Thank you SO much for sharing the exact details on thw cabinet build. I bought a few tools to attempt this, as I must somehow save. At 72, and a widow, this is my stay out of trouble project. Thanks
Your videos are so well done showing and explaining each step. That is such a clean, chill look. I did a similar red LED floor edge. It's for a during the night low glow when my wife or I get up for a bio break :).
Yes nice job,. Thank you for the info I am rebuilding my kitchen an bathroom in my small1890 stone cottage in southern Ireland, an nothing is square. Very little room so making all my cabinets, modern stuff is just too big. You both have a great year an thanks for the videos always something of use. God Bless. M
Love it! Lightweight and strong (enough). The ones I built in my van I did in a more traditional way and with doors. Way to heavy and its internal structure even steal space that I could have used for storage...and I still have those boxes too 😁 well, you live and learn. If there is ever a nuclear war, I know were to hide...
Gotcha. We didn't actually 'contour' them. They have an angle on them; but the 'top' and 'back' of them are indeed scribed to fit & keep them plumb & square with the floor.
Question about this setup: Won't the cloth storage cubes fall off when driving bumpy roads? Is there anything keeping the cubes in place? I like the idea but not sure how secure these are when driving bumpy roads. Thank you.
Workshop isn't necessary. And I didn't use any tools that the average DIYer won't have (for example: no cnc machines, plasma Cutters, welders, 3d printers, etc). Just basic hand and power tools.
Nice clean design that produced a lot of storage. Question on did you finish the back / inside of the cabinet on the pop rivets row? They looked to be protruding about 1/4".
They are still protruding. Since the wall angles so much, the canvas totes don't even tough them, so I didn't feel it was worth the effort to trim them off or anything.
Hi there, i see you have chosen anderson connectors. (Am i spelling this correctly?) I remember you asked your viewers what they think the cabinet lights should be connected. So for the sake of discussion, and off course considerations for my future next build; What made you choose to use these 12 volt light connections?
@@EXPLORISTlife good question. Im not saying these Anderson connection are wrong. Not at all. I believed you wanted something modular, for the overhead cabinets, if im not mistaken. I believe what I understood was, you wanted to build several different storage modules, that could be interchangeable for certain needs. And i believed you where asking what kind of connection your viewers would consider. Is my memory correct in this? Anyway I suggested the possibility of using wireless smartphones chargers for the connection. But never got the chance anymore to see for myself, if this would work. (Overload on work, family life etc) So i was wondering what your consideration would be, using these type of connections. Its just my curiosity for my next possible build in the future. Im still gonna try to make wireless connection, and see if there is any extra use of electricity consumption….. When i have time on hands again. The reason for this, is to see, if it’s possible to make (reading lights, spot lights) that i can use throughout the van, on several places, without having to install so many lights and switches. In other words; will i save on wires, switches etc. And will this make my future build any easier? Or the same amount of headache? Anyway thanks for responding Cheers
Ah, yes. I see/remember. So, when I looked at that... I just simply couldn't find a good source of products to make that work and have faith it would be reliable. That and wireless charging is such a low amperage, that it would limit my circuits quite a bit. It would probably work for some LED strip lights, but if I wanted to add USB chargers to the cabinets (or whatever), that would be too much to pull from wireless charging. I'm excited to see what the future of wireless charging does, but I don't think now is the right time for what I'm trying to do with it. Great idea, though, and I definitely think you should play around with it, at the very least on a benchtop test of some kind.
You'll just have to get creative/crafty there. Bolts/nuts/washers/rivnuts or something through the metal of the van. We installed L-Track in the spirit of planning ahead for these videos specifically. Here is the video where we installed our L-Track if you want to go that route: th-cam.com/video/cf2BjQxMKDI/w-d-xo.html
Looks nice. I’ve enjoyed watching this van build, and appreciate your step-by-step narrative. I must say though, everything up this point has been extremely high quality. Those upper cabinets look nice, but I’d be concerned about the durability. Since you used 80/20 for the battery enclosure, I assumed you would have used it again for the uppers. I get it that stuff isn’t cheap. Using 1/4” ply for the base with only glue and brad nails really limits what you can store up there. I guess you should have the weigh down low anyway. Not trying to troll, but would like to see an update after you’ve driven awhile to see how they hold up.
Durability shouldn't be an issue. 8020 is much heavier than it looks and for the lightweight items we will be storing up there (clothes, food, etc), the 1/2 ply secured every ~3ft will be plenty strong. If you are trying to make your upper cabinets double as a pull-up bar or something, you'll definitely want something stronger, but that's not what we are using it for. For the 1/4" ply and brad nails... The brad nails simply hold the panel in place until the glue could dry. Once wood glue dries, the wood around the glue will typically fail before the actual joint does, so that's a non-issue. Also... The rear of the 1/4" ply is secured along the bottom length with 2"x2" aluminum angle that's bolted directly to the wall. so there is no way that could fall off. The front, in addition to the glued joint, is also held in with the screws that are holding the light track to the panel. It's plenty secure. It's more secure than the way we built our cabinets in our old sprinter that we lived in fulll-time for nearly 4 years.
The lights we used are in the parts list in the pinned comment. As far as reliability... we've had them on for a total of an hour and a half or so, and so far so good. 🤷♂️🤣
Lightweight, removable, functional and no struts! Exactly the kind of cabinets you go for after doing van builds a couple of times. The simpler the better.
Thank you for another amazing video! It left me with one question. is there any specific reason why the cabinets side walls are cut on such a angle that leaves so much space in between the back and upper wall? What is the purpose of that space? Also, congratulations on 200k subscribers!! And many more to come, because you guys doing a fantastic job! :)
It's pretty! But those L tracks, aren't they a waste? most people just bolt the cabinets into the van, or to some wood framing. we are not going to move them around anyways. So gain, this is super tidy and pleasure to watch, but I guess not the most economical solution.
They aren't a waste, no. We wanted to be able to have rock solid attachment points throughout the van for whatever we wanted to attach, and these do exactly that with no guess-work and no arbitrarily lag screwing stuff to "the van", whatever that means.
@@EXPLORISTlife Fair enough. No offense intended. I've worked in construction and fabrication shops for the past 30 years and the cumulative effects of dust and noise on one's body can certainly become noticeable over time. Anyway, thanks for posting all the amazing content. It's been super helpful in my van build and I really enjoy your projects and videos.
I don’t mean to be a negative Nancy, but your table saw techniques made me cringe. Please get a little coaching from a pro. Don’t operate the saw from the side. Keep the blade further than arms length away for as long as possible. Hold the material FIRMLY from the end. Don’t use the fence if the material is wider than it’s length. Expose only 1/4” of the blade above material. Alway use a riving knife when possible. The table saw is probably the most dangerous tool commonly used. That said, you need you operate it properly but confidently. It amazes me that federal law requires all table saws ship with a blade guard but no instructions on proper table saw technique.
Hey there OSHA Oscar! If my table saw technique is the biggest thing that is bothering you today, I'm happy for you. My table saw usage doesn't even crack the top 20 most dangerous things I do on a day to day basis. Thanks for watching, but you can keep your safety tips to yourself going forward as they will always fall on deaf ears.
@@EXPLORISTlife that’s a strange reply? I just gave you a few tips on how to keep your fingers attached to your hand? Did someone piss in your Your Corn Flakes this morning? Best of luck to you.
I mean, it's the same reply I'd give you in real life if some random person were to walk into my shop and start giving me safety tips. 🤣😂 Y'all expect me to reply differently on the internet vs real life? You gave me an unsolicited safety tip and I gave you an unsolicited tip to keep it to yourself. We are even as far as I'm concerned. 🤣👍 Tell me I'm doing something wrong and then get all offended when I defend myself. Give me a break.
Hello. I live in Japan, and like you, I travel in a converted car. It's fun! We see unfamiliar scenery and eat delicious food. Travel is great!
For sure! Thanks for watching!
I like the soft baskets that keep the road noise down, but are well organized too. Thanks for the detailed description of lighting.
Thank you SO much for sharing the exact details on thw cabinet build. I bought a few tools to attempt this, as I must somehow save. At 72, and a widow, this is my stay out of trouble project. Thanks
Illuminating video! 😄
Thanks! 🙂🙌
*PLANS, PARTS & TOOLS:*
*Upper Cabinets 3d Plans & Cut List:* shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/plans-and-diagrams/3d-files-project-templates/camper-van-upper-cabinet-plans/
*Full Camper Van Furniture Plans & Cut List:* shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/plans-and-diagrams/3d-files-project-templates/camper-van-cabinetry-plans-full-set/
*TOOLS SEEN IN THIS VIDEO:*
◾www.amazon.com/shop/exploristlife/list/2M5OT6H0IOBQX
*PARTS:*
◾*1/4" Birch:* Local Purchase
◾*1/2" Birch:* Local Purchase
◾*Wood Glue:* amzn.to/3K0t87Q
◾*Wood Filler:* amzn.to/3YGPqzI
◾*Edge Banding:* amzn.to/3YGPu2q
◾*Paste Wax:* amzn.to/3DWWQHd
◾*Black Spray Paint:* amzn.to/3YLWriE
◾*Rivets:* amzn.to/3E12qIH
◾*Black LED Track w/ Diffusers:* amzn.to/3E3kSjT
◾*1/4" Wire Loom:* amzn.to/3lvZxZZ
◾*1/4" Heat Shrink:* amzn.to/40NkwaJ
◾*LED Strips:* amzn.to/3RQ5pt6
◾*Wire Clips:* amzn.to/3jLyVnj
◾*Anderson Outlet:* powerwerx.com/panelpole-panel-mount-powerpole-black-dual
◾*Anderson Plug:* powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpole-connectors-45amp-bonded
◾*Lever Nuts:* amzn.to/3RSyp3i
◾*L-Track Hardware:* amzn.to/3jWDniT
◾*11x11x11" Cloth Bins:* amzn.to/3If5lzP
◾*Solderless LED Connectors:* amzn.to/40Jhl3X
You make it look so easy. Love your videos. So professional looking! Thank you
Your videos are so well done showing and explaining each step. That is such a clean, chill look. I did a similar red LED floor edge. It's for a during the night low glow when my wife or I get up for a bio break :).
Excellent build. This almost exactly matches my own thoughts on overhead cabinets but I never considered the benefits of the L-Track!
This looks AMAZING!
Another Great Video!
Ideas for future: Now about scanners, common tools to have on a trip, how to go about trouble shooting engine codes.
Good Idea! I'll see what I can do! Thanks for watching. 🙂😁
Many thanks! I checked out the plans and that will be SO helpful once I’m ready. You guys rock!
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Lovely job. Nice, simple, light solution.
Thank you! Cheers!
Congratulations, beautiful job.
Thank you! Cheers!
Great job
Yes nice job,. Thank you for the info I am rebuilding my kitchen an bathroom in my small1890 stone cottage in southern Ireland, an nothing is square. Very little room so making all my cabinets, modern stuff is just too big. You both have a great year an thanks for the videos always something of use. God Bless. M
Nice! Sounds like an awesome project! Thanks for tuning in!
What size are the baskets/ containers in the upper shelves. Thank you for your help?
Love it! Lightweight and strong (enough). The ones I built in my van I did in a more traditional way and with doors. Way to heavy and its internal structure even steal space that I could have used for storage...and I still have those boxes too 😁 well, you live and learn. If there is ever a nuclear war, I know were to hide...
As always so fun to watch . Well Done ! PRO WORK !
Thank you so much 👍
You wernt getting sag from those cabinets? 1/4” plywood seems pretty thin
Not with the 1/2" faces on the front and the aluminum angle on the back.
Simplicity with functionality and pleasing to the eyes.
Hey, Tim Dunmyer! I appreciate that. Thanks for watching! 🙂😀
Ive loved these series of videos - Apologies if it's been asked already. But no mention of a bed or sleeping arrangements?
Coming soon! Stay tuned.
love to know how you got the end panels to contour the van
Which 'end panels' are you talking about. The wall panels?
@@EXPLORISTlife as you are facing the cabinets, the side panels to the left and right that can be seen
Gotcha. We didn't actually 'contour' them. They have an angle on them; but the 'top' and 'back' of them are indeed scribed to fit & keep them plumb & square with the floor.
A bunch of cardbord test pieces to make those.
@@EXPLORISTlife like it, saves making hidden parts tidy. Looking to do something similar
I am missing something. I don't understand where the anderson power poles go. How do the wagos correspond to anderson?
Question about this setup: Won't the cloth storage cubes fall off when driving bumpy roads? Is there anything keeping the cubes in place? I like the idea but not sure how secure these are when driving bumpy roads. Thank you.
That's not an issue, no. There's a 2"(ish) lip on the front bottom of the cabinets that keeps them in place.
@@EXPLORISTlife oh I see, thank you for the response!
Nice job
Thanks!
Very nice 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Videos are very well explained. The only thing is...some of us don't have all the tools or a nice work shop 😅😅😅
Workshop isn't necessary. And I didn't use any tools that the average DIYer won't have (for example: no cnc machines, plasma Cutters, welders, 3d printers, etc). Just basic hand and power tools.
Do you have a link for the solderless led connectors. Another great video
Yep! Added it to the parts list in the pinned comment. 👍🙂
Thanks for video, Do you have a link for the strip lights, connectors and tracks you used in the cabinets?
@@Joe-zh2gv Yep! All of that is in the pinned comment.
Nice clean design that produced a lot of storage. Question on did you finish the back / inside of the cabinet on the pop rivets row? They looked to be protruding about 1/4".
They are still protruding. Since the wall angles so much, the canvas totes don't even tough them, so I didn't feel it was worth the effort to trim them off or anything.
Hi there, i see you have chosen anderson connectors. (Am i spelling this correctly?) I remember you asked your viewers what they think the cabinet lights should be connected. So for the sake of discussion, and off course considerations for my future next build; What made you choose to use these 12 volt light connections?
What would be another connector you'd be considering instead of Anderson connectors?
@@EXPLORISTlife good question. Im not saying these Anderson connection are wrong. Not at all.
I believed you wanted something modular, for the overhead cabinets, if im not mistaken. I believe what I understood was, you wanted to build several different storage modules, that could be interchangeable for certain needs. And i believed you where asking what kind of connection your viewers would consider. Is my memory correct in this?
Anyway I suggested the possibility of using wireless smartphones chargers for the connection. But never got the chance anymore to see for myself, if this would work. (Overload on work, family life etc) So i was wondering what your consideration would be, using these type of connections. Its just my curiosity for my next possible build in the future.
Im still gonna try to make wireless connection, and see if there is any extra use of electricity consumption….. When i have time on hands again.
The reason for this, is to see, if it’s possible to make (reading lights, spot lights) that i can use throughout the van, on several places, without having to install so many lights and switches. In other words; will i save on wires, switches etc. And will this make my future build any easier? Or the same amount of headache?
Anyway thanks for responding
Cheers
Ah, yes. I see/remember. So, when I looked at that... I just simply couldn't find a good source of products to make that work and have faith it would be reliable. That and wireless charging is such a low amperage, that it would limit my circuits quite a bit. It would probably work for some LED strip lights, but if I wanted to add USB chargers to the cabinets (or whatever), that would be too much to pull from wireless charging. I'm excited to see what the future of wireless charging does, but I don't think now is the right time for what I'm trying to do with it. Great idea, though, and I definitely think you should play around with it, at the very least on a benchtop test of some kind.
how do you attached the cabinets to the van if you dont have L track
You'll just have to get creative/crafty there. Bolts/nuts/washers/rivnuts or something through the metal of the van. We installed L-Track in the spirit of planning ahead for these videos specifically. Here is the video where we installed our L-Track if you want to go that route: th-cam.com/video/cf2BjQxMKDI/w-d-xo.html
Looks nice. I’ve enjoyed watching this van build, and appreciate your step-by-step narrative. I must say though, everything up this point has been extremely high quality. Those upper cabinets look nice, but I’d be concerned about the durability. Since you used 80/20 for the battery enclosure, I assumed you would have used it again for the uppers. I get it that stuff isn’t cheap. Using 1/4” ply for the base with only glue and brad nails really limits what you can store up there. I guess you should have the weigh down low anyway. Not trying to troll, but would like to see an update after you’ve driven awhile to see how they hold up.
Durability shouldn't be an issue. 8020 is much heavier than it looks and for the lightweight items we will be storing up there (clothes, food, etc), the 1/2 ply secured every ~3ft will be plenty strong. If you are trying to make your upper cabinets double as a pull-up bar or something, you'll definitely want something stronger, but that's not what we are using it for.
For the 1/4" ply and brad nails... The brad nails simply hold the panel in place until the glue could dry. Once wood glue dries, the wood around the glue will typically fail before the actual joint does, so that's a non-issue. Also... The rear of the 1/4" ply is secured along the bottom length with 2"x2" aluminum angle that's bolted directly to the wall. so there is no way that could fall off. The front, in addition to the glued joint, is also held in with the screws that are holding the light track to the panel.
It's plenty secure. It's more secure than the way we built our cabinets in our old sprinter that we lived in fulll-time for nearly 4 years.
What brand of 12v LED Strips did you go with? Pretty reliable?
The lights we used are in the parts list in the pinned comment.
As far as reliability... we've had them on for a total of an hour and a half or so, and so far so good. 🤷♂️🤣
Lightweight, removable, functional and no struts! Exactly the kind of cabinets you go for after doing van builds a couple of times. The simpler the better.
Emphasized: No Struts. 🤣😂
Thank you for another amazing video! It left me with one question. is there any specific reason why the cabinets side walls are cut on such a angle that leaves so much space in between the back and upper wall? What is the purpose of that space?
Also, congratulations on 200k subscribers!! And many more to come, because you guys doing a fantastic job! :)
Aesthetics, mainly. Just thought it looked neat.
@@EXPLORISTlife
Got it! Thank you 😊
It also helps to accommodate the curved corners of most vans, so (personally I find) it's practical too.
@@JustinShaedo That makes perfect sense.
It's pretty! But those L tracks, aren't they a waste? most people just bolt the cabinets into the van, or to some wood framing. we are not going to move them around anyways. So gain, this is super tidy and pleasure to watch, but I guess not the most economical solution.
They aren't a waste, no. We wanted to be able to have rock solid attachment points throughout the van for whatever we wanted to attach, and these do exactly that with no guess-work and no arbitrarily lag screwing stuff to "the van", whatever that means.
Plus... if I had just randomly screwed things to the wall, you'd probably be here roasting me for it not being sturdy enough. 🤷♂️😂
I like the light wood color rather than all white etc.
Thanks! Us too. Going for the 'birch and black' look. Need to paint those window shades and maxxair fan shroud, though. 🤣😂
Hi
I like your stuff...and you should wear dust masks.
We wear whatever appropriate PPE we feel necessary for the task at hand. Feel free to use a dust mask whenever YOU like, though.
@@EXPLORISTlife Fair enough. No offense intended. I've worked in construction and fabrication shops for the past 30 years and the cumulative effects of dust and noise on one's body can certainly become noticeable over time. Anyway, thanks for posting all the amazing content. It's been super helpful in my van build and I really enjoy your projects and videos.
Uh oh! Wood split @1:40
You aren't woodworking if you aren't splitting wood. 🤷♂️🤣 A bit of glue and a clamp and we are good to go again.
@@EXPLORISTlife just bustin your chops! Seriously appreciate all your content. Has helped me build me trailers for our small business.
Awesome! Glad it helped! Thanks for watching.
H
I don’t mean to be a negative Nancy, but your table saw techniques made me cringe. Please get a little coaching from a pro.
Don’t operate the saw from the side. Keep the blade further than arms length away for as long as possible. Hold the material FIRMLY from the end. Don’t use the fence if the material is wider than it’s length. Expose only 1/4” of the blade above material. Alway use a riving knife when possible.
The table saw is probably the most dangerous tool commonly used. That said, you need you operate it properly but confidently.
It amazes me that federal law requires all table saws ship with a blade guard but no instructions on proper table saw technique.
Hey there OSHA Oscar! If my table saw technique is the biggest thing that is bothering you today, I'm happy for you. My table saw usage doesn't even crack the top 20 most dangerous things I do on a day to day basis. Thanks for watching, but you can keep your safety tips to yourself going forward as they will always fall on deaf ears.
@@EXPLORISTlife that’s a strange reply? I just gave you a few tips on how to keep your fingers attached to your hand? Did someone piss in your Your Corn Flakes this morning? Best of luck to you.
I mean, it's the same reply I'd give you in real life if some random person were to walk into my shop and start giving me safety tips. 🤣😂 Y'all expect me to reply differently on the internet vs real life? You gave me an unsolicited safety tip and I gave you an unsolicited tip to keep it to yourself. We are even as far as I'm concerned. 🤣👍 Tell me I'm doing something wrong and then get all offended when I defend myself. Give me a break.