Houston, We Have A Problem… Prep, tools and templates are just to keep me busy so I don't think about my slow start! Let's go! Get this van a buildin'! #onahumbleroad
Thank you for showing the way you made your "pattern" for the wheel wells! NEVER take anything for granted!!!! I never would have thought they use "two left shoes" when making a vehicle. What else don't we know...we'll find out won't we!! That's what I mean when I say....I love to watch (someone good at what they do) while people are doing work their work...there is so much I can learn from just watching & in this case I can watch it more than once if it is something I intend to tackle myself!!! Thank you for sharing your talent!!!! LOL Judie
I'm a Script Supervisor in L.A. and have not heard of those particular apple box orientation terms (East Coast terms?). I'll have to throw those terms around on my next shoot and see what the reaction is. :-) Great tips in this video. The washer and pencil combo is gold in my book... so much easier than using a pencil and compass. The 8020 looks interesting for the small build I plan for the back of my Jeep. I look forward to the rest of this build. Great work!
Well, I'm on set today and asked. So far no one has heard the terms used in L.A. (I work commercials, promos, and the occasional music video only) but they have been heard in Chicago and Florida. Seems there are regional pockets that use the terms. I'm going to use them around here and pretend I came up with the idea. ;-)
Anticipating your next installment reminds me of being a 1950s Brooklyn kid, anxiously waiting for next week’s chapter of whatever between-features adventure was playing at the movies. Thanks for taking us along on the journey, George. Best luck in this grand undertaking.
I love your build. Was thinking about a full Class A until I saw your site. I was concerned about all of the cheap builds on RVs. I am good with my hands, tools and have them all. So, watching you is a blessing. Thanks.
There are a few Class A builders who do a fine job. But when you start with a Sprinter, which is designed and built for the long term, you are way ahead of the pack! If you are just starting in the rv/van world, a small B+ (not my term) might be an easier transition in the beginning. Your first is not always your last, I always say...
Humble-My Dad always said,”measure twice and cut once”. I still try to remember his advice. And ahhhh, you broke out the vino! Here’s a toast to a successful build!
I came across your van build videos and they stood out to me as being much more thought out and practical than all the other ones on RU-vid. As soon as you said you were a grip it all made sense!
Best way to learn is to mess up all by yourself....LOL.....No floor insulation? The videos assist me in deciding exactly what it is I want and I do thank you for that. Awesome days are a comin with this new van build...yeay!
A better way to create the exact curve around the wheel well (or the exact curve along a wall, for a curving cabinet rear) is to use a compass. No cardboard jigsaw required, just cardboard. For instance, Cheap RV Living (Bob Wells) demonstrates scribing in a video where they're putting in cabinets, it works for wheel wells also.
Have you ever used a compass for scribing? I have a hard time keeping the orientation accurate. Using a fender washer, once you get close, the precision can't be beat! We all have our own way of getting to the same destination. That's what makes it interesting.
If you do a search for apple boxes on set, you will see how versatile and useful they are. And making them has become a cottage industry. I bought my set from a woodworker in Pennsylvania who works in NYC, passes by my house every morning on his commute!
I’m lazy, instead of cutting a bunch of strips to match a curve I do basically the same thing with blue painters tape.. pop the cardboard off and flip it over and then cover the adhesive side of the tape with another band/layer of tape (sticky sticky) double layer of tape is stiff enough normal for me to use as a final template unless I was planning to run a router against it. A compass also works well if you want to go deeper than fender washer in one pass to mark the template... Great work as always George!
As a New York-based long islander...I totally relate to you George, you Rock and one person I must meet and hope to have the honors to work with your skills and ability of brilliance.
I went to the Tiny House Festival in CA this past weekend. And there were a few van builds out there, beautiful tiny houses, and some skoolies. I hope when you're done, you'll share your van at this Festival and/or similar ones. I'm obsessed with you (in a positive way lol) and I cannot wait until you're finished with this build. I'm obsessed with van life!
I'm so glad you're building right now, although I hope you get all your supplies soon. I just bought my van and have started to gather supplies for the build. Your videos helped me decide on the design months ago. I don't have nearly the number of tools that you do, but I think I have enough. Thanks for the info on the delivery time on those brackets.
After looking through a bunch of yuppy vanlifer’s videos for an entire day while sitting in the back of my van, you’ve shown exactly what people look for when researching this. You sir are a badass. Thank you
I just love how you edit your clips!!! I can binge watch you. Please make haste with more content😄😀 ok take your time but I really really love your work & Feedback
I discovered my life is the same without hooking up, so I never do, you are right about the city water. I just got back from a month in Alaska, Canada, and a stop at the "Tiger Adventure Vehicle" (Google that) meet up in Colorado. The Tiger is competitively priced with the "you know what". They don't advertise or do shows, they act like they don't want to sell them. It was a wonderful trip with the perfect vehicle. That owners group was really something, a group that knows how to boondock. No doubt you know what you are doing. Keep up the good work.
Thank you James. I am familiar with Tiger. And I aim to make this build, and all subsequent builds completely self sufficient. NO TETHERS! Can't stand having to hook up! Found a promising solution to leaving the grey water wherever. Look up Shower Loop.
I rediscovered a trick, just the pilot light provides a tank of hot water a day and uses almost no propane. I used my shower plenty on my trip and the waste tanks weren't an issue as a lot of rest stops have dump stations, especially in Canada and more than a few businesses have seen the wisdom of installing free dump stations, municipalities are adding them, water district offices have them, there's dump stations all over the place. One guy was dumping his tank at a state park, had the gloves out, all the stuff he bought for the procedure, made a whole thing out of it, I just attached the hose and pulled the plunger. "Boy, camping is a lot of trouble". I was gone before he finished the sentence.
Another way to accurately transfer the various van curves to your templates is to use the ship builder's "ticking stick" method. In boat building you rarely find straight and level panel edges.
Kind of, check out the following link. For your wheel wells you would need to use a long U shaped "recording template" that encompasses the 3 sides of the wheel well. www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/fit-irregular-impossible-shapes-ticking-sticks
Love, Love, Love your channel! This is what we want to see!! I'm planning to get into Van life soon to move back to Los Angeles! I've lived there off and on over the past 10 years, and wasted so much money on rent...what's worse is that I was gone most of the time! Excited for this new chapter and building my own mobile home on wheels! I'm totally used to living in a small space (studio apartments) so I think I will transition just fine! Excited to learn as I watch you build yours!! I'm planning my layout with the Ram Promaster and am thinking about lofting the bed (twin or regular) or buying/building some type of sofa/wall+murphy bed configuration... I thought I was ready to buy my van this year, and then my car was totalled and I had to get a new one. Next year, I'm definitely doing this and I'm sure I'll be grateful for the extra time to watch and see what you do!! Would love to connect in the future once I'm ready to move forward to share my ideas and maybe get some advice on things I may not have thought about...in any case -- you DEFINITELY have the best van build series!!
Looking good 👍. I appreciate the critical thinking process. So many forget that important step. Clear and consise planning. Bravo! I am puzzled about one thing. Your explanation of the water tank system...its use, function and staying fresh. Im not getting how your system stays fresher than city water. Maybe i am obtuse. Dunno.
Not fresher than city, but just fresh. Typically, people fill their water tanks and then get to a campground with hook ups. So the tank water does not get used. That "fresh" water could sit in the tank for weeks upon weeks. eww! My plan is to only use the tank for water, that way, I know I always have fresh water in the tank, not sitting, not stagnant.
I am so interested in this build because I am thinking about doing one too. I'm retiring soon and am going to tour the US and Canada in a van. Please provide what and where your items purchased . Love details.
If you're getting 1" extruded aluminum, you might as well buy 1" square aluminum tubing. It's cheaper, it's aluminum, and you can get it either from 8020, or any Home Depot or Lowes.
Right, but you're burying it under the plywood. I was actually thinking about using both 8020 quick frame and 10 series in bed frame and cabinet design.
cool stuff hurry up I'm waiting ahahahahah yup it seems longer when you have nothing in you hands and working and estimating. I say to Dad lets go lets get this show on the road, He would say quiet I'm estimating. hahahahah thanks for sharing
Like many others here, I’ve been binge-watching your videos and dreaming about Van life. I read a comment recently on one of your other videos but unfortunately can’t find it, but she (?) was worried about the cost of a can build like yours, and you mentioned that a livable van doesn’t need a whole lot at first, and you can build slowly and build well as you go. So, if you were strapped for money (as most of us are), what would be your priorities in a slow build, what would you start with? Insulation I would guess, just because it would be a pain to have to rip out a cabinet to put it in. But I’m very interested in your ideas and would love to hear them if you don’t mind sharing. Thank you so much! Also, this fellow is in the U.K., but Greg Virgoe has a beautiful van build on his channel if you enjoy watching others. Happy New Year!
For practical reasons some basics must be completed in the first round. Insulation, flooring and walls. Some electrical and climate control. As long as the design and implementation is of a modular nature, you can go back underneath existing systems later on. This is not a simple question to be satisfied in a comment post. And it is to be the cornerstone of my business model. Everyone gets the Bentley, at their own pace. But in the end, a Bentley.
You said you don't want to use wood. Why not something like Trex instead of plywood subfloor? A composite material that won’t warp, rot, split or splinter.
I am looking to see if Azdel makes a panel just a bit thicker for sub floor use. Trex is spot on thinking. But it is too heavy and not sure if it is approved for indoor use.
Hi Humble 👋 Am green with envy over your tool collection! 🤢 My apologies but we are in the middle of a heat wave and I am totally missing your point about not having a city water fill access point..duh...its still a holding tank with problems that could arise from that design fact. What water will you put in there while on the road? Access hatch is fabulous idea. Im assuming you will incorporate a spiffy clean water filtration system?
mishu , hi, I think what he's saying not to use a water hookup to bypass the tank and let the water in the tank sit. You should always use up the water in the tank then refill.
What I am suggesting is to make sure all your water consumption comes from your fresh water tank. That way, you can be sure it is clean fresh and hasn't been sitting, growing only God knows what inside...
Humble Road Thanks Humble. I dont have a fresh water tank so I have been using my own “tanks” of fresh filtered water and totally agree with pt of use fresh (decrepit tank was removed by seller during renovations). Ill be going to a provincial park for a few days tomorrow to test my city water connection for the kitchen sink (no bathroom) and think about a bladder system with a pump for the kitchen sink faucet. I have a few more mods to test while I’m there if the mossies dont eat me alive. The older I get the simpler I want everything to be! As I am in the midst of designing a newtravel item it amazes me how much pondering has to go on to deconstruct the “norm” and then construct the new design and source alternate materials. Whew! It can make a brain hurt! 🤕 You are a fabulous teacher..so glad I can be in your “vanroom” 👍
How to clean that fresh water tank... add a little of water and bleach and drive to next water refill stop. The driveway to the refill water stop will mix the water and bleach and you have a clean water tank. Empty the tank, clean the tank with some extra water and fill up with fresh water.
Mário Branco exactly. If I have the time I run the bleach water through the lines at each fixture until I smell bleach and leave it all overnight. Then flush a few times the next day
Humble Road Couldn’t you put drops of food coloring in with the mixture, then when the food color doesn’t show in the flush out would that indicate there is no more bleach in the water?
Another great video on your progress. Now you gotta tell me , what is in those "apple boxes"? [ When used in "the Biz" and or when you use them for your project ]
I had to purchase a minimum amount of 50 sheets 4x8 when I did my floor plan mock up. The floor plan mock up took about half. It is very helpful to do my templates as well. I've still got to cut templates for the wall and ceiling panels and windows.
I am going to put a sight gauge on the fresh tank with a momentary contact switch for LED backlight. Grey tank will most likely have an overflow valve and since I'm pretty confident I can get that grey water back to what is considered "legally clear water" I'm not concerned. But to answer your question; yes, I will have gauges on a console, because I love gauges… :-)
I love watching your videos and can’t wait to see how your final product comes out. I am doing a design on an RV that I will be getting as well and I was wondering if you might be able to help me out with some actual dimensions since I don’t have the van yet to measure myself. I will be getting a 2019 Mercedes Benz sprinter van 170 inch wheel base with the extended length. I was given a total cargo floor length of 190”. I’m trying to locate where the windows are going to come out on my layout on the passenger side. I found a sliding door measurement online of 51.2”.......is that wrong? Does the sliding door start at the 190” mark? I was told that the sliding door window was 6” apart from the next window behind it. Can you tell me how long the window on the sliding door is?
u said how good they are but not the brand of the water tank i’m ordering my electrical system and i told them it’s becouse u recommend ed there products 😎
Paulette, my daughter and I shop together at Whole Foods. I am completely fruits, vegetables, beans and grains and I eat fish. Pescatarian. Occasional egg and beef once every six months or so. Lotta wine..
Humble Road .. I've been watching the cube of truth videos with earthling Ed. So I feel compelled to mention, if you are an animal lover and do not want to cause harm and suffering to animals... Then make your actions align with your heart. ... Stop paying for animal cruelty please. .. The health benefits from a WFPB diet are also amazing. I hope you'll look in to it. Blessings.
Love seeing how you do what you do! Question: with the 45 gal water tank in the coach, will you hear the water splashing around while you drive, or are you putting rattle trap around it too? (What's that other grey Sprinter all about? :)
The water tank splish splash slosh is going to be a problem. I asked about having baffles installed, no go with this type of tank. That would have to be a stainless steel custom job. So I am thinking about something similar to the netting that goes in the big tanker ships to prevent all that oil from capsizing the ship.
The other grey Sprinter is a fellow vanner friend who took some time out of his epic journey to come visit with me. His van is the bees knees, in fact, I did a movie about that van! I'll give you one clue; radio.
He is correct I have seen 2 grinding wheels shatter while someone was grinding soft metals. It knocked down the first person and when we stood him up half of the wheel fell out of his stomach. Good thing he was fat, it would have probably been fatal for me.
I second the 19 Crimes...had a blend called "Banished" the other day and it was very good, so I picked up a bottle of a 19 Cab...both about $12.99 here in central FL.
A non-issue for me, but I was the fourth man on the bottle so I only got one glass...it's a new brand (I think) so it couldn't have sat so long somewhere to throw some sediment, so...?
Call it waht it is, aluminium extrusions, not 80/20. 80/20 is only a name like Kleenex, you mentioned this earlier about another product, You can get aluminium extrusions for far less money than buying 80/20, because people use this name they get sales from it and charge you more for it.
I am well aware of the brand name. I am also aware of the lesser quality extruded aluminum available on the market. For my intents and purposes, it is important for my viewers to know what specific products I have selected for this build.
