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Old 07-05-2017, 07:55 AM   #101
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This shower setup is adorable and I love the small cove next to it. Getting some great ideas

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Old 07-08-2017, 03:07 PM   #102
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I was filling in some screws holes near the roofline on the exterior of my bus this morning when my ladder fell. Since I was at the top of it at the time, I had an unpleasant ride to the ground. Luckily, I only suffered scrapes, cuts, and some very angry looking bruises, but nothing seems to be broken and none of the cuts are too deep. I am not super keen on climbing back up there today, so I don't have quite the update I'd hoped for. I'm so ready to be done with prepping the exterior so I can get it all painted and nice!

Still, I did get a bunch of shopping done this week - lighting, butcher block countertops, upholstery fabric, and such. It's exciting to starts seeing some colors and texture, even if it's not all installed just yet. Hopefully I'll be back on my feet with more progress pics soon!



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Old 07-10-2017, 02:20 AM   #103
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So glad you're ok. at least you didn't break anything !

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Old 07-10-2017, 06:58 PM   #104
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I was filling in some screws holes near the roofline on the exterior of my bus this morning when my ladder fell. Since I was at the top of it at the time, I had an unpleasant ride to the ground. Luckily, I only suffered scrapes, cuts, and some very angry looking bruises, but nothing seems to be broken and none of the cuts are too deep. I am not super keen on climbing back up there today, so I don't have quite the update I'd hoped for. I'm so ready to be done with prepping the exterior so I can get it all painted and nice!

Still, I did get a bunch of shopping done this week - lighting, butcher block countertops, upholstery fabric, and such. It's exciting to starts seeing some colors and texture, even if it's not all installed just yet. Hopefully I'll be back on my feet with more progress pics soon!



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Be safe! It may be a little expensive, but I try to use step ladders (appropriately sized) for solo work. A straight ladder needs some one to "foot" it when you are near the top. They have a tendency to flex and walk the feet out from under you. If you must use a straight ladder they make footings that are more stable than the tiny ones that come from the manufacturer. You could also move the bus to a place that there is solid dirt and flip the feet up and spike them in to help...

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Old 07-13-2017, 03:00 PM   #105
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I was filling in some screws holes near the roofline on the exterior of my bus


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Old 07-13-2017, 03:03 PM   #106
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I was filling in some screw holes near the roofline on the exterior of my bus this morning



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What were you using to fill the holes?


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Old 07-13-2017, 03:11 PM   #107
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Don't plug those radiator lines! If your engine is like mine you need to somehow loop that coolant back. For now, there should be shut off valves you can turn at the engine so it doesn't piss all over the place. Bring the hose to Autozone or your local auto store and size out a more flexible coolant hose of the same diameter. Mine didn't kink but it took some toying around before I got it just right. Then don't forget to open those valves again so your engine isn't starved of coolant.
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Old 07-13-2017, 07:02 PM   #108
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I was actually on a folding ladder, so I was really hoping it would be stable enough. However, it's been raining pretty much every day for the last month, and one side of the ladder was on soft ground instead of pavement. It shifted as the earth gave way, and I could feel it starting to go, but there was really nothing to hold onto. I aimed for the dirt and tried to prevent hitting my head or back. I got a really wicked looking bruise on the side of my right knee, a sprained ankle, and some cuts, scrapes, and less impressive bruises scattered across my legs and hands. If it leaves any scars, I'll just tell people I got it fighting the Yakuza. ;) (Maybe I've been watching too much Daredevil lately?)

Anyhow, I was using bondo glass on wax paper to fill in the screwholes. I'm hoping the glass fibers will be enough to keep everything held on, and the wax paper ensures that a layer stays on top of the bus exterior instead of oozing all down the back of the holes. I peel the paper off just as it begins to set, and then a light sanding is all I need to get it ready to prime. For the smaller dings and depressions, I'm just using body filler because it's a little less expensive.

As for the coolant lines, I think they are ok to stay plugged. I drove the bus all the way down from the north side of Ohio to Atlanta, through the Smoky Mountains and all, and it never even came close to overheating. I did keep a close eye on the temperature gauge, and had a few jugs of coolant and water on hand just in case plugging them turned out to be a terrible idea.

I think I'm going to remove (at least temporarily) the heater right next to the driver's seat and try to trace those lines back towards the engine. I would really prefer not to have the stubs sticking out into my living space. That will give me a chance to get a better look at the lines anyway.
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Old 07-19-2017, 09:44 AM   #109
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J came over Monday and we finished up the wiring for the electrical outlets, lights, and switches. He gets almost all the credit for that - I helped with drilling, pulling wire, and screwing in some the boxes and fixtures, but he is definitely the electrical mastermind.

Then yesterday, I went shopping for more screws, straps, plastic sheeting, and these fancy blue waste water tanks (aka food grade plastic drums.) I loved Dredman's video showing how to use these for gray and black water tanks under the bus, so I'm stealing his technique!

I've also started shopping for some of the pretty stuff that will go in the bus. Joann had a great sale on upholstery fabrics last week, and I needed to figure out what sort of light fixtures I'll be using to get the bus wired. Friends and family have been wondering what this thing is going to look like, so I put together a photo of some of this stuff.

Today I'm busy cleaning up and taping up inside the bus to get it prepped for spraying the insulation. Hopefully I'll have another update by the end of the day.

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Old 07-19-2017, 09:57 PM   #110
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Did I mention how hot it is in Georgia? I tried to protect as much of the bus as I could with plastic sheeting, which mostly succeeded in turning the bus into a giant sauna. By the time I got to actually spraying the insulation, the adhesive from my duct tape had melted and the plastic ended up falling down anyway. Also, I was wearing coveralls, gloves, safety glasses, and a respirator, so by the time I emptied the tanks, I was more than a little overheated, and needed to take a cold shower then collapse for a few hours.

All that said, I did manage to get the whole bus sprayed, and it wasn't too difficult to apply. My walls are nice and thickly coated. The ceiling is much thinner, although I am certain I sprayed more up there. I'm not sure why it didn't expand as much up there- maybe the heat from the sun beating down on the roof? I'm trying to decide if I want to roll some additional insulation over it, or call it good. What would you guys recommend?

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Old 07-20-2017, 10:18 AM   #111
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I'd put on enough coats of foam until I got the thickness I believe is enough.

Just sayin'

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Old 07-21-2017, 11:18 AM   #112
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I would also spray another coat on the ceiling at least. Definetly fill the cavities in between the ribs about 2" I think. Then trim flush with the ribs.
I think we are going to spray 3" of foam but we also plan to do a lot of cold weather.

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Old 07-21-2017, 12:32 PM   #113
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all elect wires belong in conduit or at least plastic shieth... never just thru the ribs as in your pic
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Old 07-21-2017, 03:26 PM   #114
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Good catch on the wire through the rib, although I disagree slightly. Conduit is certainly good but in my opinion the wire could cross through the rib safely if a bushing is installed so that the metal can't cut through the insulation. I can't tell from the picture whether or not a bushing was used. Something along the lines of the snap-in style pictured here.
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Not that anyone could tell from this picture, but this one is sized for 1/2" trade size knock-outs and fits an actual hole size 7/8" in diameter. They're readily available in 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch trade sizes (at least).

One problem not helped by the bushing, which is helped by conduit, is that the loose cable needs to be mechanically secured. Another is the question whether the cable is at risk of being penetrated by a stray fastener.
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Old 07-21-2017, 05:49 PM   #115
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one encloses the wire run totally.... like in commercial elect work to meet the code.
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Old 07-23-2017, 10:00 AM   #116
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Love the photo with your color scheme stuff!! Gorgeous!!!!


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Old 07-23-2017, 12:40 PM   #117
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You can always look at someone's work and tell the difference between residential and commercial workers.
All my wiring is in conduit with a piece of rubber tubing around the conduit at each penetration. Plus I pulled a spare wire for most runs for the just in case scenario.
I used out of service 12 guage extension cords from my work for most runs and 10 guage extension cords for the main runs. Used nominally oversized PVC pipe to sleeve through the floors for electrical and plumbing going in or out. Oversized to be able to add in later of/as needed/wanted. Pulling spares or making provisions for something that could mess up later during the build phase might cost a little more time and money upfront but could save a lot of money and down time when you aren't expecting it or are somewhere on the road or boondocking that it can't be dealt with. But that's my opinion? I have learned to plan ahead for the worst case scenario cause it seems to follow me? Well I have learned my job as a commercial pipefitter,welder,sometimes electrician,have been the plumber to? Buy fixing others mistakes .
In my world??? No matter what you do? Always plan on installing whatever in a way that you can put your hands on it/whatever again. You are building it yourself so make sure you! At a minimum document whether physically or mentally each wire run. So if/when you have a problem you know exactly where to look for a problem?
Not trying to scare anyone? Just food for thought.
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Old 07-23-2017, 01:12 PM   #118
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J is a licensed electrician with years of experience in both commercial and residential work. I absolutely trust him when he says this is safe and secure. We did use bushings everywhere the wire passes through the ribs, and it was secured to wooden studs with electrical staples. We enclosed the wire in pvc where we ran it underneath the floor of the bus. We installed metal plates over the studs where wire comes through so no one will accidentally drill in the wrong place, and I do know exactly where every wire is run.

I think that if I were attempting to do this on my own, as a DIYer, I would probably have used conduit and have been overly cautious about every choice I made. I'm certainly not encouraging anyone who is not a professional electrician to assume you can just run wires however you want without considering sharp edges, bumpy roads, and hot current. That said, J did consider all of those variables, and I trust him to know what he's doing and to keep my family safe.

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Old 07-23-2017, 02:12 PM   #119
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Love the photo with your color scheme stuff!! Gorgeous!!!!


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Thank you! It's really exciting to finally be getting to the things people will actually see! (I doubt anyone else will be crawling underneath the bus to look at my pretty undercoat or pulling out panels too see what's inside the walls, lol)

I'm working on putting up beadboard now, so it's starting to really take shape inside. I'm STILL having trouble finishing the exterior of the bus. I'm a bit ladder shy since my fall, but I'm pretty sure no one else is going to climb back up there to finish prepping it for paint, so I'll just have to get over that soon, but working inside the bus has been a nice distraction. ;)

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Old 07-23-2017, 02:26 PM   #120
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Just make sure you have someone around when on the ladder! We put up some breadboard this week, too!


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