How to: DIY Wedge Camper

If anyone is looking to start one I’m selling mine, I just have too many projects going on and need to cut some from the list

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-wedge-camper-parts-1000-modesto-ca.735785/

 

Hi guys
I was about to built a camper following the work of ripcord but I found and bought this diy camper from a guy,overall he did good but with a lot of cheap hardwares and mistakes so I need to work a lot on it,for now a painted the sleeping platform,installed a ShockCORD to help the tent to close,sewed a bug screen on front,some tieouts on the sides windows,I have changed a lot of hardwares for stainless steel.I also added a roof rack.I have tried a lot of different rubber seals but I still
have water getting in from panels and hinges.Can't find the exact rubber seal I need...work in progress.

 

Anybody have a link where to buy large D bulb style rubber seal?

 

Have you tried looking on McMaster Carr? If they don’t have it and can’t get it then it doesn’t exist

 

Still have my exped mega mat duo for sale. $300 shipped. Since I built a removable platform this doesn’t really fit my needs.

 

Does anybody have a sewing contact in or near Los Angeles? I had one lined up but then it fell through. Being in the military and traveling constantly and going to school full time, I am unable to get the canvas portion completed myself. Everything else is done. If I can't find anyone I may end up selling and just buying and waiting another year for an alucab or superpacific

 

Also planning on building one for my 80.
I want to design and have some bowfin/prinsu style gutter rails cut and then mount direct to the side of the lower 8020. This gives me the problem of finding a stiff enough floor panel to not need all the cross supports that the bowfin would provide. I'm trying to make this tight (<1") to the roof for overall clearance assistance.

What did those of you who did tent only end up using as a floor material?
I work in the construction industry and have been talking to one of my vendors who does commercial scale ACM and trying to see what they can get their hands on. Curious if anyone ever found a stiff enough honeycomb for the floor. Or adding two cross braces at the bottom of the 4.5" profiles at the bottom that would hopefully flush out with the floor panel. Any ideas?

Planning on making mine large enough for my exped megamat duo long since i'm 6'6".

 

my sister did mine not sure she might be interested.

 

Love these campers!

 

Weekend project. Put some roof racks on. Welded together some U Brackets to go around my fishing rod holder.

 

Has anyone made an insulation layer for the canvas for winter snow camping?

 

I think a diesel heater would be a better option, unless you insulated the roof as well.

Just doing the quilted insulation and hanging it with velcro would likely work though.
https://www.seattlefabrics.com/60-Prequilted-Insulation-8-Ounce-Batting-1495-linear-yard_p_154.html

 

Finally finished the wedge shell and took it on a 2 week trip. Super happy with it! There are some changes that need to happen but overall I love it.

 

@Afilao so satisfying isn't it!? great job buddy, looks amazing!

 

Thank you! It was a lot of work but worth it

 

Purchased my 05 OR with a DIY camper. Looking to add some visibility. Any opinions on how to go about this. Can I modify the current panels, without worrying about the elements seeping in? Thanks for any assistance:

 

I have an issue with moderate amounts of condensation and some water intrusion. I’m using double seals on the tents opening and I’ve siliconed the inside perimeter on both halves. Corners have been sealed up too.

Doesent seen that the water is getting through the seals but rather as condensation. Anyone have any solutions that you’ve used to fight this?

 

I'm curious about this as well - has anyone produced a fully water tight camper? After reading every post in this thread I'm still not 100% sure how I want to handle a few interfaces.

I feel like it would be super helpful for this thread if we could compile best practices for sealing these things. I've tried to create a brief summary of strategies that have been discussed. If you have successfully produced a proven water-tight seal for the following interfaces could you let us all know what materials and methods you used? I'm happy to then update this to serve as a record of best practices here.

Wedge Camper Sealing Best Practices Summary
Floor/roof to extrusion
- Ripcord uses wiper seal, and recommends additional sealant
- Many in thread recommend either using silicon and omitting the seal, or using silicon in addition to the seal.

Floor to Spaceframe
- Ripcord uses cork gasket
- Many in thread also advise supplementing with silicon

Top of Wedge to Bottom of Wedge (when closed)
- Ripcord uses bulb seal on bottom extrusion only
- Method of modifying bulb seal to run around corners has been shared in thread. Essentially this involves removing the part of the bulb seal that goes in the extrusion for the section that goes around the corner. Shout out to @PNW_Sparks and @JMcFly here.

Lower Panels to Spaceframe
- Ripcord recommends 9/16 single bulbed seals
- Many in thread recommend sizing up to 13/16 single bulbed seals
- Many strategies have been shared in thread for alternate hinge selections and waterproofing strategies, including fancy embassy hinges like the V2 GFC, and using waterproof fabric to cover piano hinges (shout out to @Taco Camper)

Corner Pieces
- Some discussion in the thread recommends using silicon to seal here.

Let me know if you have proven best practices to add here!

 

This is what I did. I've only taken the camper out once on a 2 week trip where a week was in Olympic. It was wet and rainy but definitely not very heavy rain. The only water intrusion I got was a little bit between the hinge and the frame. I plan on taking them off and running silicone there too.

Floor/roof to extrusion
I used the wiper seal and silicone. I applied silicone between the extrusion/roof panel and extrusion/floor. I also did silicone inside the tent in all the edge of extrusion/panel.

Floor to Spaceframe
Only used cork gasket but plan on running silicone all around

Top of Wedge to Bottom of Wedge (when closed)
Only used the bulb seal on bottom extrusion and modified the corners so it was continuos.

Lower Panels to Spaceframe
Did 9/16 single bulbed seals and did double bulb on the frame for the side panels just on the right and left side of each side. So the single and double meet and create a nice seal.

Corner Pieces
Applied silicone to all the gussets/extrusion before putting the bolts in.

 

So far driving in Florida monsoons my inside has been relatively dry. I think I have more of an issue with condensation while it sits on some super humid days. That will need to be addressed. I’ll probably have to air the tent out weekly to keep it from getting funky.

making the one piece external corner brackets is back on my list. I did silicone the ever loving crap out of mine. I also did silicone along the inner and outer edges of the extrusion. I skipped the wiper seals, seemed like a lot of work where as silicone was much easier.