| Author |
Message |
Bob Munrow (205.188.208.39)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 11:31 am: | |
I am trying to build tanks according to some info i can build them out of plywood and line the with fiber glass i was thinking of building them out of 3/4 inch plywood and supporting the inside corners with a 2x2 cut on a 45 and then spraying them with rino lining. would i have to support the tanks on the outside more or would this be self supporting. also i was going to put a grey water on top of a black water. would a half mty black tank support a full grey. black about 70 gals full and grey about 105 gals full all replys welcomed Bob |
RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 12:17 pm: | |
Bob -
If you go to the Coach Conversion Central site, there's an article by George Lowry that explains how he built his tanks out of ABS plastic - much, much easier than what you're thinking of doing.
Don't have the URL for the site handy, but if you do a search using Google, it will come up, or another busnut may post it for you.
HTH,
RJ
PD4106-2784
Fresno CA |
Peter E (Sdibaja) (200.76.240.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 12:30 pm: | |
See http://www.busnut.com/artgm05.html
this method is very typical of how boat tanks (water, sewer, fuel) have been built for many, many years.
I don't know if Rino is a good choice, poly or epoxy fiberglass is simple and gives lots of strength. Probably much cheaper too.
Do plan on separate gray and black tanks, the gray can be dumped easily in an emergency, but the black needs a dump station of some sort. The gray can be used to flush and "clean" the dump hose... use separate valves and Y them together into your outlet fitting.
20 0r 30 gallons of black is very ample... if we spend a lot of time on the throne we still have 2 weeks capacity. My black is Above my gray and overflows into it if does fill up.
FWIW, Peter E |
Don KS/TX (66.82.9.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 12:49 pm: | |
RJ I never met a person that used the George Lowry article system, that had any success with it. I would want to see one that REALLY works first. Caution. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 1:03 pm: | |
Gumpy had a good writeup on how he did his out of plastic. Unfortunately I do not know the address of his web page. He is a frequent visitor to the MAC board.
Richard |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.4)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 1:32 pm: | |
I have seen the "Glass-In-Ply" articles in several locations, but have never seen one done, or heard about how well they worked.
Two Questions:
1) How do they hold up, are there any problems?
2) Are they OK for Potable Water?
Thanks for any advice you can give. |
Derek (24.66.241.23)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 2:04 pm: | |
http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Plumbing/Holding_Tank_Fabrication/holding_tank_fabrication.htm
That boy needs to learn how to shorten his page names ;) |
Peter E (Sdibaja) (200.76.240.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 2:36 pm: | |
Gary; I am not trying to sell fiberglass on plywood tanks But...
this has been done in boats since fiberglass was "invented" in the 1960's. I had a 1963 sail boat with water, sewer and fuel (diesel) tanks constructed this way. The water (potable) used the fiberglass hull as 2 walls, fuel was stand alone, the sewer was constructed by me using the hull for 1 wall. http://sdi-baja.com/seadance/Seadance.html
a boat take one heck of a lot more pounding than any Bus. try a full gale for days on end, not to mention the constant motion at the dock. never a leak or a crack, never a thought.
If I were to build new tanks I would consider the plastic tanks, but if I needed to get it done by Monday, I would do glass on wood and have Sunday to rest up.
as always, do it Your Way! Peter E |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.4)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 3:07 pm: | |
Yeah, I've seen it on boats--I now remember that I have seen Potable water in them--momentary brain fade...
I'm not sure about which takes more punishment, even though boats have much more rigorus motion, it's "Softened" by the water.
Some of the potholes that I've hit in my bus (One near the shipyards in Oakland comes to mind) just about remove your teeth.
I think I'm going to do the plywood tank, If for no other reason than I have existing materials and knowledge.
BTW: I believe Bob was talking about spraying rino on the outisde of the tank, using the tradidtional resin on the inside.
Gary |
Peter E (Sdibaja) (200.76.240.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 3:47 pm: | |
momentary brain fade...! I have been looking for a rubber stamp for two years, this morning I stood up and walked directly to in on a shelf in the garage...
"Softened" by the water? I wish I still had Sea Dance, I would take you out for a spin around the Farallon Islands, then across a corner of the Potatoe Patch on the way back... you got no idea what an offshore boat goes thru, especially in the Bay waters! FF, help me out here!
good luck on the tanks, stop by a boat yard for pointers.
Peter E |
two dogs (67.30.23.8)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 8:38 pm: | |
Bob....
I was going to refer you to the archives..I had a post in them..but can't find any for july&august..I used 55 gallon plastic barrels ,laying down...not as much capacity as you specify..but ,two people can live comfortably for a week...I'm experienced with fiberglass & I would not do it over the plywood.. |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.4)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 8:51 pm: | |
Peter,
I live here remember? (Well it's one of the places I live) What makes you think I haven't been over the Potato patch? Lee rail under...
I think the difference is the size of the boat, we have a Santana 22, we'd never head under the gate in in, but the boats I've been offshore in have been over 50' Maybe that's the difference. I'm not saying it's worse in the bus, but not significantly better--or maybe it's just that one pothole....
Stop by a boatyard? I live at Nelson's....
Gary (To often mixing boats with busses) |
FAST FRED (67.75.106.190)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 03, 2003 - 5:25 am: | |
You might consider purchasing plastic tanks from Dura Cast in Lake Wales FL.
They have many sizes , are relativly high quality , will install inlets & outlets to your plan.
Best of all they are UPS able (no big trucking bills!) in up to about 50 gal size .
Empty tanks weigh almost nothing , so its cheap!
IF you have no experience with GRP its messy and hard to do water tight corners with out experience & tricks,and special tools like "steel rollers".
]
I have built many a GRP boat and (probably over 100 drums of resin laid up) and would never consider building a tank .
FAST FRED |
Sam Sperbeck (206.230.105.248)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 03, 2003 - 10:49 am: | |
Hi Peter E,
...."since fiberglass was "invented" in the '60s"
I think you need to research when fiberglass was "invented". If I remember correctly a '54 Corvette had a fiberglass body and I know boats were built of fiberglass then so I think fiberglass has been around longer than you think.
Thanks, Sam Sperbeck
La Crescent, MN |
Don KS/TX (66.82.9.48)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 03, 2003 - 11:15 am: | |
Yep, and the 54 Corvette was simply an expansion of the 54 Kaiser Darrin idea, by Henry J Kaiser!
Got to admit, back in those days the quality of making a body was very poor, the one I had needed a complete recovering of fiberglass.. |
Al Pickersgill (207.35.152.150)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 03, 2003 - 12:18 pm: | |
Hi:
I built, installed and commissioned a ABS combined black/grey tank for my schoolie this year. I used 1/4" ABS sheet and it is quite inexpensive, less than $100. My tank was about 50 gallons and rectangular. I used an industrial plastic welding machine from work and it turned out pretty good. If I build another one I will try and buy 1/2" square rod and solvent glue it together. ABS is more brittle than poly and my tests showed gluing stronger than welding but the welding has worked well and the ABS is a snap to work with. I glued my large fittings to a square piece of ABS and then glued the piece to the tank. This strengthens the tank at a key area. I also might opt for the rubber grommet idea for the vent and sink drains.
Oh, use the black ABS solvent, makes a much neater looking job! Also if the tank leaks, as mine did in a couple of corners, easy to fix!
My tank is underslung to the rear floor behind the wheel well. A more severe service than in a bay but it has worked great. I just put a 90 on the bottom and glued the discharge valve right to it. No addition supports needed.
I also found another neat trick for gluing foam to the tank. I put some closed cell polyethylene foam through my planer to take off the smooth surface and then simply laid the foam onto a bed of solvent on the tank. The solvent seeped into the now open cells and when it hardened the foam was there for life!
Take care
Al |
mark (65.40.225.193)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 4:27 pm: | |
Has anyone here tried the 'solvent glue' method of bulding custom tanks?
I would be interrested in hearing the pro's and cons of that type of tank construction.
Thanks
mark
75 gillig |
DonTX/KS (205.187.92.131)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 6:48 pm: | |
I have not personally, but I know two people who have, with poor results. One has had them for 10 years, and simply does not use them because they leak so badly. Both are somewhat ashamed they did it. I would suggest LOOKING at a set or two that have been used a bit, and looking for leaks. |