The Year of The Dumpster Fire

I'm sure this will come as no surprise to anyone, but 2020 was indeed a total dumpster fire of a year. Starting with the cooties in March continuing through December and it appears into 2021, it's been one damn thing after another. Toilet paper shortage along with a lot of other empty spaces on the store shelves. The "experts" giving advice then flip-flopping on a weekly basis, employees being assigned either essential or non essential roles, flatten the curve, lock us down, open back up, mask up, remote learn, back in the classroom, riots in the streets, wildfires, hurricanes, snowstorms, a volcanic eruption and the explosion in Nashville to close out the year. And of course let's not forget the presidential election that still might not be final even at this late date.

On the home front, the Missus and I came through relatively unscathed. It certainly wasn't a banner year for us but we're troopers. After March we ate one meal outside the house and didn't go anywhere besides that which was pretty much essential - hardware, grocery, feed stores, dentist and doctor. I did a phone interview with my cardiologist which I'm pretty sure was just about worthless. I took my own vital signs and answered all the standard questions. If I owned a stethoscope I could've had the Missus listen to my chest and report that in and the check-up would have been complete.

I made some progress on the projects and the honey-do list this year. Fixed a couple of things on the deck, got a lot of painting done on the shack and the shop, finished the slip roll and got a good start on the jitney, finished the family history project, and I met some nice people this year. Of course most of them were making deliveries for UPS, Fed-Ex or Amazon but it's always good to have at least some contact with the outside world.

Didn't read all that many books this year considering all the time I spent at home. I think the total is 23. 

It looks like 2021 might get worse before it gets better. I think I'm mostly prepared for whatever comes my way as long as I can stay healthy. I'm hoping the cataract surgery improves the eye sight where I can once again use a peep sight - might be a useful skill in the near future. I've got a new diet and exercise plan I've been implementing which is already showing improvements in my strength, blood pressure and blood sugar. As for every thing else? Maintain a low profile, keep my chin down and my hands up. 

I'll close with a little something inspirational:

"A Message From the Hopi Elders"

"You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.

Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.

Here are the things that must be considered:

Where are you living?

What are you doing?

What are your relationships?

Are you in right relation?

Where is your water?

It is time to speak your Truth.

Create your community.

Be good to each other.

And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast.

It is so great and swift, that there are those who will be afraid.

They will try to hold on to the shore.

They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination.

The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river,

keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personal. Least of all, ourselves.

For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves!

Banish the word "struggle" from your attitude and your vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we have been waiting for!"

- Oraibi, Arizona, Hopi Nation 

Good luck to you all in 2021.

Making Tabs

 

I've got the grill shell rough planished - still got a lot more to do but I'll get there. I made some tabs to bolt the grill shell on that will get welded on to the frame. I made the tabs from a piece of 1/2" pipe that I split on an angle and then tapped for 10-32 bolts. 

I also got the firewall cut to shape. It's .090 aluminum sheet. I moved the motor mounts back to what should be their final position as well. 

I have to drive up to the surgery center tomorrow to get a Covid test. That'll be an hour up and an hour back for a five minute test - stop and stock up on groceries on the way home and that'll blow a big hole in the day. I'll try to mosey out to the shop afterwards for at least a couple of hours though.

The Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

 

The Missus has been watching some show on BBC set right around the start of WWII. They play some  tunes I recognize from my Pops in the intro and during the show. This one was being played by a band in one of the scenes, slower and as an instrumental but I recognized it as a cut I've got on a Bobby Darin CD. Darin was a popular talent before his life was cut short at age 37. He was cool in that fifties/sixties kind of way. He did a nice mix of pop and jazz stuff on the radio and television. He also did some movie work. His life story's a tough one even with all his commercial success. Nice tune done well by an extremely talented man.

I spent most of yesterday dealing with phone calls from the surgery center and my prescription drug plan provider. I did manage to deliver my parts, finish weld the grill shell and started on knocking down the weld. I plan on working on that job again today.

Rich: If you're out there, I replied to your comment. Sorry I missed it. 

Parts is Parts

I finished up a few more parts for the side hustle. They're easy enough to make but it takes too long to grind them after I plasma cut them due to the slag hanging on. I don't know how many more of these I need to make but if I'm going to be making them, I need to do better. If I had a piece with an oversize cut-out of the shape I need, I could put the cup on the plasma up against the sides of the cut out and follow around it at a pretty good clip. All the pieces would be the same and by cutting faster I should reduce the amount of slag. I'll have to give that some thought. The best way would probably be to have someone stamp the blanks out on a press. Or I could just keep doing what I've been doing since I get paid by the hour.

After I finished the parts I did a little bit more on the jitney. I need to get a bit more done before my January hiatus. I was planning on finish welding the grill shell but I farted around with a couple of other things as well as just staring at the project as a whole. I'm going to order a couple of parts, so I wanted to figure out what I still need and in what order I might need it. 

Looks like typical winter on the way - temps in the low 30s on tap this week. I'll fire up the heater in the shop and try to get in a few hours every day. 

Buon Natale

 

Merry Christmas To All

Larry sportin' his new haircut and his Santa's little helper's hat. Having this little guy around makes every day like Christmas. The Missus and I will be spending the day bundled up, eating our traditional Christmas breakfast of orange rolls and then parking our fannies in the recliners pert near like every other day around here. 

I'm glad I got the storm window finished and installed. The wind started blowing not long after I got it up, followed by rain and dropping temperatures. Yesterday the high temp was something like 16 degrees and it's cold again today. I got the heater installed in the chicken coop for the girls along with fresh straw in the nesting boxes. I'll get the tractor out this weekend and put the skid feet under the grader blade so I'll be ready for plowing the lane when the snow comes. I'll also finish the batch of parts for the side hustle this weekend. 

I emailed my political betters in Washington voicing my displeasure with the stimulus package. How you can be $27 trillion in debt, have millions of people unemployed, have thousands of businesses shuttered, while people line up for miles to get a bag of groceries, and then give away billions of dollars to foreign countries while giving the people you represent and should be your first and only priority in the midst of a pandemic a paltry $600 is beyond me. Actually it's not only criminal, it's immoral in my book. But today I'll put it all behind me, build a fire in the fireplace, kick back and catch up on some reading. It would be nice to get together with Surly and his family but, alas, it's not to be.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Storm Windows

 

I wanted to replace a few of the windows in the old farm house this past summer but with the corona virus being what it was, the Missus didn't feel comfortable having people coming in the house. The bottom sash on one of the upstairs windows had rotted away, so I needed to do something one way or the other. I made myself a quickie storm window that will protect the window as well as keeping things a bit warmer until it gets replaced. 

The window is an Anderson window that the previous owners had installed, so I'm surprised it failed. However, it wasn't exactly the same size as the original so they did a half-assed job of scabbing in some filler pieces around it rather than getting a custom made window or replacement inserts from Marvin. I had some of the Marvin inserts installed in the double hung windows in my old house and they work slick. They replace the old windows with the sash weights and you have several options as to type of glass and trim. Nothing gets changed on the outside of the house so you get tremendous improvement in energy efficiency while staying with the original look of the house. 

The plan now is to get that window and a few others replaced next summer. The house is over 100 years old and was added on to a few times. Some of the work done well, some not so much. And every house requires up keep, so no surprise. Just need to stay on top of it.

I Hit The Spot

 

I trimmed up the grill shell and cut the hole for the filler neck. I measured everything once, twice and then thrice and it's right where it needs to be. I could use just a bit more clearance on the front corners but it'll work out just fine. I need to make some tabs to fasten the bottom edge down. My original idea was to make pieces that would fasten to the shell and extend down below it and screw into the frame. I'm thinking now something a little less bold. I'll make some tabs for the inside that weld to the frame and then bolt thru from the outside. Maybe make some thick brass washers that'll shine up nice to match the brass radiator cap. 

The filler is larger at the top and then tapers in so I had to cut the hole to accommodate the larger diameter which leaves a gap when the shell fits down over it. I cut the hole a little undersize and flared it a bit. I'll get something like a windshield washer hose, split it and wrap it around the flared edge to fill the opening and give the whole shootin' match a more finished look.

I've got a household job to work on either today or Wednesday as well as making some parts for the side hustle, taking the dog to the groomer and taking some parts to the storage space. Looks like the Yamaha SR500 is coming to visit. I also need to do some grocery shopping, pick up some chicken feed and other errands. Might not get much done on the jitney until after Christmas now but I'm moving steadily forward.

I'm Liking It

 

I got the top and bottom of the grill shell joined together. I'll finish weld it inside and out and then dress down the welds and planish out the warpage. I wanted to mount it on the car and see how it was going to look and work before going to a lot of work if it didn't line up like I had it figured. Looks like it's going to be OK - might be a little snug around the top front of the radiator but it should work. 

I need to locate the hole for the filler neck. After all the work up to this point, I don't want to screw this up and get the hole in the wrong spot. I've got a piece of tubing bolted to the front of the engine. I think I'll run a piece up from there to give myself a fixed point to measure from, locate the center of the filler neck and then once I get the grill shell trimmed up I can mark the spot and take a hole saw to it and feel somewhat confidant that it'll be in the right place.

The grill shell looks good from the side view. I'm not exactly sure of the shape of the opening yet but it'll probably be a rectangle with rounded corners - maybe a slight trapezoidal shape to go along with the taper of the shell. I'm going to see what I come up with for the screen before I cut out the opening. The main thing is, I'll have a piece done that's one of the tougher one's I'll face on this project. I think I'll move the motor mounts next and then make the firewall. After that, the dash hood. I'll be layed* up for most of January so progress will come to a halt for a bit but I'm hoping to see this thing move under its own power next year.

*Layed is an archaic spelling replaced by laid. Personally, layed makes more sense to me and I'll continue using it.

Boogie Woogie & More

 

The Missus and I were watching Going My Way the other evening and Bing Crosby played a little snippet of boogie woogie and I thought of this one. I haven't heard it on the radio in years - probably doesn't fit the classic rock format - but it fit with the times.

I got an update from Jegs on the remote oil filter kit I ordered once upon a time. It was supposed to ship Thursday but now they're saying 13 January 2021.

And speaking of 2021, next year will be the 100th anniversary of Moto Guzzi. I've always had a hankering for one of those. They've been making some improvements to the product line including upping the displacement on their 750 to 850. I like the looks of this one. Standard design like has been around for years, yet doesn't look dated, at least to my eyes. Not that I need another motorcycle but if I was still working I'd seriously consider getting one of these. - be a fun bike to ride to work even if it was just across town.

However, I talked to my buddy who's the specialist on the little Ducatis Thursday and he picked up a bunch of SR500 stuff. He thinks there's enough to build a complete bike. He also said he didn't really want it but didn't want to toss it in the dumpster. I told him if it comes down to that, let me know. I had one years back and I used to ride the hell out of that thing. They make nice commuters or cafe bikes. Again, not like I need another bike but if the buy-in price is zero, maybe worth tripping over for a few years.

Progress on the jitney was a bit slow the last few days. Had a bit of a medical issue - passed a kidney stone. Wasn't all that bad but the original back pain and other symptoms made for a bit of a bother. I also had to drop some paper work off at the cardiologist so he can sign off on the eye surgery. I had called the ophthalmologist's office and then waited around for three hours for them to get back to me. When they told me I needed to get the paper from the surgery center to the cardiologist, I figured I'd head up there and just write off the whole day.

I did get most of the top section planished along with putting a joggle along the backside where the hood will sit. I cut out the sheet for the lower part and rolled it close to finish shape. The sheet has not been annealed so it's pretty springy. I've got the buck sitting on a couple of 2x4s now but I'm going to have to clamp it down to mark and trim the edges. I'll probably have to anneal the top edge in order to be able to work it down to meet up with the top.

So it's back to what passes for normal now. Meaning other than medical things, every day's just about like the last one with no real improvement in sight. Still and all though, the Missus and I are doing OK. Lots to be thankful for.

Grill Screen & Hammer

 

I'm thinking that's the type of screen I need for the grill on the jitney - brass, of course. I'll have to start shopping one of these days. Maybe save that for when I'm recuperating from the eye surgery.

Frankie Flood had a few pictures of this posted at Handverker. That's a beautiful rig. Super cool frame and I like the look of the hood - both the shape and the louvers. I imagine the little bump-out on the side of the grill shell isn't really necessary but it definitely adds to the look. Professor Flood was also kind enough to post some photos of an old truck I admired on one of his previous posts along with a few others in much better states of repair. Glad to see he's posting again - always something interesting going on with him. 

Planishing hammer head after hardening and tempering - nice brown color with some purple on the underside. I quenched it in some 10W30 that I cut with a bit of kerosene. Blacksmithing skills paying off.

Welded together without burning up the handle. Since there was already brass on the hammer I decided to try welding the new head on using bronze rod with the TIG. I've never done this before but I had purchased a pound of the rod for another project, the melting point is lower than steel and I figured it would alloy with any remaining brass still on the hammer. Actually worked better than I thought. I watched a couple of YouTube videos when I was getting ready to weld the other job and it looked pretty straight forward. The machine settings are like they would be for welding steel except for lower amperage. I put a wet rag over the head by the handle and on the end of the planishing head. I took my time and kept the heat low. Worked like a champ.

Did some planishing with the new hammer and it worked just like I hoped it would. The new hammer is heavier than my little one so I have to ease up on the swing but I made quite a bit of progress. I did a bit more after taking the photo but still a long ways to go. I need to hammer down about 100 high spots and bump up about 1000 low spots and then it should be ready for the bottom piece.

Planishing

 

Made a half pattern for the bottom part of the grill shell. When I cut out the sheet of aluminum, I'll flip the pattern on the center line and make it out of one piece. 

However, before I do that I need to do quite a bit more planishing on the top piece. I made the new end for the body hammer yesterday. I pounded on a piece of aluminum and it didn't mark the end of the hammer but I think I'll go ahead and harden and temper it anyway in case I want to use it on steel. As you can see from the photo the new head will give me a lot more depth than the little hammer I normally use. I don't know if I'll be able to weld it on without cooking the handle. Probably can't take the handle out and re-use it either. I'll find out soon enough.

Cataract Walk

Went to the ophthalmologist on Thursday for my evaluation. They checked my eyes pretty much every way possible, then an interview with the doc. He explained my options and the procedure, as well as the recuperation period. I'll be having surgery on both eyes one week apart, then an appointment with my eye doc here in town one week after that. Looks like most of January will be shot in the ass as far as doing anything in the shop. 

I got a text from my boss at the part-time gig the other day. He wants me to resume the welding lessons with his one son. However, things are pretty dicey with the cooties these days. I don't want to catch it any time but I especially don't want to screw up the surgery schedule. Maybe start up again in February.

I got the top piece of the grill shell welded  inside and out. The new welder works really well on that thin gauge aluminum. I also trimmed it to size and did a little bit of planishing. It'll probably take me a week to finish that up but whatever it takes, it takes. Every day a little something, at least until the surgery.

Johnny's Birthday

 

A couple of Neil Young songs Brother Johnny used to play. The boy was a pretty damn fine musician. He took his oath to defend the Constitution rather seriously. I'd like to get his take on the current political situation - probably be checking the zero on his rifles about now. Likewise, he was working as an emergency room nurse at the time of his passing - be interesting to hear his take on the pandemic situation. I miss our conversations and the blog comments.

That's the LCEFT* on a riding mower my dad had built in the pipe shop where he used to work. John's been gone since 2012, Dad since 1994. Miss them both. Happy birthday, Brother.

* If you don't know what that stands for, it's probably just as well. 

Big Tricycle

 

Beautiful day yesterday, 50 degrees and sunny. Great day for spreading lime as well as most any other outdoor activity you felt like tackling. I didn't want to waste all that beautiful sunshine by spending the day in the shop so I picked off a couple things on the to-do list - dug up the gladiola bulbs and put a new tarp on my portable welder. The tarps and the bungee cords last about two years. I'm thinking I should build some type of shelter for it. Maybe a permanent roof over the top but fold-up sides so I can start it up and run it once in a while without having to wrestle with the tarp. I took some preliminary measurements yesterday. I'll give it some thought and maybe make a few sketches.

That's what it looks like when mounted on the tractor. However, I normally have a blade mounted on the tractor. The frame is 28"x 40", so it's not very big. Depending on what I come up with, shouldn't have much of a material bill.

I got out the body hammer that's missing one end. If you look closely you can see some brass on that end where something was brazed on at one time. The length on the other end is long enough to planish a fairly deep bowl shape but the tip is too big in diameter. If it had a smaller OD or more crown on the face it would work. I did find a piece of stock under the lathe that would work well to make a piece for the missing end. I don't know exactly what the alloy is, but it's tough stuff. It's heat treatable but since I usually only work on aluminum, that might not be necessary. I think making a replacement end is the way to go.

Ophthalmologist appointment this morning. Depending on how that goes, maybe some lathe work, maybe some welding later. 

Radiator Grill Shell

 

I fit the right side piece of the grill shell yesterday. I had it all ready to tack, checked my phone and saw that the Missus had called about 20 minutes prior. The doctor's office had called and I needed to get in the house. I threw a couple of tacks on it and before I got in the house the doctor's office had called again. This was about 3:00. I had called earlier in the day and the lady said they'd call about 4:00. I tried hurrying up, calling them back, setting up the computer and putting on the blood pressure cuff while talking to the nurse with very limited success. The link they were sending me didn't come through so I did a phone consult with the doc rather than the video link. Most all the blood numbers were good but one. He wants to do another test in three months. 

I think a bit of revamp on the diet and drinking more water will resolve it. As a teacher, your access to a restroom is always limited. You're never supposed to leave your classroom unattended and if you go while the students are in there, you're liable to end up defending yourself against charges of being a pedophile. As a result of that, I got in the habit of sipping a bit of coffee throughout the day and limiting my fluid intake. There's no reason I can't drink water from sun up 'til sun down now though. I've got indoor plumbing and some acreage after all. So I'll ramp up the exercise routine a bit more and stay hydrated.

Today I'll see about welding up the grill shell and trim up the bottom edge so I can make the lower part. 

 

I took Sunday off but went out to the shop yesterday before heading to the dentist. I cut off the right side of the center section of the grill shell so I could get it to fit the buck. It didn't take long at all to get a snug fit. Making the top part of the buck as a hammerform was one of my better ideas. It really helped with the shaping. 

The right side piece needs a bit more shrinking on the bottom but it's about ready to be cut and welded in. Again, lots of planishing to look forward to but the aluminum is thick enough I'll be able to file the minor imperfections out. 

I've got a small planishing hammer that I'm quite fond of but it doesn't have much reach which makes it tough to get inside of a deeply curved section. I'd like to find one with a longer head. I'm going to see what I can come up with - might get a piece of 4140 and make one or just use a piece of 1020 cold rolled and hard face it. I've got an old body hammer that has the pick end broken off. Maybe make a new longer end for that one and weld it on.

I was supposed to see the cardiologist today for my annual check-up but he's not seeing patients in the office unless it's absolutely necessary. Instead, I'll be doing a video consult. I don't know how much good it will do. He does have my blood test numbers and I'll take my blood pressure prior to meeting with him. Fortunately, I'm doing pretty well, at least as far as I can tell. I think the Covid is going to make remote consultations much more prevalent. The technology to send real time numbers for blood pressure and blood sugar to the doctor is already here. Should be a good thing all the way around.

Panel Beatin'

 The photo's not the best - took it with my cheapie flip phone. I didn't have the camera in the shop, it was getting late and I didn't want to walk up to the shack and back again. The phone camera decides if the flash comes on or not. The photo would have been better without the flash - there's plenty of light in the shop. I don't know if there's a way to over-ride that or not but as little as I use the camera function, probably not worth looking in to.

Anyway, the photo shows some progress on the grill shell. The original plan was to make the top section out of one piece. However, there's no way that was going to happen. I got the middle section fitting the buck fairly nicely but couldn't bring the side in without a big wrinkle forming along the bottom edge. After wrestling with it a bit I decided to cut the corner off, fit both pieces to the buck and weld them back together. I was surprised by the amount I had to cut off the corner piece to splice it back in. There's no way I was ever going to make it work without cutting the corner off. As it was, I had to shrink the piss out of the edge of the center section to get it to lay down. Once I did that all I had to do was file the edge, slip the corner piece under the center section, mark it, cut it and weld it. I'm going to try and get the other corner taken care of today. 

I'm going to have a ton of planishing to do after I get second side fit up. I've got a pneumatic planishing hammer but I've only used it a couple of times and then with only limited success. Since I'm going to have a lot of planishing on the top section of the grill shell and probably a bunch more when I get to the boat tail, might be a good time to see what I can do with it. 

I watched a few videos at Proshaper.com to get some technical advice and some inspiration the last couple of days. I'd like to make the form for the superleggera and head out to Massachusetts to learn how the big boys do it. If I keep farting around on my own, I imagine I'll get done what I need, but it will take me a lot longer than a pro. Big learning curve here but I knew the job was dangerous when I took it.

Notable Endings

Going along with the recent political post, Walter Williams passed away the other day. He was an economist, author of books, essays and a syndicated column, as well as being a college professor. I used to read his column in the newspaper I subscribed to years ago. I don't know that I ever heard of him being described as a Libertarian but he was definitely a believer in the free market system of Capitalism. If you really want to know the straight skinny on economics, Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell and Milton Friedman are the holy trinity.

I received my last Cycle World in the mail earlier this week. They're going to a digital format, so that'll be it for me. They went to a quarterly format a couple of years back and while it was still a very good magazine, Motorcyclist did the same and then there was no more Motorcyclist. So now there is no monthly bike magazine in print form offering the type of general coverage I enjoy reading, at least as far as I'm aware of. 

I subscribed to Cycle World starting just a few years after their premier in 1962. I switched to Cycle later on primarily for Kevin Cameron's "TDC" and Ed Hertfelder's "Duct Tapes". Cycle moved Hertfelder to some dirt bike mag when they quit covering dirt bikes but I stayed with Cycle until they folded up, and before they featured the second half of the SR500 hop-up article I might add. I had some time left on my subscription and it was picked up by Cycle World and have been with them ever since.  

I doubt seriously I'll spend anytime looking at Cycle World online. I understand the economics of their decision but I don't have a smart phone and I spend enough time looking at things online as it is. I've cut back on my magazine subscriptions anyway but maybe one of these days I'll take a trip to Barnes and Noble and browse the magazine section and see what bike magazines are still around. If I can find something I like maybe see about subscribing to it. 

I used to subscribe to Invention and Technology magazine years ago and that one was right in my wheel house but it just disappeared without a word. Likewise, I had a subscription to Garage magazine a few years back and it too went dark. No warning, no refund on the remaining issues of the subscription, nothing. Actually, I had just sent in an article for consideration. Maybe they took one look at my submission and figured if that's what it has come to, might as well turn out the lights.

I started hammering on a piece for the grill shell yesterday with limited success. I did the initial forming with my new roll and it worked slick as snot on a doorknob. The next step, not so much. I annealed the piece after hammering on it a bit and called it a day. I'm going to try some more today and see where I end up. If things don't go well I'll cut the piece in half and weld the two halves back together after getting them to shape. Big learning curve here for the old dog.   

Libertarian Politics

 

Coincidentally, I came across an article about the increasing influence of the Libertarian Party in the recent election about the same time I saw this meme. Maybe the time for a viable third party has finally arrived. Of course after this coming year, on top of what we've been through in 2020, probably won't be much of anything left to salvage by the time the next election rolls around.

I've been reading a lot about how the lock-downs have affected individuals and businesses. I don't know how bad things are going to be when the rental and mortgage forbearance ends but it won't be good. The renters are getting a break now but the landlords are still on the hook to the banks. I can see this snowballing and creating all kinds of problems when the landlords or the banks start putting people out on the street. The worst part of all of this will be the children who are now or will be going hungry. I never went hungry when I was young. Mom watered down the soup on a couple of occasions but it was never long term or anything that would be considered food insecure. However, it galls me to no end to think that in this country with all its wealth there are children going to bed hungry. In this case looking to the government is not much of a solution. The government has caused most of the problem. With school no longer in session in many areas, the kids aren't getting their hot lunches and food pantries are struggling to meet the demand. I don't know what's going to happen on the political front but I can't see much in the way of relief coming to set some food on the table of those who need it and need it now.  I urge all of you to help out if you can. A couple of cans of food or a couple of bucks will help. If we all do a little, no-one needs to do a lot.

Medical Things

From the getting old and falling apart file: dentist appointment yesterday to get the new crowns. Unbeknownst to me then, I also need to have a cavity repaired so I go back next week for that one. Blood test this morning before meeting with the cardiologist next week. I also have a meeting with the ophthalmologist next week for an evaluation of the cataract situation. From what the lady said at the local eye doc, the surgery probably won't happen until after the first of the year. I'm in no real hurry but my right eye is getting pretty bad. It was raining/snowing yesterday both coming and going from the dentist and coupled with the cataract, it definitely made it tough to see.

And from the B&M file: I saw yesterday the Isle of Man race for 2021 has been cancelled. Going to the Isle of Man is right there at the top of the bucket list along with getting to Hawaii to complete the 50 state list and celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary. Looks like both trips will have to be postponed. It's getting late in the game for me to be postponing things. I also received an e-mail about a trip to Scotland from the same tour company I went to Ireland with - $1099 including airfare. It's another off-season deal but the weather in Scotland can't be any worse than the weather around here in the winter. So no travel for this guy, at least for the foreseeable future. Not real happy about the situation but all things considered, it's kind of a petty gripe. 

Supposed to be cold today but I want to do a little more on the buck. I set it in place on the car Sunday and ran a straightedge from it back to the dash hood. The top of the buck could use a bit more slope for a smoother transition between the dash hood and the radiator shell. I get that done I should be able to start working the sheet metal. 

TCB

I had the radio on the other morning and heard my first Christmas song of the season - Elvis singing I'll Be Home For Christmas. He's been dead now as long as he was alive - 42 years. Surly, one of his buddies and I were in Memphis for a motorcycle race on the 10th anniversary of the King's death. We were planning on hitting Graceland but it was mobbed with people, as well as being hotter than the hinges of hell. I've been to his birthplace and the hardware store where he bought his first guitar but never made it to Graceland. I've never been blessed (or cursed) with fame and fortune but I've managed to out live Elvis by 28 years, so I've got that going for me. I'll take that as a damn good trade-off.

Meanwhile back at the shack, I'm Taking Care of Business by working on the buck. Not at a blistering pace but moving forward. Another day or two and I should be able to start working some sheet metal. That should be fun as well as a test of my skill. I've never done much of this kind of work and the last time I did anything along these lines was the Rickati tank and that was about ten years ago. I'm planning on making the top part out of one piece. Have to see how that works out.

Bucks

 I did a little more on the buck for the radiator shell. I made the ribs for the lower part and cut a couple of filler pieces for the top. I needed to add a couple of glue blocks for the center rib, so I got those made and installed. I also came across a post on Facebook on a metalshaper group I belong to that led me to a nice video on the various types of bucks. The website is here. On the video he discusses wooden bucks like I'm building as well as a couple different types of metal ones. 

The one I found most useful is the type he called the superleggera. I knew the term was "eye-tie" for super light weight and that Ducati and Aston Martin had Superleggera models but didn't realize it was the name for an actual construction method. With superleggera construction, the buck or form is also the supporting structure for the skin. The form is normally made out of small diameter (1/2"+/-) tubing. If more pieces are needed to define the shape during construction, additional wires or flats can be added and then cut off later. I think this is what I'll use when forming the rear of the jitney. I'll have to make the top or a hatch that will lift up in order to access the fuel cell and the battery. Seems like the superleggera technique would be a good way to go.

Thanksgiving went well for the Missus and I. This was the first Thanksgiving in nearly fifty years of marriage that we haven't celebrated the day with family and friends. Actually, as far as that goes, it's the first time in 70 years that either one of us haven't spent the day gathering with family. We had a little turkey I cooked in the crock pot along with a couple of side dishes and pie. Pretty quiet day and other than the Missus cooking a big meal, just about like every other day around here. Not a bad thing, however. When every day is like a holiday, life is pretty damn fine and you've got plenty to be thankful for, which we certainly do.

Stay safe and if you're able, you might want to consider making a donation to the local food pantry or the Salvation Army. There's a lot of hungry people out there and it's only going to get worse. 

Nothing Can Change The Shape of Things to Come

 

.... and that's what worries me. The movie Wild in The Streets was on yesterday morning. I tuned in about half way through it so I'd have some background noise to drown out the ringing in my ears while folding the laundry. Kind of a strange movie but it was '68, so why wouldn't it be?

The aluminum rods showed up yesterday and I picked up some material for the buck on Monday, so it's back to work on the jitney project. 

I need to add some more ribs on the bottom and fill the top in solid for the hammerform but it's a pretty good start. I'll work on it a bit more today after I get home from the grocery store. 

It appears the weather is going to become "seasonal" - meaning chilly and rainy. Since it's almost December, the chilly, rainy weather will soon give way to cold, snowy weather but I'm planning on getting a little something done in the shop most days unless it's really cold out. I want to finish the buck before it gets much colder - no heat in the woodshop. I need to get the basement workbench cleaned up so I can resume work on a couple of my strictly winter projects. Instead of sitting on my rump, I can stay busy with a bit of hobby stuff when it's too cold out and in the evenings. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. The Missus and I will be spending the day here at the shack. She's planning on making a turkey and some "fixins", so we'll be OK but we miss seeing Surly and his group. Unfortunately, it looks like a lot of people are going to ignore all the warnings and will be traveling and gathering in groups outside their immediate circle. Now we can look forward to another spike in infections in a couple of weeks. It does look like vaccines are on the way, likewise, more effective treatments. I'm hoping Ol' Merle's got it right:

High Heeled Sneakers

 

This one's been covered by a lot of artists but I think this was the original - R&B from the sixties like I used to listen to on the radio. There used to be a lot of choices on the dial back then. Besides the Chicago stations, on a clear summer night you could pick up stations from all over the country on the AM dial.

When was the last time you heard Captain Stubby & The Buccaneers on the radio? Actually, I saw him a few years back at the Chautauqua, must of been right before he passed away. Even got his autograph. He used to be on The National Barn Dance on station WLS and he did the Go, Go White Sox thing when they won the pennant back in '59 also.

Not much to report on the project front. Mowed the yard for the last time of the season, picked up a couple of grave blankets and did some other chores. Got out on the bicycle both Friday and Saturday. I was surprised to meet a couple of other hardy souls on the Saturday ride, especially since it was overcast, breezy and only about 45 degrees.

Since I haven't heard from the print shop, I might hit Menards when I go to the cemetery to drop off the grave blankets. I did have a piece of MDF large enough to make the pieces in the photo, so it's a start. I might get brave and tackle the skin for the back of the cab on the jitney this week instead of working on the buck depending on the weather and when I decide to head north. I put my order together for some material - round stock for a "wired edge" on the cab and dash hood and a bit of brass flat bar. I also need to consult with Surly about an emblem I want to put on the radiator grill shell. I've got a couple of ideas but I can't handle either of them on my own. He'll point me in the right direction.

Radiator Shell

 

Since Surly brought it up last post, here we are.

I've been doing a little thinking on the radiator shell, both the design and how to construct it. The photo shows some of my preliminary thinking as far as the design goes and how I'll get there. The top tank of the radiator is about 4" wide. The plan is to have a relatively flat surface about the same width that roughly follows the contour of the radiator and then curves down. I'll then weld a piece from there that will meet up with the bottom frame rail.

I'm planning on making a buck for guiding me along, with the top part being a hammerform to help with the actually shaping of the compound curves. I'm waiting on the print shop to call me to pick up my order. When I get the call I'll pick up my job, hit the church with the donuts and then get some MDF from Menards for the buck. 

In the meantime, I'll do a bit more yard work - planning on mowing today and pick up some of the branches and brush I cut yesterday. I've got a couple other jobs that require the extension ladder. If it's not too windy today, might tackle those. Yesterday was back in the sixties as today will be as well, but it was too windy to be working off the ladder.

Hello Stranger

 

That's how it's going to be with everyone I know by the time the cooties goes away. We'll all be strangers. 

New lock-down orders in a lot of places. Lots of people ignoring the lock-down orders. More restaurants closing up shop now that it's becoming too cold for outdoor dining. Hotels going out of business and more and more people will be in danger of losing their homes and automobiles by the beginning of the new year. Education is in a shambles. Remote learning, back in school, back home again, in school two days per week and then remote learn the remainder of the week. I don't know what the high school shop teachers are doing with this insanity. Since a lot of traditional programs were already shuttered before, maybe there aren't that many programs being affected. Hard to teach welding, machining or auto mechanics when the only hands-on training comes from a keyboard. 

I find it interesting that the Biden Covid response team is complaining about a lack of co-operation from the Trump administration on the virus. I can't see where they're going to come up with anything that hasn't already been tried someplace in the world anyhow. Of course my response is something along the lines of if you're so damn smart how come you haven't figured it out already. And if you have, how could you let all these people suffer. Politics - it's all bull shit.  And while I'm on the subject, I wish the press would stop referring to Biden as the President Elect. He's no more the president elect than I am. That may be the case in a month or it may never be the case but as it currently stands, he's not the President Elect and they should know better than to call him that. 

Brother Johnny was right when he made the call: "We're boned." And he's been dead for eight years!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I turned the heater on yesterday to take the chill off the shop and get it warm enough to paint the support leg for the back of the Slant Six. First shot out of the gun I ran out of propane. I bought a spare tank last year so I swapped it out and finally got around to pulling the old water pressure tank out of the basement and loaded both tanks into the back of the truck. I'll get both of them taken care of today.

I drilled the holes in the radiator flanges and tacked the nuts for bolting it down on the front "U" shaped piece. I need to tack the other two nuts inside the frame rails - maybe today. I gave a little thought on making the top support rods for the radiator but didn't decide on anything yet. Next step will be move the motor mounts rearward and make the firewall.

It's going to be chilly today but supposed to warm up later in the week. I want to mow one more time and get a few other outside chores done while it's warm so progress might slow a bit in the shop but being outside is good for the soul. Much better than watching the news.

Starving Artist? Not Me

 

"Artists starve

Craftsmen make a living"

Billy Jay Espich

I'm in the process of mounting the radiator. Since it came with mounting flanges welded on, all I need to do is drill a couple of holes through them and the frame rails. I'll weld nuts inside the frame rails so all I'll need to do is just thread four bolts in and the bottom of the radiator will be fastened securely. There are a couple of tabs welded on at the top to bolt support rods to. I'm planning on making those out of 1/2" aluminum rod that will have a 1/8" slot that will slip over the tabs and a 1/4" bolt to fasten them. I might thin the middle of the rods down to 3/8" or I might get some tube and just make the end pieces out of the 1/2" solid and weld or pin them together. 

It looks like I need to move the engine back a bit to give me a better shot at making the connections on the radiator hoses. As it is there's not enough room to get a hose to make the necessary right angle bend. If I move the engine back two inches or so, that should help a bunch. I've got 5-1/2" of clearance to the firewall right now, so that's not an issue. Also, it won't hurt to move a little of the weight rearward so it won't be quite so nose heavy. I might have to get a longer spacer for the front of the water pump to move the fan forward, but that's easy enough done. Might need to make a shroud later on as well.

I made a leg to bolt to the bottom of the engine yesterday to support the rear. With that bolted on I can remove the head for the engine stand and the pipe jack that's supporting the rear of the engine now. With the engine stand head out of the way I can fit the tabs for the top radiator support rods to the cab frame and then make the firewall. Someday I should get my remote oil filter kit. The delivery date has been pushed back three times now. I'm assuming it's due to the cooties, so I won't bitch. They have other kits available and there are other vendors I could get a kit from but it's not holding up the build. They're saying about a month now.

That quote up top? I was moving some stuff around out in the shop and it was written on a scrap of paper I found. I'm not much of a patron of the arts but that's mostly due to me squandering my money on car and motorcycle projects. But if I was contemplating going to college to get an art degree or an apprenticeship, I'd definitely take the route towards becoming a craftsman.

Wear your mask, wash your hands and stay home as much as possible. Our governor has just extended mandatory masks for another month. With the numbers climbing again, it's going to be an interesting holiday season. Maybe the Easter bunny will bring us a cure.

VR Day

 

I'm declaring victory over the roller project. 

Looks good and, at least with my test piece, it works pretty well. While it's not designed for heavy gauge metal, it should do the trick for automotive and motorcycle panels. 

The grip part of the handle called for a piece of black pipe with bushings pressed in. I had a piece in house from another project that was purchased within the last year or two. The ID on it was not a true Schedule 40 either, just like the pipe I bought for the rolls. I did have an old piece of galvanized that was the correct size so I used that. I also wrapped the OD with some hockey tape for a more comfortable grip.

I didn't think about it until I started rolling my test piece but some witness marks on the end plates to give me an idea on setting the rear roller would be nice. I can use the "I" from my alphabet stamps or a chisel to mark both the end plates and the adjusters. 

The rolls are wide enough to roll the back part of the cockpit and the dash hood so I can start on the sheet metal whenever the mood hits me. I need to bead roll a test piece to make sure the top edge of both pieces will give me what I'm looking for. If it comes out like I'm hoping I might have to enlist the Missus to turn the crank on the bead roller while I guide the pieces through.

Almost There

 

I did some running around yesterday morning - print shop, church for donuts and then the grocery store. There's a new church in the town north of me that has a bakery inside of it. I bought a box of six day-old donuts and a small coffee for three bucks. I don't know who thought of putting a donut shop/bakery inside a church but that's pure genius.

Came home and put the finishing touches on the roll project. I had to move the two feet on the back of the base because they interfered with the adjusting bolts. No problem since they were only tacked on. I finish welded the remaining pieces, cleaned everything up and then painted all the bits. I need two more bolts that are threaded full length or a piece of threaded rod to make a couple for adjusting screws. I thought I had a piece of threaded rod but it was the wrong diameter. And there's a hardware store in the same little strip mall as the donut church. I could have picked them up there easily enough. I'll run up town today and get what I need or I could head back north, hit the hardware store there and then get another box of donuts. They were good but it'll be hard to stay at my fighting weight if I do that. One way or the other I'll get the roller assembled today. I'm  looking forward to testing it out.

Lone Wolf

 

The Lone Wolf things used to be pretty popular. J.C. Whitney/Warshawsky used to sell license plates and jackets with the logo on the back if I remember correctly. While the No Club thing was referring to car clubs, I'm going to go no club meaning boxing club. Since my running buddy came down with the cooties and the weather's going to cool down, I think it's time for me to just train on my own. While that's not near as much fun, I've done it before.

While training for the marathon my running buddy at the high school bailed out when we were scheduled to run 12 miles in temperatures of only about 4 degrees with about 4" of fresh snow on the ground. Can't really blame him but I soldiered on and continued my training. Way back when I was boxing I did almost all my road work solo due to my work schedule. It's much more enjoyable having a running buddy - my buddy Kevin and I had some great conversations while putting in the miles - and having a partner kept me honest but with this damn virus, my chest issue and advanced age, I'm thinking it's all me now.

I hit my fighting weight when I got back from my bike ride yesterday morning. I weighed in at 178. Left the house a heavyweight and came home a light heavy. The last time I was that weight was right before I ran the marathon 15 years ago. I weighed 165 when I graduated from high school and 165 when I got married a few years later. I got up to over 200 maybe twenty years ago. I was still in half-assed decent shape but definitely had a belly. The belly's smaller now but I don't have the muscle mass I used to so even though I've lost about five pounds this year still got a bit of a belly. However, my resting heartrate and blood pressure are good so I've managed the quarantine fairly well. 

The plan now is to get the trainer set up down the basement again, add some more strength training and get outside this winter and do some hiking, skating and maybe even some snow shoeing depending on the weather. I would like to glove up at least one more time. I really miss going to the gym. Here I am from right after we started the boxing club: https://shopteacherbob.blogspot.com/search?q=Boxing+Exhibition. I was probably 190 pounds that night and 59 years old. Fun for the whole family!