Recovery tracks and camper levelers at discount prices.

I had a fiasco getting the van up the ramps and into the back yard to continue work on the camper. The ground was so wet that I couldn't even drag the front wheels over the curb, let alone get a run-up to get the van up the ramps. I spun up the nature strip and just plain made a mess.

I called Supa-Dave and borrowed his hands and Recovery Tracks simply to get the van over a flat surface!!

I really wanted a set of chocks to level the van when parked anyway, and now I need some recovery tracks just to get the camper in and out of the back yard...let alone explore in the wild. Recovery Tracks are ludicrously expensive at ~$200+ for a pair, and cheap ones are still ~$70.aud/pair on ebay.

Recovery tracks vary from 700mm through to 1100mm. I'm cutting the difference and going for 900mm each. It's $10.50 for a 200x50x1800mm treated pine sleeper. I think I can afford that.

I want a 30 degree cut for the ramp slope, but my circular saw blade just isn't large enough, and it doesn't tip 60 degrees sideways to complete the cut from the other side.

My table saw cuts a little deeper...but not much...

Bow saw finishes the job.

I'm going to cut some tread into the track. My round-over-bit happened to be in the router already so I ran it over the whole thing...rough cut sleepers are splintery anyhow...

I guess some tread depth about "this deep" will do...I dunno...seems good.

That seems pretty good.

I should do the bottom too...friction works both ways.

I cross cut some grooves to add to the grip-ology on both sides.

Now I have the world's cheapest recovery tracks and camper leveling chocks at $5.25 each!! That's a win in my books.

Ooof that truck tyre makes the track look small!

Camper Kitchen Cabinet build progress Pt3: slow going.

Slow progress. Not much to show. Sheets of ply for skinning got held up in shipping, still waiting. Some test fitting and final connection points have been installed; riv-nuts and timber threaded inserts for machine screws etc...

The underside of the bench top. This stub will fasten to the offending pillar in the van at the back of the cabinet.

The cabinet has been mounted to a solid marine ply base to support where it floats over the sliding-door-step. The thick base wasn't part of the original design but it solved a variety of problems too iffy to mention here.

...ventilated sneakers...

Got sick of not having an impact drill so picked up a cheap Ozito impact and drill kit. Ridic' cheap, way better than expected. Decommissioned an ancient 12V drill that couldn't manage six holes in timber before running flat... The classic cost of battery-kludge-repairs vs new kit dilemma.

Not shown here, but I've since re-skinned the table with the same veneer shown on this kitchen cabinet. Fixes the ply-blemish that was driving me nuts, and is a match to the bench now. Winning.

Currently working on the sliding door cabinetry that goes above the drivers seat.

Hard rubbish vice refurb

Jana's parents found a few small vices on the side of the road. Here's one of them torn down ready to be cleaned up with a steel brush on the drill.

I've whipped up some replacement jaws in aluminium. Notice the goofy different hole spacing...

I also re-tapped the retaining bolt in the movable jaw for the main screw. The retainer bolt and threads were a mess, and it was some imperial rubbish so I turned it into an M6 thread.

Stripped down and sprayed mat-black.

Mounted to a ply base for portability. Silly thing has a lip to hang over the edge of a bench...do not want...

Looks great. New jaws are great. Nice lil' tool.

I FINALLY made hardwood jaws for my big vice. The original steel jaws have been problematic for car parts for YEARS and prone to marking or damaging them.

I've put this upgrade off for an eternity. So happy it's done now. Super happy with this vice again.

Camper Kitchen Cabinet build progress Pt2: the videoening.

Quick van kitchen cabinet build progress video showing the skeleton

https://youtu.be/UQt2fW6B3Zk