I've been watching your show for the last couple days. And had to come back to this part of your adventure. Flipping cool !!! I'm a welder , framer, .... Need me one of them plasma tables though. See now I'm going to have to keep currant on your new stuff and look back also. Kind of fun that way.
You explain what you're doing as well as why you're doing it your way, fantastic guys. All that planning you've done is clearly paying off, and hint you may want to consider making kits for other DIY'rs.
Courtney, we are enjoying the saga of your ultimate adventure vehicle and your ultimate adventure life! You and Riley do amazing work. Looking forward to future episodes!
It's looking great. I'm an ex welder fitter and I've welded and work with aluminum quite often you've done a great job so far on this build and yes working with Sikaflex its a must to have an electric or pneumatic caulking gun. Definitely makes the job go easier with less headaches plus it helps save on time as well.
Pneumatic caulk gun makes applying Sikaflex 252 super easy, and the Chicago Pneumatic caulk gun is cost effective at $50-70 depending on supplier. Got farther in the video...and that's exactly what you did. ;)
Waterproof/ caulking question - on the side panels how did you seal the horizontal joint when you stacked the panels? Great build and content. I’m in the planning stage, thinking about 1/4” PVC foam board + 1-1/2” foam + 1/4” PVC Foam board or plywood.
Amazing work. You couple are the best team I've ever seen in this field. One question, for gluing aluminum&foam&plywood to becoming wall panel, why not to use Sikaflex 252 instead of Loctite PL Premium? Thank you.
I watch a lot of builds and this vid just appeared. Have to say it looks real good. Some builds just send off the wrong vibe but this one does not do that. The welded frame looks great. Color is great. Panels are great, not the everyday kind of construction. Also, it kinda blows me away that people will build up a truck, pay the big bucks, then buy a slide in. Removing the bed makes so much more sense and looks better. Until episode 4...
@@AmbitionStrikes getting rid of the odd shaped and heavy bed gives you a new canvas to work with that’s flat and offers better ways to utilize the space at hand more efficiently. Cool stuff!
@@AmbitionStrikes I would also like to see what things are costing as you go if you could include that. Great way to build a composite panel. How much did each panel set you back?
Hi, Thanks for sharing with all of us. A lot of useful information. I have a question on the panels. How did you handle the joint in the corners? Are the panels mitered or just one sits deeper in the aluminum angle that the other?
If you're going somewhere warm, a lighter color will reduce your heat load quite a bit. Just clear-coating the aluminum would've been good. If you don't like the look, consider just repainting the roof white
Great looking camper! How are you sealing/dressing up the horizontal line on the sides? Do the panel butt up against each other or is there overlap on the sides?
There is a 2" overlap on the aluminum skins that is sealed with VHB Tape and Sika 252. The plywood and foam portions of the panels butt up to each other and will be bonded with a trim panel on the inside.
Nice use of adhesives. That VHB tape is awesome stuff also. I can't believe you just got a pop riveter though! Too late now maybe, but get a pair of cleco pliers and some clecos. Aircraft Spruce is one of among many sources. They are temporary fasteners used in aircraft work; drill a hole (1/8" and 3/16" most common size) stick a cleco in it, and continue. Very useful for getting all the holes lined up correctly before committing to rivets. A fan spacer is another handy tool, for laying out rivets lines and spacing. You seem like a tool person so the more the better! Aircraft hardware is great also.
@@AmbitionStrikes You will love it, I use my spare aircraft hardware and tools for all kinds of things, and for sure there is many applications on building a camper. BTW, the reason I knew about the VHB tape is it is being in certain (not structural) aircraft applications, being lighter, cheaper, and easier then mechanical fastener methods. Also BTW, you two would make a great team if you ever wanted to build kitplane, you have the skills and the mind set.
Awesome work with your camper i really enjoyed all 6 Episodes out now. I wanted to comment on this particular one, because in my opinion i noticed a safety relevant mistake. You mentioned you bolt the front down and use springs on the rear mounts. According to builders guides of several OEMs you should bolt down in rear and make it flexible in front. Keep in mind if you brake the rear gets light. Means in worst case szenario the cabin lifts in all harsh braking situations causing a instable condition where you for sure don't want it. This is much more likely than lifting the cabin with accelerating. I hope you can easily change that.
Hi Michael! There were several factors we considered when designing the mounting system. In the end having the springs in rear was decided to be best for our situation. The braking concern was discussed and considered when sourcing the springs. The maximum they can compress in a worst case scenario is 1” and we are comfortable with that. Thank you for the input!
A new project is growing in my mind, what a great job you've done. But I'm wondering about thermic bridge for here in Canada. Was there an issue around the tubing crossing the roof ? Have you put something over it ?
3:40 Did you observe incomplete curing of the panel laminations when you cut out hatch and windows? I thought PL premium needed atmospheric moisture to cure. Seems like moisture would not be present in this layup
Hi Jason! When gluing up the panels we made sure to give a healthy misting of water to each layer. Every scrap we have peeled apart has been completely cured!
@@AmbitionStrikes thanks for the reply. I wondered if you did the misting as recommended in the PL Premium literature. Thanks for sharing the details, obviously it would be a heap of work to show every little thing.
Very impressive build . I love the panels . Did the cnc program give you a cut out measurements or was there a lot of measuring ? You guys looked slick putting it all together in the video .
Thanks for watching! There were no guarantees that the frame was welded to the exact dimensions of the model so the panels were cut to size after measuring the frame itself.
Hi, love your channel. I have converted a school bus, a sprinter van. Now planning a overland camper truck. Would you share the link of the spring mount, please
How thick the aluminium sheet is that you're using please? I'm currently building a truck camper and I promise I'm not copying you but your videos given me strength to actually go for it. If you wouldn't mind sharing the information on the aluminium sheets I'd really appreciate it. Absolutely addicted to your videos ☺️
Hi Hans! Unfortunately I didn’t capture a video but when we built the panels we had the aluminum overhang the foam/plywood, forming a shingle when we overlapped the panels. The overlap was secured with vhb tape and a thick bead of Sika 252. There will also be internal ribbing on those seams.
Love your video's guys! Can i ask why you when with horizontal panel "gaps" instead of vertical ones? I'd expect it to be easier to make vertical ones waterproof.
You're gonna wanna isolate that fuel pump for the diesel heater. Mounting it directly to the frame is going to be VERY loud when it ticks. I would put it in a small box stuffed with insulation. The pump doesn't heat up at all and it won't damage it. I would test the heater and you'll see what I'm saying.
Thank you for the advice! We are getting very close to plumbing the heating system and then I’m sure we will find out exactly what you are talking about 😬.
Watch these build series many times Really Great! Have a question on the panels great info on installing in the frame but how are they stacked and sealed together? Did you go back over the gap between them after install and use a sealant? Look forward to all your other Adventures and projects.
@@AmbitionStrikes I'm finding this build absolutely fascinating (while I follow along the travels in more real-time). Did you bond the upper aluminum panel to the lower foam, or is it a loose lap-joint?
I am actually in the process of building a composite structure for a piece of mobile equipment for my business. This was very helpful. One thing I noticed is that there is no riveted flashing over the horizontal seam running down the side of the camper. How is this seam sealed? Did you just bend the edge of the AL around the foam and then put adhesive on the installation?
Hello from California traitors! Been following the channel since this build and have been HUGELY inspired by you two. I am gearing up to make the lightest possible tow-behind camper trailer I can and thinking of using your panel method. Can you share where you sourced your aluminum sheet from? Did you ever do a build breakdown?
Hi, how did you conect the 2 horizontal sidepanels on the big sidewalls in the middle? 6:21 and 6:21 the horizontal line on the sidewall. Are those glued only? How is the metal and the wood conecting?
Hi guys, just reaching out to see how your walls are holding up. I’m in the process of building my camper on an LMTV, but living in Texas, I’m worried about expansion and contraction of the aluminum skin. Thanks
3:15 What kind of VHB did you use? I am aware there is a multitude of kinds and thicknesses and widths all designed to be idea for certain applications.
Simply Amazing Job! I am very impressed with yalls skill and craftsmanship . I know yall will have excellent success with the Sika products, we use Sika products a lot in construction and they are one of the few products that are TXDot approved. Quick question, 1st were did you source the spring bolts and what brand diesel heater did yall go with? Great Job!
Thank you! The springs are from McMaster Carr and the diesel heater is just an off brand from Amazon! (There are dozens of options but they all appear to be the same, we purchased it awhile ago and it is no longer available from that particular seller).
Hey, do you have a pic of the spring mount installed on the camper/ truck frame?? Did you weld a gusset to the camper frame and truck frame to install the spring mount???? Also where did you purchase the spring mount assembly?
We made the spring mounts utilizing the factory bed mount holes in the truck frame. The front of the camper is rigid mounted, the rear has compression springs applying clamping force. Unfortunately it's hidden inside the truck frame and not possible to photograph. The springs came from McMaster Carr.
@@AmbitionStrikes thank you for responding, I went back to episode 3 and saw the plate welded to the camper frame for the mounts and it looked like they were directly over the truck frame rails but wasn’t sure if the springs could be mounted in the boxed rails. I plan on copying your camper frame but with a pop top to reduce wind drag. Thanks again, you have an exceptionally nice build!!!!
@@eyeswideopen7450 Yes I did! It was super easy to do the panels and now it can always be removed if we want to change the color or return it to a raw aluminum look.
Because of the monocoque structure even if it did delaminate it couldn't go anywhere (the interior bracing creates an internal structure so the plywood is essentially it's own structure within a structure... kind of like a basketball.) And yes we used a tiny notched trowel intended for laminate flooring glue application!
I rewatched this vid to see how you guys made the walls. I built my travel trailer differently with separate interior and exterior walls and an air gap of 1.5" but my next build will use walls like yours. I think yours are functional while looking great. Got any info on that CNC you're using or did you go over that in a separate video?
So far these walls have been great! We are really impressed with how well insulated this camper is vs others we have owned. The CNC table is from ArcLight Dynamics. It is a Arc Pro 9600 and we have owned for about 5 years. It is an amazing machine and adds so much capability to our garage. We don't have a video on it yet, but that is a good idea for the future. Thanks for watching!
Just wondering, why would you install side panels on horizontal so seems can hold water? I would think if the seam was up and down, any water droplet would run down better.
Hi John! The horizontal seam has a 2” overlap like a roof shingle and that seam is sealed with VHB tape and Sika 252 so we do not have any concerns with water!
I have a horse trailer with living quarters. It has the aluminum with vertical seams. There is a portion in the rear of the trailer , where it is not insulated. Inter driving through heavy rain ,I have noticed water in that area. All seams are tight ( to the naked eye). I have many friends with utility trailers that have the same problem. I think no seam would obviously be best but vertical would be the next best option.If you had the equipment,an offset on uonerlying panels would make top panel flush. But I'm not sure that can be accomplished with a brake. Just my 2cents worth. Thanks for the video. I will be starting my build as soon as I get healthier.
Amazing project. You have inspired me to build a slide in pop up truck camper. I am in the testing phase of the layup for the wall panels and simply cant get the aluminum/foam/1/4 birch to adhere with loctite premium. Do you have any advice? I'd love to chat more about this project and see if you have any thoughts. Thanks!
I think I missed this. The aluminum is .050” thick 5052? Or what alloy/thickness. Never heard of UV coated plywood. What is that? Love the build..... thanks for posting.
Yes the aluminum is .050 5052! Our local hardwood supplier had the UV coated plywood in stock and it was only marginally more expensive than uncleared!
Hi Ryan! We used the smallest v notch trowel available at our local Lowe's (it was in the linoleum adhesive section). We used one 28oz tube per side of the panel (so two tubes per panel).
It was discussed, but we opted for keeping things simple as an access panel is another possible entry point for water. Only the pickup is located in the tank and the pump is easily accessible by just crawling under the truck. We’ve had to drop several tanks before and it is never fun, but should we need to down the road it will make a good video? 😂
I was curious if you know the weight limit for the over the cab portion of the camper? Did the software app calculate this and what was the software used?
The framework of the camper was designed in Solidworks. The dynamic loading is much more of a concern than the static weight capacity and that is not something I can calculate with the software package I currently have. -Riley
What kind of aluminum welder are you using? I was hoping to avoid welding aluminum by using 80/20 aluminum but they are 5 times more than a regular aluminum tubing. I may as well spend the excess money to buy an aluminum welder to build my slide in truck camper. Thanks in advance for your help.
We are using a Miller 252 with Spoolmatic 30a spool gun set up for the framing. We are also using an Eastwood TIG 200 for the thinner sheet metal parts. I tried to spool gun everything but it became clear that I needed to use the tig welder for the thin parts. Good luck with your project let us know if you have other questions.
You got it! 1x.125 square tubing was used to provide a little extra support to the roof area of the exo skeleton. Since the panels we made are 4'x8' there had to be seams in the roof. The flat part you see is to allow the attachment of the roof panels and make a water proof seam. The entire exo skeleton is made from .080 aluminum.
This series is awesome! I’m learning so much. My build will be nowhere as fancy but useful skills are being driven into my brain.
I'm so glad we are able to help you with your build Tim! If you have an Instagram please tag us so we can follow along!
This is one beautiful build! You two make for not only a wonderful couple but a great, coordinated team!
I've been watching your show for the last couple days. And had to come back to this part of your adventure. Flipping cool !!! I'm a welder , framer, .... Need me one of them plasma tables though. See now I'm going to have to keep currant on your new stuff and look back also. Kind of fun that way.
We can't imagine a world without a plasma table now, it is such a game changer!
You explain what you're doing as well as why you're doing it your way, fantastic guys. All that planning you've done is clearly paying off, and hint you may want to consider making kits for other DIY'rs.
Thank you for watching!
You guys rock...I love seeing couples become true partners in these projects! Can’t wait to see the rest of your journey.😎
Thanks for following along Patrick!
Courtney, we are enjoying the saga of your ultimate adventure vehicle and your ultimate adventure life! You and Riley do amazing work. Looking forward to future episodes!
Thanks Sharon! Hope you and the family are well.
It's looking great. I'm an ex welder fitter and I've welded and work with aluminum quite often you've done a great job so far on this build and yes working with Sikaflex its a must to have an electric or pneumatic caulking gun. Definitely makes the job go easier with less headaches plus it helps save on time as well.
That was a lot of progress, i bet it must have been so rewarding to see it come together! looks stunning!
It felt amazing to take it from a computer model to the real thing!
Amazing what a little perseverance and muddled together skill can accomplish. You should be proud of your awesome camper project. Wow!
It doesn't always work out the way we hoped but when it does it sure feels good! Thank you for the kind words. :)
They have more than “muddled together skill”. Solid modeling, CNC work and aluminum welding aren’t child’s play.
Hell of a build I love it. I've built 1 overland trailer and plan to build another using your wall technique thanks for the videos!
My next build will be an Aluminum frame... Glad I came across your channel
Thanks for following along!
Amazing job. Looking so awesome. How to seal the side panels seems? More caulk I imagine. Any plans for solar panels? Thanks for sharing
Great work, love to see the research and attention to detail
Thanks Tanner!
awesome. i like fabricating and am converting a cargo trailer. thought about building from scratch... maybe i will after this series!
Wait and see if we survive first! ;)
@@AmbitionStrikes lol
Pneumatic caulk gun makes applying Sikaflex 252 super easy, and the Chicago Pneumatic caulk gun is cost effective at $50-70 depending on supplier. Got farther in the video...and that's exactly what you did. ;)
I was pleasantly surprised with how affordable it was! Such a game changer.
Absolutely amazing...you fine folks are so talented!
Thank you very much!
Nice job. Good luck on the rest of the build.
Thank you!
Lovely work ,
You guys make it look so easy!
It's never very easy, we are just stubborn! 😉
Waterproof/ caulking question - on the side panels how did you seal the horizontal joint when you stacked the panels?
Great build and content. I’m in the planning stage, thinking about 1/4” PVC foam board + 1-1/2” foam + 1/4” PVC Foam board or plywood.
The top panel was made special with a 2" overhang on the outter skin to overlap the lower panel like a roof shingle.
Good job dear!!! Really appreciated!!! Best wishes & love from Delhi India...
Thank you for watching!
Amazing work. You couple are the best team I've ever seen in this field. One question, for gluing aluminum&foam&plywood to becoming wall panel, why not to use Sikaflex 252 instead of Loctite PL Premium? Thank you.
I watch a lot of builds and this vid just appeared. Have to say it looks real good. Some builds just send off the wrong vibe but this one does not do that. The welded frame looks great. Color is great. Panels are great, not the everyday kind of construction. Also, it kinda blows me away that people will build up a truck, pay the big bucks, then buy a slide in. Removing the bed makes so much more sense and looks better. Until episode 4...
Thank you for the kind words! We have had several slide in campers and the lack of storage was the biggest motivation in making our own!
@@AmbitionStrikes getting rid of the odd shaped and heavy bed gives you a new canvas to work with that’s flat and offers better ways to utilize the space at hand more efficiently. Cool stuff!
This is amazing!
Thank you so much for this series.
I have a question, what do you do in between the wall panels when putting them on the skeleton?
That is looking great
That thang looks good.
Thanks Ken!
Very nice. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Amazing build in such a short time.
I really am interested in the pre-search and digging.
I'm totally influenced.
Thank you for watching Orçun!
Good job guys, loving it. 🤙🏼🇬🇺👍🏻❤️🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you!!
Love the details you r sharing..love you guys from India..😘😘
Thank you Kiran!
It is coming along great, very excited to see how everything turns out. I am wondering if in the end you might share a budget for everything...
Thanks Rob! We are keeping track of all expenses and will keep you updated!
@@AmbitionStrikes I would also like to see what things are costing as you go if you could include that. Great way to build a composite panel. How much did each panel set you back?
Double check your instructions for the air heater, most pumps need to be mounted at a 15* angle or so. Yours looks horizontal. Nice build!
I read the instructions before installing but I will have to double check that, thanks for the heads up!
This is true. It’s not in the instructions but a ton of online diesel heater fb groups say the same. It’s how mine is mounted and it works great
The angle I believe has something to do with priming the pump any getting the air out.
Hi, Thanks for sharing with all of us. A lot of useful information. I have a question on the panels. How did you handle the joint in the corners? Are the panels mitered or just one sits deeper in the aluminum angle that the other?
Amazing job! looks awesome
Thanks you!
If you're going somewhere warm, a lighter color will reduce your heat load quite a bit. Just clear-coating the aluminum would've been good. If you don't like the look, consider just repainting the roof white
The roof is raw aluminum. The dark grey looks great, and looking cool is most important 😎.
Great looking camper! How are you sealing/dressing up the horizontal line on the sides? Do the panel butt up against each other or is there overlap on the sides?
There is a 2" overlap on the aluminum skins that is sealed with VHB Tape and Sika 252. The plywood and foam portions of the panels butt up to each other and will be bonded with a trim panel on the inside.
Great job. I wish I can have one too
Thank you!
So sick, guys!!
Thanks for the comment and watching!
Very interesting!
😊
This is amazing. I'm doing something similar here in dubai. Can I ask where you got the spring mounts to connect the camper to the chassis?
The springs were sourced from McMaster Carr!
Nice use of adhesives. That VHB tape is awesome stuff also. I can't believe you just got a pop riveter though! Too late now maybe, but get a pair of cleco pliers and some clecos. Aircraft Spruce is one of among many sources. They are temporary fasteners used in aircraft work; drill a hole (1/8" and 3/16" most common size) stick a cleco in it, and continue. Very useful for getting all the holes lined up correctly before committing to rivets. A fan spacer is another handy tool, for laying out rivets lines and spacing. You seem like a tool person so the more the better! Aircraft hardware is great also.
Thank you for the tips! I just looked into the fan spacer and I am definitely going to be adding that to our arsenal!!
@@AmbitionStrikes You will love it, I use my spare aircraft hardware and tools for all kinds of things, and for sure there is many applications on building a camper. BTW, the reason I knew about the VHB tape is it is being in certain (not structural) aircraft applications, being lighter, cheaper, and easier then mechanical fastener methods. Also BTW, you two would make a great team if you ever wanted to build kitplane, you have the skills and the mind set.
@@portnuefflyer We were actually just talking about building a kit plane with Rileys dad, who is a pilot!
@@AmbitionStrikes Do it! Me, I'm the old fart: ruclips.net/video/nmTK-fdqe_M/видео.html
This is unreal, looks like it came like that from the factory XD
Thank you very much!
Pure Talent. Welder, bender, and skills like you guys have. I am looking for you guys when the world hit's rock bottom. You can build anything.
Well if we reach that point you will find us somewhere in the mountains with as many tools as we could fit on our trailer 😉
Awesome work with your camper i really enjoyed all 6 Episodes out now. I wanted to comment on this particular one, because in my opinion i noticed a safety relevant mistake. You mentioned you bolt the front down and use springs on the rear mounts. According to builders guides of several OEMs you should bolt down in rear and make it flexible in front. Keep in mind if you brake the rear gets light. Means in worst case szenario the cabin lifts in all harsh braking situations causing a instable condition where you for sure don't want it. This is much more likely than lifting the cabin with accelerating. I hope you can easily change that.
Hi Michael! There were several factors we considered when designing the mounting system. In the end having the springs in rear was decided to be best for our situation. The braking concern was discussed and considered when sourcing the springs. The maximum they can compress in a worst case scenario is 1” and we are comfortable with that. Thank you for the input!
A new project is growing in my mind, what a great job you've done. But I'm wondering about thermic bridge for here in Canada. Was there an issue around the tubing crossing the roof ? Have you put something over it ?
You guys rock!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I like the idea of an exoskeleton, as opposed to using the wall panels as a support member.
The exoskeleton and wall panels work together to create a structural system!
3:40 Did you observe incomplete curing of the panel laminations when you cut out hatch and windows? I thought PL premium needed atmospheric moisture to cure. Seems like moisture would not be present in this layup
Hi Jason! When gluing up the panels we made sure to give a healthy misting of water to each layer. Every scrap we have peeled apart has been completely cured!
@@AmbitionStrikes thanks for the reply. I wondered if you did the misting as recommended in the PL Premium literature. Thanks for sharing the details, obviously it would be a heap of work to show every little thing.
@@jwiereng if you pause the video at the right point you can see Riley using a spray bottle after trowling and before laminating
3:44 for those interested in looking!
I now see the misting at 3:50 Thank you
Very impressive build .
I love the panels . Did the cnc program give you a cut out measurements or was there a lot of measuring ? You guys looked slick putting it all together in the video .
Thanks for watching! There were no guarantees that the frame was welded to the exact dimensions of the model so the panels were cut to size after measuring the frame itself.
Great camper and well thought plan. What computer program software did you use to design it with?
Great build! What kind of walls did you use?
Hi, love your channel. I have converted a school bus, a sprinter van. Now planning a overland camper truck. Would you share the link of the spring mount, please
How thick the aluminium sheet is that you're using please? I'm currently building a truck camper and I promise I'm not copying you but your videos given me strength to actually go for it.
If you wouldn't mind sharing the information on the aluminium sheets I'd really appreciate it. Absolutely addicted to your videos ☺️
Can you share, or do you have video of the horizontal panels connecting to each other. Assuming the top aluminum overlaps the the bottom panel?
Hi Hans! Unfortunately I didn’t capture a video but when we built the panels we had the aluminum overhang the foam/plywood, forming a shingle when we overlapped the panels. The overlap was secured with vhb tape and a thick bead of Sika 252. There will also be internal ribbing on those seams.
Love your video's guys! Can i ask why you when with horizontal panel "gaps" instead of vertical ones? I'd expect it to be easier to make vertical ones waterproof.
The horizontal seams are overlapped like roof shingles, making them very waterproof!
Looking good! I like your aluminum skin better than fiberglass.
Thanks for watching Andy!
Also I don’t have the patience for fiberglass! 🤣
You're gonna wanna isolate that fuel pump for the diesel heater. Mounting it directly to the frame is going to be VERY loud when it ticks. I would put it in a small box stuffed with insulation. The pump doesn't heat up at all and it won't damage it.
I would test the heater and you'll see what I'm saying.
Thank you for the advice! We are getting very close to plumbing the heating system and then I’m sure we will find out exactly what you are talking about 😬.
Black paint looks great on the aluminum. Did you etch first or did I miss it?
After sanding we used a self etching primer!
Gran trabajo
Thank you!
Watch these build series many times Really Great! Have a question on the panels great info on installing in the frame but how are they stacked and sealed together? Did you go back over the gap between them after install and use a sealant? Look forward to all your other Adventures and projects.
Going thru the comments, you've answered this many time Thank you so much for all you two do in the DIY community. Blessing
I throw my caulk and adhesives on the dashboard of my truck while I’m working, the warmth from the sun keeps everything playable.
That is a great tip!!
This is great work - so glad to have found this channel! How did you join the two horizontal wall panels that join to make the full height?
Thanks for watching! When we made the panel we had the aluminum overhang by 2” so that we could form a roof shingle like seam!
@@AmbitionStrikes I'm finding this build absolutely fascinating (while I follow along the travels in more real-time). Did you bond the upper aluminum panel to the lower foam, or is it a loose lap-joint?
@@djpWilson There is a 2” overlap like a roof shingle and it is also bonded with Sika!
You guys are awesome. Is it possible to put the link for the panel materials.
Hi Andry! Once we hit the road we plan to put together a much more comprehensive build sheet of everything used!
@@AmbitionStrikes You guys rock. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@@AmbitionStrikes you guys are in UTAH?
Love seeing how you make the composite panels. Did you put insulation in the floor? I didn't see it go in.
Yes! The floor has the same insulation as the walls.
Where did you guys find the exterior vinyl? How has this held up over time?
I am actually in the process of building a composite structure for a piece of mobile equipment for my business. This was very helpful. One thing I noticed is that there is no riveted flashing over the horizontal seam running down the side of the camper. How is this seam sealed? Did you just bend the edge of the AL around the foam and then put adhesive on the installation?
The aluminum skin was left long on the upper panel and it over laps the lower panel like a shingle. It's glued at the joint using sika 252
Hello from California traitors! Been following the channel since this build and have been HUGELY inspired by you two. I am gearing up to make the lightest possible tow-behind camper trailer I can and thinking of using your panel method. Can you share where you sourced your aluminum sheet from? Did you ever do a build breakdown?
We purchased our aluminum from our local metal supply yard!
Hi,
how did you conect the 2 horizontal sidepanels on the big sidewalls in the middle? 6:21 and 6:21 the horizontal line on the sidewall. Are those glued only? How is the metal and the wood conecting?
Hi guys, just reaching out to see how your walls are holding up. I’m in the process of building my camper on an LMTV, but living in Texas, I’m worried about expansion and contraction of the aluminum skin. Thanks
So far no problems. We've been as high as 115F with direct sunlight and as low as -15F.
160k subscribers and you still took the time to respond to my question. Thank you! You guys are are awesome!
How’d you seal the horizontal seams from the two piece wall panels?
The aluminum portion of the upper panel overlaps the lower panel (like a roof shingle) and they are bonded at the seam with VHB tape and Sika.
Awesome build guys. Where's part 4?
Part 4 should be uploaded tomorrow!
3:15 What kind of VHB did you use? I am aware there is a multitude of kinds and thicknesses and widths all designed to be idea for certain applications.
It's been a while but as I recall we used 1" wide tape that was .063" thick intended for bonding the aluminum skins onto high end enclosed trailers.
Simply Amazing Job! I am very impressed with yalls skill and craftsmanship . I know yall will have excellent success with the Sika products, we use Sika products a lot in construction and they are one of the few products that are TXDot approved. Quick question, 1st were did you source the spring bolts and what brand diesel heater did yall go with? Great Job!
Thank you! The springs are from McMaster Carr and the diesel heater is just an off brand from Amazon! (There are dozens of options but they all appear to be the same, we purchased it awhile ago and it is no longer available from that particular seller).
Also I am very glad to hear you have had success with Sika products!
@@AmbitionStrikes Awesome! Thank you for the information!
Awesome work, is there not something about mounting diesel fuel pump on an angle to eliminate air locks?
Yes we are at 15* which is the recommend angle per our instructions!
Soak SikaFlex tubes in 150-160 degree water for 15 minutes. Comes out like painters caulk.
We had them in toaster oven which helped a lot but was still pretty awful until we got the pneumatic caulking gun!
Hey, do you have a pic of the spring mount installed on the camper/ truck frame?? Did you weld a gusset to the camper frame and truck frame to install the spring mount???? Also where did you purchase the spring mount assembly?
We made the spring mounts utilizing the factory bed mount holes in the truck frame. The front of the camper is rigid mounted, the rear has compression springs applying clamping force. Unfortunately it's hidden inside the truck frame and not possible to photograph. The springs came from McMaster Carr.
@@AmbitionStrikes thank you for responding, I went back to episode 3 and saw the plate welded to the camper frame for the mounts and it looked like they were directly over the truck frame rails but wasn’t sure if the springs could be mounted in the boxed rails. I plan on copying your camper frame but with a pop top to reduce wind drag. Thanks again, you have an exceptionally nice build!!!!
Great built! One question: Why did you paint the frame of the camper but not the panels?
The panels are vinyl wrapped the same color as the truck because we liked the look!
@@AmbitionStrikes Did you do the wrap of the truck yourself? I bet wrapping the camper is easir than applying multiple coats of paint.
@@eyeswideopen7450 Yes I did! It was super easy to do the panels and now it can always be removed if we want to change the color or return it to a raw aluminum look.
How many complete panels did you guys end up using, also any word on coming out with a price video soon?
I think our final number was 13 panels. And yes it will be coming out soon!
Sweet! No delamination fears with the loctite PL? Was that a notched trowel you used to apply?
Because of the monocoque structure even if it did delaminate it couldn't go anywhere (the interior bracing creates an internal structure so the plywood is essentially it's own structure within a structure... kind of like a basketball.) And yes we used a tiny notched trowel intended for laminate flooring glue application!
Good thing you didn’t have to get that metal drilled out of your eye!
Do you ever bring this up to Schweitzer?
I rewatched this vid to see how you guys made the walls. I built my travel trailer differently with separate interior and exterior walls and an air gap of 1.5" but my next build will use walls like yours. I think yours are functional while looking great.
Got any info on that CNC you're using or did you go over that in a separate video?
So far these walls have been great! We are really impressed with how well insulated this camper is vs others we have owned.
The CNC table is from ArcLight Dynamics. It is a Arc Pro 9600 and we have owned for about 5 years. It is an amazing machine and adds so much capability to our garage.
We don't have a video on it yet, but that is a good idea for the future. Thanks for watching!
Hey! Awesome video! Thanks for sharing. How did you end up sealing the gaps between the large side panels?
Thanks Andrew! They overlap like roof shingles and are also sealed with RV caulking.
@@AmbitionStrikes wow very cool. Nice work. Was it just the aluminum overhanging, or did you cut the whole composite board at a 45?
@@andrewshakespeare4978 Just the aluminum overhang.
@@AmbitionStrikes thank you!
Use "exploding rivets" (tri-fold) way better than standard rivets.
I will have to look into those, thank for the tip Randall!
Just wondering, why would you install side panels on horizontal so seems can hold water? I would think if the seam was up and down, any water droplet would run down better.
Hi John! The horizontal seam has a 2” overlap like a roof shingle and that seam is sealed with VHB tape and Sika 252 so we do not have any concerns with water!
I have a horse trailer with living quarters. It has the aluminum with vertical seams. There is a portion in the rear of the trailer , where it is not insulated. Inter driving through heavy rain ,I have noticed water in that area. All seams are tight ( to the naked eye). I have many friends with utility trailers that have the same problem. I think no seam would obviously be best but vertical would be the next best option.If you had the equipment,an offset on uonerlying panels would make top panel flush. But I'm not sure that can be accomplished with a brake. Just my 2cents worth. Thanks for the video. I will be starting my build as soon as I get healthier.
Amazing project. You have inspired me to build a slide in pop up truck camper. I am in the testing phase of the layup for the wall panels and simply cant get the aluminum/foam/1/4 birch to adhere with loctite premium. Do you have any advice? I'd love to chat more about this project and see if you have any thoughts. Thanks!
Hi Lars! If you can shoot Riley an email we would love to discuss this in detail. riley@trailtestedmfg.com
I think I missed this.
The aluminum is .050” thick 5052? Or what alloy/thickness.
Never heard of UV coated plywood. What is that?
Love the build..... thanks for posting.
Yes the aluminum is .050 5052!
Our local hardwood supplier had the UV coated plywood in stock and it was only marginally more expensive than uncleared!
@@AmbitionStrikes
Thanks for the fast reply. Look forward to all of the updates.
Air power is almost as impressive as hydraulics. Both make life enjoyable.
Awesome build! We have a traveling ski condo also. Could you provide any info as to quantity of pl you used per panel? And what size notch trowel?
Hi Ryan! We used the smallest v notch trowel available at our local Lowe's (it was in the linoleum adhesive section). We used one 28oz tube per side of the panel (so two tubes per panel).
Fun!
Thanks for watching!
Hopefully you left an access panel in the floor to get to that fuel pump in the tank. Those are a pain if you have to drop the tank.
It was discussed, but we opted for keeping things simple as an access panel is another possible entry point for water. Only the pickup is located in the tank and the pump is easily accessible by just crawling under the truck. We’ve had to drop several tanks before and it is never fun, but should we need to down the road it will make a good video? 😂
I was curious if you know the weight limit for the over the cab portion of the camper? Did the software app calculate this and what was the software used?
The framework of the camper was designed in Solidworks. The dynamic loading is much more of a concern than the static weight capacity and that is not something I can calculate with the software package I currently have.
-Riley
@@AmbitionStrikes by the way, thanks for taking the time to document the build in such detail and most of all, replying to comments. Great Build!
Awesome! How did you seal the horizontal seam where the two panels meet on the sides?
Hi Ryan! The top panel overlaps 2" inches like a roof shingle and is also sealed with a thick bead of Sika 252 and VHB tape.
What kind of aluminum welder are you using? I was hoping to avoid welding aluminum by using 80/20 aluminum but they are 5 times more than a regular aluminum tubing. I may as well spend the excess money to buy an aluminum welder to build my slide in truck camper. Thanks in advance for your help.
We are using a Miller 252 with Spoolmatic 30a spool gun set up for the framing. We are also using an Eastwood TIG 200 for the thinner sheet metal parts. I tried to spool gun everything but it became clear that I needed to use the tig welder for the thin parts. Good luck with your project let us know if you have other questions.
What type of rivets did y'all use?
Can you explain the roof beams build (at 1:15 for example) Looks like 1" square tubing w/ maybe a 6" sheet welded over it? metal thicknesses?
You got it! 1x.125 square tubing was used to provide a little extra support to the roof area of the exo skeleton. Since the panels we made are 4'x8' there had to be seams in the roof. The flat part you see is to allow the attachment of the roof panels and make a water proof seam. The entire exo skeleton is made from .080 aluminum.
Have you ever thought of selling kits or plans?
I see on the outside that there are seams between the panels. What did you do to ensure that no water could get in at the seams?
The outside skin of the upper panel over laps the lower panel like a roof shingle. They are bonded with Sika 252, just like the rest of the seams.
Can I ask where you got the aluminum skin? Link maybe?
The aluminum sheets were purchased from our local steel supply yard!