Truck Job +

The big truck is coming along quite nicely. The middle frame extension is in and all welded up. I'm thinking I might be getting a little too old for this type of work. After cutting the truck in half, I welded a piece of angle onto the bottom of the frame rails to prevent the new frame section from falling through when we dropped it into place. Then, when welding the frame rails back together, I beveled them and welded them from the top side first, welding them to the angle underneath them at the same time. I then cut the angle off and backgouged the frame joint with a grinder to insure 100% joint penetration and then welded the bottom groove. That laying on your back thing and running a 7" grinder across the groove and cleaning up the remnants of the angle ain't as easy as it once was. I'll be able to sleep nights knowing the weld will hold, however.

We're working on the back section now and making a combination tool and battery box. As soon as the new driveshaft comes in, we'll make a crossmember up for the center bearing and we should be able to send it down the road.

I was going to machine a few pieces up for the midget, high mileage car and bike building jig over the weekend, but took to the recliner instead. I came down with a real nasty cold/sore throat that's going to put me a little behind on a schedule that's perpetually behind, anyway.

It's going to start getting crazy around here pretty soon. The Golden Gloves starts Thursday and we've got four fighters scheduled for the first night. The high mileage vehicle is a little behind schedule and after our spring break in two weeks, all my students will turn stupid, even the good ones. To a lesser degree, perhaps, but all of them go stupid on me. I've learned just to embrace it and don't schedule much work for the end of the year. While they're all standing around like they're lovestruck with spring fever, I can usually get a lot of work done around the shop cleaning and fixing. They'll scramble the last couple of weeks of school to get enough done so they can pass the class and most all of them usually do. As long as you keep a pretty close eye on them, it all works out.