Sliding doors are best for overhead cabinets. You won't need struts. You won't need a latch or lock on them because they wont open when your driving, You can't hit your head on them, and you can make them out of 3mm aluminium composite panel which is very light, doesn't need painting and comes in nice colours.

@cali2752

Жыл бұрын

Hi! I'm very interested in the sliding doors idea. Do you have a good reference for it?

@alanhat5252

Жыл бұрын

@@cali2752 cut a 3.5mm groove in the top & bottom frames with the top groove much deeper, cut a 3mm sheet tall enough to go into both grooves but short enough that when it's fully into the top groove it will come out at the bottom. Minimum 2 doors per aperture, with generous overlap. Most people just drill a 25mm or larger hole each end to operate it. Lubricating strips &/or rounded corners make the doors slide easier.

@alfredshearing6793

Жыл бұрын

3mm acrylic panels worked for me. Lightweight and opaque, lots of colour choice

@debmary2999

Жыл бұрын

Congratulations!!! Great info and help that you are giving us; especially accommodating a range of needs 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

@mctrustsnoone3781

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this brilliant idea, I’m designing my build and I will be incorporating this! Brush aluminum will contrast my woods nicely and happy to reduce weight wherever possible. Wonder what else I could use 3mm aluminum composite for?

For the dim light problem just install some LED fairy lights around the edges of the ceiling

Thanks for the ideas about what to watch for. I'm far from being a carpenter, but I'm pretty good at solving problems. You said you framed your overhead cupboards with wood that is too thin. Well, why not make the entire cabinet door out of one piece of plywood, then glue and brad a thin veneer frame on top of the plywood. No worries about the miters separating because they sit atop a solid piece of plywood.

An alternative to the dimmer switch in the wall is bluetooth led light lights. You can set it up to control from your phone. And several have a variety of options including dimming, warm/cold light, scene lighting & colour sound lighting. You can also schedule tasks for it. MIrabella has a variety of them that you could look in at bunnings.

@gieb6428

Жыл бұрын

I do not have a phone

I think that any novice could get some helpful things to think about from this video, no matter where they're coming from. I'm much older and disabled. (Just had another spinal surgery. Will absolutely need at least one more.) So pointing out that it's difficult to crawl through from the front to the back without enough space is 100% something that matters to me. The ice chest. OMG, this is something I missed and, for me, it's VITAL. I need ice packs. Lots and lots of ice packs. I can't believe that I didn't think about this. I've got a good 12v convertible fridge/freezer that I was going to use as our fridge, and now it's going to be a dedicated freezer and I'll find something else for the fridge. Cabinet strength: This is kind of an obsession of mine. I made the mistake of watching a ton of conversion crash aftermath videos... yeah. The wood turns into toothpicks and basically explodes. No plank wood ceiling for me. Lightweight plastic sheets, covered in a layer of high density foam, covered with a good quality jute carpet underlayment, covered in an exterior vinyl. I'm seriously considering a steel upper cabinet for the galley that's bolted (or welded) directly to the ribs. I'm trying to find the line between "hysterical overbuild and forcing everyone to wear helmets and kevlar" and "tossing the grandkids in a Final Destination death trap" and that line isn't as clear as one might think. smh Thanks for the food for thought. In many ways, the regrets are more important than the 'how to' videos.

These kind of videos are of the most value. Thank you for telling us like it is.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

You're very welcome

Yeah I noticed many people don’t think about weight . It does my head in especially with petrol costs .

Well done! Weight of the wood or weight in general during building, is a very common forgotten element. I saw many vans build with these pinewood planks. Some owners definitely did not like the driving behaviour of the car. I believe 5 mm light multiplex for ceiling and 8 mm maximum for walls. For furniture also 5 to 12 mm and 15 mm for seats. Anyhow enjoy your van, it is beautiful.

I’m really close to finishing my van build and I am glad to see that I haven’t made any of those mistakes. We put hammock rails on the roof that extend and I haven’t even thought about how handy it will be to use them for wet laundry! I’m sure though I made a bunch of other mistakes 😂 nothing is ever perfect, you live and you lern. Thanks for your video!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Exactly, learn by mistakes. or learn by my mistakes 😂

@helenellsworth9556

10 ай бұрын

Learn, you did so well until that lern 😊

Your lines are so clean especially where walls meet the ceiling. Great video!! I'm in the process of converting a shuttle bus and finishing off a transit van and this definitely solidifies some of my decisions. I'm an overthinker, which usually leads to procrastination, and videos like this definitely help me focus and make decisions.

Instead of remaking the doors just add another strut on the other side for equal pressure

Nice work, man! Just one thing that keeps coming to my mind: with long pieces of solid wood covering the length of the walls what might happen in case of a highway accident is they can crack and come flying towards you like pointed spears. Plywood avoids that danger. Also I see magnets for kitchen knives time and again in these vans and people don‘t seem to take them off when driving. I don‘t want to imagine having a crash with these blades swirling tthrough the car… But thanks a lot for sharing your ideas and mistakes, it helps me with my planning even though I will keep it way simpler. Anyway, there is no perfect camper van for everything. You always have to compromise. And that‘s perfectly fine.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

I would say that would be highly unlikely with how they are all intertwined with the tongue and groove friction and attached. The knifes though would be a different story for sure!

Maybe stretch the budget to a paired gas strut to minimize the flexing ! Just noticed today that all Ikea wall cabinets have paired struts ! Thanks to your brilliant video, now I know why !

Best to use knotting, a thick brown solution with a small brush in the lid to treat all the knots before using a standard primer. This is cheaper than a multi-purpose paint though you will have to wait for the knotting to dry. Good video, thanks.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

great to know, cheers. Ill keep it in mind for next time!

I’ve enjoyed all your build videos, this one included. I have dimmer lights, but I use my dimmable fairy lights (Amazon) even more. It adds a cozy feel to my rolling home, plus they can be bright enough to cook etc, but low enough to just be cozy. Second, I do have a laundry line in the van, again on Amazon, that is retractable. What I would do different on mine is to have a toe kick on the kitchen cupboards because now that the doors are settling, they are scraping the ground. Question - are you happy with all your door locks and securement devices? That’s been a big one for me and I wished I would’ve planned the locks when designing all the cabinets and pull out drawers

I think I have all the points covered, but your point about the clothes line is a good idea. There is still time for that one to be implemented and I think there is enough room under the roof racks to sneak in a couple of poles for a clothes line. I think you would be able to find a way to insert a broom stick or two into some loops just under your roof rack.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

I would highly recommend incorporating a clothes line in some ways shape or form for sure

Brilliant idea with the clothes line. Slotting that one in to the memory banks. I'm going to be using 8020 for my construction so if it goes on the solar panel rack, then it can be done so easily.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Hopefully it will work out for you!

Great vid mate. Don't be hard on yourself. Your van is awesome.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, I wont 😊

Ten !! The Insulation! Put a vapour barrier in and fill “every” gap with insulation. I look at your van and I think of the mould and rust that would be behind those walls 😖

Crazy! Thanks for taking the time to share this. I am less than half way through my transit build and taken so much from you videos. Up until about point 6, I had made those changes already and im so glad to hear these were the right decisions. I have even just purchased the 85L bushman haha. Thanks again mate.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thats awesome to hear. Glad you made the changes early on in your build! he 85L bushman "must be nice" 😂 I think the freezer is bigger in that model too right?

Re stealth lighting, would you consider fairy lights. They're often used in vans and can either run off solar or batteries. I use them in my bedroom and the light they give off might do the trick for a van.

Thank you, it's very helpful to see where challenges can crop up, now I'm forewarned it will help immensely!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad it helped! The only way you learn and to find out these things is to do it any trail them firsthand. At least I did anyway and can share it with others so they don't make the same mistakes as me

I'm not considering van life but I enjoy watching videos. I can tell you from "mistakes" you've discussed items I've not heard before. 1. Payload/weight 2. Clothes line and someone suggested a broom could be stored along side under solar panels. 3. Frig always too small but having a frig and freezer sounds good. Oh, Now I remember seeing someone who did have both. One person, one time. 4. Bright light when trying to be stealth and ideas to soften the problem. 5. Someone mentioned security locks. 6. Using boards that can become spears in an accident. 7. Knives on metal strips not taken down before taking off. Someone could be seriously hurt if an accident occurred Good job. I'm glad I watched. Edited bc I remembered more items.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

9 ай бұрын

Thank you 😊

I love your honesty. A fantastic design and build but always from for improvement. Thanks so much for sharing.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Hope it was helpful!

Thank you so much for this information! I was planning a pull out deck like yours but I’ll scrap that idea now. The undercoat info just saved me a ton of headaches too. I seriously appreciate it.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful and informative for you!

LOVE this video. Thanks for being transparent and giving us lots to think about. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

You are so welcome!

Thanks for all your insights. Payload is such an issue with the Transit. We have the jumbo so even less payload and more materials required. Hopefully the Transit’s great ride will make all the hassle worth while. Happy Travels 👍

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. They do have a great ride don't they! good luck with your build

Awesome! Thanks for the update and suggestions ☺️

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Our pleasure!

I love the design and the skills you put in to your van, aluminium and plastic.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Great video with lots of ideas and hints. Love the clothes line idea and yes I agree a secondary fridge/freezer in the back is a good solution. Thanks for sharing! Great sponsor too 😉 we definitely reach out down the track when building my own van!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it and we'll hopefully hear from you in the future soon!

@gieb6428

Жыл бұрын

Running two units uses too much power. Use a combination unit and Make It work. Your an engineer. I'm an IE

Watched a video review of 12V fridges before I got mine and the reviewer made an extremely good point. Cold air falls, it seeks the bottom. Thats just basic thermodynamics. Front opening fridges dump their cold air when you open them. Top opening ones hold in the cold air when they are open. So top opening fridges are more efficient. That said, I got a top opening 47 liter 12V fridge which works great to keep my food cold. It can even be a freezer if I crank it down enough on the thermostat. Downside is that it requires almost a whole meter to slide out, which is kind of a pain. Also, if I was going to do it over I would go with 24V. Thinner power wires for the same wattage. And there are a ton of 24V products made for truck drivers. Fans, lights, fridges etc. I had to rebuild my cabinets all over again from scratch. My first run I made them out of 6mm plywood. With plastic bins from Ikea for drawers. Those worked for about a month, then they started working themselves apart from constant vibration and stress. Tore those out and spent almost 4 months building a whole new set that go top to bottom behind the driver seat out of 12mm ply. These are solid and have more capacity. And I added a sink! But I measured too well. I had a very hard time squeezing the unit into the space between the floor and ceiling. It's not coming out now! When I started building my van I laughed at people that took over a year to build theirs. Here I am 1 and half years later and not quite finished with the water system. Guess I didn't count on electrical problems which take a month to solve, or spending a whole weekend working on getting one piece of wood to fit. ps a good alternative to dimmers are naval cabin lights which have a a two way switch, one side is white, the other red. The red wavelength won't come through your curtains and tinted windows as much as full spectrum white. It also doesn't mess with your ability to see in the dark as much as white light. So you need less of it. Bonus if you have a film camera, you can change film under a red light!

Thanks Marcel, I love your videos. With regards to drying clothes I have seen some vans that have also vented their diesel heater into their shower so that it becomes like a drying space. Really good for wet days. And when sunny use a washing line.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Yes thats a great idea. If we were to build another van with a shower i would for sure be venting the diesel heater vent into the shower for that reason and i think it would work really well. I'd still also like some kind of outdoor drying rack too

Just bought one, researching all aspects of fitting it out. I found your video super helpful.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback. Glad they were helpful to you

So glad you guys are doing this. 🙌😁

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Us too!

Regarding your computer charging cords when in the office, it appears you could relatively easily add USB ports to your desk slider. The cords will move with the slider (in dedicated conduit / tracks) but be always available.

I have a clothesline that I attach to the side with suction cups. Haven't used it yet, so haven't tested how functional it actually is.. You have done a good job covering a lot of issues you usually don't see before you live in the van for a period of time.. 😊 So thanks for the tips.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Exactly and let us know how your clothes line goes!

Great points. Also jealous of your Aussie build weather as I'm doing mine in Scotland's freezing, pi55ing rain : )

A cheap and excellent sealer to prevent resin seepage is Bondcrete. The old slogan. Bondcrete sticks to everything and everything sticks to Bondcrete . Also works on Aluminum as a sealer that you may want to paint.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

thanks, good to know!

thank you so much, please MAKE A SERIES OF MORE OF THIS KIND OF VIDEOS

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

We have another one in the pipeline

Great video and tips! For the lighting, have you thought about installing a battery operated LED strip light below the overheads? Could save you from opening the overheads when you want dimmer lighting.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Kinda, i really just need to install a dimmer switch i think 😂. I 2 have independently switched led down lights below the overhead cabinets for could for sure have a dimmer installed too.

Awesome video man!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it

Greetings from the UK. Great video and thanks for the inspiration. You have given me some good ideas for my self build.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Awesome! Thank you!

Love your build! It's funny you were trying to remove the double seat upfront, we are trying to figure out how to add an additional seat so our pup can ride upfront with us LOL but it is good to know we might be able to replace the single seat with double!! Just have to figure out what to do with the parking brake lol

@mwhoville581

Жыл бұрын

I saw another person build a box between the seats for their pup. Then the box can be pup food storage.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

You should be able to source a double seat from the wreckers. The bolt holes are the same and the handbrake should also not be an issue as ford make the seats transferable.

Loved your honesty and ideas ❤

@SALTYVANVENTURES

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much 😊

Your a man of many ideas Marcel. You will find a way to overcome these minor issues. One thing I’d do is turn the rear platform into a fold up drying rack. Only if I didn’t use it. Or incorporate the rack into it so you have both. Regards, Mario.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Interesting thought! I'll have to consider it.

Thanks for your honest reflection. These are great tips

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

You're very welcome

Nice change from the common van build video. Good info.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Very common, Glad you liked it!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

you're welcome!

This Video presentation was like hearing myself. I have to say i watched all your build vids whilst I was doing a very similar build. Thanks for some ideas for sure, but hey how come your concerns mirror mine well most of them. The freezer fridge bit is def need of upgrade like you say. keep it up guys, Salty as you need to be.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

That's awesome and no problem! Maybe they are just common problems 😂

Great video and content!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Appreciate it!

A folding table might be a good alternative. Lightweight and takes up little space.

Good work mate...

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

it's worth it to have 3 seats in the front. We keep our ice cream/berries in a separate 8L compressor fridge, keep a clothes dryer holder over the diesel heater.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

nice idea with the fridge

The best video I’ve seen and I’ve seen a lot 😂 I’m not interested in another “how to connect a bulb” video, I learn on mistakes. Being able to learn on someone else’s mistakes is just great 😁 Very helpful hint on plywood pine imitation, I’ll use that in my build for sure. I don’t understand why don’t you simply add USB sockets where you want now, or add the ceiling dimmer? your van is not made of concrete 😉 (even if it was, that’s not a problem). Anyways, thank you for such informative video.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

11 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful to you. I can for sure add more sockets I just haven’t gotten around to it yet! As for the dimmer, I haven’t found one I liked yet

great video and thanks for sharing the mistakes the wooding frame and the passenger sit opened my eyes.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad it helped

the clothes line idea was cool

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

thanks!

Thanks for the tips! I'm definitely adding a power outlet exactly in the spot above the table you pointed out. I also thought that running the power cable from an outlet nearby isn't a problem, but adding an outlet is just so easy. The clothes line thing it's a precious tip too. Thanks! Not sure how I'm going to do that yet, but I custom-built the roof rack so it shouldn't be a problem to add a thing or two.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful! When we get a change i think i'm going to modify the roof rack to incorporate the clothes line for sure!

@jiri4023

Жыл бұрын

Our van is too tall so I couldn't find a simple way to add a clothes line that we could reach from the ground. What I'm going to do instead is adapt one of those wall-mounted aluminum folding drying racks on a piece of hardwood with two hooks and just mount it on the ladder whenever needed.

Love the video and the video edit!!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

Yes, being an engineer is a frustrating life. During the designing and building stages everything is great. Then after things are built you start inspecting and find things that could have been better, that's the frustration part! It doesn't matter what you are engineering. As you get older the engineering frustration diminishes as you realize Nothing is Perfect. (Retired IE)

@SALTYVANVENTURES

11 ай бұрын

Haha nothing is every perfect for our engineering eyes

Great video! Check out the "Free Space" hinges from Hafele. You have one on either side (inside the overhead cabinet) and because they have springs in them the door stays open without having to use gas struts on one side, so there shouldn't be as much bending happening. How did the pine lining go in terms of expansion or shrinking? What primer did you use when painting them? We used Dulux One Step Prep 3 in 1 and didn't have any issues with stains coming through yet (hopefully stays that way :)) So true about the power points! That was literally one of the first things we were trying figure out and decided to put one under the table, but also having some where we store our gear so we can charge them when we don't use them. Enjoy your time in Europe guys! If you visit Germany, let us know (especially if you go to Stuttgart). We can organize a guide (my brother and his gf ;)). PS: Patrick is feeling the same way as an engineer :D

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

I'm liking those hinges and would probably look into something similar in a future build. The gas struts are a bit of an overkill. The lining does a bit of expanding in the heat, but if you paint your panelling before you install it, so that the entire tongue is painted, you won't notice any expansion/shrinking as you won't see the bar timber exposing itself. I would keep an eye on those knots. It took about 3 or so months for them to make an appearance. And thank you for the very kind offer!

thank you for the honesty

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Always!

There isn’t a paint in the world that will keep knots from transferring through paint long term. I have thirty years experience in high end residential construction. Use clear lumber if you don’t want to see the knots. The pre primed lumber is usually finger jointed and knot free which shows through eventually as well.

Beautiful Van ❤would love to incorporate a rear deck but your build has got me rethinking the idea 🤩awesome video 😊🙏❤️❤️🚐

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊 glad i'm getting people thinking!

It's important to be able access the cab if you free camp, we have had to leave during the night because of drunk 'locals'.

Thank you xoLove this video and found it helpful.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

You are so welcome!

In the UK we use a product called Patent Knotting which is brushed onto knots prior to priming/undercoating.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

I will know this for next time!

12mmm panelling! That is CRAZY!

Very impressed by your humble disclosures of ‘hard lessons learned’. So uncommon to find such transparency …evidence of great character!🫡

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much. Best to showcase your mistakes so others can learn I say

Great videos, although I'm not building a van. We do have a caravan. For your extra fride/freezer , you can buy draw style ones in the size you want, just make sure it can freeze as some don't. Also doing this you do away with the need for a separate slide.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Yes i have seen those!

great info. thankyou.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

9 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Use a Mortise and Tennon joint on the cabinet doors or a Rail and Stile router bit set in a router table.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Great idea

Love it!! ❤️

@SALTYVANVENTURES

9 ай бұрын

Glad you like it!

Very helpful thank you 🇨🇦

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

great tips my dude, I'm working on making alot of things smart in my van using Home assistant. Its a ton of software setup but you can do some cool stuff with security camera, dimming LED strips, security contact sensors, etc.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Oh wow thats pretty interesting. What security cameras are you using?

@noahpan496

Жыл бұрын

@@SALTYVANVENTURES Using some Wyze V3 camera that are water proof and pretty discrete. We could create the ultimate van if we worked together! Im in NY in the states tho :/

Thank you for sharing

@SALTYVANVENTURES

9 ай бұрын

My pleasure

Check out Stainless Steel Hatch Springs instead of gas struts. Easy switch-out to prevent further door damage. :) Great vid! Thank you!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Will do thank you!

I have a the same van that I'm building For your cloths line I'm putting a curtain rod across the back doors when there open to hang cloths off plus I have a shower curtain for my out side shower at the back door

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

I was considering that but it would be nicer to be able to have the clothes drying and have all the doors closed at the same time. For instance if you wanted to go for a walk while drying your clothes

Please get the online courses ready. We have been waiting for ur courses for so long. Thank you

@SALTYVANVENTURES

5 ай бұрын

Working on it!

Cool brother... Nice to see how it's done down under. Electric is kinda different from stateside U.S. Just discovered your channel...so will check it out more in the coming weeks

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Thanks and welcome!

Planning on purchasing a van and having it build for me. Video gave me a lot of things to think about so I don't make the same mistakes. Didn't really think about weight of build being an issue.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

3 ай бұрын

Yes it’s a big issue a lot of people don’t realise and it can really cause major issues later down the track.

Excellent vid indeed. ATB, Des

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Your cabinet door problem could be solved with half lap joints. You'd need a router table or a table saw to create them but they would be a lot stronger than those mitered corners. Also, you don't need a gas strut to hold it open. You can use a hinged stick to prop the door open.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

The lapped joint would be much stronger yes I agree

@thudang3039

Жыл бұрын

@@SALTYVANVENTURES I've seen another solution here in lieu of a gas strut - marine support springs. Depending on your application, it might cost a bit more, but depending on how secure the items are inside, you might not need the locking mechanism to keep the door shut. In my years of prep for my van build (was a dream turned van order) I've been storing away all the tidbits for a van build.

Awesome vid thanks 🙏

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

@lisadolan689

Жыл бұрын

@@SALTYVANVENTURES I’m learning so much 🙏☺️

But, you still have a beautiful van so don’t be hard on yourself. I would love to have a van like yours and I bet a lot of other people would say the same.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

9 ай бұрын

Thank you 😊

We are based in Melbourne. We have a ford transit as well and was built out a couple of times by my husband, Ian, who is a recently retired 72 year old technician. Looking at what you regard as mistakes, I want to give a massive shoutout to this incredible man who had such a vision of potential problems (ok he also worked under instruction of the minister of what we needed and wanted) aka his wife 😂 aka me. When we bought the van we realised the problems of an engineering certificate so we straightaway looked for a two seater and didn’t even entertain adding a third seat at the back. He put in a permanent dining table with seats facing each other (not swivel) facing the sliding because we wanted to be able to get up without disturbing the other and put power points as well as charging station at the table which can lift up with narrow storage at the side. Our double door fridge freezer is 170 litre. Cassette thedford toilet, narrow sliding crockery cupboards, pantry measured precisely for our needs, induction stove, laundry chute, tambour wardrobe are a few features. We have a portable sink. The bedside tables are hinged pop ups with an alcove for charging cables. In the garage a slide out for storage which has a removable hot water system and shower which can be used under a tree and a second slide out for whatever with a round table stored under because I love a round table. Also a heater and specific section for our backpacks. We didn’t even contemplate any deck because of our age, and we didn’t put in a pull out table at the back because we didn’t want any restrictions where to sit. I love your van and how you show what you would do differently and this is not a criticism, just an acknowledgment to a wonderful man who sometimes thinks he could’ve done things differently. Oh, and for damp washing at night, he has put in a cord across the cab and there are two hooks there for our jacket. I have shown your video to Ian and he just went “yeah” 😂

My van is built now and I have so many ideas for another 2.0 build. The regret videos or wish I had of done it differently are my favorite videos now. I liked all your ideas but the roof rack for lounging. I have 1,200 watts of solar panels and if I build another one I will have 1,600. I like to run my mini split ac in the Summer and the heat pump in the winter. The clothes line is a good idea, I have a similar setup for hanging bird feeders to see the birds in the area as I travel about. Definitely a thumbs up 👍

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Extra solar would be nice to have but we also mainly use the roof deck for storing surfboards so it wouldn't be possible to add more panels for us. Wow you have quite the solar array. Can you sustain the ac and heater with it?

@Scrambler85

Жыл бұрын

@@SALTYVANVENTURES 900 amp hours of lithium batteries will run the heat for about 14 overnight, longer with a sunny day. The ac on economy setting about 48 hours. I live in the South Eastern part of the USA. It doesn't get that cold here mostly heat and humidity. I have a cutaway van with a lot of insulation. I built it for 4 season travel. The main source of heat is a Propex HS2000 propane heater. But I like the quiet of the mini split at night.

@jonclement

Жыл бұрын

Go for a diesel heater -- dry heat and endless fuel (they have gasoline ones too). I'd likely upgrade to 120A alternator charger(s) rather then more solar (since less sun up north)

I have single seats on my transit van. Used drivers seat base and a single suspension passenger seat van from a merc benz . Both drives and passenger seats have swivels installed and have been checked off by a engineer. This gives us an extra lounge area and room in the van which is a E350 transit

@SALTYVANVENTURES

9 ай бұрын

Was this in Australia? We have super strict guidelines we need to follow

@pompestcontrol

9 ай бұрын

yes in Australia because I used original manufactures seat base and passengers seat from another van with air bags. The only thing the engineer wanted to check out was the engineering certificate for the swivel unit i used and check out the welding I had to do to adapt swivel to base and seat.

You could still easily put USB sockets in the end face of the pull out desk - usable even when desk is closed

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Yes and we will!

Awesome, thanks so much for your videos. I've bought my van and just starting out and it's so overwhelming but watching your channel really helps!

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Best of luck! Your can do it, but if you can't, don't be afraid to reach out for help

Well this was quite confronting to watch. Kudos to you for making this clip. In terms of weight savings, there is a special plywood called "Falcata" plywood from Indonesia. I found a supplier in Lavington (Albury) "The Bunker". It was well worth the 4hr trip for me as the weight savings are impressive. It feels like half the weight of standard ply and is very easy to work with. Note; I took my own saw to cut the sheets down for transport.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

It was quite confronting to film too 😛 I hope it sheds some light on the issues arising from our build. That plywood looks interesting. Do you have a price of what the sheet cost? What thickness did you go with?

@patedwards6968

Жыл бұрын

@@SALTYVANVENTURES I got 3 x 9mm and 1 x 15mm sheets. Total cost was $235. It is also available in 24mm. It's closer to hard balsa wood than plywood.

Building the over head cabinet doors out of plywood, and then putting a frame on to that small sheet of ply, would solve the strut problem. Rather than making a frame with a plywood filling. 9-12mm sheet of plywood and frame on top of it with 4-6 mm ply, still pretty light and strong.

Superb Video George U.K.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Saved this one too..

Good Man , Good job....🤓🤓😎

@SALTYVANVENTURES

3 ай бұрын

Thanks ✌

Also, re: weight - have you seen Nomad's use of foam? www.youtube.com/@falkornomad/about Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! The outdoor drying rack with extendable bars seems like a great idea too. Thank you for that. I'm going to see what I can do about having some bars extend from the back, maybe nested in or with a roof rack system. The plan earlier was an "outdoor" shower, extending out the back with the drawer slides, or something mounted to the trailer hitch as a platform to stand on to be off the ground. I can see how a solar awning with laundry hanging storage below could be super useful when parked!

One thing I overlooked on mine, which I think most people do… is the little switches, USB ports, etc having blue led’s… not good at nighttime… that is, if you are fan of sleep. Sucks, because most of these things have blue LEDS and it is a bit more difficult to find red LED’s.

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

I made that mistake in our first van and ended up making a magnetic curtain for it. This time installed them in the cupboard to block out the light. I think i did mention that somewhere down the track in one of the build episodes.

Wet clothes could go under your pullout deck? Just heavy bungees? Could you buy or make roll-top cupboard doors? I've seen a few old roll-top breadboxes I'm thinking of collecting for my future rig.

Dimmable lights: Why dont you use one of these 12V LED stripe systems... you can dimm it and you got a remote controll you can use maybe from inside the bed ?

on the knot stains you should coat the knots with a solution called knotting

@SALTYVANVENTURES

Жыл бұрын

Great to know, thank you!

I feel like anyone with a pull out deck and a roof deck has lost touch with the common man... Thanks for the video buddy, it's great to have people sharing their mistakes/regrets