I need help in Ellerbe, NC

[Jdawgsfanasty]

Originally Posted by dfeazelle

I try not to engage with people like that but that shitty comment at that moment just hit me wrong.

As evidenced by all of the previous comments, a normal reaction is to offer support and encouragement...
It's sad that there ARE people who, with no regard to someone's circumstances, take advantage of them when they're vulnerable.
Even more sad when others CLAIM to. haha

I know what my strengths are and I'm smart enough to ask for help when I need it.

Besides the bus build, I'm in the middle of selling 30 years worth of stuff and my primary residence.

My top priority is raising my daughter...

Not to mention giving my incredible girlfriend
the time and attention she deserves...
(picture attached, eat your hearts out LOL)

So, there it is. Not that I owe anybody an explanation but since this will be our home for the next 6-8 years (then we're gonna buy a boat and travel by water) I want it to be done right.

Alright I've wasted enough time on that ridiculous comment. Time to go install the new JVC head unit. THAT I can do... and do well!

Rock on dude!!! Yep, ranks up there with pawn shops and payday loans...

Sent from my VS500PP using Tapatalk

[ben2go]

My comment was made in jest.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by ben2go

My comment was made in jest.

I thought so ... however, I have noticed a lack of sense of humor in some around here.

Your comment did serve one useful purpose, it clearly showed that the OP hasn't lost all motivation.

[Robin97396]

I also thought it was a joke, but on the other hand we do all know someone that will take advantage when someone is stuck with a project rather than lend a bit on knowledge. I wrote it off as a joke that was a little to close to real life, because we've all been there at one time or another.

On the other hand we've all found a great deal once in a while, at someone else's expense. The gate swings both ways.

[Rusty]

Jolly Roger is a trip and a half, but brings up a valid topic.

It'll take quite a bit of determination to turn a Mobile DUI Profit Center into a habitable RV. Many nice days will not be spent casting lures or making double bogeys. I was not prepared for the sacrifice- passing on many tasty invitations and neat-o events just to work on that stupid bus. Today, prime example.

But come this Summer... (or next), I will have a large box to drive-around in.

The girlfriend ... it's been awhile and correct me if I'm wrong, but those are liabilities, not assets, when doing a dirty, gross job?

Good to see you turn anger into action. Welcome.

[Dog Rescuer]

That is a fine looking bus - don’t give up. I would love to see it - and offer any help I can! I will be in NC after the Georgia Tiny Home Festival (March 2-4).


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[ben2go]

Originally Posted by Twigg

I thought so ... however, I have noticed a lack of sense of humor in some around here.

Your comment did serve one useful purpose, it clearly showed that the OP hasn't lost all motivation.

Originally Posted by Robin97396

I also thought it was a joke, but on the other hand we do all know someone that will take advantage when someone is stuck with a project rather than lend a bit on knowledge. I wrote it off as a joke that was a little to close to real life, because we've all been there at one time or another.

On the other hand we've all found a great deal once in a while, at someone else's expense. The gate swings both ways.

I forget I am the new guy on this forum and few here know my sometimes twisted sense of humor.

[dfeazelle]

Originally Posted by ben2go

I forget I am the new guy on this forum and few here know my sometimes twisted sense of humor.

I am sorry for taking your comment out of context and for flying off the handle!

Things are certainly looking up...a soldier stationed at Ft. Bragg (who is experienced at building furniture and cabinets) came out today to assess the situation and stayed for 4 hours.
He was downright giddy to have the opportunity to help with the project!

As soon as he left I got an email from Jim Gadberry (Life is a Joy) offering to help remotely via Skype/phone.

It just blows my mind that the friends and family that owe you (LITERALLY) and promise to be there as soon as you need them, vanish off the face of the Earth. While strangers are willing to lend a hand.

**Disclaimer
I offered to pay Jim!
I would never ask or expect anyone (including friends and family) to help without compensation.

[Robin97396]

Oh, we're twisted too. That wouldn't have bothered me, but it would get a retort.

We all like a sense of humor, and it's easy to take something the wrong way in written text. Not all of us use emojies and things can be taken the wrong way at times. I know this thing has a billion emojies on it but I don't use them to convey emotion.

I had trouble from my writing style too. Some people just don't relate. It's like talking to a foreigner that speaks english and gets insulted very easily. I'm more careful who I throw jokes at now. No I'm not. If it's a good setup, I'll deliver.

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by dfeazelle

I am sorry for taking your comment out of context and for flying off the handle!

Things are certainly looking up...a soldier stationed at Ft. Bragg (who is experienced at building furniture and cabinets) came out today to assess the situation and stayed for 4 hours.
He was downright giddy to have the opportunity to help with the project!

As soon as he left I got an email from Jim Gadberry (Life is a Joy) offering to help remotely via Skype/phone.

It just blows my mind that the friends and family that owe you (LITERALLY) and promise to be there as soon as you need them, vanish off the face of the Earth. While strangers are willing to lend a hand.

**Disclaimer
I offered to pay Jim!
I would never ask or expect anyone (including friends and family) to help without compensation.

Apology accepted. I understand how my comment could have been misunderstood. I'll try to do better next time.

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Oh, we're twisted too. That wouldn't have bothered me, but it would get a retort.

We all like a sense of humor, and it's easy to take something the wrong way in written text. Not all of us use emojies and things can be taken the wrong way at times. I know this thing has a billion emojies on it but I don't use them to convey emotion.

I had trouble from my writing style too. Some people just don't relate. It's like talking to a foreigner that speaks english and gets insulted very easily. I'm more careful who I throw jokes at now. No I'm not. If it's a good setup, I'll deliver.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Dfeazelle.
I have had the opportunity to meet a couple of new skoolies closer to me in the last few weeks and discuss ideas with them.
I have a few places available to me for a weekend get together to brainstorm on layout/design or since I know plumbing maybe something like a do's and dont's and specific design help weekend? If you can't get this far away from home.
Maybe we can kinda meet in the middle.
One member lives a mile from me and one lives outside of Greenville.
I know there are others that are around Raleigh.
Around me for gathering places I have access to a wide open field that we can use and also access to a building with bathrooms and kitchen but selective SKOOLIE parking.
The building is for Boy Scout meetings and I have had my bus in there many times and the area can accommodate but is a 3-4 point turn to get out once in for a full size but is very do able especially with spotters.
Are you interested?

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by dfeazelle

I am sorry for taking your comment out of context and for flying off the handle!

Things are certainly looking up...a soldier stationed at Ft. Bragg (who is experienced at building furniture and cabinets) came out today to assess the situation and stayed for 4 hours.
He was downright giddy to have the opportunity to help with the project!

As soon as he left I got an email from Jim Gadberry (Life is a Joy) offering to help remotely via Skype/phone.

It just blows my mind that the friends and family that owe you (LITERALLY) and promise to be there as soon as you need them, vanish off the face of the Earth. While strangers are willing to lend a hand.

**Disclaimer
I offered to pay Jim!
I would never ask or expect anyone (including friends and family) to help without compensation.

Getting back on track. You mentioned having exterior graphics and wanting to remove them. A hair dryer or cheap heat gun on low setting will help soften the adhesive and make it easier to remove the graphics. If you use a heat gun, use low setting and keep it moving. Those things get hot and can bake the adhesive onto the body. I use a cheapo plastic scraper to lift the edge of the graphic and peel it back while heating between the graphic and body. After the graphics are removed, I use 3M adhesive remover to get the remaining adhesive off using a rag and plastic scraper. It's a slow tedious job. I soak the rag in my choice of adhesive remover and blot the adhesive hard enough for the adhesive remover to squeeze out while scraping it off. Kerosene or really cheap BBQ lighting fluid will help remove the residue as well. You'll need to give the bus a good washing with degreaser after using those.

[rossfree]

Welcome aboard!

I have a bus in the driveway that has been left in suspended animation! I can't tell you how much "life" has happened around me that has literally shut my project down. Kids move in, kids move out. Take care of one Dad, then the other. Trips back and forth, marriages, graduations, sickness, family emergencies...

And now I'm sick! Dangit all!

And my bus is pretty far along! I put in a couple of tanks, some plumbing and a kitchen cabinet and we're rolling!

So... enjoy the small stuff. The small accomplishments. This is not a fast project. It takes time, effort and money. Take the time you think it will take and double it. Then double that. I'm three years in now. It's really great... but still unfinished!

Maybe your project will go faster. Probably not. And how finished you want it has a lot to do with the time you put in.

Enjoy the journey. Slow down and enjoy the journey.

Regards,

Ross

[dfeazelle]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

Dfeazelle.
I have had the opportunity to meet a couple of new skoolies closer to me in the last few weeks and discuss ideas with them.
I have a few places available to me for a weekend get together to brainstorm on layout/design or since I know plumbing maybe something like a do's and dont's and specific design help weekend? If you can't get this far away from home.
Maybe we can kinda meet in the middle.
One member lives a mile from me and one lives outside of Greenville.
I know there are others that are around Raleigh.
Around me for gathering places I have access to a wide open field that we can use and also access to a building with bathrooms and kitchen but selective SKOOLIE parking.
The building is for Boy Scout meetings and I have had my bus in there many times and the area can accommodate but is a 3-4 point turn to get out once in for a full size but is very do able especially with spotters.
Are you interested?

Absolutely! And thank you again!!
I appreciate your previous offers to help more than you know!

The soldier is supposed to start on the framing on the 11th.
One disadvantage to doing work somewhere else is I have the ginormous pile of wood here and hope to use a lot of it on the (re)build.
He's not very experienced with plumbing but seems to think he can handle almost everything else.
I've been shopping for a new freshwater tank... Hoping to find at least a hundred gallon maybe a little more but they're just all over the place price-wise because of shipping. I think $269 is the best I found for a hundred gallon.

I'll have to look again and see exactly where you are. I'm actually heading down to Sunset Harbor (not too far from Southport) on the 3rd. and planning to be back on the 10th.
One last getaway before we dive in on this project that I'm sure will keep me occupied day and night for the next four months.
This military family will be moving into my home and I will be moving into the bus...so I have a deadline now 😬

[dfeazelle]

Originally Posted by ben2go

Getting back on track. You mentioned having exterior graphics and wanting to remove them. A hair dryer or cheap heat gun on low setting will help soften the adhesive and make it easier to remove the graphics. If you use a heat gun, use low setting and keep it moving. Those things get hot and can bake the adhesive onto the body. I use a cheapo plastic scraper to lift the edge of the graphic and peel it back while heating between the graphic and body. After the graphics are removed, I use 3M adhesive remover to get the remaining adhesive off using a rag and plastic scraper. It's a slow tedious job. I soak the rag in my choice of adhesive remover and blot the adhesive hard enough for the adhesive remover to squeeze out while scraping it off. Kerosene or really cheap BBQ lighting fluid will help remove the residue as well. You'll need to give the bus a good washing with degreaser after using those.

Thank you for that!

I'm seeing several responses here that I didn't get notifications for. I hope nobody thinks I ignored them!

[dfeazelle]

Originally Posted by rossfree

Welcome aboard!

I have a bus in the driveway that has been left in suspended animation! I can't tell you how much "life" has happened around me that has literally shut my project down. Kids move in, kids move out. Take care of one Dad, then the other. Trips back and forth, marriages, graduations, sickness, family emergencies...

And now I'm sick! Dangit all!

And my bus is pretty far along! I put in a couple of tanks, some plumbing and a kitchen cabinet and we're rolling!

So... enjoy the small stuff. The small accomplishments. This is not a fast project. It takes time, effort and money. Take the time you think it will take and double it. Then double that. I'm three years in now. It's really great... but still unfinished!

Maybe your project will go faster. Probably not. And how finished you want it has a lot to do with the time you put in.

Enjoy the journey. Slow down and enjoy the journey.

Regards,

Ross

Thank you, Ross! I'm sending lots of positive energy your way!!

Dean

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

I am a little over an hour up the coast from southport or 45-min. From Wilmington.
In a regular vehicle driving modestly?
Any plumbing help/ideas I can help with let me know.
PM me and I will give you a direct contact number.
When you get time post some floor plan ideas you have for the kitchen and bathroom so we can start thinking of plumbing layout ideas and material.
Also look at junkyards for tanks unless you want/need a specific shape.
Remember.
If your fresh water tank is 100-gal then even if your black and grey tanks are 50-gal. Each then you are going to end up with quite a few gal. extra fresh water because of the solids taking up room in the black and fresh water tanks.
With out a tank monitor you could overflow the tanks before running out of fresh water.
Could use the extra water in an outdoor shower or outdoor sink.
I I have info on decent priced design and build your own tanks that compared to buying a brand new RV tank that you still had to buy the pipe fittings to make them work.
A rough layout sketch and where you would like the tanks and maybe some underside pics of the area will get you all kinds of ideas,opinions,pics on here.
There like voices in your head? Listen to the ones that are helping your direction and ignore the rest.
But if you are around this area every now and then. CHOPANE and I met in Greenville cause he live outside of there and I was working there last week. Let me know if you have some free time while passing through.
There used to be a good Waffle House or Cracker Barrel off of I//40 around Smithfield if you use that route.
Right now my work is going to have me in goldsboro and Greenville for several months.but never really know exactly one minute from the next cause I could be in Charlotte and get an emergency call for the bases near me and I am heading home to fix a steam station or like last week I had just pulled into Goldsboro and got called to head to havelock/cherry point because a forklift had just ripped down a heater that was only three months old and the gas line was leaking.
It was my problem because I have a one year warranty?
Just throwing out some ideas for a meet up.
PM me and we can talk over the phone.

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by dfeazelle

Thank you for that!

I'm seeing several responses here that I didn't get notifications for. I hope nobody thinks I ignored them!

You're welcome. I have that issue on forums from time to time. I dunno why though.

[Robin97396]

It's not necessary to thank everybody. Thank the people with ideas that you actually use.

Its an interesting process. You're always going to get more ideas than you care for hearing. This forum is usually why many of us spend several weeks deliberating over each type of material to use. We're just confusing the issues for you, and your welcome.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

It's not necessary to thank everybody. Thank the people with ideas that you actually use.

Its an interesting process. You're always going to get more ideas than you care for hearing. This forum is usually why many of us spend several weeks deliberating over each type of material to use. We're just confusing the issues for you, and your welcome.

Thank you, Robin.