The Ultimate DIY thread - Ubuilding (Pics)
Hey all, There is another, albeit smaller, side to this whole RV thing - those crazy folks who build their own for whatever reason. Whether you've scratch-built it from the ground up, assembled a kit...
Forum Discussion
Not much building this weekend, but I do have a couple more ideas to throw out there...
I was cleaning up the shop and sorting through all of the 'trailer' stuff I've been collecting over the years.
Here is a shot of most of the lighting I've scrounged.
Clockwise from top left are are a box of 10 or 12 LED deck lights I'll be using as courtesy lighting. They'll provide enough light to use the move around at night without using the 'big' lights. Being waterproof deck lights, I will probably install a few in the lower sidewalls on the passenger side to illuminate the area around the door and steps. They are less than 2W each and here is what they look like lit up
Next is the grab handle/porch light from my old Dodge C class. I don't know that I'll use it because it's pretty heavy and would require some extensive blocking since it's deeper than the 1" walls, but I went to the trouble to clean it up and repaint it, so it's in the collection.
The white spot light is a spreader light I bought for a boat job that the owner kiboshed. I could have shipped it back, but those are the sorts of things that one can always sell. It's got a standard 55W H3 bulb and the diffuser does a really good job. I figure it will probably go on the front slope below the bathroom's roof hatch to light up the coupler and LPG tank(s) as needed. The trick will be to keep it low enough that it doesn't dirty the airflow coming off the truck but high enough to throw enough light.
Next is one of two 12V tractor lights that I cleaned up and rewired with 12AWG tinned wire. I will put one right behind the top of the front door on the upper angled section of the sidewall to provide more light around the door than the courtesy lights can. It will be out of the airflow altogether. I probably won't use the second one.
Next is one of two signal lights. I want to make up a foam fairing that holds two of them vertically in a pod that will screw onto the back wall. That way, the only penetration in the back wall is for the wires (never mind that I am cutting huge opening for a window...). I'm doing this because eventually I would like to french some automotive tail lights right into the corner posts...but that's a modification to be made down the road (pardon the pun).
The white dome will be the bathroom light and the flourescent fixture (dead switch) will replace the 12V incandescent in the range hood.
The other dome light there is one of a pair I salvaged from an ambulance I scrapped out a while ago ('94ish, lol). The 1194 bulbs will be replaced with LEDs and I'll use one to light up the locker under the bed and one for an externally accessed locker. The brown reading light will get painted and serve as a vanity light in the bathroom as well (also an 1194 LED).
Not pictured are the LED puck lights that will be surface mounted on the ceiling to provide the bulk of the illumination. I haven't bought them yet but they're pretty generic...though I do like westend's use of LED elements in picture frames for dome lights in the Cowboy/Hilton...
Next up - my plan on how to mount the stove...
I was cleaning up the shop and sorting through all of the 'trailer' stuff I've been collecting over the years.
Here is a shot of most of the lighting I've scrounged.
Clockwise from top left are are a box of 10 or 12 LED deck lights I'll be using as courtesy lighting. They'll provide enough light to use the move around at night without using the 'big' lights. Being waterproof deck lights, I will probably install a few in the lower sidewalls on the passenger side to illuminate the area around the door and steps. They are less than 2W each and here is what they look like lit up
Next is the grab handle/porch light from my old Dodge C class. I don't know that I'll use it because it's pretty heavy and would require some extensive blocking since it's deeper than the 1" walls, but I went to the trouble to clean it up and repaint it, so it's in the collection.
The white spot light is a spreader light I bought for a boat job that the owner kiboshed. I could have shipped it back, but those are the sorts of things that one can always sell. It's got a standard 55W H3 bulb and the diffuser does a really good job. I figure it will probably go on the front slope below the bathroom's roof hatch to light up the coupler and LPG tank(s) as needed. The trick will be to keep it low enough that it doesn't dirty the airflow coming off the truck but high enough to throw enough light.
Next is one of two 12V tractor lights that I cleaned up and rewired with 12AWG tinned wire. I will put one right behind the top of the front door on the upper angled section of the sidewall to provide more light around the door than the courtesy lights can. It will be out of the airflow altogether. I probably won't use the second one.
Next is one of two signal lights. I want to make up a foam fairing that holds two of them vertically in a pod that will screw onto the back wall. That way, the only penetration in the back wall is for the wires (never mind that I am cutting huge opening for a window...). I'm doing this because eventually I would like to french some automotive tail lights right into the corner posts...but that's a modification to be made down the road (pardon the pun).
The white dome will be the bathroom light and the flourescent fixture (dead switch) will replace the 12V incandescent in the range hood.
The other dome light there is one of a pair I salvaged from an ambulance I scrapped out a while ago ('94ish, lol). The 1194 bulbs will be replaced with LEDs and I'll use one to light up the locker under the bed and one for an externally accessed locker. The brown reading light will get painted and serve as a vanity light in the bathroom as well (also an 1194 LED).
Not pictured are the LED puck lights that will be surface mounted on the ceiling to provide the bulk of the illumination. I haven't bought them yet but they're pretty generic...though I do like westend's use of LED elements in picture frames for dome lights in the Cowboy/Hilton...
Next up - my plan on how to mount the stove...
