| Author | Message | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
A local RV repair shop will have some fiberglass sheeting left over from a major job. Enough to cover the 7 windows I want to cover.. It's really thin stuff, but he says it's the same as what's used on the $450k Motorhomes. I didn't get the price yet, since he's trying to work it out with what he's doing, but he says it'll be "cheap". I can buy 1/16" white aluminum sheets 8x10 for $130 each. I can also order it 8x20 (I need two 3x20; one for each side), but the shipping will cost some extra bucks. Ok..... I'd like to know what you guys that have done it, used. And.... What did you do to reinforce the window opening in the middle of each.. I've been considering installing a beam: An "L" beam welded or screwed to the window frame, or 2x2 aluminum square screen room posts, screw fastened to the frame. I also considered sealing the opening with plywood and styrofoam cut to fit each window opening (ply outside, foam and paneling inside). Whatever I use to close the window and reinforce the opening will be supporting either the fiberglass or sheet aluminum outside. I wanted to get this done this week or next...... I need some insight.. | ||
| Jtng Rating: N/A |
WHOOPS That aluminum was 4' not 8'! | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
Rating: N/A |
I will tell you what I did...and for the timid people,feel free to tell us how you did it Frank and Akrum... I had a sheet metal shop cut the exact size I wanted for each indivual window& I pop rivited them to the tube framework at 4" spaceing | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A |
I cut plywood to fit my openings tne put .032 aluminum over whole side in window section with 1/8 inch styrofoam under it | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
I will opt for the Aluminum Sheet, I'll dimple it to permit flush riveting. There's heating techniques used to "stretch" the aluminum to attempt to preload and avoid "wrinkling" in hotter climes. This just tends to stress the rivets in shear and will eventually loosen. The dimpling would avoid that but I'm not sure I'll go to the effort. Dimpling complicates the pre-heating issues. Fred Hobe uses something like 1/2" tubing to diagonal the windows (check his site). This allows better insulation performance when you spray foam. Consider the sidewall and the expected flexion to put the diagonals in tension rather than compression when you install it/them in the (former) window frame. | ||
| Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A |
Galey's tome recommends thin steel over alum. or fiberglass. IIRC, it was less expansive (than alum.) and has higher tensile strength then either. I'm sure that they're all fine choices with pros and cons for each. Gumpy's site has something altogether different. "Alucobond" composite alum/ plastic. Hmm... Sooo many choices... makes me glad mine's already skinned (I'm such a freaking wuss). BB | ||
| Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A |
It was suggested to me by the local aircraft shop to use T6 aluminum. It is not much more expensive, very strong, easy to drill, hard to bend. | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
Well.... the general consensus being "do it with aluminum", I've decided to go aluminum. That "T-6" will have to be looked into and I'll call a supplier tomorrow. If that fails, I'll likely go with the 1/16 "white" aluminum sheet 32"x 20'. I sat and looked at the sample piece of fiberglass sheet that the RV shop handed me. I just can't stand the thought of putting that up. It's so easy to break apart or stick a pencil through, that I just wouldn't be comfortable using it. I had a tree twig go through the side of our RV when the branch broke, and there are thousands of stories why we shouldn't park a fiberglass RV under a tree on a windy day... Aluminum seems the better route. | ||
| Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A |
You will need to paint T6 very soon after installation. It will corrode quicker than soft aluminum. It does not form a protective aluminum oxide coat. No problem if you go ahead and prime it. Aircraft use Zinc Chromate paint on the inside, unseen side of the aluminum. There is an Al-Clad version of T6 with a coating of soft aluminum on the outside to form the protective aluminum oxide coating but it just costs more if you are going to paint anyway. | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
I spoke with the owner of a local sheet metal shop and he said that he wasn't familiar with "T6", since his work never called for it. But he did show me some 1/16" white aluminum sheets (same as another shop showed me), that he says should do fine for the application. His logic was about the same as mine... and an RV shop... and the other sheet metal guy... Any decent gauge of sheet metal is stronger than glass. And by adding a support beam of any type to cut the open window frame in half, it'll certainly be stronger than a glass window (but I'm still trying to locate someone local that knows about T6). I'll be taking off the trim pieces this weekend (I hope) and decide if I want to order a 20' sheet or do it with the readily available 10' sheets. I hate seams.. | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
Rating: N/A |
yeah.... but...you will need 6 or 8 people to hold in place...to keep from buckeling & puckering & warping...good luck tho | ||
| Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A |
So your bus has no seams? Line up the seams with the panelling seams on the bus. I was looking at T6 for a 4905 where the skin is part of the structure and also because it is less likely to wrinkle and bow. I would use it on a GM. I don't remember what you have. | ||
| Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A |
Buy from a shop that can shear the aluminum to the size you want. The shop I had been working with could sheer 12' material. Also, the shop may need to bend the top of the cut panel if it has to go under the roof. The point is: buy from a shop that can do everything you need done on the size panels you will use. The shop I went to was a fabricator. He made aluminum boxes. | ||
| niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Rating: N/A |
JTNG - yup - any aluminum fabricator should have roll stock that they can cut to any length - Is there an Ashley Aluminum by you? if you have problems getting it I can put you in touch w/ my friend At BSM fabrication in Tampa - he's all over the state most of the time and could possibly drop it off - I have heard of all types of installs - most notably the use of come-along and heat - best job seen was Pat Mcneil's and he said he used two forklifts and a lot of heat to keep his straight - Good luck - Niles | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
Sitting and thinking about working with a 20' piece of aluminum is different than doing it.. I figured it's "only 32" high"... whazza fuss? But in reality, it's not easy... And stretching it, heating it, etc... Not bad if you have help, but I'm doing this alone... I'll try to pull the window side trim off tomorrow and see what the seams under them look like. Doing one at a time might be OK after it's all painted. Just as long as the shrinking doesn't expose the unpainted areas.. The MC9 is stainless steel below the flat area (under the windows). The window frame and metal under and around them, is aluminum. These are old pictures and I've taken out much more since these were posted: http://www.dialup4less.com/~aabn/ This is (somewhat) how I'd like it to look: http://www.dialup4less.com/~aabn/bus2.jpg Thanks for all the input, guys. | ||
| ChuckMC9 (Chucks)
Rating: N/A |
Well you have a good start with the stainless already being polished. Good to see your bus finally! You really did get the rr out, huh? | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
Rating: N/A |
that's a clean bus | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
Chuck- The RR holding tank has to be removed. The Welch AC evaporator and fan is on the side door, so it's going to take a bit more effort to get it out.. Destination sign, etc, came out last week. New windshield is now required, since some idiot bumped a crowbar into it while prying away the plastic.. TD- Thanks! (it's still not the Eagle I really wanted). | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
Rating: N/A |
I love my Eagle...everybody seems to think they need to use the word 'rust' whenever they talk to me..but..I will be dead before there is a structural failure.. the upper windshields realy turn me on for some reason..  | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
Rating: N/A |
I did each window individualy..had an ironworker helping me & used 16 ga. & one piece 36"x53" was a bunch for two people to handel & keep straight, used s/s pop rivets..1/8" & (6) 9/64 drill bits...took 8 hours with NO coffee breaks..for 6 windows... also used harbor freight air pop rivet gun..(worth it's weight in gold) |