TygerCub's Project

[Duckf00t]

Good going- that entry wall is the toughest thing to get out. Don't be afraid to put your back against the dash and give it a good mule kick. You might already have some, but cuttung wheels will really blast those bolts out.

One of these babies will be a real use as well

You'll find a million uses for it.

[TygerCub]

Originally Posted by Duckf00t

Good going- that entry wall is the toughest thing to get out. Don't be afraid to put your back against the dash and give it a good mule kick.

Oh you have No Idea how much FUN I had trying to get that @#*U%@#($^&^@*#) thing out!
Check out the video of it at http://www.youtube.com/user/TygerCub You're gonna laugh. Trust me.

Yeah, there are a couple of bolts hidden inside the support post in the aisle. I didn't have any high explosives, so had to resort to a grinder and my favorite "fine adjustment percussion instrument", a.k.a. the hammer! Stupid wall is finally out.

[bus-bro]

You really need a BFH.

[TygerCub]

Originally Posted by bus-bro

You really need a BFH..

Um... Wuzzat?

The internet says "BFH" means Bitch From Hell. I'm sure you don't mean that because I've already got wonna doze... ="ME" .
So I'm thinkin' there must be another definition?

[tfdfyrman]

BIG F___ING HAMMER

[Papabear]

Originally Posted by TygerCub

Um... Wuzzat?

The internet says "BFH" means Bitch From Hell. I'm sure you don't mean that because I've already got wonna doze... ="ME" .
So I'm thinkin' there must be another definition?

Quit, You are kill'in me.

[C00LR]

BFH is also a "technical term" as well. Just like the other technical terms that I heard Tyger use in the vids like "GACK" and "ICK".

When I was in the Air Force I was a supervisor in the trailer shop maintaining the trailers that haul the bombs to the aircraft. We were required to wear safety glasses when working underneath the trailers. Kind of a "DUH" thing but anytime I caught the boys under a trailer with no glasses I would grab an 8 lb lead shot BFH and give the deck a big WHACK!! When they whine from underneath about me getting dirt in their eyes I always told them that if they had their safety glasses on it wouldnt have gotten in their eyes now would it??? So, the BFH can also be used as a training tool as well.

[TygerCub]

Originally Posted by tfdfyrman

BIG F___ING HAMMER

LMAO

I think I LIKE BFH's!

At the shipyard we used to call our 10lb mauls "percussion adjusting instruments". Smaller hammers and deadweight mallets were "fine tuning percussion instruments". Hahahaha!

I have to admit to "repurposing" many tools during my time on the waterfront. Crescent wrenches and vice grips are awesome pry bars and hammers. Philips head screwdrivers are decent punches. And a folding tape measure (or bolt) is the perfect tool to reach out and touch someone from amongst pipes in the overhead - especially when they're under the catwalk of the inner bottom and can't get to you faster than you can climb down and run above deck!

Ah... those were the days! When I was young and fit and could pull myself into the overhead without a ladder...
Sometimes when it's cool out, and the weather's nice, I miss those days. Then we have summer here and I remember the hell of being building a ship from the 21'9" level.

[TygerCub]

Primitive Pete? Nope. Don't know 'im. Never met 'im. Can't say az I ever saw 'im either.

Repurposing tools became an artform on the waterfront. Ideally, your work mate was supposed to bring any tool you couldn't stuff in your own bag. But few mates were trustworthy enough not to "accidentally" put one of your tools in his bag. There were only two guys in my crew I trusted not to walk off with my stuff, but we only got to work together on one or two really big projects. Actually, I may rag on the guys that I worked with, but they really were a good bunch of guys that treated me right. A girl hears all kinds of horror stories before working at a job like that. But once I showed them I was there to work, not to play games and flirt, they let me be "one of the guys" so to speak. I'm really proud to say there's a couple dozen or so pieces of the USS Ronald Regan with my name somewhere under the paint and insulation! And in one or two places, a lunchtime sketch or two - though someone would have to climb WAY into the overhead to find them.

After a couple of years as an apprentice on the waterfront, I made it into the advanced apprenticeship and into an office... where I promptly started working on my current matronly figure.

I do miss building things. I think that's why I'm so dedicated to getting BOB in shape. The challenge of turning a drawing into reality gave me a lot of pride on the job. Hopefully, I can do just as well with the bus. BOB won't be able to float... or have cannons... or shoot off any missles... but he'll still be one stout fellow!

[C00LR]

Originally Posted by TygerCub

BOB won't be able to float... or have cannons... or shoot off any missles...

You just brought to mind the motor home from the movie Stripes with Bill Murray!

[Duckf00t]

Hey C00LR- so you were a BB stacker? Me too I was line D and TM.

I used the BFH when I found a guy sleeping off the previous nights German beer, under the trailer. It was always funny how weld checks always were the first thing anyone with a hangover started with.

[C00LR]

yep Weld checks work well. I was AMMO stationed at Nellis in Storage, RAF Lakenheath in Storage, and Ellsworth Line-D, Control, and TM.
I loved Line-D. my favorite job. Driving trucks and staying "dispersed" during base excercises.

[TygerCub]

Looks like the last photos I posted showed me taking down the interior side wall. Well... in order to tear up the rubber matting, I had to reinstall it.

It was laying flat on the floor, and draped over the wheel well. It took a couple of tries to figure out how to "walk" down the length to lift it up again and make it stand on edge, but I finally got it.


The next major challenge was getting the silly thing back in place. I ended up bending the forward end outward enough to clear the driver's control panel and tried to get a screw in the first support, but no joy. I actually had to go three windows back before I could get enough purchase to wrangle the thing into place and get a screw into its original hole. Then I went to the middle and finally the end... and then back to the front again to fasten down the bent-out portion.


When I finally got to work on the rubber mat, I expected to have to use a utility knife to cut everything up. But it turns out the knife wasn't very useful. A garden hoe, however, worked wonders getting under the edges of the mat and breaking the old glue's grip from the floor.


Where the hoe didn't work, a claw hammer succeeded! Something about the sharper edge and deeper hooked surface maybe? Donno, but I was doing some "two fisted mat fighting" for a while there!


After a long hot three hours, I had the driver's side up and swept. There were some screw heads left around the wheel well that need to be attacked with a grinder, but otherwise, I was pretty pleased with myself.


That was on Saturday morning. Mom called and wanted to go to lunch. And I must admit, I was ready to quit. It went quick enough though that I was sure I could easily knock out the rest of the matting Sunday.

Famous last thoughts...

[Duckf00t]

I hear ya T-C I'm way over my time estimates. When we started I told her might take me a week- yeah right. I've built houses in the same time this bus is taking. Houses don't require you drill steel every time you want to drive a screw, or put in a simple shelf.

I have been exhausted for 2 weeks- between the heat, being grossly out of shape, and the challenge of the build... plus packing up our place.

[C00LR]

Dont forget to pull up metal strips on that center section!

[TygerCub]

When last we left BOB, the driver's side mat was up and I'd left to eat lunch with Mom. Sunday, I went back early to finish the job...


First I had to move (yet again) the car seats that came with the bus. Originally, I was going to just sell these things. But after putting them together in their intended configuration, I decided they might make a pretty decent (i.e. free) sofa. And since they already have legal seat belts, I could carry a couple of friends with me while driving.


Once the chairs were moved, I decided to grind down the screw heads that were left around the wheel well. Didn't take any time at all, and kept me from tripping over the stupid little things.


Back to lifting up the mat. Working from the front, I pulled up the center aisle mat to find... RUST. And lots of it. This was by far the worst spot in the entire bus so far. I guess this is where all the wet kids stood in line while waiting for the person in front of them to find a seat. Since the mat wasn't secured by the driver's side rail, water easily seeped underneath.


With the center mat up, I started prying up the rails. Although I'd hit the screws with PB Blast a couple of weeks ago, they were too far gone to be removed with a screwdriver. So my trusty hammer came into play once more and using an abundance of body weight, popped their little heads off like Little Bunny FruFoo after so many mice.


In the end, an impressive pile of rust-dust and mat debris was left. Why is it as soon as one project is finished and the mess cleaned up... the next project totally trashes the place again. I swear, it' like following after a little kid! ... Oh wait ... I AM that little kid!

[TygerCub]

I next tackled the passenger's side mat. This time, I started from the rear of the bus. Don't know why... Kinda wish I hadn't! There was an extraordinary mess of mold and mildew under the rear quarter of rubber. It was utterly revolting!


When the mat was finally up, I decided to bring in some backup... My trusty R2 unit. This little shop vac is awesome. He did his job and got rid of the left over dust that the broom couldn't handle. These units are indispensable when dealing with the finer messes.


Near the front of the passenger's side, I found this plate. Could someone remind me what it covers and if it's important to leave accessible?


The last thing I wanted to do before leaving was remove the entry wall on the passenger's side. It was just too restrictive coming inside and around that damned thing. Plus, it was ugly as sin too!


I figured, it wouldn't take too long. Only a couple of screws to remove and a couple of bolts to grind off. No big deal, right? Five minute job tops. The screws all came out super easily since they'd been soaked with PB Blast a couple weeks earlier, and it took all of two minutes to grind down the bolt heads on the center brace. So far so good.


So, with all the fasteners removed, it should be a simple thing to break the caulking/glue around the center brace and carry the thing out the door and into the waiting trailer.... Um.... Damn! What's holding this thing in place?!!?!


Sonofabitch! WTF?!?


After rocking and rolling and pushing and shoving and twisting and cursing... I finally gave up and fell back to superior fire power.
Take THAT you stubborn piece of...


I resorted to prying the center post open with the hammer to finally find the reason it wouldn't come up. TWO MORE BOLTS HIDDEN INSIDE THE FRACKIN' CENTER BRACE!!!!! What freakin' sadist puts bolts INSIDE a freakin' support?!?! WHY?!? Were they afraid some kid was going to unscrew them - while sitting less than three feet from the driver? Were they afraid the two on the outside weren't going to hold? If so, why not just add some to the OUTSIDE like every other stinkin bolt in that bus?!? What's this supposed to be... some jolly roger treasure hunt????????????


Yeah! I got yer number buddy! You want summadis? My grinder made mince meat (or metal dust) out of that stubborn little so-n-so! Take That Buddy!


Yeah, I felt much better after that. FINALLY finished, here's all that's left of the stupid wall.


Man! Hope the rest of the bus cooperates more than that thing did.

I gotta go do some more work.

More pics later guys, I promise!

[Griff]

Originally Posted by TygerCub

...Near the front of the passenger's side, I found this plate. Could someone remind me what it covers and if it's important to leave accessible?

It doesn't look "factory made"...Is your fuel tank mounted beneath it? It may be access to your fuel level sensor...?

[fernmistress]

Originally Posted by TygerCub

Near the front of the passenger's side, I found this plate. Could someone remind me what it covers and if it's important to leave accessible?

We have one - although it is definitely factory made and came with the bus - and it is access to the fuel tank, as suggested by Griff.

[Duckf00t]

Those walls are a pain.... told ya. Ours had 4 hidden bolts, under the sheet metal.

Our bus has one of those panels as well, I covered it. I didn't cover it with ply only luan, so if I need too I can get in there. The reason I did that was mine is right dead center of my main walkway. The hole we have is much smaller than that plate and round. Take a look under there see if you might come up with a more decorative cover.