When drilling into hardened metal, use a block of Bee's wax. It keeps the bit cooler and cuts better. Start drilling for the bit to get hot, then touch the Bee's wax to the bit to let some melt on it. Repeat as necessary. Bee's wax is cheap and will make the bits last longer! Cant wait for the next episode!!! You guys are Awesome!!!
I’m a machinist and would recommend a cutting oil or cutting wax great for keeping drill bit temp down. Reduce your rpm on the drill when the material is harder than the cutter it just makes the process more difficult than it has to be and finally pilot holes use a drill bit roughly half the size of the desired drill size or the thickness of the web (inner diameter of the point) that usually fixes the problems for me
I love the looks of the L-track with individual removable panels. Not only does it look better than tongue & groove boards, but it reduces weight AND gives you easy access to wiring should you need it in the future.
You guys are crushing it! Hang in there! This is sooo timely for me as I start on my Ford Transit. Thank you for "the best van step by step build instructions" on RU-vid!!!
I lost my dad a few years ago, but always appreciate the things he taught me growing up. One of them was how to drill hardened steel. The drill bit should be a much harder steel than the steel you are drilling into, so you should have no problem shaving off metal as long as it keeps its edge. Keeping the edge is where the bit needs help. Ask too much of it, it will get hot and get dull. Drill a small pilot hole first, and step up to larger bits in increments. Keep the bit cool by using a medium oil and keeping the drill turning slow. Torque is your friend, not speed. By switching belts around on the pulleys of my drill press, I can get the speed down to a leisurely 240 RPM. With a hand drill this gets trickier, as you have to set your speed by trigger depression. Finally, If the piece you are drilling is loose, clamp it down because if the bit catches, it could throw the piece causing property damage or injury.
Yes! Great tips for sure. Throughout the project we definitely found that going slow was the key. If we couldn't see the cutting edges of the bit; it was spinning too fast was our metric. Started with 1/16" and worked our way up from there.
Sorry to hear about the drill biting you. That happened to me as a teen with a Milwaukee Hole Hog and a 4" auger chucked when it caught a hidden bolt. I woke up wondering what happened and yes, my nose never looked the same! Enjoying the series...thanks.
Like the use of 'L' track and contrasts nicely against the wood . 'OutSide Van' did something similar on one of their projects where 'L' track was used liberally throughout the van to keep things modular so cabinets could be relocated or in one case the customer went with Soft Storage along the sides and hung from the ceiling of the van , also the customer opted for a hammock instead of a regular bed , that way he could have room for his motorcycle should he wished to take one with him. So looking nice , clean lines .
I work in a machine shop and what we use for drilling tough metals is with a carbide drill that’s a tri-flute drill. It works so fantastic! Way better than a cobalt drill. Food for thought. I’m sure you’re all done doing most of the drilling now but I just got to watch this. You guys are doing a fantastic job. I’ve been watching you guys for a few years now and you’ve given me many ideas for upgrades on my Winnebago Era. Thanks and keep up the fantastic job.
Carbide would be the best however being in a hand drill it may shatter once they break through and tilt it. I think there's a tool thats a drill press with a magnet base that could give an even plunge?
You asked us to leave comments for tips on drilling hardened boron steel of a ford transit. I use an abrasive cone bit. First I take a punch and dimple the metal and then I use a rotary tool to bore the hole bigger with the abrasive cone. It’s slow but it does the trick
looks great. I think you should paint that Max Air Fan trim Black and get some black screws. It sticks out like a sore thumb being white while everything else is black.
lol, yeah; we talked about that and will likely be doing that. Plus... they actually make a black one if we mess that one up. Same thing with the window blinds.
Glad I found your channel, I was trying to figure out a lot of how to do things for the interior of my build and your video's have really helped out with what I'll be doing.
This is looking excellent, like the style of been industrial if that makes sense the fittings and black screws/ bolts look smart. That Rivnut air gun has paid its self back too 😀 nice going Thank you Sam
I always carry a large magnet (covered in blue paint tape) that I stick to the sheet metal under my holes when I'm drilling to catch the metal shavings when I'm drilling. The tape helps to avoid scratches on the sheet metal.
Special thanks to Satsang Vanworks for sponsoring this video and for providing the window jambs that made finishing our windows simple and beautiful. Check out those window Jambs and everything else that Satsang Vanworks has to offer here: satsangvanworks.com/products/custom-window-jamb-for-arctic-tern-windows?ref=EXPLORIST&variant=40579808035007 *Use code **EXPLORIST.life** for 5% off your purchase with Satsang Vanworks* *Parts (The main ones, anyway ):* Wall Panels: 13x - 4'x8' 1/4" Birch Plywood (Sourced from local lumber yard) L-Track: 14x - 48" Black L-Track: amzn.to/3K6Kgqw L-Track: 16x - 72" Black L-Track: amzn.to/3dJupCr Furring Strips: 15x - 8' #2 Pine 1"x4" (Sourced from local lumber yard) Plus Nuts: 400x - amzn.to/3T4dhY9 T-Nuts: 200x: amzn.to/3CkUHF2 120V Outlet Box: amzn.to/3QHxxx6 Anderson Panel Mount: amzn.to/3K8gAtn *Tools (Again... the main ones):* Pneumatic Plusnut Gun: amzn.to/3A9dccT Miter Saw: amzn.to/3wijNRs Cordless Drill: amzn.to/3c7ebm5 Cordless Impact Driver: amzn.to/3ACe2AC Cobalt Bits: amzn.to/3c8yuPX Step Bit: amzn.to/3Cle80D Drill Press: amzn.to/3AKeJId Pocket Hole Jig: amzn.to/3Ck8fRb Circular Saw: amzn.to/3PRRBvH Jigsaw: amzn.to/3PF7rJE Sander: amzn.to/3RfCYU3 Paste Wax: amzn.to/3QCr6LD Holesaw Kit: amzn.to/3QDIvUt *Videos Referenced:* Installing Arctic Tern Windows: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--u6nYDLOQ9s.html Installing Insulation: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a05Iz6jOJ1k.html Installing a Nomadic 24V AC: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-G1oqnxNJDog.html Installing a Maxxair Fan: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bOxl6IZvY2U.html Wiring Puck Lights: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o-YlpzrnuzI.html Wiring 120V Outlets: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-en6Q2L6Bf3A.html Wiring 12V Outlets: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_nGbtOH5Dk0.html Wiring USB Outlets: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X1tQWYXY2Fc.html ➤Shop the EXPLORIST.life Store: shop.explorist.life ➤Shop Battle Born Batteries: battlebornbatteries.com?afmc=explorist_bb67 ➤Binge the Transit Van Build: ru-vid.com/group/PLmvhcyi4n0TVfA4XCYJBkzfUXunSON1zX
No problem! Thanks for watching! The track is going to remove all question marks about where is a good spot to attach beds/cabinets/etc and ensure that the attachment points are good enough. It's obviously not necessary, but without it, more consideration must be taken to ensure cabinets are fastened to the wall securely.
Carbide drill bits are a lot better than cobalt for steel. Like you said start with a smaller diameter bit and then finish with desired diameter. Heat is what kills drill bits, and speed is what causes a lot of the heat, so use a relatively slow speed.
Egads! I kept thinking about using a stop collar on the drill bits. Any holes in the outer sheetmetal? Man, with all those fasteners you’ll be able to transport anything! Nice!
Astro Pneumatic Tool PRN1 is the ideal tool to use, its what I use at work at on a daily basis. Also try rivet nuts in sheet metal, preferably stainless. much better than 'plus nuts' they're less prone to loosening from vibration.
I truly enjoy watching your accuracy and precision with everything you do. Unbelievable. I am very jealous. I wish I could do my projects with half the precision. Excellent job! John from Cape Cod
awesome build guys, how do you like those snap electrical connectors - when I found those it was like a revelation in the electrical wiring schemes. I'll be installing my AC unit this week, it should be fun! the T track on that birch is good looking, very sharp - its fun doing these types of projects because you end up learning what works, what you'd do differently etc. GREAT JOB EVERYONE!
Wow, the quality of those videos are on the roof this is TV production level...If not made yet you should try to sell this concept to a TV station asap. As for the buil I am speachless.
I love, love your videos. I am redoing my ceiling. But I can't use furring strips like you did because I would lose too much height. Does the L-Track need support behind all spots? Could I just hang it lengthwise as you did without a furring strip between the ribs of the van ceiling?
Thanks for the great content! What is an “Anderson port”? I don’t recall you providing any content on them. I am past the panel install phase in my Transit build, but about to start enclosing my 8020 upper cabinets and finish the under cabinet lighting. Hence I am very curious about the “Anderson port”. Thanks for all the help!
It's just another type of DC electrical port. I skipped over them in our branch circuit videos because they aren't very popular and I'm using them for a really specific use case; and I though that showing them earlier wouldn't have made sense. You'll see those a LOT in the upcoming cabinet videos. Basically, though, the bottom two ports are wired directly to the fuse block for constant power so that we can install a USB outlet, water pump, refrigerator, or anything else that needs constant power and connect it to that port so the cabinet could still be removed if wanted. The top two ports on the connectors near the ceiling are on a switch for 'upper cabinet lights' and the top two ports on the connectors near the floor are on a switch for 'lower cabinet lights'. I don't think that was a very clear description of what they are... so maybe just 'staying tuned for future episodes is the best option here so I can show you.
I really appreciate the build details. I have been watching your solar videos for awhile - it’s like going to trade school. Such a wealth of information we have access to - thank you.
Great Channel...Just started my Transit 250....got the same pneumatic tool and plus nuts in video. I'm having a problem with the plus nut spinning on install and won't mushroom out. The hole is smaller than 3/8 , tried a star washer to see if it would grip.. not sure what I'm missing. Thanks in advance
First off, good content! It is helping me with my own build-out:2022 SPRINTER 4x4 cargo. Question: I took your advice and bought the pneumatic gun and 1/4 -20 plus nuts and I can't get them to tighten up before they spin. So far only trialed in scrap and no good! Would a longer drive screw in the gun's nose-piece help? It seems too short with minimal engagement in the plus nut and each of the 4 screws that I used that came as spares with the gun have cross-threaded themselves and the plus nut which then let to friction and spinning. Please let me know what you think and keep up with the good tutorials.
When drilling steel, slow as you found is better and always use a lubricant… a few drops of 3-n-1 or better specialist cutting oils wd-40 silicon or ct-90 cutting oil.
Hi Nate and Steph. I bought the rivet gun and riv nuts you recommended. Whenever I try to put a nut into the van, it just spins and the plus nuts don’t open. Any ideas?
I just bought a 2000 Chevy box truck fire search and rescue truck.13.641 original miles. I'm a complete idiot when it comes to this type of stuff. But your video has helped me decide how I want to do the inside so thank you. Now I just hope I can actually do this. Being disabled and on s.s.d.i. income sucks.
My lordy that is a tedious job. Looks great. AND as you promised the installation of the 12V outlets. It's funny because you used a different kind of 12V outlet that just screws into the wall from the front. That is a way easier design compared to the kind I bought that have the plastic screw on the back that you need to have access behind the walls to mount. So i guess what i learned was buy a different 12V outlet. Thanks again.
Sort-of... It sounds like we are using the same outlet. We secured the outlet to the front plate with the big screw/ring on the back, and then drilled the hole to the same size as the OUTER diameter of the retaining ring on the back. This let us just screw the whole thing in from the front.
Great video! I'm curious why you used the furring strips with the L-track to secure the panels? I'm not challenging your installation, I'm genuinely curious as I'm just about to install my L-track and panels. I've referenced Alpine Van Works and Ourkaravan who both installed the flanged L-track to the van wall (no furring strips)and used the l track to hold the panels in place. Would really appreciate your thoughts behind your installation!! Again, thanks for the great video!
Using the flanged L-Track would have meant that we would have had to unbolt the L-Track from the wall to access behind the panel. With the screws like we did, it takes about 5 minutes to pull off a wall panel, which is MUCH faster.
Question: I'm building a Toyota Previa and need to keep weight to the absolute minimum, what insulation and panels do you recommend when weight is a primary concern?
The thinsulate we used in last weeks episode is about as light as it gets for insulation. For wall panels, I'd look into some kind of carbon fiber honeycomb panel. Should be no more than $1,000 USD per sheet, I'd imagine.
Random question... What drill bits did you use to mount the l track into the hardened steel ribs? I'm having a hard time finding bits that will drill through the thick metal. Your van is looking great! Enjoying following along as I am just getting started with my new transit conversion as well.
Again one year plus, :-) I wonder, I often use rivnuts that come with a very small flange so you don’t need to either space out or drill out a small section. Wonder if these also are available in plus nuts which I think I like better. Awesome build, I am going to lend your ideas if you are Allright 😅
Great info and I expect to follow your ideas. Probably using silver flanged Ltrack and white walls. Did I miss an episode where you cut the foam blobs near the front?`. Keep up the good work.
Great video demonstration and have been a follower for a while. One question that came to mind at the end of the video when the walls were done was the batteries and electronic panels that were shown in the background on the driver's side floor in the back of the van. I see what look like 2 batteries (assuming battle born), but they don't' look like the standard group 31 type batteries. Are these one of their other form factors and which specific model of battery (and are they heated!)? I looked at the videos on the electrical systems but didn't see the specific callout of the batteries. Love your videos and your previous wire diagrams have been super useful over the last few years on my van wiring project!!
This is a great video. I do have some ideas for you. Instead of using loctite 242 you should try loctite 248. It is a paste version of the 242. It works much like a lipstick except that I would not apply it to your lips. If I were you. You simply put the threads into it and it will removes exactly the amount that you need. No waste and no mess! The other idea I have for you is that you use a router instead of a jigsaw when cutting out windows. Simply bolt the panel that you are cutting the window out of into place then cut out a hole in an obvious spot within the window area and use a flush cut router bit to cut out the interior of the window. This is faster, cleaner and more accurate than a jigsaw will ever be. Rivet nut or rivnut is would I search for on McMaster-Carr. It's another name, but if you can't find what your looking for then perhaps it's the terminology. I also find that more selection is available with metric threads. There are vastly more companies and countries using the metric system versus SAE. That's all I have for now. Thanks so much for your videos. I watch every single one and have a huge appreciation for your knowledge of electrical systems.
Hi Nate, I hope you did not use non-SS black oxide steel bolts/screws; I found out the hard way they rust in about 6 months. My van was parked outside, and I had to redo all black oxide mounting bolts; they all rusted. Granted, a thread locker will help, but not for bolt heads. Anyway, good luck, with the build!
Hi guys! I'm here to ask another question :) We just started installing plusnuts today using the Kiarou pneumatic tool that you linked above. Did you have any problems with mandrels have a short life? We replaced the mandrels supplied with a 2 1/2" bolt - and we could only find stainless steel. The first mandrel we used lasted for only 6 plus nuts, the 2nd mandrel was good for 3 plusnuts, the 3rd mandrel was good for 1 plus nut, and same for the 4th mandrel. Did you have problems with running through mandrels like this? Not sure if it's something we're doing wrong or if it's a problem with the tool. But at this rate we're going to pay crazy money just for mandrel replacements. I know you're not pneumatic tool experts, but don't know who else to ask. Thanks....and happy New Year!
We went through probably a half dozen. Get some anti-seize paste (any hardware or auto parts store will have this) and keep the threads lubed up. A thread die was also helpful for straightening the mandrel threads out as needed.
So, the main reasons and benefits for all the L track are: (1) Strong and configurable mounting surfaces for cabinets, seats, beds, kitchen counters etc. (2) They make it much easier to remove whatever is secured to them so you can get access to the walls behind them (and what's behind the walls themselves). (3) They make the van more "modular in the sense the cabinets, boxes and beds mounted to them can be removed more readily so that the van can open up inside and be used for hauling large objects etc. (4) The L track allows for very flexible anchor points for straps to secure loads inside the van. Is that about it? Just trying to decide if they are worth the effort for my more primitive and simple build. Thanks
Really nice work guys and now you have me thinking about that pneumatic plus nut tool in place of the Astro device which I've already purchased. Here's a thought; someone needs to come up with a swap site where van builders can sell their new and slightly used tools once their build is finished. BTW, is your van the 148"extended 350HD? Thank you again Nate and Steph for sharing with us all of your hard work : )
We only used the Astro tool about a half dozen times. 🤣😂 Honestly, the Pneumatic tool is super worth it. I've already used it outside of the van to attach something to the outside of one of my toolboxes. I can also see using it when we get around to exterior mods like bumpers and such to add shovels/maxxtrax and such to. Our van is the 148" non-extended 350 w/ single rear wheel.
Sharing in the USA. Nope, not gonna happen. Everyone wants their own of everything, even if we only use it once a year. RV', boats, planes, tools, pools, ATV's, motorcycles, etc.
When you "temporarily" attach the furring, are you using self tapping screws? Are you using the same holes you plan to ultimately use for the L track? If not I guess you are painting all those? Thanks for a great vid
I'm not sure about stainless steel, but they make it in brushed aluminum if you wanted it silver instead. If you go to the L-Track listed in the parts list; there should be silver L-Track listed as a related product.
I did something similar, but much less nice (furring strips, plus-nuts, and thin wall board) on our Transit. Suggestion: It really helps to use cutting oil, if you are not doing so, when drilling through metal. 400 plus nuts! That's wild. If the are 18"" apart, that's ~600 ft of L-track/furring. I'd be interested in why so much track, or so many Plus nuts. Looks like some of the plus nuts are spaced at
Thanks! The holes in the L-track are about 6" apart and we just used plus-nuts to match. We used so much track so we would have infinite options for attaching cabinets, beds, etc as you see later in the build. We played around with the PSI of the tool, but I don't remember specifically what we landed on as the best result. Just have to play around with it like you would with a nail gun.
How is the furring strip over the back doors attached? It looks like it's just kreg'd to both of the strips on the side (19:01) and nothing is actually attached to the van in that section (b/c those side strips are attached to ribs), is that right?
First of all, the wood wiht dark screws and L track look great. Two questions: - why firring strips and not attaching the L track directly to the van metal - I see only one reason which is to have something for the panelling to grab, or because the L track can't curve enough to accomodate to van wall curves? - the spacing of screws for the L track seems close, assuming each screw can hold 50+ lbs, a screw every (it seems) 9-10 inches looks like overkill, am I wrong?
Thanks! 1: The wood panels is the main reason, but it was also necessary for routing the factory wiring harness since we opted to not relocate it into the walls (which seemed like a HUGE hassle and risk. 2: Maybe it's overkill, but will give us some REALLY solid points to attach our cabinets and bed to. This was one of those 'do it right, do it once' and 'Anything worth doing is worth OVERdoing' kind of things. Plus... I'm tired of our viewers saying things like 'That'll never hold up in a crash!!' 🤣😂
I have another quick question....I was just about to order the pneumatic plusnut gun that you linked. However, when i read the description on Amazon, it says that it can't be used for plusnuts. It reads "This pneumatic gun can't be used for stainless steel nuts....in addition, plus nuts can't be used". So, did you use this for plusnuts? If so, did you have to make an adjustment to the tool to be able to use it?
After getting this far was the spray on insulation you did after the sprayed on noise deadening worth the effort? Seems that the tiny gain not worth the effort. Any issues from the the sprayed on materials impacting other areas of negatively or unexpectedly ?
I think the ceramic insulation was more beneficial than the sound deadening spray. That said... I think that if you're going to do one of them... you may as well do the other. The only 'negative' impact was getting some of the Lizard Skin on some areas of the door jamb where we did a sub par job of taping.
I would love to know your thinking behind using the paste wax versus a polyurethane or other coating. I’m sure each one has its own pros and cons but would love to know what helped you make your decision.
We had paste wax in the cabinet and did not have polyurethane or other coatings. 🤷♂️🤣 There was incredibly minimal thought that went into what finish we used on the wood. Paste wax is always my go-to as it works well for most cases I'm trying to use it for.
@@EXPLORISTlife Yeah, I understand your point of view, but can't the insulation be installed after all that drilling, so a good part of the shavings could be vacuum cleaned?
There were a LOT of 'blind' holes, which means that we couldn't access the back side of the hole, which means we could have never gotten a vacuum back there. Any where we could get a vacuum, we did vacuum up our mess, but we omitted that from the video in attempt to cut down the 12+ hours of video footage we had down to sub-30 minutes. I'm not too worried about a piece of metal stuck in our insulation, though. Even if it rusts, it's not going to hurt anything. Metal shavings are just part of vehicle customization and if we wanted to avoid metal shavings completely; we'd be better off buying a car and not modifying it at all. Otherwise, we just do the best we can. Installing the insulation after the furring strips and L-Track is definitely possible, but it's just one more thing that's 'in the way' and would have unnecessarily (IMO) broken up our 'wall building' process and video.
You guys definitely have some talent. That turned out beautiful! Thank you for the step by step detail and direction. That would make an AWESOME expeditor cargo van! Great job!
would you have done riv nuts next time since they would install easier with the air gun then the plus nuts? seems easy to mess up with how strong plus nuts are
I don't really have a strong opinion on plusnuts vs rivnuts. I think those two are like the ford vs dodge of the fastener world. People love one and hate the other when in all reality, they are both fine.
I was trained by the US Army to repair Safes and Arms room vaults...sames as bank vaults.... (Not much use in the states for a combat sniper...Vietnam 1970, 2/502 Inf 101st Airborne) after I got back... I was a bump and paint man before I was first drafted...spent 9 years Army before moving to Australia. All safes when drilled one uses; cobalt drill bits, which are very expensive and brittle, saying that, when using them, slow the drill down extremely low and also use oil (they used to make a cutting oil for armor plating, but even engine oil helps, putting a couple drops on the bit ....that way you won't break them as they are very brittle... Side note; >As a teacher I used to always explain to my students, that the reason I just told you not to do something, is because I did do the same thing and paid the consequences...LOL... nice post folks...be smart...
From a functionality standpoint with the l-track... yes; I would absolutely do it like this again. Especially now that we've started attaching furniture to the walls. From a 'time commitment' standpoint... maybe. It depends on how much of a time-crunch I was in. This was quite labor and time intensive. The 'easier' but more expensive solution with the same(ish) functionality is the Adventure Wagon wall kit.
