Urban 'burban
- Thread starter Boyink
- Start date
"Maker Pipe" bookmarked.
I've been impressed by them. They found a niche and get all the business basics right. Good customer service. Orders shipped quickly and packaged well. The website is easy to use and has a community section to trade ideas. And their marketing is helpful - good videos with clear explanations and no cringe/hype. Products have all felt good and prices seemed fair.
I'm planning on doing some of the internal buildout using their stuff too. I can pretty quickly build the skeleton of a cabinet, try it out for a bit, and then just skin it when I'm happy with it.
Current status:
- Abbreviated MakerPipe platform painted and installed.
- Used Yakima wind deflector painted and installed.
- Roof lights all wired up with plugs.
- Wiring runs into engine bay to a 6-circuit panel that has a wireless remote.
- Added ditch lights because everything was there.
- Did the headlight hack that keeps lows on with highs.
- Replaced all headlights, fogs, and backup lights with LED.
I laid out the platform bed and interior cabinet enough to get a MakerPipe order in on Black Friday. They only do that one sale each year so timing was right to save 20%. That stuff is all in, so hope to get going this weekend. Since I can cut and assemble without power tools, mess, or noise, I can even do the work in the apartment.
Also picked up one of these used on FB. Now I gotta figure out the best way to carry it. It's going on the roof, just a matter of in a hard or soft shell cargo box.
- Abbreviated MakerPipe platform painted and installed.
- Used Yakima wind deflector painted and installed.
- Roof lights all wired up with plugs.
- Wiring runs into engine bay to a 6-circuit panel that has a wireless remote.
- Added ditch lights because everything was there.
- Did the headlight hack that keeps lows on with highs.
- Replaced all headlights, fogs, and backup lights with LED.
I laid out the platform bed and interior cabinet enough to get a MakerPipe order in on Black Friday. They only do that one sale each year so timing was right to save 20%. That stuff is all in, so hope to get going this weekend. Since I can cut and assemble without power tools, mess, or noise, I can even do the work in the apartment.
Also picked up one of these used on FB. Now I gotta figure out the best way to carry it. It's going on the roof, just a matter of in a hard or soft shell cargo box.
Bed platform and side wings roughed in.
Most suburban builds completely block the rear windows and build storage cubbies there. I don't like that - especially the passenger side for backing out of angled parking spots. The idea with the wings is being able to stash some duffel bags in those spots for clothes, etc.
The platform itself will get some sort of surface - 1/4"ply or something. Then 4" drawers under.
Most suburban builds completely block the rear windows and build storage cubbies there. I don't like that - especially the passenger side for backing out of angled parking spots. The idea with the wings is being able to stash some duffel bags in those spots for clothes, etc.
The platform itself will get some sort of surface - 1/4"ply or something. Then 4" drawers under.
My amidships cabinet is next up.
My Google-fu is weak tonight.
Ignore what the guy in the photo is opening. It's the wall storage I'm interested in,
What do you call these types of all-flush cabinet doors? They look like they were the plug that got cut out, and are completely flush when closed.
And how do you make them - I assume the piece you cut out isn't actually what gets used as the door?
My Google-fu is weak tonight.
Ignore what the guy in the photo is opening. It's the wall storage I'm interested in,
What do you call these types of all-flush cabinet doors? They look like they were the plug that got cut out, and are completely flush when closed.
And how do you make them - I assume the piece you cut out isn't actually what gets used as the door?
I don't know what they're called, but i think in general they ARE the cutout, especially when a cnc router is used to cut out the doors.
Side cabinet roughed in. This will hold:
- 12V Fridge
- (3) 2.5 Gallon Scepter water jugs
- Ecoflow house battery
- Zip-Dee lawn chairs (standing up in the narrow center space).
- Switch panel for all house electric circuits
- Permanently-mounted 12v boat/RV fan
- My stereo amp fits under the water jugs
Notes:
- The lower-height section on the right completes the bed on the passenger side.
- Angled corner section matches the body contours in that spot.
- Depth is it's roughly half of the back seat space. I'll get some cabinet space on the inside. Idea is to keep the passenger side floor space open for entry/exit.
- All verticals will get trimmed and capped.
- I might build a drawer for the water jugs, will try a fixed shelf first.
- The battery ended up between two former seat mounts, so a nice secure mount will be easy.
I'll trim this center section down to match the height of the fridge. It'll still be taller than our chairs.
Battery has some room for wiring and Ecoflow DC to DC charger:
This approximates where three jugs will end up, remaing space will be enclosed for storage.
- 12V Fridge
- (3) 2.5 Gallon Scepter water jugs
- Ecoflow house battery
- Zip-Dee lawn chairs (standing up in the narrow center space).
- Switch panel for all house electric circuits
- Permanently-mounted 12v boat/RV fan
- My stereo amp fits under the water jugs
Notes:
- The lower-height section on the right completes the bed on the passenger side.
- Angled corner section matches the body contours in that spot.
- Depth is it's roughly half of the back seat space. I'll get some cabinet space on the inside. Idea is to keep the passenger side floor space open for entry/exit.
- All verticals will get trimmed and capped.
- I might build a drawer for the water jugs, will try a fixed shelf first.
- The battery ended up between two former seat mounts, so a nice secure mount will be easy.
I'll trim this center section down to match the height of the fridge. It'll still be taller than our chairs.
Battery has some room for wiring and Ecoflow DC to DC charger:
This approximates where three jugs will end up, remaing space will be enclosed for storage.
Cut down the center section and went for a test fit. Happy to report that I didn't have to disassemble to get it in place - just had to pull out the bed section and slide it in from the rear.
Overall not bad. But glad I'm doing this with a material I can disassemble, redesign, and reassemble. Biggest thing is that it feels too big for the space. I was trying too hard to make storage space in the cabinet but it's intruding too much on the entry side. I can narrow it 3-4" and it should still have room for the main components.
I also need to:
- Lower the fridge height by about 3/4"to give the door clearance to open.
- Raise the front section of the bed 1/2" to meet the height of the rear platform.
Overall not bad. But glad I'm doing this with a material I can disassemble, redesign, and reassemble. Biggest thing is that it feels too big for the space. I was trying too hard to make storage space in the cabinet but it's intruding too much on the entry side. I can narrow it 3-4" and it should still have room for the main components.
I also need to:
- Lower the fridge height by about 3/4"to give the door clearance to open.
- Raise the front section of the bed 1/2" to meet the height of the rear platform.
Shopping for wood, found this super-handy cut list tool. Input your material dimensions, then your list of part sizes, and it plots it all out for you:
You can label your pieces, and accomodate for saw blade width/kerf.
You can label your pieces, and accomodate for saw blade width/kerf.
I'm impressed... no more whining from me about my work space!
I too bookmarked Maker Pipe. I found a set of 4 gutter mount rack feet, aluminum construction from the 60's. I was planning on buying something pre-made for a cargo basket, but now after seeing your camper build... The only thing I did not see on MP's site were the black fittings I saw in other folks' projects. I guess the black is disco'd? ATC, mebbe just leave it all galvy; would it look more period correct on a 62 Wagon?
FWIW, I plan to make the cross bars from oak and give 'em a few coats of Pettit Flagship... gotta love the smell of tung oil in the mornin'.
I too bookmarked Maker Pipe. I found a set of 4 gutter mount rack feet, aluminum construction from the 60's. I was planning on buying something pre-made for a cargo basket, but now after seeing your camper build... The only thing I did not see on MP's site were the black fittings I saw in other folks' projects. I guess the black is disco'd? ATC, mebbe just leave it all galvy; would it look more period correct on a 62 Wagon?
FWIW, I plan to make the cross bars from oak and give 'em a few coats of Pettit Flagship... gotta love the smell of tung oil in the mornin'.
It's actually not a bad workshop setup. Just a long hall way between the workbench and truck, but I figure it's part of my home workout...
Yea I noted the tease of black fittings too. I painted everything on my roof rack - we'll see how well it holds up. Interior I'm leaving as-is.
For wood, ended up ordering some of this 1/4" birch with black Phenolic Hex Pattern - a bit more expensive but I won't have to finish it. Between the weather and lack of heat in my shop space it just seemed the easier solution.
Yea I noted the tease of black fittings too. I painted everything on my roof rack - we'll see how well it holds up. Interior I'm leaving as-is.
For wood, ended up ordering some of this 1/4" birch with black Phenolic Hex Pattern - a bit more expensive but I won't have to finish it. Between the weather and lack of heat in my shop space it just seemed the easier solution.
I'll do a video when it's done (ish). The build videos I've done so far have gotten so little traction they aren't worth the effort. I don't know how people do it all at the same time - I have a hard time doing the work with the audience of a camera.
In the mean time, Maker Pipe has an active YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MakerPipe
In the mean time, Maker Pipe has an active YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MakerPipe