My cheap truck camper needed some major TLC 

When cutting a bolt, put a nut on first and then cut off just past the nut. You can then remove the nut back off after cutting and it will generally fix the threads. Work the nut back and forth a few times before fully removing it. Its looking good!

When she bought the bus, I was watching the video alone. When she finally started bus life, I was watching with my then girlfriend. Now she's building a house boat after selling the bus she built and I'm watching with my 6 month old baby. Time flies~

There is no "best way" you figure things out on your own and trial and error. that is the best teacher. you will get it done and it will be amazing because you made it.

"I may as well do it right-ish!" lol, I love that!

12:41 Oh... My... God!!! I can't believe what I'm seeing. She invented "testing". At last :) I'm so happy and proud of our girl, she is growing up so fast )))

Emma your doing a Great job ,Please wear a mask when sanding and painting.

You have your cutting disc on the angle grinder backwards installed, please change it :) nice work on the door it seals nicely 👍

Trick for cutting machine screws in the future: thread a nut onto it before you cut it and cut it at a slight angel to match the angle of the thread. If that doesn't make any sense to you, just cut it square. The nut when you remove it will fix the cut threads.

You are in a garage with rafters. Hang your piece from there. You would have access to both sides without marring the completed side. Your plexiglass. Score it like you did but put the break on a straight edge when you snap it. Ideally with a weight on top of your main piece.

Emma, your journey with the truck camper renovation embodies the essence of resilience and creativity, inspiring viewers to embrace challenges with determination and ingenuity, fostering a sense of camaraderie and solidarity among DIY enthusiasts.

To cut machine screws etc. Cut off square as best you can. Then use a grinder, grinding wheel or sanding disk etc and Lightly grind about a 45deg angle all the way around the circumference on cut edge. That will help get screw started and clean starting threads slightly

19:53 A tap and die set are very useful, almost essential, tool box tools.

Next time you decide to cut plexiglass with a jigsaw you might want to consider using the finest tooth blade with the teeth small and close together you can find, and go very slow that should reduce the possibility of cracking or chipping the fiberglass. I hope that helps.

To cut screws, it is best to put a nut on it, then cut it, then file off the rough edges and smooth the end, then remove the nut and use. Oops has been in my vocabulary from childhood to senior-hood, however the goal is to never have to say it twice for the same thing which I have done fairly well.

Just so you know for the next time you can go to the parts store and buy the hardener separate for Bondo. And some Home Depot stores also carry just the hardener.

Emma, big step up in skill from the bus build, congrats. A hint for mixing small batches of epoxy- use a digital kitchen scale and weigh the two parts (I like to use grams). But a word of caution, usually the two parts don't weigh the same (they are different densities) so you need to do a test and weigh equal volumes of each part to get the right ratio. Using that ratio you can weigh out as small a quantity as you need. Good luck, I see life on the water in your future.

Wow, welcome to Emma Birbie workshop. 😊

Hey Emma, good idea for the border for the plexiglass👍

Cut the plexi glass with a straight edge and a razor knife. Much easier.

Emma, that looks awesume "boaty" 🎉🎉

You are just cool! Love these projects.

The way you slammed that door down to get the latch out Emma, shows how much of a pro you're becoming. SLAM That door! 😂

I'm glad I'm not the only person who calls my projects "mother f'ers". Seems to work every time.

You need a portable car charger. Works great, and without needing a car there to help give you a charge. I also have one for tires,

They sell the hardener for Bondo separately, when you cut a machine screw/bolt you need to grind or file the edge you just cut at an angel, When cutting with a jigsaw you need to look at the blade and not the foot of the saw...

They sell a knife for scoring acrylic. You use it to score the acrylic several times to create a fissure that you break the acrylic on. However polycarbonate aka lean is a better choice, more expensive but you can cut, sand and drill it which common tools, it's more expensive.

When cutting plexiglass, just score it on one side with your box knife then bend it down and it will break along the score line. Yes the first couple of times is scary but I know you can do it.

Find a nut to put on a bolt before cutting it. It will fix the threads as you take it off. Also, look up videos on spray painting. There is a trick to it. Saves paint an gets a better finish.

You were just using the multitool which worked well for me when cutting plexiglass.

6:12 hair style looks really good there. Random comment I know.

Ema. When painting start at one side and make long passes. Press activator and make pass. Lift off activator before stopping pass. Hope this helps. Atb64 I have learned a lot and would like to pass my knowledge along to you kids.

"This jigsaw was being such a spaz" brilliant, I've not heard anyone else apart from me use that word 😂😂 👌

I use a grinder when I cut plexiglass for straight lines

You can do anything you set your mind to Emma, even if you hit a couple of hiccups. That camper shell is looking good and you have the pride in doing it all yourself.

I would have just the nuts with a flap disk to create a chamfered edge so you can get them in the holes. (I've "inherited" a bench grinder, which would be overkill for these one off jobs. As it is, it normally just sits there for large chunks of time.) I apologise if this seems condescending, but you ARE doing such a great job. I'm quite jealous of your "give it a go" and "she'll be right" attitude. Keep up the great work.

Cutting plexiglass, fine tooth blade on your circular saw

*_Hello Emma... it looks like you are renovating, your workshop space is nice and very complete... nice to meet you, I'm Rudy from Indonesia.............._*

keep learnin you doin ok

Un couteau a plexiglas ou de feuille de mélamine ça ne coute vraiment pas cher et ça marche super bien.

No boat build again! Unbelievable!

always so satisfying to see you win!

Have you thought about fibreglassing the back door window?

Use more hardener with the epoxy but not so much that it gets too hot.

You might want to caulk around the window on the outside so rain doesn’t seep between the window and the frame. Are you going to paint the stripes on the door too? I think it would look nice and tie it to the rest of the topper. You are doing a great job. It looks sharp.

If it happens again they have portable jump starters

You are doing great, as always We have faith in you watched a video a few days ago that reminded me of you This guy took odds and ends and made him a SHANTY BOAT to travel on the river About the same size and shape as yours But, yours looks a lot better He just took what ever he could find Maybe some day try a river journey?

Thanks!

Your doing GREAT

Hi Emma it's Tony I congratulate you he did exceptionally good job on that door have a good day take care of yourself and pleasant dreams

Emma you are awesome, we have all tackled problems we never did before..you are just like the best of us..

You are an awesome person, Emma, you are a beacon among women & you don't brag about it, you just do it. You are my favourite UTuber

To cut plastic sheets, use a Finnish blade in your circular saw. Turn the blade backwards, works very well.

Quiute the craftswoman

Was cheering you on while cutting the plexiglass-I hate working with that stuff. Great idea using the nails BTW👌

I'm glad you can do a project with less pressure. Being able to take smaller risk and find creative solutions won't sink it.🎉🎉🎉

As a tip , never get in a hury when doing a project, because you will create more problems, and then you will end up doing it over, it's quicker to do it right and with patients the first time, ask me how i know. Your door came out very nice, well thought out. You might want to round your edges next to your latch instead of the point.

When you want to shorten a bolt by cutting it, thread a temporary nut on the bolt just below the cut area, then cut the bolt, all you need to do is remove the temporary nut, that will make sure that the threads on the bolt are still ok to use again.

Emma, I so enjoy watching your thinking process as you work! You are doing a great job!

I love it i love i love it

Good video!

4:46 As a full time RVer I'm a big fan of that butyl tape.Bazillion and one uses.

I use a router and a flush trim bit to cut plastic sheet. Clamp a wood stripe along your cut line as a bit guide.

So far so good on the door.It looks great.

entertaining as usual good job

In the future you can cut that plastic stuff with a death wheel (angle grinder)

Hi emma hope your keeping well love your vids ❤ your doing a great job

You might want to get a 4x4 pallet from Lowe's and put it between your wheel well and put your bed on it to keep it from getting wet and you can store long objects under it good luck your doing a good job

Hi emma i recently found your channel & I've got a lot to catch on but i really appreciate your builds you're a brave brave girl ❤

Definitely awesome ,,💯,,👍

good job emma-even though the camper was a pain in the buttt,, you fixed it better than before. luv your work clothes no reason to mess up your good shirts.cant wait til the next video!! charlie from arkansas oh try soda shop -pepsi in cans.

Don’t use a jig saw to cut plastic use a circular blade then it want crack

I make wood filler with glue and sanding dust it works for me

Top notch door design I think this time around, looks pretty rigid. I'd never put a strut on mine love the prop up method / design. Struts only last so long but if you're good replacing it then enjoy the luxury. Had a 90 Cressida with bad hood struts, we converted that car to a hood prop and on my Aveo the plastic factory hood prop mounts are garbage so I've switch to a wood board. Always be careful opening hoods when facing strong winds cracked my windshield on my aveo in a wind storm once. A lot of issues stacked up to cause that unfortunate scenario but it's a good factor to keep in mind that some may not be thinking about when their engine is overheating.

Just wanted to drop by to tell you, that you look a lot like Mae on kingdom of the planet of the apes. I was watching the trailer for it, and I'm like, "I KNOW that woman from somewhere"

Did you have a metal cutting blade on your jigsaw to cut the plastic but I do love watching your videos 🥰

I thought that was your windshield for your boat

Why you didn't use the circular saw on the plexi is a mystery to me. I've always used the plexi knife to score and snap it. I'm not sure you broke that curve into it the first try because you didn't score from one edge to the other edge? Ok, I see now. You need to support the whole piece you're breaking. Picking it up is what did you in. Put the breaking edge along the table edge and push on the entire break with even pressure (a board works nice or even your carpenter square or level. Glass is actually easier to score and break because you don't get any bending like with plexi.

I would try to use the multitool to cut the plexiglass

Lovely Emma....much love,sending you best wishes. Looking so cute,I need this girl in my life.we started cheap truk building factory in my country.....justmy this plan you desided. Shamim 🦜🕊🎎🤝🧜‍♀️💞💑👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Did you put butyl tape or sealant before screwing the windows so they won’t leak?

Next time you run out of Bondo hardener, try using your epoxy hardener. Bondo IS epoxy, just a very thick version, so the epoxy hardener will probably work, if there's not a chemical mismatch between the manufacturers. Likewise, if you want to thin your bondo so it's easier to work, you can use epoxy resin to thin the bondo. It's possible, of course, that the brand of epoxy you're using won't mix. Bondo also makes "fiberglass resin" which also just epoxy, and definitely works to thin Bondo. You'll usually find the fiberglass resin on the shelf right next to the Bondo. Oh, when you cut bolts, in order to make it easier to screw them in afterward, just grind a quick bevel around the cut edge. You can watch a guy do it in this video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rxK7p18kr1E.html (His trick with the nut looks helpful too, but I've never needed to use a nut the way he did.) For a little bolt like you were using, you can bevel the cut edge using the flat side of the cut-off wheel you used to cut the bolt. For bigger bolts, switching to a grinding wheel like he did is a good idea.

Dull blades will cause that

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I would really like an "Emma Builds a Birbie" sticker for my teardrop trailer galley. Anywhere I can purchase one?

Question...how are you going to latch the new door you built from the inside? Did I miss something 🤔

Comment: Impressive video.

Learn patience doll.

I think you would really benefit from finding out what is the 'correct' way to do things. Rather than guessing and getting it wrong 3-4 times in a row.

Why are u starting to look like Kevin bacon and the character salad fingers lol

'It's been such a Spas' - offensive terms you don't hear any more.

Just think how easy the next one will be.

LMAO. You so challenged it kills me to watch you work. The place where you got the Plexiglas would have probably cut it for you for free. I was really amazed that you decided to cut your frame in pieces and thought it was a smart idea to epoxy the frame. In some way I'm glade you didn't get yourself a table saw because god only knows how straight you cuts would have been. It's funny that the school of hard knocks seems to be holding you back a few grades. You are learning things it's just taking a little longer.

You are a pretty amazing lady. You bleed talent

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You should......umm.....I got nothing. Oh......You should build a bunch of bird houses with all that wood you have left over. Why am I suggesting more projects......you have so many.

aDOORable

Cut acrylic with a table saw, circular saw or router. Throw the jigsaw in the trash, its the most over rated tool ever invented.

is the goal of the channel to show how strong you are and you can do it all on your own? there has to be someone near you that has some skills that is willing to help you do some of these projects for a better outcome?

But really no matter what you use to cut the plexiglass as long as you have a fine tooth and it’s a good blade, skill saw, jigsaw, or multitool….. as long as you have a good blade should be fine