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Old 09-04-2017, 07:05 PM   #281
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 108
Year: 1999
Coachwork: International
Engine: 3800 T444E
Rated Cap: 72
Good job! I love the detail!

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Old 09-05-2017, 12:16 AM   #282
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada
Posts: 200
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000 Rear engine
Engine: Cummins 8.3; MD3060
Rated Cap: 84
Thanks for the real life experience review. It is very important to have a home quality of life in RV set up. It is not easy to achieve but it is doable.
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Old 09-11-2017, 09:35 PM   #283
Skoolie
 
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Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 108
Year: 1999
Coachwork: International
Engine: 3800 T444E
Rated Cap: 72
Quote:
Originally Posted by REDD View Post
Great build, you've got to be pleased with it so far.

I see you checking for load/weight for strength, function, etc. I don't get my project 'til June and would like to know.... Does the sheet metal floor/cross members have any strength without the plywood? Are the cross members just tin? Building a toy hauler for ATV's [2, 900lb machines] and trying to gain any inches I can without a roof raise. The shortest guy is 5'-10", everyone else 6'-1" to 6'-5". If the plywood has to go back in for strength , so be it. "Dog nose Thomas 6 foot inside"

Calculate Required Tube Size Using Structural Properties | Allied Tube & Conduit | Mechanical Tube Division

Structural engineers will calculate based on lbs/sqft on average. So, I think residential 2nd story is minimum of 40 lbs/sqft, bathroom is 60. To keep it simple, I plan for 60 lbs/sqft.

Now a space moving out of 4 x 8 is 32 sqft. At 60 lbs/sqft that's 1920 lbs. Build for a margin of error or safety factor (2x) and target 4000 lbs.
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Old 09-14-2017, 07:40 AM   #284
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by family wagon View Post
That Whirlpool unit looks very similar to the one I bought on "clearance" at Lowe's in April for USD$400.
  • Maybe it cooks the carrots just a little longer than we'd prefer.
  • We've baked a wide variety of things in there: cakes, loaf breads, muffins.
  • Fortunately this hasn't been terrible to work around, and we've gotten better at sequencing the food prep so that this conflict comes up rarely.
  • One thing this doesn't do is toast or broil.
Could very well be. There are only going to be one or two manufacturers around the world that build them regardless of the brand slapped on the outside.

Mushy carrots; no one likes them. I'm sure there's a learning curve on the amount of time needed.

If it'll do a good job on cakes, breads, and muffins then it's a real enough oven for me. Breads being the most important. Cakes and muffins would be more delicate so if it can do those as well then it should be pretty decent!!

Can you not take out the roast, microwave your carrots, and then pop the roast back in? Wouldn't want to do that with a souffle or maybe even bread but some things wouldn't care.

That's too bad. Would be a nice feature. How hot does it go? +550° would be nice.
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Old 09-14-2017, 02:41 PM   #285
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Posts: 1,635
Year: 2000
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: ISC 8.3
I suppose one could pull the roast out, run the microwave, and put the roast back as you suggest. The microwave portion would have to be done with an oven-safe dish since the racks and turntable will be oven hot. I've always tried to let it cool a bit before running the microwave, though honestly the user guid didn't say anything about that so it's probably fine to run the microwave while the cavity is hot from baking.

Somewhere I saw a model that could be chain programmed for microwaving and baking. For example, microwave to thaw a frozen dish and then switch automatically to bake mode. Seems like maybe that was a high-end GE Cafe series unit that had that feature.

I think this Whirlpool model tops out at 430° F, but don't remember for certain.
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Old 09-14-2017, 03:03 PM   #286
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by family wagon View Post
though honestly the user guide didn't say anything about that so it's probably fine to run the microwave while the cavity is hot from baking.
Other than melting the plastic bowl you forgot, I don't see any reason you couldn't.

Quote:
For example, microwave to thaw a frozen dish and then switch automatically to bake mode.
One of those features you didn't know you needed.

Quote:
I think this Whirlpool model tops out at 430° F, but don't remember for certain.
Change the 4 to a 7 and we're talking. Gotta have a hot oven for proper pizza!! Priorities man.
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Old 09-14-2017, 04:36 PM   #287
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brewerbob View Post
Other than melting the plastic bowl you forgot, I don't see any reason you couldn't.

One of those features you didn't know you needed.

Change the 4 to a 7 and we're talking. Gotta have a hot oven for proper pizza!! Priorities man.
got that right!!! i havent found a home-consumer grade oven yet that can bake a Pizza the RIGHT way... but then im old-school. I like a Pizza coming out of an old Blodgett hearth oven
-Christopher
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Old 09-15-2017, 12:59 PM   #288
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Wood or coal fired is the way to go. I'll just have to build one onsite somewhere. Semi mobile on a trailer.
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Old 09-15-2017, 01:20 PM   #289
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
P.S. My current oven comes close but then mine is more restaurant than residential. Dial goes to 550°. Closer to 600° I think before the broiler kicks on. Pizza stone (actually an unglazed tile) on the bottom of the oven gets it even closer to the 700° mark. Let it preheat, then go another 10~15 minutes for the stone to come all the way up, leave the door open for a minute or so, toss in the pizza and close it up. It fires up to reheat the air. If I had one of them there fancy laser thermometers I could measure actual temps.
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Old 10-03-2017, 02:44 PM   #290
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 722
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 RE
Engine: 8.3l Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
Hey Vlad!

Good to see you posting again.

Can you tell me about your air helper spring setup? I am beginning to think I want to do something similar. I had looked at a company called donvel who builds class 8 ride management air spring kits, but they don't want to sell to be because they think I have an "rv". I mean, I guess I do, but it's really just a truck under there.

I'm trying to reduce the amount of bounce and sway that I get on highway driving and rough road, and maybe get a better ride management out of the thing.
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Old 10-03-2017, 07:15 PM   #291
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 159
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Engine: -
I think your best bet is either go to a Truck junk yard or start talking to Firestone!!

thjakits
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Old 04-13-2018, 04:04 PM   #292
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 570
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International
Engine: dt466e
Had to sub. Very impressive work here. Mad props
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Old 06-03-2018, 08:43 PM   #293
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 36
Amazing work Vlad! Any updates and photos?
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Old 11-28-2018, 12:05 AM   #294
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada
Posts: 200
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000 Rear engine
Engine: Cummins 8.3; MD3060
Rated Cap: 84
I do have some updates. The biggest update is we decided to move to Europe. So I have no other choice but to sell my skoolie.
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https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/98-bluebird-tc2000-conversion-2-feet-roof-raise-3-slideouts-9728.html
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Old 11-28-2018, 06:25 AM   #295
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Location: Eustis FLORIDA
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Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
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How far along is it?
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Old 11-28-2018, 07:09 AM   #296
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlad View Post
I do have some updates. The biggest update is we decided to move to Europe. So I have no other choice but to sell my skoolie.
That's a hell of an update. You look into shipping it?
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Old 12-02-2018, 10:41 AM   #297
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 36
Vlad any idea price for it and how far along it is. Can it be driven or is it in pieces still
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Old 12-06-2018, 04:15 PM   #298
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 130
Chassis: GMC 3500 Thomas
Engine: 6.0 L GAS
ohhhh....that bundle of wires.......didn't you just sell this bus on Kijiji lately VLAD ?
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Old 12-06-2018, 06:48 PM   #299
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada
Posts: 200
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000 Rear engine
Engine: Cummins 8.3; MD3060
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by skidfrog View Post
ohhhh....that bundle of wires.......didn't you just sell this bus on Kijiji lately VLAD ?
Good investigating skills....

I got a deposit for the bus. We will finish sale sometime in January.

The guy is very eager to finish it and start using it.

If he decides he can join the forum and post updates as he goes.
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Old 12-07-2018, 06:54 AM   #300
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 130
Chassis: GMC 3500 Thomas
Engine: 6.0 L GAS
hahaha....no investigation really....I'm just looking here in Ontario and it showed up as "SOLD"......but yeah.......that's gotta hurt you put SOOOO much work into it. I have newbie fear so I'm looking for a good mini .

Best of luck across the ocean !
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