Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Theres a hole in my roof, dear Liza....

27/03/2012
So, a couple of days to catch up with,  its been a busy couple.  Managed around 8 hours work on the megabus, inbetween signing on and bike riding and what not J
Yesterday went to get some more wood from Tommy.  The van is noticeably quieter even with only one part of the floor finished, which is good.  Its possible to hear the stereo, so the other pair of speakers I have can now go into the rear, rather than the cab roof as previously planned.
I also managed to get the floor almost finished.  I put a 4” wide channel near the wheel arches for cables / pipes between the sides of the van.  Shaun next door has given me some flexible conduit that will be under the floor to carry the cables safely.  I have not decided if I should put a removable lid on the channel or not.  At the moment the top layer of ply is cut to shape in one big piece, but it would be easy enough to cut a piece out for a lid.
Remaining floor being built, with the channel for routing cables and pipes etc.  Note also makers mark.
I still have to cut the celotex and make some finishing battens (spot where they should go in the photo above) but the floor is now usable.
 
Usable floor.  Shauns ladders.
I also removed an anti-drumming rib, in preparation for the window install.
Today was the roof light install.  I measured about 10 times, and decided the best place for it (a fiamma vent 40) was where the roof rib is in the picture above.  So first job was to remove that.  The dremel made short work of cutting through it, but the adhesive that is was stuck to the roof with was another matter.  Anyhow I marked out on the roof where the hole was to go, drawn on duck tape to protect the paint, and got the jigsaw to work.  Sadly snapped a blade when it hit the rib (that was still attached with adhesive).  Plan B resorted to using the dremel to finish off.
Roof mounted anti-drum rib.  Stuck.
Sky as visible through hole in roof.
As you can see in the pictures, the roof isn’t flat, so I had to build it up and fill with 10mm thick strips of wood (all cut by hand with a jigsaw, still waiting for a tenon saw)
Some Tea.  Clamps holding frame in place.  You can see some 10mm strips here (they also need to go on the outside, which no doubt will be fun to make water tight…..)
Forest of clamps…..Holding in place the frame while the sikaflex dries.

 
A hole from above.

That was it for today (the windows arrived, as did the lpg gas tank – which is huge!).  Followed this with a 25 mile bike ride J
Tomorrow is more roof lights, and starting on the windows.

2 comments:

Adrian said...

Wasn't that rib that you've removed part of the overall structural integrity ? And another question - are the side walls going to be cut in order to fit windows ?

dasnut said...

no the rib was just an anti-drumming rib, see todays post for the other question....