Time to start working on the shop

 Hello everyone,

Well, the wood is all done, should be fine for the winter. Next batch of shop projects is up next.

First one is to see if the air compressor I got will work and fit in the space I want it to go. Drug the compressor  into the shop and started installing the new motor. 

I have to run to the hardware store this morning and pick up a few parts for the electrical set up. Once that’s done, I’ll have to figure out the plumbing.

I had a lot going on this past week. I finished up the old Ford and put it on Facebook Market Place and sold it within 24 hours! That was a little surprising, but glad it’s gone. Went with my brother to look at a Gator that he wanted to buy, and he did.

It’s a pretty nice machine, overall. He got it for his daughter and grandkids, they have a little mini farm and they’ll put it to good use!

I’ve decided to start working slowly on the old Harley I have, that actually is the whole reason I started this blog. I just bought a set of 5 gallon fatbob tanks to hopefully modify to work with the side shift that goes on the bike. I haven’t gotten them yet, they should be here this week. Hopefully when” Shop Teacher Bob” stops by and gives me some insight on how to fix the frame, I’ll talk to him about the tanks at the same time.

Well, I think that’s it for now.

Talk to you soon,

TVI

A man of many hats

 Hello everyone,

I managed to screw up my back this past week and had to take 4 or 5 days off( lucky me!). So I started feeling much better yesterday and finished the repair on the gator and got it put all back together.

The first two pics show the gussets I made to strengthen the repair on the fork and the last one shows the “pride” of the fleet all back in working order. I haven’t hauled a load of wood in it yet but I ran  over some stumps and bumps to test it and it seems pretty solid.

So, since I’ve been retired I’ve been a plumber, an electrician, a carpenter and a timber jack. And , today I’m a car mechanic!

I drove a 2005 Ford Five Hundred back and forth to work for about the last 7 or 8 years. 110 miles a day, round trip, and now I’m ready to part ways with the old girl. With 300,000 miles on it and the last few weeks of working, the rear brakes started grinding. Took it all apart today, and needed a tool to screw the calipers back in. Borrowed it from Auto Zone and it turns out there’s one for right hand threads and one for left hand threads, I got the right hand thread one and needed the left hand thread one. Figured out what was going on and knocked them loosed with a punch and wound them in with the wrong tool! 

So, by the time I got that far, I had promised my wife I would make dinner. We had some leeks in the garden and picked the last of them yesterday. So I made homemade leek and potato soup. It was pretty damn good, even if I do say so myself.

So, I’ll get up in the morning and start putting the car all back together, and I’m supposed to meet a friend for lunch in town, and then maybe I’ll finish it up tomorrow evening.

Well, at least that’s the plan, and I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon,

TVI

Whopsie!

 Hello everyone,

Had a minor catastrophe yesterday! Had just finished cutting and splitting the last of the wood already on the ground and had to come in and get cleaned up to run an errand in town. Had the splitter still hooked up to the old gator and pulled in the shop and crunch!! She stopped dead, motor still running but stopped dead! I thought what the hell...... looked down and the front tire leaned all over to the left and got off and the right side bottom of the fork is laying on the ground.

Appears that it’s an old repair from some time ago and not done very well. I’m not exactly as good a welder as “Shop Teacher Bob” is but I thought I could do a better repair than the one that was on it currently.

So, I took it all apart, ground all the old stuff off, found a piece of round stock that I could fit in the tube got it as square as I could and tacked it back together.

Welded it up, not great but good practice with the new welder. Needs a couple of spots filled in yet and started fitting in some gussets to hopefully protect it for future generations to come! LOL!

Didn’t get the last gusset finished last night and kind of took today off for a bunch of errand running. We’re supposed to go for a ride south tomorrow, so I won’t finish up until Friday. As I was disassembling the front end I noticed a lot of worn parts that will need to be repaired or replaced when I try to do the motor swap. Probably next winter. I have some big plans for the old gator if time and money work out.

Well, I think that’s it for now.

Talk to you soon, 

TVI

And so it begins......

 Hello everyone,

Yep the wood stockpiling has begun in earnest.

We had quite a bit already cut into chunks in the woods from last year. Got all of that split and mostly stacked. Had a couple of big limbs come down, I need to cut them in to chunks and split those. Also there are two 100’ trees in the back that area so bent that they need to be taken down before they fall down! I’ll tackle those this week, maybe.

Got a pile of mulch delivered while we were gone and it needs to be spread out before they end up bringing more. 

Managed to get some more tools and supplies put away and swept up the shop. It’s so nice to be able to keep it relatively clean. Never really had that before!

Well, this week is starting to shape up into another week of logging but, we’re going to take a little mini break at the end of the week and go south for the day to look at the fall colors, maybe take a hike in the woods and stop at one our favorite eating spots and pick up a picnic lunch.

Well I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon.

TVI

Home and back to work

 Hello everyone,

Well the trip home was uneventful. Got up this morning and trimmed the pliers holder rack down to fit the drawer and filled it full of pliers.

Don’t know why I can never get the spacing right but, oh well.

As far as the coffee goes it’s excellent, I ground the beans for the pecan flavored beans and made a pot this morning and it was really good. I might just order some more when the time comes!

I received the new compressor motor, but I’m not ready for that project just yet. Checked the saw chains I ordered and they are the correct chains, so I’ll probably start that tomorrow.

Well, I think that’s it for now.

Talk to you soon.

TVI

Relaxing time and heading home

 Hello everyone,

Well, my vacation is almost over and it has been wonderful! Very relaxing, some great conversations, met some (hopefully) new friends, made stronger bonds with some older friends. Had some great food, my personal favorite part! 

I had never been to Hilton Head Island before. Been close a few times. Could never afford to live there full time but a nice place to visit.

Before I left I ordered some new saw chains for both saws and a rack for the new tool box to hold pliers. They’re supposed to have been delivered along with some coffee I ordered from a place called “ Gearhead Coffee”.  I’ll give you all a report, good or bad.

The new agenda gets busier when I finally get home. I beat my house with wood using a wood fired boiler.  This year I have to drain it and change the anode rod and put new chemicals in the water to stop it from rusting. The problem there is I went to do it last year and when I borrowed the pump from one of the guys in the wood burner group, it was a mess! So I have it back to him. Well, turns out he never got it fixed, so, when I get home that’ll be the first project!! Then, it’s time to start cutting wood.

So, I think that’s it for now.

                                         Talk to you soon, 

                                                   TVI