Transmogrifie and Me

[Diesel Dan]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

That would have been my next plan, thank you for the idea. Matter of fact I don't have a pair of vice grips and I should get one. My lack of tools due to having a teenage boy in the house who has now left the nest, time for mommy to restock.

Actually JakeC's suggestion of getting an angle grinder might be better. I used a combination of techniques on mine. Some bolts may not be accessible from underneath and going back and forth to move the vice grips to the next bolt would be ridiculous. Yeah, probably best just to get an angle grinder and a bunch of cutoff disks and buzz those bolts off. I'm sure you will have plenty of other uses for that angle grinder too; I don't know how I survived all those years without one!

[Shadoll]

Do they have a battery one? I don't have electricity where the bus is parked.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

Do they have a battery one? I don't have electricity where the bus is parked.

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page...n%3A2380553011

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by Tinker

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page...n%3A2380553011

Yikes.. I have a Mikita cordless drill.. but the batteries are different. hm.. for that kinda money. I'll have to see.

On a positive note I hung out with some friends I only see a couple times a year today and one of them when I showed him the bus pics almost jumped at the chance to help. His specialty is the woodworking. Networking is good..

[Shadoll]

Progressing along slowly. Stripper and shovel scraper is getting the glue off.. 2 squares at a time (and probably 4 or 5 cans). Actually am farther along than this picture at the end of the day but it got dark on me again. Was a beautiful weekend though.

Took off the metal box that used to hold a 'camera' above the front windows. There was a plug and ground wire behind the box. Thinking I have an old car stereo I've been hanging onto (with Sirius capabilities) I might fit into that hole with some framing like 'proconsul100' did. Only the box was in the center of the upper expanse. I also have a cheapy CB radio I could mount. Magnetic antennae's don't work on most cars, the bus will be a different story but a side mount would be better.

I adore his ('proconsul100') window frames and am going to attempt to plagiarize them.

[Shadoll]

Was hoping to re-use the bus seats, as they looked to be in good shape. But even the driver's seat, what little I've used the seats already, are falling apart at the seams, literally. This bus sat for a long time. So. Bench booth seats (more storage) and re-upholstered driver's seat here we come.

Scored a faucet set up a friend was throwing out this weekend (fairly new because they were getting an OS installed).

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

Progressing along slowly. Stripper and shovel scraper is getting the glue off.. 2 squares at a time (and probably 4 or 5 cans). Actually am farther along than this picture at the end of the day but it got dark on me again. Was a beautiful weekend though.

Took off the metal box that used to hold a 'camera' above the front windows. There was a plug and ground wire behind the box. Thinking I have an old car stereo I've been hanging onto (with Sirius capabilities) I might fit into that hole with some framing like 'proconsul100' did. Only the box was in the center of the upper expanse. I also have a cheapy CB radio I could mount. Magnetic antennae's don't work on most cars, the bus will be a different story but a side mount would be better.

I adore his ('proconsul100') window frames and am going to attempt to plagiarize them.

thanks, you are welcome to plagiarize them

[JakeC]

Originally Posted by Shadoll

Again, I'd need electric. I have found that there is an outlet that I can use but it's still a good distance from the bus, so not sure if I can find a long enough extension cord. And they are going to 'charge me' for the electric I use. It's sort of a sense of accomplishment for what I can get done without electric. Electricity has made our lives much more time friendly for sure.

Sorry, somehow I forgot about the no electricity part :/ Yes, they do make battery powered ones, but they may not last long enough for what you would be needing. Worth a shot, though maybe?

[Shadoll]

Doesn't look like I've done a lot but I got the seats out (only had 3 in it) and all of the bolts except 2 out of the floor. They had left a lot of bolts when other seats were removed before. Grrr.. Used the vice grips and moving under and over for a few until a friend happened by. Two I can see from under but can't reach. Bought an adapter and graphite blades for my drill and got 2 others off. This last 2 I can't seem to reach with either option... still thinking.

Have most of the glue up except for right between the wheel wells. Both wheels are going to be built over now that I'm not re-using the seats, (they looked good but the upholstery was baked), so I'm not taking the rubber off them.. [looking for that 'anthony' (?) insulation that Accordian used.] Leaving the barriers behind the seat and inside the front door but will finish them with something else (perhaps diamond tuck on wood). (Premonitions of piano breaking free and sliding on top of me when driving.)

This morning I bumped into the guy I'm going to consult with on the flooring and he's coming by to take a look this week maybe. I have a good idea on what to do for the sub-flooring, but want to coordinate with what he knows about flooring. He says he has a lot of scrap

We've dipped into teens at night now, so might be slowing down progress on the actual bus, but I got a lot to do prep wise for the rest of the scenario. Was hoping to paint floor before it started staying cold.

Soooo.. Sanding. Best way to sand large area without electricity??? (My body is learning the backdraft of elbow grease.) Joined the gym. Hot tub

[GreyEagle]

Quote{Soooo.. Sanding. Best way to sand large area without electricity??? (My body is learning the backdraft of elbow grease.) Joined the gym. Hot tub ]

The hot tube is my favorite thing about the gym........

[Diesel Dan]

I don't remember now why you don't have electricity to work on the bus, but if I were in that situation I would get a small generator. I'm sure it would prove useful for many things and could become part of your bus power system.

[GreyEagle]

Originally Posted by Diesel Dan

I don't remember now why you don't have electricity to work on the bus, but if I were in that situation I would get a small generator. I'm sure it would prove useful for many things and could become part of your bus power system.

for sure..... either buy or rent if necessary .....

[Tango]

I'm guessing you are going to need/want at least a small generator at some point...so why not bring it on board now ? Power tools will definitely make your life a lot simpler.

[mightybus]

Works great!

http://www.lowes.com/Search=pole+sander ... ole+sander

Even better.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog ... =SEARCHALL

Good luck!

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by NoBusYet

You could also see if there's a way for you to attach the sandpaper to your shoes, then just shuffle around the bus for a few hours.

*laughing* My mom used to have us polish the floors with our butts and socks on our feet.

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by mightybus

Works great!
http://www.lowes.com/Search=pole+sander ... ole+sander
Even better.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog ... =SEARCHALL
Good luck!

OOoooh... I like. Thanks. I have a Home Depot here.. although the round one looks nice. More for sanding walls and ceilings I suppose.

[Shadoll]

Originally Posted by Tango

I'm guessing you are going to need/want at least a small generator at some point...so why not bring it on board now ? Power tools will definitely make your life a lot simpler.

True.. just budgeting is real tight right now. There was a gen on local trades and sales here for $260. A Freight Harbor 3500. Said only about 5 hours on it. But there was no picture I didn't have the money to really call on it. Sales of a couple of things fell through on my end, still trying.

What watt gen should I get really, it's really confusing to me. My thinking is that 3500 would be enough. Other people say no. I will be running probably a sewing machine and iron (not all the time), charge the laptop and phone/alarm clock and run a hair dryer a few minutes in the morning. Possibly a small toaster oven for a few minutes here and there (where I bake my clay). And eventually will be charging the battery banks for 12V lights etc.

I'm still researching and want to get the solar panels more than anything.

Now, someone has me back to thinking wood stove.. which I really wanted in the first place.

[Shadoll]

And truthfully... generators are noisy. I hate to even vacuum. Weird I guess.

[Diesel Dan]

Anything that produces heat (toaster oven, iron, hair dryer) is going to suck a lot of power. You would likely have to spend quite a bit of money on solar panels and batteries in order to have enough power to run that kind of stuff. There are quiet generators, but they cost $$. Harbor Freight products are a crap-shoot. Generally cheap and low quality. I have a 3500 watt Champion generator that was pretty cheap but loud. It ran a full size fridge, separate freezer, and my bus AC, although sometimes a surge would stall it. Really though, you need to calculate your total power demand, surge load, etc. and then consider your options. I wouldn't want to use a generator as my primary power source for my household full time, it's more for occasional use when I don't have access to shore power and I need to run high-demand items like AC or heat or power tools. In my situation I was able to situate the generator some distance from my bus and use a long power cord so the sound wasn't quite so obnoxious.

[GreyEagle]

Go with the wood stove. It'll work no matter where you are.....

Go with the solar panels and battery system...... It'll work most of the time... no matter where you are...
and get a generator for a backup system..... a Yamaha 2400 will do most anything you'll need for a short period of time plus it can recharge your battery system if/when needed. Honda's are good ones too but more expensive. Most other generic generators will work for awhile but I / would not invest in any of them short of the Honda or Yamaha.

just my 2 cents, other opinions will vary