What have I done!? - New Central Alberta Skoolie Build

[ZedEx]

Originally Posted by 12equiem

im new here. i also dont have any budget for a roof raise nor any desire to since id rather have rooftop storage, water tanks, and a patio. im 5'11" myself so im familiar with the clearance issue. i havent tested it yet but for the floor i have simply just done a simple bit of a thermal break. ive bought a mildew resistant carpet underlay and installed it between the half inch bus flooring and the new half inch fir plywood im using as my underlay. ill be installing 12 mil laminate flooring ontop of that. im hoping it provides enough of a thermal break between the plywood layers. and a bonus is that its firm...yet squishy. its perfect to help level out all the inconsistencies of the original bus floor.

make sure you remove and replace all the old sealant between the edge of the bus and the origional plywood sheeting and put in sealant caulking ANYWHERE you thing theres even a hint of a chance of moisture getting in.


also for insurance. double check with the cooperators. ive got mine insured for 280 bucks a year. and DO NOT install a wood burning stove before your appraisal. havent found anywhere that will insure it if it has one.

as far as anything else goes Im doing my conversion in edmonton. id love to help ya out sometime if you need it.

I went for several layer of tremclad primer and paint after rust repair, caulked everything I could find and then all around the edges and 5/8 tongue and groove. After the frames for the undercarriage storage go in, a rv place in red deer will spray foam the underside. I'm happy with how that.
I know about the stove issue out here. They hate it even in houses lol
That's an amazing yearly price. If wawanesa falls through ill contact cooperaters. is yours still under construction? Would they insure earlier than total completion? Wawanesas wants it basically finished first

[12equiem]

yes. Mine is currently under construction and Mine is insured right now. Im currently installing a 3/8 inch plywood subfloor on the roof ribs to give me a nice smooth curve.

They wont put fire theft and vandalism on it until its been done and appraised but it is insured right now as an rv. That 280 a year includes fire theft and vandalism. As is i think they charged me 230 for the year without fire theft or vandalism.

Sounds like you got er all figured out bud. Good to hear it!

[ZedEx]

Originally Posted by 12equiem

yes. Mine is currently under construction and Mine is insured right now. Im currently installing a 3/8 inch plywood subfloor on the roof ribs to give me a nice smooth curve.

They wont put fire theft and vandalism on it until its been done and appraised but it is insured right now as an rv. That 280 a year includes fire theft and vandalism. As is i think they charged me 230 for the year without fire theft or vandalism.

Sounds like you got er all figured out bud. Good to hear it!

Can you send some pics of your build so far?

[12equiem]

Here ya go bud.

First pic of my carpet underlay under the new subflooring. Subfloor is just half inch fir ply.

Second pic of my rough in roof sheeting. Its 3/8 sanded subfloor sheeting. At the smallest radius i have to put some saw kerfs in the backside and use alot more screws but it works. When im done ill wood filler all the holes and give it another quick sand to make it smooth as a babys bottom. After that i can literally apply any finishing i want.

Third pic of my roof rack tracks. 1 5/8" electrical unistrut with a strip of industrial rubber epoxied to both the track and the bus. Then sealed with caulking. I can custom make cabinets, a roof rack basket, mount extra water tanks, a deck, literally anything to these. The weight will be spread across multiple ribs. I didnt like the bracket design most people seem to use

Fourth pic of how i bolted the strut through the roof using angle iron as basically a giant washer. Also more sealant between the angle and the steel roof. Otherwise she still looks like a school bus. Oh and on the inside of the roof after i peeled out the insulation i rolled on a good coat of foundation damproofing. Yet another sealant. Also helped give me a good surface to glue to without having to deal with all those dangly insulation fibers.

[chev49]

Originally Posted by 12equiem

im new here. i also dont have any budget for a roof raise nor any desire to since id rather have rooftop storage, water tanks, and a patio. im 5'11" myself so im familiar with the clearance issue. i havent tested it yet but for the floor i have simply just done a simple bit of a thermal break. ive bought a mildew resistant carpet underlay and installed it between the half inch bus flooring and the new half inch fir plywood im using as my underlay. ill be installing 12 mil laminate flooring ontop of that. im hoping it provides enough of a thermal break between the plywood layers. and a bonus is that its firm...yet squishy. its perfect to help level out all the inconsistencies of the original bus floor.

make sure you remove and replace all the old sealant between the edge of the bus and the origional plywood sheeting and put in sealant caulking ANYWHERE you thing theres even a hint of a chance of moisture getting in.


also for insurance. double check with the cooperators. ive got mine insured for 280 bucks a year. and DO NOT install a wood burning stove before your appraisal. havent found anywhere that will insure it if it has one.

as far as anything else goes Im doing my conversion in edmonton. id love to help ya out sometime if you need it.

Not a good idea to ever mention a wood burning stove.. I have had busses since 1988 n always "forgot". I consider the wood stove essential not only for heat n winter, but also for burning trash n papers as necessary. I build all of my wood stoves myself, and make them approximately 24 x 18 firebox with a flat iron sheet on top for tea kettle, etc. I also pay about 300 per yr for ins.

I also have propane furnaces (2), however, it is so nice to have the wood heat, n most places across the usa i have gone, there has been some kind of wood or left over construction pcs for free...

[joeblack5]

Equiem, nice roof rack and super easy to mount solar panels or whatever. I would leave only rubber where you put your screws thru the roof. That way water and dirt can drain of the roof below the channel.

Later j

[12equiem]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

Equiem, nice roof rack and super easy to mount solar panels or whatever. I would leave only rubber where you put your screws thru the roof. That way water and dirt can drain of the roof below the channel.

Later j

If you dont put the rubber down the entire length of track then youll end up point loading the areas with the bolts. After you put enough weight on thats a bunch of stress i dont really want to worry about. 4 inches away from either side of each bolt though i have cut 1 inch gaps to help with water shed.

Also sorry for hijacking your post bro!

[joeblack5]

Good, sound lie you gave it thought. good luck
later j

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by chev49

I build all of my wood stoves myself, and make them approximately 24 x 18 firebox with a flat iron sheet on top for tea kettle, etc.

Nice!!! Do you use steel plate for the box? Cast iron for the top only? Where do you get the cast iron from? Cast iron can't be welded. I've never done any brazing myself (yet). I just don't see where a wood stove is worth the prices they ask for. Would love to make my own too.

[Tango]

Cast iron can indeed be welded. Just not easily. I've done it. Lots of pre-heating + the right wire + the right gas on a mig. And the cooling must be very slow and controlled.

[chev49]

Originally Posted by Tango

Cast iron can indeed be welded. Just not easily. I've done it. Lots of pre-heating + the right wire + the right gas on a mig. And the cooling must be very slow and controlled.

welding cast is no big deal. even with stick welder n proper rod...

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Tango

Cast iron can indeed be welded. Just not easily. I've done it. Lots of pre-heating + the right wire + the right gas on a mig. And the cooling must be very slow and controlled.

Then sounds better to use steel. I don't have any way to pre-heat the iron unless it stays hot enough from an oven. My oven will do 550° but not a lot more. Pre-heating with an oxy torch has to be too localized. The only gas I have is argon.

[ZedEx]

Sorry to hijack your convo, but I'm finally getting somewhere on my bus. Just aboouy ready to tear out that ceiling and mount my solar racks above. I had never considered putting drain cuts under the channel to stop pooling but it makes alot of sense. If I'm using something like dicor under the channel, how would I get the same result? Just have shorter mounts?
What kind of rubber did you use?