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Thread: Pickup Camper

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Lake Leelanau, MI
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    Pickup Camper

    Hi all,

    It's been quite awhile, years really, since my last post. I'm a long time member whose been doing other things lately. I spent a few years rebuilding my 1948 28' Herreshoff mahogany sailboat,

    IMG_0543.jpg

    Motorcycle camping all over Canada including a trip to Alaska and Newfoundland,

    20170608_150105.jpg

    and now I've been learning to play the tuba.

    Jordan Valley Community Band 7-30-20.jpg

    That's me with the hat and white beard off to the left. (and yes, that's a lot of tuba power for a small community band)

    So, now, at age 70, I want an affordable way to go south for the winter. My next project will be a pickup camper.

    Tuba Hauler.jpg


    First step was to cut out all wood for the frame. I'm using full 1" by 1.5" pine for the frame. I get this wood cheap from a local sawmill. I like working with it because the extra thickness over the standard 3/4" 1x's gives it a stability that I like.

    Camper wood.jpg

    John Bailey
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by John Bailey; 09-16-2020 at 8:52 PM.
    John Bailey
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  2. #2
    John
    Welcome back. Looks like you've been having fun. I'll be interested in watching your progress with the trailer.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Lake Leelanau, MI
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Null View Post
    John
    Welcome back. Looks like you've been having fun. I'll be interested in watching your progress with the trailer.
    Hi Mike, Thanks for the welcome. Not a trailer, but a pickup topper. I'll be hauling a 5x10 trailer with my kayak and motorcycle to use on the trip.
    John Bailey
    Sawmill Creek is a member supported forum. Click here to donate.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,675
    Welcome back, John! It sounds like you've been having a lot of fun.

    This will be a great and interesting project to watch you worth though.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Hayes, Virginia
    Posts
    14,760
    It is really good to hear from you again John, I was thinking about you the other day wondering what you were doing. I am so glad that you have been able to stay active, sounds to me like you are quite the traveler.

    Keith

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Lake Leelanau, MI
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    Built the side frames today. Hope to get 1" insulation in next.

    Work is going to slow down a bit because my wife fell off her bike and broke her wrist. Spent a couple days in the emergency room and orthopedic surgeon's office. Tomorrow she'll be in for surgery.

    Here are the side frames.

    Inside wall insulation.jpg
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by John Bailey; 09-16-2020 at 8:46 PM.
    John Bailey
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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Longmont, CO
    Posts
    810
    what will you skin them with? fun project.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Lake Leelanau, MI
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Herman View Post
    what will you skin them with? fun project.
    I'm going to use 1/8" ply I get from Home Depot for the inside. It's cheap and looks pretty good. I'm going to use 3mm Okoume marine ply on the outside. I've used it before in boat/kayak builds and it is really light and very easy to work with.

    John
    John Bailey
    Sawmill Creek is a member supported forum. Click here to donate.


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Got the insulation cut out and put in.

    20200909_105623_resized.jpg
    Hope to get, at least, one interior side ply done.

    John
    John Bailey
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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Lake Leelanau, MI
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    Inside wall done. The ply is cheap Home Depot sanded-one-side 5mm ply. I saw no need to use more expensive ply for the inside. Besides, I like all the different grain patterns in this cheap stuff.

    Inside Wall Camper.jpg


    Next I'll be driving to Charlotte, MI to pick up 4 sheets of marine plywood for the outside of walls.

    By the way, anyone know how I can keep from having my pics go sideways. I've tried rotating them to no avail.

    John
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    Last edited by John Bailey; 09-16-2020 at 8:39 PM.
    John Bailey
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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    John, there's a sticky thread at the top of the Forum Technical Support discussion area that talks about rotating uploads. It's a combination of how mobile devices store metadata and how this older forum software interprets that.
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 09-16-2020 at 7:32 PM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    John, there's a sticky thread at the top of the Forum Technical Support discussion area that talks about rotating uploads. It's a combination of how mobile devices store metadata and how this older forum software interprets that.
    Thanks Jim. Got it!

    John
    Last edited by John Bailey; 09-16-2020 at 8:54 PM.
    John Bailey
    Sawmill Creek is a member supported forum. Click here to donate.


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Lake Leelanau, MI
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    I took some time off to do some motorcycle riding and backpacking before the snow sets in. Worked all day yesterday and the camper is starting to take shape.

    Taking Shape (2).jpg
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    John Bailey
    Sawmill Creek is a member supported forum. Click here to donate.


  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    It's good to see you posting again John! I missed your calm presence here at SMC!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Lake Leelanau, MI
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald View Post
    It's good to see you posting again John! I missed your calm presence here at SMC!
    Hi Ken, There may have been a few folks who would have a different view of my "calmness" when I was moderating. Quite a few things have changed since I was last participating. Good to see some of the old folks still around.

    John
    John Bailey
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