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04-28-2010, 07:04 PM
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#201
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NorthEastern Wisconsin
Posts: 34
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: International DTA 360
Rated Cap: 65
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Re: Smitty's Bus
What are you going to do with your exhaust? Extend it or have it come out the driver's side? I rerouted mine to exit just behind the rear driver's side tire. Now I don't get a sooty rearend!
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04-28-2010, 08:10 PM
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#202
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Posts: 637
Year: 1981
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford 370 Propane
Rated Cap: 48
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Oh come on Smitty, the side exit looks great!
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04-30-2010, 11:19 PM
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#203
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Missouri, Festus
Posts: 39
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 65
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Looking great! Man I have got to say it again …. I am super jealous of that box you installed! Nice!
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05-01-2010, 07:34 PM
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#204
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Adirondack Mountains NY
Posts: 1,101
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Re: Smitty's Bus
__________________
Someone said "Making good decisions comes from experience, experience comes from bad decisions." I say there are three kinds of people: those who learn from their mistakes, those who learn from the mistakes of others, and those who never learn.
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05-02-2010, 11:55 AM
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#205
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Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wimberley, Tx
Posts: 197
Year: 93
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: ?
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Smitty,
I dig the box. Would love to do that but I want to maximize space between frame and skirt. I have not seen anything available that big that isnt crazy expensive. looks real good
s
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05-02-2010, 03:44 PM
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#206
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 446
Year: 89
Coachwork: thomas
Engine: 7.3 diesel
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Smitty, is that the deck boards that are made of vinyl or another form? I forget the correct name of the artificial boards.
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05-02-2010, 11:16 PM
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#207
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 212
Year: 1978
Coachwork: thomas
Chassis: ford
Engine: 406 Ford
Rated Cap: 25
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Smitty-
You personally won't have anything to be concerned about w/ the shorter, well anchored lengths used on your well constructed deck, but I did want to say (for the benefit of any and all others) that high temps -and contrasts of- will warp a lot of the comp. stuff that's out there. Unsupported overhangs of 4+ inches, in particular, seem to be most prone.
It looks as nice as wood in most regards- which is your reason, I'm guessing, for not using deck plate or expanded metal instead?
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05-03-2010, 09:15 AM
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#208
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MN
Posts: 732
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 72
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Re: Smitty's Bus
I love the deck!!! My bus is already just a hair under 40', but I am going to seriously consider doing something like that in the future. Also, I love the solar stuff, nothing like lots of shiny new expensive electronics !
I used to extrude composite decking, was actually the lead extruder operator. Example of what would be a problem...if decking was installed at 30*f, 80*f would create large bows. If it was installed at 70*f, and not supported like yours is, 80-90*f in the sun would create large bows. Also, the darker the color the worse the problem. One trick is to predrill the decking enough that the screw has a fair amount of slop (up to 1/16" oversize) in the board it is passing through. That gives it room to flex before it starts to bow.
Seriously, the way you have that supported I highly doubt you will have any issues.
__________________
The journey is the destination...
Brutus
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05-03-2010, 09:22 AM
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#209
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Almost There
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: North of Boston
Posts: 97
Year: 1993
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Safe-T-Liner MVP
Engine: CAT3116
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Love the deck Smitty. Great work.
I'm thinking of doing a fold down deck. I don't have the testicular fortitude to add that much length to my rig
__________________
1. Always use the right tool for the job.
2. A hammer is the right tool for any job.
3. Anything can be used as a hammer.
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05-03-2010, 09:38 AM
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#210
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 212
Year: 1978
Coachwork: thomas
Chassis: ford
Engine: 406 Ford
Rated Cap: 25
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Re: Smitty's Bus
By temp. extremes, I'm talking about full Summer sun. A friend's bench seats made comp. had to be replaced after 3 seasons because the unsupported ends (overhang) got all wonky- part of this was due to less than perfect construction techniques, though.
Your decking was attached very well, so it'll never (never say never, right?) be a prob for you. I just threw that out there for the benefit of others, so they could keep that in mind if they chose to use that material.
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05-03-2010, 06:26 PM
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#211
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Roswell, NM
Posts: 3,588
Year: 1986
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: 40 ft All American FE
Engine: 8.2LTA Fuel Pincher DD V8
Rated Cap: 89
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Quote:
Originally Posted by bus-ted
... the unsupported ends (overhang) got all wonky- part of this was due to less than perfect construction techniques, though...
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The composite decking must be well supported. It has very little structural integrity itself. We've built decks with it as well as used it as decking on our food cart. It is "soft" underfoot (easy to stand on all day) and it stays cooler than real wood. It will also outlast wood so while the initial cost is higher I think it will work out to being cheaper in the long run. The last time we looked at decking material was for the cart. The quality of the supply was so poor we ended up going with the composite. We are glad we did. Now Smitty just needs to add an awning out the back and put a rocking chair back there!
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05-07-2010, 01:59 AM
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#212
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Holy crap Smitty! I haven't been here on for a while now and you go get a bus and go crazy. Your bus looks awesome. I can't wait to see it done and painted.
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05-07-2010, 06:40 PM
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#213
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 280
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Ford B700
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 65
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Body work sucks, I spent the past 2 months doing it on my second bus about 40 hours a week. You go over and over and over it, then prime it, go over it again, fix it 5 more times then think it is perfect, shoot $1000 in paint and find every single flaw in it. It's a great part of a conversion, I see why it cost 10k to paint a bus now!! The nice thing about a school bus is the panel laps and rivets do hide alot. It's looking good Smitty but youre going too fast!! You will want to build another in a few months. I have a great place in Florida you can boondock and help with my next bus when you get the itch, it's ready and waiting!!
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05-10-2010, 08:55 PM
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#214
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Posts: 637
Year: 1981
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford 370 Propane
Rated Cap: 48
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Re: Smitty's Bus
That stove is a piece of art! Amazing what can be done with an old propane tank and an imagination.
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05-10-2010, 08:58 PM
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#215
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NorthEastern Wisconsin
Posts: 34
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: International DTA 360
Rated Cap: 65
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Nice work Smitty! It makes me want to start over. I'm jealous.
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05-12-2010, 09:30 PM
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#216
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 575
Coachwork: Thomas
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Re: Smitty's Bus
So what does it take for you to make me one of those pretty heaters?
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05-12-2010, 09:35 PM
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#217
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Posts: 637
Year: 1981
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford 370 Propane
Rated Cap: 48
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Re: Smitty's Bus
It looks like it is time to clean the lens on your camera Smitty Past few pics have been a bit spotty. Great job on the work, cant wait to see how you finish your rear deck. Such a great place to store the LPG tanks. I have still been trying to figure out how to fit them standing up underneath my bus, guess I just don't have the same clearance as everyone else. My tanks are taller than the height I have available for some reason...
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05-12-2010, 10:23 PM
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#218
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Smitty, I have a question about your bus. You are putting a lot of work into your bus and I am sure you will be keeping it for a long time. How come you didn't chose a larger engine? I'm sure if you're driving on the flats it will have plenty of power. But if you hit the hills, isn't that motor going to be working pretty hard?
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05-12-2010, 10:32 PM
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#219
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 212
Year: 1978
Coachwork: thomas
Chassis: ford
Engine: 406 Ford
Rated Cap: 25
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Re: Smitty's Bus
Hey crazycal, are you another one of Arky's multi-personalities? Haha! No offense if you're not...
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05-12-2010, 10:40 PM
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#220
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
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Re: Smitty's Bus
That makes sense, but I like cubes. The more, the better.
Looking at some of your pictures. Do you have storage under the bed and benches? I didn't see drawers.
As far as being Arky, I guess I can be stupid sometimes but no matter how hard I tried, I could never be as big of a d*ck as him.
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