Need opinion...is there a need out there for cabinetmaking skills?

[cody]

Jim, I'm not sure I understand it myself lol, I built some cabinets for a friend that is a heating and cooling guy and while I was putting my dinette together he was tinkering with the temp sensing system, it was his brainstorm lol.  The way he described it to me was it is a thermostat hooked up to a relay, when the temp increases, it trips the relay that activates a squirrel cage type blower that exhausts air thru vents above the refigerator, there is also an intake vent on the bottom back on the side for air flow, so far the air flow is enough to provide cooling, I've only seen the blower kick in once.  I'm sure nick could explain it much better than me, thats his area of expertise.  I'm a sawdust kind of guy, heating and cooling is pretty much a mystery to me.

[NJT5047]

Phil, I've got a building...but it's near Charlotte, NC.  Been thinking about another one too.  I'd like to have a building with a pit.   Working on a bus without a pit is tedious. 
I got something else too... I have a "practice" bus that you can use as a sample.   Free.  No charge at all.   I'll be happy to show your work all around.   
Looking at Cody's pix (and almost everyone elses interior?!  Ace, Jack's, JJRs and Nick's buses comes to mind) reinforces the fact that Lowes finest don't cut it.  Well, their finest might look nice.  Their cheapest doesn't. 
You're gonna find that the overhead near the big cities is too expensive.  Come'on down!  You'll like the area.  Halfway between the north and the South.
We've been thinking about a 102" bus.  If it wasn't for all the woodwork!  Wonder if that 102C3 with the S60 that's listed in BC Mag has sold yet?  Buses are definitely getting less expensive.   I be shopping!   
What might one expect to pay for just the cabinet work on a nice conversion? 
JR








     

[cody]

To get back to the original poster, Phil, as you can see there is a demand for skills of all sorts here on the board, often buses are owned by busnuts that are very mechanically inclined, while these people can overhaul a detroit in their sleep not all would trust their cabinetry skills to the level of scrutiny that comes while showing off the works of art we're all trying to create.  In my opinion the key to making it work would be to closely work with the individual and to make sure the bus reflects their personality and the vision of what they are trying to create.  As you know, nothing is standard in a bus and each one has it's own level of complexity, these buses are like family members and a level of craftmanship is expected, anyone that can deliver that level is going to be a very busy person, making a living doing it may be another thing but the work is certainly out there for the right person.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

What might one expect to pay for just the cabinet work on a nice conversion? 
JR

One Million Dollars...

Nick-

[Stan]

The question was about cabinet work - NOT AIR CONDITIONING

[NJT5047]

What might one expect to pay for just the cabinet work on a nice conversion? 
JR

One Million Dollars...

Nick-

Now I remember why Lowe's Cheap Chic appealed to me.   
JR

[H3Jim]

From the picture below of Cody's cabinets, Wow! he won't be caught short on electrical outlets.  That a whole row of them above the coutner top!

[cody]

I'm just not a big fan of extension cords, lol, I've got 14 outlets in just the living room and kitchen area.  The advantage is we can move things like a small fan around if we need too, or the toaster can sit anywhere on the counter top and still reach an outlet.  My wife says I overkill everything I do, I'm not quite sure what she is talking about tho lol. She might be talking about the french polish finish on my oak tool box, I'm not sure, she means well but she just doesn't understand that I have no life lol and too much time on my hands.  She even got upset when I put a new finish on an oak toilet seat she bought, it just didn't look the way I wanted it to, difficult to please them sometimes I guess.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

The question was about cabinet work - NOT AIR CONDITIONING

I Know.. but, it looks like a million Bucks. Why not call it that.

All right,    100 Million Dollars
Nick-

[skipn]

Cody,

   "new finish on an oak toilet seat she bought"

   Just don't try one of my old tricks 

I went through a phase where I used Armour All on all the high gloss wood finishes...
One spur of the moment great idea I had was to use Armour All on the wood floors.

Turned out a real problem (for me) Maria came home took her shoes off and in her
nylon stocking tried to walk across the floor.  Needless to say down she went
and slid into the kitchen.   2 solid days stripping the floor and re waxing with
an appropriate floor wax. 


   Skip

[cody]

"Slid into the kitchen", yep I could see where that could cause a problem for sure lol. I suppose it would have been a bad thing to ask her to make you a sandwich while she was in there?  That would be the suicidal thought for the day lol.

[skipn]

The only thing that saved me was I had tennis shoes on and she couldn't
get enough traction to chase me. We can laugh about it now but she
had a very big bruise

  Since then I stain, Murphy soap, and tree wax no more getting inventive.
  So when it came time to pick out a flooring for the bus.....NO hardwood.

   To bad I can get a real polished shine look
   
    Skip

[JohnEd]

Cody,

Have you put up pics of your interior to date?  I would REALLY like to see more of the work you have done.  Is that real parket flooring?

You will have a real show stopper when done or is it done? 

Thanks,

John

[cody]

John, I haven't posted new pics for a while, I've been kind of busy enjoying the florida sunshine. The work has been going slowly on the bus, I'm really in no hurry, just puttering as I get time and the material.  I've done a few things mainly to help with organizing and to keep peace on the homefront mainly, I did up a plant shelf with a galley rail over the couch to hold some decanters and libby's chiming clock and made a 110 inch cabinet over the windows on the other side of the living room.  Last few days I've been puttering around in the bathroom, I got a tub/shower from Bontragers and have been framing it in and pretty much trying to figure out what I want to do in there, I ordered a gold faucet set and shower head from them and am waiting for it to come in, I'd kinda like to do something different in there but haven't decided which route to take on it, I don't have my steamer with me so bending oak is kinda hard but we'll figure out something, just trying to make it a little different.

[Phil H / Chicago]

Hey guys,

Thanks much for the imput. It sounds good.

JR..... I have been in your part of the country and it's beautiful. I would be out of Chicago in a heartbeat if I could do it but forced to stay for now. And you are so right, to find a building anywhere close to where I would need it would cost more that I could justify to spend. And your free bus....wow, that sounds good but I bet you want it back don't you  I actually have a 1990 102c3 that Dallas is going to do some work on for me so I can sell it, reinstalling a 8v92 motor. I have thought about using it as display but I really want a 45' coach with a 4 stroke/b500 so I keep thinking about waiting a while for them to start hitting the used market where I can afford the shell. I guess that's the reason I decided to buy the 45' rv, the bus shell is just to expensive right now....so I wait. I wish i could give you an honest answer on cost but since I have only done the one bus kitchen I have no way to give an accurate estimate. When I do my own I will clock time and materials so I can be prepared to discuss it with people.

Cody.....you are so right, alot of people here are so talented and blessed with mechanical skills (and it makes me so jealous  ). Myself.....well I can change the oil and that kinda exhaust my abilities. I am trying to learn more as I go and not be so intimidated by it. I think doing the interior of someone's bus would be much like doing their home. It's like you said, you have to pay attention to what the customer wants, not what I want. I spend time with them , listen to what they want and help them get from the start to the finish. Last year I was invovled with about half dozen people where they spent over 100k on their kitchen cabinets alone, and then they bought the granite tops and appliances on top of that. I did a real nice one with a beautiful paint and glaze perimiter and alder stain/glaze/distress island that was 150k.

I am going to keep thinking thru this.