Our custom true flatbed truck camper build thread

Here are some pictures showing our progress so far. I welded three of the four tiedown brackets but the fourth one is a head scratcher. I sort of situated the water heater right where I would put the bracket for it to be symmetrical with the other brackets. Maybe it can still fit under the water heater or I can perhaps not have this one bracket wrap around the frame 2x1 or not have this bracket symmetrical with the other three. The third picture shows the completely welded frame, along with part of the 1/2 inch marine plywood subroof that has been sikaflex 252 glued and screwed to the roof rafters. It is pretty strong and probably walk-on-able but if I were to do this again I think I would go with 2x1 instead of 1x1 for the roof rafters. 2x1 doesn't flex nearly as much. My thoughts with the 1x1 were lighter weight up high and also I could have more of a thermal barrier between the steel and the interior (2 inches of foam in the roof with 1 inch of foam between the steel and the interior ceiling. Oh well...maybe I will just step lightly when walking on it :-)

The next picture is a test frame we made a few weeks ago for the aluminum siding (0.062 aluminum sikaflex 252 glued to the steel frame with 1/16" nylon spacers to ensure we don't squeeze out the sikaflex too much and also that there is galvanic isolation. We then rattle can painted the aluminum and damn if it doesn't actualy look pretty good. Very strong bond.

The last shot is the full supply of 0.062 5052-H32 aluminum for the siding and bellywrap, all cut to size by a local sheet metal shop.