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Old 03-05-2017, 12:04 PM   #341
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Kelso, WA
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Awesome build, looking forward to seeing this one through.

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Old 03-05-2017, 04:56 PM   #342
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Originally Posted by eyedeal.ink View Post
Awesome build, looking forward to seeing this one through.
thanks man, its great to hear reassurance from someone like you, i've been following your build for years, i can only hope mine comes out half as good as yours. your artwork with tattoos is second to none. would love to know if you've ever done a bus tattoo yet.
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Old 03-05-2017, 05:07 PM   #343
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time to get rid these never seal doors.


out with the old in with the new. The dimensions for the rough opening was 32 1/2" X 86". Got our door 32"X80" there were customs sizes that went from 19" wide to 94" tall. if we went an inch higher or wider it went in to the custom range and the price would rise $200. this door was $350.


The new door is in. what a real PITA. but at least....its on and very secure. The bottom piece will be framed out with a wood platform then covered with diamond plate stainless steel. I've got a whole 4'X8' sheet that i've been waiting to rip into for the stairs as well.

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Old 03-05-2017, 07:03 PM   #344
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Looks a little drafty there on the bottom..... Or are my eyes deceiving me? AGAIN????



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Old 03-05-2017, 07:06 PM   #345
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Everyone who looks at my bus tells me I "have to keep those cool doors". But I always tell em that while cool, they don't seal and are horrible for insulating.
Can't wait to see what you come up with. I'm gonna be addressing the doors on mine in the next month or so.
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Old 03-05-2017, 07:46 PM   #346
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Looks a little drafty there on the bottom..... Or are my eyes deceiving me? AGAIN????



M
lol. yeah as of right now all i can say about it, its a nice "cold well" where the cold air leaves the bus and fresh air comes in. This next week or so we'll finish up the stairs and get that sucker sealed up.

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Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Everyone who looks at my bus tells me I "have to keep those cool doors". But I always tell em that while cool, they don't seal and are horrible for insulating.
Can't wait to see what you come up with. I'm gonna be addressing the doors on mine in the next month or so.

thanks, it took us forever to figure out what to do with the bus door, at first we wanted to keep the original doors and refurbish them because we liked the way it opened and being able to open it from the drivers seat. I was searching this site for door options and one day came across a bus that had the exact door I was looking at purchasing. when I seen it actually being put to use in a bus I knew I had to have it. this particular bus chose to put the empty space on top and put a light there, which is super cool.
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Old 03-05-2017, 07:49 PM   #347
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That's the kind of door I'll be using for the front, too!
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Old 03-05-2017, 08:07 PM   #348
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That's the kind of door I'll be using for the front, too!

here's a link if you cant find something your way!

https://www.larsondoors.com/storm-do...t-details?CG=8

it has dead bolts towards the top and bottom that is controlled in the middle above the handle, works sweet.
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Old 03-05-2017, 08:40 PM   #349
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here's a link if you cant find something your way!

https://www.larsondoors.com/storm-do...t-details?CG=8

it has dead bolts towards the top and bottom that is controlled in the middle above the handle, works sweet.
Yeah I was looking at that.
I'm gonna try to splurge for one of these, possibly. A bit pricey, but REALLY nice!
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Old 03-05-2017, 08:59 PM   #350
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We used that same door and it's held up well with 4 years on the clock. Had to build up the lower step just like you. The Larson Secure Elegance door and the Anderson 4000 series are the same door and are available at Home Depot and if memory serves, Lowes as well. Parts are easily available too. Our hinge wore out and needed to be replaced last year.

The rubber sweep fins on the bottom wear out pretty fast and I replaced the stock sweep with a heavier duty version from the HD. It's a big heavy door so it's best to tighten up on the latch plates on the jamb and limit the up/down movement as much as possible. I'm happy with ours.
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Old 03-05-2017, 09:09 PM   #351
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We used that same door and it's held up well with 4 years on the clock. Had to build up the lower step just like you. The Larson Secure Elegance door and the Anderson 4000 series are the same door and are available at Home Depot and if memory serves, Lowes as well. Parts are easily available too. Our hinge wore out and needed to be replaced last year.

The rubber sweep fins on the bottom wear out pretty fast and I replaced the stock sweep with a heavier duty version from the HD. It's a big heavy door so it's best to tighten up on the latch plates on the jamb and limit the up/down movement as much as possible. I'm happy with ours.
Thanks a bunch for the advice as im still putting the final touches on. Youre right on it being heavy. I went and put 9 screws through the hinge plate that go through the bus steel, the orignal plans only called for three. Seemed a little lacking in my opinion. Lol.

How is it while driving?? I cant wait for my first test with it.

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Old 03-28-2017, 01:46 PM   #352
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we went on vacation to the gulf coast so work was put on hold for a bit.
here's an update so far:

Door just needs final weatherstripping and the planned diamond plate to cover the bottom gap.



picked up some T&G flooring from a leftover project my grandpa had, should be more than enough to do the bus floor. we will only put this stuff where its visible and not over the entire floor to save a little weight.



started to rough frame some areas. From back to front it goes bed w/ underneath storage, toilet area, closet area, then kitchen.
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Old 03-30-2017, 09:14 PM   #353
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How is it while driving?? I cant wait for my first test with it.
Our door rattles a bit while driving. I made some mods to the door frame and sweep to limit the door's motion while driving. Click the link and scroll down 7 posts for some detail.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/th...l-7156-41.html
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Old 03-30-2017, 10:21 PM   #354
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roach711 View Post
Our door rattles a bit while driving. I made some mods to the door frame and sweep to limit the door's motion while driving. Click the link and scroll down 7 posts for some detail.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/th...l-7156-41.html

wow, i should check out more short-bus projects. ive spent my time in the regular conversions section. cant believe i missed this...


your door is perfect man! thanks a ton for the tips, will definitely install. if we ever meet on the road i owe you one!
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Old 04-02-2017, 10:55 AM   #355
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thanks phatman, because man it's tough work putting these suckers in. After its done its solid as a rock to the rib but I wish i could've got your advice sooner because the ones i got go through 12g-20g and im drilling through 14 gauge and it isn't an instant poke through, when the drill end of the screw is making its hole in the metal the threads of the screw actually pull the wood towards me causing it to bend and break from the screw next to it, so i have to pre-drill the holes slightly smaller than the circumference of the screw without the threads, so they still have something to grab on to and then the self tapper goes in the metal right away. Not too mention i've gotta counter-sink the heads because of purchase mistake! lol
In the end though im very pleased with how the first one eventually turned out, and i know what to do on the next ones now.
The splitting happened to me the first rib too! Oops. I then setup an "assembly line" and cut, countersink, predrill and prescrew all of my vertical studs and ribs. Save me a ton of time. What I found to work is if I use the screws almost as a drill. I would set my impact driver in reverse and gently force the screw through the predrilled hole. It stripped the wood inside each hole so the screws' thread would not pull the wood out. Super sturdy and saved me a lot of cussing.
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Old 05-03-2017, 09:32 PM   #356
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Work has started back up for me and she has two jobs so work on the bus has been slow. Here's a small update if anyone is wondering.


Picked up some under-layment designed for stapled down tongue and groove wood floor. Lined everything except under kitchen cabinets, and shower with it.
Roberts 200 sq. ft. Roll of Silicone Vapor Shield Underlayment for Wood Floors-70-198 - The Home Depot



Tools used pictured here, smaller nailer is used to get in the spaces closer to the wall.



This tool makes quick work of this floor. Shims in the back to leave a gap around the edges for expansion.


Almost half of it is done, sturdy as hell. The black lines come off when you sand it, cant wait for the hours of sanding....
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Old 05-03-2017, 09:43 PM   #357
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Nice floor. Those window are cool looking. I'll bet those windows have bug screens, don't they? Your walls look very much like mine.

I didn't even know they made double pane windows for vehicles until I came here.
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Old 05-03-2017, 09:52 PM   #358
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Nice floor. Those window are cool looking. I'll bet those windows have bug screens, don't they? Your walls look very much like mine.

I didn't even know they made double pane windows for vehicles until I came here.

thanks! best part is the tools and floor were free, all i spent was $15 on the 200sq ft of under-layment.

lol yep those windows ALL have screens, just didn't want to rip them in construction phase.
I have seen a few people stain our plywood walls before and it doesn't look half bad. I've got other plans, and hopefully they'll turn out.
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Old 05-03-2017, 10:13 PM   #359
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I used heavy enough plywood that I don't have to use ribs to support things. The interior can be painted, stained or clad with any interior surface later. Besides, I can only make a van.
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Old 05-07-2017, 09:55 PM   #360
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view of the floor installed but not sanded.







quick walk-through of floor and bus.
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