Diesel Dan's Skoolie - Page 12

browncrown · 11-05-2011, 12:01 PM

Looking very nice Dan

Redbear · 11-05-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel Dan

I had just a few inches of space left between the tub enclosure and the back wall, so I made a very narrow broom closet in which I will also store rope, electrical cords, etc. . . .

Innovative use of limited space!

Diesel Dan · 11-06-2011, 08:51 PM

Thanks everyone! I just got back from a short trip to Columbus TX for the weekend to attend the wedding celebration of my sister-in-law. The bus was, of course, a big hit. I was getting sick of giving tours by the end of the weekend. I love these short trips though, because I really get a feeling for what I should pack, and what should be left at home. For instance, this trip confirmed for me that all the throw cusions we have in the bunk room are more a pain in the ass than anything else. Also, I really need to get my cabinets built so I can get pots&pans and dishware permanently situated. Pulling them out of a big plastic bin is a pain. And lastly, it was a bummer to not have water on board. We were boondocking; and though we had access to water, it was not convenient. I was really trying to get the plumbing set up for this weekend, but just ran out of time. I did get some insulated curtains made though.

Here are the materials I used. The flowered material would not have been my first choice but I had it around and it was thus free. I also had some sheer curtains we bought and never used, plus I had a very thick and scratchy wool emergency blanket that came with the bus. So I sandwiched the wool between the other two materials, and presto! Insulated curtains. Took me a whole day to get the job done though!

dgorila1 · 11-06-2011, 09:56 PM

Dan,
Innovative use of the watering tub for a shower tub.Just curious, why not just go with a regular shower pan or preformed shower unit? 2' wide seems a bit narrow, but it might not be bad since the sides will be "open" with the shower curtain allowing some shoulder room. Are you setting it up to use as a bathtub too since it should be deep enough? Nice work.

Diesel Dan · 11-07-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgorila1

Dan,
Innovative use of the watering tub for a shower tub.Just curious, why not just go with a regular shower pan or preformed shower unit? 2' wide seems a bit narrow, but it might not be bad since the sides will be "open" with the shower curtain allowing some shoulder room. Are you setting it up to use as a bathtub too since it should be deep enough? Nice work.

You're right, 2' is a bit narrow, and yes, the shower curtain will be mounted wider on top so it will taper down to the tub. I wanted a tub so I could fill it with water to use for laundry or some other not-yet-considered purpose. It also acts as a great catch-all bin for securely storing stuff when traveling. Lastly, I needed to maximize what remaining open floor space I have in the back of the bus for cargo. With the shower curtain open, that creates an open space that I would not have with the hard-walled shower stall. If I've learned one thing from reading this skoolie board, it's that efficient use of space, and multipurpose space is a high priority! Now if I can craft a water-tight cover for that tub, I could fill it with water and my bus heater would heat up the water while traveling so I could have a nice warm bath upon arrival!

Tango · 11-07-2011, 09:00 AM

Hey Dan --- Lookin' good. Insulated curtains can make a huge difference whether it's hot or cold outside. And I can relate to maximizing space. Having owned a 40' BB with a 19 inch roof raise, then a 21' Toyota Odyssey, I have experienced some extremes, space-wise. My current challenge being the 1946 Chevy Shorty I am working on and I need to put every cubic millimeter to work.

One thought arose from cruising/camping in the little Toyota...the biggest single "dead-space" was the shower. It constitutes a very significant volume of space that gets only occasional use. And, like you, I found myself piling all manner of odds 'n ends in there the rest of the time but not very efficiently. On my Shorty, I have plans for (hopefully) making better use of it by constructing a swing out door that has permanent shelving & drawers which will pretty much fill the otherwise lost space in that cubicle. When in the open position, it also serves as a privacy break between that area and the front of the coach.

You can probably get an idea of what I'm talking about from the Google SketchUp plans here. The shelving intrudes into the shower when not in use.

I have re-arranged how the toilet fits, but the swing-away storage/shower door is pretty much the same so far. In fact, I think I can get a few more cubic inches squeezed in by making them just a little deeper. Just a thought.

Diesel Dan · 11-07-2011, 10:04 AM

Tango, I like your thinking with the shelves on the back of the door! I may use that idea in another part of the bus.

lornaschinske · 11-07-2011, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel Dan

Tango, I like your thinking with the shelves on the back of the door! I may use that idea in another part of the bus.

Just make sure you get some hefty hinges or build a pivot for the door to swing on.I have a book of built in furniture that shows how one was done. Sold my scanner yesterday at the yard sale so I can't show you a pic. Perhaps you can find the bok in a library..
Built-in Furniture by Jim Tolpin
2002 Tauton Press
Pg 111 "Coley's Bookcase Pivot Hardware"

Since a bookcase usually holds more weight (mine do) You could shift the setup to a "back" corner. You might have to run a tensioning rod on a diagonal from corner to corner (like you see on wooden screen doors).

Diesel Dan · 11-07-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

...Just make sure you get some hefty hinges or build a pivot for the door to swing on...

Thanks for the tip Lorna. I have somehow accumulated a collection of household door hinges. I think those will work for the amount of weight I would hang on 'em.

bus-bro · 11-07-2011, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

Built-in Furniture by Jim Tolpin
2002 Tauton Press

Hey, I know that guy!

Tango · 11-08-2011, 12:45 AM

Yep...the hinge system definitely needs to be stout. My plan is to use steel pipe or tube floor to ceiling and a tension rod or two. I want it to be capable of carrying at least 200 pounds without any sag or wiggle over the road. The shower curtain will push back on the hinged side. Shelves work out to 16" deep by about 26 wide and will have a fully closing front cover plus a 2" lip across the front of each to help keep things in. May be a fair amount of work but all that wasted space in the Odyssey made me crazy and I need all the storage I can muster in this little unit.

lornaschinske · 11-08-2011, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

...and will have a fully closing front cover plus a 2" lip across the front of each to help keep things in...

Using a piece of elastic cord to keep stuff on the shelf when you open the door/cover make work better than the lip. With the lip, you will need more height just to lift stuff out and will actually waste space. The elastic cord will need to be replaced every so often (depends on the quality of the cord) but to remove a roll of TV or a can of air freshener would simply involve pulling the elastic out far enough to remove rather than having to allow enough space to lift and clear the lip. With the elastic cord, you wouldn't really need the cover, which will save space (no need to allow for the space require to open the cover if hinged, or the

verlap" of a bypass sliding door). If you use a sliding door, the elastic cord will keep stuff from pushing to the front/tipping over, preventing the sliding door from opening. Also you don't have to keep the shelves "full".

For a good lightweight sliding door track, go to Outwater Plastics website and look for the "anti rattle sliding door track"(R101-603-BR). Works great and you can use really thin material (paneling or plastic panels). We had the track in out pop-up and it held up well for decades. Bad thing about ordering from Outwater is that the minimum order is $25 and the track comes in 12 ft lengths but ships no longer than 8 ft (you can get it cut either 8 ft & 4 Ft or 6 ft & 6 ft lengths). For me, coming up with a $25 order is not the problem... keeping and order down to $25 is the problem. They have the best selection of Rev-a-shelf and other cabinet fittings I have found. The catalog is free and easier to find what you want in the catalog and the look up prices online.

Tango · 11-09-2011, 06:37 PM

Hey Lorna --- Wow! Thanks for the Outwater link. Looks like a body could spend a whole weekend digging through all the nifty stuff there.

Diesel Dan · 11-11-2011, 09:35 AM

See this corner right here?

I've now hit my head on it twice. As I'm walking out of the bus, I'll turn to look back in for some reason, and BAM!

$#^&*!

The other day I vowed between clenched teeth that this shelf will be torn out forthwith. I don't like the way this shelf came out anyway. I like the way Accordian built his shelves out of 3/4" cabinet grade plywood (viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10764&start=45). That will be my next approach, and I will angle the front edge of the cabinet so it doesn't stick out so far. I've decided to take a break from plumbing work and will now focus on cabinetry for a while so the interior of the bus is basically complete and I can move my cooking implements and dishes in to their new home. I've also devised a scheme to lower the profile of my overhead AC duct from it's current 3" protrusion to about 1.5". This is another threat to the structural integrity of my cranium, which I've decided needs to be modified. So far, I've been just taking measurements and making sketches, but construction will begin soon!

I posted in the "conversion discussion" area asking people about cabinet door fasteners. If anyone has any advice about what has worked well for them or not worked so well, please feel free to share your experiences.

lornaschinske · 11-11-2011, 02:45 PM

Do a search for "positive Latch". That is what is on our Class C. Camping world Internet price of under $10. Shop around to find cheaper and watch out for shipping.

Diesel Dan · 11-17-2011, 12:05 AM

I finished the fold-out table for the dining booth. I just need to put a couple more coats of polyurethane on it, but I've got it mounted and have already put it to use! It folds into a box that hangs on the wall. I harvested a leg off one of those six foot folding particle board cafeteria tables. I used 1/2" sanded plywood for lightness and bracing underneath for rigidity/strength. It's not perfect, but I'm pleased with how it came out.

Diesel Dan · 11-17-2011, 12:10 AM

Here I am putting the table to it's first use:

After 2 years of avoidance, my cat has now decided that he likes hanging out in the bus. A vehicle is the cat's natural enemy, so it took a while for him to come around.

Edit: I feel compelled to point out that the zebra themed seat cover is just a temporary measure to hide the ripped up driver seat. It came with another car I bought, so I had it around. Anyway, yes, aside from being the furthest thing imaginable from being "me", it looks ridiculously bad with the flowered curtains. I don't want to replace it yet because I still hold out hope that I will find another nicer seat to use. Maybe I'll try to dye it black so it doesn't look so... zebra-like. Also the RV jacknife couch I got looks even worse than before in comparison to relatively rich colored curtains. Now the couch not only looks cheesy '80s, but also washed out and dingy. So I will probably make matching covers for the couch and the two dining benches.