Skoolie Doo

[tugboater]

Originally Posted by Rovobay

This was a post in a different thread but I wanted to share it here too. May 15.

Been trying to clean up all the wires in the bus before I start building my kitchen. I thought I was making great progress and continually started the bus every so often to make sure I didn't cut something that would have me up shittte creek. well bus started and then I realized I made a huge mistake and none of my rear lights work. ugh. Just needed to vent I am confident that I will eventually find my mistakes but this is just another setback in skoolie life.

By the looks of it, you’ve got it all figured out. I, without knowing why at the time, didn’t cut the plug or throw away the burnt out light indicator when I was gutting wires. I did unplug it though, which gave me the same issue (no rear lights). I think rather than splice I’m going to use the indicator...I think it’s kinda cool.

[WoodenYouKnowIt]

Originally Posted by Rovobay

...I am confident that I will eventually find my mistakes but this is just another setback in skoolie life.

If it's any consolation, I'm experiencing the same life while working on my bus.

[Rovobay]

I wish I could post some progress pictures of the bus, but I was deployed on short notice to go assist in a crisis and have been working 12-16 hour days 6 days a week in 100+ degree weather. I guess the upside to this is that I am making good money and might be able to splurge on a few nice things I have seen you all install but did not want the expense in my build. This is the first time I have been on this site in a while. I miss you all and will try to catch up on some of my favorite build threads. I hope to be home in around 6 or so weeks. However when I get back I will be overwhelmed with things I want to do, and I am in dire need of spending time with my 8 and 4 year old kids. This would have been much better in the winter when it is too crappy of weather to work on the bus. I am missing out on prime construction weather.

take care!!!

[Native]

Been there, done that! The money is good, the time drain sucks1 At least you have more time to think about your build. Well, at least one would think so on the outside. Working that many hours a day really dulls the mind. Keep at it, the next 6 weeks may be hard but the boost in available funds is nice. As a bonus, you can feel good about helping in a crisis.

[Yukon Cornelius]

That's always the way, but for the cost of time you'll have a couple different rewards. Some monetary, and some that are priceless.

You'll be back at it....and besides..... if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

[Rovobay]

3+ months, my whole summer, I was away for work, dying in 100+ heat every single day. Good news is that I am alive and back home. I have so many things to catch up on. I did get 1 good day of work in on the bus when I got home. I finished 1 more wall and actually bolted down 1 cabinet. next up is framing the bed. I was hoping to have a lot of work done this summer so I could use the bus for deer and elk hunting this fall but that is not going to happen.

I also had to scramble to find a place to store the bus a few days after I got home because my old place fell through. I got "lucky" and found a place just 2 miles from my house for $75 a month.

I look forward to getting back on this forum where I find great ideas and motivation from everyone's builds.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Welcome back and crack on, sometimes things take a funny turn gotta love when the rig is close to home

[mc11237]

Frickin sweet build. Looking forward to following. Love the salvage work. Are you still happy you did this. Looked like it came out to about $400 for the AC and Fridge and propane cabinet. Seems worth it for sure.

I love the idea of using a full size stove vs buying a mini for wayyyyy more money. What are the dimensions of the enclosure you plan to do and out of what materials?

How the heck did you know what to do with the instrument panel?!? Seems most buses need refurbishing and never thought of trying to tackle it. But now I may, if it is be needed in my future. You've opened my eyes.

Originally Posted by Rovobay

layout ideas. toilet will not be going in this year. I think that whole area is going to be left open for the mean while

Any changes to this layout? Didn't see any updates later on. No shower? What size bed are you planning? What are you doing to your rear door?

Originally Posted by Rovobay

Sunday was a productive day. Got the floor in. I am just going to put down some polyurethane.

Are you happy you went this route? It seems to save head room which is going to be really important to me, so I'm glad to see this style for the first time. I always figured it was insulation, sub floor and then laminate with no other options.

[Tegra1027]

Just binge read this build. Loving it so far. I do body work and paint so I can appreciate the tedious nature of the job you did. Good work. It's been a few months. Any updates?

[Rovobay]

It has been far too long since I have been on this site and even worked on my bus. Life has just been crazy this past 9 months. Entire summer of 2019 I was away on business away from my family, away from my bus. When I got home I had so much to catch up on. Then winter was here, cold, wet, short daylight hours, plus the bus is now parked a couple miles from my house. (excuses, excuses...) Well, I finally got some mojo back and started to get back to work.

Here is the dinette/sleeper I made. Saved 2 bus seats as the filler for the mattress. I used a french cleat to secure the table on the side where it meets the wall. I used a fine sanded oak plywood for the table top. 2 layers of stain, 3 layers of polyurethane which will hopefully make a strong shell to prevent dents and dings. The plywood was $56 USD. I got home looked at my receipt and it rang up as $20! I didn't even notice because I had so many other things.

[Native]

Real nice work! I'd even venture that it was worth the wait.

[Frochevy]

That looks very nice. That is the one thing I haven't figured out yet is my table top for dinette. I might do what you did. It looks very good!

[Gorzie]

Looking good. Glad you got your mojo back

[Poppabear]

Sweet! I like your work.

[Rovobay]

Another day of progress. I got the cabinets attached to the floor, installed all the door pulls and latches to keep the doors shut while in motion. Got the countertops installed (very nervous about doing this). Then proceeded to cut a whole for the small sink that was given to me by my neighbor. It is just the right size for the occasional use without taking up too much space. The cooktop will eventually be installed where it is seen in the pics. I hope I have the clearance for the knobs on the front of the cooktop. YIKES! I know I will make it work but it looks like it is going to be close.

[Native]

Very nice, I know you are proud!

[Frochevy]

That looks great! Looks like you will have a lot counter space! More than I will have!! I was nervous about my cooktop also. I built sides out of 1 x 3 pine for my Cooktop to set in.

[Rovobay]

Got some more good work in on the bus this past week. Keeping fresh water tank inside the bus to prevent freezing and because I always wanted it there. I go Elk hunting in October and November and it can get cold! cutting holes in the side of the bus always makes me nervous. Tank filling access and city water supply all went in good even though it decided to pour outside.

Fresh water tank reinforcements will be added to prevent movement. Water pump is in. I am reusing all the plumbing parts from the gutted camper posted previously in this thread.

drawers needed stronger catches to keep the doors closed while in motion. The roller catches I installed were not even close to keeping the drawers closed. I was taking the bus back to storage and gradually coming to a red light and I thought the drawers were going to fly off their hinges! I installed child safety latches and they worked great on the drawers on the passenger side but due to the design of the drawers that face forward they would not work. I came up with a good fix with a barrel bolt latch that secures under the drawer. (kinda proud of this idea!!!)

Queen bed is installed, I did a portion of the bed in slates and a portion in OSB plywood (because I had it around) If the mattress sweats I will do the whole thing in slates to provide better air circulation.

Caulked and trimmed out the walls. I think it is looking good. Next up will be building out the cove for the fridge and deleting the window to add the access and vent panel behind it. (scared of this part)

Also, without a tablesaw I am killing the cuts utilizing a straight edge from the L tracks salvaged from the bus.

[Rovobay]

wish I had better pics of the drawer setup. I think the pics might not show what exactly is going on. If peeps are interested I can show some better pics if people might be interested in using the same method.

cheers

[Frochevy]

Now you have me worried about the roller latches I installed in my cabinets. I hope they hold! I haven't driven the bus since last November... And I just installed latches a couple weeks ago...