The Bus with No Name, yet...

reprobate · 12-09-2007, 07:49 PM

Well for 9 days we've been hard at it. The 92 Thomas Int. has undergone quite a transformation with still a lot to go. Totally stripped the interior, walls, ceiling panels and all. Just for Elliot I counted, there are a gazillion 327 screws in the ceiling of our bus. None of the screws wanted to come out so there was a lot of work with a grinder and a cold chisel. Although not nearly as thought out or done with the care and aplomb of Elliot and Abbott, we cut and raised the roof 18" at the end of day 3. I bought a little wire feed welder at H. Freight and it turned out to be the cats meow. Showed the GF how to weld and 5 min. later she was laying down a bead like a pro. Got her put back together and then had to wait a day or two but got started installing 20ga. paint-lock(prep). Nice heavy stuff, went on smooth. Also picked up a small riveter on sale at HF and drilled while the GF popped in the rivets. Before installing the skin I framed the window openings with wood. The windows should be in Wed. this week, got em' on ebay. Skinned over the openings and am going to cut them out(have a nibbler) when the windows arrive. Going to put a slide out the back of the bus, so I cut the back wall out and today I welded the (structural part) wall frame and cut and welded the slide runners. Next I framed out of lumber stock the stud layout and window opening in the back wall. Weather permitting, tomorrow I'm going to cover theback wall with plywood and get the metal ordered to finish the slide wall exterior. Hope to start on the sub-flooring by Wed. Been taking lots of pics, but can't get them to upload, (wireless card) so we're going to have to go to somewhere where we can upload without having to make the pics microscopic. Anyway, pics will be forthcoming and in the meanwhile we keep marching on.

KC10Chief · 12-09-2007, 11:46 PM

Wow! Some of you guys really put me to shame on how much work you get done in a short amount of time. I've been working on my floor for 5 days now and I'm still not done.

That's awesome that your girlfriend is welding. You should marry her. Seriously. Ask her right now. My wife is the least mechanically inclined person I know. So, I'm doing all the work. Maybe I should let her try some welding though. Who knows. Also, we definitely need to see some pics! I love pics myself. Put them on Photobucket, and put them on the forum! Also, I had a lot of stuck screws on my bus. Mainly in the floor. I used my angle grinder and a cutting wheel and cut a slot in them. Then I could use a big flat head screwdriver and they come right out! Glad you're having fun!

Elliot Naess · 12-21-2007, 10:34 PM

Hey Reprobate: Dude! Pictures!
(Have no idea that a "wireless card" is, but I also host my pictures on Photobucket -- because... even I can do it.)

pete c · 12-22-2007, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC10Chief

.... That's awesome that your girlfriend is welding. You should marry her. Seriously. Ask her right now. My wife is the least mechanically inclined person I know. So, I'm doing all the work. Maybe I should let her try some welding though.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Pay no attention to KC!

KC, How long have you been married? I would figure you'd have figured it out by now. GFs will weld for you. They will rivet for you they will uhhhh do certain other things for you.

Why?

Because they ain't wives yet.

As soon as they join the wive's club, they may help you....after they go get their hair done. Or they'd like to help, really, but, they gotta go do something with their mom.

Reprobate, Keep that little helper of your's busy till the bus is done. Then get married, if you must.

Elliot Naess · 12-22-2007, 10:37 AM

Wow... talk about thread drift! You still here, Reprobate?

Pete makes a good point. But a rather generalized one. There ARE ladies on this planet who are fairly immune to the syndrome Pete talks about. I know, because I was married to one. Only reason I'm not still married to her is that I'm an IDIOT. And I know other ladies who are immune.

So let's give Reprobate and his GF the benefit of the doubt!

[I'm on this horse today, because my bus-converting buddy Peter and his lovely bride Jerri are having their baby... as I write. And Jerri is definitely immune, I'm certain. You should have seen her in a kayak -- at seven months pregnant.]

reprobate · 12-22-2007, 02:27 PM

Check out the pics.. http://www.skoolie.net/gallery2/v/Skoolies/reprobate/

Hey guys, this is the "GF" here, thanks Elliott for giving me the benefit of the doubt, it's the least I deserve. (Gun is cocked and she is pointing pistol @ me as I nod in the DEFINITE agreement!) Anyway thanks to GF we are now able to upload pics sucessfully, so take a look.

Elliot Naess · 12-22-2007, 02:48 PM

Jacking system looks familiar. Maybe this Skoolie.net thingie actually serves a useful purpose?

Yes, any small jack is plenty. The ones I used were overkill. In fact, once you have guides like this, the lifting can be done by hand.

Great job, Reprobate and Julie!

(Any more at home like her?)

Roasting8 · 12-22-2007, 03:31 PM

Man, I just looked at your pictures; Boy, your bus looks great. In the little time that you've had it, you and your GF has sure put a lot of work into it.

I think by the time you guys are finished, you'll have a fantastic looking bus (I wish mine looked as good

)

reprobate · 12-22-2007, 04:05 PM

You're right Elliot, you could almost lift the roof on your own. Yeah the tube system worked great, thanks. And thanks Roastings for the nice compliment. Right now we are self-unemployed so we are working on the bus all the time. Now there will be more pics as we make progress.

pete c · 12-22-2007, 05:03 PM

Holy crap, you work fast!!!

That thing is coming along nice. That rear slide out is pretty cool. What are you gonna do to make sure it's weather tight?

That is probably the nicest looking skin job I have seen on a bus. Not all wavy and wobbly. Why, you might even call it prevost-like, unlike certain other busses around here!

reprobate · 12-22-2007, 07:58 PM

You know, Pete. I haven't totally decided how I'm going to weatherseal the slide, but that said I don't think it will be too hard. And yeah, even I'm kinda surprised at how smooth the skin is. I started to heat the sheets like I had read to do. Pulled my Dad's old beater Ford into the yard next to the bus and put one of those big kerosene blower heaters on the hood. I was going to hang a sheet with a couple of rivets, heat the sheet and finish riveting. Well the heater ran for a grand total of about 25 seconds so I said "screw it" and went ahead with just installing them. I attribute the sucess to the 20 ga.metal that I first read about on Abbotts thread and then I quizzed the sheet metal guy about what to use and he said the same. 20ga. heavy enough to lay flat, plus I ran a string high and low when I was welding the uprights to make sure everything was straight.

swinada · 12-23-2007, 01:41 PM

Man, you guys sure work fast.

wish mine would progress as quickly.
Great Job so far, keep up the good work.

timbuk · 12-23-2007, 04:25 PM

very awsome work can you tell me how much was a sheet of 20 guage metal? 4x10 size? and how do you like the paint lock? i think its called satin coat here i have not heard of paint lock thanks for posting all the great shots

reprobate · 12-23-2007, 05:00 PM

Thanks everyone for the nice comments. Timbuk, the 20ga. paint-lock was $67 a 4x10 sheet. I wanted to cry. The sheet metal guy told me it has tripled in price in the last 2 yrs. I could have bought it in Fort Worth (3hrs away) for $49 a sheet, but what the hell. As Abbott can attest as well, it's very heavy duty stuff.

Today I built a box for the water tank out of 1/2"CD ply and lined it with 1/2" foam then hung it under the bus. Also worked a little on the slide today. More pics soon.

GoneCamping · 12-23-2007, 09:14 PM

You've got the engineering skills that I wish I had... I wanted to raise the roof and put 2 slides into the drivers side of the bus, but it's beyond my capabilities. Perhaps the next one I build I can 'do it right' then!! Looking good!!

crazycal · 12-23-2007, 09:42 PM

I just finished looking at your pictures. You've done all that work in three weeks. Well... I have only one thing to say,

YOU MAKE ME SICK!!! Just kidding. Your bus looks AWESOME! I can't wait to see more pictures.

reprobate · 01-03-2008, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortBus

A bus with a slide out, now that's a first! Your framing work looks dead-on accurate, I wish I had skills like that.

Thanks for the nice compliment, ShortBus. Dead on accurate, I doubt, but I was a framing contractor for 8 years and have always done my own framing in the subsequent years. So I'm about the carpentry like the rest of you guys and gals are about the mechanical stuff. Thanks again.

Roasting8 · 01-03-2008, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reprobate

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortBus

A bus with a slide out, now that's a first! Your framing work looks dead-on accurate, I wish I had skills like that.

Thanks for the nice compliment, ShortBus. Dead on accurate, I doubt, but I was a framing contractor for 8 years and have always done my own framing in the subsequent years. So I'm about the carpentry like the rest of you guys and gals are about the mechanical stuff. Thanks again.

Well Reprobate, right now I'd rather have the carpentry skills, I normally let a mechanic do the dirty work for me. Now electrical, that's a different subject. I'll do the electrical myself.

Robert

reprobate · 01-03-2008, 08:58 PM

Hey Roastings,

I lived in Clear Lake in my younger days. Since you are confident in the electrical side of things, I'm coming to your house when the time is nigh. Abilene is only 8 hrs away. Then we can drive to Galveston and eat at Gordita's. BEST Mexican food ever, and yes I AM an expert on that score. Sorry Jimmyaustintx but I haven't even found an Austin restaurant that tops this place. Truly Roastings would love to come thru and meet another skoolie when we are headed that way. Lived 15 years in Brenham. Beautiful place.

Roasting8 · 01-04-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reprobate

Hey Roastings,

I lived in Clear Lake in my younger days. Since you are confident in the electrical side of things, I'm coming to your house when the time is nigh. Abilene is only 8 hrs away. Then we can drive to Galveston and eat at Gordita's. BEST Mexican food ever, and yes I AM an expert on that score. Sorry Jimmyaustintx but I haven't even found an Austin restaurant that tops this place. Truly Roastings would love to come thru and meet another skoolie when we are headed that way. Lived 15 years in Brenham. Beautiful place.

Hi Reprobate, I'd be more than happy to help, just let me know. Gordita's, hum, I've never been there. I'm a transplant, from Phoenix, and I haven't been to Gordita's yet. I just got here about two and a half years ago.

I have been to a place called Fadi's though, best Mediterranean food around. They are located on Westheimer and Dunvall.

Seriously, if you're in town, I'll be more than happy to help you on your bus. I'm also looking for any excuse to go back to Galveston.

BTW, I was looking at your picture, on another thread, and thought that you lived in the desert. My bad.

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