How a PRO SKOOLIE SHOP RASIES THE ROOF (Skoolie Conversion Guide #4)
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- Опубліковано 16 кві 2022
- Follow along on the most exciting part of any bus conversion--RAISING THE ROOF
My name's Chuck, I've been professionally converting buses for the last 7 years and was director of operations for a charter bus company before that but it's time for a change.....
IN THIS SERIES, follow along as I build a skoolie for myself, sharing my knowledge of buses and off-grid bus conversions along the way.
IN THIS VIDEO, I'll share with you how we cut and raise the roof, with tips, tricks, and pointers along the way.
Follow me on instagram for more info
/ chuck.cassady
For paid consults, skoolie advice, solar help, and more, email
charlie@chromeyellowcorp.com
Check out my shop
www.chromeyellowcorp.com
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#skoolie #offgridliving #busconversion
"That first inch is always the most exciting..."
-Chuck Cassady
That's what she said. I'm immature. 🤷♂️
But like always, another expert video from THE expert in skoolies!
lol
As always it shows that with a little thought, planning, and experience you can make it look it easy, Course it helps to have a great team of experts to work with. nice video.
Very true! im so lucky for the brilliant folks i work with
C I brag about you so much,but the truth is the truth. I was a cable TV contractor for 26 years, lived and worked in Denver 92 to 96 also lived in Grand Junction loved both places. We knew we would never afford a home in Denver all the California people were coming in. Don't know how I got off on that. Just want to say love the videos and learn so much from you it's a joy to watch you and learn so much. Keep up the great work. Thank you Chuck!!!!
Thank you for watching!
Such a cool and informative video. LOVED the multicamera scene of the roof being raised. Badass.
Thanks for tuning in ;)
I want the tour of everything else going on in your workshop. those look like really exciting designs around you!
I love watching solid craftsmen work. One can learn so much from another willing to share. Thanks for sharing. Another great video.
Flattering! Thank you
Watching you with great interest. I raised my Thomas 30 footer 12 inches this winter. Moving slower than a had hoped with the next steps. Great to have a personal mentor!
Thanks for watchin!
You do nice, or should I say you did nice work, since you've closed your shop. Keep the good stuff coming.
I am a welder of 25 years and I give those welds a 9 out of 10! Good job!
Wow that is high praise,
Very imposing task, but you three made it appear doable! Thank you! I’ll definitely be watching this Sunday! This is fascinating and usable information!
See you then Don!
Pretty impressive to watch the process of the roof being raised and to see later how the roof gets welded back on along with wrapping the new skins (galvanneal steel) around the bus. I've never stumbled across any channel ever showing this process and am very happy you're premiering the beginning-to-end process on your channel as your episodes will gradually build more views or even take off in the 1 Million or so views...just never know what the future may hold! Great to see all the A-Team members working together!!
Thanks for being here Melissa!
Glad I found your channel.. we have had RVs since 1996.. MY GOD they are horrible.. wiring sucks build quality sucks.. I decided I need a bus... now I need to raise the roof. My wife's going to kill me🤣
This IS exciting! Thanks for the lesson.
Another great informative video that shows off just how skilled you guys are. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for watchin!
Like your videos, no drama or glitz, just good info for anyone doing it for the first time. I'm going to enjoy watching you transform the bus into a home.
I appreciate that!
Chuck, You have a wonderful knack for demonstrating a complicated task in an easy to understand way.
If you haven’t already, could you post a list of what order the various tasks should be done, from the beginning? For example, after stripping out all the old material that has to go, what is the first step to do? the floor? the electrical? the plumbing? the solar panels? the fresh water/ grey water/ black water tanks? I know the list may vary depending on the size of the bus and other unique features. But I have watched many of your videos and so far can’t find one where you give us a step-by-step list. If you have already posted this information, could you give us the link? Thanks in advance. We love your videos!
I have a video about the order of operations
Your videos are a goldmine of information, Chuck! Thanks for the lessons, Teach!!
Thanks for watching!
I love watching you guys work, and your commentary is very good. Well thought out and simple explanations. Kudos, Chuck and crew.
You guys did an amazing job. Thanks for the video!!!!
Back for a second watch. Showing my uncle a true craftsman’s handy dandy work on how you raised the roof.
Buddy! Thanks man
You all are incredible. Not even doing anything like this and just watching your professionalism is an enjoyment. What an asset these videos are to those who are considering doing this.
Thank you so! That is the hope
Wow, you gentlemen are couragous, and very good at what you do, thank you for sharing!
I love the mechanical cooperation getting the job done. I’ve used those same kinds of steel tubing as my apartment internal stairs railings. They are solid and looks amazingly raw. A clear spray paint and they are rust free and so nice.
Awesome & very informative vid. More vids like this is what we need as a nomadic community
Thank you Bart! I agree! Doing my part
Thanks so much for sharing this super detailed video. I live in the tiny I built and have been looking into doing a bus to travel.
thank you!
That was an amazing process.Those HandiMan jacks were perfect
for the project. Very professionally done!!
MWP Cosby, Tn.
Thanks for sharing all of the great videos. I want to buy a bus this summer and get started. Your videos are very informative and motivating! Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Glad you like them!
I love the This Old House theme music. Fits perfect!
Thank you! I agree
This video has pretty much convinced me to raise the roof on my bus. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. That's super nice of you.
Thanks for watching! Best of luck on the raise
That was fun to watch, well thought out , looking sharp ,thank you for sharing ,big hugs from MN
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video and great insight. Cool content.
Hello Charlie. Love watching your work!.
Be safe.
Thank you!
You really play to the camera well. Remember the days of “This Old House”? Well, I think you are clearly the star of “This Old School Bus”. I’m a fan!!!👍🏻
Thank you!
Wow, great 👍 job raising the roof on your bus 🚌. Watching your shop doing this job let’s me know why it pays have it done by the pro, you guys. Great video, can’t wait for next one. Thanks 🙏.
Thank you for tuning in!
Thank you for your VERY THROUGH teaching videos.
You have such a gift for teaching your viewers the dos and don'ts on so many subjects!
Thanks for watchin!
@@ChuckCassadyYT I'm totally addicted to your channel!!! Thank you for all you do!
Now I know how you raise a roof and very interesting video on doing it.
This video was absolutely AMAZING!!! While I appreciate all of the content that other UA-cam skoolie builders provide, your video displaying step by step, exactly what your process is, was just what I was waiting for. We are early in our process still looking for the right bus but I will be referencing your videos for sure throughout this entire process. Can't wait for your next video to see the continuation of the roof raise.
Thank you! Stick around and there will be more!
What a seamless process ! I thought this would require a lot more heavy-duty machinery which I was concerned about. This definitely gave me a lot more confidence in attempting a roof raise ! Your videos are very helpful & informative for a future skoolie owner ! Thanks Chuck !
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome video! Thanks so much for this content.
Hope you find it useful! My pleasure
outstanding as always thks
I used two busses to raise my roof. Only had one weld at each post to do. I also recycled the blue bird square seat tubes they inserted right into the channels where I welded the channels. Nice job, nice raise.
Very cool! sounds like a wild project
Very interesting video... Thanks! Guess there's only one way to determine if the 12" hat welded sections are as strong as those from the factory. Ship one of your raised buses to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to be crash tested!!! :-)
Awesome roof raise! I once saw someone using a fork lift to do a roof raise on a bus converter.
Wow that sounds like some excitement
Great informational roof raise video, I’ve probably watched 20 times! We have been ordering all of our supplies for our 2004 40’ international raise. The support/stabilizer bars you use with the farm jacks is that something you fabricated? Or is that a purchaseable item?
I was wondering the same!
Also wondering
Amazing!!!!!!!!
great vids thanks so much seems like a lot of work but I'm sure it will totally be worth it
You bet!
Old hippie loving what your doing!!
There are many of us out here who feel the same. Chuck is a treasure!
Great video! Could you elaborate on how to create our own jacking tube thingy and maybe post another video with more detail on that aspect? Thanks a million!
Great job! Could you possibly get a shot for the jig that aligns the hat channels. That would make it easier to make one. Thanks again for a great video
Well done boys, well done big market just for what you've done there Charlie not a lot of over head either I know your looking for the break to build your buses out I don't blame you it's just a thought brother.
I hear ya brian, thank you!
I very much appreciated the attention paid to Alignment (use of straps, jigs, squares, and such) to maintain rigidity and equalize forces on the structure. Two questions: have you thought about the installation of electrical radiant floor heating (if it's not in a future video)? As for the 'stiff' rear spring rates - would removal of a leaf or three from each side accomplish the same as a weight addition to the rear of the bus? And decrease total weight?
Thank you! You can make up new spring packs for sure, and that is a possibility once I'm done. I'm not concerned at all about weight in my build at all (in fact I'll be doing a video about this shortly). Once I'm done, I'll see how much we weigh, see how it rides, and go from there. My GVWR is 25,900 and I only weighed 13,500 gutted. The conversion will add around 5000lbs I'm guessing fully loaded with water, propane, and batteries and all the storage bins full
Excellent job on the roof raise looks perfect. So the same lifting jacks work on the bigger bus or do use more lifting jacks?
Great job, only thing I would have done, though more time consuming is V-in the profiles to weld making it true as strong as if it never happened. But is a bit whining arround ;-)
"That first inch is always the most exciting one" I need that on a T-shirt.
Hahahha Holy shit I hadn't thought about that one. Truth
😮😮😮😮😮
Nice video and great way of cutting and lifting the roof.
Have you ever lifted a roof and took the upper windshield support up with the roof structure?
I think taller windshields would look better. The glass is flat and can be bought in sheets to make new windshields. I used to work on heavy equipment and cranes and made plenty of flat glass pieces.
I'm curious why slightly smaller channels (that would fit inside the existing ones, allowing some material to lap) isn't the standard. They'd almost "Self-align" that way, wouldn't they?
Either way, great content, great explanation of the details, and top-notch work! 👍😊
Do you have additional pictures of your lifting guides? I would like to build some for myself.
I like the approach on how you treated both the front and back of the roof raise on the bus. I've seen this done before and really don't like the slanted roof & window some install behind the front door. Just doesn't appeal to me.
I really like watching talented people work on projects. Chuck have you guys ever attempted putting in a slide in one of your buses? I know this video is a year old and and you may not see this.
I’ve never done slide outs, I really really don’t like them
@@ChuckCassadyYT I hear ya.
I believe Chuck said it was an idea some other guy came up with.
I love your videos and want to raise the roof on my bus too.
What insurance will allow raised roof? I am looking for insurance and having a hard time finding insurance that will allow raised roof
Where did you get the lifting guides from? Or did you make them? if you made them could you make a video for how you did it?
I wanted to see this because I've watched people stagger their hat posts and I wanted to know how to do it. But doing a straight line seems easier.
How would you go about raising the roof of a 17' box truck?
10:06 that escalated quickly lol
That was the goal!
Reminds me of my last major project of making convertible out of a hard top.
No jigs for that. Just measure, measure, measure.
jigs make it easy.... respect!
so. much. workkkkkkk 😮🤯😫
Doing a 20' center roof raise. Then the last 12' full roof raise. Would it pay to rivet the unriveted channels in the first 20' to stiffen up the roof??? Thanks
I just want to point out, I have reached out to Thomas Built for the reason as to why buses are certain heights. They explained it's the limit height for rollover standard by the department of transportation. Going up higher without some kind of cross bracing in fact is weaker than the original and may fold in those exact spots.
Who did you talk to?
@@ChuckCassadyYT I reached out directly to Thomas Built Buses in North Carolina, Mitch Miller and the Technical Support team reached back out with the Federal Motor Safety Standards (FMVSS) reference as to why the buses are built the way the are. Specifically the Class D style most of us build.
@@ChuckCassadyYT Regardless you and your team do a killer job, and as Thomas built pointed out. It isn't likely the bus will rollover. It's just the "what if"
Have you ever done a roof raise on a nova bus? Have you ever worked on a nova bus? Do you have some pros&cons on it? I'm considering getting into bus life I'm actually doing my homework on it and I love your videos btw 😎👌💯
Not yet!
Just bought our first bud! I wanna do a roof raise for sure. But I’m not sure I wanna do the whole bud from the front to the back. I’ve seen people cut through the roof like 5ft from the front of the bud any issues with that? And if not is there something I should keep in mind when cutting the roof?
Would putting the raised section toward the rear of the bus perhaps make it more aerodynamic, and give better gas mileage?
@6:54
It looks like your lift Jacks need a refill on hydraulic oil.
These don’t use oil
How did you end up addressing the electrical with the raise?
Do you have any recommendations for a company that will do a proper roof raise? It would be for a midsize bus. 12 inches. Thanks!
bad ass!
Where can I buy the lifting slides? TY.
Chuck! Do you know who is still insuring roof raises? We need to find who will insure a skoolie with a raise...
Hi Chuck. Where can I find info on where you're located? Are you still doing this work for hire? Would love to get some info on possibly getting this done!
Hey Chuck, Thanks for your excellent videos. I Live in South Africa and managed to get my hands on a blue bird all America which we are in the process of doing a roof raise. I have 4 kids and need to create a loft above the driver's cab. I did the maths and need to do a 27-inch roof raise. Is this a bit too much? any advice? Thanks so much
That's too much for me!
@@ChuckCassadyYT Thank you, what would be the maximum you would go? Last question, do you recommend galvanised sheet metal or standard untreated? Thanks
I just got a job and want to do a skoolie build once I save enough. Im in Colorado and wondered if you knew how much a roof raise would cost or where to go to do it? I want to build a budget first so I know what I can afford to spend on a short bus
I’m in Colorado and a roof raise from us was about $350-400 per foot of bus length being raised
@@ChuckCassadyYT wow thank you!
How are this compare a contrast to raise the roof on a shuttle bus?
Do you do this for other folks? Rough cost?
i have a 3\4 length bus. i want to raise the roof for a 2nd floor..thoughts?
i peeped that meow wolf shirt
thanks! weve built a couple installations for them!
whats the best woodstove?
I'm fixing to start my roof raise but I'm having trouble finding the 18 gauge galvannealed sheets any help would be awesome. Thanks
Same here
What kind of welder do you use, I noticed you're using a bottle, would a flux core work for this or do you think it need to be done with gas? is 110v enough or is 220v required?
You can totally use Flux core and 120v. The thickest steel you'll weld on a roof raise is only 1/8" usually. Our welder is MIG and 220 but that's just cause we are fancy
@@ChuckCassadyYT Okay, excellent! I'm a few weeks away from my roof raise and starting to source all the equipment! I'm so excited to see a professional do it before i do it on my own. Really helps!
How to determine roof raise cost?
what is the interior height stock?
what is it with the 12" lift?
77" stock 89" lifted
Your in Denver right? How much is a job like this if fully prepped?
Depends on a lot of variables but a medium bus is in the 11k range
Where can i get some of those lifting slides
Make ‘em
How was that Dead band from last week?
Excellent!@@
haha, Never change your intro song.
You're welcome
How much do you charge for a roof rase rough estimate?
So many variables but 13k is average
So Why Could you just use 1-1/4"square tubing instead of replacing the Hat channel?
i want to match what the factory did and have the flanges for riveting
stupid question..you do the welding on the hat channels,,why not weld up the flasher light holes instead of caulk and rivets? I know there is a logical reason I'm not thinking of....
" t h e s k i n "
What's a "Rasie?" Like a raspberry you give someone.
I hate it when my rivet gets bent..lol
Why are the roofs only raised by 12”?
I raise the minimum I want to avoid the drawbacks of added height. In this case I chose 12
There are a couple of videos where people raised their roof 16”. Seems like that height might tempt the Fates when driving down the highway and going under an overpass.
There’s even one I saw on UA-cam that raised their roof 18”. (I’d start praying every time the wheels started rolling.)
I'm sure you'll delete this.
This is the first video i see where I question your true knowledge. You have plenty of general knowledge but this one let me know something
I don’t understand