Man this has been a rough couple of days...

[John316]

Well I have been working a lot on the bus. We have completely gutted it, and are doing the permanent conversion now. We also got our new 20kw EPS genset with a quiet box, which we are going to install soon.

Now for the juicy stuff...

In removing the AC, two of the bolts that held the shroud up on the under side were in the way, and corroded. I had to remove them, and then I thought, "no big deal, I will just run a little self tapping screw up, and hold the shroud up." Well you guessed it, a couple of days later a suspicious looking puddle was appearing. It turns out that I got turned around while I was under there. I ended up putting the screws into the wrong side of the bus support that was there, and put two little pretty round hole into our 200 (roughly) gallon diesel tank. To make matters worse, I had to pump about 180 gallons of fuel out of there . Man was I having a day...

I got it all taken out last night. MCI tech support said to get somebody to Heli arc it. I had a horrible time finding somebody to do that for me (oh yeah, a new tank is only 4,500 ). I finally found someone who says that they will do it. For now the fuel is sitting in big trashcans (cleaned out) next to the bus (they are covered to). I am sleeping on the bus until we get that fuel back in there!!!

But that wasn't enough of a ordeal. I was trying to loosen a bolt underneath. All of a sudden, zing, and the wrench slipped. I said that is going to hurt. I looked at my knuckles, and sure enough blood was just starting. I got out from underneath the bus, and by that time blood was literally running off of my hand. I went in, and tried to clean my filthy dirty hands a bit, and went examined the gashes. They went almost all of the way to the bone. So then it was a trip to the doctor (I am glad he was open today) to get glued back together....

Fun couple of days huh? (and its not over yet)

This is one of those times that I feel like quitting...

God bless,

John

[Dreamscape]

John, Sorry to hear of the problems you had, especially the gash in your hand. It will heal and you will dust yourself off and "Get Back On That Pony". don't let a little setback stop you. It happens to all of us, some more than others!

Paul

[Busted Knuckle]

But that wasn't enough of a ordeal. I was trying to loosen a bolt underneath. All of a sudden, zing, and the wrench slipped. I said that is going to hurt. I looked at my knuckles, and sure enough blood was just starting. I got out from underneath the bus, and by that time blood was literally running off of my hand. I went in, and tried to clean my filthy dirty hands a bit, and went examined the gashes. They went almost all of the way to the bone. So then it was a trip to the doctor (I am glad he was open today) to get glued back together....
Fun couple of days huh? (and its not over yet)
This is one of those times that I feel like quitting...
God bless,
John

John bless you pea pick'n little heart! LOL! Seriously though, now ya know where I got my nick mamed (opps I mean name)!

I came by it honestly and still have the scares to prove it! (and I still bust them regularly!)
  BK 

[Airbag]

Sorry about your bad luck. Make sure your welder takes the correct precautions when welding that fuel tank.

[zubzub]

Sounds like it's all part of the learning curve...and it keeps curving and curving.
p.s. try to wear gloves as much as you can (in case you didn't just work that one out)
p.p.s.  stepped on a nail and stuck it in my foot while doing a little demo this week, work boots were in the truck, safe and sound.....seems like I've been around this bend before.

[Van]

Hang in there pal,don't think of it as pain ,just think of it as weakness leaving your body LOL
but really ,hope it doesn't get infected,take a break ,back up and regroup,and have at it again when the hand heals enough to bend .good luck john

[akroyaleagle]

Well John,

If misery loves company I also pretty much gutted my Eagle. While refinishing the entry way steps I twisted off a screw. No problem just get the 4" grinder, grind it off, drill out the rest, enlarge the hole and install another screw.

I managed to grind into the end of my right thumb, nail and all. OUCH! Looked worse than it was. Lot of spurting and the thumb is still sore.

Doesn't help any that I am now 15 years older than the first build.

Take a day or two off and approach it with new vigor.

My way is to do something every day on the bus. Sometimes I do a little and sometimes I do a lot.

Good Luck,

[JohnEd]

John,

Run for it!  It is a plot!  Your bus and all his cohorts are try'n to get ya.

Meds?  What meds?

John

[Hartley]

No Job is Ever done correctly until you have given it a coating of blood...

I keep a bottle of superglue in the fridge just for those times.
I found that it is always handy to pick it up when on sale even
if I don't need it for anything except the first aid kit.

Band-Aide tough strips, gauze and paper tape also is handy.

A guy who used to help me on conversions used to tape his hands and fingers up
with athletic tape before working on anything...

[John316]

Thanks for all of the encouragement guys. That helped a lot . My fingers are hurting a lot tonight, but I really don't mind, except for typing...that's tough .  Anyways I know that it is just a part of getting the job done on a bus . Tonight I am sitting here hoping that I will heal quickly. I was just thinking of all of the stuff that needs to be done, and that's good medicine .

Thanks again guys. I am back out guarding the fuel tonight .

God bless.

John

[Sojourner]

Sorry about the "Ouch" ordeal...hope you be healed quickly. Welcome to the club of injuries. No human is without some kind of accident.

Caution....About the welding up the holes on the empty aluminum diesel tank....this is an invite to even bigger accident and may take someone's life and possible fire damage.

Remember...oxygen air in the tank is a no-no with little fuel left in it. However, if it filled with diesel fuel with no room for oxygen and the welding highest point of the tank....no problem.

I would suggest slow drilling till it thorough...then stop motor...before pull out of the hole...use one hand on the tank and the other hand on a drill bit to avoid static spark. Using either 1/16" (best for thin metal) or 1/8" pipe tap (taper) and with Permatex®Form-A-Gasket No. 1 Sealant or any other non petroleum soluble sealant on the threads. Never use RTV for this application.

Also to remember about any welders that say he/she can do it...must have safety procure in mind. You can gamble but it only takes one time out of many times to put into a sad event. It does happen but when.

Read this post if you will from the Miller Welding Discussion Forums about welding used diesel fuel tank:


In the late 1950's, I have done three hot soap & water rinses and filled with water next to area to be weld....BOOM...6 gallon fuel tank burst in front my face. It burned all my hair off in front half of my face & top. Never again without the proper prep procure method that eat up the fume and gas detector check by a fire chief. I have done that a many times with peace in mind.

BTW....you will get many suggestions....some are gambling but very limited few are safe ones.

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

[JohnEd]

I did the soap and water rinse ONCE and welded with no problem.  I am sure others have done this without incident as that process was recommended to me and I verified it with others.  Gerald is right: I GOT VERY LUCKY.  You MUST fill the tank with an inert/Oxygen displacing gas.  A vac cleaner hose from the ex of a running gas engine directed to the tank will make it safe.  A friend's father from long ago had a mobile bus. welding/repairing leaking in ground gasoline storage tanks.....in place, now.  His first action was to insert the ex gas hose in the tank fill orifice, start backhoe operation, grind the area around leak and then weld.  Died of heart attack long after retiring.

FWIW,

John

[Hartley]

NITROGEN Purge the tank.

Or use the MIG welder gas which is carbon dioxide and argon mix.

Just a thought...

I have had a few whoosh situations in my far past. ( Right past my head!!!)

[busshawg]

Can't be too careful, my knee is still healing from a coupel of months ago, dumb grinder , haha

[ilyafish]

John,

sorry to hear your misfortunes.  glad to know im not alone out there!  at shows kids would always say 'thats so awesome you have a bus' and i would respond back 'its definately a blessing, but satan lives in that thing'

....they didnt really get the joke haha