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Old 05-26-2018, 08:38 AM   #181
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Next question - fiberglass body repair. This bus' skin above the floorline is fiberglass. Below is aluminum. The aluminum has its problems that I will get to in time, but the fiberglass is in much worse shape - stars, cracks, and even a gash or two all over the body.


I've looked at small-time fiberglass car body repair. Lots of prep for sure to make a good, long-lasting repair. However, on a bus, outside, how do I do that? I'm willing to put in the time to make it look good, but I have no enclosed space right now, and there's a neighborhood being built just south of me (lots of dust and dirt being thrown into the air).


I have a shop that may be willing to do the work, but I'm betting they will want a small fortune based on the amount of time such a fiberglass repair might take.


Take all the panels off and replace them with metal? Seems like that would be about the same amount of work, but it would give me a chance to close up the windows I don't want more easily.


Thoughts?

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Old 06-12-2018, 02:41 PM   #182
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Originally Posted by MarkyDee View Post
Next question - fiberglass body repair. This bus' skin above the floorline is fiberglass. Below is aluminum. The aluminum has its problems that I will get to in time, but the fiberglass is in much worse shape - stars, cracks, and even a gash or two all over the body.


I've looked at small-time fiberglass car body repair. Lots of prep for sure to make a good, long-lasting repair. However, on a bus, outside, how do I do that? I'm willing to put in the time to make it look good, but I have no enclosed space right now, and there's a neighborhood being built just south of me (lots of dust and dirt being thrown into the air).


I have a shop that may be willing to do the work, but I'm betting they will want a small fortune based on the amount of time such a fiberglass repair might take.


Take all the panels off and replace them with metal? Seems like that would be about the same amount of work, but it would give me a chance to close up the windows I don't want more easily.


Thoughts?



Wow, nobody? Guess I've run out of karma.
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Old 06-12-2018, 05:55 PM   #183
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Sorry man, I've never messed with much fiberglass.
Someone will come along. Bump the thread once a week!
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Old 06-12-2018, 05:58 PM   #184
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Could also try a boat restoration forum?
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Old 06-12-2018, 09:05 PM   #185
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Yea, its a bunch of fiberglass....


I found a youtube channel where they did a roof raise on an old transit bus (search for "back to school bus"). They did a bit of fiberglassing, so I'm going to really watch those particular episodes.


But the boat forums seem like a really good idea! I'll pursue that and see what turns up.


Thanks!


(But if anybody does have videos or advice on fiberglass repair, please go ahead and post!)
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Old 06-13-2018, 03:11 PM   #186
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My only recommendation regarding fiberglass repair is...


GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT!!!
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Old 06-25-2018, 06:36 AM   #187
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My only recommendation regarding fiberglass repair is...


GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT!!!






Unfortunately, the skin of my bus is all fiberglass above the floorline. If I don't want it to cost "an arm and a leg" I'll have to learn to do it myself.
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Old 06-25-2018, 06:40 AM   #188
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Got the ceiling about 85% down, and the whole bus swept out. The only part that is left is the front 5-6 feet where the cabinet-over-driver and front sign covers the ceiling. I'll be working on those areas next.

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Old 06-28-2018, 07:37 PM   #189
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Spray it down with Fabreze.
Use Lysol desinfectant or the "Great Value" Walmart brand that has "kills 99% of germs" on the label. This will take moldy and musty smell out of everything.
The smell comes from bacteria and fungi living in moist environments and killing the bugs will get rid of the smell for good instead of just covering it up like air fresheners.

Also, fiber glass repair is much easier for the DIYer than sheet metal repair if you want the result to look nice. Please post photos of the problem areas.
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Old 06-28-2018, 11:16 PM   #190
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fibre glass reinforced resin

Play with the stuff some and get a feel for it... I see most problems cause folks aint patient enough. Do not use in enclosed/confined space. Goes solid in very short time span if mixed "hot" never ever sets up if not enough hardener is used....


make a sheet about half a meter square, three or four layers thick. bash a hole in it... fix the hole.... yea do the watch boat repair thing, and surfboard building.

how to fix corvette- they are fiberglass..

easy to do....difficult to do so that it looks like metal.


regards, william
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Old 06-30-2018, 07:16 PM   #191
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Thanks, guys, for the fiberglass advice! I thought about doing the "try it out" first to "get the hang of it". The rest of the advice is pure gold. Thank you!


And I need it, I just discovered that the computer that controls the dashboard, entry door, lights, taillights, etc. failed today. Looks like I'm going to have to replace it before I can start/move the bus. Not a happy camper right now....
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Old 06-30-2018, 07:58 PM   #192
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Well, thank God for breakers....


The crisis of a broken PLC has been avoided - it was just a tripped breaker.


Whew....
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Old 07-06-2018, 05:06 PM   #193
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Nice looking bus!

Regarding the LRT-2 Thermoking roof mounted heat pump...I'd pull it out to be honest and replace with 2 or 3 Dometic roof mount heat pumps and maybe a couple propane furnaces if you're going to be using it in cold weather (e.g. midwest frozen tundra...brrr). The Themoking is very much overkill for an RV application and expensive to maintain. It takes over 30lbs ($500) of R-22 to fill it...and if you're not using it regularly, the o-rings on the bulkhead fittings can crack, and/or the oil seal in the compressor can dry out and let the refrigerant out.

One cool think about the dometic RV style furnace/heat pumps...is that you can control all of it via a single thermostat. It all works together and communicates over a single bus. The heat pumps a great when you need a little but of heat...but are ineffective once outside temps drop below 40. Nothing like having a propane backup.

Some people have used diesel hydronic for heat. The advantage is not needing a propane tank on board...but burning diesel for heat can be stinky.

Aqua-Hot hydronic

Dometic Penguin II

Furnaces

For the large unused space under the driver area, I'd consider putting a 7k or higher Onan generator there. Run a diesel line from your existing tank...put a fuel gauge sender on there while you're at it.

Onan Generators

Good luck!!
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Old 07-07-2018, 10:04 AM   #194
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Ok, picked up different sizes of center punches today, but the chair rail rivets are huge. Even the largest center punch barely dents the mandrel. Ideas?
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Old 07-07-2018, 12:00 PM   #195
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Ok, picked up different sizes of center punches today, but the chair rail rivets are huge. Even the largest center punch barely dents the mandrel. Ideas?
I use a snap punch, barely dents, but is sufficient to center a drill bit and keep it from walking. I quickly went over each rivet with the grinder first just to give it a bit more flat for the punch.
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Old 07-08-2018, 11:03 AM   #196
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I use a snap punch, barely dents, but is sufficient to center a drill bit and keep it from walking. I quickly went over each rivet with the grinder first just to give it a bit more flat for the punch.

Brilliant! I'll give that a try and see how it goes. Thanks!
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Old 07-08-2018, 11:07 AM   #197
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Another question:


Saw this insulation in another thread:


https://www.insulation4less.com/Insu...Total-10M.aspx


What does everyone thing about my using it on my ceiling (as well as floor)?


Here's my ceiling again (some sort of foam between steel with fiberglass as the roof...):


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Old 07-08-2018, 03:32 PM   #198
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkyDee View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
I use a snap punch, barely dents, but is sufficient to center a drill bit and keep it from walking. I quickly went over each rivet with the grinder first just to give it a bit more flat for the punch.
Brilliant! I'll give that a try and see how it goes. Thanks!
Tried it, it takes 3 or 4 minutes at high speed to get even a small drill bit through them. Anything faster?


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Old 07-08-2018, 04:18 PM   #199
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I can't tell from the picture if that is a blind rivet or a solid rivet that you have started drilling on.

If it is a blind rivet I would recommend using an air chisel.

If it is a solid rivet then I don't have any alternative to spending 3-4 minutes drilling.

I have spent more time removing rivets than any other single task on the bus so far.
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Old 07-08-2018, 06:12 PM   #200
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkyDee View Post
Tried it, it takes 3 or 4 minutes at high speed to get even a small drill bit through them. Anything faster?



Looks like a blind rivet to me. To remove them do as has been explained numerous times in other posts with an air chisel gun. It goes really fast. If it is a solid rivet I put a 1/8 thick grinding wheel in a 4 1/2 inch grinder and use the edge to remove the top of the rivet. It also goes fairly fast and with a little care doesn't mess up the riveted surface much. After doing a few you learn how little you have to grind off and still be able to punch them through. The problem I have found with drilling is once you get far enough through the rivet the tension that holds it in place is released and the rivet spins, instantly greatly reducing the drills effectiveness. If you use a drill larger than the shank of the rivet, you still have to go back and punch out the rivet and a drill that large is significantly harder to use in steel.
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