Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-22-2019, 04:34 PM   #1
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
COLD, CAULK, and CUSTOM DIY WINDOWS

So I am going to remove the bus windows and replace them with house or custom windows and sheet metal.


Has anyone worked with caulking for the windows in the cold? Right now we're in the mid 60s during the daytime and mid to low 30s at night. Any recommendations?


I've gone to a few places, like the Habitat for Humanity Re-stores looking for windows, but haven't found any that fit and open. I am not going to do a roof raise, so need them to feet within a 28.5" height. I can go wider than the standard 25" by chopping off a column.


So I am considering making my own windows using steel angle and tubing.


Anyone done this?


My idea is to weld up some double pane windows with steel frames, and hinge them on top with a piano hinge. Between the piano hinge and the bus will go a strip of roofing rubber.



Between the panes of glass will be a spacer with some kind of foam cushion-maybe butyl tape.


Not sure what to use as caulking, but thinking of the 3M marine adhesive, since its meant for water environments. Unless butyl tape will work and I attach using sheet metal screws.





Would rather find premade windows, but I can't keep driving 100-200 miles each way for the chance of finding what I need, and the window to work before winter is here is getting narrower.

Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 04:52 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
Glass in vehicles is always tempered. As long as there’s no accident it won’t matter.

Have you considered a poor man’s double pane using Mylar?
Danjo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 04:55 PM   #3
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danjo View Post
Glass in vehicles is always tempered.
Not all glass.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 05:00 PM   #4
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
I'm thinking the windows behind the driving compartment are fine not tempered. I may cover them with hurricane film.


Mylar scratches too easily in my opinion.



I do need to get a window for the passenger side though. That has to be tempered.
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 05:05 PM   #5
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe45 View Post
I'm thinking the windows behind the driving compartment are fine not tempered. I may cover them with hurricane film.


Mylar scratches too easily in my opinion.



I do need to get a window for the passenger side though. That has to be tempered.
I was referring to that thin Mylar film that’s used to make an airspace and keep drafts out. It’s applied with double stick tape and a hair dryer. By no means a permanent solution, but it was enough to keep my leaky apartment from being an icicle during the cold months and you can do it for about $30.
Danjo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2019, 10:17 PM   #6
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danjo View Post
I was referring to that thin Mylar film that’s used to make an airspace and keep drafts out. It’s applied with double stick tape and a hair dryer. By no means a permanent solution, but it was enough to keep my leaky apartment from being an icicle during the cold months and you can do it for about $30.



Not a bad idea, but if I'm gonna go through the trouble of making windows, I'd rather just do it right the first time.


Hopefully I'll find some usable windows soon and solve the issue. I have a double glass window now that doesn't open. I may use it for one of the windows anyway. I only really need two to open.
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 12:10 PM   #7
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 143
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Tomas
Engine: 7.3l
Rated Cap: 72
Here's mine

Two in back two in front, small one for bathroom (middle)
Attached Thumbnails
20191017_162050_HDR.jpg   20191017_132104_HDR.jpg  
Frogpondfoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 12:22 PM   #8
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogpondfoug View Post
Two in back two in front, small one for bathroom (middle)



WOW!


Those look great!


Where'd you find those?
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 12:35 PM   #9
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 143
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Tomas
Engine: 7.3l
Rated Cap: 72
Found

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe45 View Post
WOW!


Those look great!


Where'd you find those?

. I found them on Kijiji for 200 canadian. Their stormtech, which is company that's out of business. Was alot of work but Id do it in a heart beat. I recommend changing bus windows if it's somthing you can do.
Attached Thumbnails
20190825_144209_HDR.jpg  
Frogpondfoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 01:41 PM   #10
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogpondfoug View Post
. I found them on Kijiji for 200 canadian. Their stormtech, which is company that's out of business. Was alot of work but Id do it in a heart beat. I recommend changing bus windows if it's somthing you can do.



OK thanks!


DEFINITELY CHANGING THE WINDOWS!
I may put home windows in-if I can find the right ones.
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 09:08 PM   #11
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
I found house windows in a hidden little warehouse near where I live.
$20 each for the large, non-opening windows.
$30 each for the smaller opening windows.
I am considering putting a piano hinge on the larger ones so they can tilt open,but with the other windows that open, and the huge entrance/exit door, plus the fans I'll put in, its probably unnecessary work.


But I have a bit of a dilemma...


I did a mock up of the window sizes for the bus, and I'll have to cut off some of the window pillars.


I'm thinking of creating a steel frame for the new windows for reinforcement, and welding up an "X" steel reinforcement in the area between them with 16 gauge steel sheet covering it.


Alos thinking buses are far stronger than RVs, so that's another factor.


What do y'all think?


Click image for larger version

Name:	Mockup1.jpg
Views:	32
Size:	80.9 KB
ID:	38807
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 09:16 PM   #12
Bus Crazy
 
Sleddgracer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe45 View Post
I found house windows in a hidden little warehouse near where I live.
$20 each for the large, non-opening windows.
$30 each for the smaller opening windows.
I am considering putting a piano hinge on the larger ones so they can tilt open,but with the other windows that open, and the huge entrance/exit door, plus the fans I'll put in, its probably unnecessary work.


But I have a bit of a dilemma...


I did a mock up of the window sizes for the bus, and I'll have to cut off some of the window pillars.


I'm thinking of creating a steel frame for the new windows for reinforcement, and welding up an "X" steel reinforcement in the area between them with 16 gauge steel sheet covering it.


Alos thinking buses are far stronger than RVs, so that's another factor.


What do y'all think?


Attachment 38807
I don't know about where you live, but I imagine it's the same as here, all glass in vehicles or trailers has to be tempered safety glass
Sleddgracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 09:37 PM   #13
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
I think all custom windows in the bus should have a steel frame to them. I may add one more to my bus that may not have one only because it is ust under 24" and will fit between ribs just sandwiched between the skins.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 09:42 PM   #14
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sleddgracer View Post
I don't know about where you live, but I imagine it's the same as here, all glass in vehicles or trailers has to be tempered safety glass



I'm thinking of applying the hurricane lamination to the windows. Its a clear film that keeps the glass from shattering all over the place.
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 09:43 PM   #15
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
I think all custom windows in the bus should have a steel frame to them. I may add one more to my bus that may not have one only because it is ust under 24" and will fit between ribs just sandwiched between the skins.



Good point. I will make steel frames for them.
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 09:51 PM   #16
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe45 View Post
Good point. I will make steel frames for them.
In mine I just ran bars between whatever rib space was left and then uprights to secure the window. Mine were all trim ring sandwich type. I cut the ribs at the height of the window so the new bars tied them in.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 10:01 PM   #17
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
In mine I just ran bars between whatever rib space was left and then uprights to secure the window. Mine were all trim ring sandwich type. I cut the ribs at the height of the window so the new bars tied them in.



In the bigger window I have maybe 4" of extra space top to bottom.
In the smaller windows I have about 11" between top and bottom.

Room enough for some kind of frame.


You don;t think the windows are too big/too much cutting of the window beams?
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2019, 11:00 PM   #18
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 143
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Tomas
Engine: 7.3l
Rated Cap: 72
Sounds like it be a simple Frame in Frame Idea then?
Frogpondfoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2019, 07:28 AM   #19
Bus Nut
 
Joe45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 478
Year: 2004
Engine: 7.3L Navistar T444e Diesel
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogpondfoug View Post
Sounds like it be a simple Frame in Frame Idea then?
Indeed.
We'll see just how simple when I get it installed!
Joe45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2019, 09:16 AM   #20
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 143
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Tomas
Engine: 7.3l
Rated Cap: 72
True

That's so true, you can do it
Frogpondfoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.