BruinGilda the Aeroswine

Vern1 · 11-27-2003, 06:08 PM

Greetings,

Here is a link to my work in progress.

http://www.pettypb.com/bus

It has changed a good bit since the last photos were added.

It's been over a month since an update, but I will get some more info and pictures up soon.

Just got in from working on it this evening.

I got the black and grey tanks mounted today!

Enjoy!

Steve · 11-27-2003, 06:12 PM

I love see the old loadstars being taken care of

You are doing a great job. The rv windows look great!

The four windows in my school bus's front door have all had their weather seal broken. As these are double plane windows a lot of moisture develops between the glass and I can't see out the door.

My question is how well can you see out of the little window in your new door? Should I repair my windows or think about putting in a normal rv type door?

andybus9 · 11-27-2003, 08:30 PM

Hey not bad on your bus there. I personally like the bus door. My reason was that if i had to park really really close to something i could squezze out. I have squezzed out of my route bus with only 4 1/2 inches to do it. Also i dont really like the small window on that door. I want visibility. If i do anything to the door it would be to take the 2 door frame and make it one, remove the center divider on the upper portion and make a big window on top.

Andy B Bus#9

Minnesota

KC0JCK

Vern1 · 11-28-2003, 07:35 AM

Greetings,

I have a larger Hehr DOT RV fixed window that matches the rest of them waiting to go in the hole.

It is 4 inches longer and 6 inches wider.

It's not really a problem now as I have installed a temporary plexiglas piece in there, but you have to rubberneck a little to see the complete picture! With the mirrors, it's not really a problem going down the road, only at stop signs - at green lights, I check before I get there out the front windshield, then go on thru.

Just been working on other stuff getting it weathered in so I can work on the inside in comfort.

Hey Tullamore, I have the complete door assy if you want the windows or the complete door and the windows are in good shape.

You can have it for free, but shipping the whole door would be expensive.

Let me know the glass measurements and I will check them.

I may be able to get them out complete with the rubber mount. I _THINK_ the rubber is intact also.

Steve · 11-28-2003, 12:14 PM

Vern,

Thanks for the offer, but your door is very different. Your windows are much larger and you had the benifit of having a square shaped door. My door is rounded just like everything else on the outside of my bus. I haven't taken it into the glass place yet but I am little worried they will be able to find new weather windows the size I need.

torquester · 11-29-2003, 06:48 PM

Hey Steve,

Sometimes you can pull the glass out of your front door and remove the second pane with a razor blade and re-install to eliminate the condensation problem. A low cost solution. hth, tq

Steve · 11-29-2003, 07:50 PM

So you are saying remove one of the panes and just put the single panes back in the door? Why didn't I think of that

torquester · 11-30-2003, 09:32 AM

yup, that's it....pull the whole assembly out, and slip a razor blade in between the larger pane and the spacer between the panes...cut all the way around, clean up the pane and reinstall....you shouldn't even need a new gasket....problem gone, no cost.

hth, tq

Vern1 · 01-02-2004, 08:36 AM

Greetings,

My Christmas vacation is almost over - I spent most of it working on BruinGilda.

I took some pictures and added a new page yesterday, the 1st of January.

Here is a link to the new stuff:

http://www.pettypb.com/bus/index3.htm

I can actually see progress.......

Still waiting for a good day to paint the outside, but primer grey will work for a short while - anything to get rid of the skoolie yellow - it is starting to blend into the background better, too!

Steve · 01-02-2004, 01:52 PM

With all of that copper for water I hope you don't have to winterize where you live.

Your bus is still one of my favorites. That loadstar looks great and your doing a very professional looking job.

soused moose · 01-03-2004, 07:38 AM

Vern your Bus is Beautiful !

I love the Bead-board paneling. I wanted to do the same on our Bus...but, here in Sitka I would have had to special order it at a cost of $65.00 a sheet !

So , I'm stuck with what I could get .

Wow ! Nice Job Vern

Vern1 · 01-03-2004, 08:18 AM

Greetings,

On the weather, it was 79 degrees F here yesterday, the 2nd of Jan!

They are predicting a high of 80 for today.....

I was also working in and out of the bus on Christmas day - I think it was about 75 then.

We usually only have two or three light freezes here each year.

We have had it stay at or below freezing for a couple of weeks, but that is few and far between and usually warms up during the day to above freezing.

With proper care, the copper should not be a problem. It only runs outside the interior envelope under the floor thru an insulated channel in one place. The waterheater area will be heated with a small light bulb while parked and hooked to shore power.

On the materials, luckily, there are 5 Home Depots within 35 miles of here and they all stock the satin bead in sanded finish, 4' x 8' x 3/8" thick for 15.95 a sheet. The only problem I have encountered is the grain/color is slightly different at the store closest to the house than the place I got most of the rest of it!

I have been tracking expenses and hours on an Excel spreadsheet, so I have a running count of everything in the bus so far. When I picked up the 5th wheel, I lowered my budget from 10K to 8K, but think it will come in closer to 9K, so I am not too far off.

Glad you enjoyed the preview! I will try to answer any questions if I can.

Steve · 01-03-2004, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vern1

The waterheater area will be heated with a small light bulb while parked and hooked to shore power.

Can you explain this a little further. Is this a normal thing in a motorhome, what is the purpose? Just to keep the water in the heater from freezing causing the heater to explode? Also what kind of light bulb are you using? This sounds like something I may want to use in my bus.

soused moose · 01-03-2004, 08:19 PM

Vern ? what type of 120 wiring are you using ?

Romex?

Vern1 · 01-06-2004, 05:56 PM

Greetings,

On the waterheater light, the waterheater is in the front of the left bay under the bus. It is enclosed with 3/4 plywood with an aluminum skin on bottom and inside. The front and back are skinned with 1/16" steel to take rock dings and just in case of a rear tire seperation (the LP tanks are in the back of that same bay in a different compartment just in front of the back tires). There is also a 3/4 plywood wall between the waterheater area and the batteries and the batteries and the LP tanks. I can mount a small ceramic 120 volt light socket on the plywood in the waterheater section and install a small 20 - 40 watt light bulb in there and it will supply enough heat to keep the area from freezing.

On a side note: We use a 100 watt bulb in our pump house that is 8' x 8' x 8' and it keeps it from freezing.

On the wiring, yes it is romex. The pictures aren't clear, but it is suspended inside the channels running front to back with black nylon wire clamps every 12 inches or so. Wherever it goes thru a metal bulkhead, it is ran thru pvc conduit or a piece of thick clear plastic hose (1" diameter with a 1/8" wall thickness) for a gromet and is secured to the metal bulkhead with caulk and/or a tyewrap. On the run from side to side, it is ran thru 1" PVC conduit. The plugs and switches are all screw style and not the pushin type. The clamps at the breaker box and plug boxes are padded with the same hose and poly caulk to secure it in place so it doesn't slide. The channels at the bottom of the walls that the wire runs thru are covered with satin bead paneling that is screwed onto furring strips so I can get in to repair later if needed.

Steve · 01-06-2004, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vern1

On a side note: We use a 100 watt bulb in our pump house that is 8' x 8' x 8' and it keeps it from freezing.

Do you think you could do a little experiment for me. Measure the outside temperature and then the temperature in your pump house. I would like to know how many degrees that bulb can raise the temperature per cubic foot.

soused moose · 01-07-2004, 06:25 AM

Since you're chatting about temperature related things ...I learned a new thing yesterday .

When it get's down to 0 degrees propane starts to freeze up.

I went out to work on our Bus and tried to start up the LP Furnace ... and it wouldn't start. I was kind of pissed -off about it and thought that I must have bought a lemon.

I called up the shop where I had bought the heater and they told me that LP gas turns slushy at 0 ...and wont flow through the lines well.

They said they had problems with their Forklifts when it got this cold.

I had no idea propane actually does this...

So , I fired up the little woodstove to warm up the bus ...after approx. 20 minutes it had warmed up enough to start the LP heater..

Glad I have both heaters , I'd be in serious trouble trying to convert our Bus in these temps without them.

Steve · 01-11-2004, 12:29 PM

So you have been taking a lot of crap over at Yahoo about having the electrics under the sink. I was just wondering what your thoughts are.

Vern1 · 01-13-2004, 07:12 AM

Greetings,

Well first, I see both sides and try very hard to remain civil.

The folks are concerned that some poor newbie will see what I have done and adopt it "because it looks cool and he ACTUALLY completed it!" - They have a good and valid point.

At the same time, some folks assume they are GOD and everybody else is a moron.

The problem about assumptions is THEY HAVE NO CLUE what my intentions or use is or will be.

Also if I worried about everything breaking all the time, I would stay in an enclosed room - probably a padded one - while wearing a funny white suit with longer than normal sleeves complete with BUCKLED straps on the ends!

One of the more colorful comments was water and electricity don't mix.

My thoughts on this is: That's why I PLAN keep the SMOKE in the wires and the WATER in the pipes!

I have moved the charger and inverter off of the floor and onto the wall, but still under the sink. Having them mounted where water could puddle COULD be a problem, but only if the water system leaks. I also am planning a baffle or drip cover to allow any leaks to run off onto the floor and not be able to directly flow on the parts.

But, in reality, I do plan to do this safely. I have a switch on my pump which will be off unless in use, so water pressure shouldn't be an issue. Also, if you are inteligent, you are also vigilant and listen to stuff. If your pump is running and running and running and all the faucets are off, there is a leak somewhere! My wiring is done pretty well and I have tried to "think ahead" of potential problems with rubbing, chafing, etc. and "pre-fixed" a lot of stuff. Also, the plumbing is "inside the insulated envelope", so freezing on pressurized pipes should be minimized. The grey/black water tanks are not insulated at this time, but again, I am in Texas and don't go hunting for freezing weather.

The final part of this is that I don't plan to use this for "candy a$$ed camping" where I drive to a campground, am hooked up to shore power, high pressure water and sewer facilities. I plan to load up at the house before I leave and use what I have onboard. That's why I have a Skoolie and not a Prevost - I actually want to get away from "civilization" and go somewhere besides a paved road or parking lot. Also, contrary to most upturned noses opinion, I CAN AFFORD what they have, JUST DON'T WANT IT! I have built DOZENS AND DOZENS of racing gokarts, Dwarf cars, motorcycles, roundy-round cars, off-road buggies, over 75 ultralight aircraft, restored a bunch of VWs, etc. and lived thru ALL of them, so I don't worry about my "oversized suburban" - this is a relatively easy project, just time consuming!

Think Alfred E. Newman: What, me worry?

Hope this was entertaining and informative!

soused moose · 01-13-2004, 08:11 AM

Good for You, Vern!

You’re doing a beautiful and careful Job on your Bus …don’t let a bunch of pseudo Bus converters give you any guff.

The internet is a wonderful resource, but at the same time it allows a bunch of folks who wouldn’t be given any credibility in the Real World to spout off about stuff they don’t know anything about…just to make themselves sound ‘important’.

The Bus Conversion Boards and groups are Full of Folks (not this one, so far) like this.

I ran into the same silly Bull @$%** you have over there on that Yahoo group…

Millie & I always put some form of Wood Burner in our Buses…I like having heating systems that allow us to stay for long-term Boondocking sessions …and woods available just about anywhere we like to camp.

So…someone posts a ‘what do you think about having a woodstove in your rig ‘ question for the group.

Some Folks answered, ‘Can’t do it…not safe’ …so I wrote that we’ve always had a woodstove in our Rigs , never had any problems , and ‘here’s how we did it’.

The Moderator over there who thinks he ‘God ‘ …writes this really nasty post saying that I’m full of it …and I’m going to kill a bunch of ‘Newbies’ if they install a stove like I did.

It didn’t seem to matter to the Guy that he didn’t know what the hell he was talking about…the ‘Fact’ that me and a hundred other Bus and Housetruck Converters have been using a woodstove safely in our rigs for a LOT of years didn’t count. So he ‘booted’ me out of the group.

Loser .

Then there’s other ‘Groups’ who get pissed off at ya …for doing a 1st. class job on your rig , rather than buying all your stuff at the Goodwill store .

You just can’t ‘Win’ sometimes….

You doing a great & professional Job on that Bus of yours…I Love your Floor plan.

Anybody that’s going to give you a hard time about anything you’ve done on that bus is a Loser…they probably don’t even have Bus, they’re only there to Nit Pick and make themselves sound important.

Michael & Millie

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