Transmogrifie and Me - Page 17

Shadoll · 03-19-2013, 05:58 PM

I found my knight in shining armor.. finally.

Someone at work got him in an auction bundle and gave him to me. He's about 2 1/2 feet tall and made of fairly stout metal. Will go wonderful with the Castle like motif I was planning. Had to share.

I think he needs some plumes.

lornaschinske · 03-19-2013, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadoll

... I think he needs some plumes.

Really FLUFFY ones! In bright red or majestic purple!

Shadoll · 03-19-2013, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadoll

... I think he needs some plumes.

Really FLUFFY ones! In bright red or majestic purple!

What I was thinking.

Shadoll · 03-21-2013, 10:58 PM

Was researching for 'shade' over the bus. Was pricing piping to do an A-frame type rail on top of the bus to tie a tarp/mesh over. My friend has an old pipe framed canopy that he 'wants to get rid of'. So, I will have the connectors and the pipes.. now for the shade. One place has a blue one that will match the bus, 10x30 for $90. For now think I'll just go with the tarps that I already own... scale up to the mesh shade cloth.

Shadoll · 03-21-2013, 10:59 PM

3 weeks in the bus. Boy time flies.

bansil · 03-22-2013, 09:06 AM

so have you done anything in 3 weeks, other than just chill

yawnzzz... · 03-22-2013, 10:25 AM

The knight is a cool find. Can you tell me more about the canopy? Is it going to be more like an awning or shade for the entire bus.
I think need some type of roof cover. By about 12 noon the bus turns into a convection oven.

Shadoll · 03-23-2013, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bansil

so have you done anything in 3 weeks, other than just chill

I really needed to wind down for a sec. And the bank roll as well. Got busy at work but yeah.. just chill and adjust. Gym idea is working out well before work. Had to put the heat back on last night, nights down to 33 again for a few days.

I got some louver drapes on sale at Walmart yesterday that I hope to use in place of my 'blankets' I have hung at the cab end of my living space and the back door for the time being. Might not. Wish I could get away from the whole 'plastic' of them.

I am loving being out in the trees again and out of a street corner apartment. Can hardly wait to start building again.

Shadoll · 03-23-2013, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yawnzzz...

The knight is a cool find. Can you tell me more about the canopy? Is it going to be more like an awning or shade for the entire bus.
I think need some type of roof cover. By about 12 noon the bus turns into a convection oven.

I got an idea from a work associate about putting a 'rail' across the top of the bus with an a-frame sort of affair to give a ft or so of air space under the shadecloth. Not sure how it will work. My friend is dragging the parts out of the attic tomorrow for me.

My plan is to use pipe tent corners and sides with 3 10' poles on 12 inch or 15 inch legs, across the top of the bus and put rubber feet on them.

Then tarp over and secure tarp down on back side short and front side (sunny side) extend to an awning. The whole thing should be fairly portable. People have suggested a patio on top.. but I want to try and keep the looks of the bus clean when I move about.

Soon I will be painting the top of the bus with some type of solar stuff, either Henry's or Bus Kote. Gotta quit freezing first though.

Shadoll · 03-23-2013, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pwoink

Hey Shadoll, I've just read this thread since page one, following your struggle with the floor and pulling the seats out . For our seats, we went with the person-on-bottom with vice grips route, and I just can't imagine how much more frustrating it would have been to do it all alone! That you're doing all this work alone and halfway in the dark and with no electricity at first speaks to some intense motivation. A firm congratulatory handshake to you!

I hope living in it is going well! Do you run the bus periodically? We had some trouble with ours after it sat a while and the batteries zonked out -- dealing with that was a way bigger hassle than just running it every once in a while like we should have. Here's hoping you can avoid the same trouble!

Thank you, I appreciate your recognition more than you know. (some friends and especially co-workers think I've gone bonkers).

It is pretty set in now. I admit that I haven't started it in a while, as I should be doing. We might be moving it soon, just back a few feet (more shade from trees) but without the stuff built in, it would require some packing again for stuff out and not tied down. I still have a lot of 'stuff' unfortunately. When they sold me the bus they told me to disconnect the battery when not in use as something was draining it (I think it's a cheap battery but that will come later). This has helped and after the first big freeze I had to use starter fluid but just one squirt and it fired right up. Ran it for about a half hour (maybe not that long) with the interior lights on and that was nice.

(I should interject when I say 'we' I usually mean that my landlady for the property is very into this project and helpful to a fault.)

That being said, my plan was to make at least monthly trips into town for dumping and reloading and restocking. That hasn't happened yet because I don't have the tanks yet.

Question to others here on something I was told. (The guy who runs his pickup on used cooking oil) told me that I should drain the gas tank and use it in my car and then put fresh gas in and put something (can't remember the name) in the tank to keep the gas good?

As far as how it's going, there was a night that I had a couple of candles burning, the heater on, the (one lamp) turned off and watching a movie on my laptop, cat in the chair beside me and I looked around at the warm glow of the interior and went... 'ahhhh.. this is home'. And then it hit me yesterday... it's bought and paid for.

lornaschinske · 03-23-2013, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadoll

...some friends and especially co-workers think I've gone bonkers...

Join the club. There seems to be a fairly large group of us here that can say that. Hasn't stopped us either!

Quote:

Question to others here on something I was told. (The guy who runs his pickup on used cooking oil) told me that I should drain the gas tank and use it in my car and then put fresh gas in and put something (can't remember the name) in the tank to keep the gas good?

stop in at your local auto parts store (chain is okay) and they can point you to something. Lots of brands & prices out there. You might want to pour some Seafoam fuel treatment into the gas tank (full tank!) when you make your first good trip.

Quote:

... I looked around at the warm glow of the interior and went... 'ahhhh.. this is home'. And then it hit me yesterday... it's bought and paid for...

Makes you kinda teary eyed and so proud doesn't it. I do like "Mine, mine, all mine and not the banks" . It's empowering. I will never have a bank (or any one else) owning a piece of me. I might not have much, but it's mine, all mine and no one (except David) can claim it!

Shadoll · 03-25-2013, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Part-time

But it's hard working in the cold and snow. Another month and I should realy be able to get into the build.
There's still over 2' of snow on the ground and just as thick of ice on the river in front of my place here.

Yikes..

Shadoll · 03-25-2013, 09:50 PM

Poles showed up. 6 10', 6 6'8" and 6 5' and the connectors I needed plus a few more. And huge tent nails. Pieced together the triangle to see how long to cut the legs and decided on 20" legs, will give me about a 32 inch base and about 14" height to my shade tarp. (taking them to work for my helpful fellow employee -maintenance and cooking oil guy -to cut them for me.) I ordered a mesh tarp 10 x 30', tan (as bus won't always be blue and landlady thought it would blend in from the planes finding me again

) So 3 10' poles across the top will all but cover, minus a few inches the top of the bus. Then the 6'8 poles will make for a nice awning. And can be used anywhere. Thought if I made some sort of compartment under the bus to store them when traveling I can set them up anywhere. Of course this is all theory at this point until it's actually assembled.

Shadoll · 03-30-2013, 09:40 PM

Tarp got here and it was supposed to be 'tan' but is more an ugly pumpkin color. So, I decided to give it some camouflage and attacked it with a few cans of spray paint.

Started making rocks but the gray ran out real fast... so branches

I consider myself a 'crafty' person, but painting really isn't my media.. *lol* Eh.. it's going to be on top the bus...
I'll get a couple more cans tomorrow.

browncrown · 03-30-2013, 09:59 PM

Love what you did with the paint...tree looks terrific!!!

bansil · 03-31-2013, 05:31 AM

I think it will lookfine,and the drones won't know what to do

Shadoll · 04-28-2013, 10:26 PM

Whew... got the shade up on the roof earlier today. Was still 95 in the bus by 2pm, sad when it's only 78 outside. Had made a small tarp over a few windows on the 'hot side' that helped for a bit,give some shade to a couple of open windows. I ended up with a bout of inner ear stuff and couldn't get on top the bus for a couple weeks. Still not great at heights. But I did it. Have some window tint thermal film to put up yet, starting on the hot side. Had to finish up a couple of sewing projects in the meantime.

Work got crazy too, cutting into my weekends for the next little while (too many hats). I'm getting enthused again though (small lapse there). Learned to manage the colder nights, now working on the hotter days. Cat still hanging in with me. Thought I lost one of the tarantulas from cold mornings but she's hanging in. Bought some redwood for the window frames and sills, a utility sink and some upholstery/drape fabrics.

With the shade tied to trees and the interior with no built in cabinets I'm resigned to the fact that she isn't going to be moving anytime soon. A fact that someone I thought was my friend pointedly chastised me for. Same person who accused me of not having a plan. Sometimes I wish I was more resourceful with my middle finger.

Haven't been around for a bit on here but I'm still plugging away-ish. Two months in the bus and everything's going fine. I still sometimes sit back and just go 'ahhhhh I'm home'.

Oh and met a young guy (and his wife *lol* not like that) at the car show who said he almost bought a '45 (?) short body so we had a rousing conversation.

There are still a lot of builds on here that I haven't read, friends are giving or loaning me books. I'm pleased with what I've done so far.

lornaschinske · 04-29-2013, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadoll

...
With the shade tied to trees and the interior with no built in cabinets I'm resigned to the fact that she isn't going to be moving anytime soon. A fact that someone I thought was my friend pointedly chastised me for. Same person who accused me of not having a plan...

Are you overstaying your welcome in that "friend's" yard? Are you overstaying your welcome in someone else's yard? If the answer to those questions are "No", then it's really no concern of your "friend" when and where you move the bus. If your finger is malfunctioning, perhaps your friend would like a "raspberry"! :P

As for the heat... we are in central NM heading into our second summer with no air conditioning. We keep the windows covered when the sun shines on them (been using easy to wash bath towels due to all the dust). We open the windows (original) on the lee side of the wind. We have one of those magnetic screen doors on the entry door to keep the oversized hard to kill NM flies out. A box fan sits near the doorway pulling air in. A box fan is suspended (laying flat) with bungie cords over the bed in the back of the bus and blowing towards the ceiling. This is our poor man's RV ceiling fan.

The "ceiling" fan pulls outside air into the bus. The Henry's Solarflex keeps the roof cooler. We are lucky in that we have a couple of trees that will give us shade in the afternoon.

I plan on getting the air chiller built this summer. But you know how plans go!

Shadoll · 04-30-2013, 12:34 AM

I am using towels over the windows in my bed area because they worked out well hung over the shelf and I pull them aside like drapes when I want the light, air, sun to come through. The shelf brackets are on the outer side of two windows and the towel is the windows width so it worked out kinda cool. And they are dark enough to not be see through or let light in when I don't want it. Started out as a temporary fix to the cold but I like how they worked out.

*laughs* And you are right, my friend where I'm staying doesn't want me to leave. So Raspberries to the other one.

Shadoll · 05-07-2013, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

...
We have one of those magnetic screen doors on the entry door to keep the oversized hard to kill NM flies out.

Gives me an idear. My cat has taken to darting out when the door is open and I prop it an inch or two so he can't get through when I'm home. A magnetic screen sounds like a killer idea for when we're just kicking back to let the wind (that seems to go back to front instead of side to side where the windows do open) could pass through and the cat won't get out. Have to check that out. I'm using magnets to hang movable curtains.

Put the window tint on 3 window sets near the front and they are weird. Almost like they made them mirrored in the daytime and x-ray like in the night. Feel like I need curtains now for sure. Also put the stained glass window film on the back windows on the sides, one of my first purchases for the bus I finally put up.

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