I always marvel at how many HOURS and HOURS it takes for you to make these amazing videos!! You are filming, then editing, adding some animations, sound fx, etc - this all takes time people!! LOVE your videos!

@matildaadventurer41

3 жыл бұрын

I agree! That’s why I always take the time to watch the full length of the ads. I appreciate the time taken and skills required to make these videos.

You've inspired my girlfriend and i to get a Promaster. We like your build so much and the fact that you openly admit mistakes/regrets so we dont end up running into the same. The videos have been fun to watch while we're still gathering information and learning, as opposed to several other channels that are incredibly lacking in personality and entertainment, and apparently dont ever make mistakes, if their build series' are to be believed.

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad to hear you've been inspired to snag a van and that you enjoy seeing the mistakes along the way. I sometimes wonder if I should be showing all the issues I run into since the popular channels don't tend to do that and they seem to be getting far more views than I do, but when I first started watching build videos I would've appreciated seeing the pitfalls in converting a van before I got going so I figured I'd share mine with everyone.

@charisma-hornum-fries

2 жыл бұрын

So true!

@augustrich

2 жыл бұрын

I have a 1984 travel craft always wanted a pro master but I’m become so attached to this funky thing… it’s my submarine on wheels.

Nice editing. Good storyline.

Please dont ever stop making videos. Whenever I get a break from studying you're the go to for me.🖤

Big upgrade!

“Found the closest colour chip... not that it matters” not sure why I found that part so funny but I did! Looks great! With so many build videos out there I really appreciate how you talk through, and show the actual work being done! Both setting realistic expectations and showing how to do the job right! Not to mention seeking wisdom and help from people along the way; the series is just very human and heartwarning ....urg - gentle-man-ly and humble... to put it more masculine.

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure if people would prefer seeing a more "professional" approach to the build process or not, but I feel pretty burnt out on the whole "no mistake" videos even if they are the ones that seem to get the viewers. I think there's more benefits from seeing me learn as I go haha

@charisma-hornum-fries

2 жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvan noooooo. Finally were watching a realistic build with the important stuff in it.

Excellent video! The new bathroom looks fantastic and I'm glad the dent has been fixed! I like the new bathroom much better than the original. ROCKY! So cute! Thanks for sharing the rebuild!

Come now. There isn’t a cheap bathroom. Only a cheaper. Great video!! The advantage of my super slow build is I get to learn from your experience! My second full watch through! It really is great!

Ahhh, my young Padawan. When Tradie say one and a half weeks, you must automatically triple it. Then you get happy surprise. That is the way of the Force.

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

Haha you'd think I'd know this by now!

What a treat to get to visit with you today. You are quite a lucky young man to have the knowledge you do regarding constructing so many different things. I have never known anyone who possesses the experience/knowledge that you do with all the things you do. All I can say is thanks for the journey you share with your viewers and may you remain healthy and safe! All the best to you!!!

I've watched a lot of vlogs and yours is really awesome because you are witty, real, and making it into a story. I like the sound effects and the fact that you don't have that weird voice fluctuation that vloggers develop; you sound natural. GREAT JOB!!! Oh, and the shower looks great; I especially like that trap door for the toilet cassette! Now pay that big beautiful dog with the googly eyes a big bone for all his help!

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

He got too many bones while I was staying at my moms working on the van so he's on a diet now haha!

100% improvement. Looks good. Great job. Special thanks to supervisor Rockey

Thanks for posting about installed bathroom! Very nice simulation! Your dog is so cute! I will watch other your videos! Thanks very much!

Good video! Its great to see you got rid of the rusty sheet metal! I have been following you since the original build and this is definitely an improvement! Thanks for taking the time to share! Rick From Virginia

I'm honestly surprised your channel doesn't get more views. I've been keeping up with your vanlife channel progress for a couple of years now. Please don't change! Your edits are super funny, you're a likeable dude, and I really appreciate the honesty and explanations of everything. 👍👍. I've been thinking about vanlife for a few years now, and I think I'm ready to make a plunge soon.

It looks great! More spacious and fresh, job well done!

Great footage bro👍rocky is Cool 😎

Dang good video, thanks for detailing that process out!

man, the sound effects get me every time! lol

Nice update on the van. Love to see when you dad and Grag and you work on your van. It feels like together you can achieve goodness.

I love the greenish stain on those doors. Keep up the goid work on your van.

Looks wayyy better! The white makes it seem bigger, too. Nice work. And no worries about space between posts or not looking as fancy as some Instavans. You do you!

Nice to see no problems with damp etc behind the shower panels.

That wet Head turned out nice. Great job.

Who's the Datsun hoarder? Your pops? Noooiiice 😎

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

Actually it's Greg who has a bunch of Datsuns in his shop

Very nice remodel, looks great!

Awesome renovation. I dig it man! Keep going!

Danny the dent, may he Rest In Peace. Nice bathroom!

great job. I really like the bathroom renovation

Digging the back door color update. The greenish stain has a cool look.

Good video. I like the way you all work and think. Thanks.

I always love your videos. Especially Rocky’s commentary. The bathroom looks great

New design looks great, Ben! Always love the build videos because they're always so inspiring to create stuff. Also just like seeing you make change that works for you and makes you happy! Cheers

I’m finding so many cool channels now that I posted working on my travelcraft !!! Your channel is great I’m almost done with my shower pan using the epoxy fiberglass method but my shower is at the rear end and used massive 2x6 boards for the curbs of the tub 😂

Loved it. simple and very nice.

The old roof in my camper was FRP, and after 44 years it was still in great shape. 😁

I think it looks quite nice! The nook for shampoo/soap looks great and I love the faucet. It looks very sleek and clean. So happy you could finally get this fixed and Rocky did a great job too!

Looks great!

Love following you! I miss the traveling from Florida to California many years ago in a motorhome. I wish I had made youtube videos back then with me, my 2 🐕🐶. Love how with you make everything ❤. Keep on, keeping on!

All part of the adventure. Good content.

It looks really good!! Keep is posted on it’s longevity!!

Great shower! My BF and I used the same material in our box truck. We used Red Guard under it which was kinda over kill but it turned out great. FRP is good stuff. Thanks for the videos.

The time between uploads doesn't matter cuz your videos are all rewatchable and you put a personality into it that's very entertaining. Hope you don't feel burned out on uploading at all! Excited to see more build and Crusty Crusaders!

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

Sadly we've lost several subscribers do to the Crusty Crusader uploads, but we've been having a lot of fun with the edits and at the end of the day that's what matters. I'm glad to hear you're following along with everything though!

Love your video edits! 🤣 Great work on the remodel. And thanks for keeping it real and showing us it’s ok to make mistakes.

Great job!

Yay! I was thinking of using the FRP on my build. We use that stuff on the farm for milk houses and wash stalls and it works great. Love the videos!

looks good to me. I plan on doing several small bathrooms with this stuff. Starting with mine then Mothers and grandmothers. I plan on trimming it with that PVC trim to hold it in place and back it with tar paper so taking it apart is easy if has problems

I like your green wood paneled garage doors!

Br looks very nice! Good job!

Awesome job - the materials are functional and workable. The finished product looks professional and high-end. You worked within a budget and produced a result that would be worth far more than the component parts. Testament that you don't have to break the bank to have a great finish. PS the obligatory plumber's crack made my day! ;)

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

Haha I was going to leave it out, but instead decided to put a little emphasis on it!

This is incredibly informative 😎👌🏻

Looks great and easy to clean :)

Just got my FRP for my shower walling ( Skoolie Build) Thanks for the Tips!

@dogcatmanvan

2 жыл бұрын

Good luck putting it together! Thanks for watching

@JTArndt1991

2 жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvan Thanks! It should happen very soon! (Maybe within a few day videos)

Looks killer dude!

Loved this video, the new bathroom looks awesome!! It's dog approved, and that makes a big difference. Sad about your hat, but I really like the gold one you wear too.

GREAT JOB!!! I hope Rocky gets over not getting that sweet space as his room.

Good job, looks like the same thing I have planned for a van shower. I liked, commented and subscribed 👍

You are the best

Thank you! I'm doing this myself...and the frp panels is something I can do!! Your too cute lol

Lol Greg looked really worried when he was next to you.

Yay update

Mr Clean Magic Eraser is like a superfine sandpaper sponge which would probably work well for something like that shower pan.

Yep, we’re thinking of using FRP for our van bathroom. I did get some stick on subway tile I may add to make it look a bit more like an upgrade(.!?).

Nice!

Budget build or not it still look great. Everything dont have to be expensive as hell as long as you have a great idea and can do magic with what you have :)

Enjoyed..thanks

Skip the panels, use marine grade epoxy and fiberglass chop strand right on to the 1/4" plywood... I even just use epoxy only and seal both sides and the edges and have it outside and no rotting of the plywood. Want color gel coat it after or the epoxy on the plywood alone looks good too.

@dogcatmanvan

2 жыл бұрын

Do you have any photo examples of this I could check out?

@kiddiescripterkiller

2 жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvan The place I did it is hard to photograph. I made a matching bulkhead plates on the outside of the box and cab so I could use accordion seal in between and go from box to cab. I have a 26' 89 International diesel S1600 LP Uhaul. The LP is the low profile package where you can drop the truck 4" with the air bags. There is about 7 inch space to see it, but I painted it so it looks like a steel plate and not plywood. Here are some links to other projects using that technique. Tank kzread.info/dash/bejne/p4uNsqSmYNfbY5s.html Boat wheel house m.kzread.info/dash/bejne/hq6fuceuc5PfgNY.html Plywood Shower and tub kzread.info/head/PL4cGhq-GjyFk6do3YfNMpIkGsbfgNRrds The key is to seal every thing and if you drill a hole or nail it reepoxy those spots and it won't rot or get wet... If it gets wet, and freezes it will pop the fiberglass and epoxy off. Had that issue with my box... They repaired a 4' x 8' hole in the side of my box with bondo and not marine grade fiberglass. The wrap, primer and sealer cracked and the bondo sucked water in, rotted the plywood next to where the bondo was and where it wasn't, water soaked in to the frp and popped the panel off the plywood. So I had to cut it off to where the connection was still good and feather the edge and chop strand it back to level... I only noticed this when I took 5 layers of wrap off the box because spots had cracked and I wanted to seal the roof and sides with Raptor bed liner. Don't use automotive grade fiberglass or epoxy... They aren't water proof. They rely on the paint to seal it. Marine grade epoxy will soak into the plywood. Or if you have deep pockets, you can use starboard and not need to seal it. The project is on hold I got cancer 4 months ago, beat it and now trying to get my strength back to finish it. Was getting ready to put a non roof penetrating roof rack on. It will attach to the box sides. I have zero holes in the roof and it doesn't leak so I'd like to keep it that way. ;)

This was a very useful video, many thanks! I have to do a remodel of my bathroom and wondered how FRP was put up. I also could not get a smooth finish, it is textured like yours, at Lowes. Apparently the texture does not matter in the bathroom? How is yours holding up after a year? Please let me know. I want to be sure the bumpy texture will not get moldy in the crevices or is hard to clean. Ceiling looks real nice with the cedar paneling. Showing how you used the mastic adhesive was very helpful as was the alcove for shampoo/ soap. Very nice job. Your bathroom looks functional and spacious with lots of light. Ceiling adds warmth and depth. Please tell me how the sides are holding up to soap scum and mold.

@dogcatmanvan

2 жыл бұрын

I've actually sold that van, but the walls held up fine for the 8 months I had it after the install. You will gradually build up soap scum and dirt on the walls, but it's very easy to clean. I never had any issues with mold. There's also a chemical smell that the FRP has for a few months after you install it, but it dissipates over time. Overall, I think it was a pretty easy and budget friendly shower wall solution.

👏

Great job! The FRP is a good idea! Keep showing the fuck ups it’s helpful for and makes it more realistic.

I really hope your FRP holds up! I’ve got quite a bit in my build (polywall) as a veneer replacement and this winter in Wisconsin has DESTROYED lots of it. The polywall is very prone to temperature warping and I’m pretty much remodeling the entire van this summer because of it 😂

@ComeIntoTheOut

Жыл бұрын

I just bought polywall for my van, would you suggest using FRP instead? I liked that the polywall is not as heavy.

@JulianValentine

Жыл бұрын

@@ComeIntoTheOut honestly, after 2.5 years of living in it full time, I don’t think either will stand the rest of time with constant temp changes. It also stains really easily, which was the opposite of what I thought would happen

A super clean way to cut FRP that doesn't require the metal rubbing and messy jigsaw shards is to heat the FRP along the section you want to cut with a heat gun until it softens. Once it's soft, it can be cut as easy as soft plastic using a normal box cutter blade. It's also a good way to add bends or do complicated curved cuts or holes. It's a stinky process, though, so best to do outdoors and with a good respirator mask on.

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip!

Are you a perfectionist

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I don't think I'm good enough at anything to be a perfectionist haha

I flip my FRP face down when cutting. The jig saw metal marks are then on the back side never to be seen after gluing. You don't need to caulk the corner channel receiving the new panel, just along the bead that's pressing up against the new panel. Pro Tip: after running a bead of SILICONE caulk, spritz the run with "ammonia-free" glass cleaner and then dress the bead with your finger as we used to do with latex caulk. A "water wetted" finger will mess up the silicone caulk. A "window cleaner wetted" finger will give you the best dressing you've ever done. After the dressing just let the window cleaner dry, don't try to wipe it.

@dogcatmanvan

2 жыл бұрын

I'll have to give the window cleaner method a shot. Thanks for the tips!

👍

Should have has Nick come help. He owes you that much.

Great instructional video. I noticed at the end the toilet is facing the wall and is kinda right up against the side wall... how are you able to use it for the "deuce"?

I'd say it looks better but I actually think it looks worse 😂. It definitely seems more practical though and definitely worth it Edit: now that I've seen the final product I do think it looks better. I better watch the whole vid before commenting next time lol It looks great

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I'm personally a bit bummed on how sterile it is now, but it's lighter and it was budget friendly. It's all about experimenting I suppose.

@lukevanginkel7380

3 жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvan It looks less white and plain than it has in other vans I've seen, did you paint it light grey or is that just the color grading

I live in Canada and am thinking ill have a switch to drain the lines out after I use them.

Tidy in the end. Nice work. Can you build a van for me and my wife?

The new bathroom looks great!!! I am thrilled that your Dad and Greg help you out. I like that you guys problem solve and work together. I am really curious about how you are going to solve your air conditioner problem. Great video!!!

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I'm still curious to see how we figure out the air conditioning as well haha

great video! so after 2 years how are the FRP panels holding up? With all the vibration from the road are they still stuck to the ply? or are you noticing some bubbles?

A magic eraser might work when cleaning the shower. Fyi

Respect. I did this in my van and came out like shit. My caulking skills are absolutely garbage

@chrispekel5709

Жыл бұрын

Use tape to get straight lines

I liked the sheet metal look with the exposed plumbing, but I think the new bathroom looks even better. If the old bathroom topped the van weight off int he 8k range, how much do you think it weighs now? Less obviously, but how much less?

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I won't know exactly how much weight was shed by removing the sheet metal until I go and weigh it again, but I would assume it was somewhere around 75lbs. It's going to take a combination of things to really drop some weight. I'm slowly chipping away though haha

super functional bathroom! sometimes simpler is better, and it doesnt even look bad! any hints as to what upgrades we should look out for next?

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I've added some portholes to the backdoors and replaced all the wood paneling on my doors so I'll be putting a video together covering all of that. I made some changes to my projector set up so I'll probably make a dedicated video on that. I've also been redoing a lot of my electrical set up and making my own lithium battery so that'll be a couple videos as well.

@Galluchh

3 жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvan You're making your own lithium battery?! HELL YEA! I suggested that on one of your videos a while ago!!!! I hope it's all been going super well! You the man, Ben !

Great video, so entertaining and informative! :) How many days did this take you to complete? I am at the point in my build where I am doing my shower and I'm going to do it very similarly to yours (FRP, etc.).

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

It took about two and a half days excluding the time it took to get all the supplies

What is the footprint of the bathroom? I'm considering 24x36" in a smaller van, with a removable self-contained toilet that can be set aside for more shower space.

@dogcatmanvan

2 жыл бұрын

That's the same size shower I had in the van

so does the FRP board go over the shower pan lip or behind it? Great video, thanks for sharing!

@dogcatmanvan

Жыл бұрын

Your backer material should lay flush to the lip and the frp should overlay both the backer material and the shower pan lip.

@gulcesahin3849

Жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvanwhy so? I have pipes under the shower pan and if sth goes wrong I want to be able to remove the pan. So I covered the walls with frp and then put the pan on the backer slats and seal the corners. Did I do sth wrong? 😱

Last!

Did the corner things come with the sheets or you but that separately

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I bought them separately

Awesome remodel ! Still making great videos. How's the shoe business doing?

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

We're hanging in there. I might make a little update video on everything soon.

This episode sponsored by calk

I was thinking of using FRP on the ceiling on my build but was told it off gasses and really smells. Did you find that to be the case? Oh...and I love your dog, I have a Heeler too (red) their the best.

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah the FRP definitely has a chemical smell, but I've noticed it's starting to fade a bit.

@stevennevers3006

3 жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvan thanks for getting back.

May have missed on the once through but what are the shower dimensions?

@dogcatmanvan

2 жыл бұрын

Roughly 2 feet wide by 3 feet long. Then about 6ft of standing room

What is this van stuff doing on the Crusty Crusaders channel?

Your shower looks good. What are the dimensions?

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

Roughly 2ft x 3ft.

@277kne

3 жыл бұрын

@@dogcatmanvan Thank you for getting back to me. I was thinking about that size for my van build or maybe 4'. I found a FRP company online. They make different types of panels for commercial use. The cost is more than the big box store because it's a different material and different thickness. The company name is Marlite. I enjoy watching you build.

Good job! Did you get your hat clean?

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

I sure did!

Looks like you have to sit on the toilet sideways. How's that working out?

@dogcatmanvan

3 жыл бұрын

It has a rotating top so I can turn it forward.

Where are you from (what state)?