4 Curious Georges' 2001 Saf-T-Liner

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by dbhost

I think I got my last few cans of 3M Super 77 at Harbor Freight. That stuff is awesome for bonding fabrics to metal or wood! However it gets everywhere, and in your arm hair as you work with it. I would HIGHLY recommend wearing a painters suit and respirator when working with it.

I never would have thought to use it for bonding foam to foam... Probably make for a bomb proof bond.

Are you using it in gale force winds? I don't have the over spray problem.

It works good on foam and remains flexible so it doesn't create hard spots or pressure points.

[david.dgeorge07]

Got a few odds and ends done.

Wires the bus side of the harness for trailer lights.

If you do this and you are using a simple trailer light system, make sure you get a 3-2 wire adapter system.











I am now officially equipped to legally flat tow my Jeep!



Staining the walnut countertop.



Made a floor for the generator to sit on. This pic is before fasteners, but once in, it was strong enough to hold my weight no problem.



Surely I can get one more cut out of this wheel!



Running the SOOW cord that the generator will feed.

Chipping away...

[david.dgeorge07]

Originally Posted by dbhost

Funny you should mention those items...

I do have a MIG, I have never used it but I picked up a used Chicago Electric Mig welder like this one here.... (neighbor had it and was upgrading, wanted to get rid of it and sold it to me cheap...).

https://www.harborfreight.com/170-amp-dc-240-volt-migflux-cored-welder-68885.html


The angle grinder is a B&D from about 20 years ago that I have used to clean up someone else's nasty welds, and trimming some metals that were in places they didn't need to be for me to install winches etc... Pile o junk that gets the job done...

Drill, bits, got those aplenty. Tend toward the TiN coated bits for longevity. What I need is a center punch. Mine grew feet and walked off...

After being frustrated with how quickly I was dulling TiN bits I tried cobalt split point bits from Milwaukee. They are amazingly good at cutting without dulling as long as you don't go crazy with bit speed and work to minimize excessive heat buildup. I bought Titanium bits for a long time because it just sounds fancy and the bits are that cool gold color, but cobalt bits are superior (and a bit more expensive).

[Tango]

Just bought a brand new set of Milwaukee bits cause I needed a set with hex shanks. Used the 5/16 bit to drill mild steel and got maybe a dozen holes before it went South and was worthless. And that was while using the best lube around (Tap Magic). Milwaukee has gone to Hell since they moved all their production to China (surprise). When I need "real" bits, I get them from a local machine supply house (Bass Tool). World of difference...but they don't have any hex shanks.

[Dave in Tucson]

Originally Posted by Tango

Just bought a brand new set of Milwaukee bits cause I needed a set with hex shanks. Used the 5/16 bit to drill mild steel and got maybe a dozen holes before it went South and was worthless. And that was while using the best lube around (Tap Magic). Milwaukee has gone to Hell since they moved all their production to China (surprise). When I need "real" bits, I get them from a local machine supply house (Bass Tool). World of difference...but they don't have any hex shanks.

Chinese tools suck, especially the drill bits.

[dbhost]

Originally Posted by Dave in Tucson

Chinese tools suck, especially the drill bits.

Yeah, but for the most part, that is what we are left with...

[david.dgeorge07]

Made some good headway with the generator drawer tonight!



Got 30 A 10 AWG wire run.



Temp install of the rocker switch. It springs back to the middle and is a momentary switch with polarity reverse, so one way pushes the drawer out, the other pulls it in! Works great, as it should since it was an oem system.



Final install in the works.







Still have to add the exhaust port, but I cut out for the vent fan here. Will add these finned vent things I cut out of the roof next.







Still needs a little fit and finish tuning, but has come out great! So far everything works perfectly!



In other news, the walnut stain is coming out great I think.

And settled with insurance for my car...got em to give me a little more than first offer so that was a win.

Oh! And got the paperwork for RV title in TN, just got to do it now.

[Twigg]

All looking very good.

Great progress.

[cadillackid]

what keeps the generator from getting blasted with road spray while you drive? even water proof control panels will only stand up to blasted water / dirt so long..
-Christopher

[david.dgeorge07]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

what keeps the generator from getting blasted with road spray while you drive? even water proof control panels will only stand up to blasted water / dirt so long..
-Christopher

I’ve been thinking about that. Open to suggestions. I could put a side on the tray. Or hang mud flap material ahead of it.

For the moment I am choosing to not drive in rain. Can’t do that realistically long term though.

[david.dgeorge07]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

what keeps the generator from getting blasted with road spray while you drive? even water proof control panels will only stand up to blasted water / dirt so long..
-Christopher

So I was inspired and did this. It is a piece of ceiling sheet metal.



I also got some other stuff done.



Installing the vent louvers.



Figuring out placement of exhaust.



2.5” hole saw for the win again.



Added D rings as ratchet strap tie downs.



Bought new ratchet straps that will live with the installation.

I also set the hard stop for the travel of the rack so when it sucks in it lands exactly flush with the rest of the skirt. If you keep pushing the button it clutches.

Now I’ve got to do some cleanup and painting.

[Dave in Tucson]

Looking good!

[danno]

Originally Posted by david.dgeorge07

So I was inspired and did this. It is a piece of ceiling sheet metal.

Attachment 20694

You read my mind with this—nicely done. Well done all around, keep it up!

[david.dgeorge07]

Nothing major today. Just odds and ends.





Using wood filler and realizing that my lack of experience in woodworking is becoming obvious.

Tried to get started on plumbing. Need to get my list of fittings together and hit Home Depot.

[david.dgeorge07]

Progress!

[david.dgeorge07]

Big day today! Thanks to help from Jamison and Julie Reid I was able to get enough done that 16 hours from starting this morning the freshwater system is completely plumbed in and leak free!



Lots of pieces that I admit it didn’t really understand just a few days ago. I was pretty much a newbie at doing this kind of plumbing and there is a learning curve relative to actual sizes versus specification sizes and the different thread pitches of different types of fittings, but after two trips to Home Depot and four trips to Ace Hardware I eventually had everything that I needed.

I couldn’t find any local source for 1 1/4 inch inside diameter tubing for the gravity water fill. So I had to use this 1 inch and heat it and use hand soap to get it to slide over this fitting. It took some elbow grease but eventually got on there.



Looks like a pretty big mess and I have a lot of cleaning up and fastening to do but this all seems to work. The complexity is increased by the fact that I have two freshwater tanks that I just plumbed together into a single system.






Spur coming off to toilet.



After getting everything connected and crimped I hooked up the garden hose. When I came in at the bus I knew something was wrong immediately. Turned out I had just forgotten to turn off the taps in the shower.



Braided stainless feeding facet in kitchen.






Final proof that work has been done.

[david.dgeorge07]

Shifted from fresh water to drains so it would be less messy to test the fresh side. My design made the shower drain a bit tricky, but I think I finally got there.

Lots of bits and bobs work today that will result in some real progress tomorrow I think.

I couldn’t find all of the pieces I needed in abs locally so I put in some pvc.

You have to use a special cement that bridges the transition.



Dry fitting the drain manifold.



Taking measurements for where the vent lines will join.



People say these rubber grommets can leak, so I added silicone...which didn’t stick at all, so I went back to my trusty butyl tape.



Both grommets reinstalled in black tank with butyl tape in the H channel.



Since my shower drain ended up being right above my black tank I had to put the p trap a little ways away from the drain.



The vents come out to this hose barb which will run through a hose to a de-smellifier canister. I didn’t really want to run another hole in the roof so it will vent under the bus via a marine purifier vent.

I think tomorrow I will be able to get kitchen sink and toilet fully functional. (Shower drain is officially functioning now)

[adic27]

Really gettn it in on your build. Wish u were my neighbor

[ben2go]

Make sure the P traps are facing side to side and not front to back. The water can slosh out while driving and let in the stink and gasses from the waste tank.

[david.dgeorge07]

Originally Posted by adic27

Really gettn it in on your build. Wish u were my neighbor

Thanks, yeah! Feel like I’m getting into the groove.