Camper interior design
OK, some updates on my slowly evolving design ideas for the camper interior. I’ve been measuring up and developing my thoughts into some basic CAD (cardboard aided design!) prototyping for a rear overhead storage unit. What works in theory doesn’t always work or sit right in practice, so I’ve been drawing and testing a few ideas out to see if they could work out in reality…
old skool design tools to the rescueTemplate testing
By making different prototypes, it allows me to test and reflect on different approaches. It’s also a great way to check to see if things would actually work before finally making it! From small cardboard corners, I then moved on to a bigger scale… I tried using some black plastic ‘proplex’ sheet to make an adjustable template that I could easily cut in situ with a knife or scissors. This was great as it allowed me to adjust things on the fly.
using some plastic ‘proplex’ sheet as an adjustable templateAfter a few more measurements and tweaks with the scissors, it was time to move onto some actual wooden templates to experiment and play around with further just to double-check. Fortunately I had some plywood left over from when I put the wooden flooring down in the bus. This would be ideal to get a more realistic idea of how things would work…
transferring ideas into a more solid plywood prototypeCut, test, adjust
Time to break out the ruler, pencil and my faithful spring bow compass to construct the desired shapes to be cut out in the plywood. Once the design layout had been drawn onto the plywood, it was time to get my old trusted Bosch jigsaw out and start cutting!
opps, missed this obstructionIt always pays to measure twice and cut once! Making the accurate wooden template proved to be really useful, if only to show me my mistake! (I guess that’s its job after all is said and done!) Unfortunately I had spent too much time thinking purely in two dimensions, and forgotten about the thickness of the material. That plus I had missed allowing for a thicker structural rib attachment at the back of the roof area… doh!
enjoying the view… not all work has to be done in a garageThe template is getting there
Not quite back to the drawing board as such, but time to get some more measuring and template tweaking done to resolve these areas. Progress is still progress when you resolve problems. Fortunately for me, not all jobs need to be done in a garage. To make the most of a beautiful afternoon I went for a drive to get the work done out and about by the coast so I could take in some views at the same time – it’s tough life! 🙂
