Got Spray foam Insulation today!

[Tenor]

Wow is that COOL!  I am so glad I had this done.  Here are the details.  I needed to do get this done before the end of the year for tax purposes, so, I opted not to remove the lower interior panels that go below the windows.  So we foamed from that line from side to side and the fiberglass caps.  Dean Clawson (foam guy) did his best to keep the depth of the foam to 1.5 inches so that trimming will be easy.  This saved me quite a bit of dough.  I drove the bus to him and we did it in his heated shop.  It really worked great.  Total cost: $650.00.  My friend Marty had his coach done as well.  He put in three inches (I think) and really made sure the spaces were completely full by over filling them.  I understand he also had taken everything out possible.  I hope he will add to this post for his details.  I thought that it would be nice to reccomend him to other Michigan bus nuts, so here is Dean's contact info:

Dean Clawson
Clawson Construction
Office No. 810-664-5819
Cell No. 810-964-4098
Lapeer Michigan

I blew out the old alternator belts on the bus on the way out.  Dean took me to 3 different auto part stores to get new ones.  As it turned out, they were too short, so he helped me make a bracket to allow the alternator to swing in closer to the engine and still attach to the piston.  I can't speak highly enough about the guy.  He also does some beautiful electrical wiring.  I may have him do the install for the genset and inverter and shore line.

[captain ron]

Sounds great, I just seen some pictures of my/your old bus. Brings back some good memories I see the orange paint I rolled on was peeling finally.

[Tenor]

Yeah, the paint was gettin' a little flaky, kinda like me!  When it would blister from condensation, you could peel it off in large chunks, like when you get a sunburn and peel.  It was kind of addictive...  Miss that bus for it's unique look.  Always had to explain (and market) Captain Ron.

Glenn

[baker4106]

I have the Captain Ron bus at my place (still for sale) and what is the Captain Ron Show all about?

[Tenor]

Hey Larry,
I just read your post about the PSA.  I'm glad to hear that you caught it early and I hope you have a smooth surgery.  Charley Davidson is also sometimes known as "Captain Ron" - or at least that was the name he was using for his act.  His website is (or was) www.thecaptainronshow.com.  He does some fun stuff.  Usually focused on the Harley Davidson crowd.  I'm sure he'll pop in with some answers.

[captain ron]

www.charleydavidsonshow.com   now, thanks Glen, Larry now that you know the history of that bus the price should go up tremendously.    Funny how thing come full circle, I bought that bus out of Muskegan, Mi and if I had met the now departed "Preacher" sooner that bus would have never made history.

[JohnEd]

Tenor,

Your friend Marty never posted about his insulation job.  Very curious about what spaying a complete bus to 3 inches would cost.  Doesn't seem that you would be talking out of school....do you know?

Thanks,

John

[Tenor]

John,
I believe he told me that the job ran $1500.00.  Dean probably sprayed 4 or more inches over the whole thing, then Marty shaved it back down to 3 to insure that he had 3 inches.

[JohnEd]

Tenor,

That seems a very good price.  I'll bet he gets people driving in from a distance to use him.  Especially with the attitude you said he had.  Lucky find!

I had a friend on this board that is no longer active.  His name was Tailfeathers trucking guy.  He owned a semi and lived way up where it is REALLY cold.  SD I think.  He had a Pre that he was converting by his lonesome.  Being semi retired and smart and skilled he did it all.  All except the spray foam throughout.  He did the trim and shaping himself.  A few weeks after doing that trimming and shaping he developed a chest/lung condition.  It got worse and worse.  He didn't have the breath to work on the bus and started seeing doc.s.  He went hither and yon for special tests and to see specialists for a solid year.  Nobody could figure out what was wrong with this guy and he felt like his life was over and he was in peril to boot.  He said someone fibally figured out that it was the "sanding" and the "off gassing" of the foam that did him in.  He read up on the stuff, before he went for the foam, and learned that there was no residual gassing and that cutting or grinding the stuff only required a simple paper mask for the mouth and nose.  Turns out the gassing speck is after a month or two of setting and that sanding makes particles so small that they ARE a serious hazard.  Sanding also made some outgassing more conscentrated when done so soon after the application.  What are the morals here?  Vent the living heck out of the work area and don't do this in the frightfully cold winter climes on the north where you are reluctant to "let the heat out".  And other stuff,. I imagine.  Full asperator is a good move.  Like the auto painters use.

Hope this helped, really I do.  And Ed, if you are still in Missouri and listening, Happy Hollidays.  Hope you got the Pre finished.

John

[Stan]

When I had buses spray foamed the contractor charged almost as much to trim the foam as to put it in. I let them do it all, as they had all the protective equipment for the operator and turbine trimmers that left a flat smooth surface. The extra money spent on sprayed in foam pays for itself in comfort every time you are in the bus.