I think you both did an awesome job on the camper! I love watching and listening to you Becky. You remind me of home in Greeneville, Tennessee. Much Love, Misty 🌼
Thanks!! We've both been to Greenville multiple times. One day, we spent the day just going through the historical parts of town. Our kids were home schooled, so it was educational for them, and fun for us :)
Thanks Mitch! We added a few more things to the bug out rig during the winter months. Nothing major, just a few little minor improvements. I think that it will be an ongoing project. Thanks for watching!......Becky
IF ... you look @ some of the videos on here about building a Gypsy "Vardo", some of your basic concepts follow along those lines; such as the step out beyond the frame, the bed construction and the ammo boxes for storage. Very nice job !
Well....I always knew Becky had some Gypsy blood in her lol. The basic design was hers I suppose, even though I told her what I was looking for. I did a little time in the Army and I wanted to replicate one of their vehicles. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!
Check out compressor fridges, your thermoelectric cooler is an energy hog. You also might want to look at the small wave heater. Good job on your build.
You could make a fortune by selling DIY kits to convert old trailers. This is absolute genius. P.S. found this by accident, but I've been following Hillbilly Kitchen for a while. Love your cooking, God Bless 👍
Great video, but your dedication and love between you comes through clearly. Just love it when husband & wife pull together; it's the way God intended.
Thank you! Becky is a rare find. Not many women would do the kinds of things that she does....like building a bug out camper from an old utility trailer. I can't say enough good things about her. God truly blessed me.
Thanks!! We went to your channel to see if you uploaded videos of your bug out camper and found that you're an astronomer. It's something that we want to learn about. We've talked about it quite a bit, but we don't know what kind of telescope to buy. At one time we had a cheap telescope and it was disappointing because we couldn't see much with it. Could you recommend an affordable telescope that we can actually see some planets with?
Better put a vent in the ammo can for the propane bottles. My son-in-law is wearing a scar from doing the exact same thing, as he opened the led it blew the top into his face, they do leak!!!
You do NOT look like lunatics. Government has done a great job of labeling people who favor preparedness as crazy's and lunatics, when in fact those who have devoted their trust in the government to take care of them in any bad situation is the true lunatic. Great setup!
Thanks Douglas. I hope we never have to use it for anything other than weekend camping. I've got a bad feeling about the future though. I believe the government will eventually take our guns away and we'll all be at their mercy.
If you folks lived around here it is just called being prepared. Our Government even has instruction guides to aid with preparedness. Think not just about crazy political scenarios but also fire, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, and tons of other things that just happen. Just a FYI carry enough concealed fuel for a week of generator use if at all possible.
The knife in your video, I used to keep 12 inch blade between my seats, I asked a cop about it I met on a guided hunt in Texas he said it was considered concealed and illegal. Different blade lenths are illegal in your vehicle in different states if hidden.
I had to research it before I started carrying it. Several years ago Tennessee lifted all bans on knife lengths. You can carry a machete or sword in Tennessee if you want, either concealed or open carry. I won't carry it in Texas though lol. Thanks!!
That is a GREAT setup! You are very creative! Good choice of weapons as well. I like the idea of the baton, I keep my trailer hitch wrench next to my seat. I suppose it could cause some damage if need be.
Thanks!! We have a huge adjustable wrench in one of our trucks. It must be 24 inches long. It's so heavy that it would shatter bones. There are some real weirdos out there who don't think twice about attacking other people....Becky
I love this I'm wanting to make a little pop up my self and been looking online for help and even though you did not go in full de tell about how you did it all you showed me what i needed to know on how you did the pop up never thought about using the emt but I loved it
Nice work and great video you two ......check out a smaller version of your buddy heater , I have 3 of these all different sizes and mostly use the smallest one a ( Coleman Sport cat ) that way it won't get to hot in your camper and 1 small bottle last 2 nights . I use mine up in northern Ca. camping in the snow in my truck camper . ok have fun and thanks for the tips and video !!
We will definitely check out the Coleman Sport Cat. When we bought a heater, we bought the biggest one because we needed it for our boat. We thought that we could use the same heater for the camper and save some money. Thanks for watching and thanks for telling us about the smaller heater!!
Neat camper! Well thought out, and looks very functional. This is the first of your videos I have watched, but I like Comanches, so I will look at the others. One suggestion for the trailer: battery powered combination smoke/CO detector, especially since you use propane heat.
Thanks Mark! We actually did put in a battery powered combination smoke/CO detector about a month ago. I was in the heating and air conditioning business for 15 years so I learned how important they are. After that I went to work on an ambulance and ran several calls where people had carbon monoxide poisoning and had to be put in a Hyperbaric chamber to "blow" the carbon monoxide from the Surfactant on their lungs. It's bad stuff, that's for sure. We really appreciate you watching our videos and taking time to comment! .......Bret
borrowed headphones and in the backseat. but thats still better than on the ground looking up. Ive been in HVAC since 1979 and will be for a few more years. im researching home built or repurposed trailers. im pretty sure its going to be a 12x6 cargo with a fold down rear door and a rv side door. we live in florida so a mitsubishi mini split is first on the list of must haves. hopefully we will start in the fall of 2018 and be done by Christmas. just something for the weekends or what ever.( realy i just want to convince the wife that its a great way to travel the U.S.A. on a budget). i realy enjoyed your video its great to see a family work together to save something and give it a new life. today it seems most people just want to throw it out and buy something new and usualy not as good as what they had. i look forward to seeing future videos.
A 12x6 cargo would be huge compared to ours. We could use just a little more room in ours. Its fine most of the time , but when it's raining and we're stuck inside, it's too small. It is a great way to travel on a budget. We've been pulling ours with a small SUV and it's a bit too heavy for it, so the gas mileage dropped a little, so we're going to be pulling it with a Jeep Cherokee from now on. I can't wait to see yours!!
Great job documenting an excellent build! I'm interested in how your Comanche and trailer work together. I have a relatively light truck and am also working on a homebuilt camper. It seems even a light(ish) trailer squats my truck, so I'm curious to see how the Comanche responds to your tongue weight. Looking forward to Episode 8!
I recently learned that the Comanche and Cherokee's are notorious for sagging rear leaf springs that have to be replaced as the vehicle gets older. I own both vehicles, so I'll have to do it twice. That could be the reason that a fairly light trailer is squatting yours, assuming that your truck has a similar suspension. I kicked around the ideas of using air shocks or helper springs. By looking at the way that mine is sitting already, without a trailer, it looks like it's definitely going to need something. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!
Nice job on the set up. However I would never advertise that you are carrying weapons. The element of surprise is your greatest weapon ever. Not to mention it could make your trailer a pretty good target for clowns and such.
You can use a propane lantern for heat as well. Less than the heater but still some heat. There are much better 12 volt coolers that get colder and on far less power. Watch SlimpotatoHead for that item. I can shower completely with a gallon jug.
My experience with the Coleman 12 v cooler is the motor lasts about a year. Had several in my semi over the years, and it cools 8k, just not long-lived. Don't know if they still sell replacement motors
Really like your rig. How well does the conduit and flag holder bracket work for the awning. we use a simple 5gal bucket and a Luggable Loo lid from walmart or sporting good store. we use pine wood chips for compost.
The flag holder brackets worked ok except that we had to remove the conduit every time we used the camper. We replaced them with a hinge type bracket so that everything just folds up now. It's much faster. We just bought a Luggable Loo also. We use cat litter though. Thanks for watching!
can you use a gasifier with propane cuz I was thinking and propane would be in short supply and I can Safari all you would have to have a scrap service wood or grass I guess a fire would be a very good option is what I was thinking to have on hand specially for my area I was just thinking if you could hook it up to propane you can hook up to a generator Pyridium other things that you would run on gas too thank you for your video
Hmmmm....good question. I'm gunna have to research it. You're right about propane being in short supply. I believe that all types of fuel will be in short supply. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. It'll give me something to seriously look into. Thanks for watching!
Thanks!! I'm assuming you're still in hvac. I was for 15 years. The last 4 years I was self employed until diabetes hit me pretty hard and I closed down. It was my passion. I lived and breathed heat and air. I consider myself to be the world's greatest service man. Hehehe It looks like you have some Dave Clarks on your head. I'm a private pilot too.
I actually mentioned doing that a few times to Becky but she was less than enthusiastic about the idea lol. She said that building this one killed her. But....I can envision starting from scratch and building the trailer from the ground up so that it would be easier and more suited to the finished product. Thanks for watching!
We used 2 different materials. The covering that is shown in the video is Sunbrella fabric. The downside is that is forms mold and mildew fairly easily and it is very difficult to get rid of it. Later on, we made an additional covering out of Olive drab canvas, which does not get mold or mildew. Go figure. I think it's because the canvas is coated with oil from the factory.
That padlock on the ammo can may not open after you've driven down a few miles of dirt roads. Better fill it up with dry lube, or just replace it with a carabiner before you leave.
It's awning fabric. I think the brand name is Sunbrella. It's probably as cheap as you can get without going to an actual plastic tarp. A canvas painter's drop cloth can be bought for about $40.00 US but it would have to be dyed to whatever color you needed.
I just have to ask, it looks like you have your water heated shower-head located inside, next to your bed, and the floor is carpeted? How does that work, are you using anything to shower without soaking your bed and carpet?
It was just hanging there temporarily. We never used it inside. It's now mounted on the outside of the camper. We just haven't made another video about it yet because it's too cold outside.
About all you can do without spending a ton of money is to put a solar panel on your camper and use it to run one or more dc powered fans. Air conditioners (even small ones) use a lot of power. To run an air conditioner with an inverter that uses 5 amps of power for example; you would need a bank of batteries and enough solar panels to replenish the volt/amps faster than they are depleted. The shower part is easier done. A simple car battery will operate a water pump and a cheap 30 watt solar panel will keep the battery charged. Here's a link to a water pump....www.walmart.com/ip/Long-Distance-Diaphragm-High-Pressure-Water-Self-Priming-Pump-5L-min-DC-12V-60W/657611658?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=7215&adid=22222222227093162892&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=214509080124&wl4=pla-345541650456&wl5=9013367&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=115056135&wl11=online&wl12=657611658&wl13=&veh=sem Good luck!!
The trailer looks really cool almost a hydrid of retro and modern comfort. How's the on demand water heater working for you ,I've seen them but didn't know how good they were
When we bought the water heater, we bought the one made in China. It had three different defects from the factory. One of the problems was that it was wired wrong. I'm an electrician so that wasn't too bad to fix. Another problem was that it had a defective thermal limit switch. I took one out of an old microwave and it was a close enough match. I can't remember what the other problem was, but troubleshooting three problems at one time was maddening. It took two days, but once it started working, it worked perfectly! I highly recommend them. It's the same as if you were in your shower at home. Thanks for watching!
Ola parabéns pelo vídeo gostei muito, vou fazer um igual, poderia me informar sobre o aquecedor TCMP, como funciona. Estou no Brasil estado do Paraná. Um abraço.
Oi! O aquecedor custo foi US $ 60,00 dólares em Ebay. Ele pode utilizar recipientes de 1 libra de propano que se encaixam na parte inferior do aquecedor, ou você pode utilizar um recipiente de 20 libras propano se você comprar uma mangueira com acessórios. Funciona muito bem. Uma mangueira de água parafusos sobre ele e ele aquece a água, logo que ele deixa a mangueira de água e entra no aquecedor. Você precisa de uma mangueira de água com boa pressão de água. Nós amamos isso!! Obrigado por assistir!
Thanks!! We ripped 2x4's to make the 2x2 walls. We would have preferred 2x4's, but our pontoons are small in diameter, so we were cutting it close on weight.
If you for some reason get pulled over and they search your vehicle and find that expandable baton you will go to jail it's a felony to possess one without a permit
Thanks James, I didn't know that. I googled it a few minutes ago, but I couldn't find a satisfactory answer. I'll reluctantly take it out of the vehicle, although I probably would be ok carrying it. In 2014 Tennessee amended their knife laws citing self defense. Now, in Tennessee you can carry any size blade, including switchblades, swords, machetes, daggers, etc... (I also have a concealed carry permit for a handgun) I have to believe that if Tennessee changed their knife laws so that people could defend themselves, and Tennessee issued me a handgun permit, the courts would find in my favor for carrying a simple baton. But, that kind of thinking has gotten me in trouble before. Thanks again.
That is a very very nice camping/bug out trailer you have designed and are in the process of building. A lot of neat ideas.. I am in the process of starting up my project trailer again, had to take a break from the build. The one thing I would suggest is to replace that Colman cooler with a 12v fridge, especially if you head out west. I know they are expensive but they use a fraction of the electricity of those Thermal-electric coolers that are on constantly unlike the 12v refrigerators that cycle on and off and are true refrigerators. Dometic are very good mid-price range refrigerators that come in different sizes and are excellent. Your doing a great job on that build!! www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENA4ZE4/ref=twister_B01GWSJAUY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you very much!! Since it's winter right now and we haven't been out camping, we have gotten a little more work done on it. It might be an ongoing project for the next 6 months or so. I hope you decide to upload videos of your build, we would love to watch it! That is definitely a better cooler/refrigerator. (But alas....it's out of our price range) We're always cussing the one that we have because of it's high power consumption and poor cooling performance. The salesman who sold it to us misrepresented it. We should have known better. He turned the air conditioner in the store down to 70 degrees so that the cooler was able to form ice inside (because it can cool 40 degrees below the ambient temp.) We were too stupid to see what he was doing. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!!
I thought Dometic fridges were a recall product. Isn't there ten or more years worth of bad production? I don't mean to be picking a fight, but I thought they were catching fire.
I checked the Dometic USA site and there were not any recalls on the CF or CFX ranges of cooler type refrigerators, they had one on the two door up-right style refrigerators. These refrigerators are very reliable and completely safe to use. I have seen people using them incorrectly by having them enclosed in cabinets blocking the vents. You have to keep those vents open so that the compressor stays cool and does not over heat. I have had no problems using mine, uses very little electricity and stores my food just like my home refrigerator.
with Mr. Trump as our fantastic NEW PRESIDENT, God has given us a little time to work on our errors ...:>) i was going to leave the country and looked into small trailers or truck campers but never panned out. God knew better so i ended up staying because Mr. trump will make everything safer :>)... i do have a trailer and i will convert it into something like this, great idea. where did you get the structure from? the actual living space? or is this something you made from scratch? i see you made it from scratch now... lol i don't suppose you have a video showing how you did it do you? or a video of a video where you go the ideas from? anyhow thank you for posting this looks great... will be my next summer project...:) yes we do get a nice summer
We're also glad that Trump is our new president! Things will get better now. The structure is something we made from scratch out of 2x2's, 1x3's and Luan and a lot of drywall screws and wood glue. We didn't use nails because we were afraid that they would push out of the wood as we were pulling the camper down the road. We didn't think about making a video of us building it, and there were no videos where we got the idea from. We were just sitting around watching tv and talking about camping and bugging out and decided that we needed to make a trailer that would do both. We reasoned that it needed to pop up to be able to pull it through the woods to avoid low hanging branches if we ever bugged out. The tent is made from Sunbrella fabric. The amount used on the camper was about $150.00 which was a discounted price because it had color flaws. Sunbrella fabric is what they use to make awnings on houses and buildings. Military olive drab canvas is available, but not waterproof. Sunbrella is waterproof. The metal poles are made from 1/2 and 3/4 inch electrical EMT conduit. It only costs about $2.50 each pole. I hope that you video yours when you build it. Thanks for watching!
Cael Jones what the hell are you talking about? We would be at war with Russia if hillary was president, just because you are loosing your hand outs from Obama that you did not rate in the first place.... also the only legacy that you ignorant so called educated liberals have is a bunch of rainbow flag corruption. Be advised that you and others like you are the problem with society.
How do you like him now? Go ask a government employee how they feel. Go ask a wounded warrior. If anything, trump will start a war. Kiss your kids and grandchildren goodbye, and get over the Hillary thing.
the people who will look like lunatics will be the people setting side of the road, out of gas in an auto and no protection when the shtf. don't forget to pack a come-a -long somewhere., maybe fifty ft of 1/4 steel rope or cable', even a snatch block.
We managed to acquire a Jeep Cherokee and a Jeep Comanche. We're converting the Cherokee into a "Pulling Vehicle" with a winch, come a long, chain binders, chains, etc... The steel cable is a good idea that I hadn't considered so I'll definitely add one. We're also adding a jump starter, two way radios, and bug out equipment. I can't wait to get it finished :)
A walk down memory lane. Very neat and useful. Would be a fun way to camp.
You guys have built a beautiful camper. Thanks for sharing
Nice job! I'm not a prepper but I'm impressed. Enjoy the outdoors.
Thanks Patrick!
I think you both did an awesome job on the camper! I love watching and listening to you Becky. You remind me of home in Greeneville, Tennessee. Much Love, Misty 🌼
Thanks!! We've both been to Greenville multiple times. One day, we spent the day just going through the historical parts of town. Our kids were home schooled, so it was educational for them, and fun for us :)
This trailer and the truck look amazing! You two are really creative
Thank you very much!!
Thanks for sharing. I like your set camper and I like to see you united. Best wishes to you from the very bottom of my cardiac muscle muscle.
Thank you! You too!
I enjoyed watching your videos! Very smart ideas! I'd love a little bug out rig like that. Thanks you two!
Thanks Mitch! We added a few more things to the bug out rig during the winter months. Nothing major, just a few little minor improvements. I think that it will be an ongoing project. Thanks for watching!......Becky
Great job you two! It's got what you need to bug out, but would work great for camping too!
Thanks Linda!
You guys are great, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Guy. We really suck, but we appreciate your kind words :)
i would really like to see ya'll pop it up so we can see how easy it is. But love love love it... Thanx for posting
We will be making a video pretty soon of it popping up. Thanks for watching!
I would have liked to see more on the framing and did you insulate it. You've got some great ideas there!
Yes we did insulate it. It stays pretty comfortable inside.
Cool camper. Giving me ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!! :)
IF ... you look @ some of the videos on here about building a Gypsy "Vardo", some of your basic concepts follow along those lines; such as the step out beyond the frame, the bed construction and the ammo boxes for storage.
Very nice job !
Well....I always knew Becky had some Gypsy blood in her lol. The basic design was hers I suppose, even though I told her what I was looking for. I did a little time in the Army and I wanted to replicate one of their vehicles. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!
@@bretbecky711 very nice build, you gave me some ideas.
Thanks!
Good idea I'll keep some of your ideas for when I build mine
Thanks for watching! I hope you decide to upload videos and share them when you build yours :)
Check out compressor fridges, your thermoelectric cooler is an energy hog. You also might want to look at the small wave heater. Good job on your build.
You could make a fortune by selling DIY kits to convert old trailers. This is absolute genius.
P.S. found this by accident, but I've been following Hillbilly Kitchen for a while. Love your cooking, God Bless 👍
Thanks for watching!
Great video, but your dedication and love between you comes through clearly. Just love it when husband & wife pull together; it's the way God intended.
Thank you! Becky is a rare find. Not many women would do the kinds of things that she does....like building a bug out camper from an old utility trailer. I can't say enough good things about her. God truly blessed me.
awesome job I love it especially the canopy's canopyson the sides .
Thank you very much! :)
Nice trailer, and well done video. Thanks
Thank you very much!!! :)
You guys are awesome! Great help and I love the jeep and camper! Keep it up
Thanks!! We both really appreciate you watching our videos and taking time to comment!
Nice set up I like the work u guys have done ✅
Thanks!!
Awesome BO camper guys. Recently built one myself.
Thanks!! We went to your channel to see if you uploaded videos of your bug out camper and found that you're an astronomer. It's something that we want to learn about. We've talked about it quite a bit, but we don't know what kind of telescope to buy. At one time we had a cheap telescope and it was disappointing because we couldn't see much with it. Could you recommend an affordable telescope that we can actually see some planets with?
Nice work! You guys done very well.
Thank you very much!
good for you...nice...hats off for DIY...God bless the good...doug
Thanks Doug!! I really appreciate you watching.
Learned quite a few things here ... i will say your pretty creative and talented. Thumbs up and subbed ! Awesome job folks !
Thank you!
Better put a vent in the ammo can for the propane bottles. My son-in-law is wearing a scar from doing the exact same thing, as he opened the led it blew the top into his face, they do leak!!!
Good to know. Thanks!!
Looks like you put a lot of work into this. Well done too.
I wish that the work was completed, but sadly it continues lol. We just put another two long, hard weeks into it. Thanks for watching!!
I can smell that bacon cooking, love it being cook outside, you both did a great job on your camper,
Thanks Melody!! We really shouldn't eat so much bacon because it's probably clogging our arteries, but it's delicious!!
You do NOT look like lunatics. Government has done a great job of labeling people who favor preparedness as crazy's and lunatics, when in fact those who have devoted their trust in the government to take care of them in any bad situation is the true lunatic. Great setup!
Thanks Douglas. I hope we never have to use it for anything other than weekend camping. I've got a bad feeling about the future though. I believe the government will eventually take our guns away and we'll all be at their mercy.
If you folks lived around here it is just called being prepared. Our Government even has instruction guides to aid with preparedness. Think not just about crazy political scenarios but also fire, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, and tons of other things that just happen. Just a FYI carry enough concealed fuel for a week of generator use if at all possible.
Thanks Jim!!
Nothing about your preparations make you look like lunatics. Always hedge your bets in your favor. Very good work throughout.
Thank you very much!
That camper looks great...
Thanks!!
My husband had jeep truck like your he put v8 in it nice info
Like the easy lift canvas top, be carful with concealed weapons though.
Thanks!! Campers have to be tagged in Tennessee, but pop up campers don't and it qualifies as a pop up lol. Why be careful with concealed weapons?
The knife in your video, I used to keep 12 inch blade between my seats, I asked a cop about it I met on a guided hunt in Texas he said it was considered concealed and illegal. Different blade lenths are illegal in your vehicle in different states if hidden.
I had to research it before I started carrying it. Several years ago Tennessee lifted all bans on knife lengths. You can carry a machete or sword in Tennessee if you want, either concealed or open carry. I won't carry it in Texas though lol. Thanks!!
That is a GREAT setup! You are very creative! Good choice of weapons as well. I like the idea of the baton, I keep my trailer hitch wrench next to my seat. I suppose it could cause some damage if need be.
Thanks!! We have a huge adjustable wrench in one of our trucks. It must be 24 inches long. It's so heavy that it would shatter bones. There are some real weirdos out there who don't think twice about attacking other people....Becky
I love this I'm wanting to make a little pop up my self and been looking online for help and even though you did not go in full de tell about how you did it all you showed me what i needed to know on how you did the pop up never thought about using the emt but I loved it
I hope you upload a video of your build. I'd love to see it.
Very Cool, I Love it. Thanks for the video.
Thank you very much!! :)
Nice build guys!
Thanks!!
you need W D 40 for that squeaky door.
Nice work and great video you two ......check out a smaller version of your buddy heater , I have 3 of these all different sizes and mostly use the smallest one a ( Coleman Sport cat ) that way it won't get to hot in your camper and 1 small bottle last 2 nights . I use mine up in northern Ca. camping in the snow in my truck camper . ok have fun and thanks for the tips and video !!
We will definitely check out the Coleman Sport Cat. When we bought a heater, we bought the biggest one because we needed it for our boat. We thought that we could use the same heater for the camper and save some money. Thanks for watching and thanks for telling us about the smaller heater!!
Great jobs guys I think it's amazing!
Thank you!!
Bret Becky Yall guys are most welcome!
Neat camper! Well thought out, and looks very functional. This is the first of your videos I have watched, but I like Comanches, so I will look at the others. One suggestion for the trailer: battery powered combination smoke/CO detector, especially since you use propane heat.
Thanks Mark! We actually did put in a battery powered combination smoke/CO detector about a month ago. I was in the heating and air conditioning business for 15 years so I learned how important they are. After that I went to work on an ambulance and ran several calls where people had carbon monoxide poisoning and had to be put in a Hyperbaric chamber to "blow" the carbon monoxide from the Surfactant on their lungs. It's bad stuff, that's for sure. We really appreciate you watching our videos and taking time to comment! .......Bret
nice work folks
Thanks!
GREAT JOB , WELL DONE
Thank you!
borrowed headphones and in the backseat. but thats still better than on the ground looking up.
Ive been in HVAC since 1979 and will be for a few more years. im researching home built or repurposed trailers. im pretty sure its going to be a 12x6 cargo with a fold down rear door and a rv side door. we live in florida so a mitsubishi mini split is first on the list of must haves. hopefully we will start in the fall of 2018 and be done by Christmas. just something for the weekends or what ever.( realy i just want to convince the wife that its a great way to travel the U.S.A. on a budget).
i realy enjoyed your video its great to see a family work together to save something and give it a new life. today it seems most people just want to throw it out and buy something new and usualy not as good as what they had. i look forward to seeing future videos.
A 12x6 cargo would be huge compared to ours. We could use just a little more room in ours. Its fine most of the time , but when it's raining and we're stuck inside, it's too small. It is a great way to travel on a budget. We've been pulling ours with a small SUV and it's a bit too heavy for it, so the gas mileage dropped a little, so we're going to be pulling it with a Jeep Cherokee from now on. I can't wait to see yours!!
Check out the Luggable Lou for a toilet option. Utilizes a 5 gallon bucket which looks like much higher capacity than what you have there.
Ugh, I wish that we had known about that beforehand. I guess I should have done some research before I bought something. Thanks!
Great job documenting an excellent build!
I'm interested in how your Comanche and trailer work together. I have a relatively light truck and am also working on a homebuilt camper. It seems even a light(ish) trailer squats my truck, so I'm curious to see how the Comanche responds to your tongue weight. Looking forward to Episode 8!
I recently learned that the Comanche and Cherokee's are notorious for sagging rear leaf springs that have to be replaced as the vehicle gets older. I own both vehicles, so I'll have to do it twice. That could be the reason that a fairly light trailer is squatting yours, assuming that your truck has a similar suspension. I kicked around the ideas of using air shocks or helper springs. By looking at the way that mine is sitting already, without a trailer, it looks like it's definitely going to need something. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!
great job neighbor's,i t
hink i know what SHTF means,lol
Lol, thanks!! I hope we never have to use it for anything but camping out.
I like it. Y'all did great. Just a suggestion. Take a rubber matt for the shower.
Thanks!! We did start taking a rubber mat. We take it out camping occasionally and I saw the need for one while standing barefoot in mud lol.
Cant have a camp with out BACON lol
Looks good I'd say your off to a great start. Got to get some wd40 for that door though lol.
Lol. That squeaky door drove us crazy. Thanks for watching!
Nice job on the set up. However I would never advertise that you are carrying weapons. The element of surprise is your greatest weapon ever. Not to mention it could make your trailer a pretty good target for clowns and such.
Good point!! Thanks!
You can use a propane lantern for heat as well. Less than the heater but still some heat. There are much better 12 volt coolers that get colder and on far less power. Watch SlimpotatoHead for that item.
I can shower completely with a gallon jug.
Thanks!
My experience with the Coleman 12 v cooler is the motor lasts about a year. Had several in my semi over the years, and it cools 8k, just not long-lived. Don't know if they still sell replacement motors
I'm really disappointed in the cooler. It consumes a too much power. The salesman at the Coleman store misrepresented the cooler.
berhorst59 ...they are garbage.....live and learn....I did..!!!!
Nice job!
Thanks!!
i like how it pops so to speak and lot of the stuff its made of is light weight ******
Thank you!
great video gave me some great ideas.
Thanks!!
Love this!
My name is brett too great video
Thanks Brett!!
Good job
Thanks!
nicely done
Really like your rig.
How well does the conduit and flag holder bracket work for the awning.
we use a simple 5gal bucket and a Luggable Loo lid from walmart or sporting good store.
we use pine wood chips for compost.
The flag holder brackets worked ok except that we had to remove the conduit every time we used the camper. We replaced them with a hinge type bracket so that everything just folds up now. It's much faster. We just bought a Luggable Loo also. We use cat litter though. Thanks for watching!
Lol, thanks!!
can you use a gasifier with propane cuz I was thinking and propane would be in short supply and I can Safari all you would have to have a scrap service wood or grass I guess a fire would be a very good option is what I was thinking to have on hand specially for my area I was just thinking if you could hook it up to propane you can hook up to a generator Pyridium other things that you would run on gas too thank you for your video
Hmmmm....good question. I'm gunna have to research it. You're right about propane being in short supply. I believe that all types of fuel will be in short supply. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. It'll give me something to seriously look into. Thanks for watching!
nice job
Thanks!! I'm assuming you're still in hvac. I was for 15 years. The last 4 years I was self employed until diabetes hit me pretty hard and I closed down. It was my passion. I lived and breathed heat and air. I consider myself to be the world's greatest service man. Hehehe It looks like you have some Dave Clarks on your head. I'm a private pilot too.
Well done!!
Thanks!!
Your welcome......
.357 smart women!
That is cool!
Thank you!!
Good old American ingenuity and craftsmanship.
You could probably build them and quit your day job.
I actually mentioned doing that a few times to Becky but she was less than enthusiastic about the idea lol. She said that building this one killed her. But....I can envision starting from scratch and building the trailer from the ground up so that it would be easier and more suited to the finished product. Thanks for watching!
look pretty cool
Thanks!!
Should build yourself an hho generator for cooking or heat cleanly, propane is a city folk stuff..
Love it
Thanks!!
good cam , but propane?
Nice video got some ideas for my new trailer
Thanks for sharing and you got my sub
ATB Dog
Thanks!!
Very nice . What material did you use for the top of the camper ?
We used 2 different materials. The covering that is shown in the video is Sunbrella fabric. The downside is that is forms mold and mildew fairly easily and it is very difficult to get rid of it. Later on, we made an additional covering out of Olive drab canvas, which does not get mold or mildew. Go figure. I think it's because the canvas is coated with oil from the factory.
That padlock on the ammo can may not open after you've driven down a few miles of dirt roads. Better fill it up with dry lube, or just replace it with a carabiner before you leave.
Thanks Patrick!
do you have plans and dementions for it, would like to build one
No, we just kind of built it as we went. That is very flattering though, thanks! :)
what material did you make the tarp out of. do you have any suggestions on cheap tarp ideas?
It's awning fabric. I think the brand name is Sunbrella. It's probably as cheap as you can get without going to an actual plastic tarp. A canvas painter's drop cloth can be bought for about $40.00 US but it would have to be dyed to whatever color you needed.
I just have to ask, it looks like you have your water heated shower-head located inside, next to your bed, and the floor is carpeted?
How does that work, are you using anything to shower without soaking your bed and carpet?
It was just hanging there temporarily. We never used it inside. It's now mounted on the outside of the camper. We just haven't made another video about it yet because it's too cold outside.
oh ok thats good, :)
oh the tent is it military tarp?
Yes it is. Somehow we missed your comment. Very sorry.
when is the next truck video coming out
I think it will be this Spring. We've been pretty busy working on other projects that have slowed us down on the truck. Thanks for watching!
I have a camper that is plywood homemade.. how do I make it electric solar power..im burning up and can't take showers.. please help!!
About all you can do without spending a ton of money is to put a solar panel on your camper and use it to run one or more dc powered fans. Air conditioners (even small ones) use a lot of power. To run an air conditioner with an inverter that uses 5 amps of power for example; you would need a bank of batteries and enough solar panels to replenish the volt/amps faster than they are depleted. The shower part is easier done. A simple car battery will operate a water pump and a cheap 30 watt solar panel will keep the battery charged. Here's a link to a water pump....www.walmart.com/ip/Long-Distance-Diaphragm-High-Pressure-Water-Self-Priming-Pump-5L-min-DC-12V-60W/657611658?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=7215&adid=22222222227093162892&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=214509080124&wl4=pla-345541650456&wl5=9013367&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=115056135&wl11=online&wl12=657611658&wl13=&veh=sem Good luck!!
The trailer looks really cool almost a hydrid of retro and modern comfort. How's the on demand water heater working for you ,I've seen them but didn't know how good they were
When we bought the water heater, we bought the one made in China. It had three different defects from the factory. One of the problems was that it was wired wrong. I'm an electrician so that wasn't too bad to fix. Another problem was that it had a defective thermal limit switch. I took one out of an old microwave and it was a close enough match. I can't remember what the other problem was, but troubleshooting three problems at one time was maddening. It took two days, but once it started working, it worked perfectly! I highly recommend them. It's the same as if you were in your shower at home. Thanks for watching!
Ola parabéns pelo vídeo gostei muito, vou fazer um igual, poderia me informar sobre o aquecedor TCMP, como funciona. Estou no Brasil estado do Paraná. Um abraço.
Oi! O aquecedor custo foi US $ 60,00 dólares em Ebay. Ele pode utilizar recipientes de 1 libra de propano que se encaixam na parte inferior do aquecedor, ou você pode utilizar um recipiente de 20 libras propano se você comprar uma mangueira com acessórios. Funciona muito bem. Uma mangueira de água parafusos sobre ele e ele aquece a água, logo que ele deixa a mangueira de água e entra no aquecedor. Você precisa de uma mangueira de água com boa pressão de água. Nós amamos isso!! Obrigado por assistir!
Obrigado pela resposta. Um abraço a vocês.
:)
great build, are those 2x2 or 2x4 for the wall sections?
Thanks!! We ripped 2x4's to make the 2x2 walls. We would have preferred 2x4's, but our pontoons are small in diameter, so we were cutting it close on weight.
thanks
If you for some reason get pulled over and they search your vehicle and find that expandable baton you will go to jail it's a felony to possess one without a permit
Thanks James, I didn't know that. I googled it a few minutes ago, but I couldn't find a satisfactory answer. I'll reluctantly take it out of the vehicle, although I probably would be ok carrying it. In 2014 Tennessee amended their knife laws citing self defense. Now, in Tennessee you can carry any size blade, including switchblades, swords, machetes, daggers, etc... (I also have a concealed carry permit for a handgun) I have to believe that if Tennessee changed their knife laws so that people could defend themselves, and Tennessee issued me a handgun permit, the courts would find in my favor for carrying a simple baton. But, that kind of thinking has gotten me in trouble before. Thanks again.
That is a very very nice camping/bug out trailer you have designed and are in the process of building. A lot of neat ideas..
I am in the process of starting up my project trailer again, had to take a break from the build.
The one thing I would suggest is to replace that Colman cooler with a 12v fridge, especially if you head out west. I know they are expensive but they use a fraction of the electricity of those Thermal-electric coolers that are on constantly unlike the 12v refrigerators that cycle on and off and are true refrigerators. Dometic are very good mid-price range refrigerators that come in different sizes and are excellent.
Your doing a great job on that build!!
www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENA4ZE4/ref=twister_B01GWSJAUY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you very much!! Since it's winter right now and we haven't been out camping, we have gotten a little more work done on it. It might be an ongoing project for the next 6 months or so. I hope you decide to upload videos of your build, we would love to watch it!
That is definitely a better cooler/refrigerator. (But alas....it's out of our price range) We're always cussing the one that we have because of it's high power consumption and poor cooling performance. The salesman who sold it to us misrepresented it. We should have known better. He turned the air conditioner in the store down to 70 degrees so that the cooler was able to form ice inside (because it can cool 40 degrees below the ambient temp.) We were too stupid to see what he was doing.
Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!!
I thought Dometic fridges were a recall product. Isn't there ten or more years worth of bad production?
I don't mean to be picking a fight, but I thought they were catching fire.
I'm not sure, but I'm definitely going to Google it because my daughter has one in her bus/camper that she leaves running while she sleeps.
I checked the Dometic USA site and there were not any recalls on the CF or CFX ranges of cooler type refrigerators, they had one on the two door up-right style refrigerators.
These refrigerators are very reliable and completely safe to use.
I have seen people using them incorrectly by having them enclosed in cabinets blocking the vents. You have to keep those vents open so that the compressor stays cool and does not over heat.
I have had no problems using mine, uses very little electricity and stores my food just like my home refrigerator.
Thanks for your effort! I'll pass the info on to my daughter.
with Mr. Trump as our fantastic NEW PRESIDENT, God has given us a little time to work on our errors ...:>) i was going to leave the country and looked into small trailers or truck campers but never panned out. God knew better so i ended up staying because Mr. trump will make everything safer :>)... i do have a trailer and i will convert it into something like this, great idea. where did you get the structure from? the actual living space? or is this something you made from scratch? i see you made it from scratch now... lol i don't suppose you have a video showing how you did it do you? or a video of a video where you go the ideas from? anyhow thank you for posting this looks great... will be my next summer project...:) yes we do get a nice summer
We're also glad that Trump is our new president! Things will get better now. The structure is something we made from scratch out of 2x2's, 1x3's and Luan and a lot of drywall screws and wood glue. We didn't use nails because we were afraid that they would push out of the wood as we were pulling the camper down the road. We didn't think about making a video of us building it, and there were no videos where we got the idea from. We were just sitting around watching tv and talking about camping and bugging out and decided that we needed to make a trailer that would do both.
We reasoned that it needed to pop up to be able to pull it through the woods to avoid low hanging branches if we ever bugged out. The tent is made from Sunbrella fabric. The amount used on the camper was about $150.00 which was a discounted price because it had color flaws. Sunbrella fabric is what they use to make awnings on houses and buildings. Military olive drab canvas is available, but not waterproof. Sunbrella is waterproof. The metal poles are made from 1/2 and 3/4 inch electrical EMT conduit. It only costs about $2.50 each pole. I hope that you video yours when you build it. Thanks for watching!
Cael Jones what the hell are you talking about? We would be at war with Russia if hillary was president, just because you are loosing your hand outs from Obama that you did not rate in the first place.... also the only legacy that you ignorant so called educated liberals have is a bunch of rainbow flag corruption. Be advised that you and others like you are the problem with society.
How do you like him now?
Go ask a government employee how they feel. Go ask a wounded warrior. If anything, trump will start a war. Kiss your kids and grandchildren goodbye, and get over the Hillary thing.
the people who will look like lunatics will be the people setting side of the road, out of gas in an auto and no protection when the shtf. don't forget to pack a come-a -long somewhere., maybe fifty ft of 1/4 steel rope or cable', even a snatch block.
We managed to acquire a Jeep Cherokee and a Jeep Comanche. We're converting the Cherokee into a "Pulling Vehicle" with a winch, come a long, chain binders, chains, etc... The steel cable is a good idea that I hadn't considered so I'll definitely add one. We're also adding a jump starter, two way radios, and bug out equipment. I can't wait to get it finished :)
WD-40 ......
Bought a can today :P
Bret Becky - LOL!!!❤️❤️😁
Trump is goodn all but wouldn't be better if yo'all were running the show? Just sayin....
:P Thanks!!
.357 smart women!
Thanks!! I like a gun that will take a head off at the shoulders lol.....Becky