I Built the Ultimate NO WELD Aluminum Camper in my Garage for $3500

[@ivanleelivingston4902]

Been camping for 50 years and I went to the Toronto Sportsman show. I walked into a $ 135,000 Road Trek camper van. Then I went home and called the CEO to say this. " It , looks like none of your designers have ever been camping in thier life ! The use of space makes me think that someone got a real deal on HEAVY ,....chip board real cheap and then they tried to cram it all into the camper. Lately on the net I see people with brains creating campers and trailers and camper vans that actually have flow and durability.

[@danbailey96]

@@ivanleelivingston4902 I actually prefer a van...I built my first one in 1976 which ruined it for my carpentry business so I bought a one ton van ..welp a couple years later I built it out....we were a family of four the kids were still young but we had plenty of room

[@stevewalcott9546]

Just saw this, looks great! I love how it’s built solid yet lightweight. Commercially built campers are much too expensive imo.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you!

[@abhu1420]

Good job nice camper.

[@The93ssfd]

What a wonderful job!! Obviously you are very pleased with the outcome, and you should be! Congratulations!

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you! 🙏

[@rodneysmith2360]

Wonderful build. I, too, am concerned/conscious about the weight of truck campers. Your build intrigued me because I am not a welder. However, I do want to build an aluminum camper. DIY is the way to go. Thank you for this vlog. I'm inspired! I got time, a garage.......

[@Leon-lp9fl]

One week record! 😊.Very smart and skill full. Must have taken some engineering skill and time to plot every thing. Supply company over there..., very smart cutting all and the rounded corners. Impressive. Thank you. (SA)

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you so much! Cheers

[@kennethkilpatrick3758]

Reminds me of a Moonlander but better. And I really like what they do.

[@samjett3157]

This exactly what i was thinking as I have been considering a Moonlander for my truck. This is very doable imo opinion and at a fraction on the ML cost. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thanks! Definitely inspired by their product

[@upstatecre8]

I love what you did with this project! I really enjoyed seeing how you used your space. I just moved to South Carolina from the San Diego area. I can't help but to wonder if the coastal spots were North County coastal areas and Borrego? I'll be watching this again for inspiration. Thanks for posting.

[@racebanning6390]

Well Done!! Shells are Best because you do not lose Floor space. + the excessive lower weight of an enclosed camper. My Callen Camper is steel frame , but a Shell with barn doors + 1 inch insulation walls. Been in -10 in it on my Land. 👍👍🇺🇲🇺🇲🏁🏁🔧🔧🛠️🛠️

[@DerUnbbekante]

A very nice project for sure! It turned out great.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you very much!

[@user-sc6zh3uk9b]

Very nice I have a 2001 4 wheel drive gmc and you just have given me a idea what to do with it. Hope to see more pictures of it.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Love to hear it, good luck with your project!

[@dennisl1059]

steel suppliers usually have prefinished white aluminum sheets used for semi trailers and may have leftover cut sheets that they sell by the pound.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Good idea

[@AriePharmD]

Great build! You could charge to design (CAD) for others.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@markleonard4062]

I would definitely pay for a CAD design so that I could build one.

[@brandondone2888]

Thank you for sharing this video. Wonderful job on the camper.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you 🙏

[@coryshook7648]

Im impressed!

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you!

[@emilflognoid1532]

That's rad dude!! I'm jealous

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you, much appreciated 🙏

[@JIgginCrappie]

My only question would be why not make the door big enough to walk in?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

@@JIgginCrappie I made the camper lower height to accommodate the trails I take the truck on. Tried to make the happy medium between spacious yet not too big and heavy. This was my compromise. Of course taller and full size door would be nice! But this is where I landed at and I'm happy with it

[@ourspanishadventures]

Nice build. Enjoy

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thanks 👍

[@chrisbone237]

Super cool!

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thanks brotha!

[@markleonard4062]

What an incredibly cool build, especially that it is designed for your needs. I'm curious if you're getting any dust intrusion? Some of this question goes to how you mated the rear section on and how it mates/seals where the tailgate was. I'd love to get your insight here.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you! So I actually sealed in all the cracks and gaps with silicone! I don't get any dust intrusion with everything sealed in tight

[@Thekoffrekup]

I don’t know anything about construction and I wanna go this route. I’m concerned that rivets aren’t strong enough for constant highway winds. I may be wrong, I don’t know. Do you have more construction photos you are willing to share? On the smaller (shorter) joints do you still use double rivets per side, so 4 total? Did you find drilling the holes hard and time consuming? Perhaps a second video in depth? I think people really like your idea and wanna see that part. Thanks

[@markleonard4062]

Yes, another video with a few more details would be great. Including design tips. Most of us don't have access to a CAD program. How to circumvent?

[@This-ones-on-her]

Riveting an aluminum frame with square tubing can be a viable option for a truck camper, provided that it is done correctly and with appropriate materials. Here are some key considerations: Material Strength: Ensure that the aluminum used is of sufficient strength and quality to handle the stresses and vibrations from road travel. Aluminum alloys like 6061 or 5052 are commonly used for structural applications. Rivet Type and Placement: Use high-quality, load-bearing rivets, such as aircraft-grade blind rivets, which are designed to handle vibrations. Rivet spacing and placement should be carefully planned to distribute the load evenly and prevent stress concentrations. Square Tubing Size and Thickness: The size and wall thickness of the square tubing should be adequate to support the camper's weight and withstand dynamic loads. Thicker walls provide better resistance to bending and deformation. Joint Design: Proper joint design is crucial. Overlapping joints with multiple rivets can provide increased strength. Additionally, reinforcing plates or gussets at critical joints can enhance structural integrity. Corrosion Protection: Aluminum is prone to galvanic corrosion, especially when in contact with other metals. Use proper sealing techniques and consider using a corrosion-resistant coating or anodizing the aluminum. Load Considerations: Assess the overall load that the frame will carry, including the camper’s weight, contents, and any dynamic loads from road vibrations and impacts. This will help in designing a frame that can handle the stresses without failing. Testing: After assembly, it's advisable to perform load testing and vibration testing to ensure that the frame holds up under real-world conditions. If you ensure these factors are addressed, a riveted aluminum frame with square tubing can be a strong and durable option for a truck camper.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

So far 8 months in, I have no issues! Seems very strong

[@divineavengers]

so you just started getting accurate measurements of your bed then starting plugging them into fusion and got the lengths of all the bars and panels? starting to inspire me with the fairly low aluminum cost

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Yes! Basically just measured my bed extensively, then started designing. I spent a lot of time confirming the design dimensions before I moved forward

[@markleonard4062]

If you have a Ford they have online specs to aid you

[@petergulstad9644]

Wow that is a great build. I am currently in the works of designing a truck camper for my f150, I want to have an aluminum frame but I am not sure what to use for the exterior walls, how thick are your sheet aluminum walls and what alloy are they? Thanks

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you! I used .090 wall aluminum sheet. I think 6061 allow if I remember right. Best of luck with your project

[@therealryan55]

How did you seal the rear to the floor of the bed to keep dust out? And what are the dimensions of the bed (sleeping, not truck 😂) According to the Body Builder Layout for that generation, a standard F-150 is 80” wide, and it looks like you have about 2” overhang each side, so there should be room for a full bed there

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Yes full bed! I have roughly 80" wide x 79" long usable space inside of the camper to work with. That space is above the frame rails. When I designed it, I was not 100% certain whether I wanted the bed going front to back or side to side. I like having the flexibility to set it up in either direction. I plan to make more of a converting bed to allow for more usable/functional space inside

[@CMF_1]

Bed length ? As in how tall a person can sleep in this bed ? Making cut list available? Thank you in advance

[@TruckCamperCooking]

The camper is roughly 79" x 79". So I can set up a bed in either direction! Sorry not going to release a cut list for the design. Worked hard to design it all up!

[@CMF_1]

@@TruckCamperCooking fully understood, should you ever make it an item for purchase , I’ll keep an eye out. If not, I’ll watch as you go Thanks again !

[@mangravy2000]

Can you explain the reasoning for not going out over at least part of the cab if not the whole?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Less weight/material/cost/simpler design. I did not see a need to have that extra cabover! 6 months in, I have no regrets

[@jwiereng]

😀 Are you depending on the flex seal to seal up all the rivet holes?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

So I used sikaflex 221 behind every panel seam, and outside of every panel seam as well. Basically encapsulating every rivet hole. Then I have the flex seal as a top coat covering all rivets. I especially made sure to double down on this method for the roof. Will see how it holds up!

[@DaveyJordan]

What size square tube did you use and what’s the aluminum panel thickness?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

I used 1" x 1" x 0.065" wall square tube for most of it, with a few areas of 1" x 2" x 0.125" wall. Then I uses 0.090" thick aluminum sheet

[@hirschrep]

Very nice. Where did you get the aluminum? I am going to build a cab-over. I am not sure if I want to go with wood or aluminum. Wood seems a lot easier for me as I have the tools.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Thank you! If this helps in your planning, I was able to build this with (chop saw w/ metal blade, drill, impact, angle grinder, and electric rivet tool) nothing too crazy tool wise. Good luck with your build. I got the aluminum from a local steel supplier

[@paulsenecal98]

I want something exactly like this for my truck. I keep watching this video over and over again to get ideas. What is the height of the camper from the floor to the ceiling?

[@MollieJordan-n5u]

What year is your Ford that you have the camper on?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

@@MollieJordan-n5u 2014

[@MollieJordan-n5u]

@@TruckCamperCooking That's a good year! I've been searching for a truck camper that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and now that I've seen your video, I know it can be done!

[@divineavengers]

What is your steel suppliers name/location and laser cutter as well? If they are in California? Thanks.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Summit Steel

[@divineavengers]

@@TruckCamperCooking Thanks looks like I will be using the Irvine Industrial Metal Supply Co. as 1 in. x 96 in. Aluminum 0.063 in. Square Tubing is $13.32 where as lowes and home depot is $30.00 per tube but I will call Summit steel in Huntington Beach to check their prices as well. :)

[@billdeng6559]

how is it secured on the truck bed?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

It is bolted to the truck bed rails!

[@russellweber3466]

I'm curious why didn't you extend the build over the roof of the truck and have a sliding glass window in the camper matching a sliding glass back window of the truck? Your attention to the weight of the materials makes good sense. The price on slide in truck campers is insane.

[@seresamgala8125]

I'm not the builder, but let me guess ... There are probably multiple reasons: 1. building the "granny's attic" makes the camper much taller, also causing wind drag, reduced mileage and difficulty to control in crosswind areas, 2. it's probably a lot harder to build that one section (than all others), especially if it's meant to carry serious weight (humsn bodies and bedding materials), 3. instead of building that, G's A, the same areas/needs were met by building over the pickup bed's side railings, and by extending the area over past the tailgate.

[@TruckCamperCooking]

I mainly choose the design and shape to make the camper large, but not too large. In my opinion, I did not need or want the extra space of a cabover. Not having the cabover reduces the material cost, weight, and complexity of build. Not to mention a cabover requires a taller overall height. They can have benefits, but for my use case, it made sense to avoid a cabover. Thanks for the comment!

[@russellweber3466]

@@seresamgala8125 The camper is higher than the roof of the truck, extending it over the truck roof would be pretty simple and not add that much weight to the camper. Having a sliding glass window in the camper and in the back truck window would be a useful feature.

[@seresamgala8125]

@russellweber3466 you heard from the builder: it's not needed, wanted, and NOT SIMPLE, there's nothing further to say; when you build yours, you're welcome to do it your way 😁

[@russellweber3466]

@@seresamgala8125 Who in the hell are you? I use my real name on social media and have planned to build a lightweight slide in truck camper for years that will fit in an 8' foot or a 6 1/2' foot truck bed. I've looked at numerous diy videos concerning slide in truck campers and rehabbing slide in truck campers and ask questions about the projects.

[@danbailey96]

What is that a 5.5 bed or is it that long ?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

Yes 5.5 bed! I made the camper longer to allow for more interior space

[@TheJakobLott]

How did it affect your mpg?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

@@TheJakobLott MPG actually did not change too much. However if there is a headwind or strong crosswind, I do lose 4-6 mpg immediately

[@paulsenecal98]

What's the thickness of the aluminum sheets ?

[@TruckCamperCooking]

0.090"