My Bus, AKA a "Skoolie" Options

[Neon Moon]

1993 International DTA360 with a 545 Allison, under 70,000 miles, Carpenter body, 65 pass. I'll give the quick tour I am planning to boondock just as much as I possibly can (which was why I chose the additional ground clearance of a school bus). I have health issues, and need to get out of these Indiana winters. I'm looking forward to experiencing Quartzite.

As bought



Roof raised 18"



New cap & skins (20 ga)



1-piece front door



Extended rear door height (which will lead to a small deck)



3-layers of 3/4" polystyrene in walls



Trusses for ceiling vault going in



Battery bank storage (have one for firewood also, with inside doors to access wood to feed the stove. This means no carrying wood into the bus., load from outside, access from inside directly below the stove)



Fast-forward a bit to the interior

75 gal FW tank under the couch, there will be an additional 108 gal on the roof. I have a 75 gallon gray tank under the bed.



My stainless steel salad bowl sink & bar faucets





32" 1-piece shower stall. Trusses intruded a bit into the shower, so they were trimmed, which is why the angles ceiling. I'm 6'2-3" and the shower head is 6'5" off the shower floor.



20" gas range (with vented range hood) & 7 cu ft chest freezer which will be adapted for 'fridge use. The freezer is setting on top of the PV battery bank.



Area for wood stove, access doors underneath go straight through to outside access door



Flat screen TV to mount over drivers area. I've been trying to buy some old barn siding for 3 weeks now, 2 deals have fallen through, so I guess I'll replicate as best I can with new wood. Oh, ceiling will be corrugated tin barn panels. I have about a 6'9" ceiling.



Table & seat (It's just me, so plenty of room) Freezer sets directly behind bench, on platform, all of which is over area for battery bank




Smitty

This post has been edited by Neon Moon: Apr 5 2010, 06:41 AM

[Rae]

Looking good so far!

Neat idea using the freezer as a fridge; I've done some reading on the subject and know that this will be a significant energy saver for you.

I have friends who put in a wood stove in their school bus. It had a removable chimney which made the bus look so whimsical!

How big of a job was it to raise the roof? I understand that in your case this was definitely not a luxury!

[MsChrissi]

Very nice, looks like a fun project.

[Neon Moon]

Hi Rae & Cozy, thanks! The big thing on having a chest "fridge", was all the cold not pouring-out when the door was opened. I have a thermostat ordered, and a Kill-a-Watt so I can get some actual figures to order solar components.
I was trying to find one of these: http://www.homeelegancecenter.com/ProductD...;Show=TechSpecs but couldn't seem to find anyone who stocked them, so I gave-up. The complaints were the bottom drawer ("soft freeze") wouldn't freeze....perfect since I could have used it for the refrigerator, and still have a freezer for extended food storage. I figure with the water I can carry, as well as the food and other supplies, that I could boondock for right at a month before needing anything.

I will also have a 24" removable section (with cap) which will be removed for travel, or during warm weather. I don't plan on having to use it a lot, but I've always liked a fire. I also added a line while running the LP to the cook stove, for a direct vent heater which can also set on the platform next to the wood stove. It would be handy to run a heater for 5 minutes to knock the chill off, as opposed to starting a fire in the stove. I was joking with someone about the insulation I've added, and I've have to switch to smaller light bulbs, because they made it too hot in the bus

Roof raise was a piece of cake. The actual lifting was done with 2 chain hoists hanging from 2 steel structural beams that were part of the building where the bus is parked, they were spaced perfectly.



I had 11 ga. pieces formed to weld into the window pillars





Then there was steel added for strength





Including window frames and battery bank & wood storage doors





The initial plan was to have a completely flat ceiling. I'm 6'2" + and could just stand in the center of the bus,but I didn't want the exterior any higher than necessary. I knew I was cutting it close, but didn't quite make it. It worked-out for the best though after I decided to vault the ceiling, less wasted space in the "attic", and I still have all the insulation I wanted as well as all the overhead room I need. I'm really pleased with how things have went so far, and I'm anxious to get it finished, I'm ready to move-in!

Oh, I grew-up spending nearly every weekend camping in one of the buses dad converted for him, mom, and us 5 kids lol.....dad was a patient man. Me on the far right.....

Smitty



This post has been edited by Neon Moon: Apr 5 2010, 07:17 AM

[David & Lorn...]

Deja vue! Hey Smitty, what are you doing here over on an RV board? And using a different name!!!

Welcome to Escapees!

[Outlaw]

smitty,great job. that perked up this forum some. about time.lol. so get it done so we can see it with you in it.

Outlaw

[Neon Moon]

Deja vue! Hey Smitty, what are you doing here over on an RV board? And using a different name!!!

Welcome to Escapees!

I'd mentioned in my 1st post I'd seen a familiar face or 2. Thanks!

smitty,great job. that perked up this forum some. about time.lol. so get it done so we can see it with you in it.

Outlaw

Thanks Outlaw, trust me....it couldn't be done soon enough! I'm 53 staying with my 85 year-old parents lol....need I say more? Love 'em....just don't wanna live with 'em! Sometimes I'll just go set in the bus for some peace & quiet, or to make plans on what's next, or what materials I need to get. I lived in a barn for over 15 years, in a 12'X25' apartment I'd built, never once felt cramped or got cabin fever. The bus will actually be much more comfortable than the apartment was (which didn't even have a stove).

Should have an update in a day or 2....

Smitty

[Seeria]

Looks great, smitty. Love the family pic, sooo cute!

[Rae]

I like your description of raising the roof. I'm sure it was a piece of cake if you know how to weld and whatnot! I'm still impressed!

[Neon Moon]

We got some trim painted and put on today, it's nice to start to see a little color coming to life. I'm putting corrugated tin (barn roofing) on the ceiling. I've been trying to buy some old barn siding for over a month now, and both deals went south.

I plan to use it on the entire head....to give the impression of setting in an old outhouse (lol, used to use one at grandmas). The rear wall will be back-lighted (behind the wall) so the moon & stars will light-up with the flip of a switch).



The composting toilet, the small narrow doors on either side are for sawdust/peatmoss storage.




Todays progress- window trim, wrapped the support post at the entry wall, and trimmed the table.







Picked-up a 26" flat screen TV today which will mount over the drivers area, going tomorrow to order materials for the roof and rear decks, as well as trying to find someone to upholster some seat cushions for the bench at the table, and the couch.

This wall is now finished (paneled and trimmed, I need to get a pic), and I plan to find someone to make a stained-glass panel for it for a little entry lighting, and conversation piece. It will be of....what else, the Neon Moon.



Smitty

This post has been edited by Neon Moon: Apr 6 2010, 10:38 PM

[Rae]

Love the outhouse idea. I'm especially impressed that you added the moon lighting; it's that sort of attention to detail that truly makes a custom rig!

[Lou Schneider]

Very nice! One question, though...

75 gal FW tank under the couch, there will be an additional 108 gal on the roof.

Since a gallon of water weighs about 8.3 lbs per gallon, your roof will have to support 620 lbs. If you have less than a completely full tank, the water will slosh back and forth over the width of the tank. For example, if the tank is 3/4 full, you'll have about 465 lbs sloshing back and forth.

I'd think this could lead to stability and/or structural problems.

This post has been edited by Lou Schneider: Apr 7 2010, 03:58 AM

[Jack Mayer]

You may have thought of the issues Lou is speaking of. If not, be very careful. I have some experience with moving liquid loads....you could have some issues with this setup if you plan on traveling with water in it. If it is just for when in "camp" - no issues other than weight.

Can the bus take the weights you are adding to it....? I don't know much about School Bus frames...

[David & Lorn...]

I think Smitty plans on traveling with the tank on the roof empty. I'm pretty sure he already addressed that over on the skoolie.net forum.

[Neon Moon]

The roof rack will support the tank, and I intentionally got a "flat" tank (only 9" tall) to spread the weight over a larger footprint.

Bus specs:
Empty Weight: 14,300 pounds

GAVW 27,500 pounds
10,000 front
17,500 rear

Granted, some weight has been removed from the bus (seats, interior panels, windows, flooring, lighting, miles of wiring), and much has been added. I'll weight it once it's done to know exactly what it is.

Lorna is correct. The roof tank will not be used during travel, it's strictly a boondocking tank. I'll get close to my final destination, then fill it (as well as top-off the interior tank). I can fill it while filling the lower tank (or not) and I can use it to refill the lower tank by gravity (or not).

Smitty

[Ned B]

Smitty,
Welcome aboard! great rig you're building there, cant' wait to see the progress as you go along. Though it is almost looking 'done' now, you've got a whole lot accomplished! One minor question, with the raised section on the front, have you given any thought to some sort of wind diverter or are you just going to put that big flat vertical surface into the wind and mpg be darned? It's large enough, I bet if you found a nose cone from a semi-trailer that it would fit!

[Neon Moon]

Hi Ned, and thanks! I'm getting closer I'd been asked that before (about the front cap), including the semi wind shroud, but will likely just leave it as is. I won't be on the road non-stop, and am hoping to stay a month or so at a time in one spot, longer if I like it & am somewhere it's allowed. I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'll be pushing the double-digit mark on MPG...but sometimes I'm a dreamer

Yesterday I got the ball rolling on having cushions made for the furniture (we cut the plywood backing for them today), and ordered some steel for the roof deck, and deck plate to cover the platform under the wood stove. I also ordered 4 security cameras (infra-red) which will point out each side of the bus (and double as a back-up camera), and a new in-dash stereo & speakers. UPS brought my Winegard (RS 2000) antenna today.

Today was spent on the pantry face (which is directly across from the bed) and doors, along with the wood storage doors. My sister had the idea of putting cork on the front of the pantry doors as a bulletin board. I think I may do that on the uppers, and leave the lowers the way they are. I was going to put X's in them, and paint them to resemble barn doors, but like sis's idea better.





Here is the stairwell light.....now I just need to find someone to make a stained glass window for it.



And boxed-in one of the 24" plane-jane light fixtures and cut a lens to hide it. It will get painted & trimmed-out. Oh, I still have 6'5" of height under the light.

[DAVE AND SUZANNE]

I am lovin this thread...keep the pics and info comming........looks great

DAVEF

[Barthbus]

I'd like more information about your composting toilet.

Rick

[David & Lorn...]

I'd like more information about your composting toilet.

Rick

If you go to www.skoolie.net and peruse the forum there, you will find several are using the composting toilets. There is a lot of discussion on them.

This post has been edited by David & Lorna Schinske: Apr 10 2010, 01:45 PM