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Thread: Your latest project
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6th Jan 2019, 01:21 PM #2251
I haven't been very active in the workshop - worth sharing - recently.
My major project in recent months has been to modify a Ford Transit Campervan to suit our needs.
Lots of metalwork and electrical stuff involved - and lots of patience, focus and persistence required....
Tried it out for a week over Christmas in Mount Beaty - and getting very close to convenient.
The work involved adding 'house' batteries (200Ah), solar panels (400W), inverter (2.5kW), changing the hot water service element and switching from 240V to 12V, re-organising the fridge air movement, re-wiring the entire 'shore power' system and adding proper circuit breakers and fuses everywhere. The wiring was particularly tricky and time consuming, as it has to go through/around/inside all sorts of vehicle metal structure, and I added a few 12V and 5V USB outlets. I then fitted a 7" screen Android system with radio, reversing camera, GPS, bluetooth phoning and musik, WiFi, ODBII interface etc. Then I modified/redigned and fitted a passenger seat swivel - lots of tricky metalwork here!
The van already had toilet, shower, shore power/generator aircon, TV etc. when we bought it (in Hervey Bay, Qld - flew up and drove it back).
I also rearranged cupboards and bed, which meant changing all the plumbing. So it kept me occupied and pre-occupied a bit.
The current project is rebuilding an old Postie bike (1982 Honda CT110) for local transport and making a rack to fit it onto the back of the campervan.
20190102_145102 (Large).jpg 20181223_164322 (Large).jpg 20181223_164403 (Large).jpg IMG_20181222_173109 (Large).jpg IMG_20181222_173004 (Large).jpg IMG_20181222_172918 (Large).jpg IMG_20181222_172909 (Large).jpg IMG_20181222_172843 (Large).jpg IMG_20181222_172705 (Large).jpgCheers, Joe
retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....
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7th Jan 2019, 02:32 AM #2252
Hi Joe,
When I had got over the shock of looking at the pictures of your camper van initially thinking it was mine I was looking at
You have done a great job. I mounted my solar panel across the centre of the roof so I could put the cabin skylight over the dinning table and open the rear doors like French windows. Unfortunately the UK is not very camper friendly, so my wife and I spend the most time in Europe. However with Brexit I do wonder how long that will last.Best Regards:
Baron J.
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7th Jan 2019, 12:43 PM #2253Most Valued Member
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That's pretty cool Joe, I like it.
I feel your pain with automotive wiring, sometimes it's a nightmare pushing wires through double skin vehicles etc. Are you missing skin on your knuckles?
It must have been a joy to use after spending so much time and effort on it!
My wife and i love camping. We still do tent camping and love it but we also look forward to one day owning an off road camping trailer with all the bells and whistles.
SimonGirl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.
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7th Jan 2019, 01:52 PM #2254Most Valued Member
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Nice project Joe.
Any details on the particular Android system you used?
Steve
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7th Jan 2019, 08:44 PM #2255Most Valued Member
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7th Jan 2019, 09:27 PM #2256Most Valued Member
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7th Jan 2019, 09:55 PM #2257
This is the unit I chose: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/401655662593
Quite happy with it, but I need to fiddle with the backlight a bit yet. It is much too bright at night. You can turn the backlight off completely and everything keeps working (GPS etc) and a touch of the screen anywher will turn it back on....
Having a "night screen" like in the factory Screen in our '18 Subaru XV would be nicer....
It came with iGO GPS software amd Aussie Map. I actually really like that one!Cheers, Joe
retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....
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8th Jan 2019, 01:10 PM #2258Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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Here's the vice stand in action.
SWMBO is looking somewhat pained in the second photo but as she's got into the swing of things she says she is very happy with it.
IMG_3505.jpg
IMG_3507.jpg
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8th Jan 2019, 06:39 PM #2259Philomath in training
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Not wishing to give you more work, but she may find it easier to use with a more upright chair/ stool. Those folding chairs are comfortable but not as easy to work from.
Michael
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8th Jan 2019, 07:32 PM #2260Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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8th Jan 2019, 09:16 PM #2261Most Valued Member
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I'm *still* doing the fscking wiring......
Amazing how a wiring run of less than 2.5m in a straight line ends up taking over 10m of actual wire by the time you go around all the corners, under the cabin sole etc etc - all while twisted like a pretzel into spaces the right size for someone less than 1.5m tall and with extra arm joints.
Solar panel wiring from deck penetration to terminal block...... serves me right for not doing it before I splashed the boat.
PDW
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9th Jan 2019, 08:42 AM #2262Most Valued Member
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9th Jan 2019, 09:38 AM #2263
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9th Jan 2019, 06:32 PM #2264Most Valued Member
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Ideally, yes. In this case tinned copper (all my wiring is tinned) from MC4 connector to junction block where the other panel feeds then heavier wire to the solar regulator and from that to the battery bank. The deck penetration is a stainless pipe fitted with a union (in glass reinforced nylon and then to a U bend so the cable exits downwards to form a drip loop. And all the cable has black corrugated conduit over it to protect from UV and abrasion.
I spent a *lot* of time on ships on deep ocean voyages. It's the little stuff that comes back to haunt you if you don't do it properly the first time - no matter how slow and painful it is, the second time will be worse (and inevitably somewhere a lot less pleasant than alongside the wharf).
PDW
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19th Jan 2019, 10:25 PM #2265Golden Member
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Made a wobbler. Somebody else made one recently and I got the plans off that post - cannot find it now - think it was a high school student project posted on this forum recently.
Here is my one https://youtu.be/OeUsmJX0-H4
Plans from Steves Workshop ---
A Simple Oscillating Engine
Made some mistakes and had to do some fettling ....
- Worst one - inlet port hole didn't line up to cylinder hole so "widened" it sideways with a 3mm end mill - that worked
- doesn't look pretty because decided to go ahead with all accumulated mistakes to extract maximum learning and then make another one
Quite chuffed with end result - runs on 5 psi if you can believe the Ryobi air compressor. Unbelieveable how satisfying this is for the novice builder - although I do think that it would be boring for anybody else to look at, but I reckon its fascinating cos its mine.
Is it possible to actually do anything useful with these things ? Would be quite happy if I could give somebody a blingy steam powered pencil sharpener for next Christmas.
Bill
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