somewhereinUSA build

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somewhereinusa
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by somewhereinusa »

What are you going to use for finish floor?
You can see it in the background in the bedroom. It's 3/4 plywood with a plastic coating. The seams are joined with a H piece of aluminum. The plywood is really nice 9 layer stuff and, the plastic seems pretty durable, The plastic is on both sides with a little different texture on the other side. I scored it at one of the RV surplus stores for $10 a sheet.

Dick
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Dennis The Bus Dweller
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

Nice
Peace along the way
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somewhereinusa
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

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Figured I better post something lest you all think I have dropped off the map. I've been steadily working on things,many of which there isn't anything to take pictures of.
After the trip to the surplus rally, armed with both kitchen and bathroom sinks I figured it was about time to get some interior framing done. Also the cabinet framing has to be in
before I can go any farther on the floor plumbing. All of the closet/bathroom walls are now framed and most paneled. Bath vanity top is finished. Cedar lining is almost finished in the
main closet. I tend to be a bit scatterbrained in my work habits, I kind of go on a "I think I'll work on this now" schedule.
I really need to get the heating plumbing finished. Only a few more hurdles to jump over before I can get moving on it again. Kitchen counter base has to be laid. Since the last trip of the season
is over I can take up the toilet(ugh). I have to redo the heater that is under the fridge(plans changed after it was installed). Biggest hurdle is I found out I really HATE working on the floor. :banghead:
On the bright side I found a set of brand new Bandag recaps in the right size on Craigslist for considerably less than a dealer.The guy said he would even mount them for an extra $25 :) I'm not sure why he has them, but Google earth picture looks like it is some kind of small truck/trailer repair shop. I love Google earth.
Not quite so bright, I was supposed to get them put on this afternoon but it snowed 3 inches last night and, since my bus had probably never been driven in salt, I'm not about to do it now.
SWMBO helped me clean out and straighten up my small workshop, :) I can now see the top of the small workbench and the large workbench is empty. Well, there is those 10 sheets of plywood on top of it, but I have been working on top of them for a couple of years now. :lol: She did have an ulterior motive, I have to finish a remodeling job I started in the house last fall. :roll:

Hopefully pictures soon,
Dick
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Lostranger
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by Lostranger »

Thanks for posting, Dick. Hearing about other's work keeps me inspired. Glad you're making progress. I'm getting insulation done today. Cold weather is upon us.

Jim
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by ol trunt »

Hey Dick, for someone who really HATES working on his floor you sure have done a nice job with it as best I can tell. Hurry on and get the house remodel finished so you can get back on the bus. If you don't have new pics to post just put up a few old ones--we'll all enjoy a recap! Jack
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somewhereinusa
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

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Well, I just got back from a really crappy trip. As you all know I have been on the hunt for some tires. I found a sweet deal on some new recaps for the rear. We made the deal, he was even going to change them for a good price. Monday morning I headed to Elkhart, about 70 miles away to get the job done. It snowed Sunday night and I really wanted to postpone it since, to my knowledge the bird had never been in salt. He didn't seem willing to change it so I set out. As it turns out the guys business is mobile truck repair. When I got there he asked if I minded waiting a couple of hours, he had an emergency truck repair. Since I'm retired it wasn't really a problem, I just fired up the boiler and amused myself. Three hours later he returned and started removing the wheels, PROBLEM. all of the inner nuts were pulling the threads. Still not a terribly big problem, but we were out of time for the parts store. I called my son, he only lives about 15 miles away, discussed me staying at his house. No problem, but he goes to work at 5AM, no place to stay when I went back the next AM. Called SWMBO, she was actually quite gracious and agreed to pick me up at sons house. I then got a text from son saying I could stay at his house then drive his PU in to get the bird, he and his wife would pick it up after work. I called SWMBO, she had only gone about 12 miles, and told her to go back home. She was quite relieved, the hwy we live on drifts pretty bad, she said it was getting bad. In all actuality, there was probably just some snow blowing across the road and nowhere near BAD. Anyway, one crises averted. Yesterday was really BORING, no one home, nothing to do. Watched TV. :banghead: As instructed I called the shop at Noon, well, really at eleven, but who's keeping track. One of his competitors shop had burned the night before and he was really busy taking care of both his customers and some overflow from the other one. When I called at three he was just finishing up the first side and would try to get to the other last night. So another night at son's At nine thirty today I finally got tired of waiting for a call and decided to drive up to see what was going on. He was just putting the brake drum as I pulled up. Didn't really take long after that. Overall I'm glad it happened at a repair shop and not a "tire" store. He really cut me a good deal on the studs and everything was cash, so that made it even better. I'm not complaining, really. I've got good tires and getting those studs fixed there instead of along side the road somewhere makes me feel better. I just didn't really need that extra expense right now, you know fixed income and all and I kind of scraped the barrel dry for the good dire deal.

Got the bird home safe and sound, but she's now white with salt. That will have to wait till a really nice day which now looks like spring. :(

Happy Bussin"
Dick
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by Lostranger »

Dick, that sounds like an excellent trip to me. I love finding and correcting potential trouble at a good place for that work. Sounds like you're ahead of the game, and congratulations on the tires.

I'm also glad to hear about your fixed income. Bev and I still have to get by on a broken one.

Jim
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somewhereinusa
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

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Okay, I'm off on another tangent. There's probably medication for that, but what fun would that be. :) I had every intention of starting right away on the floor. I took out the temporary shelving so that I could get at the floor. Then, I had all of this "stuff" that needed to go somewhere, so I figured I should at least get the rear closet done so that I could neatly (not a word that comes easily to me) store the fore mentioned "stuff" so I wouldn't have to move it again. I finished framing the closet and got the insulation in and the cedar lining on the walls. Started on the ceiling and :idea: I should put a light in every closet and cabinet. (I'm old and need lots of light) I looked at the available LED light fixtures for that kind of thing. UGLY :thumbdown: not very bright :thumbdown: plastic :thumbdown: expensive :thumbdown: Nothing seemed to fit into the very rigid eclectic plans I have, in my head, of what I want in MY bus.
So, I made my own. Total expenditure about $20 for ten lights. LED light boards $15 from Ebay, clear lacquer $5 from local hardware store.
I experimented with some lenses, but they all cut down the light too much. These will pretty much be hidden from view from anyone but me anyway.(Don't question the logic of why I :thumbdown: the comercially available ones for something you wouldn't see) These little led light boards put out a lot of light.

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I have an old Craftsman drill press that has a fast spindle speed of 8550 that works quite well for this kind of thing. It's the first shop tool I bought, used, probably 40 years ago.

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The tool I use the most is a table saw I got when dad died, it sat in the barn for a looooong time befor I got the nerve to use it. Shortly after he got it, I was less than ten, he was showing my brother and I how to safely use it. He almost cut his thumb off! There was a trip to the hospital involved, we never did that sort of thing. I never used that saw all of the time I lived at home. Even after I got my machine shop I wouldn't use a table saw. I guess I got over it, I really enjoy using a table saw now. As far as I remember it never did have any kind of guard on anything. The stand it is sitting on is the stand that moms wash tubs sat on. :)

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It has a nice cast iron table is still a lot more accurate than anything similar that you can buy today.

Dick
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Lostranger
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by Lostranger »

Light looks great, Dick. I love that you used red cedar. Right at home in a closet. I quit buying Craftsman electric tools thirty years ago after I burnt out three new circular saws in one day. Your tools, on the other hand, are from the day when a Craftsman electric tool was something to be proud of. Happy building.

I have three LED fixtures on the way from China. EBay, of course. I also have a gooseneck fixture that came from Taiwan. Haven't had time to install it, but it looks good. My house system is 24v, and it's hard to find domestic sources. The one's I've found cost a small fortune. I'll post about these lights once they're in place.

Keep up the great work, and keep posting about it. I need the fix. My insulation work is beginning to chafe. Lots of odd details along the way. I am making progress, though.

Jim
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by ol trunt »

Hey Dick, like you, I have a 60 yr or so old cast steel drill press--still works just fine and will spin up 10,00 rpm with the belt just right. I never thought of using it as a router though--good idea. Your cutting tool looks sort of like a 3/8" bottoming tap and seems to chew along just fine. Is it an actual router bit? I do have a couple of routers but by the time I whip up a jig to hold small work like your way cool lights, I'm so exhausted that I need a nap :lol: . Jack
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somewhereinusa
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by somewhereinusa »

Jack,

That is a router bit. I have a router, but I think this works better for a lot of things, kinda like an upside down router table,that you can see what you are doing. You have to spin the bit really fast, I don't think the new cheapo drill presses would go that fast or have that good of spindle bearings.
I've done some experiments with a 3/4 rounding bit and it works quite well for that, at least in pine.
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somewhereinusa
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by somewhereinusa »

Heat all plumbed, pressure tested and working in all zones. Floor laid.

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Driver floor. Still need to finish area around pedals. Wanted to see how much everything expanded when it got hot.

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I haven't gotten all of the air out of the main loop yet, so it's not working very good. And there are still three blowers that aren't hooked up. Outside temp about 30 deg, inside temp. 70 with nice warm floors. :)
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Lostranger
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by Lostranger »

That's major progress, Dick. Congratulations.
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by ol trunt »

Really nice job Dick. What is the floor covering and how do the strips enter in? Jack
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Dennis The Bus Dweller
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Re: somewhereinUSA build

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

It's lookin home to me 8)
Peace along the way
Dennis the bus dweller N.Y.
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