Wilderland Bus AK _ '04 Thomas 32' FE

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by o1marc

When you install the pop rivet the mandrel pulls up until it is so tight it snaps off leaving the ball end tightly in the rivet body. How could you possibly see daylight through one?

I've had lots of those types of rivets where the mandrill ( rod) fell right out of the bottom of the rivet after it snapped off - I wasn't happy about that, but for what I was doing at the time it didn't really matter

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

I've had lots of those types of rivets where the mandrill ( rod) fell right out of the bottom of the rivet after it snapped off - I wasn't happy about that, but for what I was doing at the time it didn't really matter

The ones I use break off IN the rivet but its normal and they have a shear strength of around 1100 lbs. They're closed end so no leaks.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

The ones I use break off IN the rivet but its normal and they have a shear strength of around 1100 lbs. They're closed end so no leaks.

the ones I was using weren't that heavy duty - I was refurbishing a couple of aluminum 'ladder planks' ( painter's scaffolding ) with 1/4" plywood

[tugboater]

Well today was fun & productive. 38' out of 56' of skin hung. Just waiting for my fasteners to tighten everything up. Too tired to write anything...photos will have to do. Got a little help from my sons today, that was nice. I spent the last 30 minutes of the day cleaning up inside. Anyone else find it super satisfying to reorganize and sweep after a couple solid days of work and mess making? I almost want to go set up a cot and sleep in that tin can. Oh, and thanks to everyone I'm copying!





















sideways BS...gotta look into how to fix that.

[EastCoastCB]

Yeah, man, just turn the bus on its side and its way easier to skin!

[tugboater]

Another good day. Bus is skinned up 100% now. Rivets came & they are fantastic. Seal up real nice. Both sides have the sheets up. It started to rain for the first time in a couple weeks just as I was trying to finish up the second emergency exit. Clecos came in handy! I’m going to take my time getting everything water tight.

[Biscuitsjam]

I'm curious how you plan to do the windows (and when).

Also, are you going to do anything with that door?

[Native]

Originally Posted by tugboater

Another good day. Bus is skinned up 100% now. Rivets came & they are fantastic. Seal up real nice. Both sides have the sheets up. It started to rain for the first time in a couple weeks just as I was trying to finish up the second emergency exit. Clecos came in handy! I’m going to take my time getting everything water tight.

Good work and excellent timing!


The last few pictures of the sides look like there are a few more rivets needed.
I am assuming you have only "tack riveted" the sides in place and will spend a bit more time with the rivet gun in the near future.


I keep wanting to get some Clecos but never have a project that quite warrants them, yet!

[tugboater]

Originally Posted by Biscuitsjam

I'm curious how you plan to do the windows (and when).

Also, are you going to do anything with that door?

So my plan right now is to be sealed up and insulated by the time I have to leave for the summer. I'm cutting it close. I'm kinda slothlike...partly because I don't know what I'm doing & mostly because I enjoy working on it when I'm not in a hurry. We didn't do anything to the bus last winter because it was just too cold in there. If I can get it insulated I'll install a woodstove & keep it dry/toasty for most of the winter work days. We are developing our plan for the windows right now. I'm not going to fasten the skin to the wall studs so that I can remove them if we plan for a larger window or two. We're spray foaming for insulation, but I'll leave the areas we've chosen for windows without foam & use rigid as a placeholder. We have a floor plan, but aren't 100% on placement of a couple things. I'll weld or stick build the framing for windows this fall or over the winter. This bus is a longer term project for my wife and I. I don't see us finishing it up for a couple years, which is intentional. I have much to research & learn in order for this thing to turn out the way we'd like.
Funny you should ask about the door. We just talked about that. My wife likes it...so we're keeping it. We're going to have a little extra counter space that folds down in front of it when not in use...I'm guessing the counter will stay down 99% of the time. That plan might change too by the time we're done.

[tugboater]

Originally Posted by Native

The last few pictures of the sides look like there are a few more rivets needed.
I am assuming you have only "tack riveted" the sides in place and will spend a bit more time with the rivet gun in the near future.

I keep wanting to get some Clecos but never have a project that quite warrants them, yet!

Hi Native- thanks! & that's correct, the sides are just hung with a few screws. We got our rivets & they work well. I'm going to take my time buttoning everything up. Probably a full day per side, just to make sure everything seals up. I like to turn up the music & putter There are a lot of holes to fill & some are a little to big for 3/16" rivets. I'll probably use a size up stainless hex screws for those. I've tested them out in a couple spots & they really suck the layers of steel together. You can probably see I tucked sheets underneath to face away from oncoming weather when we travel. I'll clean up the rain guards real well and get them back in place. When I took them down I noticed you could see daylight between them and the side of the bus in several places.

I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives to using clecos...I just wanted to try them so I bought a few. They came in handy for that patch on the crown of the roof. I used ratchet straps for the first patch which worked great, but I think the clecos made the second one easier without struggling on my own with straps. I know they'll come in handy when I reinstall the gutters.

[Biscuitsjam]

Our door rattles, leaks, and slowly opens when the air pressure starts dropping after we shut down the engine. It also has 0 insulation.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by tugboater

Hi Native- thanks! & that's correct, the sides are just hung with a few screws. We got our rivets & they work well. I'm going to take my time buttoning everything up. Probably a full day per side, just to make sure everything seals up. I like to turn up the music & putter There are a lot of holes to fill & some are a little to big for 3/16" rivets. I'll probably use a size up stainless hex screws for those. I've tested them out in a couple spots & they really suck the layers of steel together. You can probably see I tucked sheets underneath to face away from oncoming weather when we travel. I'll clean up the rain guards real well and get them back in place. When I took them down I noticed you could see daylight between them and the side of the bus in several places.

I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives to using clecos...I just wanted to try them so I bought a few. They came in handy for that patch on the crown of the roof. I used ratchet straps for the first patch which worked great, but I think the clecos made the second one easier without struggling on my own with straps. I know they'll come in handy when I reinstall the gutters.

I'm going to experiment with heavy duty magnets to see if they'll work as a second pair of hands when I do my sheeting

[tugboater]

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

I'm going to experiment with heavy duty magnets to see if they'll work as a second pair of hands when I do my sheeting

I had twin 6'5" heavy duty magnets helping me when I hung mine I couldn't have done it without their help. It's about time they started to work off all the food and septic tank space I provide them! I'm curious how your magnets work out...if they don't let me know and I'll send mine down to you.

[tugboater]

Originally Posted by Biscuitsjam

Our door rattles, leaks, and slowly opens when the air pressure starts dropping after we shut down the engine. It also has 0 insulation.

I'm going to share your experience with my wifey...

Ours is solid and doesn't leak & I plan on insulating it, but I just don't see much of a need for it either. Unless I install stairs, it won't get used as an entrance. That won't happen because I'm going to utilize all the space under the floor. Our wood stove is going to be in front of it by just a few feet, so it might be a handy/clean way to load wood.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by tugboater

I had twin 6'5" heavy duty magnets helping me when I hung mine I couldn't have done it without their help. It's about time they started to work off all the food and septic tank space I provide them! I'm curious how your magnets work out...if they don't let me know and I'll send mine down to you.

never know, I might take you up on that

[Native]

Originally Posted by tugboater

I'm going to share your experience with my wifey...

Ours is solid and doesn't leak & I plan on insulating it, but I just don't see much of a need for it either. Unless I install stairs, it won't get used as an entrance. That won't happen because I'm going to utilize all the space under the floor. Our wood stove is going to be in front of it by just a few feet, so it might be a handy/clean way to load wood.

The door might be useful for loading furniture.



"They" make stairs that occupy the volume which one might consider the door jam and they fold down for ingress/egress. We saw them in action at our local United RV store. They are probably at most any of the bigger RV outfitters.

[tugboater]

It took a few days, a couple hours at a time, but I'm finally done sealing up the top rails. I used about 95% rivets & just a few self tapping sheet metal screws where I felt it was necessary to really pull layers together. Super happy with how it turned out, I'm glad I removed the gutter and tucked the sheets under the roof vs. just jamming the sheet up under the it & hoping for the best. I read a few folks posting about how they wished they could do that step over because of rattles and leaks. It was tedious, annoying & a bit messy from the sealer I applied...with the expertise of a finger painting 3 year old. I didn't want to rush & risk a sub-par job because of my lack of patience. I'll be just as diligent on the sides & along the bottom rail.


I used the head of a nail to pull the roof away from the skin to make room for a bead of sealer.


It got messy when I pulled the sheets together with rivets & screws, but once I figured out a system it wasn't too bad. At first that goop was turning up all over me and my tools.


You can see the bead in the shadow...waiting to pounce on any exposed skin or valuable tools. My wife and sons came out to help for a few minutes at different times, each leaving with that nastiness stuck to them.


Next will be to seal and fasten the sides/bottoms, then I'll clean up the gutters and put them back in place.

[Native]

Nice progress. The sealer is always a mess. If someone knows how NOT to get it all over the place, please share!

[tugboater]

Still sealing things up here. Spent some time this fine Easter morning setting up to bondo the flasher holes.



Removed the lights & eyebrows months ago





Cleaned things up on the inside.





Measured and cut 4ea. 18g backing plates out of my leftover skins. Flapper wheeled off the outer layer, down to steel because the skin is galvanized.





Made myself a Jim stick (for lack of a better term, named after my welder buddy that showed me how to use copper as a backing when filling holes).





I enlisted my son Alex to hold the plate while I tacked it in place from the outside, through the existing screw holes . Then I drilled several holes through the bus & plate. I had Alex push the plate with the copper, over each hole from the inside.





I welded up the holes from the outside, then went inside and welded the holes there as well.








my first dual with bondo...we’ll see how it goes

[tugboater]

Been doing quite a bit of sitting & looking around in this shell of a thing...trying to find holes in our plan. I absolutely am going to need to install some leveling jacks. If I so much as turn my head & fart this thing moves and squeaks back at me.

https://youtu.be/Kr_pJIFLVtI