Making our Campervan Window Frames | Transit Van Conversion E25

[@humandisorder3962]

2 years ago... And now I'm with you in Cornwall ❤

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Yup, time flies! 😛

[@normanpiper4534]

Pencil stored over the ear, a real professional!

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Haha, and even then there never seems to be one around when you need it! That and tape measures 😅

[@normm.7265]

Your videos are a real treat. When one ends, I cannot wait for the next one! Your commitment to set aright the “wonkiness” and “fiddley bits” of the process is enjoyable to observe even if you must try again to achieve your goals. I also very much enjoy your working relationship, for it reminds of another YT channel I watch called Stud Pack. This is a father and son team, who remodel homes with the same sort of commitment to excellence as you. And, like you, they also have a wonderful working relationship. Frankly, I watch Stud Pack for essentially the same reason I watch you two, and that is how encouraging to is to see father and son, as well as wife and husband, unite in a common goal while sharing an obviously genuine filial bond. God bless you as you forge ahead as creativity is a God-given impetus.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thank you once again 🙂 That's very cool, we'll have to check out some of their videos. It's fortunate that we both share the same work ethic so we can bounce ideas off each other, definitely makes it easier when there are two of you, especially in the moments where you need to backtrack. Can be frustrating at times but as long as one of us is looking forward we know we'll get there 🙂 Very happy we made the shelves flat in the end, seems really obvious now but at the time we weren't sure if it was worth the effort. Very useful place to put things now!

[@joenolan2661]

Love watching you two and your build

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers 🙂👍

[@youtubeusingatisdumb]

This is how I am going to make my windows. Greetings from the US.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cool, hope they work out well for you!

[@Vlaid65]

Great video. It’s good that you show the entire process including the brainstorming. Cheers :)

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thank you! Yeah we like to include the brainstorming and mistakes too, it's all part of it for sure. Definitely the biggest project we've ever done!

[@SelfBuiltStories]

A very belated thank you very much! 😀

[@olivetrees342]

You guys are amazing! Your commitment to solving a problem together is inspiring! If ever there is an apocalypse I want to be in your tribe. You find great solutions and do an amazing job executing them. Thank you for sharing all the details of your build, they really are helpful. I am doing my build alone and with -30% skill and experience so seeing you tackle small (yet troublesome issues) really helps me when I have to navigate the same problem. Thank you so much for creating this content.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Haha wow, thanks a lot! And no problem, we're happy to share it and it's nice if it helps people with their own builds 🙂 (even if everything takes a lot longer when you're filming it 😛). It must be tricky doing it on your own sometimes, as there's quite a few moments where having two sets of hands has been really handy for us. Hope your build is going well and you're enjoying it!

[@Nothingstutube]

I agree. I came on here to right the same sort of thing.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

@@Nothingstutube Thank you 😊

[@1davejo]

You guys are doing such a brilliant job… full credit to you both👌🏼👍🏼

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thank you so much 😀

[@diwarburton5369]

I love your attention to detail, the frames look very smart.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thank you very much 🙂

[@Macktheknife11]

Van's starting to come together now. It's looking great. 👍

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thank you!

[@kevingalloway9338]

Brilliant guys. Love how the van is coming together.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers, yeah we're really enjoying seeing it take shape now too!

[@petewarby7158]

Honestly I absolutely love these videos, entertaining and informative in equal measure. I can't wait for the next instalment

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks, we appreciate it! 🙂

[@gonefilming2020]

Always a treat watching you two go to work 😊. Convering a van is an exercise in patience. I really like the "cubbies" you manufactured and the job you did with the levelling of the shelving. And hats off to you for working on the van at these temperatures and weather conditions 🥶. But hey - you have lights! 🙃 I've taken a tape measure to the inside of our Crafter and (to no surprise): the same "custom" cutting of every piece of timber and cladding awaits us just the same. Oh well. 🙄🤷‍♂ Keep it up, stay safe and brave the weather... Best regards from "the other side" of the pond... 🚐☁🍀

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thank you! Yeah we're pretty happy with those cubbies too, we were just going to put the cladding straight up the wall at first, but with space so limited we decided to make those and think even though they're small we'll be glad to have that space, plus it breaks up the wall a bit visually too. Even if it only ends up with a plant on it, probably worth it! The cold has been a challenge for sure, and the rain the last few weeks has been relentless! Tried doing some work inside the van recently which sort of worked, but was pretty slow going, not sure how people manage to build their entire van from the inside out! Really looking forward to Spring. Plus, we're got our heater on the way too so will be pretty exciting when we get that setup, at the moment if it's bitterly cold (and not raining, so not too often 😂) we run an extension lead into the van and put on an electric heater. Makes so much difference being warm, surprisingly so to concentration as we've found. Hope that you're able to make some progress on your van soon, looking forward to the updates! 😀🚐

[@aureltanasan1413]

I was looking forward for some progress on the build, nice work.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks! 👍

[@leelindeman387]

I thought you guys hade stopped making these clips and was happy to see that there is a new one. Great job! Greatings from Sweden 😊

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks! And nope still making them, no set schedule but we're going to be filming the entire thing to the end for sure! This one was a bit delayed though... we had a power cut for a little over three days. Generator was powering the freezer which had priority over the Internet 😂

[@robertjohnson957]

Very impressive!

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers! 🙂

[@georgeshaw6207]

Superb!

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers! 🙂

[@cragrat5021]

Nice job, we found framing the windows one of the hardest jobs, I think I made one frame three time's!! Like you say 80% pondering 5% doing 15% redoing

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks, and yeah we would agree with those numbers pretty much bang on..! So much of the van would be so quick and simple if everything was already worked out and you just had to do that 5%, but that's part of the fun (most of the time) 😃

[@adventure_onthedaily9851]

I love the look of your window frames, as always the attention to detail is awesome to watch and you should be proud of how it's coming along :)

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks Erin! We are really happy with how the frames turned out. And it's funny how simple things seem at the end after all the head scratching moments that come before. We left these areas for a while as it took a long time to decide how to actually go about framing them 🙂

[@tommotomlinson3370]

Not long found you two and had to binge watch your build up to now...your attention to detail is unbelievable 👌 I'm in Devon too so I feel your weather pain 😃...love your videos guys 👍👍

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Ah thanks so much! Yeah the weather has definitely made it a lot more challenging, particularly in the last few days 😂😂 Oh well, it means some interesting film at least! But yeah, looking forward to Spring around the corner too... 😀

[@PresidentBust]

Yaayyy I was super happy to see the next progress. Excellent video guys. Delighted its all turning out sooo well

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thank you! How is your build going? 😊

[@PresidentBust]

@@SelfBuiltStories I have not made any progress at all on it. Zero. However driving a van, and on this right side of the road has been very new to me. I've got loads of practice this week and even went for my long drive to the mountains. The mall a few times and I found a diy shop near by. I just moved to Portugal quite recently so lots of setting up other things. Delighted I got more comfortable driving this beast of a van! So now I know I can go to a store n pick up supplies to start 🙂 so I'm happy with my progress. Also hosting my cold climate friends who are all suddenly visiting my warm sunny climate. If you guys ever end up in Portugal near Lisbon. Please feel free to park up at mine for a few days!

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Ah well, getting comfortable with it is still making progress! We had ours for a few months before we started building it. Its first job was helping us move house, handy having a big van! Was a little weird when we drove ours for the first time, on one of our first drives we were going down a narrow road with parked cars on either side and then a bus turned into it ahead, didn't stop, and caused a stalemate where neither of us could pass. Had to reverse the van with a queue of traffic behind and no reverse mirror, that was interesting 😂 After a while though it feels so easy to drive, the only time we really notice is now is parking. Bit tricky in the UK when all of the spaces are designed for cars pretty much! And cool, Lisbon is nice. Might end up down there for a bit at some point!

[@wayne1243]

Your doing a great job 👊👊👊

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks! 👍

[@goingmouch3753]

Good job chaps

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers 🙂

[@JohnSedgwick-z2z]

Hi, just started watching your videos today and they are superb. I can't find a video showing how you fixed the batons before you put the cladding on! I am about to start my own conversion shortly and your videos have been very informative and really inspiring. 👍

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Hey 👋 Awesome, glad they've been useful 😊 We did all the battening in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYeuhZSHraupaac, and you can always find all the build videos in order in this playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLaS9zgelfoIiMR5RWctgR_vwCkpu-h0t0 , HTH 👍🙂

[@nomadicjack]

Amazing progress and very well explained throughout your van build. Having watched hundreds of hours of conversions over the last 12 months, I’ve just come across your channel and so glad that I did. Binge watched some of your videos today and will be ‘stealing’ quite a few of your ideas from various aspects of your build. New sub and looking forward to the next video. Thank you.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

No problem, glad you've found them useful! We've benefited from lots of others videos and blogs too. Let us know what bits you steal (and which you improve) 😀

[@boyojones]

Brilliant, just Brilliant 👏 can I park my van next to yours and copy everything, and I wouldn't feel one bit ashamed for copying 😉 really though well done great team work 👍

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Haha, thanks! 😀 Unfortunately there's barely enough room to get our own van in 😁

[@boyojones]

@@SelfBuiltStories 😆 🤣

[@aminemaravalo31]

so pretty

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks 👍

[@wetchels5335]

Well done another great video :-) you are both doing an amazing job, keep up the great work its coming together really well.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers! Yeah getting the frames in made quite a bit difference to the overall look of the van, more than we thought it would! It's motivating to have that part of the walls filled in now :)

[@CliffordDive]

I've been staring at the very similar window in my Crafter conversion and had decided to do something similar - using ply around the window. My recess will be a lot smaller - I'm planning to screw the internal wall direct to the van frame without the battens.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cool, yeah it takes a bit of pondering to figure out how to tackle it 🙂 Hope it turns out well for you!

[@markarmesto]

Love your videos. Please, wear safety glasses,!!

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers :)

[@sarahfreeman3268]

Loving the window frames and switch panel boxes . You could always use one as a map or book cupboard because on your travels you might come across no internet or mobile signal or somewhere to store an emergency first aid box . Keep up the good videos . xx

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks, and good ideas 🙂 Maps is something we hadn't though of, a nice map/book area is the front runner at the moment! U

[@blackvault-unrestricted]

Greetings you two from New Zealand. Just came across your build video and I enjoy your content, The random animal farm life shots is a nice touch. That space you made you dont know what to do with is about the same size for your 100k KZbin Plaque......just a thought.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Hey! 👋 Glad you enjoy the animal shots, we like to put them in to break it up a bit from all the van building and technical bits! And nice idea, we would be very humbled to reach that level but you never know! We spent a month travelling around NZ a few years ago which was our first experience of campervan life and we loved it, so thanks to your beautiful country for inspiring us! 👍

[@mgbricksnz1200]

Looks great guys how thick is your mattress? Just an idea you should look at moving power points up higher or in the widow frame so they don’t interfere with the bedding.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers! And thanks for the comment. It's pretty thin, only 12cm so the sockets should be higher than the bed. But the mattress also doesn't go wall to wall width ways, there's a small gulley on either side so it should be ok. When our mattress is doubled up during the day it might mean reaching down a bit to use the socket, but if that gets annoying then there will be other sockets on the fridge and kitchen walls too 🙂

[@emilia1382]

Looking gd

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Cheers!

[@EllenMcDermott]

Great video thanks!! You didn’t insulate behind your cladding around your window???

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks! And yeah we did insulate around them, it's towards the end of the video at this bit: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h56xY5-La5eEh8k 😀

[@pauldawson3959]

Great build guys, I was wondering where you got your little windows from. Ideal size for my half built van

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks :) We picked them up from leisurevehiclewindows.co.uk/ and installed them in an earlier video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5_cq5t-nMuabbs).

[@chocminimuffin]

Hi, we are so stealing this idea haha!! Can i ask what size wood you have used for the window boxes please. I know you've planed it down to 16m but what width is it please. Thanks so much 😊

[@SelfBuiltStories]

No worries, the top and sides are around 12.5cm wide and the base is 14cm tapering inwards a little towards the middle of the van 👍

[@mikylahall8262]

I can’t believe y’all have that SpongeBob cup too…

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Haha, Abi's had it for years! Her lucky mug, and it seems indestructible! 😃

[@thomas4315]

Don't forget a carpet pad on the window sill cat going to be up there evety single night and all nigh long being a watch cat protecting the house hold. Well my girl does. LOL

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Haha, yeah they do like to jump up and sit in the van whenever our backs are turned! We're worried about them letting loose and scratching up all the carpet that's already in there 😂 But yeah good idea, might need to make some kind of feline friendly area somewhere 🐱

[@rettesvanlife]

Between the window and the shelf frame insert did you put any silicone or gap filler at all?

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Hiya, nope no silicone or anything like that, we just made the wooden frames and secured them in place with the angle brackets so they're easy to remove if we ever need to 👍

[@PtangPtangBiscuitBarrelSmith]

C'mon now you can drop the pretence of being amateur van builders... we have you sussed. ;-) Seriously good build to date. My one tip I have found from my own van is that ceiling lighting is just annoying when you are laid in bed. On my next build I am going to make sure I have hidden led strips that just wash the van walls or ceiling with light. And just have goose neck reading lamps over the bed.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Haha, thanks! Good point with the lights, that's one of the reasons why we made the bed and kitchen lights separate and have them all dimmable so hopefully it will be ok, but yeah good idea with the wall based lighting. We're going to have reading lamps on each side too, possibly we'll add some LED strips here and there too, haven't quite decided yet!

[@MultiPJoys]

Totally agree on the lights. I'm glad I have the light above my bed separate from the kitchen lights because now they're almost always turned off 😄 I have some cheap fairy light type of string hanging lengthwise above my bed in the corner of the ceiling/wall which have become my main lights in the bedroom 😂

[@Meatcleaver101]

buy a nibbler attachment for a drill and put bigger windows with pull out awnings

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks that's a pretty cool attachment we didn't know about, we like our small windows though!

[@Meatcleaver101]

@@SelfBuiltStories That's ok... I understand.. You guys are making it your way to give it your charm.. Regardless of what we all comment.. Enjoy the journey and how you got there and where you go from here.. Cheers.. Great work and only positive vibes being sent your way.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks 🙂

[@composedlight6850]

Hi where did you get those small slide opening windows ? thanks

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Hi, we got them from www.leisurevehiclewindows.co.uk/ and installed them in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5_cq5t-nMuabbs 👍

[@milagrosdelcarmenpimentel3575]

Me gusta que se vea la goma negra de la ventanita

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Yeah nice to be able to design it exactly as you like 👍

[@annbelcher5333]

Hi how did you slip the wood ceiling at the front please

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Hiya, do you mean how did we do the cladding on the ceiling? If so it's all in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5TVepqfd9WahKc 👍

[@Railmover]

What size wood did you use around the van ,is it 2 by 3??

[@SelfBuiltStories]

If you mean for the battening around the walls then no it's 20.5x44mm (so 1x2 nominal) 👍

[@Northern_Rockhopper]

Hi guys, what’s the shelter you’re using?

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Hey 👋 That's our awning we put up, it was supposed to be for sunshine but so far most of it's life has been as a shelter from the rain while building 😂 We have a video of putting that up here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZTCYXd8mJKeis0 👍

[@harryhimpson5663]

hey where did you get them smaller windows from

[@SelfBuiltStories]

hiya, we got all our windows from www.leisurevehiclewindows.co.uk/ 👍

[@md2320]

Do you live on a farm??? Are you planning on living full time in the van or is it just for exploring

[@SelfBuiltStories]

It's more of a small small-holding, just a few sheep and a couple of chickens 🙂 Yeah that is the plan, we want to live in it for an extended trip around Europe for a while once it's finished

[@md2320]

@@SelfBuiltStories better get a move on or swap it for a tank 👍

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Yeah, know what you mean 😓

[@lindafawcett5540]

@@SelfBuiltStories We’ve been binge watching your videos but can’t see any after the shower cubicle. We’re missing you. Are there more? Xx

[@SelfBuiltStories]

@@lindafawcett5540 Yeah that's the latest one at the moment, but the next shouldn't be too long now! Once we get round to editing it :)

[@oneeyedphotographer]

The contour tool is a good idea. Cutting the ribs of your van is not, part of their purpose is to add rigidity to your van.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Yeah the contour tool is pretty handy! And we installed the side windows in the area Ford designed for and specified in the BEMM. The vertical supports we had to cut through are there just to dampen the vibrations in the thin sheet metal and add some rigidity when windows are not installed. With the window, PIR board, frame and the remaining portion of the supports in place it's plenty rigid enough if not more so no issues there. You can also get different foams like 3M rigid pillar foam to add a bit of stiffness if necessary, similar to the factory fitted foam that's behind those thin metal strips that are cut through, but not something we needed 👍

[@vincentzielinski7157]

Hi . Have you found out how to lock van from inside .

[@SelfBuiltStories]

On our key fob a double press locks on both the inside and outside, if that's what you mean?

[@vincentzielinski7157]

@@SelfBuiltStories Hi . I found doing this activates the alarm and then movement inside the van sets alarm off . Maybe your bulkhead protects the sensors . Regards Vince

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Ah ok, I don't think our model has those alarms you have. We can move around no problem without setting anything off, well, apart from sounding the horn if the doors aren't quite shut properly 😁

[@vincentzielinski7157]

@@SelfBuiltStories we have resorted to operating the central locking using the button next to the door handle . Good luck with the rest of your build and travels . Vince

[@scattyfox]

Where did you find the contour tool?

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Hiya, it's one we already had lying around but if you look on Amazon for 'contour gauge' there are loads 🙂👍

[@scattyfox]

@@SelfBuiltStories thank you ordered 😅 love your builds so helpful and love the detail

[@SelfBuiltStories]

@@scattyfox No problem! And glad you enjoy them 😃

[@JonMadsen70]

:)

[@SelfBuiltStories]

😁

[@doraexplora9046]

I do not understand the need for battens everywhere in van builds. There are so many products that can just be stuck on and provide so much more space if used properly. All this does is add weight and cost. 15mm solid wood??? What are you supporting 300Kgs?? I built my van with 6mm ply for all cupboards and furniture, reinforced with thinned Epoxy resin. Same cost. Super light weight. Super strong. I was even considering Core Flute as an option which literally weighs nothing.

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Yeah lots of choices, we try to be mindful of weight and are weighing the van at various points during the build. We're 'spending' a bit more weight in some places but saving it in others so it should all balance out hopefully. Sounds like you have a pretty decent setup 👍

[@davidbailey4533]

Something u both have that I don't Patience

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Haha thank you, it does get tested sometimes, there is always some random thing you don't think of that makes each project a little interesting 😁

[@pc6516]

Good job

[@SelfBuiltStories]

Thanks 🙂