the framing for both the cab over bed window and the "Dining area" window. It has yet to have the framing for the cooker/sink window put in, but the right section has no extra window.

Having purchased a small horizontal slider window for the cooker/sink and a larger vertical slider for the door, I am now undecided as to whether to swap them over. Having suffered from the wind while cooking in the teardrop, it occurred to me that the open area of the vertical slider being at the top it may well be a better option. Its bigger too , giving more natural light.

It only leaves the 2x1 to be welded to the bottom and that will be the sides sorted(and they match )

Once that is done I am tempted to unroll the fiberglass sheet and cut it to the profile ( I haven't seen what it looks like yet )

[wonkywheel]

Screwed 2 x1 sections to the side rails.
Put them out onto the work table (lawn grass )
Upside down to check things are going to fit



The unfinished bed base laying in place for effect

That is 2 more sections ready. Well just need to weld them into place.



The next step should be to weld all the small vertical spars to the base horizontal sections, BUT



I think I will unroll the fibreglass sheet and cut the profile out
I can only hope it lives up to my expectations as it is the most expensive single item in the build covering both sides. Providing it does what it says on the can I will order more of the same to do the cab over, roof and rear section including the door. That will be in the new year so I should have time to catch up on the welding.
With a bit of luck I might have a water tight box by Easter

[wonkywheel]

A LITTLE UPDATE

Had the disk grinder out again after fillet welding in all the corners of the welded side sections. Managed to keep all fingers and thumbs this time

I went with Jim's idea. More gas, more power for more heat, less wire feed. Put the wire size up from 0.8mm to 1mm too.
Worked really well if you could move fast enough. I got close to a professional looking weld, well, now and again. The increased gas flow certainly seemed to help although I'm down to a quarter bottle now.

Stich welding the faces then grinding the weld flat seemed like a good idea.
It was if you remember to fillet weld the internal corners before doing load testing. I load tested the cab over double bed
I now have 2 single beds to put together.



Had another forage in the metal skip at work and managed to retrieve a 10 drawer toolbox with a couple of dodgy draws. Had that away and with 1/2 an hours maintenance and repair I now have another work table and somewhere to keep my tools and clamps outside in the dry. Well it will be when I cut a piece of an old tarp for a cover.

Haven't received them yet, but on the answerless window question, I have purchased the 2 main side windows from ebay. Not Seitz but somethinghttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shield-S4-Cas ... 1438.l2649very similar and 1/3 cheaper.

I should be able to pick them up on Monday
They came today and they are great

Also managed to finally unroll the 2mm fibreglass sheet that is destined to be the sides. Its been laying in the garden for about 9 months rolled up!!!!
Not my best idea although in my defence, It is 2500mm wide 6000mm long. The work bench(lawn) is not big enough to lay it flat in any direction. Not unless I cut down the apple tree
Any way, I lay the side section on the sheet and cut around it. Then lay the other side on and cut around that. The fibereglass has a high gloss side that has an adhesive film on it for protection. Sitting here writing this I an hoping I have cut a left and right not 2 the same
The roll turned out to be quite resilient and did not want to lay flat. A bit like a very large clock spring .
The 2 sides are now clamped inbetween the 2 side frames, and I am hoping for a bit of warm weather to help flatten out the sheets


Pictures to follow

[wonkywheel]

I have put some of the photo's up
I know I said NO MORE WELD photo's but this is the final one. The internal corner fillet weld with 1mm wire, bags of gas and a bit more power. Compared that to the fat surface weld with 0.8mm wire, miserly gas supply, and lower power.

The fillet weld has good penetration and is generally cleaner although you do have to do it at a bit of a pace

Windows have arrived



Just as I unloaded them from the truck after fetching them from Argos. That only leaves the 3 roof lights to get.

The window was unpacked for a look at what I had purchased
Front of window

The Inner and outer parts of the windows screw together from the inside sandwiching the wall. Then the blind/flyscreen screws to the inner section.

Back


Blind cassette from outside
The cassette blind has 2 sliders. The top one is a fly screen to put down when the window is open while the bottom slider is for blackout and insulation. It has an aluminium coat.



You can see the tool box draw unit I rescued from the metal skip in the background

From inside


Fibreglass sheet cut side
I had clamped the unrolled fibreglass between the side frames to try to flatten it out a bit. Seemed to work quite well but still had a tendancy to curl up at the ends. The side sections above the tub being in one piece will be waterproof. To maintain this I screwed the sheet in place with self tapping screws in areas that will be covered by the aluminium corner angle and sealed with Intek sealant. When it comes to final assembly I will use "Sikaflex 512" on all the box sections in the hope it will remain flat without bulges or ripples



You can see from the way the photos are either in the backyard, "courtyard " or the garden that the side sections are light enough for me to walk about with all be it a bit unmanagable being 3.6 metres long.
Frame against sheet


Both side sections are very similar in that the window frames are the same as in the picture although the left hand side is to have another frame put in for a vertical sliding window that will be over the cooking area. The frame has not been made yet as I changed my mind from a horizontal slider to a slightly bigger vertical one.
This new widow frame will need corner pieces weling in in as it has rounded corners similar to the nose window.

Nose window test



When the window is in place I do not think that the fibreglass and celotex will give enough support.

[zildjian]

Yes, turn the volume up on that welder and join us in May if possible!

[wonkywheel]

Half the base section reassembled and welded together but I have run out of Gas
I think I will get some insulation sheets tomorrow and start to cut to fit while the gas arrives
I am going to spray the aluminum cab over windows black to match the main windows too