TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:15 am

I like you thought I wanted a full width bed like a weekender, but after renting a westy found that the westy bed is nice and cozy for the winter camping we do. I think what you have done is petty sweet!

Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:14 pm

IdahoDoug wrote:

Sage - tell me about your collapsible sink. Just today I was looking for a collapsing silicone mixing bowl to fashion a collapsing sink with.

DougM

Doug - The first link from Campmor is the one I have and like. The second link from Cabela's also looks pretty good though. Do a search at either site for "sink" to come up w/different options. Do not get one too small though. At first I got the one from Seattle Sports that is square shaped and smaller, and it was too small.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___60602

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Sea-To-Summit-The-K...l+Products

Geez, that cabelas link is long. Hopefully it will still work for you.

Harold

Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:43 pm

SteveVanB wrote: This looks pretty cool but is quite expensive. Lots of good ideas though.
http://www.swissroombox.com/swissRoomBox-home.html
And a video with a shower scene 8)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cy3gKwirLk

Yes, it does look pretty cool. I could not figure out US dollars from their Swiss Francs pricing... And it does have good ideas, but not if you already have a Vanagon, right? I mean, personally, I already own a Go Anywhere toilet

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___11119?cm_vc=PDPZ2

and a very easy setup Fold-A-Privy for showering

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Trekker-Fold-A-Priv...l+Products

and both a solar water shower, and hot water option:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Zodi-Hot-Camp-Showe...l+Products

And I have a portable 2 burner propane camp stove and collapsible sink (see earlier post/link), all of which I have bought over the years for various camping endeavors...What I would still like to get though is one of these:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___85442

just my dime...
Harold

Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:57 pm

Where do u fit all that in your van?

Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:23 pm

honestly it does not take up much room, especially w/ a weekender, and no jumper seat, i have lots of room

Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:46 pm

On the sink deal, what I am envisioning is essentially a rubber sink, hanging from a cutting board. Stowed collapsed. You pull out the cutting board and the sink is in the center. Shove down to pop the sink into shape. When pulled out, the sink is directly under the water spout - normally available for things like filling a pot, cup or cycling Camelbak. Now you can dribble water into the sink for dishwashing, etc. A flexible rubber drain hose will drain it through the floor into a bucket under the van, or to the ground in a backcountry setting where we are not using soap. Done. Wipe it dry, pop it back up and slide it into the cabinet. The sink is only used a small amount, so this arrangement may be a perfect match for our needs.

So, I'm looking for a collapsible mixing bowl which I'll secure at the top edges and affix a drain to the bottom. Happily they're making a bunch of these nowadays. Someone kindly passed along what may be even better - a collapsible rectangular tub which may make for an even more functional sink than I'd envisioned.

DougM

Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:42 pm

sageandspirit wrote: I could not figure out US dollars from their Swiss Francs pricing.

Depending on options it costs from $8350 USD to $10700 USD.

That pricing is more insane than Vanagon or Syncro Vanagon parts pricing!

Cool idea though.

Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:50 am

amazon has several types of collapsable sinks, and a nifty collapsing dish draining sink.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B003QP30S0...;s=kitchen

I think I'm ordering them too!

Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:53 am

we just couldn't get enough storage into the westy layout.
here's our solution.

still putting on finishing touches, but its been working great so far and the plan is to (eventually) do some extended travel/live out of it as needed.
It's clearly not piano quality (like nacho's awesome camper), but since we had to build this outdoors with battery powered tools it's meeting our needs and fits two people plus dog fairly comfortably...

tons of rear storage for tents/tools/clothes/guitar and a full wetsuit/snorkeling/fins set.

interior "lounge" setup during the day and all important fridg.
tire will be housed up on the rack during extended trips to allow more room for food storage

bed pulled out (without cushions)
obviously the splitties are a bit smaller than what most of you are dealing with, so you'll see that the cabinet on the back right (holds our bedding) has to be held open to allow my feet to go through to the bulkhead. 2 burner stove is under the black panel by the door with food storage above and water/pump under (have since added a faucet facing the door)

a simple table attached to cargo door for happy hour, and the chairs stash above the rear cabinets (curve matches the roof almost perfectly)

still working on the wiring/lighting
refining storage inside and on top
still need a mount for the propane grill... but at this point most work is stalled until the weather warms up and we can get out to work on it again.

Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:59 am

dangerbus wrote:

bed pulled out (without cushions)
obviously the splitties are a bit smaller than what most of you are dealing with, so you'll see that the cabinet on the back right (holds our bedding) has to be held open to allow my feet to go through to the bulkhead. 2 burner stove is under the black panel by the door with food storage above and water/pump under (have since added a faucet facing the door)

Ingenious! Love the grey/orange paintjob. Do you have a link for those stainless pushbutton door knobs?

Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:15 pm

RadioRental wrote:
Ingenious! Love the grey/orange paintjob. Do you have a link for those stainless pushbutton door knobs?

thanks Radio. the orange (and camper design) goes over like a ton of bricks for most of the split owners on here because they love everything stock.

ill look for the knobs. i know i found (prohibitively) expensive ones on all the marine sites. i went with a cheaper option and i'm not sure id recommend them.
they look great and hide away so you don't catch on them (easy in a tight space) but they are really difficult to open.

in a few of ours we are already replacing with a simple roller catch. :?

Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:34 pm

Ingenious! Love the grey/orange paintjob. Do you have a link for those stainless pushbutton door knobs?

Ya beat me to it. Thats a nice color combination too.

Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:11 pm

Wow! very ingenious!

Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:16 pm

Wow. Seriously well thought out use of space. That's a great setup and very flexible.

DougM

PS to add: That pull out sleeping platform cum couch is ingenious. Went back to look again and realized you have the little end doors attached to the moving section, then they swing down or fit to hold up the edge. Nice. I would not complain a bit if you posted some other pictures you undoubtedly thought redundant for this thread, but myself and others would probably like to see. You have the attention of the interior design crew, methinks. More, please...

Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:42 pm

Honestly all these are way too clutered for me...I dont want a sink/stove/frig any of that crap in the van..just a nice big bed and room for a couple of totes.

Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:07 pm

I'm shooting for both. The "full monte" capsule will be removable with a few bolts for the 90% condition like you describe "big bed and totes". But for a trip where we will be out messing about, Mrs Idaho and Daughter Idaho will appreciate the luxury of the sink, porta potty, and running water.

DougM

Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:45 pm

vw7266 wrote: Honestly all these are way too clutered for me...I dont want a sink/stove/frig any of that crap in the van..just a nice big bed and room for a couple of totes.

I tend to agree with you. But there's nothing to say you can't have both. Sort of like those swiss red boxes either up this thread or somewhere else.

Make it modular.

We have a box. Who's to say it can't be westy-like one day, then unbolt some stuff and carry some 4x8 back from the lumberyard.

I think that's the biggest failing of the original westy design, it wasn't modular (and those fookin tables)

Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:29 pm

dangerbus wrote:
It's clearly not piano quality (like nacho's awesome camper)

Don't say that. It looks great, I like the layout. Very cool interior.

Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:39 pm

RadioRental wrote:
Make it modular.

I think that's the biggest failing of the original westy design, it wasn't modular (and those fookin tables)

I fully agree with the modular interior. The one that my van currently has is made up of two cabinets and one shelf that can be used together or individually.

Modular interiors are especially great for a Syncro so that you can have a light rig for a day of off road play or a full load for a month long trip or so.

Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:42 pm

IdahoDoug wrote: Wow. Seriously well thought out use of space. That's a great setup and very flexible.

DougM

PS to add: That pull out sleeping platform cum couch is ingenious. Went back to look again and realized you have the little end doors attached to the moving section, then they swing down or fit to hold up the edge. Nice. I would not complain a bit if you posted some other pictures you undoubtedly thought redundant for this thread, but myself and others would probably like to see. You have the attention of the interior design crew, methinks. More, please...

Thanks Doug

The doors of the two cabinets closest to the cargo doors swing open to create the base for the bed. Tried to make double use out of everything possible...

I'll see what else I have in the way of photos. You're right, I just assumed anything else would be repetitive.