DIY Tiny Home/Skoolie project

[Bone3421 716]

Well i bought a bus and working on conversion and figure i would document it here.

[TwiceHorn 31435]

Interdasting.  Where you gonna put it?  Is it going to stay mobile?

[Bone3421 716]

So first things first...go buy yourself an angle grinder if you dont own one. People say they take their seats out without but why would you.

Got all my seats out in like 7 hours...grind off bolt and unscrew the 2 nuts attached to wall easy peasy

[Bone3421 716]

Got some land to park it on for now...will probably travel with it in future

[Bone3421 716]

Now if you are just making a camper you can probably leave roof in but im doing full tiny home so ceiling is coming out....FUCK RIVETS!!!

Air compressor and air chisel set highly recommended...first punch out rivet
Then you need to grind X in rivet and the air chisel works

[Bone3421 716]

This will be a 2 day job most likely and its where im currently at

Afterwards will be ripping up floor and treating rust and sealing her back up

Will post updates of course

[TwiceHorn 31435]

I guess my more specific question is, will it be self-propelled mobile, and I am guessing not?

[Bone3421 716]

Of course it will be...runs fine
Now you wouldn't what to drive it much since it gets like 6 mpg...but when i get it done and decide im going to yosemite for the summer im driving it

I guess my more specific question is, will it be self-propelled mobile, and I am guessing not?

[APEX 63]

There's a Netflix film called Expedition Happiness about a German couple that bought and converted a similar school bus and traveled North America.

[Jkwellborn 6686]

I’ve seen some neat stuff done with them.

[Bone3421 716]

Holy fuck nuts thats a lot of rivets....ceiling us out sorta...used my air chisel to cut metal out since i thought only 6 metal cutter disc would be enough

[Jkwellborn 6686]

Wonder how long it would take to drill them out.

[Bone3421 716]

The 2 drill bits i bought havent done shit...these are big hearty rivets...online says grinder and air chisel ...worked great on ceiling rivets...those ones along window in pic are a pain

Best thing i can find says to grind them flat and punch out center...im hoping i can saw down backside since i cut panels out

[Paco 1934]

I hope you have good hearing protection.

[Bone3421 716]

Well most of it is done already...but i colored engineered some

I hope you have good hearing protection.

[Jkwellborn 6686]

Saw one of these for sale on Facebook. Had about 80,000 miles. Someone had already gutted most of it.

[52-80 19142]

u should turn it into a bangbus

[deadshank 24652]

This looks interdasting.  

Do you have a drawn plan or just free-wheeling the whole thing?  Post the plan if you have it.

 

[Bone3421 716]

Not a drawn plan but i know the layout and how i will design it

[texas08 1599]

Sweet

[deadshank 24652]

1 hour ago, Bone3421 said:

Not a drawn plan but i know the layout and how i will design it

I like your style.

[Ten Bears 2479]

Haven't we fallen for the ol' Bus Trick enough?

[Bone3421 716]

Ripped out the sub floor today...got some rust to remove and seal

[immamac 42833]

Subscribed. 

[Bone3421 716]

So instead of dealing with all the rivets above window i just decided to cut it out with grinder...also opened up side panels to see if i could cut rivets from backside(grinder wont fit,see if i can borrow a saws all)

[Bone3421 716]

Im almost to the fun part(building) ...i have also been grinding off rust and then i will take out windows and reseal them...seal up roof and treat rust

Then can put subfloor and be building by monday/tuesday hopefully

[Bone3421 716]

And just a fyi...if your disc doesnt look like that then its still good dont change it


* protip if it gets to small to reach what you need it for grind off some rust until its ready to change

[Superhero 8826]

On 9/21/2018 at 3:15 PM, Bone3421 said:

Now if you are just making a camper you can probably leave roof in but im doing full tiny home so ceiling is coming out....FUCK RIVETS!!!

I still don't understand why you took the ceiling off. Seems like it's 1-2 inches from bottom of roof, and full of insulation which you'll need anyway. Are you planning on running conduit (or wiring) between the roof and new ceiling?

[Bone3421 716]

Putting in better insulation and will be doing a nicer wood roof...not rolling with a metal bus roof
If i was making a camper sure but this will be a tiny home

I still don't understand why you took the ceiling off. Seems like it's 1-2 inches from bottom of roof, and full of insulation which you'll need anyway. Are you planning on running conduit (or wiring) between the roof and new ceiling?

[Lhorn 4908]

Thanks for documenting. I’ll be interested to see your progress 

[Bone3421 716]

Took my trick from above windows and just cut side panels above rivets...will be framed around any ways

Swept up a bit..and today is treating rust and start sealing her up before subfloor goes in

[Texaus 377]

Subscribed.

[Chewbacca 7766]

This looks great.

[Bone3421 716]

So as far i can tell from research you want yoyr rust to look like this black/blue color when its done right

[Bone3421 716]

I also put first coat of roof sealer on along all the rivets...will be about 4/5 coats total when done

Rest of day will be spent cleaning off rust treatment and treating other half

Tomorrow will be cleaning window frames with mineral spirits and sealing them and a full coat of roof sealer

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

21 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Putting in better insulation and will be doing a nicer wood roof...not rolling with a metal bus roof
If i was making a camper sure but this will be a tiny home

Spray in foam insulation ?  I'd think about adding extra junction boxes in the ceiling and walls for potential unforeseen future needs

Edited September 28, 2018 by Onboard 2.0

[Bone3421 716]

Nah thinking the rigid foam insulation

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Just now, Bone3421 said:

Nah thinking the rigid foam insulation

Definitely cheaper. What kind of R value can you get ?

[Bone3421 716]

Stuff i checked at home depit as r value at 4.5 for 1/2 inch

[Digdogger 1344]

Bidet?  Or are you a savage?

[Texaus 377]

Put some barn doors and a fold out deck on it

[markstanco 12570]

Living in a bus is....different. Do you park it in a RV lot with hookups like power and sewage?

[Stinkpalm 687]

6 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

So as far i can tell from research you want yoyr rust to look like this black/blue color when its done right

You read correctly. It may look funky, as it’s not at all what most people are expecting when they spray it on, but that is exactly what you want it to look like once it has taken effect. Can’t wait to see the progress over the coming months

[Bone3421 716]

Living in a bus is....different. Do you park it in a RV lot with hookups like power and sewage?

You can...i have some land ill put it on and hook up to water/electric....doing compost toilet though so i dont have to deal with a blacktank. Also will have solar and offgrid water tanks at somepoint

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Composting  toilet IN the bus? Or just at your land?  Black tank isn't really all that bad when on the road.  Unless you are boondocking for extended periods, there are dump stations everywhere. Another option are these incinerator toilets.  Needs power though.

 http://www.incinolet.ca

[Bone3421 716]

Yes looking at compost toilet in the bus...i've heard some say it doesnt smell and some say it does...ill find out lol then decide if i want to upgrade

[Bone3421 716]

Took windows out and removed old weather stripping with wirebrush drill bit...now cleaning ledges and putting on new stripping

Closed cell fyi...heard thats the one to use over open cell

[Bone3421 716]

Spray in foam insulation ?  I'd think about adding extra junction boxes in the ceiling and walls for potential unforeseen future needs

I missed the part about junction boxes earlier and stuck with insulation....my buddy who is electrician will be wiring me up and i will have him wire me in a few extra spots for when i do solar and get the ac(rv ac that will attach in spot emergency exit is)

[texas08 1599]

Just curious, did you consider a container home as opposed to the bus route? Or did you want the mobility? Maybe you couldn’t work on the containers off site like you’re doing w the bus?

[Zavala 1384]

Good luck sir, the container doesn't have the cool look or amount of windows of that thing. Speaking of, with all the insulation you are planning it's going to be tough to detail those windows well enough to keep them energy efficient. You may also look into new gaskets on the glazing itself into the aluminum frame, or wet sealing everything. Glass is never going to achieve a good R-value, but you may want to consider some type of sun shade or shutters on the outside to prevent too much light from hitting the glazing and heating up your weakest spot thermally.