Let the welding begin

cody · March 27, 2009, 12:08:15 PM

Yep, we sure are, I was friends with his parents back in high school long before they got married and we've been friends ever since, he'll always be a kid to us. I didn't realize how it sounded until you pointed it out but it kinda rings true for me. I'll give him credit tho, he does know how to work, the temp outside is in the teens and he has been at it all day so far and is almost done. I had to make him stop for lunch.

cody · March 27, 2009, 01:34:06 PM

The bays are ready for the welder, I called him and he said he would be here at 8AM, tomorrow morning, life is not good yet but it is certainly getting better. lol. This will be a major step in the right direction, ever since I bought the bus around 6 years ago, the bays have been on my mind and a lot of temporary work scabbed together to make them workable, I shyed away from doing anything that wasn't temporary cause I didn't want to have to tear out anything nice, but now I can do some planning and put the bays together properly so that maybe I can actually find something. lol

cody · March 28, 2009, 05:29:22 AM

Welder guy pulled in at 8AM, just like he said he would, him and his helper set up his trailer and then went to get the metal which is at his shop about 2 miles away, now that I have it all open and exposed for him to see he said he wants to add some gussets in the partition corners, he's the king of overkill lol. I'm looking for some batteries so I can take a pic or two.

Dreamscape · March 28, 2009, 06:02:45 AM

Cody, Please post some pics on a project thread on Eagles International. Some don't look over here much. We all would like to see your progress!

~Paul~

cody · March 28, 2009, 07:07:02 AM

First pictures of the project is the welders setting up and the opened bays.

Dreamscape · March 28, 2009, 07:15:56 AM

I always wondered what they looked like without anything in them!

~Paul~

cody · March 28, 2009, 07:43:44 AM

It took a week to disconnect, unhook, unscrew, unbolt and unload the bays to get them ready, it's amazing what all a person can cram in the bays.

cody · March 28, 2009, 03:25:09 PM

The welder guys have left, the job is done and I'm really pleased with the results, they had quoted me 235 for the material and 300 for the labor, the labor was figured at 60 an hour for the guy and his helper so that meant he figured 5 hours for the job, the reality was it took them 9 hours to do it, mainly because he found some problems that he didn't want to cover up without fixing first, when he came in and said they were done, I asked him what I owed him and he said 235 for the material and 300 for the labor lol, I told him that he worked far over the quote, he just it's ok lol, he wanted to make sure it was right. Like I said about him before, he prefers over kill lol. I gave them some extra for each so they can take their wives our to dinner. And I even took a couple of after pics lol. I'm pleased with the job.

cody · March 28, 2009, 03:26:32 PM

Some of the uprights need paint badly but that'll come with the metal prep thats yet to come.

JohnEd · March 28, 2009, 03:57:17 PM

Cody,

That is a sweet looking job. Price seemed excellent to me. Good on ya Bro!

Those original pieces in the pic that have some paint and some light surface rust bring OSPHO treatment to mind. That stuff is a rust converter and the converted rust is slow to start rusting again. Ospho is also a pre paint etch so you have no compatibility problems lurking.

The other thing is that it should be water rinsed the next day and all your stuff seems out in the open and rinseable. Put it on everything and even the new stuff will be more resistant. Then again, how long must this thing hang together? $:-\$

Right?

Are you going to fill the inside of the square channel with foam or is the outside completely sealed?

Again, really nice looking job.

John

cody · March 28, 2009, 04:28:38 PM

John they are completely sealed, I figure to take a wire wheel to the surface rust on the remaining metal, then steam clean it and rustproof it, where can I get the OSPHO stuff, I don't recall seeing it around here.

JackConrad · March 28, 2009, 04:41:14 PM

Quote from: cody on March 28, 2009, 04:28:38 PM
where can I get the OSPHO stuff, I don't recall seeing it around here.

Just about any hardware store, paint store or big box store. OsPho is one brand. The active ingredient is Phosphoric Acid. Jack

Kentucky Steve · March 28, 2009, 05:09:54 PM

Cody,

That looks like a top notch professional repair there buddy. Very impressive. You know me, I would recommend the Rust Bullet so then you will kill two birds with one paint can......

....Kentucky Steve........

Dreamscape · March 28, 2009, 08:53:12 PM

Wow Cody, Looking really good! The total price is also unbeatable! Now fill 'em up!

~Paul~

Jriddle · March 28, 2009, 09:22:02 PM

Looks good. Looks like it will go well with the new rosewood cabinets LOL

John