I need to do welding on my bus to add an additional roof A/C unit. Does anyone have any recommendations for welding blankets to keep from burning up the bus? The original welding was done when the bus was a stripped shell and I didn't care if a few sparks fell on the floor.
Harbor Freight has cheap welding blankets, but the warnings on the web site are kinda scaring me off. It sounds like they are not heavy duty at all.
Belfert, you can more for your money by buying a furnace curtain same thing and I have seen a lot of rv repair guys using heavy duty aluminum foil
good luck
Brain, interesting question. I did the exact same thing a few years back and I can't remember exactly what I did. My recollection was that I put a piece of plywood under the opening and then used some old blankets that were soaked with water. I did the welding from the roof, so I could put the plywood directly under the opening.
Not matter what you use, be sure to have a spotter standing by with a good extinguisher. As you know, I hate dry powder extinguishers and in this case the would not be all that effective. Best would be a 2.5 gallon water type extinguisher with a foam or surfactant additive. Second best would be the same unit with just water. If you don't have a water extinguisher, you should be able to find one at a garage sale or perhaps one of the vendors that advertise in BCM ::).
My real reason for writing is to remind you to unhook the engine ECM. I also unhook the inverter. Of course, you want to keep the ground very close to the welding, making sure the where you are clamped is not isolated from the parts being welded.
Will be interesting to see what others recommend.
Jim
Look at Auto Zone they have a metal oil drip pan that is 25" x 36" " http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Blitz-3-4-x-25-x-36-in-galvanized-drip-tray/_/N-25yj?counter=6&filterByKeyWord=oil+pan&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=475418_0_0_ (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Blitz-3-4-x-25-x-36-in-galvanized-drip-tray/_/N-25yj?counter=6&filterByKeyWord=oil+pan&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=475418_0_0_) " Just have some one or a 2x4 hold it up around your opening where you are welding.
I use the sound proofing / fire insulation sheet taken from the underside of a car bonnet (hood). It actually came from my Cadillac so is pretty large. It's a compressed fibreglass insulation material with a felt-like skin - stiff enough to be stood up against a wall, but can be bent to fit a shape if required. It cost nothing and seems ideal for the purpose.
Jeremy
If you welding with wire and gas shouldn't be a problem anyway
good luck
I already had a fire in the bus from welding two years ago and it cost me $750 to replace everything that burned up. That is why I want to get welding blankets or something this time.
And yes, I will disconnect the ECM, Vanner, and everything else that could be damaged.
bolt it in ------ Didn't realize till later when I re read I meant frame support or roof strength supplement in that area. sorry.
Of course the air conditioner will be bolted on, but it still needs a 14"x14" hole framed in to support it.
Bob is talking bolting the frame in you see it done all the time even with 2x4's lol
or 1 1/2 angle or tubeing bolted to roof structure
Bob, I think I understand what you are saying.
The issue, if the Dina is like the Eagle, is that he has the cut the center stringer. I know that I wanted to weld the framework to that stinger to make sure it did not deflect from the weight of the AC bouncing down the road.
Jim
There really is no center stringer in a Dina. All of the roof cross pieces are really light stamped steel. They used the same metal in the center as all along the roof. Dina uses a truss design on the sides so the roof isn't load bearing.
I would think the roof might flex a bit too much just bolting instead of welding. I'll have to ponder it a bit. I won't get out to the bus tonight as it is 100 degrees today, but probably tomorrow.
Quote from: belfert
I won't get out to the bus tonight as it is 100 degrees today, but probably tomorrow.
OH NO YOU DON'T!
As much time as you spent inside this winter and spring because it was TOO COLD to go out and work on the bus!
Get yer butt out there and sweat a little MR! ;D
;) BK ;)
Brian. you prob weight about same as ac unit(couple hundred lbs) if that will give you a Ideal of deflection in the area you would like to mount it. Again sorry for the unclear bolt it response earlier. The factory prevost I'm rebuilding now just had 2 ea 1 inch tubes span between center two length way roof members to support roof airs. rest of framing for ducting was plywood. I removed all because I'm going with a totally differant hvac system. Bob
Quote from: Busted Knuckle on June 07, 2011, 01:03:41 PM
Quote from: belfert
I won't get out to the bus tonight as it is 100 degrees today, but probably tomorrow.
OH NO YOU DON'T!
As much time as you spent inside this winter and spring because it was TOO COLD to go out and work on the bus!
Get yer butt out there and sweat a little MR! ;D
I just got back at noon yesterday from spending 6 days at a Scout camp doing volunteer construction work. I got there last Tuesday around 1:30 pm. From Wednesday through Sunday there wasn't a day I didn't work at least 10 hours and a few 12 hour days.
I'm still too tired to work outdoors in 100 degree heat right now. I should be recovered by tomorrow and it is supposed to be 80 degrees tomorrow.
At camp it was only 43 degrees in the morning last Wednesday. I had to run the heat in the cabin I was staying in. It was in the low 80s one day so there was a 40 degree temperature swing during my stay. It was nice weather other than about 4 hours of really high humidity on Friday. I was shocked on the drive home Monday morning when they said it was supposed to be 93 degrees at home and it actually hit 97 degrees for a new record.
Roof tops don't weigh much around 100 lbs the weight spread over the area is not much per sq in 2x2 wood framing on most travel trailers
good luck
My main concern is I want to have the framing tied into the rest of the bus. That 2x2 frame in a travel trailer is tied to the rest of the roof system.
I can get the welding done easily enough. I just don't want sparks to burn any holes in the couch or seats when I do this.
The moron who started converting my MC5, cut through the center beam (stringer) to put up roof airs. They also filled around the hole with wood. It hasnt hurt anything, yet.
The roof airs will be replaced with crank out vents/fantastics, so im not going to fill the holes and move the openings, nor am I going to replace the beam.
My thoughts are to build a tube steel insert and rivet it into the hole, then weld or rivet it to the ends of the cut beam.
If I were welding in a finished conversion, I would want to cover everything in the immediate area as welds can spatter, even good wire feeds with gas, and the stuff can bounce and riccochet, and travel quite a distance. If you cover stuff with heavy cardboard you can cover the cardboard with wet blankets, and someone with a spray bottle can douse any that get through. Hang the welding blanket under the hole like a cylinder, so everything should hit it and fall to the floor, rather than laying on the blanket. Wet blankets on the floor should catch everything.