I am not a greenie but how many trees died for my MH (1 Viewer)

lee52

Free Member
Oct 13, 2013
327
119
tyne and wear
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28,546
MH
selfbuild
Exp
newbie
Finished stripping the guts out of the bus a few weeks ago and was horrified by the building methods employed by the orig converter. i think he must of had shares with B&Q the toilet/shower walls where built with 3x2 timber for the frame faced with 12mm ply :Eeek:.
rear sofas/bed 2x2 timber faced with 15mm pine (floorboards)
floor was orig bus wood floor then kingspan (fair enough) then 12mm ply then laminate flooring on top ( thats 8mx2.3m area x2 :Eeek:)

and the amount of screws is unreal and he only seemed to have 2 sizes 1inch and 4inch
 
Feb 22, 2008
12,258
44,933
Norfolk
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1,575
MH
Nearly Tugging
Exp
Since 2004
Don't panic, it will be mostly, as you call it pine, managed softwoods from Russia , Scandinavia and Possibly some from the North American continent.
These trees grow in around thirty years and help the air that we breathe while doing so:thumb:

The ones to worry about are the hardwood garden furniture being sold across the UK and elsewhere, supposedly from managed resources, can't be so , most hardwoods take ten times as long as softwoods to mature, probably from de forestation of rain forests :Eeek:
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,076
8,979
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
.. obviously a home conversion.. maybe one of Terry's .. ? :ROFLMAO:

you won't find that in a Yank or Brit built van.. cardboard and staples mostly .. :RollEyes:

whoever it was is a man after my own heart.. :thumb:

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4matt

Free Member
Jan 15, 2013
113
39
East Riding
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24,295
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
I'm a newbie in my second year.
It would be nice to see your rebuild, have you a picture blog anywhere?

I guess if I were converting from scratch I may have followed similar build route. However having owned a Caravan and taken a lot of the insides out and rebuilding it I would now consider lighter touch build considerations. In a Bus I think I would also include the same tech as for Caravan to help weight worries.

Like others have said if its soft wood its managed and by using it your actually helping the environment...:thumb:

Yes Hardwood is another story and I will never buy that if I can possibly avoid it or else get a supply record right back to source. Traceability is as important as sustainability.
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
Exp
45 +years with breaks
.. obviously a home conversion.. maybe one of Terry's .. ? :ROFLMAO:

you won't find that in a Yank or Brit built van.. cardboard and staples mostly .. :RollEyes:

whoever it was is a man after my own heart.. :thumb:

Its a little known Fact aint it Jim?

Anyone contemplating a new carpet in a Yank,
Will so long as all the old staples are weighed in for their metal value have enough cash for the New carpet ,the First trip out and £20 left for a drink:thumb::ROFLMAO:
 

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
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Can't remember ;)
.. obviously a home conversion.. maybe one of Terry's .. ? :ROFLMAO:

you won't find that in a Yank or Brit built van.. cardboard and staples mostly .. :RollEyes:

whoever it was is a man after my own heart.. :thumb:
NOT MINE NO 3 X 2 USED MOSTLY 2 X 1 :winky:::bigsmile:and lots of glue, no staples or cardboard anywhere --Just a few screws ::bigsmile:
terry

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scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,076
8,979
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
Its a little known Fact aint it Jim?

Anyone contemplating [HI]a new carpet in a Yank,[/HI]
Will so long as all the old staples are weighed in for their metal value have enough cash for the New carpet ,the First trip out and £20 left for a drink:thumb::ROFLMAO:

been there got the medal and they don't fit the carpet around the chair bases .. they all have to be removed.. and to do that I had to buy an angle grinder (I was in France) to remove the nuts from the bolts underneath.... what a job.. :RollEyes:

and not only carpets.. the cupboards/furniture is all stapled together .. yanks love their staples and nail guns..
 
Dec 23, 2007
4,077
6,547
Wirral
Funster No
1,064
MH
Hobby Van Kenobi
Exp
started when I was 11 with my parents-forgot to stop!been real one since 1980!
In the building of my vehicle the Fibreglass and aluminium forests were used,not forgetting the nylon and rubber trees

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lee52

Free Member
Oct 13, 2013
327
119
tyne and wear
Funster No
28,546
MH
selfbuild
Exp
newbie
It would be nice to see your rebuild, have you a picture blog anywhere?

I guess if I were converting from scratch I may have followed similar build route. However having owned a Caravan and taken a lot of the insides out and rebuilding it I would now consider lighter touch build considerations. In a Bus I think I would also include the same tech as for Caravan to help weight worries.

Like others have said if its soft wood its managed and by using it your actually helping the environment...:thumb:

Yes Hardwood is another story and I will never buy that if I can possibly avoid it or else get a supply record right back to source. Traceability is as important as sustainability.

to be honest am not to worried about the eco side :Blush: It was just unreal the way it was built the frame work would of served as a roll cage::bigsmile:. I had her on the weigh bridge before the rebuild so will be interesting to see how much of a diet she has been on.
I am in the middle of sorting throu pictures and will start a blog very soon

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Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,867
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
Did all mine in planed 25mm x 50mm all mortice and tenon. Glued with 2 small panel pins through the joint from the back.

resized-P8130074.jpg


The only flimsy part of my van is the kitchen unit which I did using MDF caravan boarding and those plastic blocks.

Guess what the first thing people lean on when they come into my van is :Doh::Doh::Doh: I still can't get the work surface to fit snug any more.

If I ever redo the kitchen it is getting a proper framed job done on it like the rest of the van :ROFLMAO:
 
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lee52

Free Member
Oct 13, 2013
327
119
tyne and wear
Funster No
28,546
MH
selfbuild
Exp
newbie
Did all mine in planed 25mm x 50mm all mortice and tenon. Glued with 2 small panel pins through the joint from the back.

resized-P8130074.jpg


The only flimsy part of my van is the kitchen unit which I did using MDF caravan boarding and those plastic blocks.

Guess what the first thing people lean on when they come into my van is :Doh::Doh::Doh: I still can't get the work surface to fit snug any more.

If I ever redo the kitchen it is getting a proper framed job done on it like the rest of the van :ROFLMAO:
so what method did you use to fasten the panels to the frame work
 
Feb 27, 2011
14,670
74,867
UK
Funster No
15,452
MH
Self Build
Exp
Since 2005
so what method did you use to fasten the panels to the frame work
The structural ones were fitted using a poly urethane foaming glue. Toughest stuff I have ever seen.

For the rear panel I used small screws only for easy access .
 
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lee52

Free Member
Oct 13, 2013
327
119
tyne and wear
Funster No
28,546
MH
selfbuild
Exp
newbie
The structural ones were fitted using a poly urethane foaming glue. Toughest stuff I have ever seen.

For the rear panel I used small screws only for easy access .
did you not have any probs with the expansion of the foaming glue

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