Close-up on the sizing error of the roof structure (its frame), but we don't know that yet and are rushing headlong into it!

The hollow exceeds 20mm at its widest point! We thought a span of 1.75m would be acceptable for 15mm-thick plywood... mistake! We'll come back to this error later in this presentation.

One of the steps in building VroomVroom!: sanding.

Of course, you'll need ear defenders and a dust mask, and even gloves, but you can't be serious when you're three times twenty!

Now that we have secured all the plywood sheets together using the side rails (see previous episode), we need to raise the roof so we can begin the insulation work.

Now the actual installation of the insulation can begin.

Fortunately, the weather was favorable that day.

In the following video, the installation of the 20mm-thick insulation is complete.

It's been a long, hard day, and now we need to put the roof back in place for the night, hoping it won't rain too much...

The following video illustrates how to secure the 5mm plywood that will serve as our ceiling.

We don't yet know that we'll have to dismantle everything and rebuild the structure with large cross-sections to solve the problem mentioned at the very beginning of this episode.

When we discovered the problem of the 15mm plywood's limited load-bearing capacity, we concluded that we needed to be able to work on the roof more easily, i.e., with a method other than the six pulleys.

To do this, I raised the zip line cable by one meter and replaced the pulleys with a chain hoist, which was easier to handle and safer.

Now that the chain hoist is in place, we need to raise the roof and tilt it to the side so we can work.

To stiffen the roof across its width, there's no other solution than to reinforce it with 70x34mm crossbars.

To incorporate them into the roof, we need to remove the ceiling panels by 5mm, cut a groove in the insulation, and embed the crossbar.

The groove is clearly visible in the photo below.

The crosspiece is recessed, so all that's left is to screw it in from the outside of the roof to secure it. I'll be using 5x60 A2 stainless steel screws for this.

Of course, I pre-drilled the holes from the inside so I know where the screws will be on the outside.

In the following video, Marie prepares to install the interior side members that will support the electric jacks used to lift the roof.

According to Marie's calculations, the roof will weigh around 120 kg once fully completed.

Note that the rear cross member is in place and that its ceiling has been adjusted by 5 mm so that it does not need to be cut again. However, we will need to remove this plate again one more time to run some electrical wires through it for the rear LED spotlight and the ceiling light.

The following video illustrates the installation of a crosspiece

In the following photo, we end the day having installed three crosspieces and secured the 5mm-thick ceiling panels. Weather permitting, we'll secure the final crosspiece, the fourth, the next day.

Obviously, for the night, we'll return the roof to its original position.

In the photo below, the skylight frame has been cut out of the insulation, as well as the ceiling panel.

Note the presence of a large-section rear crosspiece, 80x40mm, which will also serve as a support for the electric jacks.

The following photo details the skylight's chestnut frame.

You'll notice that the crosspieces each have a 15mm quarter round bar on each side. They're screwed in place because nailing them would risk them becoming unstable due to vibrations, and I refuse to glue anything, or at least as little as possible, so that I can always respond to any breakdowns or problems that arise.

Marie applying tung oil.

Some of the electrical wiring is in place for the ceiling light and the rear LED bar.

The ceiling is almost completely finished. The skylight wiring is in place, as is the smoke detector bracket.

The roof area is over 7m².

This time, it's about adding the final covering to our roof, to protect ourselves from all kinds of bad weather. So, in the video below, I cut the first sheet metal that will hold the skylight using zinc shears. It's quiet, efficient, economical, and it's a blacksmith's job, but only for one hand!

Next, I position the first sheet metal according to the skylight frame, then bring in the next one, cut it according to the same criteria as the previous one, and install it.

The sheets measure 2m x 1m and weigh 7.5kg each. They are already painted an off-white. Choosing the color was difficult and required a wealth of patience and mutual diplomacy (especially me!) ;-)

In the following view, I'm working on installing the skylight, which turns out to be quite easy. However, the electrical connection is going to be a real nervous wreck!

Indeed, the manufacturer of this skylight, at least on this model, had the brilliant idea of ​​inserting tiny, cheap plastic connectors for the four connections! Two for the motor and two others coming from the battery for the power supply. These connections are made for us inside VroumVroum!, with our arms and heads in the air, because the power wires run inside the ceiling, making them invisible.

Long story short, I finally decided to solder the connections directly onto the skylight's printed circuit board, the internal part. Marie then found a video online from Vanlife-France, who found themselves in the same situation as us and used the same solution.
Here's the link (in french!): Direct welds.

Obviously, this option is tricky to implement and immediately voids the manufacturer's warranty! Everyone must take responsibility...

Now, Marie applies rust protection to the corners and flats before installing them, as rust could get into the parts that have been cut and drilled.

The following video shows the preparations for installing the corner brackets. While Marie applies the rustproofing, I continue preparing the next sections by drilling and routing. The sheets will be secured at the edges and in the joints by the corner brackets and flats, in addition to being glued to the plywood and to each other using an industrial-grade mastic.

We leave the protective plastic on the sheets until the last minute.

We end the video with a few jokes of our own.

In the following video, Marie explains what she does with a touch of irony, the secret of which is hers alone...

The following video shows me using a center punch to locate the drill locations. I also countersink the holes, on both sides, to remove any burrs.

The roof is completely finished, phew!

In the next episode, we'll move on to installing the electric jacks that lift the roof. As you might expect, this won't be a simple task!
So stay tuned ;-)