TIPS to Build a Van with 80/20 Aluminum Framing | FOUR SEASON VAN LIFE | EP.41 

I used your link to contact Steve at Heitek for 80/20 materials for our Transit conversion. He got back to me right away and put one of his design guys in touch with me. Thanks for this resource and, of course, for your entertaining, enthusiastic videos.

Awesome job in every phase of construction. It is nice to see that somebody takes such great pride in their work!

I missed your smiling face Jeff and it’s nice to see you again ! It’s nice to see you on your back again !! 😍

This is a very encompassing project Jeff Very complicated but you’ve got it coming together !!

Love you style of doing videos without much editing... very entertaining. I test lubricants for the automotive industry and have been testing lubricants for a long time 34 years. WD40 was invented by one of my clients and it is a Water DIspelling solvent and not a lubricant or coolant and while it may provide a tiny bit of antigalling you are better off going with a bar of sunlight soap. The reason the tooth came out was the buildup of aluminum on the teeth causes very high friction so as you plunge the blade you will rip off the teeth or stall the saw. Unlike cuttting (drilling) steel where slow cutting speed and high feed rates are necessary you want high blade speeds and slower feed rates. The soap (sunlight or other hard soaps) will help prevent aluminum buildup on the blade. If you go to a machine shop supply they can sell you a stick of Walter Alucut (like a tube a grease but with a solid wax/soap) that you run the blade thru before every cut (this is designed for band saws but will work with the compound saw just be careful how you cut into the end). The more edges you have in your cut the more opportunity you have for ripping off teeth so make sure you keep the blade speed up so it goes thru smoothly. I have cut an aluminum scuba tank down the middle on a band saw and 3/8 thick aluminum channel on a table saw (NOT RECOMMENDED!!! - the blade it turning toward you and aluminum chips are very hot and if teeth come off they are coming at you!) Keep up the great work!

I made my own 90 degree brackets from 1.5x1.5x.25 angle aluminum. Exact same as 8020 ones. About 80 cents each from a 4 foot stick.

Nice job I use Loctite on all my Bolts so they don’t vibrate loose on dirt roads

Damn, not sure if you're better at construction or video production and editing. You're knocking it out of the park in both lanes. Great quality and content

The thicker alum extrusion 90 degrees with the rounded inside corner can be found at aircraft spruce under aluminum material. The rounded corner and 1/4” thick material will be more than twice as strong.

Wow! What a wonderful offer by Steve!

So glad RU-vid recommended your video. Love you energy and your editing. Subscribed. Now I need to catch up on your previous videos...

Wow your seriously putting some thought and hours into all this framing Jeff. Some great information and tips, looks fabulous keep it up.

There’s the Boy !!! Challenging part of the build but you did a great job ! Love your new logo !!

Hey Jeff, let me tell you that I was really anxious to see your next videos. I was checking every day. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the hard work and the detail explanation. I love, love, love all your videos!

Jefff, great content and delivery! You will definitely get more subscribers than you think. Keep doing what your doing!

80/20 looks like the way to go. I watched a guy build out a box on the back of an old army truck. Everything was built out of it. It looked fantastic. I thought boy that's the way go. Wait how much is it? Holy shit!!!

when you put the spare t-nuts in, you can run a panhead down them to stop them rattling, provided you have the space. means you've always got a fastener to hand for it as well

This is the video I’ve been looking for. Finally, video instructions that actually make sense. THANK YOU!!!

So helpful that you show the pitfalls as well as the great advantages. Subbed.

I enjoy your videos. Good information, good tricks, and good editing!

Excellent video Jeff ! Very well thought out project !!

Another excellent, worthwhile video Jeff. I waited patiently and was rewarded with spending a little quality time with you. Thanks for sharing eh!

I just found your channel today. I watch many of your steps. I just have to say you are very enjoyable to watch and really have your shit together cant wait to see the final result !

Wow you are a freakin genius with those self made brackets - even if they are thinner.. with the hex head is great.. Even if we can’t use this information now in the Roadtrek - Would LOVE this in the main goal of the Promaster.. You will have to do a video about the « cost » set up needed to work with 80-20 aluminum.. Because we are « bare bones » with building the Camper - not just the « drill press » and blade- info more more more .. You are amazing - see the growth this Channel - You deserve this! Great salesman.. for 80-20

Great advice and informative Sprinter videos!

Love to watch your videos, man!!! You are so funny!!

I never heard of this 80/20 stuff until today, and I'm sure glad I found you. I'm in the process of converting a Freightliner ambulance into the RV I'm moving to Costa Rica in, and 80/20 is now going to be used in my build, and Heitek will definitely be contacted for the process thanks to you. Much appreciated, and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Seriously, your engagement ability is fantastic, my friend - I could sit here and watch your instructions for hours straight. In fact.........oh shit, it's already 1:30?!

very impressive, very beautiful and specially teaching how to save money while getting the same results.

Hello fellow Canadian. I am building my van. Yes fan of Curt and Snow. I start last year and since my van is not 4 seasons I packed it up for the winter. I am located in Kamloops BC. Just opened up the garage and starting with finishing the diesel heater. A great thing I noticed is your burner is located in the same area under the van as mine. I have about a 6 weeks left of work to finish

Hi, I'm new here, and was instantly drawn in by your lighthearted edits and personality. You have a great mix of basic information (I already knew about 80/20) as well as your advanced tips (like drilling vertically to attach the wood panels). You've earned a new subscriber, excited to be on board with the project ☺️

Excellent work my friend 👍🏼 and great information 👍🏼 - Ray

Entertaining and very informative. Thx!!

this is pretty good

on the skrew that was too long you could use washers to fill the space!!! great video

Glad you're back. I was getting worried.

This stuff seems expensive, but I'm really intrigued with the pros of it. Glad you're getting some sponsorships bro! Your vids are totally worth it!

Awesome!

You really outdid yourself on this one Jeff, what a rockstar! Looks so good and so professional, you would think you're trained in this... That blade tooth breaking off is very not cool... Glad you're OK and I'm sure you'll find it embedded somewhere some day haha

Man I love your videos!

Best regards from Poland.

am thinking about using wood and aluminium in my build thanks for the tips

To cut the 8020 and no damage the blade saw, screw a piece of 2x4 in the left half of the miter saw. Cut with the other half on air and you never going to loose a teeth again. A even can be use as a reference where the cut is going to be

Great detailed information for those working through building with extruded aluminum. And the link for plans with cuts, very nice! I only wish I was secure in my design to go with that offer. This will be a blessing for those that have their design in place and feel confident in placing an order with cut a list to receive it all read to build from factory. Wow wow.

Great ! Thanks....

The interior is really coming together!looks great! Very interested in link to 80/20 plans and help. Keep up the good work! 🚐

Awesome video dude!

2020 is good enough for weight and cost savings in a van build. I tested my 400mm 3D printer frame with my big nephew and me on it -- over 200 lbs.

Please make sure you clamp down whatever it is you’re drilling into, if that drill bit catches for some reason, like it did in your hand drill, that piece of Ally is going to move a lot quicker than are your reactions, those sharp edges could well take a lump out of you, great clips though 👍

Have to agree with you about Diablo, While they are expensive they will come to the party with no questions about product failure. you can get a 3mm x 3mm x 25mm aluminium corner that will match the corner from the 80/20, here in Australia you can get it from bunnings, Thanks for making these videos, you're very informative.

Bless you

You are hilarious and informative.

Hi. You probably have done this but I would drive your van over rough terrain to check for leak's and loose parts.

Works better with a chop saw that comes down, and use star board instead of wood

we got a non ferrous blade on amazon for 20$ works great

In a collision every angle bracket will be in a “load zone”

Excellent video. May I use 10 SERIES instead of 15 series? Is it strong enough?

I've been watching all of your videos to learn as I have my van and am planning my layout and ordering my initial things to get started. I am sooooo stoked on this offer from HEITEK!!! I really pray they will ship to Canada as that would make me feel way more confident building the cabinets myself. Thank you for all your videos, I've learned alot. May I ask what you do professionally that has given you all of these skills? I see alot of how to videos in the van build world, but I never know if they have the skills or experience that is going to make it last or if it will just fall apart after they record their videos. Thanks either way! :D

Can you show us how to mount the 80/20 to the ceiling of the van? Thanks

Thanks for sharing all the info! I’m trying to decide if I should pursue 80/20 over wood framing. Can you give me an idea of how much you’ve spent so far on just the 80/20 stuff? How much do you think it’s cost me to start with just a bed platform?

Just found your channel. Subscribed. Question about the metal fasteners and aluminum. I live in Florida and any time those two metals come together we get rust. Are the fasteners coated with something?

got an idea - i love the framing idea, super stoked to implement that - but I am not loving the aluminum feel to the van, I may do a facia with really thin plywood over the wood and aluminum so it actually looks like wood solid and can be painted. Dumb idea? GREAT VIDS dude.

A really good cutting oil for Aluminium is turpentine!

Did you put plusnuts or self tappers into the ceiling to secure that front bar that frames the shower and other tall structures?

I enjoy your channel. Especially for the jokes. Like when you said "the other girlfriend, nothing serious" - it's like watching a Simpsons episode where there is a lot of hidden humour throughout, and if people don't watch and listen carefully, it goes over their heads! Lol love it! What was the cost of all the 8020 parts for the entire van build so far?

Box of lock washers cheaper than her head bolts plus stops any possible chance of vibration loosing things up

hate using allen wrenches, the worst. one of those lightweight cordless with that allen extension would be priceless!

How did you fasten the 8:20 to the wood ceiling ?

Love this series. Just wondering why you chose to go with a new hex bolt as opposed to a split washer under the original bolt?

At 6:50 you could just use a washer. At 8:15 use a power drill on slow.

What size 8020 did you use? Not all same size? Will a 1 inch by 1 inch work?

Hi, the 15 series and 10 series how many mm (millimeter) are they thick?

where you bought these aluminum rods? do they have bigger one?

Could you use a 4040 Aluminium profile to make a simple single bed to hold a 200cm X 80cm X 20cm spring mattress and a single occupant? Would it hold? What are your thoughts?

What series 8020 did you use?

Which size of 80/20 profiles are you using? 40 mm?

Thanks for the tip I’m gonna contact Diablo about my broken saw blade

Use wax on the blade on aluminium 👍

What toilet are you using?

Hah! Try 12.18 United States Dollar per angle bracket here in Norway :P :P

Thanks, I'm learning a lot from your videos. Could you tell me what kind of glue you used to bond the extrusion to wood. PL?

Wait, I'm supposed to be using a special blade to cut 8020?! The blade my Ryobi came with has been curshin it

Where is a good place to buy 80/20

How did you secure the front of the galley to the floors? Glue? Drill through sheet metal? or just secured to the subfloor without drilling all the way through? Thanks!

With the custom-made L brackets double them up will add strength and it's cheaper to go get some washers and not a brand new screw and it's less tools involved

Here we are March 2022 we're still waiting for you to come back on and finish your van ?

So, are you securing the top of the framing to the ceiling as well?

Would 1"x1" 80/20 work for cabinets and showers? Would it work for a full-size bed? Aside from not being as strong as the 1 1/2" is there any disadvantage of using the 1"?

Technically I don’t think that Diablo blade was made for the heavy duty version of 15 series 8020 aluminum extrusions. I use the same blades but I’m using 10 series. If you’re using 15 series perhaps you should be using the ultralight version like Diablo has pictured on their packaging if you don’t want your saw blade to break

have a question can u use aluminum panels or that aluminum cover in airstream cabinets or something that has lesser weight, does not have mold or rust problems.

you going to put a door on it ?

I wonder if a band saw would work better for cutting 80/20? Not sure if the cut would be as clean. Maybe someone has some experience in that regard?

That “free” drawing from Hitek is not free if you actually buy the 80/20 cut and machined from them. Like any of 80/20’s local distributors that do custom machining there is a big markup for their services. Our Karavan RU-vid channel was promoting a kit that they designed that you could order from Hitek and in about a year Hitek has raised the price of it like 50% or more And it is not a one off it is a pre-designed kit that they do not have to spend any additional design time on. 8020 Inc. the manufacturer only raised their price 8% last June and that was the first price increase they had had in three years so Hitek can’t blame this on the manufacturer. By the time you’ve gone to the trouble of making it clear to Hitek exactly what dimensions you need in the drawings you could’ve sketched it out yourself, And if there’s any communication breakdown the chance of a mistake is increased. There are national distributors of 80/20 products that provide free shipping so if Hitek doesn’t offer free shipping You’ll pay even more. I’m not gonna tell you who offers the free shipping because Jeff is supposed to be the expert and should have done his homework and be giving that to you as one of his tips, Especially since this was his most profitable video that he produced because the ad revenue he receives is based on the number of clicks so he was very well paid for this, his most popular video to date.

why couldn't you add a washer instead of using new bolt?

Love your vids mate, but just do a 30sec add next time cos you talked about that link below for 2 whole minutes. 🤦🏻‍♂️

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Will you build my van for me when we are ready?

Why not just tap the ends of all the 8020 and do away with fasteners all together??

Why not just use a couple of Black washers... Simples

Link didn’t provide anything but an 80/20 catalog =/