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Old 04-12-2006, 05:35 PM   #141
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Awww....

Too bad you are bus-out. I myself could use a physical experienced hand getting some of the bugs out of my ideas. Oh..plus you are far far away

Anyway, since nature has not been cooperating here and three wet cold weeks plus fussy arthritic knees have put me behind schedule to do anything. We finally are getting some spots of spring! I hope this weekend to get the rest of the floor down, tighten some screws, plug up the gaps I left in making the floor and get the cork down. That is my wishlist for now if it doesn't rain....if it does well tough, I gotta finish that flooring.

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Old 05-12-2006, 09:07 AM   #142
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I've been pretty burned out when it comes to the bus. I haven't done much with it since the texas trip. This weekend I am going to try to build a "back porch" on the bus to carry my motorcycle...actually, i wanna be able to carry 2 motorcycles for the possible trip to sturgis south dakota later this summer....

I do have 3 events scheduled now in rapid succession.

Going to Toronto tomorrow for a small party,

Then the following weekend is a HUGE party a couple hours north of toronto. It's a burmingman gig.

Memorial Day weekend is the electronic music festival in Detroit. At one time detroit was one of the music capitols of the world (Mo-town), so in that tradition, we still have some pretty huge music events from time to time.

Summer always keeps me busy with bus events.

IT HAS BEGUN!
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Old 05-14-2006, 08:56 PM   #143
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Border crossing update:

Took my birth certificate with me this time....i got severly reprimanded for crossing an international border 2 months ago without it.

going into canada, i got asked several questions, then once again was handed a yellow piece of paper and instructed to pull over so they could inspect me....ugg..This was the 4th time being pulled over and inspected in the bus since the 1st of the year. I am now familiar with the process! It was very easy going this time round though. The female officer stepped into the bus to inspect, while the male officer asked me some questions. He apparently thought the bus was pretty cool. They only kept me a couple minutes, and i didn't have to go inside and talk to the other customs agents like all the other times i've been inspected.

coming back into the US a day later the customs officer wanted to walk inside the bus...not nearly as bad as getting pulled over. He made a bee-line for an object sitting in plain site on the floor....It was an old military ammo box that was labeled with the words "7.62MM ****" Identical to this box here



It never occured to me before that the box would become a suspicious item at the border. Note to self....don't do that! lol

anyhow...another border guy came in the bus..he had commented a different time i was crossing about how he wished he had a bus like this when he was in collge. He asked me what kidn of event i had take the bus to this time, in a very friendly sort of way. That must have been super secret squirrell language to the other officer that I am an ok guy, because the inspecting officer instantly stopped what he was doing, handed me back my keys and ID and said welcome home.

At some point, i think they'll just stop inspecting me! The first half dozen times i crossed, i never got inspected....i'm not sure what changed.
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Old 05-16-2006, 11:29 AM   #144
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I use those ammo cans for camera cases. You can line them with scrap foam and felt and make a really nice case that is waterproof.

You can also make a watertight camera housing for video cameras that will let you film under water.

1. Cut hole in end of box with hinge.

2. Use silicone caulk and glue a piece of 1/4" tempered glass over the hole.

3. Line the inside of the box with foam to hold your video camera in place and to cushion it.

4. Start camera, put it in box, and film under water.

I've had one down to about 15' under water before while snorkeling. We used to strap them to the front of canoes and kayaks for some cool white-water paddling videos.

The only drawback is that you have to open the box to turn the camera on and off. I've designed some waterproof switching ideas to solve that problem, but never got around to trying to implement them. Many cameras now come with remotes that might make it possible to control the camera without opening the box at all.

Of course, you have to keep the remote dry....
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Old 05-25-2006, 10:15 AM   #145
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Bus season is upon us!

Spent the past 2 weekends in Canada, this coming weekend i'll be in DEtroit for the electronic music festival, then the following weekend it's off to toledo ohio for an art car parade....that'll be my first art car parade. I'd like to get my flam thrower plumbed into a pair of chrome exhaust stacks on teh roof of the bus...speaking of flame thrower, i'm waiting for the photos to get to me. WE shot some great flame thrower pic's in canada over the weekend.

Here's a shot of us stopped at a gas station






we went to a burningman party in canada, and someone altered this sign...


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Old 05-25-2006, 12:28 PM   #146
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love the stairs

lapeer,

I love the diamond plate stairs. I've been wanting to do something similar, except probably just do the top (horizontal) surfaces. The rest, I'm thinking of just painting. Give some color to reflect on the metal. I was gonna look for some diamond plating while at the junk yard this weekend. Any tips you learned in doing it?
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Old 05-25-2006, 01:28 PM   #147
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I've got a few of the flame thrower in action.




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Old 05-26-2006, 03:57 PM   #148
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Re: love the stairs

Quote:
Originally Posted by brentag
lapeer,

I love the diamond plate stairs. I've been wanting to do something similar, except probably just do the top (horizontal) surfaces. The rest, I'm thinking of just painting. Give some color to reflect on the metal. I was gonna look for some diamond plating while at the junk yard this weekend. Any tips you learned in doing it?
Not too much magic there. I used cardboard templates to get the measurements right, then i cut the diamondplate with a cordless dewalt circular saw with carbide tipped blade. I've cut everything immaginable with that saw, and it's the original blade. It's actually my roomates saw, and he's cut far worse stuff with it than i have..it's a few years old too...anyhow....I googled cheap diamondplate alluminum online and found a site that sells it for half what i found it for at Tracor Supply Company. I think the 1x2 sheets were about 10 bucks each. Self tapping screws were used to attach the alluminum to the bus. If i were to do it over, i'd use screws with rounded heads (pan head screws?). the hex head screws I used are definately noticable when barefoot.
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Old 05-26-2006, 04:05 PM   #149
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundMan
The pictures look like you were roasting some powerlines!
or perhaps testing the insulation?

Hopefully they were between the space over the bus and the camera.
the perspective the camera has does make the power lines appear to be in the path of the flame, however i can assure you that they were a long ways from the flame thrower.
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Old 05-26-2006, 04:07 PM   #150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phillbus914
I've got a few of the flame thrower in action.



how cool is that!!!

still waiting for the other photos to get here...the other guy had like a $1K camera and he's a huge photo geek

you'll notice that the flame is about as tall as the bus is long. It's difficult to capture with film how intense the flame really is.
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Old 05-26-2006, 05:14 PM   #151
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Pretty awesome flame there, fella! Kinda looks like what my little Ford mini did when it backfired out the carb! I suppose the marshmallows don't stand a chance, do they?
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Old 05-29-2006, 10:48 AM   #152
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Had a good time this weekend at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival...

THIS IS WHY I BUILT A BUS!!







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Old 05-31-2006, 08:14 AM   #153
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Lapeer , My Hats off to ya....
You are the man....wowser
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Old 05-31-2006, 09:56 PM   #154
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I think you need to trek to the Mesabi Iron Range of Minnesota for the 4th of July. I'll introduce you to the infamous Eveleth Clown Band http://www.toecb.com of which I am a member

One benefit...you won't have to put your beer in a brown paper bag. That girl is being DAMN stealthy

BTW....bring your play toys since Gilbert, Minnesota is home to the only public off highway vehicle park in the state. Nothing beats a state park that's free to use any time you want provided you pay the $38 every three years to have an OHV license for your vehicle.
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Old 06-01-2006, 09:41 AM   #155
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the_experience03
pay the $38 every three years to have an OHV license for your vehicle.
Is that a minnesota thing?
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Old 06-01-2006, 07:56 PM   #156
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That it is. It's akin to registering your ATV. My truck is actually categorized as having "Dual Registration" because I have regular on highway plates which I renew every year as well as having the aforementioned OHV sticker (and an IROHVRA Sound and Safety sticker) in the upper left hand corner of my plate on the rear. TECHNICALLY you need it to drive anywhere in Minnesota that's not an official highway. This means the fire trails, logging roads, etc. I don't think the DNR gets too uppity about it as long as you are following T.R.E.A.D. Lightly! protocol. You do, however, need it to get into the ofrfroad park, but there is no limit on usage, no parking fee, etc. It really is an amazing opprotunity, especially with more parks to open in the next 10 years in the state.

Bottom line...you can pay $40 to play at a private offroad park for a DAY in some places or pay about that for 3 years in Minnesota. On top of that, it's a positive thing for the hobby as tourism and responsible wheeling are great economy boosters.

I know TRX has been out there. I would invite anyone else with an interest to go play if they're ever in the area for any reason. There's even a campground with an OHV trail running right to it so you don't have to touch pavement with your dirtbike, atv, jeep, truck, etc.

The pictures don't do the area justice, but....


http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ohv/iron_range/index.html

*out of state registrations for OHV's will be honored (i.e. no need to buy a Minnesota license)
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Old 06-01-2006, 09:05 PM   #157
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the_experience03
I would invite anyone else with an interest to go play if they're ever in the area for any reason. There's even a campground with an OHV trail running right to it so you don't have to touch pavement with your dirtbike, atv, jeep, truck, etc.

The pictures don't do the area justice, but....


http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ohv/iron_range/index.html

*out of state registrations for OHV's will be honored (i.e. no need to buy a Minnesota license)

I wanna go! Jason get that Chevy finished and we can take that, my Raptor and the busses out there (or maybe just one of the busses since fuel costs so damm much)

Come on you know you wanna.
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Old 06-08-2006, 02:09 PM   #158
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i think i'm gonna start a bit of a remodel project in the bus tomorrow. I currently have dry seating for about 12. I think i'm going to remove 1 bench seat thus elimating capacity for about 4 passengers. in it's place, i want to build a cabinet that covers my veggie oil tanks, and the boiler. I also want to add some much needed cabinet space, then install my tv, dvd player, a sink, small grey water tank, and a place for the elctric griddle and coffee maker.
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Old 06-08-2006, 02:32 PM   #159
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The biggest problem with my bus is the lack of seating. A lot of time everyone wants to go for a ride and I end up having people standing up or craming in the bunks.
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Old 07-05-2006, 03:48 PM   #160
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I though i'd describe in better detail some of the systems in the bus. I'll do the post now, then edit and add photos later. I'll start with jacuzzi stuff....

Jacuzzi Electrical:
I removed the twin 220 volt pumps, and replaced them with smaller 110 volt pumps. The pumps will run off of my 2000 watt inverter,my honda eu2000 generator, or shore power. All circuits for safety will soon be connected to a GFCI

Jacuzzi Heat:
While driving, I utilize engine heat, but that's old news. When parked, I use a fuel oil boiler. The boiler is connected inline with one of the jacuzzi pumps. I bought a fancy digital temperature controller to keep the hot tub at proper temperature. For fuel, the boiler is connected to the bus' stock fuel tank. It burns a max of 1 gallon per hour, but it takes less than an hour to heat the jacuzzi from 55 degrees (our approx ground water temp) to 105 degrees. The boiler is one of my favorite projects in the bus.

Jacizzi Filtering:
I use the exact same type filters for the jacuzzi that i use for filtering veggie oil. They are 20 micron filters and do an excellent job creating crystal clear water. The boiler does introduce a bit of rust and debris into the water, so i installed a filter downstream of the boiler that does an excellent job removeing inpurities.
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