Skin for the bus

[DuaneMC7]

Hi All

I need to start gathering materials to re-skin the bus. I was wondering what size aluminum to buy. I was thinking .065 mostly because this is what came off the bus and I have my eye on a slip roll that can handle that size. Any thing with a larger capacity is way too expensive. So let me know your thoughts on this, any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Duane

[jjrbus]

 On my MCI I belive the skin is .063. While it is posible to reskin with .063 it is much eaiser to work with a thicker material. While heating the .063 to stretch it nice and tight, it likes to bubble out or in, it also takes some talent to rivet without distorting. Doable, yes. But for a neophyte thicker is eaiser.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Duane,

What do you need a slip roller for on your bus?  Are you reskinning your roof too?

I used .080 aluminum on all the sides because .080 is more stable as jjr has stated.

It will also give you a bit more time when you heat it for hanging it to your bus.

Give a shout if you need more direction.

Nick-

[DuaneMC7]

Hi Nick

The slip roll will be for the rear corners. I know most would use the rear kit from R&M but in my case I am re-framing the rear of the bus for an M-11 and a single side mount radiator. Also I should mention it is my intention to glue the skin on instead of using rivets. So has any one used glue and 16ga aluminum to re-skin there bus? Even if you haven't, I would like as much input as I can get before I start spending my money on this approach.

Thanks, Duane 

[Jeremy]

On the gluing issue, I suspect there are 'mastic' type glues (Sikaflex and similar) that are most suitable for your particular application. I myself have bonded aluminium sucessfully using epoxies on boat masts where the contact areas are very small and loadings very high (and absolutetly no movement in the joint is acceptable). The trick with this type of bonding is to glue to the aluminium itself, not the aluminium oxide on it's surface - the (very messy) technique for achieving this is to sand the oxide off using abrasive paper that has been smeared in epoxy - the epoxy is thus worked directly into the fresh aluminium surface as the oxide is removed, which results in excellent adhesion. Using this technique very highly stressed and lightweight sailing rigs can be built, often combining for instance carbon fibre and aluminium in one homogenous structure.

I'm not suggesting this approach to bonding is applicable to you, just illustrating what can be acheived before everyone chimes in and questions your sanity for not using rivets

Jeremy

[jjrbus]

What kind of bus are you doing?  What will you do where the roof meets the walls?The MCIs I have seen the rivets are removed, skin is put under roof and then reriveted. You can use heaveier skin and pay to have it formed for rear. Or do the rear only with lighter material.  HTH

[DuaneMC7]

Hi jjrbus

It is an MC7 and yes I will be installing the sides under the roof skin so it will get rivets there. The big question is will 16ga work or should I go for something more like .080 as Nick suggested?

Thanks, Duane

[jjrbus]

 I tried the .063 aluminum, it was too hard to work with. But I am not a metalworker, riveter ect. Other people have used it succesfully.  I changed to  "galvaneal"  galvanized steel like they use for car bodies.

[DuaneMC7]

   These are great responses thanks guys. This is what I am looking for. I would still like a few more personal experiences if I could. The more info the better.

Thanks, Duane

[Brian Diehl]

Duane, I used the .080 T6 aluminum and found it easy to work with.  I'm happy I used it and have no regrets. You can see details on my website -- follow the link to my profile.

[mikeH8H-649]

Duane,I used .063 on mine when I raised the roof 10 inches and wish I had used .080 because of the wrinkles but it is done so I will live with it,If I do another one I will defintly use the .080 as it would be easier to work with    Mike

[DuaneMC7]

Thanks Mike,

Every one seems to be leaning that way.
This is the info I was looking for.

Thanks every one.

[dooneb4]

hey Duane
I spent a few years fixing a product called alucubond an aliminium composite panel
we used high end 3M double sided tape to hold the panel while the glue is going off. and a transport grade  non carbon sikaflex
make sure it doesnt contain carbon other wise it conducts electricity and you get
electrolisis
i have just sheet my rig in 2mm ali with this method, make shure you line the sheet up properly becuse you dont get a second chance once the tape bonds you have to destroy the sheet to get it off
keep on bussing Doone

[dooneb4]

duane
i forgot to say that you have to sand the back of your sheet to create a key and
then use a 3M spay degreaser to get the mill oil  and hand grease off the sheet
once youve done this it sticks like s***t to a blanket
bus on Doone

[belfert]

I riveted alucubond oover all my windows on my bus.  The total cost for the product was around $300 including cutting to the size and such.  I had to use a seperate panel for each window, but shouldn't be noticeable after paint.  With the Alucubond you don't have to worry about oil canning and all that.

I considered .080 aluminum sheets, but they were $180 each to cover either two or three windows and I have seven windows on each side.

Brian