Camper van skylight frame - how should I have done it?

[chaoticbob]

I had a surprise visit from a chap coming over from the Netherlands who has a project to turn his transit van into a camper. He showed me some plans involving making internal wooden frames to fix the skylights he'd bought. Three days before he went back, so a bit of a rush (I have other stuff to do!)
I had some 6x2 CLS so made two frames like this:

The short-end pieces and rounded corners are cut from the 6x2, so the corners must be horribly weak because of the long/cross grain transition. It seems to have worked though:

but surely there must be a better way. Any advice?
Rob.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

My only observation is that the entire frame sits inside the roof.

This could compromise headroom.

More importantly it is wholly reliant on the seal to avoid leaks. Certainly on a boat hatch or caravan skylight there would be a coaming or raised border outside to deflect water.

 

[Dee J]

That looks like it's just a spacer to hold the roof lining edge. I'd hope the skylight is sealed/bonded/bolted to the steel sheet. Can't see there should be a strength issue - it's partnered alongside steel. More a material choice issue - any condensation or ingress and the wood will soon be a mess. Plastics of some type would seem more suitable - surprised there's nothing off the shelf from the skylight manufacturer.

 

[Jones]

Looks ok , if you want more strength in the cross grain corners you could stack one inch pieces with opposite grain patterns or make it from stacked ply.

 

[Simon89]

Looks perfect to me (having fitted loads of these)

It will be in compression so the joint won’t be stressed.

 

[chaoticbob]

Thanks for replies. The skylight hardware is actually sold for marine use, so I suppose the fitting method is different and hence no 'off the shelf' frame.
All I had to go on was some YouTube stuff from people who had done something similar but without the need for rounded corners.
Point taken about condensation - I'll remind the 'customer' that he should seal the raw wood.
I think the plan is to clad the inside of the van with plywood or similar, so the frame is effectively a spacer.

Looks perfect to me (having fitted loads of these)

It will be in compression so the joint won’t be stressed.

That's very reassuring coming from someone who has fitted them Simon - thanks.
Rob.

 

[Jameshow]

Thanks for replies. The skylight hardware is actually sold for marine use, so I suppose the fitting method is different and hence no 'off the shelf' frame.
All I had to go on was some YouTube stuff from people who had done something similar but without the need for rounded corners.
Point taken about condensation - I'll remind the 'customer' that he should seal the raw wood.
I think the plan is to clad the inside of the van with plywood or similar, so the frame is effectively a spacer.



That's very reassuring coming from someone who has fitted them Simon - thanks.
Rob.

If it wasn't too hard to repeat I reckon you'll have a ready market.....

I'm not sure if maxx airs(the most popular fan) have a surround. Helki do but they are more caravan / m/h orientated.

 

[chaoticbob]

If it wasn't too hard to repeat I reckon you'll have a ready market.....

I'm not sure if maxx airs(the most popular fan) have a surround. Helki do but they are more caravan / m/h orientated.

Hmm, maybe that's an idea! After experiments and figuring out a rational order of operations it took perhaps 3 hours to turn out two frames - bandsaw, bobbin sander, chisel and a bit of hand sanding. I was happy to do it for free (the wood was scrap) but the guy insisted on pressing £150 into my grubby palm when he saw the work. I guess he thought that he couldn't do it himself, there had obviously been some thought and care put into it and the labourer is worthy of his hire. Not everyone's like that though.
Rob.