Today I drove down to the Goat Field in Pudgy and the surface is now navigable for a vehicle rather than just robust wellies. On the roofrack, I had the 4' x 8' wall panel module I'd fabricated for the side wall of the facilities. This was eased through the door, lifted into place and then screwed into position against the studwork for the long wall.
Once the corner was assembled, a screw through the upper timber into the roof truss and a spirit level along the rear edge enabled me to square the whole shooting match up and allow me to fix the wall frame to the rear wall. This framework along with the structural stiffness of OSB sheeting has rigidised the body no end, as I hoped.
The end wall now in place. This will need the OSB removing and a doorway cutting in but it was essential to fit the frame with the OSB intact in order to ensure complete alignment and rigidity of the studwork. As the wall modules rely on the structural strength of the OSB, they must be an engineered fit. As well as providing the walls, the modules also provide support for the Recticell insulation on the ceiling.
Slightly difficult to appreciate dimensions from this photo angle, but the gap between the end wall of the facilities and the left hand wall of the van body is just a tad under three feet. Ample space for a storage alcove, or for a 'passageway' when I eventually add the 'Luton style' sleeping compartment as an extension.
Having recovered a lot of usable slat-wood from several pallets, I decided to use this material in the fabrication of my 'Thunderbox'. The slats were a little under 4" wide, nominal, so four lengths 16" long of 1" x 1" PSE made the legs and I used the compound mitre saw to saw the slats into the correct lengths for the cladding. I managed to get the basic carcass built today and the hinged lid, so all I need to do now is to cut the hole in the lid for the bucket to seat into, give the wood a rub-down and some waterproof sealer and to fit the loo seat and decide on the final position to 'install' the loo. At the moment it is very 'rustic' looking, but it is intended to be functional rather than a thing of beauty. The fact it is made from recycled waste timber and has only cost me for the seat/lid and some screws makes it a very economical method of incorporating a lavvy into the van.
Actually, with the lid laid in it's approximate position and a 'dry run' for sitting position and general operation carried out, I am rather pleased with the resulting 'Thunderbox'. In a slight change to the original plan to house my solar batteries under the water tanks, I have decided that the space makes the perfect solution to store four spare buckets for the loo. Full buckets can be stored safely with lids on (smell and spill poof) and spare empty buckets are immediately to hand for servicing the loo.
I rather like the rustic look, as it happens.
Clearly not functional yet, as there is no hole in the base, but you can see the general effect. You can also see a 'selfie' in the reflection on the seat lid! Ultimately, there will need to be a loo-roll holder and loo roll, some illumination as the facilities will be completely enclosed, some reading material to while away the time during those particularly 'long jobs' and a bucket or bin for 'duff' or cover material for the loo. The occasional spray with some biodegradable disinfectant cleaner may be needed now and then, but hopefully there should be little maintenance needed, other than managing the bucketry.
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