Rear canopy for sprinter barn doors
- Thread starter Gedhols
- Start date
Hi All,
I'm making progress and want to share some pictures of the latest prototype to get your feedback. This version is made from 1/4 diamond coated ripstop nylon. Cheaper but not as water and UV resistant as the previous polyester used in the prior prototype.
Door cover:
Privacy curtain:
Privacy extended:
Still a lot a refinement to do and I'm continuing to work on that now. Looking forward to your initial thoughts and reactions.
Thanks,
Pat
I'm making progress and want to share some pictures of the latest prototype to get your feedback. This version is made from 1/4 diamond coated ripstop nylon. Cheaper but not as water and UV resistant as the previous polyester used in the prior prototype.
Door cover:
Privacy curtain:
Privacy extended:
Still a lot a refinement to do and I'm continuing to work on that now. Looking forward to your initial thoughts and reactions.
Thanks,
Pat
D
Deleted member 86082
Guest
Hi Pat
This looks great so far!! I'd like to see a zippered flap as a window with bug mesh so we can see outside from the bed.
Joe
This looks great so far!! I'd like to see a zippered flap as a window with bug mesh so we can see outside from the bed.
Joe
AdventureAwaits
New member
That would be cool! Hell, this latest prototype looks good enough for me to buy. I love the makeshift support pole.
Sent from my KFSUWI using Tapatalk
ForWorkAndPlay
2008 144 OBERAIGNER 4x4
This is awesome! Also very interested in one when they become available!vtsoundman
Member
Looks awesome. Low roof 144 is our van...will this work on it?
Would love a large mesh window in it for ventilation...love the idea of the rear flap. Poles can be had from lots of places...
this is the best place on the net to get tent and tent like supplies.
http://www.questoutfitters.com/tent_poles.htm
We'd be in for a rear unit...
Would love a large mesh window in it for ventilation...love the idea of the rear flap. Poles can be had from lots of places...
this is the best place on the net to get tent and tent like supplies.
http://www.questoutfitters.com/tent_poles.htm
We'd be in for a rear unit...
marshroger@hotmail.com
2006,2500,118, Passenger
I'm interested! 2006 T1N 118
jcmadeintheshade@gmail.com
Well-known member
If a slide out bed could be incorporated, imagine the interior room that would be usable when camping.
Nice work with door canopy. I assume the doors have a bar or something to keep them in that position. Thanks for bringing something out that all can find useful. The over the top cover hopefully seals out any water leakage with the roofs somewhat corrugated seams. The devil is in the details, and your solution looks like the best to come along.
Nice work with door canopy. I assume the doors have a bar or something to keep them in that position. Thanks for bringing something out that all can find useful. The over the top cover hopefully seals out any water leakage with the roofs somewhat corrugated seams. The devil is in the details, and your solution looks like the best to come along.
ForWorkAndPlay
2008 144 OBERAIGNER 4x4
Hi All - Thanks for the good feedback and additional ideas. Quick thoughts:
Privacy mode window - Cool idea, never occurred to me. Just to be clear this version isn't bug tight. So if you are sleeping with the rear doors open and the privacy screen hanging down bugs will still find their way in - so it might just be easier to pull the privacy screen to the side or leave in awning mode? Or perhaps it is just a feeling of having some privacy that is most important as the mesh window would give some view and also restrict the view into the van? I worry a little bit about the window leaking in awning mode in the rain. I'll keep thinking about this.
Fit for different van models - I've looked at factory spec dimensions for Sprinter, Transit, and Ram models and varying roof heights. I think this version could fit on most of the variants but I've only tested it on the NCV3 van so far. At worst it would require some minor modifications...I hope. Just need time with the other models to be sure.
Keeping doors open - I initially had a set of poles with rubber tips at each end that I put between the open doors near the top. I stopped using it as the doors have been holding themselves open just using the full open detent built into the door hinge. The current design doesn't put much tension in the closing direction - I've had it up on a windy day and was surprised the doors stayed open. I'm going to prototype some other door opening options that are easier to install just in case it turns out they are needed.
Slide out bed - I really like the space optimization potential...super creative. If the back doors are open to move the bed "outside" of the main van body the bug issue mentioned above may be a consideration - so keeping the ability to shut the doors and still have sleeping space might be something to consider in your design process.
Perce- Can you say more about needing access to the rear? Is there a specific feature you'd like to see?
Thanks everyone for helping refine the design.
Pat
Privacy mode window - Cool idea, never occurred to me. Just to be clear this version isn't bug tight. So if you are sleeping with the rear doors open and the privacy screen hanging down bugs will still find their way in - so it might just be easier to pull the privacy screen to the side or leave in awning mode? Or perhaps it is just a feeling of having some privacy that is most important as the mesh window would give some view and also restrict the view into the van? I worry a little bit about the window leaking in awning mode in the rain. I'll keep thinking about this.
Fit for different van models - I've looked at factory spec dimensions for Sprinter, Transit, and Ram models and varying roof heights. I think this version could fit on most of the variants but I've only tested it on the NCV3 van so far. At worst it would require some minor modifications...I hope. Just need time with the other models to be sure.
Keeping doors open - I initially had a set of poles with rubber tips at each end that I put between the open doors near the top. I stopped using it as the doors have been holding themselves open just using the full open detent built into the door hinge. The current design doesn't put much tension in the closing direction - I've had it up on a windy day and was surprised the doors stayed open. I'm going to prototype some other door opening options that are easier to install just in case it turns out they are needed.
Slide out bed - I really like the space optimization potential...super creative. If the back doors are open to move the bed "outside" of the main van body the bug issue mentioned above may be a consideration - so keeping the ability to shut the doors and still have sleeping space might be something to consider in your design process.
Perce- Can you say more about needing access to the rear? Is there a specific feature you'd like to see?
Thanks everyone for helping refine the design.
Pat
jcmadeintheshade - Your question on sealing out water is a good one. It was design goal #1. The roof corrugation stops at the rear body seam and that is where the first prototype sealed across the flat-ish surface to the rear of that seam. We tested it with a water hose spraying all the likely leak points and it did a good job keeping out the water. The current prototype extends a little too far over the roof corrugation so I will likely shorten the next version to be a bit closer to the original design.
Thanks,
Pat
Thanks,
Pat
DesertAdventures
Member
Well done! I'd be interested also.
AdventureAwaits
New member
Yeah, this is the best looking option I've been able to find. NCV3, and very interested. Do you have any ballpark guess on pricing and timing?
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G'day Pat, my plan is to have a fold out floor at the rear when the doors are open to accomodate a shower and portable toilet. Having a zipper door or flap to access from the rear would be handy.
Regards Perce
Beautiful prototypes, TPLennon. I am also someone who has crafted a number of similarly-themed products for my Sprinter (do an image search for #vansizedsewing and many of the images are mine, although some of my key items are missing).
Herein lies the rub: this stuff is extremely labor-intensive, both on the front end (design) and on the back end (production). People need to get paid for their labor, or else it must be a labor of love that they are doing for themselves. There's no doubt in my mind that people want these products - but would they pay once they find out what a fair price is? Be careful of that. There are reasons why these types of products are not already on the market. I'm not saying those barriers are insurmountable, just saying that they are there.
Here's a picture of my largest project to date. Anyone can produce a no-see-um outdoor room, but mine packs down to the size of a small sweater, and has a neodymium magnet front closure, and it's the only one I've seen for which those claims can be made. But the TIME I put into this...? OMG. It's difficult for me to imagine how I could ever produce and sell such a thing. It would have to be through third-world labor rates realizing economies of scale, to be viable.
Herein lies the rub: this stuff is extremely labor-intensive, both on the front end (design) and on the back end (production). People need to get paid for their labor, or else it must be a labor of love that they are doing for themselves. There's no doubt in my mind that people want these products - but would they pay once they find out what a fair price is? Be careful of that. There are reasons why these types of products are not already on the market. I'm not saying those barriers are insurmountable, just saying that they are there.
Here's a picture of my largest project to date. Anyone can produce a no-see-um outdoor room, but mine packs down to the size of a small sweater, and has a neodymium magnet front closure, and it's the only one I've seen for which those claims can be made. But the TIME I put into this...? OMG. It's difficult for me to imagine how I could ever produce and sell such a thing. It would have to be through third-world labor rates realizing economies of scale, to be viable.
I have just started looking for something like this, great work. I would want something that zippered providing access but privacy. This would make a great shower or privacy sleeping/change room. Like a tent sort of with windows that would zip down to allow screening and therefore breeze- these would be on my wish list! I like that yours goes all the way to the ground vs 1-2 ft off the ground like the 2nd post in this thread. This is what I was referring to...
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