Projekt: Freedom Panda begins! - Page 5

FreedomPanda · 01-05-2015, 04:11 PM

Hahahaha!!!

Aaaaargh, matey!!!!

FreedomPanda · 01-07-2015, 04:47 AM

So I got up on the top of the bus for the first time yesterday. Really wanted to see the condition of the seams & rivets and scope out rust areas.

Did a little cleaning & scrubbing, and also cleaned out the gutters. They were gunked up solid with mud, so I scraped all that out and rinsed them clean, saw that they alone were a project to be done, and also that the bus was, indeed, at one time a yellow skoolie! Apparently the Merced County Sheriffs dept bought her used & splashed her a new paint job.

So my next step seems to be to work on the exterior, then move to the interior. Basic rust search-and-destroy mission. My thought is to wire brush everything that's suspect, see how bad it is (so far nothing too bad), and then do the Por 15 treatment.

Thinking of doing that to every seal and rivet on the roof too, just because I can. Do it thorough the first time. Thinking of the clear Por 15, so that if I paint the bus a lighter color, it won't show like the black would.

Then for the actual paint job, acrylic enamel marine grade white to start with, mixed with some ceramic reflective junk to (hopefully) add a little cooler quality to the inner temperatures...

Any thoughts, tips, recommendations, tweaks to this process? I'm all ears

Tango · 01-07-2015, 09:38 AM

Good start --- I can't comment on that brand of insulating ceramics you show but do have experience with the stuff from HyTech. It works better than you might imagine. Also, they sell a product I believe is called "Bus Kote" that is an elastomeric seaalant mixed with their ceramic beads made specifically for bus & RV roofs. Someone on this forum ran some controlled tests on it and posted the results.

Good luck on the build and keep the pix coming.

The Nebuchadnezzar · 01-07-2015, 11:04 AM

You're making good progress, mine has slowed, the temps here have dropped and I can't use the Ospho that I bought to treat the interior floor (mine is metal). I'm going with the Hy-Tech beads as well but will have to wait for warmer weather to paint. Keep up the good work :0

thjakits · 01-07-2015, 07:33 PM

Hi all,

...to the "NASA"and "HiTec"-stuff....

I think there was a thread on here somewhere a few months ago - the fella was testing this out:

Specific paint - white, special reflective for roofs

a) mixed in sawdust

b) mixed in "NASA-HiTec"-stuff

c) painted TWICE with paint only

d) bare metal sheet for comparison

best was "2 coats of paint only"
second was sawdust
third "NASA-HiTec"-stuff

The sawdust was the cheapest solution, but was not considered bus-proof as there is no experience with sawdust in the paint (would it get moldy longterm? ...would the paint seal it in for good?)

TWO coats was cheaper than one coat and NASA-stuff....

...HERE we go:

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/showth...?t=9291&page=4

...scroll down to post #34 - that's where the story gets interesting!!

Cheers,

thjakits

FreedomPanda · 01-07-2015, 07:58 PM

ROOF PAINT, ETC.:

Did some looking around after the HyTech suggestion (thanks!), and made a few choices.

To treat the ceiling & inner walls & frame, I bought a gallon each of the Por15 Cleaner/Degreaser, Metal Prep, and Por15 (in clear). I'll treat the exterior rust areas first, top to bottom, then coat the ceiling, interior walls & frame with the Por15.

I'm going to paint the roof & gutters in HyTech's 'Bus Kote' white. It sounds pretty thoroughly sealtastical when it's on, it's thick, and contains the ceramic beads already. I bought two gallons, so I'll apply 2 coats to the roof, and if there's any left over I can use it for the inside walls before I insulate & board them over.

After that's on, I'll splash a layer of their 'Flexi Clear' over the roof/gutters to seal it. Bought one gallon. Hopefully that will be more than enough.

I bought a gallon of the HyTech 'Barrier Kote,' which is advertised to act like a vapor barrier via the overlaying aluminum flakes in the paint. I'll use that on the ceiling & walls. After that, it's time to insulate & start throwing up the ceiling & side panels! (After the plumbing/electrical has been figured out, of course!)

INSULATION:

Fun topic & different for everyone it seems. Different R-Value needs, space to work with, budgets, etc.

At this point, I'm looking at steering away from the spray-in foams. I love the compactness & thoroughness in the application, getting into all the books & crannies...I just don't feel comfortable living in such a tiny space with the gases it MIGHT emit. It may...it may not...it really hasn't been around & been tested long enough to know what it does, good or bad.

So I'll be looking at hemp insulation. It comes in boards of different thicknesses, as well as loose filler you can stuff in the nooks & crannies. I like that it's natural, has been treated with only 100% natural ingredients, lasts forever & repels moisture. So, with some time to still do some research before it goes in, that's my leading choice! Has anyone had any experience with Hemp insulation before?

ol trunt · 01-07-2015, 08:49 PM

Before you use hemp or any other "natural' fiber to insulate with be sure to read up on what the mfg has done to test the product for what you want to use it for. While it may have been tested for residential use I'd bet it hasn't been tested in the skoolie environment. Remember, all of our buses leak water or at least suffer from condensation. Wet hemp (as well as other natural fibers like lambs wool insulation) will support a fine growth of mold and fungus after they get moist. Also loose fibers will eventually settle and loose their insulating properties. Fibers to achieve their insulating properties need trapped air spaces. If you stuff fibers into spaces to "plug" them up, you will gain no insulating properties. Google "how thermal insulation works" and in a few minutes you will be a near expert--lots of good stuff there. Hope this helps. Jack

EastCoastCB · 01-07-2015, 09:21 PM

FWIW the spray foam only emits toxic gases when sprayed on too thick. The couple inches in a bus would be no problem.
I'm going with a combination of styrofoam, foam board, and spray.
I may put rockwool in my forward wall just behind the cab but only that one interior wall.
The condensation makes me want to avoid anything natural as insulation.
I'd go full spray foam if I could afford it, but I'm on a budget big time.

jazty · 01-07-2015, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thjakits

I think there was a thread on here somewhere a few months ago - the fella was testing this out:...

Hey, that was me!

My findings were this: you can add any aggregate to paint and it will be rougher and thicker, thus will work better as a radiant barrier. It does next to nothing for actual insulation, though. Don't be fooled. When the sun is shining - sure - roughening the paint surface works. You can rough it with $$ hy-tech beads, or put two more coats of paint on with a long-nap roller. Or add some Corn Flakes.. Whatever.

I can't say anything about the actual Bus-Kote, but my guess is that it is similar to any of the other elastomeric paints. Many brands make the stuff. Hy-tech just adds their talcum powder to the mix.

thjakits · 01-07-2015, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Hy-tech just adds their talcum powder to the mix.

Hahahaha!! ....good one!

thjakits

EastCoastCB · 01-08-2015, 06:13 AM

There is some stuff at lowes that supposedly will far outlive BusKote. White elastomeric metal roof coating. They have a few of them. BusKote is only good for what- five years?

FreedomPanda · 02-03-2015, 12:13 AM

I've been doing a lot of little things that seem to add up...I can't get to step 'C' without first taking care of little steps 'A' & 'B'...Plus, it seems like the more I dive in the more I see to do!

My focus right now is rust & sealing the outside, then cleaning & degreasing the inside ceilings, walls, and subfloor areas...sealing & prepping the inside after I get that done.

Bought a new drill & impact drill combo. Regular drill has made scraping the paint & rust out of the gutters go smoothly.

Used some Por Patch to fill a couple small holes in the rear. Good stuff. Used it to flesh out & add body to one area that was getting thinned by rust. It seems solid as a rock & really attaches itself to the metal.

There's a couple goats on the property that I'm doing the renovation, and they got into my box of Por15 stuff, chewed on the tube some but thankfully didn't eat any!

I've been mainly focusing on the non-glamorous & time consuming aspects of cleaning 41 years of accumulated dust & dirt from everywhere, finding & grinding out rusted spots inside & out (and have a ways to go just in those areas!) and treating them with Por15.

Otherwise, nothing drastically crazy happening structurally or really visually too much. I feel like I'm in that period where I'm "building the foundation" properly, trying to ensure that I do it right the first time, at least as right as I'm aware.

I've never done anything like this before, haven't even restored a car before, so I'm learning & most definitely open to admitting I don't have all the answers. Thanks to all of you who have been documenting your own conversion journeys, I'll hopefully be able to keep the mistakes to a minimum and the inspiration to a maximum because of you! ;)

FreedomPanda · 02-03-2015, 12:34 AM

Thought I'd throw this in the thread as well:

I'm looking at skinning over some of the windows, towards the back of the bus.

On the driver side, the skinned windows would be where clothes closet & cupboard area will be.

On the passenger side, ill skin over where another clothes closet + refrigerator will be.

The very last curved window on each side + the very back windows will be frosted so that the bathroom (located in the rear) will have privacy as well as adequate lighting.

The most forward windows on each side will also be skinned over. That will be where the front wall/bookshelves will be located. Less light shining right on the books will be a good thing.

A friend of mine was contemplating putting a downpayment on a house recently. They love hiking long trails like the PCT & pretty much admitted that their hiking adventures would stop until they paid off the house in 20 years.

This blows my mind...

So I made this little photo message for them:

I know it may not be for everybody, but I'm so super stoked to be diving in to this style of living!

Tango · 02-03-2015, 11:45 AM

Looks to me like you are off to a great start. Can't tell you how many rigs I've seen where folks just started adding things on without taking care of the basics first. A good clean up and taking care of any & all rust is definitely worth the time.

Keep up the good work & keep the pictures coming.

cowlitzcoach · 02-03-2015, 12:22 PM

Before you start to skin over windows I would suggest you take your bus out for a drive with the windows covered over.

I think you will find that you won't want the first window on the curb side covered.

Having that window covered is going to make sightlines to the right difficult in places like intersections, pulling out of driveways or parking lots, or going around corners. It will also make a future co-pilot's seat with no window to see the view going by.

M1031A1 · 02-03-2015, 12:37 PM

As a former truck driver I concur with Cowlitz. ANY way to increase your blind side vision do it! Putting a blind on that window will really hobble your abilities to make safe decisions in maneuvering your bus. When my wife and I get our bus I have blueprints that keep the first two windows on the passenger side (I will be replacing them with double pane RV windows though).

Just my two cents.......

M1031

FreedomPanda · 02-03-2015, 01:30 PM

Thanks Tango.
And I appreciate the 2 cents about the sightlines + copilots seat...thankfully I'm building from the back forward so I have lots of time to ponder. I agree, anything that helps see what's around you helps keep you + others safer. I wasn't skinning over those windows for months anyway...the back windows could be anytime.

Speaking of...I'm off to the bus now

EastCoastCB · 02-03-2015, 03:29 PM

A buddy of mine put in a solid door to replace the bus entrance door. He also covered the window just after it. He regrets doing these mods when he has to drive it.
He convinced me to keep both mine.

Tango · 02-03-2015, 06:16 PM

Ya...I went to a lot of trouble to make sure the door I built had adequate viewing. Even added a small "curb view" window down low. Really helps when trying to get close to fuel pumps...without knocking them over. The first two windows on each side were also left open.

sweetfarm · 02-07-2015, 03:09 PM

After driving large Dump trucks and box trucks with zero view on that side I really don't think this is a problem that you can't overcome. With proper use of mirrors you will be able to see. Worst case scenario you could install a $16 back up camera off eBay to eliminate the blind spot. I don't remember the thread but someone just mounted one on their bus on the drivers side mirror to eliminate the blind spot.

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