186 replies to this topic

[DirtyDog]

How are you supporting your cabover bed ?

It's the new WTW birth control method. Cuz there's no knockin boots in that thing

[pods8]

It's the new WTW birth control method. Cuz there's no knockin boots in that thing

Just ride the wave! Well my second son is due in 2months and that's the intended end of our family expansion so no need for the BC too much farther on here.

Honestly though I'll know more once I get to test things out here shortly but I don't think there should be too much concern. Deflection will be a bigger issue that failure.

[home skillet]

If a manufacturer was to install one they'd have to externally vent it for liability reasons I suspect.

Heck, I externally vented mine. Took about 2 hours and the parts are everywhere?!

[pods8]

Heck, I externally vented mine. Took about 2 hours and the parts are everywhere?!

I didn't notice that the last time I was looking at your build, do you just have a vent on the side of your rig then? (Can't view your page at the office).

[home skillet]

Ya, I used some flexible furnace vent pipe and tried t minimize the bend, then vented it out the side. I initially put a "box" type cover over it because I didn't know how much heat would be put out and didn't want to have a "heat back up problem" into the unit.
After having used it some now I have decided that a louvered cover would be fine and more low-profile. You can see the exterior vent in one of my last videos.

Home Skillet

[pods8]

Update (234hrs): Lower shell is all taped together. I did some carbon reinforcement work around the door frame but still getting a bit more flex than I want so I'll need to ponder how I want to handle that, whether its just more carbon or some other route (just tested it tonight so I haven't composed my thoughts).





Here's a shot with 320lb loaded at the front end of the cantilever. The tip of the cantilever dips down 1/4" which is fine with me however I'm displeased with the flexing I'm getting in the door gap. The door opening width at the top spreads about 5/16" with that load on it and may can door fit/seal issues.

[DirtyDog]

Coming together! Woot for another flatbed camper.

[chnlisle]

Great job Pods. it looks really good and terrific workmanship. I think you've nailed why ATC and others don't have a U shaped door opening. I had the question asked by a customer the other day and the answer is IMO what you found. Without a door "header" you lack structural integrity.

[pods8]

Coming together! Woot for another flatbed camper.

Slowly but yeah getting there, I think (hope) the top will come along a little faster as I've gotten better/faster at doing certain aspects of the construction. However the next few weeks will be chopping since little man #2 can show at any point now and I'm still trying to squeeze some hunting in.

I am digging the flatbed aspect though!

Great job Pods. it looks really good and terrific workmanship. I think you've nailed why ATC and others don't have a U shaped door opening. I had the question asked by a customer the other day and the answer is IMO what you found. Without a door "header" you lack structural integrity.

Framing it in completely is always a fall back/fast fix if needed. Doing a rear door like this would be far less of a problem because I wouldn't be fighting the cantilever loads and I know I could have that stiffened perfectly fine. A framed in door isn't the immediate solution for me though because of the overlapping hard walls and the upper half would block too much of the lower door (thus I'd need a U door up there are no point in doing a door up there for only getting in when the top is down). The ship isn't sunk, it just takes more reinforcement/thought if I want to keep a U door opening. Still collecting my thoughts... Once of the nice things on the fiberglass is you can always add layers on fairly easy.

[DLN]

pods,

Just a quick thought on the door flex issue. Looking at your photos I'm guessing the flex you are seeing is coming from the floor at the door area. You might try weighting the door area and the cantilever equally and see how much deflection you get. If it is less then reinforcing the floor/door frame and attaching to the flatbed in the door area of the floor might solve the problem.