Progress on the Crown (A.K.A. POTD)

[Sharkey]

<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFC0"><tr><td>For the last week I've been feeling very energized and have begun putting some time in on my Crown project, installing the electrical wiring rough-in. Here's some photos of that process:

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Two routers that I set up to carve dados in the rigid insulation to make channels for house wiring.

The router on the left is set up with a ¼" drill bit that has had the end ground off. It's used to rout out the space in the insulation for the electrical fixture enclosure box. The depth of the bit is calculated to just allow the box to nest in the insulation. A plywood template is screwed to the framing and the router moved around inside it until the hole is cleared. You can see one of the resulting holes in the insulation above the router bit.

The right hand router has a ½" cutter that is used to rout a narrow channel in the outside layer of insulation for the Romex wiring to run from a chase in the top of each wall to the individual device enclosures.

Both routers have had the tool area enclosed with sheet aluminum and a vacuum attachment fitted so that I can catch all the insulation dust as the holes and channels are cut. Insulation dust is full of static cling, and once it gets spread around, it's miserable to clean up. This way all the dust ends up in the shop-vac. I've also duct-tapes the intake vents for the cooling fans to lessen the airflow through the motors. This makes the vacuum more effective at pulling dust out of the shoe.

Between the routers is a lamp-dimmer turned speed control. Neither of these router motors needs to run at full RPM, so I slow them down so that they don't have all that crazy gravitational inertia so that they are easier to handle.

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Here's three circuits being installed, kitchen, bath and laundry. The laundry has the wire and box installed, while the bath outlet is merely routed. The kitchen is about to be routed, with a particle board guide used as a fence to keep the router running straight.

Note that the inside layer of insulation and furring strips have been removed so that I can work on the outer layer of insulation. Once the inside layer is replaced, the wiring is sandwiched between the two layers.</td></tr></table>


<table border="0" width="100%"><tr><td>Another view of the kitchen after some routing. There is going to be another outlet to the left of this one, so I am routing a channel for the wire to run under the window. This required me to make another template to get the correct radius on the wiring.

The foil facing on the insulation doesn't rout very well, it kind of tears, which makes it look really ragged in this photo. I haven't found a good way of cleaning this up, so I'm just ignoring it...</td><td><center></center></td></tr></table>

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An image of the load center. I'm using a three-phase breaker panel with two phases dedicated to shore power (240 volts) and the third will be switchable between shore and inverter power.

A run of Panduit arches at the ceiling, a neat way to manage all the wiring into one package with a cozy cover to hide much of it.</td></tr></table>

These were taken at the end of the day yesterday, I've made progress since then, more pics tomorrow.</td></tr></table>

[dadeo]

nice, would i had your patience!! (and skill)

[Sharkey]

<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFC0"><tr><td>OK, so what have I been doing for the last two months (two months!!!??).

The electrical rough-in is now finished. Of course, it took longer than expected, but it's done, and then I moved along to the next bit of building.

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Here's a nice mess of spaghetti being sorted out at the front of the right wall. Although I installed the wiring one strand at a time, and in order (front-to-rear), it required some bundling and organizing before it made the transition to the front wall.

The various colors are a pretty good indication of the wire's function. Yellow for AC supply, Grey for control, alarm, and audio, Orange and Black for DC lighting, Dark Blue and Red for DC electronics supply, Black for CATV coax, and light blue for network/telephone.

I'm about a third done with the bundling in this shot. It took an entire day to get things put into shape, wrapped in wire ties and put properly into place in the chase at the top of the wall.</td></tr></table>

<table border="0" width="100%"><tr><td>Here's the reason that there's so much wire. I went overboard nearly everwhere.

This is the termination behind my desk. There are two AC circuits (one on the living room breaker for lights and another dedicated circuit for the computer), four CAT5e network cables (computer network, telephone, etc), two two-pair balanced/shielded audio cables, a 25 conductor multi-conductor (switches, indicators, low-power control voltages, etc), positive and negative power cables to supply direct current from the batteries, and a run of RG-6 coaxial cable.

This is kind of a lot of one desk, but I have a use for most of it without exercising my imagination. Other wiring terminates at the cabinetry the refrigerator will be mounted in (and which will also contain the computer printer and most of the entertainment equipment), as well as several network/telephone wall plates in the living room and in the downstairs guest room/entry area.

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<table border="0" width="100%"><tr><td><center></center></td><td>Anyway, in the end, I managed to get it all stuffed into the chase, made a graceful exit into the Panduit along the top of the front wall, and coiled it all neatly along with the other wiring from the left wall.

I spent a while removing knockouts from the AC load center, stripped the sheath off of the NM-B cables for the AC and inserted the wiring into the load center.

The loom clamps are installed to hold the AC wiring in the box, and labels describing what each wire is are affixed to the load center's interior.</td></tr></table>

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Another few hours and the ground and neutral conductors are neatly routed and connected to their various terminal blocks.</center></td></tr></table></center>

A couple of days were spent going backwards/forwards taking up the flooring (again) to install supply plumbing for the shower. I had thought that I'd run the pipes through the wall, but after seeing how crowded with electrical the front wall will be, I relented and managed to find room for the plumbing in the maze under the floor (no pics of this - boooring).

So, the last two weeks have been consumed building the sleeping loft and stem wall at the rear of the bus. This required lots of welding, metal fabrication, painting and such. Once I bagan putting the wall in, I realized that I had not completed the end of the floor, and needed to figure out how that would interface with the wall. After spending a couple of hours trying out various ideas inside my head, I pulled up a section of sub floor, only to find that I had left myself places already fabricated for angle steel when I finished out the framing under the flooring. This was back in 1998, so I didn't remember it. More amazing is that I was thinking ahead that far when I did the work back then.

After installing the angle and some fabricated brackets to hold the rigid insulation under the floor, I was able to complete the steel work of the loft. This required me to completely cover the back door and windows to prevent them from being damaged by welding spatter. Large sections of cardboard served the purpose for this, and an old bathroom exhaust fan was screwed to the roof to remove any welding fumes or paint vapors.

The stem wall is held in place by machine bolts so that if necessary, it can be removed. It wouldn't be a fun task, but it can be removed. The back door is the widest in the bus, and I'd hate to not be able to get furniture, cabinetry or appliances into the bus because the wall was welded into place.

<center>Enough talk, here's the finished product:

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There will be a set of stairs leading down the well on the left and a fold-out ladder to make getting into the loft a bit easier as I age.

Anyhow, that's the state of the project as it stands tonight....</tr></td></table>

[roasting8]

Your Crown is coming along great!! You've really put quality into the project and it really shows.

Now, if I could only get myself motivated to work on mine.

[Scott]

Hi Sharkey,

Very nice website, I just found it today. I am very interested in your project and have dreamed of doing something very similar myself, but was wondering if you would mind explaining about the walls, ceiling and floor of your Crown in greater detail? I tend to learn best from exploded 3D views and diagrams. But barring that, I'm mostly interested in how you are insulating your walls. I would also like to learn how your outer skin, spars or ribs (if any), main structure, inner wall panels will all be fastened together? Will any of this stuff be accessible for future access, repairs, etc.? It seems like I came along at about the right time too because it looks like you will soon be ready to button up the walls for good. Maybe you could post a few more close-up photos of wall, floor and ceiling detail?

Many Thanks,
Scott

[Sharkey]

Hi Scott, welcome to the site and forum.

Details of earlier parts of the construction are posted at the old "Photo of the Day" pages, including a fairly detailed series of photos of the construction of the floor.

Walls are 1¼" .065 square steel box tubing, rooted into the original bus framing at floor level, about 32" on-center. Exterior sheathing is aluminum "electronic panel" held in place by adhesives and closed-end pop rivets. The roof is one continuous sheet of aluminum, with "Snow Roof" coating.

Two layers of insulation, 1¼" polyisocyanurate (R-Max/Celotex/etc) running vertially between the steel framing, and 1" polyisocyanurate running horizontally between wooden lath strips in the interior held to the framing with tapping screws.

So far, everything has been removable so that I can access the various layers (good thing, too, I had to remove a bunch of the inside layer of insulation yesterday to add an electrical circuit for bath heat). Once the panelling goes on, I will probably lose this ability, as it is likely to be nailed into place unless I can find the correct type of plywood paneling that I want, in which case the 4x8 sheets will be screwed onto the walls. There will be several access points along the tops of the walls in any event to allow me to access the wiring chase at the top of each wall. I've pulled in a pull string so that I can add wiring in the future, if necessary.

Ceiling. Well, here I have to wait until I do some experiments. What I want is standard drop-ceiling tiles, held in place with wood frames. However, I want the tiles to be curved to follow the roof arch. I have yet to see if ceiling tiles that have been exposed to steam will bend, then hold their new shape after drying. I'm trying to avoid the use of wood on the ceiling, as there will already be lots of wood on the floors and walls. I like the sound absorbtion of the drop-ceiling tiles, and they are white, which helps keep the interior light and bright.

[Sharkey]

<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFC0"><tr><td>Here’s a short update on what’s been going on for the last two weeks:

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Much time was devoted to building the front wall of the bus, including deciding how wide to make the door, laying out the steel, insuring that the frame is square, and assembling it a stick at a time. It’s built in two parts that screw together so that it could be taken outside to be welded and painted. The steel behind the driver’s seat is heavy gauge and fastened into structural members in the floor and wall. I don’t want to be sharing the cab with all of the furnishings from the living space if the bus is ever in a collision.

Access opening are provided to the AC load center and above the door for installation and maintenance of wiring and equipment. All of the wiring that supplies the living space will need to pass through this wall behind the driver’s seat, so conduits must be installed to deliver the wiring into the service panel area.

Next up is the bulkhead between the bathroom and the kitchen. THis will be a fairly simple, flat wall, without so many details to work out, so I'm hoping that it goes together faster.</td></tr></table>

[dadeo]

now that i can see the drivers area, the "helm", if you like, i wonder: are you going to leave it more or less stock?? I really like the idea of leaving it as much "raw funtional" as possible. Thats how i did mine, not that the rest was hugely modified, but still.... although wood-panneling the whole area, and adding brass gear-leaver knobs and switches is cool, i think leaving it as it was built keeps it cleaner. after all, it is still a vehicle, and that area is solely for driving. right??

dadeo

[Sharkey]

I don't really have any big plans for the cab.

I'm keeping the aluminum headliner, it's been insulated with rigid foam between it and the outside layer.

I have a nice, cushy "captain's chair" rescued out of a van conversion to replace the uphostered stool that the previous drivers logged 609,000 miles on.

The curb door is going to be rebuilt in the same style as the original, metal frame, two large panes of safety glass. Only reason for messing with it is to make the frame full-width and eliminate the 5" of rubber sweep that meets the door jamb so that I can install a proper lockset and deadbolt.

I have exact replacement toggle switches for the control panel (beneath the driver's side window), each with a phosphorous glow-in-the-dark glass bead in the end ($0.69 each from C and H Surplus Sales).

The original rubber mats will be replaced with new rubber mats.

Of course, there will be a backup camera display, a rockin' stereo, and the flea market giant boat compass, but other than that and a nice paint job, it's staying more-or-less stock.

In addition to being the driver's position, the cab is the mud room and informal entry. I'll have a row of coat hooks along the cab side of the wall you see built in the photo above, a place for an umbrella to stand and drip into a pan, a holder for a flashlight to be kept handy, and maybe a few shelves or drawers for some small tools, cans of WD-40, household odds-n-ends, etc.

[dadeo]

cool, you should take before and after pictures for the archives. Its been a while since I've seen the controls in a Crown, but i remember it being pretty cool.

[dadeo]

I noticed what you said: "I don’t want to be sharing the cab with all of the furnishings from the living space if the bus is ever in a collision."

One time i was driving in my bus and I had the spair tire in the back, kind of leaning against one of the beds. For some reason, I had to stop abruptly and I felt something was wrong. I looked into the rear-view mirror to see the tire had taken off and was headed my way. Instinctivly, and foolishly, I tried to stop it with my hand. It passed right by me and hit the gear leaver, knocked it out of gear and finally hit the dashboard. Good thing it wasnt a stove, or something.

anyway, I like your idea of a reinforced, kinna bulkhead in your bus.

[Mark R. Obtinario]

For a while there I was beginning to think you had abandoned your project. It is great to see the job proceeding.

Your floor and roof raise are nicely done. About the floor, I did have a question for you.

I know you have a Cummins and not a DD under the floor. You won't need to get into the top of the engine compartment as often but are you making allowances to do so?

With the roof raise you have added quite a bit of height and weight. What will that do to your center of gravity Do you have any idea of what your completed dry weight is going to be?

Mark O.

[Sharkey]

Hi Mark, funny how I seem to hear from you every time I visit my friend's beach house. I was just looking at the email messages on my laptop Wednesday while at the coast, wondering if I'd hear from you during that visit.

Welcome to the forum. I've performed a little bit of database magic and attributed your two "guest" posts to your registered profile, so you're officially a member of the "club" now.

As for the floor, I took up all the center sections over the engine and all I found was a football field-sized expanse of beige cast iron, the top of the engine (what would be the side if it was stood up as in a regular semi tractor). There really isn't anything that requires service under there. I will be screwed if I ever need to remove the top of the transmission to service it, but if it ever gets to that point, I'll drop the 5 speed trans and replace it with a Road Ranger 10-speed or Allison. When I had the floor open, I removed about 100 pounds of desert sand from on top of the engine and frame rails, so the fleet mechanics weren't spending much time in that part of the bus, either.

There were a couple of access plates over the radiator to allow the top hoses to be removed. I replaced the rubber radiator hoses with blue silicone ($22/ft) and put on T-bar clamps oriented so that I can reach them from under the bus. If I ever need to pull them, it can be done without lifting the floor. It won't be fun, but it can be done.

I'll take the camera out after lunch and capture some new photos of the progress since the above...

[versatilesashman]

Hey Sharkey - I havent been to your site for a while, so it was a thrill to see your progress on the inside of the Crown. This sounds a bit dweeby, but the precision of your wiring in the breaker box warmed my heart. When I was re-wiring my 1905 house I prided myself on keeping it clean.

The framework for the loft is looking good. Soon (Ha!) you will be living in splendor and touring in the Crown to exotic locales (Veneta and beyond). Good to see you are still on it. Windows and doors continue here. We have been doing more commercial work this past year than ever, sliding and folding exterior doors and historic rehabs and all the rest.

Take care. I will continue to look in on the site. I may be in Eugene a few times this fall - how would I get in touch with you? Love to see your set-up in person. Thanks. Alan

[Sharkey]

Hi Alan;

I was just up in Portland on Tuesday and thought that I might pop in for a visit, but got wrapped up in other aspects of the trip and didn't get the chance to come by. I was navigating using an old map that didn't show the light rail tracks or street name changes, which didn't make finding an address in the industrial section of the Albina district any faster or easier.

Anyhow, if you find yourself coming to town, drop me an email or call (you could probably still dig up my number from your records) ahead of time. I'll make sure to be here to give you the tour.

For the rest of the readers out there, Alan is my contact at Versatile Door and Sash in Portland, Oregon, the company which did the custom fabrication on the rear door and windows in the bus, and the distributor for the Marvin tilt-turn windows that I installed in the side walls.