MOBY introduces an article written by a writer who actually enjoys staying in the car and camping car from the web magazine DRIMO, which distributes information on camping, staying in the car, van life, outdoor & car trips, including camping car information. To do. *The contents of the following article are quotes and references from DRIMO
hello. My name is Tanisan and I am on the Serengeti in Fan Luce.
I love woodworking, and most of the furniture in my house is made by myself. I think that making furniture for a camper is an extension of that, and I continue to do DIY with the motto, “I make it myself, so the size is just the right fit.”
This time I will introduce the DIY that I am practicing.
This way you will be more comfortable! Recommended DIY
It’s completely different just by putting a lid on the step!
First of all, I will introduce the DIY that covers the steps.
Since there are many camping car users, I was wondering if it was that different, but it seemed to be a relatively easy DIY, so I postponed it saying, “I can do it later.” .
However, when I tried DIY, I was surprised that “with a lid and without it is completely different!” I regretted that I should have made it with Sassa instead of procrastinating.
No shoes are allowed in the back of the camper. Everyone, including myself, is asked to take off their shoes before going upstairs.
As you can see in the photo above, I made a lid with a suitable woodwork to close the step part that was left empty.
This DIY has the following advantages:
- By expanding the space, you can use the space without wasting it
To be honest, I was surprised at how comfortable it would be with just 57cm x 26cm wider. - no place to drop things
By putting the lid on, I no longer dropped things on the steps. Especially when the snow on my shoes is melting and it’s getting worse, I think it’s really good to have a lid. No more tripping and falling myself (laughs) - Also useful as a cold protection measure
A camper is not a very solid structure. I also feel a draft. In particular, I could see the outside through the rubber packing on the steps, and I could clearly feel the cold air coming up in the winter, but I was able to block the cold air by putting the lid on.
You should save power with LED!
To reduce power consumption, the interior lighting has been changed to LED. Lighting is pretty electricity hungry.
Most of the interior lighting in recent campers seems to be LED, but when I bought a camper, fluorescent lights and incandescent light bulbs that operated on 12V were common, so a large amount of electricity was consumed without realizing it. And, in the morning, there was also a voltage drop.
When I first started riding, I thought that the power would be 100% covered by the solar panels installed, but after learning that was not the case, I started DIY with electronic crafts.
LED electronic work is fun and rewarding because you can see at a glance whether the LED is lit or not.
I used LEDs for the main lighting, sub lighting, toilet, bedroom, spotlight, porch light, and range hood lighting.
Thanks to this DIY, at least1/4 the power consumptionI think.
From the perspective of “effectively utilizing limited resources,” DIY interior lighting was a good idea.
Ladder in place!
The feature of the cabcon is the bunk bed. Yes, it is the part that protrudes in front of the upper part of the driver’s seat.
I needed a ladder to climb onto the bunk bed, but I was worried about where to store it when not in use.
I usually put it on the bunk bed, but when I’m driving, the ladder goes further and further, and it becomes difficult to put it out when I want to use it.
So I decided to DIY the ladder storage space.
I’m putting it like this now.
Two handles used for drawers etc. are attached to the wall, and the part where the ladder is hooked is fixed. In addition, I attached metal fittings through which the string can be passed, so that the ladder can be tied and fixed so that it does not rattle.
It’s just that, but it’s become very comfortable.
My husband and I are not that tall, so it seems that it was good to take it out and put it away quickly based on that. It’s a “reserved seat for anything”.
I don’t want bunk beds anymore…
It used to be a cabcon that children also rode, but now it’s just a couple. Having two places to sleep was enough, I took the plunge and removed the upper bunk bed, which was one of the charms of the Serengeti, and remade it into a simple storage space where I could put things in.
However, a single shelf is not interesting, so I tried to create a sense of openness by flipping up the middle.
Even if you remove the mat, only the frame remains, and even if you sit down for a while, your head will bump, so I’m glad I took it all off.
It’s convenient for storage, of course, but the feeling of openness was a surprisingly big advantage. It also led to the introduction of a retrofitted window air conditioner.
By the way, the structural requirements for campervans are that they must have sleeping equipment for at least 1/3 of the passenger capacity, so if you want to remove sleeping equipment, check if it is possible to do so in your own campervan. Please go from
make a drawer unit
When I ask people who do DIY at home, it seems that there are many people who say, “I wanted to make storage more effective.” It’s the same with campers.
When it comes to long trips, it’s almost like living at home, so in order to avoid the situation of “Where did I put that thing?”, I wanted to store the necessary daily necessities neatly.
I decided to make my own shelves because I couldn’t keep up with the hanging storage that was provided with the cabcon, and it wasn’t easy to use.
Create 4 drawers next to the galley. I like the perfect fit that is unique to DIY. I put a wood grain sheet on the visible part of the front side, so it looks beautiful overall.
By the way, the drawers are reinforced with rails.
As you can see in the picture above, a simple table will be ready when you put the board on it. A typical table layout takes time to prepare and clean up after meals, and it feels cramped, so we don’t use the standard style in our home, which is lazy.
For two couples, a simple table is enough for meals, and after the meal is over, you can easily clean it up while saying “Ah, it was delicious!”. It’s close to the refrigerator and sink. After tidying up, I removed the board, put the drawer back in, and left for the next place.
Aiming to make TV comfortable
Traveling in a camper van is quite “free” at night.
I try to go to bed early in preparation for driving the next day, but the nights are long. TV is also an important item for killing time. In addition to general broadcasts, I also watch DVDs.
However, I believe that a true camper should observe good manners, so please be quiet when watching at night.
Therefore, we also worked on making the TV more comfortable. Specifically, I tried to clear “TV position” and “power problem”.
Our TV is here. After repeated trial and error, I settled on this position. This is a place where couples eat together, so you can watch TV while eating, which is quite nice.
It’s common for TVs to be powered by a sub-battery installed in a camper, and we used to do that too.
However, the sub-battery is an important piece of equipment that supports important parts such as the refrigerator/freezer, FF heating, and lighting. If you use a lot of electricity on your TV and the voltage drops and the heating stops, you will freeze to death in the worst winter in Hokkaido.
Therefore, I decided to purchase another portable power supply and take the power supply independently.
Regardless of whether you watch TV or not, having one power supply in a separate system will lead to a strong sense of security in your camper life.
Even if the sub-battery runs out of power, it is very reassuring because the power can be supplied immediately from the portable power supply. It’s easier to buy now in terms of price, so it’s recommended to have one installed.
summary
This time, I introduced the sequel of DIY.
Some people think that it is better to drive in a clean camper without modifying it because the equipment of the camper is very comfortable. However, I am in an environment where DIY is easy, and above all, I like woodworking, so I take the stance of “making things myself if I can’t find them.”
As I travel, I come up with ideas for DIY projects, and by putting them into practice, I enjoy more and more fun in my campervan life.
I don’t recommend it to everyone who rides in a camper, but there are facilities that can be made more comfortable with just a little ingenuity, so I’d be happy if you included it as one of your options.
DIY processing and modification may affect safety. In addition, you may not be able to receive after-sales support, etc., so please comply with laws, regulations, standards, etc. and do so at your own risk. If you are unsure, please check with your retailer before proceeding.
Writer: Tanisan
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