SKarosser Copy Scratch Home build?????

[wonkywheel]

The best-laid plans fall apart.

The PVC sheet that I want is in Bradford. Quite a trek for me so it should be an early start Friday morning
Friday is always the best day for me because my daughter is off work alternate Fridays so I don't have to worry about the dog.
A perfect sheet is £40 but they do seconds at £10 each, which is what I was aiming for.
I shortened my roof rack subframe. Purchased a 12mm sheet of Stirling board and screwed it to the subframe. Securely cable-tied it to the roof rack ready to go. Then I sorted a selection of ropes for tie-downs, a new roll of gaffer tape, Stanley knife Addressed up the sat nav.



Then I thought I should just check that they had some seconds in stock.

Sorry, we have none at the moment try again on Monday.

So with storm "Dennis" on the horizon, It looks like it might be another 2 weeks before I try again.

[wonkywheel]

Dennis Disaster

With what I thought was a secure load on my roof bars I went to the local country park this afternoon to walk the dog.

The return journey was very traumatic to say the least. My 12 mm sterling board was screwed to my aluminium box-section subframe with 8 screws. The sub-frame fixed to my roof bars with 8 heavy-duty cable ties. Then as an extra precaution, 2 Thule straps held both to a roof bar.
A strong gust of wind while traveling at 40 mph managed to break one of the straps, pull the wood off the sub-frame, snap all 8 cable ties and bend the sub-frame. One strap held and I finished up dragging everything down the road while it beat against the side of the truck.
Not pleased
While I was struggling to undo the knotted straps to free everything a POLICE van pulled up behind me with his hazard lights on. My hazard lights were also on although the nearside unit was damaged in the freedom attempt and was not working. The two policemen asked me what I intended to do about it.
Bearing in mind by now it is really blowing hard with driving rain
I said chuck the board into the ditch and hope its there when the wind drops to pick up later.
They offered to load it into their van, and follow me home to deliver it. Which they did.
i CANNOT THANK THEM ENOUGH, THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL.
I EVEN TOLD THEM I TAKE BACK ALL THE THINGS I HAD SAID ABOUT THEM

I might renew my search for a nearer supplier of economic 2mm PVC sheets

[zildjian]

You certainly appear to be living the dream just now, either that or writing a Country & western song

[wonkywheel]

Living Knightmare



Scatches down the nearside front door, dinted rear door, crushed rear door top, Paintwork scraped of the rear cover with scatches down the glass. All for the idea of saving £100.

Just to top it off, the exhaust rear pipe dropped off yesterday
That might just have put paid to PVC sheets this month

[wonkywheel]

Not wanting to stop build progress I purchased a double foam mattress from Ikea today.



I had made an aborted attempt a few months ago only to be confounded by following the yellow arrows around the store to find the mattresses. Once there I found a note saying, visit customer services. My arrival at the exit, (having walked all through the store) where customer services are I was greeted by a crowd of people waiting for, what looked like two kids trying to sort everything out. It was then I lost the will to live and came home.

This time I thought I had it sussed. I took the serial number off t'internet, went straight to the customer services desk walking backward against the yellow arrows and asked for my product.
They had me again though. The mattress I wanted was at the warehouse, two minutes drive down the road. I could drive around and fetch it.
I wanted a couple of other things so I went back into the store complete with my mattress request form. At the till I paid for my other bits and the mattress. Back to the truck a little peeved to say the least. Stormed out the carpark and set off home.
I was about 3 blocks away when I remembered I needed to find the warehouse. After a couple of wrong turns found it and waiting on the desk was at last my mattress



The instructions say it needs to lay for 72 hours to regain the air in the foam. I made the bedroom floor only 1200mm wide(4 foot) and the mattress is 1300mm but I'm sure it will be OK

Ever since I put the curtains in the camper I have noticed a different smell upon entering. Not mould, not nasty just different. So I have taken them out to see if it improves without them.

[zildjian]

IKEÀ at Milton Keynes, I had same performance when they opened
But they had to and pick the item as well,
Put me off ever using them again

[wonkywheel]

With the bed area cleared to allow the foam to expand the rest of the camper is now just a storage area with no room to do anything. It had stored the event shelter and 3 sides, a mates tent, 2 sleeping bags, 2 bed rolls, seat cushions, foam box ( to be cool box) and numerous tools. I am not sure what I will do with it all as I don't want to crush the foam down again
The smelly curtains were taken down and I took them to the shop where I purchased the material from and enquired if they could shed any light on the peculiar odour.
Eureka, they told me it was the end of a very expensive roll and had been rolled up for quite a time. They thought it was the fireproofing coat that was the problem. Just hang it on the line for a good blow through as it should be fine.
Time will tell.
The truck is going in tomorrow for a new exhaust section and they told me the MOT runs out on the 19th March so they will do that as well.
It's looking more and more like the PVC sheets will be off the menu for this month.

[wonkywheel]

Yipppeeee
The truck passed its MOT but with 2 advisories. Leaking joint on my new exhaust and a bit of play in one of the steering joints.

With the dry warm day, my thoughts turned to work on the camper.
It will be those back doors next. I need to take them apart, cut them down a bit and then reassemble. I have purchased some cutting disks for my grinder to cut the bevel welds at the corners.
Having looked at Zildan's step photos I have decided to shorten the bottom door so that one step is inside and two outside. That way I can leave the steps in place when inside with the door closed. That will make the door heights look odd so I may take it off the top door and move the bottom one up to compensate.

As it is at the minute

I think the door will move up about the same amount as I have above the top door. That will satisfy my engineer's eye, giving a nice symmetrical look
I still have one sliding boat window (similar to the three already in place) so I am thinking of putting it in the top door. High enough so no one can see in but ideal to check on who's there

The door hinges were really unsatisfactory from the start. With the screw heads exposed there was always a chance someone might try to get in by taking the hinges off the door. It would not have been possible because I had put lock nuts on them but, they could try.



The stainless steel screws were a bit of a disaster. The ill-fitting doors moved and flexed as I tried to force them into their holes resulting in the heads popping off in a few places.
New, better quality(although cheaper) door hinges will be fitted to the doors, This time the screw heads will be hidden in the closure with just the hinge pin showing.



All I need now is ENERGY and fine weather to complete it

TBH I haven't decided whether to fit rubber sealing stips at the same time or wait untill later.

[zildjian]

Would it be possible to skim off some of the hinge-side of doors too, and get a piano hinge to fit internally, that would solve security

[wonkywheel]

Zildan, I will fit these in a similar fashion to a piano hinge.
I looked at stainless steel piano hinges and they were a bit expensive. These ball race fire door hinges from Wicks are only £4 a pair and they are stainless too. I will bolt them through the aluminium box section with countersunk machine screws from Screwfix (pick up tomorrow)
I'm really looking forward to getting those bloody doors sorted.

I have slightly modified your step design to suit my needs but they are not high on my priority list as my chunky caravan steps are ideal for putting up the event shelter on your own being vertically challenged as I am. I think I may need the shelter for the Easter meeting, should it go ahead.
Unless
Is in town