Rebuilt Bus Makes Great Mobile Shop

Rebuilt Bus Makes Great Mobile Shop FARM SHOP Miscellaneous 12-6-16 You've never seen anything like the mobile "tool bus" built by Scott Peacock, Alliance, Alberta, from a 30-ft. school bus. The "tool bus" is complete with its own power plant, work bench, and even a lunch table and microwave oven. Peacock, who bought the 1972 model bus for $1,350, totally remodeled the interior to accommodate in-field repairs, tools and supplies. On one side of the bus he installed a 10-ft. long work bench as well as stationary power tools, an air compressor, a 20-ton hydraulic press and a 110 and 220-volt AC/ DC generator. On the other side of the bus he installed a 15-gal. water tank, bolt bins, and a microwave oven. Peacock equipped the outside of the bus with a tool box that's got a drop-down lid, providing a handy work station complete with air hose, water, electricity and a large lamp to light the area. There's even a shower nozzle head mounted behind the bus next to the water tank. Peacock, who grows wheat, says he needed a mobile shop because his fields are spread up to 15 miles apart. "We're sometimes in our larger fields for two days at a time. In the event of a machinery breakdown, the 'tool bus' really saves on trips and time. But it's handy to use even if we're in fields only a half mile from home. The bus lets us carry many more tools than a pickup and we can work inside during bad weather. During winter months, we usually move our tools into our shop." The bus is equipped with a Chevrolet 366 engine, 5-speed transmission and 8? by 20 radial tires. "The bus had passed a government safety inspection just before we bought it so we knew everything worked," says Peacock. He welded an extra heavy duty trailer hitch to the rear of the bus so he can tow fuel wagons or implements such as disks and field cultivators. He also made a step to climb in and out of the rear door. Peacock removed all but the front four seats, which he repositioned so that they face each other with a table in between. Tools inside the bus include a 1 hp air compressor, cutting torch, 12-ton hydraulic press, 5-in. bench vise, 5-speed 13 mm drill press, bench grinder, electric drills, ¢-in. electric impact wrench, air impact wrenches, 6 and 4-in. disk grinders, and portable wet and dry shop vacuums. "We grow certified seed, so we use the vacuums to clean out our drill boxes," explains Peacock. The bus is also equipped with a first-aid kit, grease gun, 200 liters of oil, an 0-ring set, open end wrenches, socket sets, two fire extinguishers, a 220-V, 4,800-amp heater, and complete welding supplies. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Scott Peacock, P.O. Box 61, Alliance, Alberta, Canada T0B 0A0 (ph 403 879-2188).

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