Cosmicvanna if you haven’t already gone to the link I provided in a previous post materia then you might be interested. You can sort on application and a dozen more things and it has a ton of info about all kinds of new materials and applications.

They have a weekly newsletter also that you can sign up for. You can get lost on that site.

Ok it was either Home Depot, Lowe’s or menards. All three are close to here... I’ll go look... that stuff was kind of cool. I just don’t know how it would seam.

Field trip was at Menards. Here is what we found: http://www.eplastics.com/HDPE-sheet

Price was $49. And it was 1/4 inch. It was heavy. One side has a Matt finish and the other was glossy. It is black.

(03-30-2018, 05:33 PM)Snikwahjm Wrote: Price was $49. And it was 1/4 inch. It was heavy. One side has a Matt finish and the other was glossy. It is black.

HDPE is great stuff. I don’t live near menards, but if I could buy quarter inch sheets of it and not pay an arm and a leg in shipping I would.

In a month I’ll be a days drive from a menards. Will have to start collecting stuff in their app.


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Here's a writeup on it from Menard's--this is the white, and apparently 1/8" thick.  You can get it thicker--we saw 1/4" when we were out, and online some places have it even 3/4" (it does get expensive, though).

https://www.menards.com/main/building-ma...093657.htm

What we saw tonight was glossy on one side, matte (even a little rough) on the other.

It does have some expansion/contraction with temperature variations, but one seller said it could be used in conditions up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

(03-30-2018, 05:45 PM)snikwahpn Wrote: Here's a writeup on it from Menard's--this is the white, and apparently 1/8" thick. 

Love that price. Had been planning to use melamine for my wall panels, but white 1/8” HDPE is great too. This stuff is also a relatively convenient plastic to work with— Eg you can make your own by recycling bottles etc, and scraps from working with it can be reconstituted into sheets in an oven. (I’m simplifying.... but if I get ambitious might be a way to make molds for custom plastic parts.)

Point is, there might be prices comparable elsewhere but the shipping would kill me and I won’t have a commercial loading dock to receive freight.



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Crazy idea time:

I’m thinking in this plan to build as I go.

I will have an initial support from some family members- a driveway and some garage space and a bed. I am thinking I will build the frame and do insulation on the van in the driveway— or at least the frame and floor.

The bed in the cab will be rather high, leaving a large “garage” under it.

I’m thinking I should turn that garage into a workshop by putting in some slides like people put in the back of trucks, and then on the slides put a chop saw and drill press.

So these will slide out of the back of the Van, then effectively the slides become Charlie horses and I can work on the van as I go.

My travel tendency is to go somewhere nice, spend a day running around or hiking, get ticketed out and spend the next day chilling.

These chilling days would be perfect for puttering around the van- building cabinets and the like.

I should have a bunch of space for materials storage in the early days before things are filled out much.

So I’m thinking of building on the road.

Thinking with just the bed I can get by...


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(03-31-2018, 03:40 AM)technomadness Wrote: Crazy idea time:  



I should have a bunch of space for materials storage in the early days before things are filled out much.

So I’m thinking of building on the road.

Thinking with just the bed I can get by...


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I would suggest that you don't forget to plan most of it. This due to you will probably need to run plumbing and electrical to all the places they need to go at or about the same time you install the floor and walls etc. 
The sawing etc you plan to do right on the back of the van will most likely create sawdust etc blowing into the van and on your bed etc.Portable fold up collapsible saw horses would be better.
Myself I plan to gather almost all my items and materials that I want to go in my bus and then take it somewhere and spend however much time it takes to build it out to at least 80% (of course they are never done) before I "move in". This will save me lots of time and effort pulling stuff out and putting it up each time I want to work on it. I plan to take it somewhere where another nomad is that has more skills, knowledge, and experience with building one. This will be alot for fun and having the extra person to help will speed up the process. I will of course make it worth their time for their assistance. This will also help me "give back" to fellow nomads. 
I look forward to seeing your progress no matter what you decide. Remember..if their aren't pics posted on here..it didn't happen. LOL.

(03-31-2018, 07:10 AM)RepublicOfTXPatriot Wrote:

(03-31-2018, 03:40 AM)technomadness Wrote: Crazy idea time:  



I should have a bunch of space for materials storage in the early days before things are filled out much.

So I’m thinking of building on the road.

Thinking with just the bed I can get by...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would suggest that you don't forget to plan most of it. This due to you will probably need to run plumbing and electrical to all the places they need to go at or about the same time you install the floor and walls etc. 
The sawing etc you plan to do right on the back of the van will most likely create sawdust etc blowing into the van and on your bed etc.Portable fold up collapsible saw horses would be better.
Myself I plan to gather almost all my items and materials that I want to go in my bus and then take it somewhere and spend however much time it takes to build it out to at least 80% (of course they are never done) before I "move in". This will save me lots of time and effort pulling stuff out and putting it up each time I want to work on it. I plan to take it somewhere where another nomad is that has more skills, knowledge, and experience with building one. This will be alot for fun and having the extra person to help will speed up the process. I will of course make it worth their time for their assistance. This will also help me "give back" to fellow nomads. 
I look forward to seeing your progress no matter what you decide. Remember..if their aren't pics posted on here..it didn't happen. LOL.

I would like to add. My time is limited so that another reason I am making those choices. By the time I get done with my build I will be needing to go back to work on the road immediately. I also have to buy a trailer or tow dolly for my car to use to drive back and forth to work from my camp.