What did you do "IN" your garage today?

[kaymccampbell]

I recall somewhere reading that they will produce on extra large crops in certain years, don't remember why but it was extra heavy this year.

Or maybe getting old?

It's called a mast year, and IME they happen every 4-7 years. It usually happens in clusters of trees. So, if you have a larger property with several clusters of oaks, you could potentially have a mast every year, only in different areas.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Pounds, I meant pounds, may be 100 per square inch

I'll miss my big oak. It's big acorn drop usually coincided with the idiot neighbor's annual Fall piss poor parking party. Drop the mower deck and turn half a dozen pickup trucks into golf balls.

 

[Skyman]

My previous home had numerous, mature oaks. Every year, I spent a full weekend day each week for two months vacuuming up leaves, and there were some years when the acorn yield left the ground beneath nearly invisible. Some years, the slope in the front of the property that was under a triple-trunk oak was like trying to walk on a sea of ball bearings. There is nothing I miss about those trees.

 

[Fordguy1964]

I ran completely out of storage space inside the garage and I wanted a place under roof to park my truck. The pecan trees were covering it with sap so I decided a lean to was needed.

 

[Outlawmws]

It's called a mast year, and IME they happen every 4-7 years. It usually happens in clusters of trees. So, if you have a larger property with several clusters of oaks, you could potentially have a mast every year, only in different areas.

I've noticed that deer hunting in the oak belts at lower elevations as well. Some oaks have lots of acorns, some none. Apparently deer also don't feed on them as much before the first frost as well, preferring other food sources.

 

[niget2002]

Finished up the OTA antenna install by doing the cable management down the side of the shop and punching the cable through a hole in the wall. Also installed the lightning arrestor and copper ground stake. I really think any lightning strike on the antenna will ground out through the metal building, but just in case it decides to run the cable, this should help keep the electronics from being fried.

 

[Mike65]

Installed a new LED light/combo license plate frame on my wife's trike. Then I fiddled with the hydraulic clutch system on my Mustang. It never had any fluid in it from when I installed the system 6 years ago. Followed the directions in the clutch system bleed kit & the pedal is still soft like there is still air in the system. The hydraulic clutch system is a Modern Driveline system with a firewall mounted master cylinder & the slave cylinder is mounted on the outside of the T-5 manual trans right by the clutch fork. I will try again either tomorrow or Saturday. Wish me luck.

 

[TheRealZeus]

Bet that won't hurt/bruise!

 

[Beerhippie]

It just looked like something I may (or may not) have done at some point in the past.

What the hell? I wired the ladder to the wall?

I had to think on this some. That happened (most recently) year before last while hanging spaghetti (Ethernet cable) in the yard at the pub. I'd just terminated and plugged in the cable when I went to move the ladder and... fortunately, all I had to do was unplug the cable and take the ladder out of the loop.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Supposed to get cold here.
Blew down my exterior water lines this afternoon.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Cleaned, flung, put away. Serviced a PW turbo tip. Sharpened chainsaw chains. Made lists.

 

[SMOKEYBEAR]

Wrapped up the brakes on the dually, test drive ..all is good. SHEESH, what a bunch of work. Quick wash.

 

[Outlawmws]

Mostly little stuff:

- Refilled the Coleman fuel fill station with 3 cans of CF - 3 gallons is enough.
- E-rust soaking an Eagle wick burner (really pissed that one this one is all steel with brass plate except for the collar for the fount, and still was rusted in place.
- Re-coated 2 clamps with 50/50 BLO/mineral spirits (these will land in my T-van for camp use)
- Poured 1/3 of a bag of Fence post concrete on the new post

- MAF came in - installed - discovered another dead battery after overnight disconnect from the charger - replaced with my last "good" one that still holds a charge... changing battery cleared the codes - test drove - stopped and started 5 times, no CEL! I'll run it on the freeway some this evening and take it it for smog testing tomorrow AM if it holds...

- Cleared drive, front walkway and most of the front patio of leaves and got them all into the green bin. tomorrow I'l try to fill the 3 empty cans and at least half the green bin.

- Put stuff away

- Had a nap.

 

[Beerhippie]

Supposed to get cold here.
Blew down my exterior water lines this afternoon.

What's the converted keg? Hand wash sink? Very nice, whatever it is.

As for me, today was the first day of the season for taking pictures of the weekly pub food Specials. New camera, new computer, new lighting, new chef... man, I need more practice! I managed to make the most flat, uninspired pictures of food ever.... I haven't done this since late last Spring, but still, too many changes all at once. Having to train the new chef how to assemble and plate for photos doesn't help... especially as I'm no food stylist myself.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

What's the converted keg? Hand wash sink? Very nice, whatever it is.

As for me, today was the first day of the season for taking pictures of the weekly pub food Specials. New camera, new computer, new lighting, new chef... man, I need more practice! I managed to make the most flat, uninspired pictures of food ever.... I haven't done this since late last Spring, but still, too many changes all at once. Having to train the new chef how to assemble and plate for photos doesn't help... especially as I'm no food stylist myself.

Thanks, It's an old pony keg I made into a urinal. Works great and doesn't stink.

 

[jblnut]

All these things around here with hoses with more than two holes are starting to drive me bonkers. We’re using it to load chicken manure and I had to wash it off before bringing in into the shop as it smelled like a chicken fart. Turns out one of the quicktach hoses was worn through. Had to snake it through the frame and reattach every thing again. What a pain lol.

 

[INSP380]

Finished up the rescue vise. Added to my bolster plate and now the vise will rotate 360 deg and angle in the other direction. All recycled and very stout. Now sitting with the Anvil, bit of dead weight here.

Steve

 

[Beerhippie]

Thanks, It's an old pony keg I made into a urinal. Works great and doesn't stink.

Just a small point: In the brewery world, that's a firkin. "Pony keg" is one of those undefined terms that will drive you nuts. Some folks mean a half-barrel, some a quarter (which yours is), some a sixtel (1/6 bbl).... but the shape of yours is the classic firkin, taken from an old wooden keg shape.

Classic for the fuel tank of an old 'rod, too.

 

[bornbadbob]

If the chuckleheads back east would just sign the paper we could be on Daylight time all year long. That would just be grand.

I agree but there would be some that would ***** about daylight savings time all year round.

 

[bornbadbob]

Finished up the rescue vise. Added to my bolster plate and now the vise will rotate 360 deg and angle in the other direction. All recycled and very stout. Now sitting with the Anvil, bit of dead weight here.

Steve

Love your anvil, very cool

 

[Beerhippie]

I agree but there would be some that would ***** about daylight savings time all year round.

Raises hand....

 

[INSP380]

Love your anvil, very cool

Thank you! Just did a bounce test with a 3/8 steel ball bearing tonight. Dropped it down a graduated plastic tube and read about 75-80% bounce. Very surprised.

Steve.

 

[Jgaz]

Finished up the rescue vise. Added to my bolster plate and now the vise will rotate 360 deg and angle in the other direction. All recycled and very stout. Now sitting with the Anvil, bit of dead weight here.

Steve

I love the red painted machinist chest

 

[bornbadbob]

Thank you! Just did a bounce test with a 3/8 steel ball bearing tonight. Dropped it down a graduated plastic tube and read about 75-80% bounce. Very surprised.

Steve.

Railway iron is HARD, at least the top surface is.

 

[INSP380]

I love the red painted machinist chest

That’s a Kennedy 520G Gov issue. This was used as a small arms tool kit. Little differences between a reg 520 and this one. Biggest is the handle reinforcement on the lid..

Steve.

 

[Jgaz]

That’s a Kennedy 520G Gov issue. This was used as a small arms tool kit. Little differences between a reg 520 and this one. Biggest is the handle reinforcement on the lid..

Steve.

Was it red when you found it?

 

[INSP380]

Was it red when you found it?

Yes, factory paint by Kennedy. I actually called them for a history lesson prior to purchase. This was in immaculate condition. As close to N.O.S as possible. It houses my Starrett tools now. Love Red… Heres a few more of the box..Number on the side is a Gov id number.

Steve

 

[Jgaz]

Yes, factory paint by Kennedy. I actually called them for a history lesson prior to purchase. This was in immaculate condition. As close to N.O.S as possible. It houses my Starrett tools now. Love Red… Heres a few more of the box..Number on the side is a Gov id number.

Steve

Thanks!
Beautiful box!

I love the old wooden machinist‘s chests, but I’d buy one like yours in a heartbeat.

 

[GrayFlattop]

Trying to stay ahead of the cold weather arriving Saturday night… planted a few dozen more bulbs (jumbo Allium), and as long as the hose was out for the last few days, hand washed two of the cars. Then I grabbed the polisher and did I little clear coat cut / correction on, well all three vehicles - minor parking lot damage takes its toll…

Finished up doing a headlight restoration / polish / seal on the Sienna (this does not get an hand wash). All clear and shiny now! And then it got dark….

 

[GrayFlattop]

Yes, factory paint by Kennedy. I actually called them for a history lesson prior to purchase. This was in immaculate condition. As close to N.O.S as possible. It houses my Starrett tools now. Love Red… Heres a few more of the box..Number on the side is a Gov id number.

Steve

Beautiful! I have a few Kennedy boxes in the factory red paint and love ‘em.

 

[INSP380]

Trying to stay ahead of the cold weather arriving Saturday night… planted a few dozen more bulbs (jumbo Allium), and as long as the hose was out for the last few days, hand washed two of the cars. Then I grabbed the polisher and did I little clear coat cut / correction on, well all three vehicles - minor parking lot damage takes its toll…

Finished up doing a headlight restoration / polish / seal on the Sienna (this does not get an hand wash). All clear and shiny now! And then it got dark….

It’s coming… been bustin my behind all week doing the same… Summers over..

Steve

 

[Fixr]

Weather is calling for heavy snow above 4,000' tonight. I live at 3,750, so probably heavy slush. Did I get the tires changed?

This is a joke, right?

 

[Fixr]

Oh, boy! I get to reset every clock in the facility!

Enough already. Just stop it. Knock it off. You can't change time (time can change you).

If you want to get up an hour earlier in the summer, talk to your boss. Don't ram it down my throat.

PS: When Ben Franklin so famously proposed something like Daylight Savings Time, he was writing satire.

Get off my lawn!

I did not know that.

 

[bornbadbob]

Yes, factory paint by Kennedy. I actually called them for a history lesson prior to purchase. This was in immaculate condition. As close to N.O.S as possible. It houses my Starrett tools now. Love Red… Heres a few more of the box..Number on the side is a Gov id number.

Steve

Damn nice box. Great condition

 

[Beerhippie]

This is a joke, right?

Not that I'm aware of... unless you consider weather prediction a joke.

I'm hours from the nearest major airport--which is pretty much what weather prediction ashore centers on. The real weather ended up being 45-60F, rain and wind.

But there have been many years when I was changing out my summer tires for winter knee-deep in snow earlier than this.

 

[M.Brane]

Installed a new LED light/combo license plate frame on my wife's trike. Then I fiddled with the hydraulic clutch system on my Mustang. It never had any fluid in it from when I installed the system 6 years ago. Followed the directions in the clutch system bleed kit & the pedal is still soft like there is still air in the system. The hydraulic clutch system is a Modern Driveline system with a firewall mounted master cylinder & the slave cylinder is mounted on the outside of the T-5 manual trans right by the clutch fork. I will try again either tomorrow or Saturday. Wish me luck.

You need pressure on the master, and vacuum on the slave. Bleed slowly. You could also do it opposite, but that gets complicated.

 

[Outlawmws]

Not that I'm aware of... unless you consider weather prediction a joke.

I think he was talking about this line:

PS: When Ben Franklin so famously proposed something like Daylight Savings Time, he was writing satire.

 

[Fixr]

I think he was talking about this line:

No, I was talking about "Did I get the tires changed?"

 

[Beerhippie]

No, I was talking about "Did I get the tires changed?"

No, I didn't. Still.

I'll do the traditional thing and to do it in knee-deep-snow--after a terrifying drive to the shop on my now bald summer tires.

 

[TurnipTruck]

We, too, are forecast to get an inaugural dump of at least five inches of snow starting, oh, six hours ago. Still pretty sunny this evening, but the forecast was so dire we have all been scurrying around all week getting ready for Snowpocalypse25. Needless to say, I am more prepared than I have ever been, needlessly. No snow, no snow, ho hum, I guess I’ll go find something to do in the shop while waiting for the snow.

Top of the pile of short term projects stacked on the benches is this Schmidt snowplow mount for the Unimog. It got a hellacious bend and twist on someone else’s Mog (when a Mog gets stuck, something WILL bend pulling it out). For $80 I can afford to try to fix it instead of buying and shipping in a good mount for $600+.
Anyway, I have already posted about straightening it to the limits of my small hydraulic press, but fixing the twist was a brain-wracker until I finally rediscovered my Dumpster-sourced 36” pipe wrench someone had unsuccessfully modified then tossed.
Once I figured out how to sorta safely clamp it to the table (yet still apply epic torque) and finding a suitable chain comealong with just the right size shackle to connect the two, the experiment could begin.

After flattening but before untwisting:


During:

-still figuring out whether cold overbending will be sufficient, or heat will be required, too. I can’t tell if it is fabricated or forged or both.
If I call in a couple favors I could borrow a PMI nuker to find out what exactly the alloy is and see if heat is warranted. For now, I’m just sneaking up on overtwisting to see if it will hold straight.