Busy weekend

Yesterday I went back to the bus roof and spent all day clearing, priming and caulking two roof seams. It was about 100F (38C) and pretty well unbearable but it had to be done. I did have a few breaks that involved hurriedly taping over the seams when unforecast rain fell.

Really and truly I did not do much yesterday. I did find the silicone caulk that I'd put into the seams about 6 years ago was coming off easily and revealing rust. The wire brush in the angle grinder got worn out yesterday. That's the second Harbor Freight cupped wire brush I've worn out.

The silicone caulk which was clear, produced a nasty looking brown and slightly gooey dust that took a long time to sweep off the roof. While I was up there, I noticed the whole roof needed a second coat of white paint. The first had some thin patches. 

Speaking of silicone caulk. I found a tube of caulk that I'd tried to use a few weeks ago and been unable to make work. Out of curiosity I put it on the ground and ran over it with the pickup truck. The case split and it was possible to extract the silicone as a big block. I'm not entirely sure what use this is but it might work as ballistics gel.

Today I got to the roof and painted the entire roof using a roller. I did not climb on the roof today as I'd had quite enough of that yesterday. I did, however climb onto the hood to redo the paintwork around the windshield. At one point I managed to slip and was heading toward the ground. I grabbed the mirror bracket and it supported me without bending. That's a plus. I used it to swing onto the stepladder from where it was a little easier to descend but facing the wrong way with the wrong foot on the wrong side of the stepladder, it was still a bit challenging.

The end result of the day is the paintwork done today needs a second coat. I still have to do the roof vent, the lights and the reflective tape. With luck, I might manage to get it all done by the end of tomorrow, tomorrow being Memorial Day and hence a day off.

At this point, perhaps I should mention my ancestors. My great uncles were in the Territorial Army. The American edition of that would be the National Guard. They went off for their two weeks annual camp in 1914 and came back 5 years later as war broke out while they were at camp. They fought in France and survived. One came back twisted to one side from loading the shells into the guns shelling Paris.

My late aunty was an anti-aircraft gunner during the second world war and was responsible for downing Nazi planes that were trying to bomb the nearby docks or rail depot. My father was in the British army Germany in the 1950s, chasing terrorists.

Things left to do on the bus...

• The roof vent
• Finish the painting (not much left)
• Change lights where needed.
• Clean the glass of paint dribbles
• Fix the tilt on the right windscreen wiper.
• New tyres all around.
• Reflective tape all around.
• Put the new flame shield over the second battery and install the second battery.
• A little interior wiring
• Remove the back door buzzer.
• Cladding over the unused windows and the windows I've already put aluminium plate over on the inside. 

I might put some text on the back of the bus again saying something along the lines of "Keep back 300 feet". I'm also toying with the idea of something on the sides to the effect "Lincoln Asylum for the Criminally Insane".