'99 BB to become a tiny home...

[EastCoastCB]

I've got a piece of Ward/AmTran rib if anyone needs a sample. I think Sojourner needs it, I'll send him a PM. Just found it yesterday cleaning up bus stuff from selling the shorty.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've got a piece of Ward/AmTran rib if anyone needs a sample. I think Sojourner needs it, I'll send him a PM. Just found it yesterday cleaning up bus stuff from selling the shorty.

Meant to include a note to you... when you cut your ribs, did they move at all? I know you said you had the bus on cribbage and all that jazz. I do not. Altho I still have all the sheet metal attached and only cut one rib on one side. It moved; less than a 1/4" (forgot to take a pic of it with the windows out). Maybe only an 1/8th of an inch but it has me slightly worried as I'm not even done taking rivets out of that side of the bus.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Meant to include a note to you... when you cut your ribs, did they move at all? I know you said you had the bus on cribbage and all that jazz. I do not. Altho I still have all the sheet metal attached and only cut one rib on one side. It moved; less than a 1/4" (forgot to take a pic of it with the windows out). Maybe only an 1/8th of an inch but it has me slightly worried as I'm not even done taking rivets out of that side of the bus.

No mine didn't move any discernible amount.
I cut the rib sample by removing two windows and used a cutoff wheel on a grinder.

[Brewerbob]

Same; only when the last little bit of metal was cut, it jumped. I'll have to go back and see how far (wasn't much tho).

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

So, this morning before work I stopped at the bus. Almost finished drilling the rivets from the passenger area of the passenger side of the bus. \


Cols feet and low light (overcast) was enough for me to quit early.
Of note, today I cut a chunk out of one of the ribs!! No going back now; not that I was considering it anyway. I have the piece measured and sitting on my desk so if anyone needs the dimensions from a Blue Bird rib, here they are:

You are committed now. No going back. All the Liters of displacement cant' save you now.

I had taken-off my rub rail, but didn't drive the rivets thru the hole, so they were still protruding a bit after air chisel. I slid my palm across bus side and rivet shard sliced it like a a Ginsu thru mashed taters. I had **** to do, so I made a field dressing- paper towel and duct tape.

And about it getting cold out: I tell myself to get it done today because tomorrow is even colder.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Rusty

You are committed now. No going back. All the Liters of displacement cant' save you now.

Nope, sure won't. I should use all that displacement to park it in front of my house. Get rid of the dead cars parked there and give the neighbors about a week to get used to it. And then park a big ugly school bus right there!!!

I'd get more work done on it if all I had to do is walk outside.

I had taken-off my rub rail, but didn't drive the rivets thru the hole, so they were still protruding a bit after air chisel. I slid my palm across bus side and rivet shard sliced it like a a Ginsu thru mashed taters. I had **** to do, so I made a field dressing- paper towel and duct tape.

I got the rest of the bills from running my thumb thru a table saw. $144 for the office visit. The visit ... not the doc ... the visit. There was a $50 charge for the doc. He put gauze on it and wrapped it with tape. I get the fact that it's medical grade paper towels and duct tape but $50?!? He didn't wash it out, didn't iodine it, ... nothing. The xrays were the cheapest part; $25 for 3 pictures. But then it cost $75 for someone to give it a 30 second glance to say I missed the bone. I wish I made $72,000 an hour to look at pictures. They gave me a tetanus shot while they were at it. I wasn't too keen on that idea in the first place. Had I realized they were going to charge be $42 to stab me with a needle. Maybe I should hold out for the $241,920 an hour job (5 seconds). The vaccine itself was another $70 something on top of that.

Direct bus wounds have been fairly minor thus far. Busted knuckle here and there, a graze with the grinding wheel, etc. Nothing that's needed more than a paper towel just so I don't drip blood everywhere.

And about it getting cold out: I tell myself to get it done today because tomorrow is even colder.

Tomorrow is supposed to be colder still. Fri into Sat is supposed to be a low of 20°. Guess I'm going to have to bust out the jacket finally. Busted it out today but then it turns out that today is 45° going to mid 50s. Phfft.

[Brewerbob]

Gawddamnit Rusty... you got me all worked up about the quacks and their billing. Forgot to mention that I stopped at a metal fab shop this morning and got a napkin quote for rib extensions. Took the chunk in and guy drew it out on his notepad. Told him I need 26 pieces at 15" each. He said he could make the bends and all that jazz. About an hour's labor. And said it would be about $100. I dunno if I misunderstood or what but for $100 for 26 pieces, guess who is NOT going to be making some ghetto homemade stuff.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Gawddamnit Rusty... you got me all worked up about the quacks and their billing. Forgot to mention that I stopped at a metal fab shop this morning and got a napkin quote for rib extensions. Took the chunk in and guy drew it out on his notepad. Told him I need 26 pieces at 15" each. He said he could make the bends and all that jazz. About an hour's labor. And said it would be about $100. I dunno if I misunderstood or what but for $100 for 26 pieces, guess who is NOT going to be making some ghetto homemade stuff.

You are making new pieces longer than you need for lift to overlap , right?

Good quote. Sometimes it isn't exorbitant to get someone to do the job right, but it's all hit-or-miss. Next time you will want an angle bracket and it's $500.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Rusty

You are making new pieces longer than you need for lift to overlap , right?

No? My plan is to get the pieces cut to the length of the raise which kinda puts me in a corner on deciding how much raise. Anywho, the 15" pieces will fill just the 15" gap. My hat channel is 1 1/4" inner. I will get 1 1/4" square tubing chopped up into 36" pieces. That'll give me a 10 1/2" overlap top and bottom. The "face" of my hat is 1 3/8ths. Drill a couple of 1/2" holes (???) in that 10 1/2" length, drill 2 (3???) in the 15" length and do some plug welds. Weld the top/bottom edges where the old meets the new. See attached. The blue would be the square tubing and would remain unbroken. The hat channel is around 15 gauge. The new channel and square tubing will be 14 gauge.

Good quote. Sometimes it isn't exorbitant to get someone to do the job right, but it's all hit-or-miss. Next time you will want an angle bracket and it's $500.

I was expecting the $500 quote since my sheet metal was more than that by itself. Fro that kind of money I would roll the dice with my ghetto welding. Or buy a Horrible Fright brake for $229. But for $100 and given a press, it ain't worth my time trying to hammer that crap semi straight.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

No? My plan is to get the pieces cut to the length of the raise which kinda puts me in a corner on deciding how much raise. Anywho, the 15" pieces will fill just the 15" gap.

Sounds good. Have some scraps of sheet that you can use as shims to improve compliance. Tap 'em in along the square stock to nudge.

You could always butt weld the ends in addition to plugs. It should be fine, I would just hate all that raw hose power to shear the roof-off upon acceleration.

Most important tip for welding is ensure good ground. Crappy clamp that comes with budget welders can be upgraded for $10. Self darkening helmet is a must, for me. It keeps me from welding my fingers to the piece.

[Brewerbob]

I don't have anything to compare it to but I've been happy with my Hobart. The only time I've had a bad ground is when I didn't clean stuff properly. A better mask I could use. It's auto dimming but also a $50 Horrible Fright model. Cheesey plastic lens doesn't have very good optics.

[EastCoastCB]

Make sure the sq tubing fits SNUG. If it isn't a perfect fit get some channel made like I did.
Looks like your project is coming along nicely, man! Keep it up, and don't sweat it too much.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Make sure the sq tubing fits SNUG. If it isn't a perfect fit get some channel made like I did.
Looks like your project is coming along nicely, man! Keep it up, and don't sweat it too much.

Measures damn near spot on at 1.25" ... perfect size for 14 gauge tubing. Going up to DE tomorrow to get some. $17.50 for 20' sections. Going to get 10' just so I can use the wagon to pick it up.

The low tomorrow night will be 19°, there won't be any sweating going on.

[cadillackid]

ugh!! too early for this cold.. high of 31 tomorrow .. low tonight 21, and low tomorrow night 17.. only sweating going on here will be the daen glass on the bus that I have to scrape tjhe frost off of! the busses do run really nice in the cold though!

-Christopher..

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Measures damn near spot on at 1.25" ... perfect size for 14 gauge tubing. Going up to DE tomorrow to get some. $17.50 for 20' sections. Going to get 10' just so I can use the wagon to pick it up.

The low tomorrow night will be 19°, there won't be any sweating going on.

Just make sure and test fit everything.

[Brewerbob]

ECCB,
Tight enough?

[Drop out]

I think you have it within RCH tolerance.

[EastCoastCB]

NO sq tubing would even remotely fit my Ward. The channels were some odd proprietary size. Nothing generic would fit at all.

Congrats! I remember muddaEarth was able to find sq tubing that fit his nicely too.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Drop out

I think you have it within RCH tolerance.

RCH??? I don't speak acronym.

[Drop out]

It's an industry term. You got it very close.