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 08-13-2014, 02:10 AM   #61
Skoolie
 
thommassey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 234
Year: 1986
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE
Engine: 3208TA Cat 250HP
Rated Cap: 84
Re: Big Bertha

Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronsb
It seems like there's a bunch of us in the Seattle area that are building on a bluebird platform (me included). It might be fun to meet somewhere and compare experiences! I'm in the Renton/Issaquah area.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonpop
You kids are doing a bang up job in record time. Have you decided on bathroom and kitchen and holding tanks yet?
I'm in Bellevue, WA and have some spare holding tanks and toilets available if you are interested. We are building
a 1996 Bluebird All American Rear Engine maybe we can get together and compare notes.
We are on the other side of the mountains, Tri-City area. Lots of places to park multiple busses! Keep us in mind if you decide on something.

__________________
TUMBLEWEED (AKA Rufus) build:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11121
PICTURES : https://s1338.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... M-HP/Rufus
thommassey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2014, 11:26 PM   #62
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 343
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
Re: Big Bertha

Yes we just ordered a Natures head for our build after much consternation as to how to fit a black
water and a grey water tank in with the side door step and the almost full basement on our rig. We
also bought an oxygenic shower head which is supposed to use a lot less water while still giving a
full shower. You've probably got one of those as well.
Dragonpop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2014, 10:54 PM   #63
Almost There
 
big_bertha's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 92
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 6CT8.3
Rated Cap: 76
Re: Big Bertha

This weekend we framed our partition walls. We used a combination of lumber connectors and pocket screws to fasten studs to the inside walls of our bus.


Early morning planning session










































Beautiful day.










The next morning greeted us with some great fog


We happened to be parked next to a guy who makes chalkboards out of recycled fences. He runs his operation out of this shipping container, and we get to use this convenient little pad of asphalt in front of it. Nice little work space.


Starla begins and ends each workday by vacuuming. It's not a compulsion, it's a ritual.








Oh by the way, she's fourteen weeks!













Before we left, I went around and drilled extra holes so that every stud had two screws on each side of every anchor point. In retrospect, bugle head wood screws weren't the right choice. Still, the studs are rock solid.













That's all that was on our list this weekend, and we finished just in time. There is a long itinerary for the next couple weeks of things to research, parts to order, plans to draw... my son's first birthday is next weekend, so we're not doing any bus work. When we do get back to it, it will be time for utilities: electrical, plumbing, plus EXHAUST!!!! Can't wait.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonpop
We also bought an oxygenic shower head which is supposed to use a lot less water while still giving a
full shower. You've probably got one of those as well.
I hadn't heard of that before now, we checked them out when we were at Lowe's though. I know we want something low-flow, so we might go with one. I'd be interested to hear how you like yours.
__________________
YouTube | Facebook
big_bertha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2014, 12:06 AM   #64
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 722
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 RE
Engine: 8.3l Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
Re: Big Bertha

I'm a big fan of the way you're fastening those joist hangers with the rivets. Since you are installing framing without the insulation, are you planning on a spray foam setup?

Have you given any thought to using some gray PVC conduit for wire runs?
aaronsb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2014, 10:27 PM   #65
Almost There
 
big_bertha's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 92
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 6CT8.3
Rated Cap: 76
Re: Big Bertha

Quote:
Originally Posted by aaronsb
I'm a big fan of the way you're fastening those joist hangers with the rivets. Since you are installing framing without the insulation, are you planning on a spray foam setup?

Have you given any thought to using some gray PVC conduit for wire runs?
Thanks, rivets made sense. Shame only a few lined up with the steel ribs.

I'm aware of people using nonmetallic conduit, but I haven't decided if I'm going to use it yet. Cords will be installed prior to spray foam for exterior walls, and then for the partition walls we'll throw some XPS board in there. Probably use something like this to secure to studs:

__________________
YouTube | Facebook
big_bertha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 03:25 AM   #66
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 34
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: P-30
Engine: GM6.5
Rated Cap: 28
Re: Big Bertha

Great Job! Keep it rollin! Angela and I are in Tacoma, Were up for a PNW Bluebird Rally!!!
Wooftfd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 03:47 AM   #67
Bus Geek
 
bansil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
Re: Big Bertha

congrates on the new youngun
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
bansil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2014, 12:27 AM   #68
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 343
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
Re: Big Bertha

One slick item we found for plumbing drains it a HEPvO valve which replaces the usual
drain trap and can be mounted in any position.
Dragonpop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2014, 06:21 PM   #69
Almost There
 
big_bertha's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 92
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 6CT8.3
Rated Cap: 76
Re: Big Bertha

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonpop
One slick item we found for plumbing drains it a HEPvO valve which replaces the usual
drain trap and can be mounted in any position.
I JUST found that online the other day! I was freaking out because we hadn't considered the depth of a trap when we designed our kitchen + bath storage. It looks like it should work nicely. Do you have a build thread? I'd love to follow your progress.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
congrates on the new youngun
Haha, thanks!
__________________
YouTube | Facebook
big_bertha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2014, 06:24 PM   #70
Almost There
 
big_bertha's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 92
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 6CT8.3
Rated Cap: 76
Re: Big Bertha

Picked up our tub yesterday!



__________________
YouTube | Facebook
big_bertha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 12:26 AM   #71
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 343
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
Re: Big Bertha

We toyed with the idea of the trough as a tub but opted for a stepped shower stall so the wife can
sit down to shave her legs. The stepped section sets up on the rear wheel well while the shower
bottom is on the floor we'll make the surround out of frp (fiberglass reinforced plastic). I see in
one of the previous photos, under the bed. some one had a Newport High bag which is the school
that all four of my children graduated from so I figured you were fairly close to us but seeing the
blue skies out the top hatch told us that you've moved to a more pleasant climate with a brighter
sky. As to our build, compared to yours we are moving at a rate somewhere between a slug and a
snail. We're so slow that we haven't started a build chronology or album yet. Some thing to do in
the near future.
Dragonpop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 08:23 PM   #72
Moderator
 
crazycal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NUNYA
Posts: 4,236
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 3800
Engine: DT408, AT545
Rated Cap: 23 500 gvw
Re: Big Bertha

Quote:
Originally Posted by big_bertha
Picked up our tub yesterday!




That's going to be a little too cozy for two.
__________________
I'm hungry!

You Gotta Let Me Fly
crazycal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 09:48 PM   #73
Almost There
 
big_bertha's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 92
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 6CT8.3
Rated Cap: 76
Re: Big Bertha

Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
That's going to be a little too cozy for two.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonpop
I see in one of the previous photos, under the bed. some one had a Newport High bag which is the school
that all four of my children graduated from so I figured you were fairly close to us but seeing the
blue skies out the top hatch told us that you've moved to a more pleasant climate with a brighter
sky.
Nope, good ol' puget sound has been HOT and CLEAR the last month or so.. and that would be my wife's Newport bag, she graduated in '08

I'm really in love with the tub. We had like 2ft by 3ft to work with, and most off the shelf RV tubs are 12" tall. I think THAT would have been cozy for ONE. I had started imagining it more as a large utility sink than a tub. But I like the trough. It's deep. I think I might apply an epoxy to the inside and leave the galvanized on the outside, and the plumbing will probably continue the "raw" theme along with a shower rail made of pipe. If I can make that work...
__________________
YouTube | Facebook
big_bertha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 10:40 PM   #74
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 218
Year: 1997
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: Genesis
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 84
Re: Big Bertha

Make sure the epoxy will stick to galvanized steel. Galvanized metal is wacky that way.
Timelord is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2014, 11:21 PM   #75
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 722
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 RE
Engine: 8.3l Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
Re: Big Bertha

Unless you are removing the zinc coating you will probably have adhesion issues with most coatings. I would use the tub as it is until get gets crustyrusty then replace.

Quote:
Originally Posted by big_bertha
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
That's going to be a little too cozy for two.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonpop
I see in one of the previous photos, under the bed. some one had a Newport High bag which is the school
that all four of my children graduated from so I figured you were fairly close to us but seeing the
blue skies out the top hatch told us that you've moved to a more pleasant climate with a brighter
sky.
Nope, good ol' puget sound has been HOT and CLEAR the last month or so.. and that would be my wife's Newport bag, she graduated in '08

I'm really in love with the tub. We had like 2ft by 3ft to work with, and most off the shelf RV tubs are 12" tall. I think THAT would have been cozy for ONE. I had started imagining it more as a large utility sink than a tub. But I like the trough. It's deep. I think I might apply an epoxy to the inside and leave the galvanized on the outside, and the plumbing will probably continue the "raw" theme along with a shower rail made of pipe. If I can make that work...
aaronsb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2014, 08:15 AM   #76
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Re: Big Bertha

Love the look & style! --- You guys are rockin'! Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing the pix.
Tango is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2014, 08:57 AM   #77
Bus Geek
 
bansil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
Re: Big Bertha



how big is the tub?

ugh

shower pan?

ugh

Dinghy?

ugh

the silver thingy
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
bansil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2014, 11:51 AM   #78
Bus Nut
 
M1031's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 471
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Ward
Chassis: Ford B600
Engine: 6.6L Turbo Diesel
Rated Cap: 26
Re: Big Bertha

Getting comfy at the Cone? (Can't help the Cars movie quote........ ) WAIT A MINUTE!!!! Y'all have THREE people in there!!!! Isn't she expecting?!?!?!?!
__________________
We few, we Band of Brothers. For he who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.
- William Shakespeare ("King Henry V")
M1031 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2014, 12:00 PM   #79
Bus Geek
 
bansil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
Re: Big Bertha

Quote:
Originally Posted by M1031
Getting comfy at the Cone? (Can't help the Cars movie quote........ ) WAIT A MINUTE!!!! Y'all have THREE people in there!!!! Isn't she expecting?!?!?!?!
good catch...I forgot about that in 2 pages
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
bansil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2014, 02:32 PM   #80
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 33
Re: Big Bertha

You guys are doing a great job! Working together building a home for the family will give your team the experience and confidence to tackle all sorts of things in the future.

Where do you plan to park this bus when it becomes your full time home? Can you do RV park, relative's property, buy a lot, etc?

20+ years into the family deal I sometimes wish we had started out with the conscious intent to keep things small and simple. Your "things" can come to own you if you are not careful.

Good day! Bob
__________________
Spooner Family
Belltown Bikes
Steel bicycles hand made in East Hampton, CT
BelltownBikes 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 11:25 AM.


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