Another outside session and another needed.

It was another 94F day today but it was time to head out and work on the bus. Today the plan was to install the last two metal sheets over windows. The first was the short, 58 inch sheet. The second was the longer 88 inch sheet. The first gave hardly any problems. That went up sweetly and easily, having learned the lessons of yesterday. Once it was up, I pulled it down and pulled out my two ends of tubes of Dynatron caulk. Using the last remaining caulk from once which ended up producing a 12 inch line before it was out, the second was put in the caulk gun only to find that really had come right to the end. Nothing for it but to open the very last tube of caulk (until such a time as I go shopping again). The caulk was applied and the panel screwed back down.

Looking at the end of the panel, it didn't look square with the bodywork so the set square came out and I found that the body isn't quite square. Well, that's no biggie. It's accurate where it matters.

With the smaller panel in place, putting the bigger one in was the next issue. The new one covers three windows not just two. Just drilling the holes was a challenge as there was nowhere to lay the thing flat. It also flipped and flopped about the place lie a Viagra dependent who's been off Viagra for a few months. Eventually though it was marked out and drilled using my giant sawhorses as a stand.

Some have wondered how one person can maneuver such big sheets of metal solo. The answer for the smaller sheets is I have a 150lb magnet from Grainger that I bought a year or two back having seen some YouTube things about magnet fishing. It really came out and showed its worth. Attaching it to the bus body it was possible to rest the far end of the shorter sheets on it while fastening the near end to the bus. 

conncector

With the bigger sheet though I used the magnet on one end, I had the sheet propped up on the stepladder on the other. It wall worked reasonably well though I did get one end of the sheet about 1/4 inch higher than it should have been. It's unlikely anybody will actually notice though.

So at the end of the day both sides have panels screwed into place. All the small panels are also caulked. The big panel need caulk but will get it on the ends but not the middle for purely practical purposes. It's just too difficult to maneuver. 

The next step after testing the lights all still work and that no wires have been damaged putting panels into place will be to rivet the panels. That will require 44 broad head short steel rivets. I think I might have enough.

Inside the bus it was 95F which is hot but pretty much in keeping with outside temperatures. Idly checking outside temperatures with an infrared thermometer, the body that was in the sun was 112F and in the shade it was 86F. The white paint does seem to be working.

At this point, projects remaining to complete....

• Test the roof vent and put a shroud if it leaks.
• Fix the horn
• Rework the right wiper mount
• Complete replacement of brake lines
• Pass a wire from the battery compartment to the central house battery connector.
• Wire solar charging wires from the cockpit to the battery compartment
• A few small very minor electrical fixes

Aside from that I am thinking of an expanded or perforated metal screen over the remaining windows. It would add to security and peace of mind. Another thing is that since the bedroom is now pretty dark, I might add a third bedroom light, wired in with the one over the closet area. Needless to say I still need to caulk around the plywood patch installed. That patch hasn't gone wonderfully flat but it'll do - nobody will see it but I will caulk in order to dissuade critters.