How do the professional converters frame and finish the interior of the rounded fiberglass front cap on an Eagle? Any pictures or ideas are welcome.
It is a particularly challenging area because the front is curved, the top is sloped up at ~45 degrees, and the side walls taper outward from 96" at the windshield to 102" at the body. I am wanting to mount a 4' wide mini-split air handler up there. I need to make those curved and irregular walls into a flat surface suitable for mounting the air handler.
The ones I've seen they cover up the tilted and curved sections with a big flat cupboard and put a TV in it. Just put the flat front across between the sides, frame it out to your liking, and then scribe in the sides, bottom and top to fit with filler pieces.
Brian
The way I would do it would be to fibreglass-in some strong plywood 'ring frames', and then you can (for instance) bolt-in a welded steel framework to hold your AC equipment or whatever. (Basically the same way you'd mount an engine into a fibreglass boat hull, if that helps)
Jeremy
You have R&M caps or the Eagle caps ?
Clifford, I am not sure. Here is a before picture. I have some mental blueprints-- about to start rocking and rolling!
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fa0TtDbbl.jpg&hash=ea6fcc38556d50a2c6c3ca9539329f1f1012e167)
With both my bus and truck, when I was at this point, I installed 1x3 Apitong (man made Mahogany used on flatbed trucks) horizontally 16" apart screwed into the metal studs. Now you have something to anchor to for cabinets. Then I had it spray foamed to create 2.25" of spray foam. Then cover with 1/4" furniture grade plywood (no formaldehyde). Course if you're going to have overhead lights, overhead power vents, roof top A/C, those items have to be wired before the spray foam. The rest of the wiring and plumbing can go along the bottom of the wall exposed (for easy access).
Progress pictures! They were taken while the sawdust was still flying. ;D There are a few more backing studs ("nailers") to cut and install. Then I will be ready to laminate 1/4" sheathing to the Advantech backer. I will post few more progress pictures tomorrow.
That is just a purple chalk line across the Advantech. It is one solid piece, 19" tall at the center and 9" tall on the sides.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FmNMPJFi.jpg&hash=5a73d1f28c5f8b25411f9e2debf0cd2714b8d143)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqGVu9di.jpg&hash=8c25a5123c30794c9700893af97d37c1732ba5a4)
Brian- Thanks for posting your method. I cut out the flat front part first, then framed around it. It was very easy to get accurate measurements for the surrounding framework.
Clifford- Why did you ask about the cap manufacturer? What are the differences?
Jeremy- Fiberglass sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, I lack the skills needed to make a detailed structure. I am pretty good at making huge globular fiberglass messes. ;D
Tom- Where do you buy the 1/4" furniture grade plywood? I usually use 1/4" utility plywood from Lowes. I can't tell the difference between utility plywood and drywall once it is painted. Does the furniture grade plywood stain well?
Quote from: sparkplug188 on December 12, 2014, 05:22:03 PM
Jeremy- Fiberglass sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, I lack the skills needed to make a detailed structure. I am pretty good at making huge globular fiberglass messes. ;D
You're welcome - in fact though you have plenty of metal up there to build upon, whereas I had in my mind that you had nothing but the fibreglass cap itself and weren't sure how to build a structure inside it
Jeremy
Furniture grade is available at either Lowes or HD. It has either Birch (lower cost) or oak veneer on one side. I used 3/4" Birch plywood for all my cabinets and walls. About $48 a sheet, but really nice to work with. Almost no voids in the plys. Good Luck, TomC