Truck cap/Camper cap build

[RJ Howell]

why not consider riveting them to the canvas?
Or i remember seeing a plastic buttoner like
the price sticker tool used in clothing.

Tried my rivets, mostly aluminum and SS. They cover the entire magnet.. Fail. What is working rather well is crazy glue!

[RJ Howell]

RJ, we made some Quick curtains for my steel door, little neo button magnets sewn in little “pockets .. works great … Just an idea ...

Thank you, another backup if the glue fails. I'm thinking more of a strip of ripstop (much thinner than the canvas) to cover them and not scratch the truck. The canvas is too thick and takes away quite an amount of pull from the magnet.

3" spacing on the magnets is working very well!

[RJ Howell]

Well, I doubled up the magnets and works so much better. One on the inside and one on the outside.

I left plenty of extra material to work through attaching to the tailgate. I've gone through so many folds and it finally hit me. I need a triangular piece to go underneath! That eliminates the folds, the canvas looks better and I get the seal I'm after without any weird folds or cuts to deal with!

I'll take some pictures as I get into it so you can 'see' what I'm talking about.

I also figured out how to do a zip-in screen on the hatch, but that's down the road..

Back to HD tomorrow and buy more magnets.. Figure my magnet cost will be about $35 all said and done.

[me&z]

I'm staring at it wishing I had a screen for the back now.. I have screen material and would just need two more zippers.. Maybe..

Those magnetic door screens you see on TV actually work well for that kind of application. I had to shorten mine and splice together a 3rd panel to get the width. The magnets are in a little plastic "box" which can be pried open. To install in another location, use the tip of a soldering iron to make new holes. Each box has 3 prongs which have to go through the nylon edging. Melting holes is much easier than trying to cut (but it stinks).

[RJ Howell]

I'm staring at it wishing I had a screen for the back now.. I have screen material and would just need two more zippers.. Maybe..

Those magnetic door screens you see on TV actually work well for that kind of application. I had to shorten mine and splice together a 3rd panel to get the width. The magnets are in a little plastic "box" which can be pried open. To install in another location, use the tip of a soldering iron to make new holes. Each box has 3 prongs which have to go through the nylon edging. Melting holes is much easier than trying to cut (but it stinks).

That is another option! Thank you for the input!

[RJ Howell]

Second dry day in quite a few brought on many other chores to be done, yet did manage to get the final pieces of the tented area formed and cut out.

My daughter came by, stared at what I'm doing and said "Dad, I have no clue as to what you're doing!" She, as I have learned, needs a pattern. Guess she's more of my wife's family then mine. We don't need patterns, just ideas! Gotta work of this kiddo a bit more I guess. There is no such thing as too late to influence.

Between all else, I have the bottom sections prep'ed for sewing!

I am finding just having the second magnet on the outside is not enough to keep them there. They do jump as I fold the tent. I will probably attempt glueing them before I band over them. Should help holding them in place. I also like my new little friend, the zipper foot, and think stitching them close will help. That goes back to a metal needle and magnet thing.. Not thinking it will be fun at all..

Hey, at this point, what's a new challenge?

[RJ Howell]

Pictures as promised!

The first two are the underside flap I was speaking of. Basically a triangular piece to somewhat match the tent side, seal to the truck and seal to the tailgate. First pic is it hanging so you get an idea of it. Second is kinda tough to visualize yet it's in place under the tailgate (tailgate end at the bottom/truck at the top. left side if that helps).

.

Still a bit wrinkled, yet hey, first time ever doing something like this..

.

Next pic is what I was speaking of to roll the bottom inside so we can seal it once in the topper.



And of course how long it is before being rolled in. This allows me to seal it once outside and still don't want those little buggies to get in.



One thing to notice in this repeated pic. It's the bottom and the fold/lap. This helps shed water and not let it inside. I probably should do the same to the bottom of the entry panel. To be honest, I was scared to and screw it up.. again.. Yet now that I see it and am a bit more comfortable about doing it, I will.




Builders note: I never even thought of these lapped seams till I hit the point of the zippers and shedding rain away from. First, I would have made the sides longer to wrap more on the backside allowing for better protection. Next is I would have done it also at the top of the hatch/entry. I did work my hems in the though of rolling water off, yet a lapped seam would have been much better.
Would I have gone for a fully removable hatch cover? I still say no, yet you may find it fits 'your' requirements. Pro side would be remove and zip in a screen. Con side you loose the option of a fly if extended. I lean towards another zipper and make that one full to add a screen. That wouldn't be easy dealing with all this material..
Next of course is choice of material. I would have gone with ripstop nylon if I had found enough at the right price.

[RJ Howell]

So onward to HD tomorrow for the balance of the magnets. Though these 3/8" ones are a deal, thinking I may step it up a bit..

I have 3/4" Neo's around and there 4x the strength. Less required yet spaced further apart..

[RJ Howell]

Today brought several hours of stitching in magnets.. boring I know.. I did it.. Yet needed to be done. Hand stitched the two outside corners that needed cleaning up and still need to finish up hand stitching the top of the zipper flap. We have a week of rain happenings plenty of time to spread out this boring stuff..

The big item I saw today.. I bought a single sided zipper! I've been working the hatch from outside all this time and never even noticed till I jumped in zip it. So note to anyone following that may attempt the same, buy a zipper that works from 'both' sides. I'll figure something out, yet save yourself the issue and buy the right one!

I haven't stitched in the hatch bottom magnets as of yet. Part of why I jumped in to check out what I can do. This is where I think I need to add in a few of the stronger neodymium magnets. Thinking one on each end (for the stretch and one in the middle. The smaller Neo's will work fine between.
Another note: With all these magnets now on the cover, it's tougher to hang it without it sticking everywhere. Not a game changer at all, just something to note.

We're watching the weather this week to do a run and enjoy the foliage.

[Philip]

Instead of using those zippers. I would have used Velcro instead. One inch wide Velcro is just as weather proof as a zipper. It would also allow for shrinkage of canvas over time. You don't have breakage problems eather.

[RJ Howell]

Instead of using those zippers. I would have used Velcro instead. One inch wide Velcro is just as weather proof as a zipper. It would also allow for shrinkage of canvas over time. You don't have breakage problems eather.

First and foremost, thank you for the input!
I did debate that. Using velcro on two loose pieces of cloth is, well in my mind a PITA.. Zippers, I figured in my situation seemed like a solution I liked. Now if one side was on something solid, ya would have gone that way. I saw a few other places to use velcro as well (I am a fan of velcro) yet it led to having a strip of velcro always shown. I opt'ed out on it.
I saw yet more area that additional keder would have worked very well, yet same issue for me, always there..

The main question in my mind was how often will this be used (the tent extension that is)? This isn't my main camper. This is a overnighter, bug-out, why not stay here on a drive topper. And of course a unit I can go for a couple days and stream fly-fish up north. How often will she come with (?) and that's when it would be setup according to where we stay. The tent extension is for her bath room mainly. I now see a reason for it as a extend fly of sorts to cook in the rain when using it solo.

I really like the extension and how it's coming out. I can see several areas I would have done differently, yet as making... I had no idea what I was doing!

This has been an adventure of learning and have appreciated everyone's input along this!

[RJ Howell]

Instead of using those zippers. I would have used Velcro instead. One inch wide Velcro is just as weather proof as a zipper. It would also allow for shrinkage of canvas over time. You don't have breakage problems eather.

I need to spend a bit of time running through your build. Looks very Cool!

[GPW]

How about just some old school grommets and rope ties , like the old stage coaches … ??? or even simpler... Buttons … Big buttons …

[Nodrog]

nothing

[Philip]

I did sewing machine repair for mom, being able to sew a little has always been handy...but I never saw how anybody could make more than $.25 an hour sewing anything!....Anyway...good luck, Nodrog

Head down to your local auto trim shop or truck tarp shop and do some pricing. There is good money in sewing.

This little canvas job R.J. did would run at least 3 to 5 hundred at a commercial shop. I learned automotive many years ago. I was a mechanic. I kept finding broken cars that needed minor repairs. With a trashed interior it wasn't a good reseller. A commercial shop would have thrown resale above going rates for the vehicle. So I bought a commercial sewing machine and took some classes on how to use it.