Welcome

WELCOME

Welcome to the blog for our campervan build

This project began in May 2020 during the 'lockdown' in the UK due to COVID-19. We were supposed to be touring Europe in our existing camper conversion 'Movano The Van Hoe' but this obviously wasn't going to be possible... So after finishing a pretty ambitious Hot Tub Trailer build (see the blog here) we decided we needed another project to keep us occupied during however many weeks left of lockdown.

We put Movano The Van Hoe up for sale and bought a Renault Master which we will convert over the coming weeks/months.

We are fortunate in that Elliot has a fully equipped workshop with tools and space to work, and we're also fortunate in that this is Elliot's second camper conversion, so we're not totally winging it!

This is a blog of the full build and I make no apologies that it is very photo heavy. The primary purpose of the blog is to document this build both for our own records, and for anyone else who's interested.

We plan on touring around Scotland with our Trailer Hot Tub when travel restrictions are relaxed enough to allow this.

Disclaimer: This is NOT meant as a tutorial. Do not try this at home. Always seek professional expert advice.

Thursday, 20 August 2020

Fabrication of the folding seating/bed

Fabrication of the benches/bed.... This is being done in the same was as the previous van build. They will fold up neatly into the walls and out of the way so that the whole back of the van can be used as a van to move stuff when required.

The bed is made from 25mm x 25mm x 1.5mm square section steel tubing.

Due to the benches being mounted at the same height as the rear door hinges we've had to create a wee step in the frame to allow clearance of the hinge.

Everything measured and cut ready to TIG weld together.

Two matching frames and folding feet made up.

A piece of 12mm plywood was then painted to create the tops of the benches and cut and screwed to the frame with self drilling screws.

Legs were bolted on with nylon spacer washers so theres no rattles and the powder coat finish doesn't get scratched once they're coated. The ends have plastic insets fitted.

A small lip was then added to the front edge of the seat which will allow the tables to drop in and sit on when they are folded out to form the bed base.

Seat bases are test mounted. All good. The front face of the legs will also get a carpeted sheet of thin plywood once they have been powder coated.

Everything's off to the powder coaters now... To be continued...