So what have we been doing? (asks hardly anyone)
1. Patiently waiting out covid.
2. Staying home A LOT. (Not really minding it.)
3. Same old, same old.
4. Building our camper van (AKA tiny home on wheels) ..... Yes!
Okay, so, now that we're on the subject .....
We picked up our Sprinter van in late October. It's an empty "cargo" style, with nothing behind the driver and passenger seat.
And the fun begins. Sort of.
We began with some of the insulation, then cutting holes in the roof for an air conditioner and a fan, which are installed.
(Note: When I say "we" ... just know, it's more likely "he". I am primarily the gopher.)
To date:
~The subfloor is down, including insulation below it.
~The heater is installed .... and it works! This nifty little thing will be fueled by the same diesel that fuels the vehicle.
~The black tank is in place.
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| Not glamorous, but will be highly appreciated in the middle of the night, if you know what I mean. |
~The roof is mostly insulated.
~The brackets to hold the solar panels on the roof are made by Brilliant Machinist Husband and waiting to be anodized (colored black for appearance) .... after which the solar panels will move permanently onto the roof.
~The paneling is varnished, ready for the ceiling. (It's cedar and how pretty is THIS?!)
~The skeletal framework of the kitchen cabinet, which will hold our sink, cooktop, drawers, and our closet, is built. Husband is using something called 80/20, which is like an aluminum erector set. It will be strong and light weight. All the cabinets and inner walls in the van will be framed in this. The fronts and sides will be wood. (Yet to be installed.)
~Framework for the upper cabinets is done, also yet to be installed.
~Wooden panel upon which the Mother Ship of electrical components will be mounted, is painted and in.
~There's a lovely piece of unfinished butcher block countertop waiting in our garage. (Black Friday sale!)
~Also acquired and waiting for installation -- one toilet, one fresh water tank, one gray water tank. A dozen other things are sitting in our Amazon cart, and the fridge is (stupid covid) on back order.
Other than that, it's still a largely empty looking van and to my dismay, a long way from when I can start picking out decorative pillows.
But oh, the planning.
We have spent hours and hours AND HOURS discussing, brainstorming, figuring out ..... Typical conversation:
Me: When can we install the A? (Meaning anything noticeable, interesting, or pretty)
Him: After we install the B. (Something boring, like a wire or cable)
But before that, we have to install C and D. (Similarly boring)
And we can't install D until we install A.
Me: <sigh>
There is no manual for this.
Too often we are held up by some part that we then have to order and wait for. (Amazon is a vital part of this build so please don't talk to me about Jeff Bezos' politics. I don't want to know.)
Needless to say, it's a slow process. Thank goodness we are not pioneers in this. Many have blazed this trail already and have kindly shared their valuable knowledge on YouTube. (I don't want to hear about YouTube's politics either. Closing eyes, covering ears, and humming.) Whoever the first intrepid soul was to built his van into a tiny home, definitely deserves a plaque in some hallowed hall somewhere.
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| Making sure his solar panel brackets will fit. |
So there you go. Unless you're interested in "vanlife" (it's a thing) I probably lost you a few paragraphs ago. But to us, it's terribly exciting. We've been planning this for a long time and we're dreaming of the road trips ahead .... Alaska, east coast, back to Utah's canyons .... again ... (the attraction will not die), and much more. Our daughter calls it the "visiting-the-grandkids-van", which will likely be its main purpose.
