Cuppa's Camper

[Cuppa]

Time for another update. The 'kitchen' is now basically finished, just need to get the gas supply to the stove sorted. Bit of a hiccup with that though. I plan to have a gas bottle in the under tray tool box, like Telstra did, but with a bayonet fitting in it's side. To use the stove ..... pull it out & connect hose to bayonet fitting. The biggest size bottle I can fit inside the cabinet is a 3kg one...... BUT ...... an older type of 3kg bottle which is 235mm diameter & 300mm high ..... No longer sold in Oz as far as I can tell, but I had two out of date ones & had them sent away to be retested ..... & they've lost the bloody things. Grrrr. If they don't find them I may be restricted to 2kg bottles. Current 3kg bottles are 250mm diameter which is a smidgen too much to fit. Will get a frame made to hold two (hopefully) spare bottles under the tray behind the rear driver side mudguard. I have since turned up a 3rd out of date suitable 3kg bottle which needs retesting.

Anyway, enough about gas here's some of my woodwork.














Small worktop to left of stove folds out. Table with sink has telescopic leg with 'peggable' foot. Table clips to side of vehicle in a couple of seconds & leg fitted afterward. There are hot & cold hose connections under the tray to supply water to bowl ( or shower). Stove slides lock in both in & out positions, & complete stove can be removed in moments. (We have a second tent & may sometimes cook inside it when, for example flies/mozzies/sand flies are unbearable). Normally though we only expect to be under the awning that the rooftop tent provides. Stove wind guards (made from the sides of a dead microwave oven) are held on with rare earth magnets. Shelving for commonly used foodstuffs were sized to fit the containers, which are the 1kg 'SPC' plastic fruit jars. These are very durable ( have used them for years in our bus) a good shape & cost around the same full as many empty (& less useful shape) storage containers. Having the lid a bit narrower than the body of the container makes it easier to build storage where they won't move around on rough roads. The peaches are lasting us a long time though! :-). All other food will be stored in the fridge, freezer & the larger plastic bins. Remember it is our hope to eventually be able to go bus for a month or two at a time.

Left to do - cabin - I have a possible ST single passenger seat lined up. If the chap comes through I'll look at fitting a std centre console, or possibly building extra storage myself. Fit a cb radio & maybe a mount for the iPad. (To use it as a navigator).

Rooftop tent - needs a bit of canvas work - local bloke is well booked out - not possible until after new year.

That'll be about it, although I'm sure there will be little enhancements made over time.

[threedogs]

Hi Cuppa coming along great,

is this bottle any good to you?? only gunna throw it out.
Also have a small bright PIR led that might be handy to you
The PIR led only about $6 but very bright I love it
I'll grab a pic for you

[Cuppa]

Hi 3d,
Thanks, but the gas bottle is way too big, I need the old 3kg camping cylinder - the type with a left hand 3/8ths thread fitting.
Like this.

I'm not certain i need the light either but can see it would be useful if i can find somewhere to mount it. Might be good for those middle of the night , climb down the ladder, calls of nature. What did you want for it? Is the length of time the light stays on adjustable How sensitive is it. Something that was set off by every waving tree branch could be a pain.

Cheers
Cuppa

[Cuppa]

Some more pics taken whilst I had the tents erected for the first time this arvo.





















Cuppa

[threedogs]

I'm liking your set up heaps Cuppa, can't wait to see it if you're going to the meet up.

[Old Wal]

Great set up , Cuppa. I must admit that I will be " pinching " a few of your ideas when I actually get time to finish my slide on camper canopy.
Will post progress photo's at some stage.
Recently received an email from Kulkyne Kampers detailing their latest camper top ( not rooftop tent ) designed to mount on top of owner's custom built canopies. Look good.

[TPC]

That is a real impressive setup, you have done a great job. Thanks for sharing.

[threedogs]

Cuppa back to your gas bottle dilemma, why not those disposable green cannisters from Kmart etc, only $6 a pop
get a few meals out of each , so with those and those fly can gasmate cookers you'd be right, those cannisters are whatt 200mm tall and 100mm wide
we love them, might be worth looking into. you going to Viv meet up. you can go with Winnie?? Plus those flycan cannisters are what $4 for 6.that'll
give over 8 hrs of cooking for $4, thats not too bad in my books

[Cuppa]

Hi td,
I've found a bloke locally who recertifies gas bottles, & who has one of the size I need, I've still got one too which I found in the shed after I sent the first two off for re-certification (which they lost), just need to find one more. This will give me 9kg total, which I reckon should be good for maybe 3 months of daily use. I had one of those cannister cookers for outdoor cooking in the bus, mounted on a fold down bin door. I know they are very popular, but I've heard too many accounts of flaring up & of leaks & decided to remove it. I had a number of gas cannisters left, so bought one of those blow torch accessories to fit them, but it leaked, so I chucked it & got a decent one (needed it for soldering wires into Anderson plugs). Sorry I think it pretty unlikely that I'll be getting to the meet up 'cos I think that's the weekend the shearer's coming to do ours & next door's sheep. If you want another weekend away sometime you're welcome to come down to camp at our place, you could even take a few gas cannisters home with you, as well maybe drive around some of our 4wd tracks.

Cuppa

[threedogs]

Great thanks for invite, I'm still going fishing on the 29 th of Nov up Bearii, Think Roofy coming nothing flash just campfire cooking and dropping a line in the drink more than welcome if free,