# Construction techniques for van cabinetry



## paulrbarnard

I have been volunteered to fit out my daughter and son-in-laws Bongo camper can. I sorted out the electrics today but they are coming back over the bank holiday to have a rear kitchen unit built and fitted. The one that was in there seemed to have been cut to size by a band of beavers and was joined with an over abundance of pocket holes. Well the panels that were screwed that is, many were just interference fit. 

What is the best approach for quick build? Pocket holes? Dominoes? Other?

The existing is ply or would MDF be a better option? I’m thinking something with a nice wipe down finish and T edging or glue-on banding.


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## Jameshow

My camper van kitchen and loo is cheap Wickes 12mm ply with flushing doors jigsawed out and screwed into 36mm corner blocks and a couple of coats of polyurethane vanish. 

Pretty it isn't, durable it is.... I've been putting 8x2 oak down the middle with no ill effects!


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## eribaMotters

paulrbarnard said:


> I have been volunteered to fit out my daughter and son-in-laws Bongo camper can. I sorted out the electrics today but they are coming back over the bank holiday to have a rear kitchen unit built and fitted. The one that was in there seemed to have been cut to size by a band of beavers and was joined with an over abundance of pocket holes. Well the panels that were screwed that is, many were just interference fit.
> 
> What is the best approach for quick build? Pocket holes? Dominoes? Other?
> 
> The existing is ply or would MDF be a better option? I’m thinking something with a nice wipe down finish and T edging or glue-on banding.


It would be worthwhile checking Clearcut Conversions in Devon. Self Build Campervan Conversions, Parts and Components | UK
I've used then for electrical bits on several caravans and they are very helpful.
If you plan to go the plain plywood route then Poplar would appear to be a good choice due to it's low weight. Lathams in Bristol stock it, so not all that far from you.

Colin


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## paulrbarnard

eribaMotters said:


> It would be worthwhile checking Clearcut Conversions in Devon. Self Build Campervan Conversions, Parts and Components | UK
> I've used then for electrical bits on several caravans and they are very helpful.
> If you plan to go the plain plywood route then Poplar would appear to be a good choice due to it's low weight. Lathams in Bristol stock it, so not all that far from you.
> 
> Colin


Clear cut conversions looks like a great resource. Thank you for pointing them out.


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## paulrbarnard

Jameshow said:


> My camper van kitchen and loo is cheap Wickes 12mm ply with flushing doors jigsawed out and screwed into 36mm corner blocks and a couple of coats of polyurethane vanish.
> 
> Pretty it isn't, durable it is.... I've been putting 8x2 oak down the middle with no ill effects!


I’m thinking of a somewhat similar approach to the doors but routing out and using t edging to neaten it up.


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## Tris

If they haven't got one already then fit a low coolant alarm. Those bongo's are a pain for cooking the heads and a right pain to bleed the air out of. 
Check out the bongo fury forum for some ideas on conversions. Magnum motorhomes website has some useful info for self builds.
There's a place in Southampton that builds swivel seats for them if you don't want a seat permanently facing backwards and aren't going for the rock n roll type bed.


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## Jameshow

My kitchen unit....


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## SamG340

First off scrap the bongo and get something better ! Lol


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## cerro

The lightest wood you can find, with the price if fuel. And VW are the best for fitting out


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## paulrbarnard

Tris said:


> If they haven't got one already then fit a low coolant alarm. Those bongo's are a pain for cooking the heads and a right pain to bleed the air out of.
> Check out the bongo fury forum for some ideas on conversions. Magnum motorhomes website has some useful info for self builds.
> There's a place in Southampton that builds swivel seats for them if you don't want a seat permanently facing backwards and aren't going for the rock n roll type bed.



I found a stray wire roaming around the engine bay when I was putting in the split charge and managed to trace it to a low coolant sensor . So fortunately it has one but in common with the rest of the conversion it was a little below par. A meter of loose wire wrapped around the engine bay is not the way I like to do things. 

I suggested swivel seats but the kids showed me the very clever reversing seat pads. You lean the seat backs forward and then there is a small seat, what I thought was a padded foot rest, that lets you sit facing the back. Very clever indeed. 

I have a plan in mind for the interior layout but need inspiration.


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## paulrbarnard

SamG340 said:


> First off scrap the bongo and get something better ! Lol


Daughters best friend has one, therefore the only option they would consider


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## Jameshow

paulrbarnard said:


> Daughters best friend has one, therefore the only option they would consider


I had one and for what it was, it was ok. 

It didn't want as refined at a T5 but is wasn't slow like a T2.... 

It has a joyful feel about it that suited being a camper. You felt you were on holiday as soon as you got in it. 

On the other hand the kids hated it!


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## Tris

I'll try to dig out some photos of the one we had, it was quite a clever use of space as it had a smev combined hob and sink, two cupboards and a space for a small loo, all cut to fit with a couple of mm all round. 
If I was fitting one Id be tempted to make it freestanding and attached to the seat rails like a lathe tailstock so it could be removed if they ever want to use it as a van.


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## Tris

Jameshow said:


> I had one and for what it was, it was ok.
> 
> It didn't want as refined at a T5 but is wasn't slow like a T2....
> 
> It has a joyful feel about it that suited being a camper. You felt you were on holiday as soon as you got in it.
> 
> On the other hand the kids hated it!


When you get two kids in the pop top and one won't get off the hatch?


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## paulrbarnard

Tris said:


> I'll try to dig out some photos of the one we had, it was quite a clever use of space as it had a smev combined hob and sink, two cupboards and a space for a small loo, all cut to fit with a couple of mm all round.
> If I was fitting one Id be tempted to make it freestanding and attached to the seat rails like a lathe tailstock so it could be removed if they ever want to use it as a van.


I’m looking at lots of examples and coming around to making it removable.


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## SamG340

paulrbarnard said:


> Daughters best friend has one, therefore the only option they would consider


Millennials


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## Thingybob

Jameshow said:


> View attachment 136216
> 
> 
> My kitchen unit....


With Greggs takeaway wrappers built in says a lot for cook


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## Jameshow

Thingybob said:


> With Greggs takeaway wrappers built in says a lot for cook


Haha 
Gregg's coffee cup very durable saves mugs getting broken!!


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## Richard_C

I know little of the Bongo but love the name. "We motored to the coast in the Rover" sounds serious, "We went to the beach in the Bongo" sounds like a cheerful outing.

I had an aircoooled T2 VW back in the late 70's when you could buy second hand for next to nothing, panorama screen high indicator, early 1600 cc twin port for the enthusisats out there. It was a proper Devon conversion with pop top, and most of the furniture was softwood framed with fairly thin ply over: I don't recall the details. It was sturdy enough. I did a couple of mods, cupboard for the crampons and ice axes, and there is a tendency to 'over-build'. We like things to look and be sturdy, but weight is the enemy. 

Somewhere (perhaps in the registration document or handbook, perhaps a plate rivetted on a door pillar) will be the unladen weight and the permittted maximum gross vehicle weight. The ULW may be fully fitted if its a factory conversion but may well be bare chassis/body without the rising roof. Somwhere between ULW and GVW youi need to allow for people, petrol, maybe extrat battery, stuff and things, leisure stuff if you take bikes etc, water maybe, and the furniture. Aside from the obvious advantage of keeping it light there is that technical constraint and often there is not much scope in that ULW/GVW gap. You might need to compromise your high standards of woodworking and focus more on the weight. 

I also wonder (but you can't calculate for any of this) if "light and weak" is helpful in an accident. Imagine a tail end shunt, the vehicle does its proper progressive crumple, it might be better if the big horizontal sheet of timber in the back also breaks rather than gets pushed forward to damage the occupants or ends up flying about around the occupants. 

You may know about tyres, there are the usual width/profile/diameter/speed rating numbers: 215/55 17 W. They are follwed by load ratings, typically 91 or similar. Higher number = higher load rating. If you go up you might get a slightly harsher ride - I've never noticed it - but no other downsides to my knowledge. Because camper vans are carrying most of their weight most of the time, if tyres ever need replacing make sure the load rating is the same or higher that what is on now.

There is a company called Bilbo, been around for aeons, who do conversions designed so you can take bits or modules out to use the van as a van: might be worth a look around their website for ideas.


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## Sideways

What Cerro and Richard said. Ignore kitchen cabinetry preconceptions and build for light weight.
It's so easy to add serious extra weight to the vehicle which will compromise it's handling, stopping, mpg, and increase wear and tear.
Lightweigh frames and thin ply rather than MDF and standard chipboard. Maybe even aluminium composite panel (dibond) !


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## Jameshow

I'd use birch ply if you can afford it. 

No cheap but lighter than standard ply and easy to finish.


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## AES

With my own v limited experience, I doubly agree with the caveats posted above about weight.

Please PLEASE forget about "decent" ply and/or MDF, it starts out far too heavy and just gets heavier and heavier by the time you add door hardware, drawer runner, screws or whatever, then fill up the water tank, put disinfectant in the portaloo, etc, etc. It all adds up alarmingly quickly and affects not only the vehicle's maximum LEGALLY allowed load limit (as mentioned above), it also affects tyres (Type, rating, and wear rate, as also said above) and these days particularly, affects the MPG the users will achieve.

While it is (was?) horrendously expensive to buy new, the "composite" sheets made of "honeycombed plasticised cardboard" epoxied onto very thin waterproofed veneers - in various "metal" and "wood-effect" finishes) as used for passenger aircraft galleys, toilets, etc, are what you really want. As said, v expensive new, but look out for specialist component suppliers (a couple already listed above, but I'm LONG out of date with the UK sorry). And look for such as specialists who break wrecked caravans and motorhomes. You'll find them advertising in the back pages of the - I guess - still several caravan and motorhome mags published in UK.

Jointing "cabinets" made from these "high-tech" materials is not as difficult as you may think, and is generally quite light too. Mainly epoxies and foaming polyurethane adhesives. Bits of scrap play and softwood plus loads of masking tape provide suitable jigs for ensuring cabinet/s, sink unit, etc, come up straight and square and LIGHT! And if necessary, the careful use of ali extruded sections from the local DIY emporium, such as "T"s, & "L"s, also glued in plus perhaps a few self-tappers will all stiffen things like under work surface places nicely. And look for things like "rock n roll" bed frames to suit the vehicle too. Again the ads should put you on the right path.

It really is all MUCH different to any sort of cabinet making for the house, and with respect, such techniques are best IMO left "in the home".

HTH, good luck


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## Jameshow

For what your making either a side or back kitchen unit I wouldn't worry about weight too much. 

The bongo has capacity to carry 8 people on heavy seats, take the seats out too and you have over half a tonne of payload....


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## Droogs

Before I fell ill, I helped a chap I know make some units for his Puegeot conversion. He is a very experienced cabinetmaker and had wanted as few sharp corners as possible inside the van to knock into in the dark. He had come up with the idea of using of using bendy 3mm ply to make the cabinets and get his nice curvy shapes. What he did was create a frame and inside and outside curve formers in scrap MDF and then hot glue the 3mm ply sheets to the former and fill the resulting 3mm gap with expanding construction foam. This gave him very rigid, extremely light weight cabinet sides etc and when set he vacuum bagged some lovely walnut burr and pippy oak to various parts to give the van a very high end feel. The resulting cabinet for the sink/cooker with drawers ended up weighing less than a standard 600mm base cabinet frame.

hth


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## AES

Jameshow said:


> For what your making either a side or back kitchen unit I wouldn't worry about weight too much.
> 
> The bongo has capacity to carry 8 people on heavy seats, take the seats out too and you have over half a tonne of payload....


James, I'm FAR from experienced, but regardless of van type (never heard of a Bongo before, probably here under another name?) I firmly believe that WEIGHT, or more properly, the reduction therefore, is absolutely vital. So disagree, sorry "yer takes yer choice ....." and all that!


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## AES

Droogs said:


> Before I fell ill, I helped a chap I know make some units for his Puegeot conversion. He is a very experienced cabinetmaker and had wanted as few sharp corners as possible inside the van to knock into in the dark. He had come up with the idea of using of using bendy 3mm ply to make the cabinets and get his nice curvy shapes. What he did was create a frame and inside and outside curve formers in scrap MDF and then hot glue the 3mm ply sheets to the former and fill the resulting 3mm gap with expanding construction foam. This gave him very rigid, extremely light weight cabinet sides etc and when set he vacuum bagged some lovely walnut burr and pippy oak to various parts to give the van a very high end feel. The resulting cabinet for the sink/cooker with drawers ended up weighing less than a standard 600mm base cabinet frame.
> 
> hth



Thanks Droogs, IMO, that's much more "like it"! As above, excess weight is the No.1 enemy in any van conversion. But others have different views and experiences it seems.


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## SamG340

Yep like @AES said finding someone who's breaking a caravan and buying a what you need might be a better option


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## Jameshow

AES said:


> James, I'm FAR from experienced, but regardless of van type (never heard of a Bongo before, probably here under another name?) I firmly believe that WEIGHT, or more properly, the reduction therefore, is absolutely vital. So disagree, sorry "yer takes yer choice ....." and all that!


The bongo us a tiny van think transporter but smaller. 
The type of conversion that's going to fit really is small. 

Of course weight matters but is a 10kg really going to matter?


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## paulrbarnard

Jameshow said:


> For what your making either a side or back kitchen unit I wouldn't worry about weight too much.
> 
> The bongo has capacity to carry 8 people on heavy seats, take the seats out too and you have over half a tonne of payload....


Seat came out at the weekend. I need to build some kind of rock and roll seat/bed as well.


Droogs said:


> Before I fell ill, I helped a chap I know make some units for his Puegeot conversion. He is a very experienced cabinetmaker and had wanted as few sharp corners as possible inside the van to knock into in the dark. He had come up with the idea of using of using bendy 3mm ply to make the cabinets and get his nice curvy shapes. What he did was create a frame and inside and outside curve formers in scrap MDF and then hot glue the 3mm ply sheets to the former and fill the resulting 3mm gap with expanding construction foam. This gave him very rigid, extremely light weight cabinet sides etc and when set he vacuum bagged some lovely walnut burr and pippy oak to various parts to give the van a very high end feel. The resulting cabinet for the sink/cooker with drawers ended up weighing less than a standard 600mm base cabinet frame.
> 
> hth


That sounds like what I would like to do far more than what my daughter wants


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## paulrbarnard

AES said:


> James, I'm FAR from experienced, but regardless of van type (never heard of a Bongo before, probably here under another name?) I firmly believe that WEIGHT, or more properly, the reduction therefore, is absolutely vital. So disagree, sorry "yer takes yer choice ....." and all that!


It’s called a Fury in the US.

I think the metal work that came out was heavier than a couple of sheets of 15mm board. It’s probably going to be lighter once finished.


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## powertools

Self build camper vans seem to be the thing at the moment and youtube is your friend for ideas.


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## paulrbarnard

powertools said:


> Self build camper vans seem to be the thing at the moment and youtube is your friend for ideas.


Yes but YouTube instructions…


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## Jameshow

paulrbarnard said:


> It’s called a Fury in the US.
> 
> I think the metal work that came out was heavier than a couple of sheets of 15mm board. It’s probably going to be lighter once finished.


Mine definitely did!! 

Each seat 10 iirc weighted 25kg so 250kg which was replaced by camping units weighing 3 sheets 1/2 ply, 66kg + some 4x2 for the bed and 1 1/2 by 1 1/2 framing for the kitchen and loo..

Contents of kitchen prob only weights 10kg so 100kg max. 

Leaves plenty of payload for oak beams, lathes, table saws etc that I come across on my travels!!


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## Stevekane

A friends daughter also has a Bongo and I beleive they are a Japanese import, her one has a 3ltr petrol engine and an auto box so its not the sort of thing you would want to go far in! 
I know that older campers and caravans used light ply on softwood frames but I think that now they might use a foam sandwich type stuff??
Steve.


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## Droogs

Greg Virgoe has an excellent channel regarding conversions, lots of good info but at times his tool safety is a bit - well, Youtube



https://www.youtube.com/c/GregVirgoe/playlists


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## TobyT

My last van I converted myself from a transit. I generally used 4mm ply on softwood frames. I didn't create sandwiches, but single ply seemed strong enough. Consider what is actually needed inside. I made and put in the whole moorcaravan requirements, bed that folds out to a minimum of 6', sink, cooker (that have to be permanently attached), wardrobe, electrics, window in the side. It was all completed but never finished nicely, mainly with bare ply. It worked for me, but I think in 5 years I used the sink twice. The cooker was a 2nd hand microwave as it had to be fixed and to gas cookers designed for vehicles aren't cheap and needed to be fixed. It was used about 3 times to heat baby bottles. The rest of the time we just cooked outside. The wardrobe was useful for hanging wetsuits. It used to be that converting to v5 recognised motorhome was a couple of hundred quid and provided a large discount on insurance. Now the Govt changed and the cost is something like £1900. So you may as well insure as a van with mods that you need and you don't have to worry about the requirements.

I used to belong to the Self Build Motorcaravan Club. Various forums on conversions and plus it gave discounts on things like insurance. SBMCC | Self Build Motor Caravanners Club

The Bongo Friendee I think was also known as the Ford Freda. It's a Japanese grey import and I think the most recent models are 2010ish, so getting a little long in the tooth. Some of them already come with factory conversions like pop up roofs and kitchen items. I looked at one for the current van but decided it was too small for us and the kids and all the %^&* we carry when camping.


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## paulrbarnard

I think I’m going to go with 15mm light weight ply from one of the caravan build suppliers. I will only need one and half sheets so not too ridiculous price wise. I can get the half sheet in a “worktop” colour to give some contrast. Adding some coloured t-edging will also make it a bit more modern. 

All I need to do now is buy some power tools


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## RobTy

paulrbarnard said:


> I think I’m going to go with 15mm light weight ply from one of the caravan build suppliers. I will only need one and half sheets so not too ridiculous price wise. I can get the half sheet in a “worktop” colour to give some contrast. Adding some coloured t-edging will also make it a bit more modern.
> 
> All I need to do now is buy some power tools


15mm ply is way overkill. 

I converted my T6 2y ago. combination of 8mm & 5mm bamboo ply, lacquered finish / melamine laminate in places. Frame fit sliding doors and CNC cut to my design (slim cabinets, curvy edges). With a bit of planning and some willingness to recess its surprising what's possible, my furniture is far more space efficient than off the shelf options.

Tbh the 8mm was overkill in places..... 15mm is just wasteful (space, weight).


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## Jones

Nothing to do with woodwork but as Toby t says you can register a converted van as a motorhome. I don't know if insurance is cheaper or not but a normal van is only allowed to do 50 mph on A roads whereas a conversion can do the national speed limit of 60 mph . I found this out the £ 60 and three points way


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## paulrbarnard

RobTy said:


> 15mm ply is way overkill.
> 
> I converted my T6 2y ago. combination of 8mm & 5mm bamboo ply, lacquered finish / melamine laminate in places. Frame fit sliding doors and CNC cut to my design (slim cabinets, curvy edges). With a bit of planning and some willingness to recess its surprising what's possible, my furniture is far more space efficient than off the shelf options.
> 
> Tbh the 8mm was overkill in places..... 15mm is just wasteful (space, weight).



Your conversion sounds fantastic and what I would probably aim for for myself. In this case it’s for my daughter and I have be allocated the entire bank holiday weekend to start and finish it. 
It’s down to availability, choice of finish, available accessories (like corner channels, t edge, etc), ability to pocket hole and not needing an internal frame. One and a half boards is not going to be an issue for weight as I have removed the old unit which was built from 18mm ply. Having also removed the seats I’m going to be lighter overall.


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## RobTy

paulrbarnard said:


> Your conversion sounds fantastic and what I would probably aim for for myself. In this case it’s for my daughter and I have be allocated the entire bank holiday weekend to start and finish it.
> It’s down to availability, choice of finish, available accessories (like corner channels, t edge, etc), ability to pocket hole and not needing an internal frame. One and a half boards is not going to be an issue for weight as I have removed the old unit which was built from 18mm ply. Having also removed the seats I’m going to be lighter overall.


Fair enough ofc, it'll work but i reckon is gonna be real overkill for a little bongo. If I was doing it in a rush for someone else Id probably use 9 or 12mm ply with corner blocks, especially in a small van like a bongo.

Make the cabinets, scribe to fit, bolt into double skinned metal (and floor too if you can) with some decent L brackets & rivnuts.

Put a decent worktop on it and itll still look nice.


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## Jameshow

paulrbarnard said:


> Your conversion sounds fantastic and what I would probably aim for for myself. In this case it’s for my daughter and I have be allocated the entire bank holiday weekend to start and finish it.
> It’s down to availability, choice of finish, available accessories (like corner channels, t edge, etc), ability to pocket hole and not needing an internal frame. One and a half boards is not going to be an issue for weight as I have removed the old unit which was built from 18mm ply. Having also removed the seats I’m going to be lighter overall.


Better get a move on! 

Pictures or it didn't happen!! 

What tools do you need? 

I used a jigsaw and a cordless drill, a handheld router wold be useful if doing T trim.


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## Jameshow

Shout if you need anything I'm coming past on Saturday and back up week later...


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## paulrbarnard

Jameshow said:


> Better get a move on!
> 
> Pictures or it didn't happen!!
> 
> What tools do you need?
> 
> I used a jigsaw and a cordless drill, a handheld router wold be useful if doing T trim.



Unfortunately I’m mainly a hand tool guy. I do have a set of dewalt cordless, pretty much a full set , that I use for round the house projects so that is going to be the main tools I’ll use. I did snag a FTAGH router a while back so that is going to be a big help. The only thing I think I might be missing is a track saw. I don’t have a table saw and the 18V cordless is not the most accurate of tools. A finer blade might help. Just been checking out eBay to see what’s available on the track saw front. 

I’m going to have to get a pocket hole jig or else look at using angle brackets. I think the pocket holes will make for a tighter case. 

The son in law has already made a start. He has cut the floor to fit and will glue it in tomorrow then get the vinyl tiles down.


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## Jameshow

paulrbarnard said:


> Unfortunately I’m mainly a hand tool guy. I do have a set of dewalt cordless, pretty much a full set , that I use for round the house projects so that is going to be the main tools I’ll use. I did snag a FTAGH router a while back so that is going to be a big help. The only thing I think I might be missing is a track saw. I don’t have a table saw and the 18V cordless is not the most accurate of tools. A finer blade might help. Just been checking out eBay to see what’s available on the track saw front.
> 
> I’m going to have to get a pocket hole jig or else look at using angle brackets. I think the pocket holes will make for a tighter case.
> 
> The son in law has already made a start. He has cut the floor to fit and will glue it in tomorrow then get the vinyl tiles down.


A straight edge would help or two lengths of alu L section held together to make a track...


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## Valhalla

Check out www.t4forum.co.uk - covers all vans to T6 - excellent site and plenty of help

Here's a couple of images of my van....ash and ash veneered 1/2" ply


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## cerro

Richard_C said:


> I know little of the Bongo but love the name. "We motored to the coast in the Rover" sounds serious, "We went to the beach in the Bongo" sounds like a cheerful outing.
> 
> I had an aircoooled T2 VW back in the late 70's when you could buy second hand for next to nothing, panorama screen high indicator, early 1600 cc twin port for the enthusisats out there. It was a proper Devon conversion with pop top, and most of the furniture was softwood framed with fairly thin ply over: I don't recall the details. It was sturdy enough. I did a couple of mods, cupboard for the crampons and ice axes, and there is a tendency to 'over-build'. We like things to look and be sturdy, but weight is the enemy.
> 
> Somewhere (perhaps in the registration document or handbook, perhaps a plate rivetted on a door pillar) will be the unladen weight and the permittted maximum gross vehicle weight. The ULW may be fully fitted if its a factory conversion but may well be bare chassis/body without the rising roof. Somwhere between ULW and GVW youi need to allow for people, petrol, maybe extrat battery, stuff and things, leisure stuff if you take bikes etc, water maybe, and the furniture. Aside from the obvious advantage of keeping it light there is that technical constraint and often there is not much scope in that ULW/GVW gap. You might need to compromise your high standards of woodworking and focus more on the weight.
> 
> I also wonder (but you can't calculate for any of this) if "light and weak" is helpful in an accident. Imagine a tail end shunt, the vehicle does its proper progressive crumple, it might be better if the big horizontal sheet of timber in the back also breaks rather than gets pushed forward to damage the occupants or ends up flying about around the occupants.
> 
> You may know about tyres, there are the usual width/profile/diameter/speed rating numbers: 215/55 17 W. They are follwed by load ratings, typically 91 or similar. Higher number = higher load rating. If you go up you might get a slightly harsher ride - I've never noticed it - but no other downsides to my knowledge. Because camper vans are carrying most of their weight most of the time, if tyres ever need replacing make sure the load rating is the same or higher that what is on now.
> 
> There is a company called Bilbo, been around for aeons, who do conversions designed so you can take bits or modules out to use the van as a van: might be worth a look around their website for ideas.


So you are a mountaineer Richard you will reconise my user name, Cerro Torre ring a bell


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## dickm

If you want a cautionary tale about camper vans, read "Borderless Collie" by Tamsin Morris. It involves a home conversion of a rackety 1.6 turbodiesel T25, a collie cross lab and some 10000 miles from Scotland via Scandinavia, the Baltic countries, and ultimately a farm job in Spain.


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## Dabop

Must be a different van lol- when you talk about a 'Bongo van' here in Australia- it isn't something you would think of as being a suitable camping vehicle...
Unless your name is Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy or the like...
;-)
They were TINY vans...






Mazda F1000 (Bongo) 500Kg 1978 Price & Specs | CarsGuide


The latest pricing and specifications for the 1978 Mazda F1000 (Bongo) 500Kg. Compare prices of all Mazda F1000's sold on CarsGuide over the last 6 months. Use our free online car valuation tool to find out exactly how much your car is worth today. Based on thousands of real life sales we can...




www.carsguide.com.au


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## paulrbarnard

Dabop said:


> Must be a different van lol- when you talk about a 'Bongo van' here in Australia- it isn't something you would think of as being a suitable camping vehicle...
> Unless your name is Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy or the like...
> ;-)
> They were TINY vans...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mazda F1000 (Bongo) 500Kg 1978 Price & Specs | CarsGuide
> 
> 
> The latest pricing and specifications for the 1978 Mazda F1000 (Bongo) 500Kg. Compare prices of all Mazda F1000's sold on CarsGuide over the last 6 months. Use our free online car valuation tool to find out exactly how much your car is worth today. Based on thousands of real life sales we can...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.carsguide.com.au


Size is relative  those are the vehicles in question, though the later models.


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## paulrbarnard

Update: SHMBO has mandated that no new material is to be bought for the project…. I’m going to have to make do with what I can find in my lockup, my Dads shed and Facebook recycled stuff. 

What with daughter setting stupid time constraints and wife setting unrealistic budget constraints this is going to be far less fun than anticipated. 

I will post pictures but I suspect they will be practical rather than pretty. It’s going to play havoc with my OCD.


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## Tris

Might be worth putting a wanted post on Freecycle/freegle/trash nothing and see what's about. Reckon you might find a few campervan selfbuilders round Glastonbury with spare stuff


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## Jameshow

What about anyone with any donations.. 

I have some oak offcuts!! 

Or some spalted ash!!


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## paulrbarnard

Getting some rational movement. Seems I can buy material to replace what’s there but not yet…. There is a ‘vacation’ deadline which I wasn’t told about. I’m now able to schedule this in for after the vacation and do a proper job. This holiday weekend is going to be a bodge it together so it doesn’t kill the kids when they are away. Feeling a bit more positive about it now. I was feeling like I was on one of those TV ‘craft’ shows where they set unrealistic time lines and restrictions.


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## powertools

paulrbarnard said:


> Yes but YouTube instructions…


Youtube is good for ideas if you want instructions ask your wife or daughter.


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## Dabop

paulrbarnard said:


> Size is relative  those are the vehicles in question, though the later models.


 Camping in a Ford Escort sized van is.... um... ambitious....
I couldn't even lie down in one LOL
Cute but they would have one big (lol) advantage- get bogged, two people can lift it up and carry it out LOL
:-O


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## Hornbeam

Lightweight poplar ply with formica facing is significantly lighter than standard ply and is the industry standard material Check out moorland panels but will also be some one nearer you. Joints are just plastic corner blocks. There are ranges of standard knock on edging which you need to use a 2mm groover to fit. Cutting doors can be done using a template and a router with a 6mm cutter and a guide bush, The cut out piece forms the door The 6mm gap from the cutter is effectively filled by the knock on edging





LeisureLines by Caravan Accessories C.A.K. Tanks


LeisureLines.net online shop for Motorhome Campervan Caravan Accessories Spare Parts Fresh Water Tanks, Water pumps, Plumbing , Heating , One stop availability and expertise for self builders. Thetford Dometic Shurflo Fiamma Sog Whale Propex Smev Seitz Truma Waeco Can Cramer Teleco and many...




leisurelines.net









Morland


Morland, part of Newmor Group Ltd, has been operating since 1972 and has established itself as a major UK manufacturer of pre-finished fit out products.




www.morlanduk.com


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## Jameshow

Hornbeam said:


> Lightweight poplar ply with formica facing is significantly lighter than standard ply and is the industry standard material Check out moorland panels but will also be some one nearer you. Joints are just plastic corner blocks. There are ranges of standard knock on edging which you need to use a 2mm groover to fit. Cutting doors can be done using a template and a router with a 6mm cutter and a guide bush, The cut out piece forms the door The 6mm gap from the cutter is effectively filled by the knock on edging
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LeisureLines by Caravan Accessories C.A.K. Tanks
> 
> 
> LeisureLines.net online shop for Motorhome Campervan Caravan Accessories Spare Parts Fresh Water Tanks, Water pumps, Plumbing , Heating , One stop availability and expertise for self builders. Thetford Dometic Shurflo Fiamma Sog Whale Propex Smev Seitz Truma Waeco Can Cramer Teleco and many...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> leisurelines.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Morland
> 
> 
> Morland, part of Newmor Group Ltd, has been operating since 1972 and has established itself as a major UK manufacturer of pre-finished fit out products.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.morlanduk.com


Or just use pallet wood!


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## Lazurus

Same as the Ford Freda I believe


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## paulrbarnard

Jameshow said:


> Or just use pallet wood!


Don’t jest. The kids actually turned up here with two pallets in the van thinking that would do for the conversion


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## Jameshow

paulrbarnard said:


> Don’t jest. The kids actually turned up here with two pallets in the van thinking that would do for the conversion


Why not!! 

Use some old pipe and stopcocks for taps!


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## g1_lo

paulrbarnard said:


> I have been volunteered to fit out my daughter and son-in-laws Bongo camper can. I sorted out the electrics today but they are coming back over the bank holiday to have a rear kitchen unit built and fitted. The one that was in there seemed to have been cut to size by a band of beavers and was joined with an over abundance of pocket holes. Well the panels that were screwed that is, many were just interference fit.
> 
> What is the best approach for quick build? Pocket holes? Dominoes? Other?
> 
> The existing is ply or would MDF be a better option? I’m thinking something with a nice wipe down finish and T edging or glue-on banding.


I can remember I got asked to do T5 for someone about 6 years ago, was a right headache as my OCD couldn't get around the fact everything shifted every time you got in and out of the van due to your personal weight and the affect it had overall lol I resided to the fact that you should just stick to your niche, but hope it turned out ok for you.


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## paulrbarnard

Well I started today and bodge it is. Started this morning and removed some of the worse bits already in there. Then cut some board to fill a large hole where the side panel had been removed. 

I then had to get out my 35 year old Bosch ¼ inch router to recess some hinges and promptly tore up one door when the router caught. I remember why I’m a hand tool guy… No time or material to replace the butchered door so it’s there until the proper refit layer in the year. 

The base for the sofa/pull out bed is in. Tomorrow is bed slats and refit the old kitchen as no time to replace it. 

Add to that the bonnet stay got replaced and I modified the flasher relay to cope with the led bulbs that had been fitted.


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## KJZ

I would check out Wildworx they have some great resources for camper parts.


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## Jameshow

Any pics?!!


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