Our Bus, Our Home

[Tango]

Roof Templates --- Howdy all, just had to share a trick I saw (and copied) many years ago on another bus. Make a rough, right-angle, "L" shaped bracket using something like 2 x 2's that fits against the floor and goes up to the roof centerline. Brace it well enough to be moved about without twisting. Then use a length of flexible lattice to conform to the curve of the roof. Attach the lattice (the new plastic stuff works best) to the "L" shaped bracket with a few more brackets to maintain the arc and you'll have a constant curve that is easily transferred either directly to work pieces or better yet, a master template in cardboard or wood.

Works like Gangbusters.

[Accordion]

Tango, that is a cool idea about using the lattice device.

I used cardboard templates. Cardboard was free, so I could afford to make many templates if necessary.
The best part is that I had installed bendable foam and then carpet on the ceiling prior to putting up the walls and cabinets. That allowed for small inaccuracies because I could squish the walls into the carpet.

However, I did do very well with the cardboard templates. I know that the walls would have fit against the metal ceiling. In order to use the cardboard, you must keep one edge straight and plumb. That straight edge will represent the front of the cabinet or wall.

Then mark and cut your curve. Now line up your front straight edge to your plywood and mark it on the wood and cut with a quality jig saw.

It is not an easy thing to cut to fit to a curved ceiling.

If you can get pretty close, you could always trim it out with bendable strips. On my first bus, the guy who built it used adhesive foam rubber strips that were one inch wide. It looked good and cleaned up the gaps of the walls at the ceiling.

[eyedeal.ink]

Just a quick tip, if you're gonna use polyurethane based calking, never paint over it with rustoleum or probably any oil based paint, the paint won't dry. luckily it was a small test section and after interior walls and flooring is in, none will be exposed. Little things you learn along the way.

[PDBreske]

Good tip, but shouldn't this be in the "Tutorials and How-To's" forum?

[bapos]

Question about your awning install. Did you bolt it all the way through to the interior or just to the sheet metal outside.

Nice build on the bus. Very inspiring to see and read. You have a good deal going keep up the good work.

[eyedeal.ink]

Originally Posted by bapos

Question about your awning install. Did you bolt it all the way through to the interior or just to the sheet metal outside.

Nice build on the bus. Very inspiring to see and read. You have a good deal going keep up the good work.

Thanks for the compliments. The awning was bolted through the sheet metal and structural steel above the windows (that stuff is fairly thick). In order to tighten it properly, a piece of wood was cut to just the right thickness on the table saw and sandwiched between the steel and outer sheet metal. Lock washers and nylon lock nuts to keep it all tight. On the bottom cleats we used a 4x5 piece of flat steel with two holes drilled in it as a washer to sandwich the bus sheet metal between the cleat and plate.

[bapos]

Would you happen to have any pics of your awning install? If you had to do it all over again.... anything you would change. I am gathering ideas on how to do mine but want to make sure I get a good size? Don't want stupid big but don't want dinky too?

[eyedeal.ink]

Originally Posted by bapos

Would you happen to have any pics of your awning install? If you had to do it all over again.... anything you would change. I am gathering ideas on how to do mine but want to make sure I get a good size? Don't want stupid big but don't want dinky too?

I intended to get some detailed pics today and forgot, I'll try to remember tomorrow.

[eyedeal.ink]

Here's some progress on the shower. We plan to take a trip to Portland here in a couple weekends and get some quality marine grade 2 part clear epoxy to seal/waterproof it. Thinking about splurging for the West System http://www.westsystem.com/ss/ That row of ceiling screws down the middle made the job funner (I know - more fun ) We still need to add some trim boards.

[eyedeal.ink]

Also got the pump mounted and the meat of the plumbing in. I highly recommend the Pex Sharkbite stuff, like playing with Legos, it was actually pretty fun. We wrapped our hot water pipes to conserve energy and added a couple ball valves to be able to isolate the pump and allow the tanks to be filled with the city water hookup in addition to the gravity fill. The black foam deal that's ziptied to the fittings is just a small scrap of pipe with foam and ducktape for a spacer.

[eyedeal.ink]

Originally Posted by bansil

Only thing I see is maybe an issue with the blue tape on the wood...that stuff can be a bear to remove after a week or two FYI

following your advice we decided to go ahead and get that tape off and yes, it was a drag. Janelle spent hours removing every last trace of blue tape and applied a nice stain after sanding it smooth, will post updated pics tomorrow.

[bansil]

curiosity question...are you guys really short?

reason I asked is...................... I am planning to go below floor level for our shower we are right at 6 foot tall

how much room do you have?

also thinking of a modified Asian soaking tub contraption...not sure yet though

[eyedeal.ink]

lol, Janelle and Charley are 5 and an a half, I'm 6' 3" so the finished product will leave me vertically challenged (stool in the shower) but there's a lot more room than a tent

[JakeC]

Nice and neat! I'm glad you clarified the one piece of foam ziptied in. I already was staring at it, trying to figure out what it was, lol

[bansil]

Cool thanks

[eyedeal.ink]

Originally Posted by bansil

curiosity question...are you guys really short?

reason I asked is...................... I am planning to go below floor level for our shower we are right at 6 foot tall

how much room do you have?

also thinking of a modified Asian soaking tub contraption...not sure yet though

just before falling asleep last night I realized I could have gained 1 1/2 inches in headroom in my shower if I'd have cut the plywood and insulation out before installing the pan duh. of course that would have made for a very cold shower floor, I could have insulated that particular spot from underneath. This led me to lay awake for the next three hours trying to figure out how I could still pull it off. Nope, too much glue. Not unless I want to start from scratch on the shower walls. That ain't happening. gotta laugh. It'll be a stool in the shower like I said before. Add this one to the list of "what I would have done different".

[gbstewart]

Originally Posted by bansil

gotta laugh. It'll be a stool in the shower like I said before. Add this one to the list of "what I would have done different

I call that the aww **** factor when I have a ideal after the fact
gbstewart

[Malkieri]

Put in a "sky-light" above the shower..... maybe a bubble type that would gain you as much as you need and still be somewhat aero-dynamic. If you do it right it might look pretty cool too!

[eyedeal.ink]

Originally Posted by Malkieri

Put in a "sky-light" above the shower..... maybe a bubble type that would gain you as much as you need and still be somewhat aero-dynamic. If you do it right it might look pretty cool too!

now that might happen

[Accordion]

I think that the skylight idea is awesome. It is usually dark inside the shower. A skylight would take care of that, well at least in the daylight.