My Blue Bird Knife Shop

[CarterKnives]

Hey Skoolie.net folks!

I just picked up a 78 passenger Blue Bird 5.9 Cummins with 145,000 miles from a school district in Oregon USA. My plans are to turn it into my mobile knife making shop. I make all kinds of knives and figured this would be an interesting cheap location for the shop! . . and well, the 5.9 Cummins sold me too. Just thought it would be interesting to post some photos of my process, receive some feedback and show you guys what it grows in to.

Note: I am NOT a carpenter, just some guy gimmy rigging EVERYTHING

Also, check out my website if your interested in seeing some knives that I've made. carterknives.co

Thanks
-Matt








(Well, posting a photo turned out to be harder than this non computer mind could handle, maybe i'll figure it out but not today)

[Carytowncat]

Welcome!

Sooo cool! I was just today enioying my knife and wishing there was a good knife store around i could go browse.

[superdave]

is the steel tempered after your done grinding on it? good looking knifes

[CarterKnives]

Okay, a lot (or a little?) of work has been finished in the past 6 weeks. I figured out how to post these darned photos. I am a knife maker, not a frickin computer wiz. I will post some photos within the next few days of my overall progress. The important part is that the work benches are up and I am grinding on steel again! woohoo!! Christmas orders, Christmas orders!

Here are some photos of the work that I finished 3 weeks or so ago.




Thats Me!! ^^^









I'll have some more photos for ya in a few days.

[CarterKnives]

Originally Posted by superdave

is the steel tempered after your done grinding on it? good looking knifes

I forge steel as well as use pre tempered. Some of the best strength steel that I use is a pre tempered high carbon D2 steel. When you keep steel cool and do not destroy the temper by an over amount of heat, there is no worry for losing hardness.

[CarterKnives]

Here are some photos of the progress over the past few weeks.





I did not rip everything up because I really just dont give a rats ass. The walls have insulation and I'll use em baby, "If its free, its for me". Drilled wood studs into the walls and started wiring my 30 amp breaker box.






This is how the walls looked once they were put in. I put insulation in between each stud to reinforce the existing cruddy insulation. (no the walls are not pink, that is thin plywood which is pre coated with primer in order to paint) . I ripped some left over ply wood which I used for my flooring into pieces in order to make my trim. The trim took a hell of a time cutting in order to fit each nook and crevice but I am happy with the finished outcome.






Its F'in cold






This is how the finished trim and walls turned out. Can't complain because I havn't done anything like this in my life. I'll say she turned out okay, if you don't think so . . there is no need to share it with me








Some detail on the custom trim.






These are the work benches in the back of the bus. I had to take a break on the bus in order to fill some Christmas knife orders. Eventually I will get you guys some photos of the shop completely dirty and filled with all my knife making stuff. For now, I'll be grinding on steel in my bus until January.


Thanks for lookin!

[Tango]

Lookin good! Now let us see some of your shivs.

[Carytowncat]

Totally dig a simple practicle build. I also went with two benches in the back of the bus. Best treat i have spoiled myself with in years. Stay warm, of course that forge should warm the bus nicely.

[VeldatheWonderbus]

Looking good! It's great to see somebody else putting a shop in their bus, too.

[cadillackid]

what a great looking build-out!!!.. why were you freezing? that bus should have alot of heaters in it...

-Christopher

[CarterKnives]

Thanks for the kind words guys! Love to share my work with some other school bus folks. Here are what my past week has looked like.



How the shop is looking






Profiling some steak knives.






Grinding the bevels in, 8 of these total for a full kitchen knife set.











Well, I know this is a bus conversion forum and I just showed a bunch of "shivs" but soon I'll have some photos of my wood stove installation and the build out of the front end on the bus. Soon, meaning after Christmas.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by CarterKnives

How the shop is looking

dunno squat about knives but it does look like your rum & coke is getting low!!

So, you said mobile knife shop. Does this mean you are completely free of shore power? If so, how are you getting 30 amps INTO your breaker box? I don't know squat about solar and their specs but I suspect a constant 30 amp draw would overtax all but the stoutest of systems.

[CarterKnives]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

dunno squat about knives but it does look like your rum & coke is getting low!!

So, you said mobile knife shop. Does this mean you are completely free of shore power? If so, how are you getting 30 amps INTO your breaker box? I don't know squat about solar and their specs but I suspect a constant 30 amp draw would overtax all but the stoutest of systems.

Hey, I have plans to mount a propane generator to the roof of the bus. My buddy has one for his food cart and he wants me to take it on trade for some knives. Going solar would be real nice for some small amounts of my electric but in all reality, I probably won't do it. I am currently just parked out back of an old mans house with a 10 Gage extension cable (which is plugged into a 15 amp outlet) running to my bus. Its not the best situation, but its free . . . soo . . yeah, its the best situation . The bus is still in the creation stage so I am just taking everything one step at a time. Eventually the propane generator will become the bread and butter for my electrical situations.

[Geo Jeff]

I like it a lot. my shop is 24ft deep. I just finally got a heater in last night so I can work in the rain and cold. Now some Led work lamps and I can start going full speed.

Does your bus have the 3208 cat

[Geo Jeff]

What are your power demands? I could see some foot pedal powered sharpers and grinders in there. A small power bank for Led lights and your totally mobile.

Scroll Saw – #2 « Foot Powered Machinery

Do you have forge to go on board? propane powered? My brother and I have been meaning to build one. We found a brake drum off a truck to use. not huge but big enough for a lot of projects and dense to hold heat. We talked about setting into a concrete box. Or does a torch work just as good.

Never made a knife but it looks like a great job.

[Carytowncat]

Nice lookin grinds on those shivs.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by CarterKnives

Hey, I have plans to mount a propane generator to the roof of the bus.

Propane is probably better for a food truck since his stove is likely the same. Have you considered a diesel? No clue what they put out for power but plumb it to the fuel tank.

[CarterKnives]

Originally Posted by Geo Jeff

Scroll Saw – #2 « Foot Powered Machinery

Do you have forge to go on board? propane powered?

That foot pedal seems like madness ( as well as awesome). I'll stick to my good ole electric band saw though

Yeah, I have a small propane forge that works great for knives 12 inches or less. I am not making swords here. no way

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

Propane is probably better for a food truck since his stove is likely the same. Have you considered a diesel? No clue what they put out for power but plumb it to the fuel tank.

I do like the idea of getting a diesel. I'll keep that in mind, the only reason that I'd use the propane is because a friend of mine owns it. He wants to work out some trade deal and I'd get a great price for it. About everything on this bus build is scavenged materials that I could find to save a penny. Don't get me wrong tho, I have put the time to try and keep it looking nice.

[CarterKnives]

Originally Posted by VeldatheWonderbus

Looking good! It's great to see somebody else putting a shop in their bus, too.

Originally Posted by Carytowncat

Totally dig a simple practicle build. I also went with two benches in the back of the bus. Best treat i have spoiled myself with in years. Stay warm, of course that forge should warm the bus nicely.

You both have shops in your bus? What kind of work? Is there any easy link to find some better photos of your builds? Glad to see some other like minded folks.