SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

[wonkywheel]

Zildjian,
Ok, no need to rub it in. I have been aiming to go to the getaway myself but its not to be this year.

[zildjian]

You'll get there (or at least next one) We aren't at Wales either
so you're not the only one!

[wonkywheel]

Slow progress on the build.

The higher temperatures seem to sap my stamina. So, with reduced energy levels along with increased joint pain (possibly gout ) things haven't moved on as fast as I had hoped.
I have added extra support spars to the front and roof of the bed area but have had to order yet more aluminium angle for edging and nose pieces. I have been fitting the fiberglass sheeting and aluminium edging to almost finish the outsides. Again, taking more time than I expected, as its the finished look I tried to space out fixing screw evenly and in a straight line (Tried but not always achieved)

Once the edging is screwed on I am still not entirely happy with the way the fiberglass has a tendency to belly away from the support spars in some areas. This may cause problems when final gluing takes place. I think its caused by the sheet being just too big and the edging squeezes it out so I will have to take a bit off.

It's becoming a chicken and egg situation. I want to try to do all the welding in one hit. I can't do the welding until I am happy with the build and fit. I am waiting for more aluminium to arrive to finish the build.

On the plus side. I have had the door hinges arrive and also a caralock door lock. I had a chance purchase of a tube of Gorilla grab adhesive that I might try on the fiberglass. I tested a 400mm piece of curved fiberglass glued to a vertical spar. It worked quite well at holding it down.
I wanted to ensure that everything fits together but it does mean everything (fiberglass and edging) will have to come off again for welding and dressing

I didn't think it worth adding pictures at this stage as the sheeting will come off again so I'll wait until it's nearer completion

It's that time of year again. A little regret that I cut up "lightning" so now I have to prepare for this year's "Dragstalgia" event camping in a tent.
It did prompt me to purchase a Coleman event shelter for a bit of extra cover. It will come in use when the demountable is complete.
This does mean progress will be even slower and I was hoping to go to the 3 day Classic motorbike races at Donnington early in August but that's looking like a day trip now.

[zildjian]

This heats not a lot of fun to work in so we aren't surprised at pace really,

Pity you'll be under canvas for that event but at least weather might be suitable at least.
Interested in how that Gorilla glue works out as I have a job needs something new myself

[wonkywheel]

Gorilla grab report.
I test glued 2 pieces.
One was a piece of aluminium angle fixed to an offcut of the dibond sheet. The dibond is 2 thin sheets of coated aluminium sandwiching a pvc sheet. This makes it fairly rigid but it can be bent so it was perhaps not the best test subject. The initial grab was fairly good with it being pretty solid after an hour( but it could be lifted flexing the dibond) After 24 hours good adhesion and not able to move laterally although with the already lifted end I was able to continue to flex the dibond and break the join. I don't think this would have been possible had I not already started to lift it off.

The second test was a piece of 2mm fiberglass sheet glued to a piece of aluminium box section. With the fiberglass being flexible similar results were obtained.


All in all I liked the adhesive as it went on well being quite soft and easily spread and needed nothing like as much trigger pressure as the other two adhesives I have used(Sikaflex 512 and Intech AG 300)

Just as another option, while I was in Screwfix collecting wire wool I picked up a tube of Everbuild Pinkgrip grab adhesive to try(Although it does say" Warning - Not For Amateur Use"

While I'm on the gluing topic. I have been cutting 25mm Celotex insulation sheets to fit in between the constuction spars and gluing it to the inside of the fiberglass sheet. Because the sheet has to come off for welding I have cut the edges of the Celotex at a slight angle( a bit like a chocolate bar) with the idea that it will guide itself back into the correct position with very little effort
I have been fixing these Celotex sections in place with "bond it" High Strength Spray Adhesive. This adhesive I have found very useful for holding things in place. I used it to fix the wadding onto the foam cushions to stop it slipping out of place on assembly. (Spray one surface to hold in position, spray both for a more permanent fix)

The only problem is the spray comes out about 250mm wide. Good for large areas like carpet( this is what I will use fixing the van carpet to the walls )

[wonkywheel]

This picture shws what I said abut the gorilla glue. I couldn't move the aluminium angle at all but I could peel the flexible dibond off it



On the build glue front. Although the bond-it spray-on adhesive works well on foam and fabric, initially it appeared to work well holding the Celotex insulation to the fiberglass sheets. But, the next day, when I took the sheet off to finish welding the joints, they all fell off apart from one I put the failure down to possibly one or two things. When trimming the fiberglass edges with a flap wheel there was quite a lot of dust about that I may not have removed from the inside of the sheet. Second, I only sprayed one surface, could be I should have done both as the Celotex has a non-porous aluminium foil surface. On the other hand, it could just be cr@p for this application

[wonkywheel]

Fitted all the Celotex insulation to one side. With the forecast predicting a break in the weather and a lot of rain on Friday night I decided I needed to stop messing about inside and get on with the main objective....finish the welding.



So it was the side sheets off (as I said all the Celotex fell off) and get everything out for welding



The blue arrows on the box section are welds that I am either unhappy with or they have failed on assembly. Sections falling over, an 82 kg lump sitting on the unsupported ends, lump hammer adjustment all contributed to about 8 welds that needed doing plus all the roof joints and nose sections.



Steel toe cap boots, leather apron, leather cuffs, leather gloves, auto darkening headgear. I'm sure I have forgotten something
No, I can't see it


Well it was very hot

I managed to get all of the joints welded and dressed back as well as the repairs
To weld the nose roof joints I tested all the bed spars with an 82kg lump(I stood on them all). Even bouncing up and down, solid
With the cabin end standing on axle stands, I was afraid all that weight on the nose might tip it up but it didn't budge
All the sheeting was then put back on with just 4 corner screws to locate them. I still have a few pieces of angle edging to cut, and some to recut where the bevel was the wrong way or just badly matching bevels but these will wait until I can get it as near waterproof as possible (without a door).

I am putting the windows in dry to start with just to fill the holes. It will have to be a tarp for the back as the stable doors and frame are still giving me concerns. I want to fit a window in the top door and extra bracing around the door lock and hinges. Having decided to put some rubber beading in the door frame I might need to increase the clearance between door and frame yet again

I put the tailgate to the truck down, backed up to the camper to use it as a work platform. No problem there. To use the truck bed I had to fold my Tonneau cover up (3 sections to 1) . Ok. Then I went out to collect my prescription from the Docs and collect my medicines. Back home, NO TONNEAU. I don't think it fell off, I'm sure I would have noticed the carnage in my wake if it had. I think it was removed for me. With it folded open it is obvious that it was only held on with 2 toggle type clamps. Click, click and away . I was in the chemists for a long time with the truck parked out of my sight

[wonkywheel]

Although I have finished with work altogether (Retired) I haven't finished machining the jack gearhead units

The company and my colleagues were very generous on my last day. The boxed set of six whiskey tumblers engraved with the company logo were very special

Luckily next week is the factory shut down for essential maintenance so there will only be a few friendly faces working. As soon as I get the nod that the electricians have done their bit I will go in in an attempt to finish the machining. With this in mind, I thought I ought to try to get some jack fixing points sorted and jack lengths established. The weather forecast said WIND and RAIN so I tried sealing up all the joint with duct tape in readiness. I would have like to carry on finalizing fitting the sheets and corner pieces but an empty toolroom was to good an opportunity to miss.


I started to jack up and support the camper nearer to its working loading height.
As the wind increased, some of the sheeting started to flap about a bit so more duct tape
I was within about 300mm (a foot) of the truck bed hight when I went in for lunch. To my dismay, when I returned it had moved
The camper base was standing on concrete building blocks at the nose end and extended axle stands at the rear. I have found one problem with building a lightweight camper. Its own weight is not enough to keep it on the ground stable in high winds. The wind was only gusting at about 25 mph but it was enough to blow the rear of the camper off its axle stands. Actually, it blew it over so that the stands fell and the camper slewed around about 20 degrees. I was lucky I had positioned my heavy duty plastic caravan steps at the rear to enable me, with my short legs, to clamber in. The slewing action meant the camper fell on the steps so saving any damage. With more wind and rain to come, I thought I'll leave it where it is for now

[zildjian]

Can do without putting a dent in it just yet,

mine is heavy enough fitted out and numerous sets of cutlery and other
'back-up' spares though I seldom leave it at loading height unless I'm going somewhere as thats when they are at their most vulnerable

[mjb666]

Mark, how's it all going in the heat?

I noticed this home build in the sales section and just wondered if you had any comments or there's any neat touches you could copy for your build?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Demountable- ... Sw5KdbZzgF

Mike