We have rivits !!

[travelingfools]

We completed the siding project yesterday. Had my Brother and a buddy over and got both sides done in about 12 hours. We had cut and fitted the pieses before, so it was mostly laying out the rivit lines, prepping surfaces and heating/riviting. A few lessons learned. First, invest in GOOD drill bits. I had two good ones and a bunch of cheap ones, all new. The cheap ones weren't worth the packaging they came in. On my next bus Ill have lots of good bits ready before I side. Second, the heating thing worked good as far as I can tell. The bus has been sitting in the sun for a few hours today and the new skin is to hot to hold my hand on. Its all nice and flat so far. And the third thing I learned was to always wear gloves whenever you are within 10 feet of any Sikiflex (lol). If that stuff holds the panels half as good as it stuck to my hands, Ill be thrilled ! Heading out to change a front axle seal now, then we'll start to get ready for our first bus trip this season. We will be heading to Utica NY for my wifes family reunuion. Its about three hours down the thruway each way and we will be camping at a family farm. I cant wait to go buy diesel and head out !!

[Dreamscape]

Way Cool! I'll bet you can't wait to smell the fumes and hear that DD roar to life!

Be safe and enjoy!

Paul

[MattC]

Doing those obvious and large changes made my she-who-must-be-obeyed happy.  All those nit-noid small pains in the arse (wiring/preping) are what seems to indicate I'm goofing off.  LOL

Re Sikaflex...   Sikaflex also has the innate ability to detect clothes that don't have stains and will generate a non-cured area for you to find with your new shirt etc.  It is insidious stuff!  My mistake was using some 221 in a couple places I shouldn't have, now removing it is proving to be quite a challange. 

Congrats on the progress.  =)

[JackConrad]

My mistake was using some 221 in a couple places I shouldn't have, now removing it is proving to be quite a challange. 
Congrats on the progress.  =)

I have heard that the easiest way to remove a panel that was attached with SikaFlex is to start at a corner pulling on the panel with a pair of visegrips while applying heat at the point of separation with a heatgun.  Jack

[MattC]

I have heard that the easiest way to remove a panel that was attached with SikaFlex is to start at a corner pulling on the panel with a pair of visegrips while applying heat at the point of separation with a heatgun.  Jack

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but Thanks Jack!  

I'm guessing it's Vicegrips, Heatgun and a Come-along.   That stuff is tough!