Bike For The Light Skoolie

[bikeforthelight]

The pic is a little deceiving. I did lose some, but only about 1 1/4 inch or so. Still plenty to step on there. Just looks tiny.

[bikeforthelight]

Originally Posted by Smitty

Show-off!!
Smitty

I try man. Just trying to make mine look as productive as yours.

So today I did a couple things. Since I am not pulling the ceiling down or raising the roof I wanted to get some sort of insulation on the top. I figured I would use some Reflectix. The foil is a good radiant heat barrier, and it at least offers some sort of insulation. My cross beams are 25 inches apart, so I bought 24 inch Reflectix. The roof had no insulation in it so it slid right across with just a little fuss. Then I foil taped the edges down. It worked beautifully. Installed in under an hour. Plus because of the thinness of the insulation there is a gap between it and the roof metal. Perfect for radiant barrier. Im really happy with the way it turned out.







After finishing that up I went to the task of finishing up the window tint. Got about 3/4 of the drivers side done. I just really want to get that done so I can start framing the walls. Here are some of the windows tinted, and you can see the insulation coming down from the ceiling too.



Hopefully finish up the tint tomorrow and get going on the framing.

[ezbme]

Nice man, looks great... I am just gonna live by your progress on your bus till I get my chance!

[John]

That's a great insulation job! I been wondering about my own roof for a while now. It's gotten down to 18 degrees and it will get a lot colder yet. But I just don't want to touch that metal roof, remove all those screws, etc... to do foam-board or something else. What a great idea, I can just slide it up there. Let us know how well it ends up insulating.

The gap you mentioned that makes the insulation work more effectively. I thought that was on the side you want insulated, not necessarily the back-side. So wouldn't it work more effectively if the insulation was pushed against the rooftop with a gap against the ceiling instead of resting down on the ceiling with a gap against the roof? or does it work well the other way around as well?

[bikeforthelight]

Originally Posted by ezbme

Nice man, looks great... I am just gonna live by your progress on your bus till I get my chance!

Thanks man. Before you can get going you got to decide what your gonna do....keep buster or go shorty.

Originally Posted by John

That's a great insulation job! I been wondering about my own roof for a while now. It's gotten down to 18 degrees and it will get a lot colder yet. But I just don't want to touch that metal roof, remove all those screws, etc... to do foam-board or something else. What a great idea, I can just slide it up there. Let us know how well it ends up insulating.

The gap you mentioned that makes the insulation work more effectively. I thought that was on the side you want insulated, not necessarily the back-side. So wouldn't it work more effectively if the insulation was pushed against the rooftop with a gap against the ceiling instead of resting down on the ceiling with a gap against the roof? or does it work well the other way around as well?

I talked with an insulation guy here in town and he said it can work both ways. Putting it against the roof would be better i believe. But there is no way to do it without tearing into the ceiling. Technically its best if you can have space on both sides and have it stretched between something. I should know how well it works tomorrow morning when the bus is in the sun. I am not expecting it to change the world, but I think it will work better than nothing.

Originally Posted by Smitty

Just as an after-thought, I wonder if you could have cut sheets of R-Max to 25", and slid them in the same way, even if you had to work 1/2 the sheet from each side? Of course I've got insulation on the brain (since my bus will serve an entirely different purpose), but someone else might be able to try it & see. Should make a huge difference, especially in addition to the tinted glass.

Lookin' good, and if you don't slow-down, I'll have to stop checkin' in Kidding of course.
Smitty

Smitty, I thought of that first and tried it. Whole or half it didnt work. Just too rigid to make that turn. All I accomplished was a wasted couple hours and a piece of R-max destroyed. I wish it would have worked....it would have been a little cheaper. But I really think it will work well. I also thought about buying the 4 foot wide Reflectix and cutting it wider to be a perfect fit, but honestly if I tried to go any wider it would have been really hard. The cross members have holes cut and they caught the insulation quite a bit. Some pieces went over really easy, while some were really a pain in the butt.

Just so you know....I don't plan on slowing down at all. I've got way to much energy to finish it quick. I want to get it done by the end of November. At least the interior. But who knows.

[ezbme]

Originally Posted by bikeforthelight

Thanks man. Before you can get going you got to decide what your gonna do....keep buster or go shorty.

I think we are going shorty next spring/summer. I want to do it right & I think I need the correct bus first!

[bikeforthelight]

Originally Posted by ezbme

I think we are going shorty next spring/summer. I want to do it right & I think I need the correct bus first!

That works man. Do it quick so you can start posting photos man. Haha.

So today I got all the window tint done. I wanted to finish it early enough to take some pics, but that didnt happen. I also wanted to finish it up in time to start framing the side walls, but that didn't happen either. So tomorrow I will take pics of the tint and start framing. The tint wasn't hard, just a pain and tedious. I wouldn't want to do it again. Just wasnt very fun or satisfying. I will say the tint and insulation made a HUGE difference in how hot the bus got today. It was so much nicer in there. No sweating today. Very nice. Now onto the fun stuff. Building.

[ezbme]

Originally Posted by bikeforthelight

That works man. Do it quick so you can start posting photos man. Haha.

I guess I gotta sell Buster first which may be a challenge where I am now... Although it would make a cool vacation for the buyer!

You are making some good progress & since you are now a pro I will have about 20 windows for you to do when you come visit!

I think you need to add some glass blocks somewhere on your bus whether outside windows or on a wall inside.... let in "The Light"... I dunno, maybe too cheezy!

[bikeforthelight]

Originally Posted by ezbme

I will have about 20 windows for you to do when you come visit!

I think you need to add some glass blocks somewhere on your bus whether outside windows or on a wall inside.... let in "The Light"... I dunno, maybe too cheezy!

Haha...no way. I hated tint by the end of it. I like the idea of letting the light in. But I think I am too tired at this moment to think of how to do it. Here is a final pic of the windows all tinted.



It was a long day today. Got started on the wall framing. Got a lot more done than I was expecting actually. Here is the frame base plate. I went with 2x3's for my framing. Strong, but saves a bit of space. Actually didn't save any money tho. 2x4's were cheaper. I dont understand why tho.



Here is what the framing looks like. The tops are screwed into the cross beams of the ceiling. Used a simple framing bracket to attach it to the walls. Notched for the chair rail, and screwed into the base plate.



I am only using 8 of the 22 windows on the bus. The others I screwed shut up into the metal window frame and up into the wire chase to help keep them watertight and from rattling.



The windows that I am not using are getting thick black plastic foil taped over them for further sealing and block all light. From the outside all the windows will look the same because of the tint. Once the electrical is all run through the framework then I will be insulating all this area with R-Max.



The 8 windows I am using are getting full sashes on top and bottom. The top one is a simple 2x3 that is flush with the top window. You can also see some R-max insulation above these. Already installed it.



The bottom of the windows I am using got a 2x3 cross beam, but the window sets in and the 2x3 doesn't look nice. So I used a 1x4 as a sash that sits flush with the center of the window. Only the top half of those 8 window will be used. The bottom half of these will get the same black plastic and R-max as the 14 windows I am not using.






So there is my work for the day. Got about 2/3 of the bus walls framed. Past both wheel wells. Went great. Tomorrow I finish the framing then start building beds. Im tired.

[Kirbystud]

All looks great..BUT what will you do if you have a window break....The glass, latches or just can't slide it very well.....When I did mine that was the way I was going to do it. Then the window game into play....You have to be very proud of what you have done with your bus.

[bikeforthelight]

Thanks guys. The screws are super easy to take out of the windows though. Just a simple screw up through the frame of the window from the inside. Literally takes about 1 minute to put it in, and would take about ten seconds to pull out. If I had to do something with the window, pulling the screw out would be just as easy as anything else I would think. Maybe I am missing something you guys know of that I dont.

Smitty, I will measure it today for you. Its actually not where mine is gonna go. Just stored there while I am working right now, but I will let you know the dimensions on it.


*EDIT*
I think I misunderstood your talking about the windows. After rereading I think you were talking about the all the windows, not just the ones I am screwing shut. I am able to get to the side screws of most of the windows without messing with the framing. Maybe I am misunderstanding you guys. sorry.

[Kirbystud]

On my bus to do anything to the windows you have to pull the window frame. And to do that you have to remove the screws and tilt in the and then up to get it out... Keep up the good work.......That might not be the way all bus windows come out.....Just ask Smitty I see he cut the hole dam roof off to get his windows out.....

[ezbme]

WOW dude...NICE! I like the simplicity in your framing... Just like you explained a while back & it will work well for you! So I never asked - you never considered skinning the windows not needed?

Great progress!!

Well it dropped to a balmy 17 the last 2 nights & yup our pipes froze & one blew this morning at 5am... scared the sh*t outta us! Sux but should be 62 on sunday - plumber time!

Oh & it is still snowing...2 days! I love that!!!

[bikeforthelight]

So today was an errand day, so no work was done. Did run by the bus to measure the freezer for Smitty, but other than that I took a day off. My back and legs were killing me from all the floor and frame work I have been doing on her this week anyways, so a day off was welcome for me. Back to it tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Smitty

Question, can you tell me how tall the box is over the wheelhouse, and how far it will be measuring from the floor to the top of the freezer? I'm doing exactly what you have pictured (just closer to the front) with batteries underneath. I was just curious as to the dimensions in your pic, because they look just about right for what I have planned.
Smitty

Measured it today. The box is 10 1/2" tall, and the freezer is 35 1/2" tall, so its got a total height of 46". Since you have the problems bending, it would work great. Your a bit taller than me, but I can still look in and reach the bottom with just a bit of tip toes, so you would be perfect there.

Originally Posted by Smitty

What KS was meaning is say if you get the interior finished, and someone takes a BB gun or Louisville Slugger to your side windows, how will you remove them for repair?
Smitty

Ok, yeah. Well if that happens, I will have to pull that frame truss down. But its not really a huge deal. Just a point of pulling 6 screws. Amazing how 6 screws can really hold the thing in strong. I am just believing that wont be needed. Mind over matter. There is no try, just do or do not my young paddawan.

Originally Posted by ezbme

WOW dude...NICE! I like the simplicity in your framing... Just like you explained a while back & it will work well for you! So I never asked - you never considered skinning the windows not needed? Well it dropped to a balmy 17 the last 2 nights & yup our pipes froze & one blew this morning at 5am... scared the sh*t outta us! Sux but should be 62 on sunday - plumber time! Oh & it is still snowing...2 days! I love that!!!

Well, I wanted the thing to look like a school bus on the outside. I know that is weird for most people, but I speak to teens across the country in this thing, so looking like a school bus is actually a plus for me. Eventually if and when it turns into a regular rv for me, I will definitely skin the windows. The framing is working great. Really simple....really strong. Sorry bout the pipe man. That sucks hard. As for the snow....its pretty, but you can keep it. I wore shorts all day today. haha.

[eugene1617]

Hello i'm new on here going to pic up my bus Sunday ! It is great to
see what and how you are doing your bus. Man I cant wait and hope
mine turns out half as well as yours. My grandsons want to skip school
to go pick it up ! But daughter say's NO ( School ).Anyway thanks and
keep up the good work.

[bikeforthelight]

Originally Posted by eugene1617

Hello i'm new on here going to pic up my bus Sunday ! It is great to
see what and how you are doing your bus. Man I cant wait and hope
mine turns out half as well as yours. My grandsons want to skip school
to go pick it up ! But daughter say's NO ( School ).Anyway thanks and
keep up the good work.

Thanks man. I really appreciate it. Make sure to take some pics and start a conversion thread on here. What kind of bus did you get? What kind of conversion are you gonna do?

[cheezypsnookle]

wow great idea smitty dropping the floor in a spot or to to accommodate for certain things...

i have been wondering is there any reason u didnt take out the windows and just put plywood sum insulation and sum skins to cover where the windows were ..
and i was wanting to use 1x2s instead of 2x4s or 2x3s for the weight factor.. any reasons against this
good work all around

[Redbear]

i was wanting to use 1x2s instead of 2x4s or 2x3s for the weight factor.. any reasons against this

No problem, since these generally aren't structural. They don't hold up the roof or second floor of a house. I used 1x's cut to the wall shape to insulate and panel a cargo van for work years ago. Just be sure you have a plan to support any hanging cabinets or tables.

[bikeforthelight]

Originally Posted by Smitty

May have to drop the floor in that area to keep platform at a decent height for the fridge.

I really dont think you'd need to sink it in. My box is 10 1/2. If you raised it 1 1/2 you'd be at 12....should be good, without adding a ton of over all height. You could sink in an area just down through your insulation and subfloor. I would imagine sinking into the actual floor would be a bear of a job.

Originally Posted by cheezypsnookle

is there any reason u didnt take out the windows and just put plywood sum insulation and sum skins to cover where the windows were

Yeah man. I want the look of the school bus. I speak at schools with teens, so the school bus look is exactly what I want. Im the odd ball here trying to keep the look. Im actually adding a stop sign to the side of the thing instead of taking it off. haha.

I agree with redbear too. You can use 1x's for your walls, but dont plan on hanging anything from em. Also, they aren't deep enough for you to run any real electric in. Youll have a harder time insulating too. Honestly, on a bus, the difference between 30 2x3's or 30 1x's is not big enough to make any kind of difference. Think about it....you already got rid of a thousands pounds of seats, and its weighed originally for 60 brats. You aren't gonna get close to that with a few 2x3's.

[bikeforthelight]

Well no work is gonna happen tomorrow. My girl is have a biopsy....send up prayers/good thoughts if you get a chance. But Tuesday I start running electric down the walls, and hopefully start building the air conditioning duct down the ceiling too. Tons still to do, but I am happy with what has happened. I finished all the main wall framing over the weekend. All the windows sealed that need to be. All the window sashes done on the usable ones. Really happy with how strong the framework is. Feels super solid. I feel great about anchoring stuff to it. Here are a couple photos from the end of the weekend.





I will be running the electric for my outlets and then I can install my insulation. The duct work is gonna be a real ordeal, but I am confident its gonna work well. My tip to anyone starting....have 2 or more drills. Makes life so much easier keeping a drill bit in one and a driver bit in the other. Oh, and a comfy seat to relax in every hour or so. I choose a nice camping sling chair, but a lazyboy would be nicer.