The Bucket List

[o1marc]

So they are sending out a 3rd tank. They told me to hold onto the other one for 2 weeks. The warehouse will notify me in that time whether they want that tank back or if I can keep it. If I don't hear from them after 2 weeks it's mine.

[o1marc]

Wayfair just got back with me to tell me I don't need to wait the 2 weeks, the shipper doesn't want it back. They are sending a 3rd tank, so I have 3-$500 tanks for $450.

[o1marc]

Fun, Fun, Fun. Issues with mounting the propane tank. The access door is 16" tall, there is only 14.5" clearance from the bottom of the skirt to the bottom of the floor. I'm going to have to cut into the floor edge. Also the bolt spacing lengthwise is 46" I can bolt through a flange on one floor crossmember, but it puts it in the middle of a "U" shaped floor brace. I'll drill through the floor of the bus to put bolts down through and then cap the holes after the tank is mounted.

[o1marc]

I was concerned I may have to cut some main ribs. To my surprise I discovered the main ribs do not come to the floor, but instead they are attached with a 3/4" "L" bracket that leaves the rib about 1/2" above the floor. One bolt at the bottom and a few rivets on the chair rail are what holds it together. I was able to cut away the small amount I needed to get the cargo door set. Looks and works fine. Now lets mount the tank tomorrow.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Well there goes a couple hundred bus build dollars. My oldest girl cat is a bully and constantly picking on the little boy I brought back from Fla. 1-1/2 years ago. I heard them get into it, but couldn't find the little one till I went to bed and found him laying in my bed licking his wounds. I love all my cats, but the big girl is starting to piss me off. Off to the vet for some stitches.

On the mend, he acts as though nothing has happened.

[o1marc]

Interesting tidbit I just learned about my lockable cargo door for the propane. It is illegal to have the propane access door locked. Looks like I'll be replacing that lock.

[Ninjakitty]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Interesting tidbit I just learned about my lockable cargo door for the propane. It is illegal to have the propane access door locked. Looks like I'll be replacing that lock.

Thanks for the heads up. I was planning on adding one, guess I won't

[o1marc]

Had to use a floor rib to mount the propane tank. Drilled the 3 holes through the bottom of the brace and through the floor. Then a 1" hole in the floor and a 1/2" hole in the brace. Slather some JB Weld on the backside of the head and work it into the holes with a pocket magnet, push down tight. The rear mount has a flange I can bolt through from the underside.

[tugboater]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Had to use a floor rib to mount the propane tank. Drilled the 3 holes through the bottom of the brace and through the floor. Then a 1" hole in the floor and a 1/2" hole in the brace. Slather some JB Weld on the backside of the head and work it into the holes with a pocket magnet, push down tight. The rear mount has a flange I can bolt through from the underside.

Nice work... doubt those tanks will move! Neighbors and buddies always make the comment "nice project" when they see first see our bus in the driveway. My comment back is usually, "which one?" I learned quickly that this adventure is mostly just a bunch of projects that require problem solving skills within a project that requires a crap ton of patients!

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Interesting tidbit I just learned about my lockable cargo door for the propane. It is illegal to have the propane access door locked. Looks like I'll be replacing that lock.

Says who and who's likely to check? Play dumb.

I get the need to turn it off if someone smells gas but the only one you are going to blow up is yourself. I need the lock on there to keep the crackheads out on the rare occasion I'm parked at Walmart.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by tugboater

My comment back is usually, "which one?" I learned quickly that this adventure is mostly just a bunch of projects that require problem solving skills within a project that requires a crap ton of patients!

Shortly after buying my bus, work required us to write our own job descriptions. My mind went immediately to the bus and "The Project". I think I came up with something like 11 or 12 leaving it vague.


Mech Eng, Welder, Fabricator, plumber, electrician, interior design, wood worker, mechanic, tiler, ... etc. I don't remember what they all were.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Wayfair just got back with me to tell me I don't need to wait the 2 weeks, the shipper doesn't want it back. They are sending a 3rd tank, so I have 3-$500 tanks for $450.

That's what I was talking about earlier, now it's their fault. Lousy packaging. Not that you care since you keep getting free tanks. Get with Jolly to inspect your work and you've got a nice side business going until someone figures out how to pack the damn things.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

That's what I was talking about earlier, now it's their fault. Lousy packaging. Not that you care since you keep getting free tanks. Get with Jolly to inspect your work and you've got a nice side business going until someone figures out how to pack the damn things.

The damaged tank FedEx didn't catch in time and ended up sending it to NC, Ky. Ny, Ct. Mass, Ct, Ny, and back to Kentucky and the Wayfair warehouse. Mayfair told me they would handle that hassle of disposing of it for me. Lost that one. The one with the slightly bent ears has been straightened and will go in my bus, leaving me a brand new in box tank.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

That was the one I wanted to haggle on since it would have been an 8-hour drive each way for me.
Company work truck I can't use like that for personal stuff.
My personal truck averages about 6-7 mpg.
My wife's little Kia want haul my welder so was debating building a hitch for my sons CRV to pull the welder there minus torch bottles,gang box and extra mess?
Sorry

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

That was the one I wanted to haggle on since it would have been an 8-hour drive each way for me.
Company work truck I can't use like that for personal stuff.
My personal truck averages about 6-7 mpg.
My wife's little Kia want haul my welder so was debating building a hitch for my sons CRV to pull the welder there minus torch bottles,gang box and extra mess?
Sorry

I wasn't sure how far you had to come, but it's moot now that that tank is out of the question. And you probably don't want to spend what I'll want for the good new one. Hope to sell it quick as my fridge goes on sale tomorrow at HD. HD is high on my chit list right now. I am praying we get a Lowes here soon. I bought a new $500 compressor in May, it sat in the basement for 5 months and then I had it wired and ready to fire. It was when I hit the on switch for the very first time and found it had a Lucas motor that relieved itself of all its smoke. I took it back to HD for a replacement. Of course they refused as the store warranty is only 90 days. So it will need to go under the Husky warranty, take it to tool rental and they will repair it, turn around 7-10 days. I take it tool rental only to find the ONLY guy in the store that can work on it is on vacation for a week. 10 more days go by and I call and ask what's up. They tell me they couldn't check it because they have no 220v in tool rental, so he sent it to the Husky repair center 60 miles south with an eta of 4-6 weeks. What a moron. I told you it was seized up. You didn't need 220v to check it. Pull the belt guard and turn the motor and pump pulley, one of them won't turn, replace it. A week goes by and the repair center calls me and says there is rust on the cylinder wall and the face of the air filter. It'll be $380 to repair it. WTF, it's brand new and been in a climate controlled basement for 5 months, there is no negligence on my part. I went back to HD and talked to the head manager. He finally sided with me and said to call the repair center and refuse the repair, when we get it back we'll swap in for a new one Thank you, that's all I wanted up front, but understood their 90 store warranty. I called the repair center, refused the repair. They say 3-4 weeks to send it back to the store. HD will not replace it, even though mine is in their possession, until mine gets back so it doesn't mess up their inventory. Basically everything in my powder coating operation is dependent on a compressor.

[Brewerbob]

Well that sucks (both the returned tank and the compressor).

[o1marc]

Got the tank hung finally, not an easy job for one old guy.

[Rovobay]

That tank setup is nice. love the access door. did you just use some floor jacks to lift it into place?

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Rovobay

That tank setup is nice. love the access door. did you just use some floor jacks to lift it into place?

Yes, I fabbed up a 2' square of plywood with 2- 2 x 4's on side to keep the tank from rolling. Then put it on the floor jack and jacked it up into position. Fortunately my bolts and holes were all lined up and popped right into place and secured with 3ea bolts on each end.
My other new tank arrived today. I didn't even open the box yet.

[o1marc]

New tank just arrive and guess what? Yup, bent mounting brackets, you would think they would learn by now. The reason they don't want the tanks back is because if it is damaged they are just going to scrap it anyways. They would not attempt to straighten the brackets and resell it.
Within minutes of emailing Wayfair I received, not an email, but a phone call. They gave all the options again, but I told them I was starting to feel guilty taking all these tanks from them and there is a chance the next replacement will likely arrive in the same condition, so I said why don't I keep this one, send it out for repair and you can just refund my original purchase price. They felt that was the correct path to take. So I have 2 free tanks.