Today was mildly frustrating in that nothing stunning was achieved but problems abounded. I couldn't do any carpentry because the 2x4 is still wet. In fact I decided to leave one piece outside until tomorrow to see if it improves any, even risking it getting warped.
Overnight I left 2 pieces of 2x2 out due to their mouldy appearance. Well, today I sanded them and they look a load better. They're definitely not treated 2x2 contrary to Home Depots claim. After putting them into the bus, I saw the 3rd piece of 2x2 from Home Depot and sanded that too. That had some nasty looking dark marks and now it doesn't!
I had a go at installing the bathroom handbasin and put in a piece of 2x2 that's the correct length and perfectly level. That's as far as it went. The next piece of wood just didn't cut right then didn't mount right so I decided to skip that for the moment.
I'd have loved to have done the cockpit door but because I have 2x4 lying uncut in the bus, there was no way I could even attempt to build my door. The wood would have stopped it swinging. I thought about making a drawer but that would have been a new learning experience that would probably be better done en masse - do all the drawers at one time.
I did get on with some metalwork. I cut off the surplus metal that had been welded to the seat back tubing. Now all that's left is some blobby welds that I'll have to reduce when I switch out the cutting wheel for a grinding wheel on my angle grinder.
Another thing I did was to install the other part of my door lock. That went pretty much OK though the door needs to be partially opened by the big door lever in order to get the lock to move. The shim I had to put behind the lock is a little too thick. Without it, the lock wouldn't work. In fact, I battled most of the day to install that lock plate. The end result is that yes, it works but I'm not 100% happy with the implementation. I am however relieved that I have two working locks on the bus that can be opened from outside. Now it'd be rather hard to be totally blocked from entry.
No pictures today. I didn't achieve anything of which I am sufficiently proud. I did, while having lunch, look at an interesting YouTube video in which a guy made an instant water heater from a pair of 110v heating elements and some aluminum tubing. There was a 12v water heater too but I didn't watch the video. It did set me thinking though about whether I could get a 3 gallon immersion heater. That should be sufficient for a good shower combined with a shower head that cuts the water off when its not actively being used.
Today the temperature rose to 105f (40.5c) inside the bus. That made working on the door lock for a couple of hours real fun. Sweat was pouring off me. Doing the bathroom sink should be easier as its right beside the door.
While I was in the area, I measured the shower area at 34 by 53. The water trough I saw in Tractor Supply yesterday for $18 looks like it'd make an excellent shower bottom. It just needs a drain to be installed. That should be easy and I'm not restricted about where to put the drain either. There isn't one so I can make it where its convenient for the bus!
Right now, its frustrating because progress is slow due to the heat. Progress is imperceptible. I know I need to buy more OSB but I'm holding off on trips due to my lack of income. As I said before, my job ended for the summer and my applications thus far haven't produced as much as an interview.
I'm hoping to get the bathroom sink base completed tomorrow. That's something I can do without using OSB though to put the sides on, I shall need some.
As far as the $40 shower base I bought. I'll just have to write that off as a bad buy and won't ever return to Bonner's Wholesale. I did look at Habitat for Humanity Restore but their stuff looked no better. I'm better off ignoring secondhand and salvage as its always wasted money. What really pisses me off is that I worked damn hard for that money that got wasted on the garbage shower base. Oh well, tomorrow's another day!
Overnight I left 2 pieces of 2x2 out due to their mouldy appearance. Well, today I sanded them and they look a load better. They're definitely not treated 2x2 contrary to Home Depots claim. After putting them into the bus, I saw the 3rd piece of 2x2 from Home Depot and sanded that too. That had some nasty looking dark marks and now it doesn't!
I had a go at installing the bathroom handbasin and put in a piece of 2x2 that's the correct length and perfectly level. That's as far as it went. The next piece of wood just didn't cut right then didn't mount right so I decided to skip that for the moment.
I'd have loved to have done the cockpit door but because I have 2x4 lying uncut in the bus, there was no way I could even attempt to build my door. The wood would have stopped it swinging. I thought about making a drawer but that would have been a new learning experience that would probably be better done en masse - do all the drawers at one time.
I did get on with some metalwork. I cut off the surplus metal that had been welded to the seat back tubing. Now all that's left is some blobby welds that I'll have to reduce when I switch out the cutting wheel for a grinding wheel on my angle grinder.
Another thing I did was to install the other part of my door lock. That went pretty much OK though the door needs to be partially opened by the big door lever in order to get the lock to move. The shim I had to put behind the lock is a little too thick. Without it, the lock wouldn't work. In fact, I battled most of the day to install that lock plate. The end result is that yes, it works but I'm not 100% happy with the implementation. I am however relieved that I have two working locks on the bus that can be opened from outside. Now it'd be rather hard to be totally blocked from entry.
No pictures today. I didn't achieve anything of which I am sufficiently proud. I did, while having lunch, look at an interesting YouTube video in which a guy made an instant water heater from a pair of 110v heating elements and some aluminum tubing. There was a 12v water heater too but I didn't watch the video. It did set me thinking though about whether I could get a 3 gallon immersion heater. That should be sufficient for a good shower combined with a shower head that cuts the water off when its not actively being used.
Today the temperature rose to 105f (40.5c) inside the bus. That made working on the door lock for a couple of hours real fun. Sweat was pouring off me. Doing the bathroom sink should be easier as its right beside the door.
While I was in the area, I measured the shower area at 34 by 53. The water trough I saw in Tractor Supply yesterday for $18 looks like it'd make an excellent shower bottom. It just needs a drain to be installed. That should be easy and I'm not restricted about where to put the drain either. There isn't one so I can make it where its convenient for the bus!
Right now, its frustrating because progress is slow due to the heat. Progress is imperceptible. I know I need to buy more OSB but I'm holding off on trips due to my lack of income. As I said before, my job ended for the summer and my applications thus far haven't produced as much as an interview.
I'm hoping to get the bathroom sink base completed tomorrow. That's something I can do without using OSB though to put the sides on, I shall need some.
As far as the $40 shower base I bought. I'll just have to write that off as a bad buy and won't ever return to Bonner's Wholesale. I did look at Habitat for Humanity Restore but their stuff looked no better. I'm better off ignoring secondhand and salvage as its always wasted money. What really pisses me off is that I worked damn hard for that money that got wasted on the garbage shower base. Oh well, tomorrow's another day!
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