I primarily build small, custom micro-campers. Led by my imagination, I don't hold back when it comes to experimenting with building techniques or new ways of doing an old thing. I believe that with enough wood screws and glue we can make it work. As I go forward, I want to bring far more than just campers to life, though. I'm full of building ideas just waiting for their opportunity to be born.
The build looks great!good looking work! But I am not too sure about that trailer no matter what the load limit on paperwork says. A broken trailer be it axle bearings springs or frame can wreck a weekend. few years yes long term IDK
It looks nice except the outside would look a helluva lot better if the unpainted wood was painted to match the rest. How hard is it to spray paint a few square yards of surface?
Awesome job. You have a gift for building and a great eye for details. The video was awesome to watch. Amazing work all around brother. Can't wait to see you future projects
50 years experience here! Built Rvs 4 years while in college! I have historical work after graduating generations will see long after I'm gone all over from Florida to Colorado! Never home on the weekends I'm camping! I say great job. Just three things I believe you need on the trail! No. 1. I know everybody hates them but if you design your own and think water as you build is a ceiling vent. I hate to mention it but when your in a situation where a No. 2 is required like right now and no time to run to a facility or its raining you will be glad that ceiling vent is there! Just saying! Also it let's the heat out quickly and the way you sealed that thing up it's only breathing with a window or door open! I'm sorry but one fart escaping in there might cause ones eyes to water! Now this is just from experience and advice. I recommend you install them above your cooking area! Condensation is not your friend! No.2 I recommend two water filters. One before the pump, and one before the fill. Now I'm not sure how you ran your hot water line but careful you can melt most pumps when you start getting over 133° F. Yet 105° is a " HOT " shower!. With your set up 2- black solar shower bags on the roof is something you might consider! Your Welcome! No. 3 ( Well actually I have 4.) I would see if you could get a bug light headlight for the porch light! Everybody knows headlights and bugs have a relationship! You will get your moneys worth out of that screen! Just say'n. N0. 4 I highly recommend getting the outdoor privacy No. 2 tent! A side by side two door pop up is nice for a outdoor shower! That should easily be in your wheel house! Personally I cheat! It's the only thing I use a generator for is my outdoor shower! I use a 3.5 kw electric water heater * 30 smp. 110 volt, 2500 watt and 12 volt water pump. That's only if the sun will not heat my water! I set black solar shower bags on top of my dark blue van roof! Which brings me to my only complaint! Why does water have to weigh 8 pounds per gallon? How dare water be so heavy! Oh and last I use a gas can to haul the blue liquid if you catch my meaning. I ffill my toilet after I get where I'm going. That way j know if it's inside or outside not having to haul it around filled! My toilet holds 2 1/2 gallons of the blue so I have extra life! Lol I do carry a tank for the disgusto water designed for a rv on wheels!
Thanks for checking out the video and for the great tips! They help us save time as we look for ways to upgrade our camping experience. You certainly have the knowledge to help lots of us and we appreciate it! Thank you!
Thanks for checking out the video. I am building another wooden camper as we speak and I'll be taking a break to do a thorough waterproofing test and video. Some folks have said that epoxy is the best. Some say marine spar varnish. And there's been a lot of other suggestions. I plan to find which one really works best. Thanks again. All the best on your van build!
Mike, this is my first video from you, and I've already learned so much. Me and my wife are starting our first van build this year, after 6yrs of owning an old gorgeous G20 converted by Glaval. Unfortunately the engine seized on me last year and had to scrap her..... I'm an idiot for not saving the interior parts.....
Hi! Thanks for checking out the video. I'm sorry to hear of your engine seizure. I hope your project is really fun and helps to erase any challenging memories from the G20 breaking down. I wish you guys the best on that build.
About three weeks after the video was released, I threw on a 3500lb axle and a heavier-duty set of tires. We didn't have any problems. It just took a few extra weeks to save up enough money for those upgrades. Thanks for watching!
Just wonderful craftmanship and attention to every little detail. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire build. This also took me back to when my Dad and Uncle would build a hunting trailer to go deer hunting. A trip to the auto junkyard for an old VW chassie to modify into a trailer frame. They made it a large tear drop shape that they could stand up in ...so perhaps six to six and a half feet tall inside. Frame it up and to get the curves they scored the plywood with skillsaws to weaken the wood enough to bend on what would be the bottom of the plywood roof and a bit of the the front and back curves. This was back in the 1960's so I don't remeber what they did on the inside besides bunk beds. I was around 7 to 8 years old :) There were a couple of windows and the customary door. There would of been pink fiberglass ( the real itchy stuff) and of course tar paper. Roof might have had a layer of lightweight metal sheets all sealed to prevent leaks and wood rot. Marine boat paint to seal the rest of the exterior wood. Absolutely nothing fancy at all. Flooring might have been remnant scrap rolled linoleum.
It sounds like your dad and uncle were very handy men. Thanks for sharing that neat memory. Cool little trailer, too. Thanks for having a look at the video!
I thoroughly enjoyed your video! You do great work. I would love to have a tiny house made just how your trailer is made. Very impressed. A new follower here!!
I wish I could provide that service. I have gotten myself incredibly busy and am working on two campers as we speak. They'll take about 5 months each. I hope to be able to hire some help once I can get to a place, financially, where I can afford to hire someone. Thanks for checking out the video. I appreciate it!
That is a fun trailer build. However you should switch out your AC venting. Look at a window AC installed in a house. The front grills are inside and the side and back are outside. There is a reason they are installed hanging out of the room rather than inside. It isn't just so movies can have people killed by falling air conditioners. You don't have to have yours sit outside, you just need to change your venting. The sides of a window unit are supposed to bring in outside air that is used to condense refrigerant. Doing that creates hot air that is expelled out the back. The front of the AC pulls in room air through the lower half, chilling it (by pulling out heat during the refrigerant's expansion), and sending it out the top front grill. By venting the sides of the AC into the conditioned space you are taking chilled room air, heating it, and sending it outside the trailer. That air has to come from somewhere. It will probably be pulled in from around your door trim. So you are pulling in hot outside air to replace cooled air. Move your lovely wood grill to the outside under your AC cover and you'll find the air conditioner works much better.
That's been a popular point. The AC has since been modified to slide in and out. In for travel. Out for camping. I waited for a hot day to test its original setup and it worked surprisingly well, but it did take longer than I wanted to cool the inside, so I changed it. I plan to show the modified setup in a camping video that will be out in a couple weeks. Thanks for watching!
