The last couple of days I’ve gotten a few things done on the bus. The big one is the insulation. I had finally decided that maybe I would go with the spray foam insulation. I ended up getting two quotes out of the six companies I contacted. Both were for $800 and both sounded completely uninterested in doing the job. I eventually decided not to do it, and instead went with foil faced foam insulation.
Later on, when I was looking closer at the walls of the bus I realized that the spray foam would have been a mistake. The shell of the bus is fiberglass. It’s two big pieces joined around a steel frame at the top. The shell is attached to frame by fiberglass strips that run from the body, over the steel framing, and back to the body. Well, that leaves long sections that are just sort of loosely laying up against the frame, or even laying half an inch off of the steel frame. If these areas had been sprayed with spray foam they would have totally bowed out the fiberglass body when the foam expanded between the frame and the body. It would have looked like a wave on the outside.
So like I said, I cut out pieces of foam insulation and used small wedges to keep them in place between the steel of the frame. I then used Great Stuff expanding foam in the small gaps I left between the frame and the foam. This foam then expanded and cured leaving the foam insulation nice and tight—air tight. Afterwards I’d go through and cut off the excess. It looks a little messy, but it works well as the poor man’s spray foam insulation. So while I did use some expanding foam insulation, I didn’t spray it between the body and the frame.
All of this was done after doing a lot of wiring work.
Phew, is that enough about insulation?
Today I felt like doing something that I could see the results of right away—paint. Not fancy paint, just the inside of a closet paint. Something to brighten up the closet when we looked in. It was a dark gray, which even with the doors removed left me straining to see inside. I slapped on two coats and stood back to admire my handy work. It still needs a third.
There has been a lot of little things to work on as well. Mainly wiring stuff. Stuff which would probably take an electrician an hour in total to do, but takes me considerably longer. Have I mentioned that I hate electricity. Twice I thought I had the right breaker thrown off only to send sparks flying when accidentally hitting a live wire on the steel frame. You know what they say, “What doesn’t kill us, only makes us try again.” Or something like that.
Actually, the before doing it a third time I disconnected all power to the bus. I do learn my lessons eventually. So far I’ve learned all of them before killing myself—which is nice.
The big fun stuff is coming up soon. I’ve got to get the rear window back in, as well as the huge plastic shell that makes up the back bedroom walls and ceiling. Then I can start to move on to ceiling, walls, and floor.
I’ve got a new breaker panel to clean up the rats nest of wires in the dashboard. I’ve got solar panels, an inverter, and a new shore power cord to wire up. I need to buy batteries for the house bank and starter. And I’m sure lots more, but somehow this project list doesn’t seem so out of hand any more. I feel like I’ve got things under control.
Oh, and this is how I keep warm now. I finally broke down and spent a hundred dollars. Ten minutes and the bus is up over sixty. Ten minutes later it’s thirty again.
Ouest had an evaluation at her swim class the other day and was put in the middle of the five-to seven-year-old group—she just turned four. I’m quite proud of her.
A couple of days later we all went to open swimming. Lowe went absolutely bananas. He hasn’t been in the water for a while now, unfortunately, but he made up for that quickly. I can’t remember the last time I saw him so happy. He still doesn’t care one bit that after he dives in the water his kicks and paddles can’t propel his head back out of the water. He just happily goes through the swimming motions underwater until we pull him up smiling ear to ear.
While I’ve been at the bus Ali has been entertaining these two, and quite frankly, I’m not sure how. She would probably say, “Thank-you library.”
16 Comments on “Insulate”
In case you haven’t found it yet, you might be interested in using McMaster-Carr
Most engineers know this supply company quite well. You can get anything you need and they will deliver to your home.
You’ll find the self priming high solids grey epoxy paint very worth while. http://www.mcmaster.com/#epoxy-paint/=qjkl8k
A great pool to take the kids to would be the Maplewood Community Center. The water is warmer than most other indoor public pools, they have that zero depth beach thing and water squirting all over, and the best is a water slide. The major bonus is they let parents take their kids down the slide! (most pools do not allow this) When my youngest boy couldn’t swim yet, he still loved the slide and begged me to take him up again as soon as his head came back up above the water.
RV show this week-end at the MPLS convention center. Kids 5 and under are FREE. Let the kids crawl through other peoples RV’s. Maybe a distraction for a few hours with the kids.
Pat
Loew’s and Home Depot have building workshops free for kids. I know Home Depots is the 1st Saturday of every month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Bd4YzrqWsY0
This web site has 50 free or cheap things to do with kids for Ali.
http://innerchildfun.com/2013/05/101-free-things-to-do-with-kids-this-summer.html
This web site has 100 things to do with kids.
Obviously the outside stuff would have to be done inside. We have 115+ degree summers here in Phoenix, so I feel for her!
Courtney and Matt
Hey Pat
I think I saw a Camper similar to the one you are working on , on a Super Bowl commercial. Did you see it? It was turquoise and old school.
Sorry I can’t remember which commercial. Too many Busch Lights ago.
Take Care
Jason Hawkins
London KY.
I haven’t watched three hours worth of tv in the past year, Super Bowl included. But if there was a Travco I want to see it. 🙂
No vapor barrier?
The research I did led me to the US Department of Energy which stated that in cold climates the vapor barrier should be located on the interior side of walls, in moderate climates the vapor barrier should be eliminated, and in hot and humid climates the vapor barrier should be located on the outside of the walls. I’m sure we’ll experience all sorts of extremes in weather, but for the most part I like to think that we’ll keep ourselves in moderate climates. Maybe hot, but not too humid. Hey, it’s an RV, it’s our choice where to go. 🙂
We didn’t have any vapor barrier in the VW bus either and only occasionally did we have condensation inside when we woke in the morning. And that was one tiny metal skinned space. I don’t expect too many issues with this big airy fiberglass bus.
I had understood the problem was when warm, humid air came in contact with a cold surface, condensing on the cold surface. So you wanted the vapor barrier on the warm side, so that the cold side became warmest at the vapor barrier. If the vapor barrier was on the cold side, the humidity would still migrate through and condense in the insulation or at the barrier.
So I think the DOE advice is based on whether you are heating a closed space (warm in winter, with the windows closed) or refrigerating a closed space (cool in summer, with the windows closed), or in the band between where the temperature differential isn’t that great (or you open the windows). (If the windows are open, enough so, the humidity would be the same on both sides.) I suspect the four of you are more likely to have the windows open than heating and steaming up a closed space, and certainly more than closing the windows in the summer and reinstalling the A/C that you kept hitting your head on. That suggests a barrier on the inside, if at all.
Which seems to be contrary to most of the RV writings. Seems like trusting your experience makes sense, 2 adults in a VW traveling they way you did, vs. 2A/2C in a big airy bus traveling the way you will.
I have been a reader for many years and only commented one other time (I think) – when Ouest was wearing multiple necklaces and it reminded me of my (now) 23 year old daughter when she was a girl of similar age. What a fond memory! Anyway – I am excited to see you tackle this new adventure! And saw a post on remodelista of airstream trailers, and it made me think of you. While you may not dig all the finishes, I hope that it might help you when you might get stuck to push you over any frustrating humps (which you tend to do well!). Best!
http://www.remodelista.com/posts/10-favorites-airstream-trailers-for-living-small
Thanks Amy. I can’t tell you how many times in the last few years we looked at Airstreams. We were very very close to buying one just before we bought the boat. I actually bid on a vehicle to tow it with (a Jeep Wagoneer with that sweet wood paneling on the outside) on eBay, but was beat out. Funny how that one little thing could send us down a completely different track.
Bro, you are so deep in that project that it even scares me! Keep rockin it. The road awaits. See you guys soon.
Fear not my man, we’ll be on the road before you climb down off of that rock. 🙂
Keep up the good work. Progress can be so satisfying. Hopefully it will all come together soon. You obviously have the necessary skills and determination to make this project work.
Completely off topic, but knowing your sailing roots, we were camped in Boca de Iquanas, in Bahia Tenacatita, and saw an unusual looking catamaran, at least unusual looking to me. Each “pontoon” had its own mast and sail. Sort of like a giant hobi-cat, with cabins in each “pontoon”. Please forgive any of my mis-use of the correct words.
http://travcotravels.com/wp-content/gallery/boca-beach-2/dsc03352.jpg
I think Ouest needs a crown and a whip to keep her servant Lowe in line while mowing the snow.
I am super interested in how you insulated. We have a ’72 270 that is currently mostly gutted. The mice made many nests in the walls and chewed a lot of the original sprayed in insulation. I like your idea of the panels with the spray foam as a gap filler. I am thinking this may work for us too…after we figure out our rat’s nest of wiring. Thanks 🙂