| Author | Message | ||
| steve gaines (Kysteve)
Registered Member Username: Kysteve Post Number: 41 Registered: 12-2006 Posted From: 74.140.165.225 Rating: N/A |
This is a burning question in my head. Im rebuilding the whole wall of the coach top to bottom front to back one piece of steel at a time. My concern is whats close enough to straight on the outside of the walls. If I close one eye and sight down the side of the bus I see small variances in the steel joints, even though I have clamped every joint with a straight edge from the roof to the floor before welding. I need to really know what the tolerance is for what will wave versus what will look perfectly straight. It looked like the factory was +- 1/4 inch. Whats perfect for a dark paint job????+-what.......thanks.......Steve | ||
| Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member Username: Bob_greenwood Post Number: 667 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.136.49.228 Rating: N/A |
there is no perfect for a dark paint job,the darker the color..the more imperfections show up...the lighter the color..lots more can slip by the diserning eye this cannot be changed, the thing that kinda works in your favor,is that it's a large piece of equipment..my bus looks good at a distance...up close & nitpicky,lots of imperfections..if you get it to look good at ten feet...that's about as good as it gets..if you are a perfectionist..you will NEVER be happy (Message edited by bob greenwood on February 11, 2007) | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 187 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 68.205.196.248 Rating: N/A |
A mile and a half, on a real rainy night, is about all I hope for....... | ||
| Len Silva (Lsilva)
Registered Member Username: Lsilva Post Number: 85 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.29.141.124 Rating: N/A |
Just design your graphics around the waves  | ||
| Bobofthenorth (Bobofthenorth)
Registered Member Username: Bobofthenorth Post Number: 148 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 142.165.58.8 Rating: N/A |
going by at 60 MPH they all look good | ||
| larry currier (Larryc)
Registered Member Username: Larryc Post Number: 24 Registered: 2-2007 Posted From: 207.200.116.13 Rating: N/A |
When you skin the sides you can place cut strips of aluminum to shim the low places. Thats how the factory does it. | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 321 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.224.204.178 Rating: N/A |
Steve if your serious about it, string the chassis, run a string from front to rear as your replace them keeping them in line. When welding the new pieces in clamp them in with longer pieces of tubing so as they don't warp or twist on you as you weld! Looking at the sides of many buses its just hard to say what is good or bad. What matters is how you feel about it. What I did was to keep them within or tried to 1/16th of an inch. No matter how much steel you replace if you have bulges that is all everyone will see or remember! I think the thickness of the metal and the temperature outside when you put the siding back on is critical! If the metal is to thin it buckles like paper. You need to decide what siding you are going to put back on! Good luck! Pat | ||
| steve gaines (Kysteve)
Registered Member Username: Kysteve Post Number: 42 Registered: 12-2006 Posted From: 74.140.165.225 Rating: N/A |
Pat, Ive had the strings up since I started, even stood em off 1 1/2 inches so as to use a spacer block to check em. Also been useing a new peice of 2x2x1/4 box clamped from the window header to the sill and on down to where the bottom of the storage bays were before they rusted off. It just seems as though no matter what that little bow of about 1/6 is coming out.I even check for weld splatter on my 2x2 before I clamp it. Im sure im just being a little anal about it. I have decided to put polished stainless steel from the top of the wheel wells down, and that is where my biggest concern is. For sure painted aluminumn from there up, probably .063. If it gets to bothering me much more I think Ill go and get a 4x10 of sheet aluminum and paint it gloss black and just pop rivet it over any area I think might give me trouble. A least then my mind will shut up about it (maybe). back to work on the bus......thanks all, Steve | ||
| steve gaines (Kysteve)
Registered Member Username: Kysteve Post Number: 43 Registered: 12-2006 Posted From: 74.140.165.225 Rating: N/A |
duh, "that little bow of about 1/6 is coming out" should read 1/16 of an inch. Went to work at 10 last night and I think its caught up with me.~~~~~~~~~zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz~~~~~~~~~~ZZZZZZZ | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Registered Member Username: Daved Post Number: 161 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 142.46.199.30 Rating: N/A |
1/16" on a surface 35+ feet long is not much, in my mind, to be concerned about. A lighter paint colour will help as well. Dave D | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 322 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.224.204.108 Rating: N/A |
Steve When I get to the point that you are I take a day or two off and think about it, usually the problem has been me, when I first started I was in a hurry to get it finished, I've since then slowed down and decided to take my time to do it the best I'm capable of, I'm sure when it comes paint time I'll find something, but heck like they say, "at 60 miles an hour on the highway no one will notice"! The worse thing about doing your own conversion is you know where every little blemish is!.....lol! Pat | ||
| Muddog16 (Muddog16)
Registered Member Username: Muddog16 Post Number: 323 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 4.224.204.108 Rating: N/A |
After thought here, heck Steve I've seen those high priced coaches have ribs showing or wrinkles, don't worry about it! | ||
| steve gaines (Kysteve)
Registered Member Username: Kysteve Post Number: 44 Registered: 12-2006 Posted From: 74.140.165.225 Rating: N/A |
I like larrys ideal about the shims, Ive allready seen some on my coach from the factory, heck that may even be what im seeing, now as Im not sure what rib it was on now that its in the scrap pile. I think worst case, Len's idea also lies in there about useing the grapnics to masked a bow or wrinkle. I here you Pat, Im just in a hurry to see the rust disapear, just wishful thinking on my behalf. I know from past experience on the rods Ive built if I dont race through the sh** I cant stand, then it boggs me down in the head, and the project suffers. Best inspiration in the world is some new paint (some where, any where). Im goin to send an air tank or something to my powdercoater tommorro, thatal doit. But all you guys, theres no words for the inspiration gathered off this web site, yall are the best!!!!!!!! | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82)
Registered Member Username: Prevost82 Post Number: 265 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 69.10.145.151 Rating: N/A |
I would run it on the road for awhile before I painted it .... let all the joints settle in. Ron | ||
| James Robinson (Jjrbus)
Registered Member Username: Jjrbus Post Number: 43 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.3.170.93 Rating: N/A |
The problem I make for myself is I'm working 6 inches, 1 foot, 2 foot from something and trying to get it purfect. Now I take a step or two back and see how it looks! Can take months off a project. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 206 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.107.42 Rating: N/A |
We're our own worst critics. Do what looks OK, and let it go... Your pals will think it's great; your non-pals will have "comments"... Call it a "work-in-progress", and have fun while you can..... |