Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-05-2017, 08:24 AM   #21
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 164
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roundbed View Post
Just wondering if any one has used the air compressor on board the bus to fuel their pneumatic tools??

It is amazing, easy and definitely saves you hundreds on an air compressor.
It's a must-know for any bus owner!!
How much pressure/cfm do you get? I didn't know the on board compressors were strong enough to run air tools. Or does it only work with some lower demand tools?

lucasd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2017, 08:23 PM   #22
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 8
It's not perfect. I can maintain about a 90 psi for 15 Or 20 minutes or so before my use of air catches up with me.
I alternated between knocking out rivets and unscrewing things.
I didn't need more than about a five minute rest period for the air tank to fill back up.
I have a short bus (3800 T444E), so I don't know if the air compression tank on a full size bus is bigger/more powerful or not.
Roundbed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2017, 08:44 PM   #23
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 164
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roundbed View Post
I didn't need more than about a five minute rest period for the air tank to fill back up.
That's pretty decent, considering it is just tapping in to what is basically a "free" source of compressed air. For someone who doesn't have much use for air tools aside from the bus project itself, that could be a good cost saving measure over having to buy a full sized compressor.
lucasd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2017, 05:53 AM   #24
Bus Nut
 
superdave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
Quote:
Originally Posted by lucasd View Post
That's pretty decent, considering it is just tapping in to what is basically a "free" source of compressed air. For someone who doesn't have much use for air tools aside from the bus project itself, that could be a good cost saving measure over having to buy a full sized compressor.
I'm not running my engine and very expensive air compressor to save a few bucks. when you buy a bus plan on spending a few thousand on tools, you'll need them.
__________________
living in a bus down by the river.
my build pics
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...albums942.html
superdave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2017, 06:08 AM   #25
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 164
Quote:
Originally Posted by superdave View Post
I'm not running my engine and very expensive air compressor to save a few bucks. when you buy a bus plan on spending a few thousand on tools, you'll need them.
Well, you'd need a real compressor to paint or run a rivet gun anyway I suspect.

And yeah, I have a whole spreadsheet of tools I'll need to acquire. It seems to get bigger the more time I spend researching how to do this properly. [emoji14] That's not bad, though. I'd rather know what it will take to do things right before I start. That's one reason I mentioned the need for a compressor when painting - I can't imagine spending this much time and effort and then trying to skimp on the final part of the bus that people will actually see.
lucasd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2017, 09:34 AM   #26
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 8
QUOTE=superdave;189203]I'm not running my engine and very expensive air compressor to save a few bucks. when you buy a bus plan on spending a few thousand on tools, you'll need them.[/QUOTE]

What's the problem with running the engine and air compressor on your bus? Both of them are made to run.
I certainly wouldn't recommend turning your bus in to an air tool shop, but for one or two key jobs it is fine. Buying a suitable compressor for one project is a huge unnecessary expense. You aren't doing damage to either of the components by running them and using them in this way.

I don't know anything about using the on board air compressor for painting though. Don't know how that works.

This compressor trick is an old trick of the trade for anyone who works with big diesel engines and pneumatic brakes. The person who showed it to me used to repair diesel engines and own a dumping service (dump trucks are diesel with pneumatic brakes as well). All the dump truckers approve of the trick. It's almost as old as the trade.

Personally, I am not driving the bus much while it is in rennovation, so running the engine is actually a good and necessary thing.
I've had to run the engine to use the compressor for maybe a total of three hours to knock out all the rivets in the walls. I suspect not to need more than one or two more hours for the ceiling.

Anyway,
Really not much risk in this method that I am seeing (point it out specifically if I am wrong!!), and you only burn about 1/8 of a tank an hour of fuel.

Of course, make sure your engine is in good working order!! And has enough oil!
Roundbed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2017, 12:13 PM   #27
New Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Minneapolis Mn
Posts: 9
Year: 1993
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: DTA360
Rated Cap: 77
I'm a "wood guy"

Any ideas if this work with my Bosch bulldog hammer drill and a modified chisel bit? I like to use this thing whenever I can and my air compressor is pretty small for doing finish carpentry. If I had to do it all over again, I'd give up the music degree and buy more mechanics tools...
Koreed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2017, 06:54 PM   #28
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by superdave View Post
I'm not running my engine and very expensive air compressor to save a few bucks. when you buy a bus plan on spending a few thousand on tools, you'll need them.
Sage advice, indeed.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2017, 11:13 PM   #29
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Posts: 1,635
Year: 2000
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: ISC 8.3
Is the hammering on the hammer drill variable speed? I do feather the trigger on my air chisel when shearing rivet heads. So long as you can vary the speed and control the hammer drill, I don't see why it shouldn't work for shearing rivets. (small note to any who may be unfamiliar with hammer drills: they usually have a selector switch so that the operator can choose drill only, hammer+drill, or hammer only modes; the hammer only mode would be used here)
family wagon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 11:18 AM   #30
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SW New Hampshire
Posts: 1,334
Quote:
Originally Posted by family wagon View Post
Is the hammering on the hammer drill variable speed? I do feather the trigger on my air chisel when shearing rivet heads. So long as you can vary the speed and control the hammer drill, I don't see why it shouldn't work for shearing rivets. (small note to any who may be unfamiliar with hammer drills: they usually have a selector switch so that the operator can choose drill only, hammer+drill, or hammer only modes; the hammer only mode would be used here)
Hmmm, am I missing something here? So far as I know, hammer drills deliver their hammering on a rotational basis, like for loosening frozen nuts and screws. Air chisels pound forwards linearly, like to cut something or push it out of the way.
dan-fox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-13-2017, 12:53 PM   #31
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Posts: 1,635
Year: 2000
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: ISC 8.3
The 3-mode tool is apparently not so common as I had thought -- I'm having a terrible time finding a current model online to point to. It doesn't help to have been using the wrong search term, either: "rotary hammer" apparently is the right thing; "hammer drill" is subtly different.

In the Toolstop How to Choose a Cordless SDS Hammer Drill guide there are a couple photos that show the selector I was thinking of. The photo of a Yellow-and-Black Brand shows its 3-mode selector switch with hammer-only, hammer+drill, or drill-only modes that make the one tool useful for chiseling, hammer drilling in concrete/masonry, and drilling in wood or other materials.
family wagon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-15-2017, 06:23 PM   #32
Skoolie
 
Marceps's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 216
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: CAT 3126
Thumbs up

This video is excellent. Thank you for posting it. My ceiling panels came screwed into place, but I will use this method for other areas where rivets must be removed.
Marceps is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2017, 12:21 AM   #33
Mini-Skoolie
 
Wolfmickell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Ontario, Oregon
Posts: 18
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 40ft RE
Engine: 3208 Cat Alison MT643
Rated Cap: 84
Will this work if the panels are screwed on? If not how do I remove about half were stripped before I got the bus.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk
Wolfmickell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2017, 05:50 AM   #34
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfmickell View Post
Will this work if the panels are screwed on? If not how do I remove about half were stripped before I got the bus.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk
A screwdriver or a grinder, probably both.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2017, 09:26 AM   #35
New Member
 
mikerox's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Acworth GA
Posts: 8
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Bluebird Bus Co.
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
I concur that this is an excellent video and also please wear hearing protection. Looking forward to more videos. Thanks for making it!!
mikerox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2018, 02:48 PM   #36
Bus Crazy
 
plfking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,136
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 34
I just used this method this weekend.....it works fantastically well. Literally 1 second to punch the mandrel and 2 seconds to shear the rivet head....and no damage to the panels.

Make sure your sharpen your chisel blade as he shows in his video.

I used an 8-gallon compressor, and had to wait occasionally for it to catch up while shearing. If I had to do a full-size bus, I'd probably rent a 30-gallon (mine's a 6-window).
__________________
Don

The Busted Flush
plfking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2018, 06:13 PM   #37
Almost There
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Posts: 71
Awesome video. I've been in the market for a bigger compressor for a while now...any recommendations on brand/size?

Also, I've never heard of BS Bus Works. I tried to get to their site but kept getting to a blank white page. Anyone know what's up with that?
__________________
Professionally converting vehicles and making custom furniture with a combined 14 years of mechanical/electrical engineering experience.

https://www.thunderstruck-studios.com/
ThunderstruckStudios is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2019, 10:28 AM   #38
Mini-Skoolie
 
EtownAcres's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 44
Year: 95
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Glad I found this.

Thought I'd respond and bump this. So glad I found this thread.

I've tried grinding (did the entire ceiling rivets) took forever and the work sucked.

Drilling just burns up bits even with thread cutter fluid.

Then I found this thread. I watched the video and bought the tools. Man, talk about a time saver!
EtownAcres is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2019, 11:06 AM   #39
Bus Geek
 
brokedown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Weeki Wachee, FL
Posts: 3,056
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 72
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThunderstruckStudios View Post
Awesome video. I've been in the market for a bigger compressor for a while now...any recommendations on brand/size?
Does your bus have air brakes? If so, you already have a pretty sweet compressor. I use mine constantly!
__________________
Keep up with us and our build!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter
brokedown is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2019, 11:42 AM   #40
Bus Nut
 
peakbus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Sandpoint, ID
Posts: 533
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Girardin Microbird MB-IV
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: 7.3 Diesel
Rated Cap: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marceps View Post
This video is excellent. Thank you for posting it. My ceiling panels came screwed into place, but I will use this method for other areas where rivets must be removed.
I was going to say, the best way to remove the ceiling panels is to buy a Thomas bus with screws
peakbus is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.