Chains

Did I short sell just how frustrating it was to be stuck at the bottom of the hill with a crapped out tractor in the last post?  I was ready to lose it.  That is an accomplishment in itself in the epoch of the blue pill (being pissed).  Very short bursts, quickly extinguishing themselves.  Not bad.  

After finding that the cheapest I could get tire chains new was $350 and used (if you can find them) was $200+, I got out the old calculator and figured we could make them ourselves for less than $200.  A quick trip to Menards for the chain and the to Farm & Fleet for the more fasteners, and it's true.   They will come in at around $175 and as soon as I got them on I drove up my ice covered driveway in 1st gear.  Nature can suck it; mans dominion continues.  

OK; so for all you kids out there that think that geometry is a waste of time, I am here to tell you that if you intend to be of any use to anyone in the building trades, you need to know what the helm is happening in that discipline.  As a plumber and in the many little things that I mess with living the shed lyf, it is a good thing to know.  Couple of simple calculations, but if you don't know Pi*d you are at a disadvantage.  In the end I was off by 2 links of the chain.  We made all of the cuts without a test fit and it snapped right into place.  SCIENCE!

The very acute observer may notice that I have yet to fix my PTO leak.  Soon my pets; soon.  Gotta shut the MB down for the month of January, it will be oil leak repair month in the shed.  

Shaved the majority of my facial hair off today.  Stood in front of the mirror in only a towel and felt like yelling out "Come up Kinch you fearful Jesuit, entroibo ad altere dei".  That is how plump I am.  Not stately though.

Continuing to fight through work issues.  I will settle into a more professional demeanor at work and explore life outside the CEC.  Going to get the radon vent up at home, get the weights out, do a little big brother work at Lakeshore, feed the hungry, cure cancer, and read a half dozen books this Jan, Feb.  

When the Joe and the boys came over on the 15th, I remembered what I missed about the boy.  He's one of the few that gets right down to it.  He talks about serious shit and expects that you have a response.  I have only him left that I can fall right into that immediate rapport, talking about everything from tits to infinity.  

Prone to that wintertime sadness.  Need to think about heading it off this year.  Always worried about stuff.  Like homework being due and not having anything done.  Crappy feeling to have for two months straight.  

  

39.99

Finished Product Pre-Snow

There are a couple of trim boards and the stone work left, but its mostly done.  The place looks a lot different after getting 15" of snow.  My turn to turn 40 this weekend.  That, coupled with challenges at work, is conspiring to destroy my recent good spirits.  Like Ron Burgandy said, "I am completely miserable, San Diego!"

Put the 7' blade on the back of the tractor and started moving snow.  It was going great and then I ran out of gas.  Filled it up and after it started, made one circuit around the place and it quit again.  It sits for a day or two and we run to Farm and Fleet to grab a 6v charger.  I charged it up and after I got it going I realized that the major issue was the throttle notches were so worn that it kept shutting back down to a super low idle.  Took a good two hours to work it back up the hill that was covered in snow.  Brendan tried pulling me with the Jeep and finally I got a run in 3rd gear and ran up the side hill.  B said it was swerving back and forth and looked a little out of control, but I made it.  Once up I cleared the top part pretty good.  Need chains for the tires before I get too brave and try to go down the hill again.


Joe and a ton of other boys are coming to town this weekend.  Going to see the Hobbit in 3D then home, then beer.  Firehouse better be ready.  If these fools want to go to Shenanigans or something like that I'll throw a tantrum.

Mr. Buckaroo

Couple of pics of our trip to the boundary waters with my cousin Marty.  A really good time with some very good fishing.  And yes, my northern was bigger than Brendan's.

Living, Loving

Went to Joyce's visitation and think a couple of things.  First: Joyce had some very specific thoughts about how life was to be lived.  If we bared our souls we would, likely, be worlds apart, but she truly loved her family and she held all those around her to a high standard.  Her husband Bud was the kind of guy that would make you pop the hood on whatever vehicle you owned, just to talk about horsepower and gas mileage.  He was a Ford man.

I luv the lil lady ton's even though she throws darts at me bout every day...She's mighty sexy and lays the magic on me.  Happy 40th Baby.  Luv ya Princess.

The dbl barrel stove is up and running,  It powers out the heat great.  Sure the fumes from the burning off paint nearly kilt me, but whatever: cost of livin' the shed lyf.

Thanks

I remember my moms mom.  She was like 5'10" tall and wiry.  I looked down at my hands today and what I see is Gusty's hands.  They were long, lean and full of veins.  feminine and wiry at the same time.  I can rip a phone book in half, but I guarantee Grandma Hauser's hands did more work than mine ever will.

1949 Ford 8n still strong

Got a lot of last second stuff done around the house in anticipation of a (likely) permanent cold snap.  Montana brought over around 7 yards of sifted black dirt.  We put a bunch down to ease the drop from sidewalk to yard.  The rest is stored in plastic on the back 40.  The railings are done and my 40 year old wife has painted everything very nicely.

Still some trim work to do out front and then the stone work.  Cats like to crap in the fresh black dirt on the regular.

Got the cable hooked up in the shed and new snow tread on the 'cede.

Purchased two barrels from Jacob and a Vogelsang kit.  Will have heat in the shed this weekend.  "Shed Life"

Fogging

Got the big one done and up.  It would have been nice to be able to weld the flanges on in place, but the old Lincoln Idealarc 250 is far from portable.  Held that big piece of cedar up and decided to go a little smaller and probably the dark stain.  We'll see.  Tricia had to get down and push the railing in on the bottom.  Jack saw that she was vulnerable and humped her good.  She was pissed.

Grandpa Westrom stopped over after Brendan's birthday breakfast to drop off his old trailer and watch the Badgers destroy Indiana.  After the game we went down to the shed and he took the hog for a ride while I ground down some welds.  He looks pretty natural on the old Sportster.  Don't you agree?

Looks like Santa stole my cycle

 Joe boy stopped over after visiting Graham Barnes in the hospital.  Ate a couple of pieces of pizza and promised to return in December and enjoy a stout or two.  Can't wait.

64" Railing

Ol' Honey McSweetums and Mr Brendan helped paint this bad boy today.  It's nice to have some help now and then.

I finally landed on a welding rod that works great for this material.  3/32" 6013.  Very smooth and it uphills nice.  Has not even come close to blowing out yet.

Workin' on the big one now.  Got the stiles completely tacked in.  Just need to flip it put some tension on
it and tack the other side straight and then I can pass it off to the paint crew.
Kinda wonder if I shouldn't go matte olive drab on the Harley.  Robert Daniel Gudiu posted a share of a sporty that had that treatment and I just keep going back to it.  Do I love it or is it just the attention span thats gettin' me?

Roby got me again with a timber framing vid.  I was gonna have all my pine taken and sold to the mill in Colfax.  Now, maybe I should have the Amish dude roll over with his sawmill and get a sheds worth of ruff sawn pine ready to peg!

Take a deep breath and wait.

It's "No Shave November" and on the third I'm already itchy.

Railings

A pile of steel square tube that is destined to become our front porch railing.

We quickly welded together the small section and did a test fit.  Fits really nice.  I'll have to trim a little bit more and paint it.  Having a tough time finding the correct electrode for welding.  Airgas had some small 60 series rod that works pretty decent but doesn't really flow and lay in like 7018.  Need to get to Farm & Fleet.  They had some 1/16" 7018 that looks promising.

The pour went well and it rained hard that afternoon and into the next day.  Got some plastic on it in time and it looks good.  Need about another 5 yards of black dirt for My Dear's flower bed and to get it to slope away from the sidewalk.

The makeshift work station.  

All Over the Place

As fall is upon us I am scrambling to get a some stuff done that requires warmth.

Got the concrete poured out front this AM in the drizzle.  The "Big Boys" came up big for me one more time.  Todd Teske and the Mr. Charlie Kwick defied the years by screeding, wheeling and finishing about 50 feet of sidewalk.  Great moment when pops fell into the concrete while trying to walk along the 1 foot strip of dirt between the forms and the garage.  He sacrificed his body and only managed to jam his right elbow into the mud.  He may be sore tomorrow.  Concrete is still covered with plastic.  Pics soon.

Got the front fender of the Sporty painted.  Found the best recipe for a good looking and durable matte finish is using the Plasti-Kote and putting a couple of coats of Rust Oleum matte clear.  Can't argue with the resulting look.  Nice matte finish without looking chalky or primer-like.  Gonna give the same treatment to the   lower fork legs too.

The Woods L306 is almost done and looks really cool IMO.  The bracketry that is in the background is all that is left.  Learned a lot on this.

1. Be more patient
2. If you get frustrated, walk away
3. Make sure to prep the area to be painted meticulously

Steele Towne delivered my steel today, so I start to weld the front porch railings tomorrow.

Progress

One Piece at a Time

Got a few parts sanded down, primed, and painted.  The Ford 8n is gonna be a pain next year, I can see it already. 

Started to work on the Harley a little now too.  Took a couple of pieces that I have spares to, roughed them up and put some flat black engine enamel on them.  The Plasti Kote is, allegedly, resistant to gas.   We'll see.  If it is, the gas tank will get a coat as soon as the snow flies.  Can't decide whether to go flat black with the wheels or go gloss with a red pinstripe.

Saw where someone put an old fire extinguisher as the oil tank for their Sportster, so I put a wish out there to the universe that one would come to me like my buddy Gustav.  And, when that didn't work, I managed to "source" one that was destined for a dumpster.  That project is on the way back burner.

PTO leak

Have a small leak from the PTO.  New oil seal and bearing assembly are like 3 bucks a pop.
After I get the old 8n's belly mower done, then will move on to leak 1 of 3.

Read a site put up by another dude (http://www.myfordtractors.com/painting.shtml)  where he recommended colors.  The grey that I picked looks about right and I snagged a rattle can of the Sunrise Red.  Holy crap, super bright!
The old girl will really pop when she gets a new red belly next year.

Threw some pine needles on the four blueberry plants to get them ready for a long winter nap. Getting that anxious feeling that comes every fall.  Did I get everything that had to be done finished?  Got the hose bibbs shut off and the hoses disconnected.   Feels like I'm missing something.
Most of the miscellanea that came with the old house isn't a consideration here.  

Final inspection on the house Thursday.  Better get some of that stuff done soon.

Birthday and Blade

Celebrated dad's 72nd birthday today.  Wife bought one of those crappy cards that don't have any writing on the inside, plunks it down on my lap 20 minutes before we leave and says, "Here you go."  So, I do the usual and jump on the internet and look for a quote that will make me look smart.  Found a little gem by John Burroughs that fit the bill just fine. 

If you change things around enough you feel a little better about not crediting the author. 

I was under the impression that my dad would be (unknowingly) enjoying a quote from a longtime heroin user and author of one of the filthiest books ever.  I was thinking of William S. Burroughs. 

Got home and watched the Packers barf up a sure win in Indy, then went to the shed and started working on the old Woods belly mower.  Should be good practice for the tractor restoration next year.  Redid the rear flywheel cover and it looks tight.  It will match the tractor colors.  Red and gray.

Gone in Ten Seconds

Bought a cycle.  '93 1200 Sportster.  The kid loves it.  He has ridden it about 100' so far.

Baby steps.

We won't let him ride it until he gets his motorcycle license.

The plan is to do a simple bobber project with it this winter in the shed.

Got a bunch of stuff to do around the house still.  No wood heat in the shed yet.

Been sick last two days.  Bad headache and vomit 4x.