So I am still looking to buy one if I can find. Have not found the right one yet. Kind of crazy as there are tons around just sitting?

I found a guy that has built some. Been talking with him about that. I have seem some of his projects and seem legit.
This is more of a camping canopy. So no bed box. Kid of a high rise canopy with a storage space partially over the cab. No bed up there, just storage..
There will be a hinged drop down bed platform along one side. The other side will have a drop down counter.There will be a built in Ice box. A small sink with manual hand water pump. I will use use a portable two burner cook stove. It will have a simple built in propane heater. Will have some led interior lights along with one or two exterior lights as well. Probably have a small solar panel or two that will go to a single or two battery bank.
The camper will be built using lumber. The exterior will probably be an exterior plywood or t111. Will be using two slider windows reclaimed from a canopy. Metal roof.

Having thoughts of a small wood stove install. Have seen some and seems very doable. would like to hear any idea's on that. Small stove with 4" flue through the roof with cap.

Sounds like the material list will be about $400 maybe a tad less.
My main concern is it needs to be weather proof. He says, that is no problem. Thinking this might be a possible answer to my quest. The guy seems legit. But still vetting.
What do you guy think.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: old rugged cross,

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
What do you guy think.

$400 for all of that? Sounds like it'd be closer to $4000.

Materials only gus. A dozen 2x4's, 6 sheets of plywood. Small amount of metal roofing. Hardware & misc odd's and ends. $30 for lights and $60 for insul.

Things like batteries, solar panel, cook top are not included in the materials to build it.

OK. It sounded like that included everything.

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to throwing something like that on a rig. No, it's not an Arctic Fox, but it'll keep you warm and dry, and my days of "roughin' it" out in the weather in a tent are long gone.

How big of a truck will it go in. I'm thinking that being made with lumber rather than lighter things like aluminum it'll be pretty heavy.

Exactly, 3/4 ton long box. He says a 1/2 ton could handle. We'll see on weight. Without the lower half drop in box maybe so.

Using Aluminum or steel framing studs rather than 2x4s could save a fair amount of weight. And I'm sure you could find better/lighter sheathing material than plywood, perhaps a faux stone vinyl siding.

Maybe save enough weight so you could insulate and finish the interior.

you could make it without plywood, just 2 inch foam sheets, cover it with Tightbond which is a fiberglass coating product, using either aluminum or wood to build the frame and it would be a lot lighter.

Heres a guy that did that..

https://www.mavericktruckclub....abover-camper.37872/

Back when I was younger and more adventurous, and interested in stupid shit… I used to build my own custom speaker boxes. I would create a base out of MDF, then use some 1/2”x1/2” sticks Brad nailed to hold the speaker mounting rings (MDF wooden rings. There would be a “skeleton” underneath of 1/2”x1/2” sticks that would give whatever cool shape I was after. I would then cover it all with polyester fleece, stapling it in place. I would mix up some fiberglass resin and had plenty of fiberglass shreds. Paint on the resin and add shreds where necessary. Let it dry and harden. Add a second coat if necessary. Sand where necessary and bondo where it wasn’t perfectly smooth. Sand bondo and then paint. The outcome was pretty amazing. Looked far more professional than anything else I have ever built.

All in all, pretty easy. I imagine you could build a skeleton from some thin pieces of wood and do the same. It would give you a pretty good, waterproof, fiberglass shell.

Thanks guys, yes a ton of ways to do something like this.
I am not going to build. The guy who might has a building back ground and had built several.
I am working with him on things I want or need. Then letting him figure the best way to do. He knows my budget so we'll see. He also has some really good idea's

wood stove thoughts?

A Mr. Heater portable propane heater would much cheaper, safer and would take up less room.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mr...er-F232000/205527178

Maybe prices are better where you’re located. ORC have you purchased lumber lately? Aesthetics aside, I like arfmel’s propane heat suggestion.

2x4's and plywood are not really expensive in the quanities I am talking about. I also have a unit of 1x6 blue pine on hand. So construction material cost's are cheap. The other equip. required, not included in the cost to build are more costly. But I am thing $600ish. That would not include a wood stove and piping though.
I may just postpone the wood stove now and add later.

I also have a Blueitt PS44 power supply and solar panel on hand.

The idea of a wood camper heated by a wood stove over a gas tank sounds like a bad idea to me.

diesel, but I get your point.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
wood stove thoughts?

How are you going to vent smoke inside your camper using a wood stove or are you planning to do all your cooking outside.

4" pipe thru the roof. There will also be a power fan roof vent in the ceiling of the camper. That has very little do do with the wood stove install or operation.
Most cooking will be done on a portable propane two burner cook top.

My concern would be that - once this sucker is built on your truck bed - it's going to be kinda permanent. This type of homebuilt shell might not be an easy-on/easy-off piece of kit.

If this truck will be dedicated to camping only, then it might be OK.

Thought of that. Going to have four eye bolts mounted. Probably on top so I can pickup with my mini exc to off and on. that will make it simple to mount and dismount.
Since this more of a canopy design than a full box camper it will make it easier to store as well.
Thanks for that thought though.

Whatever you decide, install a carbon monoxide detector or two.