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Hi all having a pleasant day today, suns shining, birds singing, router screaming. Have now made all the major parts for the kitchen apart from the worktop. The fridge is sat on the floor for spacing, it will be sat on a small plinth around 50mm higher. Because the fridge is bigger than usual I need to revise the the run of the waste pipe so just mocking it up so I can mark for the waste and cut the hole in the floor.I will also be able to mark the position of the drop out vent so that can be done at the same time.The kitchen cupboard with house 1 large or 2 small water containers and the gas bottle so there will still be lots of space.for other stuff. I hope to get the end panel for the wardrobe made in the morning. Its quite a big panel and needs scribing to fit around lots of stuff. Hoping that the rubbish weather has finally gone. Cheers - mike
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following this closely, really been wanting to do something like this for a while but the current price of t4's/t5's have put me off! hi there I think t4'4 / t5's are over rated, the "scene" tax is far to high for what they are. Have converted a few but can't say they are that much better than a "lesser" van. Cheers - mike
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Great work, do you do this for a living, or is it just something you do as a ‘side line’? hi there yes, i do this for a living nowadays. cheers - mike
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Hi all have a had a reasonable day. Rained of for a few hours this morning and had customers to deal with. Spent the afternoon making up the panels for the fridge housing / kitchen unit. Just one side panel to make and the shelf for the cupboard and then she can be fitted. I'm going to have to be careful with the sink waste on this one as the fridge is deeper than standard, 48 litres instead of the usual 40 litres. Have decided to make the unit 815mm tall so as to give the best compromise of size / not blocking off the window to much. I think it should work ok. Cheers - mike
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Hi all
had a run over to Cleethorpes today to collect some more furniture board and bits and bobs.
They have added quite a few bits to the range especially Tambour doors so I may be giving them a go over the next few weeks. They look good but are pretty expensive for what they are.
Of to spend and hour or two building the fridge housing and having a general tidy up.
Cheers - mike
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Hi all Have been away in the lake district so not a lot done on this. I need to be full speed ahead now though as its due to go on the 15th April and still lots to do. Its raining heavily today so just doing prep work for today. I find that the latest batch of table mounts are lighter than before and not quite as thick so when I use my standard size screws they can put just enough pressure for the laminate to star crack so in order to avoid this I add a 3mm spacer. Its ply bonded to the top mount and then flush trimmed on my router table. Another little job is to make up the leads for the split charge system. On the Renault the battery sits in a box in the floor and this is were I like to fit the split charge relay. As its fairly in accessible I usually solder and heat shrink the connectors just to be 100% sure they will stay intact. i'm hoping that the weather will improve over the next day or so as I need to get the seat bolted down and don't like rolling around underneath in the wet. Cheers - mike
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Mar 26, 2018 10:56:28 GMT
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Hi all
I hope to get a few hours on this today,spent the morning at the hospital getting mot'd.
Good to go for another 6 months.
The fridge finally arrived whilst I was out so I can measure up and finalise the design for the units.Just waiting on some furniture board now and then I can crack on.
Off to the lake district for three days tomorrow, hope the weather doesn't turn to much.
Cheers - mike
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Mar 24, 2018 16:48:43 GMT
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Hi all spent the morning dealing with new customers so just had a few hours this afternoon. I have carpet lined the passenger rear quarter. Just to make it interesting I did it all in one,side panel,rear corner and the wheel arch. Just a bit of trimming around the floor and side door left to do. Having tomorrow off I think as i'm one of the walking dead today. Cheers - mike
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Mar 23, 2018 18:34:52 GMT
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Hi all had a few more hours on this today between rain showers and visitors. I have been waiting for the new roof aerial to arrive so I could get of fitted and then finish the ceiling. The ceiling is now in for the final time plus the rear section of the body has been carpet lined. I have also fitted 2 more led down lights.They are in a different position to usual as they need to be clear of the fixed part on the roof bed. Next job is to make and fit the roof side panels. The passenger side one is going to house the now homeless courtesy light that was in the middle of the roof. Next week should see the units taking shape. Cheers - mike
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Mar 22, 2018 17:30:25 GMT
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hi there
rocking is the transition point when the exhaust is just closing and the inlet is just opening.
Its not an exact science, there's a fair margin either way.
More of a problem on an Essex is rocker wear which makes setting tappet properly very hard.
Cheers - mike
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Mar 22, 2018 15:42:49 GMT
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You've done more in a month than Id be able to do in a 2 years! It's really starting to take shape - reading with interest (not that I have any intention of buying a van and converting it - knowing me I'd slip as I tried to cut the windows out and slice half the side of the van in two.....). Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to post your build up. Hi there you're welcome. I post my builds on a few forums, partly to entertain folks and offer help and advice. I have had many accidents building camper, fell out of a Renault Master drivers door and dislocated my shoulder,fell of the roof of a high roof camper,landed on my gravel drive on my back and couldn't move for 10 mins.Have been gassed,electrocuted,squashed,tripped and much more but still here!!. Cheers - mike
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Mar 22, 2018 15:37:17 GMT
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Had a change of plan this afternoon as I had another customer coming over who got delayed so whilst I was waiting I fitted the seat swivel. They are seriously heavy and once the seat is on they weigh a tonne. Anyways its in now and i'm have a 5 mins rest, almost broke into a sweat!! They usually take a bit of messing about with, cutting the flooring etc but this ones a new design and just went straight in so pleased with that. I like taking seats and trim out as I usually find treasure!! Today's haul? A mouldy 2 pence and some sweet wrappers. Best not upgrade my Mercedes just yet then. That's about it for today,just some tidying up to do. Cheers - mike
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Mar 22, 2018 12:58:41 GMT
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Hi all finished filling the rear doors. They are now ready for primer and top coat.Should be lined tomorrow. The swivel seat base has arrived at last so thats another job for tomorrow. I should finally see it starting to come together by the end of tomorrow. Cheers - mike
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Mar 22, 2018 11:14:20 GMT
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Hi all started working on the rear doors earlier. They are badly dented and marked on the inside from previous use. Used my slide hammer to pull most of the dent out and them skimemd with filler, just waiting for it to go off. Off over to Scunthorpe after dinner to visit a friends wife as he sadly passed away suddenly at the weekend, only 56 which is just a year older than me.Makes you think. Anyways, I hope to get the inside of the rear doors primed and painted when I get back. Still no luck tracking down my swivel base. The tracking showed it was out for delivery from Selby yesterday and then returned do to a driver issue? Cheers - mike
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Mar 21, 2018 16:54:54 GMT
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Hi all another steady day. Removed the tape from the rear windows and cleaned up the glue. Its the first time I have used windows from this supplier and they look pretty good. A better fit than my previous supplier as they are compound curved. Removed the inner trims and cleaned up around the windows as this van will have my usual tucked in finish around the windows. Got the ply lining all screwed into place. They sides of these vans aren't flat and the 6mm board dose not like to bend so I have to cheat. I also added some reinforcements to the wheel box so that I had enough thickness to pocket hole it for screwing to the floor. Have started making the templates for the units but at a stop until the fridge arrives. It was due today but not been delivered yet. Also waiting for the swivel for the front passnger seat, again due today but no sign. I have some dents and marks to pull out and fill on the inside on the back doors in the morning and then these can be carpet lined. All weather permitting of course. Cheers - mike
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Mar 20, 2018 13:57:21 GMT
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And........ the last window is in. They are quite heavy windows and prone to slumping so I have taped the tops. It should take a couple of hours for them to go off but will probably leave the tape until tomorrow. Off to do some tidying up as my drive and garage look like a bombs gone off. Cheers - mike
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Mar 20, 2018 13:21:53 GMT
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Hi all had a steady morning fitting windows to the rear doors. Taking a while as it keeps raining. One's in and the primer is drying on the other so they should both be in shortly. Should make a start on lining some of the hard to get to bits later. Cheers - mike
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Mar 19, 2018 19:22:08 GMT
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thanks,she's getting there
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Mar 19, 2018 18:06:26 GMT
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Hi all got a bit more done this afternoon but slow going. I have made new ply lining panels from 6mm ply for all the lower parts of the van. The rear quarter panels are usually made in 2 peices but I have made them in one piece as it gives a better finish. I have made a box to cover the drivers side rear arch and this will also set the height for the lower rear cupboard. It will need a bit more work yet as it needs a support for the cupboard bottom adding and some mounts for where it sits on the floor. Have also made up a mains lead whilst I had a few mins spare. Tomorrow I should have the lower panels insulated and the lining in plus I hope to have the windows in the rear doors by tomorrow night, weather permitting. Cheers - mike
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Mar 19, 2018 12:26:41 GMT
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Hi all got the bed boards measured up. Have started fitting the new ply lining. The passenger side rear is made and just needs screwing in place. I hope to get the drivers side made this afternoon. Cheers - mike
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