Above 1200 Sq/FT building my BIG PARTY garage

[don long]

No uncle willie the spitoon was and still is empty

Thanks drives

Marty feel free to post here any time lol

So today about 4pm I hit the wall. I'm so tired and beat up that I can't even move tonite
But Jose and I almost finished the paver project. I have 2 more cuts to make then the sand will be swept into the cracks then compacted again and it's over

 

[Bears Fan]

Dang, Don those pavers look awesome! nice job

Get some rest! that's an order from your Garage Journal friends

 

[harley jim]

Like Tony said get some rest, us old guys arnt going to quit so we need to be well rested. I have started carrying a lawn chair with me so I can rest while I work, LOL. The place is looking great.

 

[ambenz]

Gosh Don, the 1,982 miles and 29 hour non-stop drive from my door to yours is preventing me from peeking down your driveway to check out your progress. Good thing you don't mind keeping us all updated on your property, here on the GJ!
I know the pain of progress...sure is satisfying when you can sit back and take it all in.
One of these days, a road trip to the SW will be in store for me, once again, as route 66 keeps calling my name.
If ya ever see my Grabber Mustang cruising near the reservoir, that just might be me. LOL!
Thanks for sharing.

 

[don long]

Dang, Don those pavers look awesome! nice job

Get some rest! that's an order from your Garage Journal friends

Thanks Tony
I know that working in the shop is much easier on my back and arms. That's where I'm going this afternoon!!!

Like Tony said get some rest, us old guys aren't going to quit so we need to be well rested. I have started carrying a lawn chair with me so I can rest while I work, LOL. The place is looking great.

You are right Jim
We have taken on TOO MANY projects to role over now. My lawn chair is calling me out in the shop

Gosh Don, the 1,982 miles and 29 hour non-stop drive from my door to yours is preventing me from peeking down your driveway to check out your progress. Good thing you don't mind keeping us all updated on your property, here on the GJ!
I know the pain of progress...sure is satisfying when you can sit back and take it all in.
One of these days, a road trip to the SW will be in store for me, once again, as route 66 keeps calling my name.
If ya ever see my Grabber Mustang cruising near the reservoir, that just might be me. LOL!
Thanks for sharing.

Ambenz
The distance is only a mine thing, Just jump in the car and head west. I'll keep a tight on for ya

 

[rmalkow2]

Don, You’re keeping busy as ever it seems. I can relate to the tree root problem. My driveway is all pushed up in one place from tree roots and I’m not looking forward to the work to fix it.
Nice new pup. Keep up the work my friend.

Bob

 

[don long]

Thanks Bob
Taking Tony's advice, I snuck out into the work shop late this afternoon after a little nap to get a little color on the Auto-lite spark plug cleaner (sitting down 90% of the time) lol

 

[rmalkow2]

Thanks Bob
Taking Tony's advice, I snuck out into the work shop late this afternoon after a little nap to got a little color on the Auto-lite spark plug cleaner (sitting down 90% of the time lol

Haha, I hear ya. Some days my favorite tool in the shop is the comfortable rolling stool I have and a sit down job.

 

[Grizz1963]

I have nothing to contribute here, but admiration Don.

Love the paving.

 

[don long]

Haha, I hear ya. Some days my favorite tool in the shop is the comfortable rolling stool I have and a sit down job.

I have nothing to contribute here, but admiration Don.

Love the paving.

Thanks Grizz
Bob I have 2 lounge chairs out in the shop and the work benches are both height adjustable so most of my shop time is by the seat of my pants

 

[don long]

I got out of the house around 9 AM and started working. I wanted to finish the pavers and get into the shop to work on the spark plug cleaner.
first I cut the last 3 pavers that were missing. Then grabbed the tractor and brought over a bucket of sand. I spread the sand over the top of the pavers and with a broom swept the sand into the cracks between the pavers before washing them down. This job is in the book.



That was a 2 hour ordeal. Now it's 11 AM and I am out in the shop.
Hirst thing I needed to get the last color on the spark plug cleaner so I wrapped it up. Took it into the booth and sprayed the gold color on it. Then went to lunch with a buddy.
Came back and spent about an hour playing with the new puppy while waiting on the paint to dry on the plug cleaner.
Finally got the cleaner out of the booth, unwrapped and put it together. Polishing all the brass fittings, cleaning the pressure gauge
and cleaning the hard plastic knob and plug holder as I went.

Now it is ready to go to the sign painter for the lettering.

 

[mybigwarwagon]

I need to tune up a truck. Can I send you some spark plugs for cleaning.

 

[don long]

I need to tune up a truck. Can I send you some spark plugs for cleaning.

Sorry Uncle Willie
I sent the 2 spark plug tester/cleaners over to the sign painter for his final touches. Should be back in a week or so

 

[don long]

Spent the day doing what I hadn't planned but happy wife happy life
The wife's garden needed a little attention and as a request from Ann I was elected to weed and service the irrigation system in the garden





After lunch Ann brought out a pile of signs that she had been collecting and wanted them hung on the outside of her garden.
I went and grabbed the screw gun and a handful of screws and waited for further orders!!!

Put on here, no there, or maybe over here until all signs were up

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Good to know the boss can still crack the whip when she needs to.

 

[The Cobbler]

....
Put on here, no there, or maybe over here until all signs were up....

But , Honey, it's not level!
which way?
"that way"
"that's too much" " go back" "more"
it's past were it was when you said it wasn't level
"oh, never mind"
Okay honey

 

[Bears Fan]

The spark plug cleaner looks great! Can't wait to see what they look like after the sign painter gets done with them

Nice job on the garden!

When you have a good one (wife) you have to take good care of them

 

[pwschuh]

Too bad about the "No Sheep Grazing" sign. I was going to bring my herd over the garden for a bite to eat!

 

[markrenner371]

The stucco is finished and the design for the 10 side doors is decided on

111 by don long, on Flickr

I forgot to tell you that when the side doors were hung there was a 6" gap at the top of the door sooo we sure had an oppertunity (problem) solved it with stucco.

76a by don long, on Flickr

79b by don long, on Flickr

79e by don long, on Flickr

so the exterior is 90% complete we can consentrate on the inside so back inside the diner
I built a bar found some used booths with chinese print and ordered bar stools and chairs on line found a set of belt driven fan at a yard sale and had oak shelves left over from our old house

173b (1) by don long, on Flickr

when the chairs came in I took one with me along with the booths and told the apolsteror to match the chair they turned out super

173b (3) by don long, on Flickr

the kitchen is a full operating kitchen with all comercial (used) equipment
fridge triple sink gas grille and grittle freezer and soda pop cooler
ice machine and stainless work table and shelves it sits 25 customers (friends)
so it's party on

173b (4) by don long, on Flickr

waw nice great architecture design

 

[drivesitfar]

Nice work on the path and cement repair!! Even with a helper and a few machines that’s a lot (ton) of work. Well done!!

 

[don long]

Good to know the boss can still crack the whip when she needs to.

Yes she can

But , Honey, it's not level!
which way?
"that way"
"that's too much" " go back" "more"
it's past were it was when you said it wasn't level
"oh, never mind"
Okay honey

Yep something like that lol

The spark plug cleaner looks great! Can't wait to see what they look like after the sign painter gets done with them

Nice job on the garden!

When you have a good one (wife) you have to take good care of them

Thanks Tony
The garden is Ann's project but I'm in charge of the maintenance I'm happy to be done with the plug cleaners they will add a bit to the BPG when I get them back next week I hope
And after 2 failed marriages I new what to look for and found a real winner

Too bad about the "No Sheep Grazing" sign. I was going to bring my herd over the garden for a bite to eat!

Yeah and she stopped the bear hunt too

waw nice great architecture design

Thanks Mark
Welcome to the party Sorry that you missed some of the pic's that were lost when changing photo hosts. I've been trying to get them replaced a little at a time. Enjoy

Nice work on the path and cement repair!! Even with a helper and a few machines that’s a lot (ton) of work. Well done!!

You are right Drives
That project just about kicked my ***

 

[don long]

Todays project was to get the headlight aimer heads put back together.
I almost made it There is a cover that goes over that square hole on the top of the heads. I have one but needed to make another one.

The heads are both together again until I get the chrome pieces that still go on them.



I started working on the cover this afternoon and got the piece cut and bent



Now I need to make the clips that hold it in place



I'm still working on the phone booth too

 

[Kevkx125]

Nice work on the cover DON !! Looking forward to see the booth done and the plug cleaner on display.

 

[53PontiacSD]

The cleaner looks great. The phone booth looks like as much work as doing a complete car, only more small areas to sand. Looking good as usual. You know....a stuffed bear would look great next to the garden. Just saying. LOL

 

[don long]

Thanks kev. They will come

The spark plug tester/cleaners are at the sign shop and the phone booth is a bit boring to work on all day so I decided to take down 1 more project that I've been staring at for months.
You may have caught sight of this stamp machine sitting on the bench in the background of other shots in the shop. Well today was the day to tackle the jewel. I wanted to save the lock and last night Ann came out to the shop with a soda and asked me to take a break with her.
As we were sitting in the shop she asked me if I was ever going to do something with the stamp machine?
I told her that I needed to take it by the lock shop and see if he could open the lock. She said lets go so we did.
He couldn't pop the lock so I brought it home and drilled it out and the project is now under way.

I got the machine apart and set the guts aside while I went to work on the case

First I took the handles and glass out of it


Then took the stainless and the sheet with the graphics off before sand blasting the case



With the case sand blasted I brought it back into the shop and with 150 grit sand paper sanded it lightly to find the imperfections on it



I covered all the spot welds with a thin coat of metal glaze and smoothed the case.



Then it was time to come in for dinner

 

[mybigwarwagon]

I see now. She cracks the whip, and makes you do the garden. Then she convinces you to take a break. Then she asks you to do more work. Women's am diabolical.











And cute.

 

[Bears Fan]

Oh! I'm along for the ride on this one, I love the old coin-op machines

 

[harley jim]

Tony was the first one who came to my mind when I saw this one.
I'm the same way I like the coin op mechanisms, all of those moving parts are cool.

 

[don long]

Oh! I'm along for the ride on this one, I love the old coin-op machines

Me too Tony
This one will be a rather quick project. I'll prime it up when I'm shooting primer on the phone booth

Tony was the first one who came to my mind when I saw this one.
I'm the same way I like the coin op mechanisms, all of those moving parts are cool.

You know what my moto is Jim
"I only make um look good I don't make um run." so I'll be cleaning but not taking all those moving parts apart

I see now. She cracks the whip, and makes you do the garden. Then she convinces you to take a break. Then she asks you to do more work. Women's am diabolical.
And cute.

And you are a quick study Uncle Willie

 

[The Cobbler]

Dons never ending supply of cool artifacts

 

[don long]

Today is Friday and that's the day I have Jose as my helper to do projects around the yard. So We tackled the big shed today.
The roof was almost up, just the center section needed to be put up. So that's where we started this morning at 6 AM


We wrapped up the roof mid morning


so we built shelving using the unistrut that I have sitting around. Then we started loading the shelves with the unistrut fasteners



As you can see I have A TON of different types of fasteners for building with unistrut



Then we walked into another container and started thinning out the stuff in it. Fans, Vices, Port holes, and scales.

The next container that we went into had these nice old shop cabinets full of product


Then I hit the wall. I'm in the house for the rest of the day with my sore feet in the air. And I sent Jose home early

 

[don long]

Dons never ending supply of cool artifacts

You snuck in on me while I was posting my days production
Yes I have a buttload of old stuff sitting around in my containers. I must stay healthy until I'm 140 Yr's old to get them all finished. LOl

 

[The Cobbler]

.... I must stay healthy until I'm 140 Yr's old to get them all finished. LOl

but that's only if you stop collecting. I'm sure you're always adding to the pile

 

[LutzTD]

You snuck in on me while I was posting my days production
Yes I have a buttload of old stuff sitting around in my containers. I must stay healthy until I'm 140 Yr's old to get them all finished. LOl

here's to 140!

 

[mybigwarwagon]

I hope you make 200.

 

[don long]

but that's only if you stop collecting. I'm sure you're always adding to the pile

You hit the nail on the head Cobbler
My 5 containers are full of waiting projects so I just finished a 20' by 50' shed out back to make room for anything else that may fall into my hands lol

here's to 140!

Thanks LutzTD

I hope you make 200.

No thanks Uncle Willie
140 will do it I'm sure lol

 

[don long]

Went to an antique swap meet this morning with my wife then went out to breakfast so lost the morning in the shop but spent the entire afternoon playing in it.
Got primer on 1 piece of the phone booth also sprayed the stamp machine with primer.




Then started cleaning parts to the stamp machine. First I tackled the 2 handles and brought them to a chrome shine



Then went after the top plate and face plate


Next I took the guts of the machine off the base and took it to the sand blaster and cleaned it off before grinding the edges smooth





With all that done I turned to the headlight aimers and finished making the missing cover for one head
I made the fasteners and using JBweld, glued them to the cap


All the time that I was in the shop I had company . My new shop dog (Puppy) Tank

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

“Tank” makes me laugh. He’s gonna be as big as a Sherman tank. Maybe his nickname should be Sherman or Sherm!

 

[harley jim]

He may be a pup but the focus on his face tells a lot.
The nickname Moose comes to mind!

 

[shortykorte]

On the tabs, I was going to ask if you were going to weld or use a spot welder. So the JB weld is good for stuff like that?