Steve & Emi the Crafter
Freelance stage and event structures builder Steve (@0_steve_0) has spent years building and touring with some of the UK’s biggest festivals. When his good friend and fellow stage builder Eugene was about to trade in his 2014 Crafter, Steve jumped at the chance to take it on. With just 32,000 miles on the clock and a bare camper interior ready for transformation, it was the perfect blank canvas for his next big project, a van he calls Emi.
Steve’s story so far
From 2016 to 2023, I lived full-time in my self-built Sprinter. That van went through at least four iterations as I taught myself woodworking, electrics, plumbing, heating and about a thousand other skills you pick up when you live on the road. Every version got a bit better, and by the time I’d done 80,000 miles across the UK and Europe, from snowy Austrian winters to sunny Cornwall, I knew exactly what my perfect van would be.
When I got the Crafter from Eugene, it sat for a while at Longcross Studios, where I was working on scaffold builds for Mission Impossible. I was still living in my Sprinter until one day I realised I couldn’t put off building this one any longer. I named her Emi, after a Nigel Planer quote: “E.M.I. – every mistake imaginable.” It felt right. I’ve learned from every single one, and they’re all hidden somewhere in the van!
I wanted something that worked both as a home and a mobile workshop, a van that could carry all my tools, let me stay on-site, but also be comfortable enough to take off travelling when the jobs stop. I like to think I live the real vanlife, I’m only happy when I’m moving. I’ve parked up in some amazing spots, including one night outside the Tower of London.
At the moment I’m part of the Lucid Creates build crew, working on stages like the Halo at Creamfields and Highlights Festival in Barking Park, and installations for Insomniac across the US. My dream is to take Emi over to America and explore between jobs. This winter, I’m hoping to hit the road again through Scandinavia and back to the Alps for more snowboarding.
The van build
I wanted a minimalist design, full of natural textures. It includes bamboo, oak, and I plan to add Zirben wood for its calming scent. Everything runs through a WiFi network so I can control it from my iPad. I’ve got Starlink, a projector, Apple TV, a Switch, and underfloor heating from Bobil Vans, after too many cold mornings in the old van, warm feet feel like pure luxury!
The bed folds away so I can use the full floor space when I need it, and I even have a Zwift cycling setup for keeping fit on the road. I decided not to include a shower, after nearly a decade on the road, I’ve never struggled to find somewhere to get clean.
When it came to electrics, I’d made enough mistakes in the past to know I needed help this time. My old system had everything from miswired shunts to disco lights flashing at night when the fridge tripped the system! So for Emi, I went all-in with Nohma and a Victron setup. Of course, there were still hiccups, like discovering I didn’t have the right lugs for the Multiplus wiring but having real help on hand made all the difference.
Their schematics, wiring guidance, and engineering support gave me the confidence to build a solid, safe system. Building a van is always a massive undertaking, and shared knowledge makes it so much easier.
Steve, @0_steve_0
Lessons learned
Every job on a van takes at least three times longer than you think, and you’ll always need a tool you don’t have! I built Emi on my mum’s driveway, packing everything away every night, dodging rain, and waiting months for delayed parts thanks to Brexit. But those challenges made the end result even sweeter.
Rivnuts are your friend, tools are worth investing in, and nothing is ever really broken, it’s just part of the learning curve.
If you think you can’t do it, look around, thousands of people just like you already have. Every mistake imaginable taught me something new, and that’s how Emi came to be.
Components used in Steve’s electrical system ⚡️
