Skoolie House Rocks! 1986 Saf-T-Liner 84 px, from Big Bus to Tiny House

[Tango]

Roger that. Cleaning out the slots is essential.

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Woke up this morning feeling like crap and really unmotivated. But I know if I skip a week, that will lead to skipping 2 weeks, and before I know it a year has gone by with no work done and I'm selling the bus to a scrap yard for $250 so I won't be paying rental to store it anymore.

Made it up to the site, worked on about half the screws in the ceiling. Did not have much luck from the manual impact driver I bought... maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I pounded the snot out of some those screws using the driver and a 3 lb hammer, and it couldn't loosen a one.

Made very nice progress using the battery impact driver and the square bit (thanks and hat-tips to scooternj and cityratt). I went from the back of the bus up to row 8, and only stripped an average of 1 out of 10 screws.

Here is a pretty good representation of the go/no-go ratio



Couple things I learned:
Bring extra bits, the square bit starts to go round after a while.
Start slow on the variable speed driver. Most of the stripped screws at the beginning I set the bit in and pulled the driver trigger back to max. Starting slower had much better results.

Aaaahh there's a spider attacking the car!



Every time I drive up to work on my bus, I see this and have foolish thoughts...



No new expenses this week.

Excelsior!

[Tinyhousebus]

All the screws in my Thomas were PH3 but I mostly used PH2 impact bits. I had reasonable luck just smacking the screws once or twice with a 20oz hammer to break them loose. The best so far for me is a manual impact driver and 4lb hammer, though it wouldn't be easy to wield for the ceiling. I wish I had known about it when I took my panels out. I used it for all the top rub rail screws to prep for the new skin though. Otherwise (I think you already have heard this), I cut a slot in the screw and back it out with a flathead in the cordless impact driver. You just have to make sure the bit is centered really well and go slow or it will bend/break (even the impact ones).

[Piersg]

I had about the same ratio of 1 in 10 stripping out in my Thomas bus also. My 7" grinder took care of the recalcitrant screws with no problems!

I used a Ryobi 18v cordless impact driver with the #2 square bit. I love square bit screws, they tend to strip a lot less than phillips head screws.

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by Piersg

I had about the same ratio of 1 in 10 stripping out in my Thomas bus also. My 7" grinder took care of the recalcitrant screws with no problems!

I used a Ryobi 18v cordless impact driver with the #2 square bit. I love square bit screws, they tend to strip a lot less than phillips head screws.

I was really lucky with the screws holding the ceiling bits in...the side panels aren't quite as bad.

And OMG, I know *all* about skipping weeks. I stopped last June, and didn't get back to the bus until earlier this year. Although, I'll be waiting until we have consistent cold before I hit the tar on the ceiling

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Just had time to get up to the site and pay the space rental for November. No other progress

I cannot figure out the function of this handle... it does not seem to open anything... it's on the front of the bus in front of where the steering wheel is. Does anyone know what it does?



Previous expenses $2840
November space rental $100

Total so far $2940

Excelsior!

[The Nebuchadnezzar]

I gonna venture a guess that it has something to do with the front door

[nat_ster]

I have been paying $100 a month for the last four years.

$100 x 48 = $4800 just in storage.

Nat

[Cityratt]

Originally Posted by OMGIBoughtABus

Just had time to get up to the site and pay the space rental for November. No other progress

I cannot figure out the function of this handle... it does not seem to open anything... it's on the front of the bus in front of where the steering wheel is. Does anyone know what it does?



Previous expenses $2840
November space rental $100

Total so far $2940

Excelsior!

I was at my bus this weekend, i don't have that handle on mine. im not sure what it would be used for, looks like its time to tear some stuff apart to figure it out.

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Originally Posted by Cityratt

I was at my bus this weekend, i don't have that handle on mine. im not sure what it would be used for, looks like its time to tear some stuff apart to figure it out.

Odd... I'll just have to get a look after I get some more tear down done.

Thanks!

[jazty]

I, too, will cast a vote for it being a handle to operate the main door. My Thomas had the same handle, though it was on the right-hand side of the front. When turned it would pull down the latch near the inside handle so that the doors could be pulled open from the outside. The system was actuated with a bicycle style cable.

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Originally Posted by jazty

I, too, will cast a vote for it being a handle to operate the main door. My Thomas had the same handle, though it was on the right-hand side of the front. When turned it would pull down the latch near the inside handle so that the doors could be pulled open from the outside. The system was actuated with a bicycle style cable.

Hmm I'll keep that in mind. If I could get the front door to lock without the manual door opener bar thing being locked into place then I wouldn't need to climb in the emergency door to get into the bus.

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Originally Posted by nat_ster

I have been paying $100 a month for the last four years.

$100 x 48 = $4800 just in storage.

Nat

I was inspired by the "How Much Does A Skoolie Really Cost" thread to try and track all reasonable expenses related to the conversion. Once I get it converted, I expect to get it moved to either a piece of land or a camping club lot where I can use it, and I will stop counting the storage as an expense of conversion.