Using 80/20

[SantiagoPM]

Re: Using 80/20 More pics of my 10-series build

Yes! I have multiple vents using Penn Elcom vented recessed dishes. I also have some hidden passive vents.

Ok, I knew I would need to deal with this sooner or later due to lithium's acting like humans and not liking hot or cold.

Won't dwell on it now as yes this is an 8020 thread but glad you brought this to the forefront. When I return from our vacation in May, I will be up at Electric Car Parts Co in Alameda CA likely ordering a Prismatic cell battery pack with either their BMS or Elite Power's BMS - 300 Ah.

Thanks for the heads up. Will drop battery talk now.

Santiago

 

[highsierrabear]

Re: Using 80/20- my final cabinets with 10-series.

Okay- two more sets of pics. These are of the loveseat that I put in front of the sliding door.

Because everything in the van needs to have at least two functions, this also double as storage, and/or portapotty cabinet. The love seat is 42" long x 24" deep and makes for a pretty nice seat for two.

We got online prices for custom cushions at about $600. Then local prices for over $900. Finally I found these stripey outdoor furniture cushions for $13/each and had velcro strips sewn onto them for $80. Each of the cushions has two strips of velco on the back and they are rock solid on the bench.

The bench seats are hinged. with hidden hinges and magnetic latches. Like the recessed panels, I lined the bottom of the seats with adhesive felt to prevent rattling or squeaking while driving. They are silent!

Of note is the rear storage compartment on the loveseat. This will serve double duty as our portapotty storage for long trips. In order to make it easy to install/remove, I designed a cool latching recessed panel and beefed up the supports on the front. The panel slides out so that I can slide out the porta potty easily.

 

[highsierrabear]

Details on the removable panel for portapotty storage.

Also some pics of the Lagun Table mount for the love seat. Brilliant design!

I built a folding table so that two people can eat or use laptops in the can. Pivots completely and folds to half size. Stows away in front of the loveseat. (Very similar to GeorgeRa's great design).

 

[Sdavis]

Is that table mechanism a single piece? Mounted to floor, or mounted to side of cabinet? I've thought about looking for a table mount that functions like the ones on commercial aircraft--flip up, fold out.

 

[highsierrabear]

Re: Using 80/20 My final 10-series cabinet built.

Ack! The fridge cabinet pics didn't show up. second attempt.

Around the fridge itself, I added extra Polyiso foam insulation everywhere I could fit it. Managed to get 1" of additional foam on 4 sides of it (cut away around the compressor of course). I also added additional ventilation into the cabinet for good air flow from the fridge compressor.

 

[highsierrabear]

Last set-

In order to save weight, I ordered birch butcher block countertops from allwoodoutlet.com. I ordered 5/4 dimension so actual thickness is 1". They were fairly inexpensive for custom cut countertops (about $200 for two of them). They are also significantly lighter than MDF formica counters.

All of these pics are really just to show what I did with 10-series 8020. I'm totally satisfied with the strength of the cabinets. They do have the capacity for more flex than 15-series, but I added extra bracing and supports throughout. I also don't have any long unsupported spans in my cabinets. The longest unsupported span in my entire cabinet build is roughly 22".

 

[highsierrabear]

Is that table mechanism a single piece? Mounted to floor, or mounted to side of cabinet? I've thought about looking for a table mount that functions like the ones on commercial aircraft--flip up, fold out.

It is three pieces plus a mounting bracket. Search GeorgeRa's build for more pics, or google Lagun Table mount. Sold by Marine Teak in the UK. You can also buy on Amazon for about $80 more than buying direct from them.

I built an 18"x38" folding table. The hinged piece is slightly offset. to clear the driver's seat and span the length of my loveseat. It's not for table dancing, but is strong enough to accomodate two for dinner. I used some sliding drop leaf table supports from Rockler to help with supporting the cantilevered base (Amazon Prime!). Really happy with the table so far. I made it with 1/2" birch plywood to save weight. The birch may be a little light, but I will run with for a while and increase to 3/4" if necessary.

I used "sewing machine hinges" for the folding top.

 

[Graphite Dave]

I do plan on bolting one unit as well. Dave, your floor frame, do you mean the plywood floor that in turn is attached to the steel floor OR is there something else ?

The plywood floor is bolted to the van, There is a 80/20 frame bolted to the plywood. The plywood acts as the thermal isolation. The floor frame has two exrusions that run the length of the van floor and have four cross extrusions. Between the extrusions there is layered floor. Bottom layer is 1" polyiso then a 1/16" layer of fiberglass shower wall material and top layer is 3/8" gym mat, zzzboth the polyiso and the gym mat were oversize so middle layer is thinner.

 

[dttocs]

The AutoCAD and it's family of support systems is wonderful. Cost per seat is frightening to a DIYer. Having said that, never say never as later in retirement after all bottled up fun projects get done, I might just bite the bullet as I love that technology. Done that sort of thing in the past so not like out of character behavior.

Fusion 360 is very capable 3D CAD and pretty accessible for a beginner. It's also free for hobbyist use. I drew up this Sliding solar panel design having no CAD experience since playing with AutoCAD 30 years ago. I've also used it to build CAM models for CNC routing, again coming from no experience with either. For my 80/20 cabinets, I've mostly been building directly rather than using CAD, mainly so I can feel like I'm accomplishing something - I already spend too much time in front of a computer. I'm not doing anything too sophisticated yet though.

 

[ThomD]

Sketchup for me. Used mostly to visualize, not get precise measurements. 8020 profiles are available as objects for most CAD software.

 

[Davydd]

Sketchup for me. Used mostly to visualize, not get precise measurements. 8020 profiles are available as objects for most CAD software.

I use 3D Sketchup to visualize and for complete drawings. It is very precise if you want to take the time. I find it the easiest and most intuitive to use 3D software and you can get into it and use it for free. I just checked their 3D Warehouse of 80/20 components and there are 122 files just searching "80/20."

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/search/?q=80/20&searchTab=model

That precise work has already been done from many contributors. Some good and some not. You just have to examine and judge for yourself. That is especially true with the many MB Sprinter models that can be found.

A search on "Sprinter Van" gets you currently 91 files.

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/search/?q=Sprinter Van&searchTab=model

I am currently modeling my next RV. I've pretty much decided that I will build my own 3D Sprinter model instead of using these but have borrowed many individual elements to use in my model for the interior components. You can download them and modify them to suit your needs.

 

[SantiagoPM]

Fusion 360 is very capable 3D CAD and pretty accessible for a beginner. It's also free for hobbyist use.

Hi, free for hobbyist ? Maybe that policy changed ?
I see free 30 day trial, free student use for 3 years but no hobbyist people.
I have a kid in college, wonder if that would "transfer" to me ?

Otherwise, the site said Fusion 360 is like $40/month. Too bad as its an AutoCAD product and they are well known.

Thanks

Santiago

 

[SantiagoPM]

Sketchup for me. Used mostly to visualize, not get precise measurements. 8020 profiles are available as objects for most CAD software.

Hi, I like Sketchup Make too, powerful and free. Like you, its good to visualize but no 2D like I am used to. I know the $600+ Pro has it.

So glad to see you report that there are 8020 objects available. Will look them up. Thanks.

Santiago

 

[GeorgeRa]

Re: Using 80/20- pics of my final 8020 cabinets using 10-series.

I just wanted to upload a few pics of my final 8020 cabinets using 10-series framing. I think they turned out really nice, despite a modern Ikea sort of look.

Attached are pics of the battery box. I'm running 2X 100ah BattleBorn LiFePo batteries over the driver's side wheel well, with a 45amp Lithium shore power charger, fuse blocks, Victron MPPT, main switches, and a Blue Sea AC distribution panel.

Lots of stuff packed into a small space.

Looks very good. I format my pictures up to 0.5MB and 900 pixels on the longer side for this forum. I don't know if you have this option on your i-phone? It would be nice to see more details.

 

[GeorgeRa]

Using CAD in its full scope of benefits is a direct data transfer to manufacturing systems.
CAD > computer-based manufacturing > product. I used Turbo CAD to provide data to the 80/20 factory for machining and for CNC-ing HDPE parts. I had no issues related to bad parts, wrong dimensions etc.

Additional benefit is a complete documentation. Recently I installed the Lagun table on the galley’s wall, had to add some inner braces but did not have to make any measurements, designed the braces using my documentation and send it for machining to the 80/20 shop.

 

[SantiagoPM]

Using CAD in its full scope of benefits is a direct data transfer to manufacturing systems.
CAD > computer-based manufacturing > product. I used Turbo CAD to provide data to the 80/20 factory for machining and for CNC-ing HDPE parts. I had no issues related to bad parts, wrong dimensions etc.

Additional benefit is a complete documentation. Recently I installed the Lagun table on the galley’s wall, had to add some inner braces but did not have to make any measurements, designed the braces using my documentation and send it for machining to the 80/20 shop.

You know George, you are 100% correct and I wish more young people would consider the trades, which now includes CAD manufacturing, verses other educational foo fooie pursuits.

You are preaching to the choir here, the Sprinter forum that is. That's why I am here.

Thank you once again.

Santiago

 

[Davydd]

Hi, I like Sketchup Make too, powerful and free. Like you, its good to visualize but no 2D like I am used to. I know the $600+ Pro has it.

So glad to see you report that there are 8020 objects available. Will look them up. Thanks.

Santiago

Yes the Sketchup Pro software has Layout a 2D application which I never used as it is at most presentation quality as I understand it. But the Pro app has other things I need such as printing, export and import. For 2D I like PowerCADD on the Mac by Engineered Software, http://www.engsw.com as the best WYSIWYG CAD application available, IMO. A cheaper 2D Cad software is MacDraft very much in the WYSIWYG mode like drafting on paper but it lacks a lot. However, I was able to convey 2D drawings with MacDraft for my customized Advanced RV.

I upgraded to Sketchup Pro on Cyber Monday after Thanksgiving when they had a sale of $499 instead of their normal $695. I anticipated this and waited a long time to buy it.

 

[SantiagoPM]

For 2D I like PowerCADD on the Mac by Engineered Software, http://www.engsw.com as the best WYSIWYG CAD application available, IMO. A cheaper 2D Cad software is MacDraft

Thanks Davydd.

Both PowerCADD and MacDraft are Apple only.

There are others I will "interview" with their 30 day trial. Unfortunately, am leaving for South America in six days so will wait till I get back in May to start a trial.

Meantime, am liking SketchUp Make more and more, knowing its limitations. Should it be good enough, I don't mind getting the Pro version once I go through the 30 day trail to make sure I like it.

I noticed SketchUp is pushing a web version. That's a deal breaker. I have a downloaded version but think sooner or later they will all be on line. I won't go there, everything I have I own and runs on my desktop.

Santiago

 

[Graphite Dave]

Interview GeneralCadd, You can download a ful copy to test. Can not print with test copy. I also have Autocad but could never figure it out and find it illogical. GeneralCadd uses simple logical two letter commands.

 

[SantiagoPM]

Interview GeneralCadd, You can download a ful copy to test. Can not print with test copy. I also have Autocad but could never figure it out and find it illogical. GeneralCadd uses simple logical two letter commands.

Thanks David, looking into it now. I know its history and being offspring of GenericCadd basically DOS based. That is s good thing as DOS is efficient. I wrote huge C applications in DOS shortly after introduction in the early 1980s through early 1990s. Loved it !

Will see how GeneralCADD behaves in Win 10 on a very high resolution monitor. Overall I like what I see. Thanks

Santiago