OK was she hopping to the beat with her lil jacket on. To much fun. Watching your vids are amazing. I wish my fam had the ability to travel back in the day. The memories you are creating will be lasting!!!! Thanks for all the attention to detail in your build.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

The bit of traveling I did as a kid (all domestic) is what I remember most from my childhood. Hopefully it has the same effect on my child. Thank you for the comment!

I just watched your 2 year/worth the effort review, not this one, however I could not rely to that particular episode. I wanted to say that you are good at this work/project. Your kid is absolutely adorable! This is how a father makes time with their kids...You'll have many years of great adventure ahead with your daughter..I wish the 2 of you lots of fun and excellent memories!

the memories you are making with Kara are Priceless! Thank you for taking the time to make all your detailed videos! The van looks great!

@ourkaravan

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I appreciate the comment!

Looks great! Awesome job once again.

Another great video. I’ve been watching the build from the beginning but this is my favorite because you shared the journey you took with your lovely daughter Kara. That’s what life’s really all about. Making memories with your loved ones. The van has turned out so nice. I can’t wait to have one of my own but I’m not going to build it. I have zero skills and limited hand dexterity. I’ll have one someday. Watching all the builds available on KZread, you and Humble Road with George are my two favorite channels. Keep up the great work and enjoy the van while you do. Thanks for all the info you share.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I appreciate the comment Kara is sure loving "her" van! Dad's pretty happy with it too. ;)

Hi Ken, We can always expect another great job whenever you state "I have never done this before". With that beautiful smile, it looks like Kara approves. Thanks!

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

She's pretty pumped about it. I have to say it tickles me everytime she asks to sleep in the van, even when it's parked in the driveway. Thanks for the comment!

How cute and adorable. She deserves that van.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

haha, thank you!

Kenny, the only suggestions I'd offer regarding routing technique in this instance are to reverse the direction in which you rout, and to keep with that direction for the second pass, which, in this case really isn't necessary. With no statistics to back-up my assertion, I'll say that routers rank near the top of potentially dangerous power tools (most likely behind table and circular saws). And so-called "climb" cutting is a contributing factor. Beyond safety, climb cutting also results in low quality cuts, as well as chatter (particularly with straight cutting bits). When routing with a handheld tool, as in the case here, generally speaking, you want to rout in an anti-/counter-clockwise direction. This is a "normal" or "conventional" cut where the bit maintains consistent contact with the stock as the tool is purposefully guided along/around the stock. Again, when making conventional cuts with a flush trim bit, as in the case of laminate trimming, there's no need for a second pass. As the bit turns in the opposite direction when mounted upside down in a router table, this feed direction is reversed; clockwise or right to left. Hopefully, you and others will find this tip useful.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Good to know John, I always appreciate helpful advice. Especially when it involves keeping my limbs intact. Thanks for taking the time to post.

That coin cell looks great and the router gave such a clean edge.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! In case you wondered, yes, the router threw melted rubber everywhere and it took me longer to clean up than it did to trim the edges. Live and learn!!!

I've watched this build from the beginning and it's nice to it in use. Router/counter clock wise.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Good to know, thank you!!

Great work as usual ! regards from Switzerland

@ourkaravan

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much! I sure love Switzerland and look forward to returning some day.

That's actually great material. I have a trunk mat made of this stuff. Awesome if you transport stuff you don't want to move around in the trunk. 👍

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

I think it's a good match for the rear areas of a van, and probably why all the premium builders use it. I like the way it looks, it's durable, grippy, easy to work with. Love it!

Very nice job on those panels! Well done! 👍👍👍

The van is really getting great now. I wasn't sure about that coin cell but the finished result kind of speaks for itself. Also very cool that the van is doing what it was made to do, give you some great experiences.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! You are one of my OG subscribers that has followed this build from the very start. It has taken an eternity but it doesn't bother me a bit. I've been throwing a bit more footage at the end because I realized someone new to the channel has no idea what the rest of the van looks like. Hopefully the bits at the end help with that. Thanks for following along and the always-kind comments!

@lorcro2000

5 жыл бұрын

@@ourkaravan No worries, you do great work, and your channel was the first one where I really got to see the awesomeness of extruded aluminium as a material to build a van interior out of. I'm still working on finances but when I build it's going to be wall to wall aluminium.

So impressed, as always, with your build quality! And the videos! Thank you

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

As always. Amazing quality job bud

Really impressed with how clean your van turned out. I have worked with wood all my life, might have to switch to 80/20 aluminum watching you work with it.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Paul! The aluminum has really been the enabler for this project. I'm not sure what the outcome would have looked like had I tried to do this build with wood. Very pleased!

Very good sense of the "finishing", I mean, the attention to every details, even the ones that won't be seen when the job will be over, the need that the van looks like a commercial item, not home made look. On KZread, I also see George with Humble Road being in the same category. I would even say that in many instances, your vans are superior to many big and well established manufacturers. Both of you are using the 80/20 aluminum extrusions as a base for cabinets. I wanted to write those comments since the beginning of your project: now, it's done!

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I'm so happy you took the time to put that into words, it made my day!

@charlevoix418

5 жыл бұрын

Well, I worked most of my live as a quality assurance inspector; I am building my own travel trailer for six years now, I should be able to use it this summer. I can understand the fact that your project took time: carefully doing things takes time, especially if it is the first time you are doing it.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

@@charlevoix418 Being a quality assurance inspector I'm guessing you are going to have an excellent finished product! Mine sure isn't perfect, but we all have to strike a balance between being satisfied and actually finishing the project at some point in time. I'm not sure my van will ever be truly done, I like tinkering with it. Good luck and enjoy!

this project is on my list, and i was going to try and trace/cut to exact dimensions and try to line everything up... i now see the error of my ways and will use the router with a flush trim bit instead. thanks for sharing, Ken!

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help! I wasn't sure the router would work. I suspected it might just melt the coincell rather than cut it. Other than having to wipe away the excess glue it worked well!

Great video Ken - and as usual a better than professional finish to the project.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I appreciate that!

Awesome job - enjoy Utah!

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

You set the bar!

Hi from AUS

Great job and good to see the little one enjoy. My old class B with the dodge chassis gets 12mpg at best going 71. Wished I had that mpg.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

And I like the emissions system of your dodge. ;) It seems like if I'm going to have a problem with this thing, that's where it will be.

@rvlife1

5 жыл бұрын

@@ourkaravan that's the only thing I don't like about any diesel. We have a diesel motorhome as well and there is no repair bill less than $1000 on that thing. Having a newer one like yours under warranty helps of course but it's hard to upgrade your fleet every 5 years lol. Hope you share some of your trips in future videos.

Another good one, thanks! You used the Roberts 2310 to glue on the aluminum angles also?

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I used contact cement, spread on both the back side of the aluminum as well as on the wood/coincell.

Ken, another great video. Hey, did you find the handy dandy little air vent on back of your battery compartment (at 7:54 in your video)? I could use the same vent for my van. I looked in your store, but could not find it Thanks,

@ourkaravan

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Tim! I added it to the Wall Panels page, located here: kit.co/ourkaravan/wall-panels-headliner-shelf-l-track These are great for giving a nice finished look.

Been watching all your videos and recently picked up a 144. Curious to know if you would do it all in 8020 again? I feel like if everything is done in 1.5 (15 series) all that extra space adds up... when you compare it to 3/4 or even 1/2 wood. I’m currently on the fence.

@ourkaravan

4 жыл бұрын

I would definitely use 80/20 if not simply for the safety factor alone. There are really only a couple of places where you loose space with 80/20...one is where the drawer slides mount to 80/20, but you could always use a thinner material attached to the 80/20 to enable slightly wider drawers. If you had two cabinets with the exact same external dimensions, the 80/20 cabinet would have slightly more interior volume because the end caps are 1/4" or 1/5" material rather than 1/2" or 3/4." Of course the exoskeleton will be slightly fatter than wood, but the only real effect that has is making a slightly smaller cabinet opening, while the internal volume will actually be larger. The 1" 80/20 is plenty strong but I didn't care for the small 1/4-20 bolts used on that profile, vs 5/16 bolts on the 1.5". Check into the 30mm 80/20 and see what the fastener size is...might be good middle ground if that profile is available in the styles you like. More info on ourkaravan.com. Thanks for watching!

that mpg - if I remember correctly you have the 4 cylinder?? with my 2011 v6 I get 20 and with my 2018 v6 I get 18.5 (granted at 75-80mph .... I could pick up a couple going 70 .... but not that much ..... you make excellent videos! I have been following your channel from almost day one ... I have a 170 wb and my daughter and I drove to Colorado in March ... she is 4 - she enjoyed the trip... now I am supposed to build a camper van so my wife and the one-year-old can go to! I still have to do my stereo just like you did it. and I started to insulate everything (now I need to do the front doors after watching your videos ...) keep it up !

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, I have the 4 cylinder. The fuel economy is very speed-dependent since it has the aerodynamics of an apartment complex. When I run the van at 82 MPH across Utah (80MPH speedlimits), mine will only get 22 MPG. Whereas at 65 it will get 27 MPG. Running it around 72 seems to be the sweet spot of decent mileage and yet actually getting somewhere in a reasonable amount of time. (And not getting a pile of speeding tickets.) Happy to hear your kiddo loves the van and wifey enjoys it too....that's huge! Take your time and enjoy the ride. As you know, I'm a little over 2 years into my build and couldn't care less! We've used it since the beginning. Thanks for following along!

Hi there, great videos. Did you install a chip or programmer to your van for the good fuel mileage? Amazed that you were getting that good

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

Nope, completely stock. I don't have the V6 though, it's a 4 cylinder diesel.

Great videos as always! Could you give me a long term review? Just curious how the adhesive is holding up a year later. Any bubbling? Also, is there any strong off-gas smells still lingering around?Thanks!

@ourkaravan

3 жыл бұрын

Hi, it looks perfect, no bubbling and durability-wise it's great. However the material itself does have a slight rubber/plastic smell when it's hit with direct sunlight on a hot day. It gets over 100-deg in the summer where I live, so maybe anything would do it.

@colthenrie1631

3 жыл бұрын

@@ourkaravan Thanks!

The gas mileage is insane. My 2017, 144" 4x4 with 265 tires recently got 17mpg on my way up to Mammoth a few months ago. I knew 4-wheel drive would lose some efficiency but man..... that hurts.

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

The mileage you are getting is normal...my friends that I travel with in a 4x4 V6 are usually about 8 MPG lower than my van, which has the 2.1L 4 cylinder with the 7-speed transmission. But yes, pretty insane for a mini-house going down the road!

@lorcro2000

5 жыл бұрын

People all want 4x4 but as you say, there is a huge down side to that which is really bad fuel efficiency. I think I'll settle for a diff lock option (on a non-Sprinter).

@ourkaravan

5 жыл бұрын

It's an absolute crying-shame Mercedes-Benz discontinued the 4 cyl. It's such a sweetheart of a powertrain. I'm trying to find another one in a 170 wheelbase for a family member, but there are very few for sale. At least the 2019+ V6 is getting the same 7-speed transmission the 4 cylinder has had since 2014.

@lorcro2000

5 жыл бұрын

@@ourkaravan Yeah, 4-cylinder eco-diesels are basically the norm in Europe. The Transits with that routinely get 35 MPG US or better. The Sprinters do similar numbers. Which is necessary considering fuel prices are 3x what they are in the US.