Missed a week....

 Hello everyone,

Yep, missed a week. My wife and I had rented a cabin in the mountains of Tennessee to have a small special gathering for Christmas with just our family. We left last Monday and drove down there, it was beautiful. On Tuesday the oldest boy called and said him and his family had the “cooties”. So they weren’t coming, which was fine, we didn’t want to get sick. Wednesday we played around, went to town, came back to the cabin still beautiful. The youngest son came on Thursday and it had rained all day. Right after he got there the rain turned to snow. Spent Christmas Eve talking and eating and having a good time, went to bed about 10:30 or so. About 1:30 there was a huge bang followed by a blue fireball outside the window and the power went out! By the time we got up in the morning the temperature had dropped into the teens and still no power. We made the best of it, Cooked burgers on the grill outside, boiled water for coffee etc.. But, by afternoon the temp still in the low 20’s we decided it was time to go. So, we packed up and got to the bottom of our mountain and started up the next mountain and ...... stuck. Couldn’t get out, so Friday night we camped in the new van. Got up on Saturday and spent the whole day waiting and trying to get out, still couldn’t. Spent that night in the van as well. Got up Sunday and finally made it back over the mountain about 1:30 in the afternoon. It was quite an adventure! Stopped at a hotel near Lexington Kentucky on Sunday and came home on Monday.

Finally got the alternator for the Harley and put it aside. After spending nights in the van, we decided to start planning and building the bed and stuff for that project. In between, I’m going to start working on the Harley. I have a small frame modification to do and then I can start cleaning, sanding and painting or powder coating, whichever I decide on as I go.

So, today is a clean up day in the shop. I moved firewood yesterday and the Gator wouldn’t stay running, so I need to look at that because I don’t have the four wheeler back yet. That I should get back next week.

And so it’s back to the grind, a few old projects and a few new projects. Should be interesting!

I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon,

         TVI

Relaxing week, stuff still got done

 Hello everyone,

I don’t know why but, this week was pretty quiet. Did my usual things. But the weekend was like, nothing going on, as a matter of fact, on Sunday I never got out of my pajamas!!

The week started out making the plates for the golf cart to mount things up.

Finished up installing those and making sure everything was working. I’m waiting for the amp so I can mount it and see if the old speakers work, if not I found another set in the stash. Actually the amp should be here today.

On Wednesday my middle son and I went to the oldest boys house and put up more fence. Actually got a pretty good bit done. 

On Thursday I had to have some tests run for the doctor, kind of typical stuff for my age. Well, the sleep study one had me spend the night in a hospital. Kind of sucked. Friday after I left the hospital I didn’t do much, Saturday I didn’t do too much, I did finally get the new drill press, so I put that together and got it mounted on the box.

Oh, I almost forgot, the water pump for my outdoor boiler went out sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning and I had to replace that.

That wasn’t too bad, there is a local place that stocks those pumps. Sunday I helped the wife sort and wrap Christmas gifts. I have some to buy today for her and then a few odds and ends to pick up. This week, I hope to do the amp and then a huge clean up of the shop. The alternator for the Harley should be here this week, I have one more expensive piece to buy and then I could start on the frame modifications. I’m hoping I can fit that in, in between working on the camper/ van, which will start after Christmas.

Well, I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon, 

TVI

Not as busy, but still moving along

Well, not as busy but got some things accomplished. Started out repairing the old gator again. Broke the hitch off that I welded on it not long after I got it running. Added a gusset and welded it back on, I think I did a little better job this time.

Well, I couldn’t figure out how to rotate the picture but, you get the idea!

Started working on the red golf cart. Put in a converter from36 volts to 12 volts. Pulled out a five gallon bucket full of jacked up wiring. Added some lights, a fuse block and some switches. This week I need to make some mounting plates for the switch panel and a battery gauge so we know when it’s going to die out. I also ordered a little amplifier so we can have some tunes while we’re working and 

I also redid my drill press cabinet, still don’t have my drill press but the cabinet is at least ready.

On the weekend I went to my oldest son’s house and helped him fix his old sliding patio door and started putting up a fence. The fence is kind of a pain in the butt! The guy who owned the house before was an iron worker, so the fence frame is metal. In order to hang pickets from it you have to predrill holes and use self tapping screws. I’m planning on going back on Wednesday and doing some more and then probably Saturday too.

Well, we’ll see how this week shapes up! I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon, TVI

P.S. I also picked up the alternator I was wanting for the old Harley, should be here in a week or so!