Sojourner

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Centered structurally for sure. Visually it's not going to be off more than a gnat's a$$.

No, Jetta Sportwagon. Explorers are not 1) sport ANYTHING 2) wagons.

You would have to cut a rib or 2 out of the roof, I suppose that could be safely done.

[david.dgeorge07]

Yeah it looks super obvious where the middle would be from the pictures. Hopefully that just means I did it right. If I remember right, cause it was a little while ago, I did the initial marking from inside the bus and the way that the interior panels were lapped made it difficult to know where the middle was.


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[sojourner]

OK gang. I'm finally going to begin framing out the side door entry.
I know several have done this but I have yet to see a very detailed series of photo's of just "how" it was done. While, due to the custom under storage framing (some of which will become apparent why I did what I'm doing), mine will be a bit different, hopefully it will answer some questions for those out there considering a side door entry. I'm going to try to be pretty detailed on the description and photo content.
Clearing my phone photo's out and soon will be posting. I've got to be gone part of tomorrow so this will probably take a few days as I pick away at it.
To be continued.........

[jjhwick119]

Man, I'm loving those sky lights....definately gonna consider some for my build. Like 1 kitchen 1 bedroom, little bigger than one of yours

Edit: saw a build on YouTube where they did removable panel in deck on the roof to allow use of skylight in bedroom awhile back, forgot about the skylights until I saw yours

[sojourner]

I built a 1-1/2" tube frame for the RV door to allow for 1/4" clearance all around. The lower part is doubled up. By doing so, it gives me a perfect finished height of 21" from the top of the bottom step to the top of the finished floor. This gives me very easy 7" tread height steps with only two steps up from the bottom to the floor.
The top piece in the pic is just a scrap piece to hold the measurement while fitting and laying out where to cut the skin. It will be removed to install a header piece of 1-1/2" tubing that will be welded into the hat channels on either side of the door and the one I have to cut directly above.
I clamped some pieces of scrap to the side and bottom of the aft end of the framework that the fuel tank cover skin will attach to. Once the door frame was lifted into place and clamped onto the framework I then checked level with the floor. Thankfully my work on the frame was dead on. Just a FYI, DO NOT reference to a hat channel when doing this kind of thing. These buses are very much like boats and not truly square. That goes for the hat channels being square to the floor. They can easily be off. Never trust them and ALWAYS verify!!

Here's a pic of the frame clamped to the outside of the bus (rub rails removed):



Here's a pic of how I clamped the pieces in to hold the frame in place:



I'm now able to mark where I need to cut the tails off the storage bay framing to fit the door. I'll weld in a piece of 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 1/8" angle iron (the material I used to frame in the storage bays) to finish the frame end. Both this side and the other will bolt into the lower portion of the frame to make it possible to remove the frames later in case any repairs or replacement are needed (as in fuel tank replacement due to damage). Being in the service field for my career has me alw3ays thinking "what if":



Next mark the side panels (on both sides, only one side shown) to cut on the inside of the frame so the skin will lap over it and sandwich between the rail and door frame:



The last thing before taking the door frame away is mark out where to cut the hat channel that intersects the door frame header to fit the door frame:

[Tango]

Time to make some sparks! Good start!

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by jjhwick119

Man, I'm loving those sky lights....definately gonna consider some for my build. Like 1 kitchen 1 bedroom, little bigger than one of yours

Edit: saw a build on YouTube where they did removable panel in deck on the roof to allow use of skylight in bedroom awhile back, forgot about the skylights until I saw yours

Keep in mind if you make the skylights longer you will be into the ribs of the roof. Might create some issues framing them out inside.

[jjhwick119]

Gotcha, might be too much work that way, but looks like I could squeeze a few more inches on the width safely

[sojourner]

It's going to be a couple days before I can resume working on the door. A cutoff wheel decided to cut meat instead of metal. A trip to the emergency room and seven sutures later is demanding a day or two off.
Lesson to all. BE CAREFUL WITH POWER TOOLS!! I've done metal fabrication for 40 years and this is the worst accident I've had. I've been very fortunate. This was totally my fault overestimating my ability to control the angle grinder. The cutoff wheel hung up and exploded driving what was left of the grinder wheel into the palm of my hand just below my thumb cutting to the muscle for about 1-1/2". There was simply no way it would hold together without sutures. And no, not planning on posting gory pictures .

[Tango]

I hate it when that happens. I guess the only good news is it missed your jugular vein...and guy stuff. Hope you get better soon pardner.

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by Tango

I hate it when that happens. I guess the only good news is it missed your jugular vein...and guy stuff. Hope you get better soon pardner.

Yes, yes and again YES!! Lori was away at work and I was working alone on "Gimel". I've spent a lot of my career working alone and have been very fortunate to have not had a life threatening issue while alone. If I believe something to have too much risk, I wait until someone else is around. That being said, it's the one you don't think will get you that get's you.
It's easy to get complacent (in this case I wasn't complacent, just overestimated myself) when working around this stuff. Not wise to do so.

[david.dgeorge07]

Good reminder for us all. Get well soon.


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[o1marc]

Last year I fell backwards anatomy bike on a lift and ripped a gash in my forearm. I did some emergency first aide on it and went toned. Got up the next a=day and went to the pharmacy to ask if some butterfly bandages would work. It was so deep they immediately sent me for stitches. Accidents happen, I've had a couple of bought with grinders myself. Heal quick, get back to work.

[Robin97396]

It's always sad to hear about an injury, but buses do demand a certain amount of blood.

At least it was a clean grinding wheel.

[ben2go]

I'm glad it wasn't worse. I have seen worse. Heal fast and heal well.

Do you think a good pair of leather gloves would have helped reduce the injury? I almost always wear vibration absorbing gloves when running a grinder. I have neuropathy. A grinder really kills my hands quickly and my ability to grip things.

[kenfoozed]

was the safety guard removed? I know it is a very unsafe practice to do so and many people do anyways. Myself included even though I know better. They are there for a reason but always in the dang way. BUT it only takes once to be injured for life. Get well soon, love the build..

[BlackJohn]

So sorry to hear of your little accident. Pretty scary but lucky it wasn't worse. Just goes to show that a man with all your experience can get into issues with power tools. Must be very intimidating for those who haven't ever switched on a grinder, they sure are not toys but essential to building a bus.
I never switch any tool on if there is any sort of distraction till I feel good about the moment. If my kidney needs tipping, I do that first. If I have an itch, scratch it first, kids around, forget it and always have an escape route in mind should things happen out of your control.
Heal well my friend, love your project and experience, thx for sharing.

John

[BowserJournal]

how do you plan on keeping water from seeping between the roof and the lexan while driving in the rain at 55 mph?

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by BowserJournal

how do you plan on keeping water from seeping between the roof and the lexan while driving in the rain at 55 mph?

Screws and sealant, DUH.
I see no reason to believe these will leak if installed properly. I think you'll find that at any speed there is little air movement 1" off the top of the skin on the roof.

[david.dgeorge07]

Originally Posted by BowserJournal

how do you plan on keeping water from seeping between the roof and the lexan while driving in the rain at 55 mph?

There is butyl tape sandwiched between Lexan and roof skin. So far dry as a bone. Did them about 4 months ago.





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