Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT A trip back from the edge.

[rixtrix1]

Keeping busy keeps you sharp. You've some nice projects going on, Kirk.

 

[jon72vega]

To the question of flower boxes, my better half planted the flowers in them over the holiday. I finished installing the trim on the Duck Haus and putting the first coat of paint on it.

Kirk,
Duck Haus is looking good!

 

[xtremek]

Keeping busy keeps you sharp. You've some nice projects going on, Kirk.

Thx, but I have WAY too many of them. I'm trying to finish most of them off well before the end of the summer. I want to get the barn interior done so I can bring the BIG project in at the beginning of September.

Kirk,
Duck Haus is looking good!

Thanks Jon. This is one of those projects I want to get done this summer. It'll include a duck pond, and fencing around the their yard. That will require bringing in more fill (I have PLENTY of pond muck) to level off the yard.

 

[xtremek]

Another project nearing the end is the Woody Wagon. Just waiting for the last parts to show up (brackets for the sides, and the correct color cooler). I rattle canned the frame satin black. and the rear wheels gloss white. Is this what they mean by "in the weeds"? I don't think I can go much lower without air suspension.

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Another project nearing the end is the Woody Wagon. Just waiting for the last parts to show up (brackets for the sides, and the correct color cooler). I rattle canned the frame satin black. and the rear wheels gloss white. Is this what they mean by "in the weeds"? I don't think I can go much lower without air suspension.

But how are you going to get over speed bumps without bags?

 

[rmalkow2]

Nice job on the woodie wagon. Your frame design and steering are well thought out.

 

[xtremek]

But how are you going to get over speed bumps without bags?

That one is coming. I've got about 3 or 4 ahead of that. I think the next will be the most fun.

Nice job on the woodie wagon. Your frame design and steering are well thought out.

Thank you, sir. I try to put real engineering and design into every single one I build, including suspension geometry (camber, caster, and ackerman angle).

 

[xtremek]

Here's to our friend, Steve. To millimeter grass cutting and QST. Your kindness, support, and influence reached around the world. You are missed.

 

[shortykorte]

Here's to our friend, Steve. To millimeter grass cutting and QST. Your kindness, support, and influence reached around the world. You are missed.

Salute!!!

Nice wagon. Steve would approve. Did you build the front axle?




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[xtremek]

Thanks Shorty. It was my first attempt at using sand and heat to bend a tube. It turned out decent. Steve would always approve because he was always supportive. Just a small part of what made him so good.

 

[Strouty]

I have always wanted to try that, did you weld caps on the end of the tube?

 

[xtremek]

Yep, but not tight. Dried the sand in a soup can, capped one end with a piece of sheetmetal spot welded on, filled, then capped the other with piece of sheetmetal wit 2 spot welds. Not into pipe bombs at my age.

 

[shortykorte]

Turned out great and yes Steve was/is very encouraging. I’ve had talks about the sand trick but never tried it. What type of tubing, regular steel tubing or conduit?
Custom wagons are popular at the big swap meet near here.


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[xtremek]

Thanks again. It's actually 1" DOM left over from a Formula SAE build.

 

[xtremek]

Last week was also a decent week for getting jobs done. I put in a new tub and shower faucet. Getting the set back done properly was a royal pain. Then had one small drip. Finally put it together and got a surge of rust that plugged the thing. Got it cleaned and we’re working well. All in all, the thing was in and out 6 -7 times. UGGHHHH

 

[xtremek]

Got the brackets in for the side panels of the woody wagon. Still need to order the cooler, paint the one replacement slat, and stake in the handle pivot bushings, and I’ll have another project off the list. And for those following along, got almost everything in the engine bay of the F-150 buttoned up. Went to fire it up, and no fuel pressure. Pretty sure it’s the fuel pump. Bet you didn’t guess the tank is full.

 

[xtremek]

And over the weekend we got 6 new additions to duck family, and 1 today. Actually we had 7, but on didn’t survive the first day. Life goes on.

 

[shortykorte]

You must have hired Shorty’s Super Handyman Service to do the plumbing. Lol.

Wagon is looking sweet. Cute ducklings.


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[xtremek]

This is SSHS north, an authorized regional subsidiary. I don't feel too bad, I didn't have to run to the hardware once. Thanks of the compliment on the wagon. Next time I go
to town, I have to go to a real paint shop to get the paint for the broken slat. That and order the red cooler. One step closer to getting something else off my plate.

 

[xtremek]

Last night I hit a small milestone on getting the dumptruck back on the road. I’ve been doing a not so quick, but cheap cleanup on the rear frame.

 

[xtremek]

Still have too fix the frame at the box hinges, build a hitch/bumper, clean up the lift assembly, install the box, and wire the back half of the truck (putting in the connectors for a 6 and 7 pin trailer). I was hoping to have it done by next weekend, but I’ll probably be driving my Dad to Colorado and back for the funeral of his last sister (Monday), so that may slip a day or 4….or more.

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Why a 6 and a 7 connector? I would put on a 7 pin and then get an adapter for a 6. I have one around here somewhere because I had one trailer that had a 6 pin. I never got it swapped over before it got sold.

Sorry about your Dad's sister. Hope the drive is uneventful. At least no bad events.

 

[shortykorte]

I’m thinking some 30/18R15 would be perfect for the truck.


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[xtremek]

Why a 6 and a 7 connector? I would put on a 7 pin and then get an adapter for a 6. I have one around here somewhere because I had one trailer that had a 6 pin. I never got it swapped over before it got sold.

Sorry about your Dad's sister. Hope the drive is uneventful. At least no bad events.

1st, thanks for your sentiments. It'll be my Dad, my daughter and I for most of the trip (20 hours one way). We'll pick up my son on his bike about half way there. So it should be a bit of fun.

All our other vehicles have 6 pin connectors, so I just leave the 6 pin adaptor on my 5'x10' trailer, but I want to be able to tow a gooseneck with the dump truck as well.
6 pin will be on the bumper/hitch, 7 pin will be back on the back face of the deck. And the plan is for the dump truck to be used to haul a gooseneck

I’m thinking some 30/18R15 would be perfect for the truck.

Since this is strictly a work truck for my wife's future business, the name of this game is functional, durable, presentable, and CHEAP, in that order. This is my attempt at the last two. Now the Cabover, that's a completely different story.

 

[Strouty]

Progress is looking good, but that rust is bumming me out.

What is the plan for the gooseneck hitch?

 

[xtremek]

We live with rust, it just is. Especially when you pay $700 for a running, driving, stopping truck. The gooseneck will be attached to the frame of the dump box. When the box is in the down position I'll be able to pin it to the frame of the truck, so everything should be stable.

 

[sublime68charger]

Sorry for your loss,

Since this is strictly a work truck for my wife's future business, the name of this game is functional, durable, presentable, and CHEAP, in that order. This is my attempt at the last two. Now the Cabover, that's a completely different story.

you got Cheap in there all wrong, Durable and Presentable and for the wife Cheap don't factor into that at all!

Nice work on stuff!

 

[xtremek]

Sorry for your loss,

Thanks

you got Cheap in there all wrong, Durable and Presentable and for the wife Cheap don't factor into that at all!

Since I don't think she's going to get the Hemp thing going, cheap is the word.

Nice work on stuff!

Thanks, again.

 

[mybigwarwagon]

I am glad I live where our cars don't dissolve.

 

[xtremek]

But then what do you get mad at?

 

[mybigwarwagon]

People

 

[xtremek]

Got the other side of the hitch off. Termites were just as bad on this side. Patches to the frame are done.

 

[Kev442]

That frame looks pretty solid overall. I'm used to seeing them rusted in half with scale the size of silver dollars falling off!

 

[xtremek]

Thanks Kev. The welds weren't my best but I think they'll hold (newspool required speed adjustment). When I get done, I'm going to take a pic of the scale that fell off. Some of the pieces were over 1/2" thick.

 

[xtremek]

The spring thing was missing off of the one side. A piece of black pipe, some ½” flat stock, and we’re in business. Proof that I really can weld.

 

[mwbailey]

So, xtremek, while I'm messing with cutesy dollhouses and Little Free Libraries, you're doing Woody Wagons and dump trucks! Looks like you're making great progress. When do you expect to finish the work on the truck's chassis? It's pretty obvious that your expertise is exactly what we need.

My BIL got a good deal on a 1990 Chevy K1500. The more he looks into it, the more he sees why it was a good deal. Evidently the "termites" are pretty rough in Indiana, the former home of this truck. We've replaced the U-bolts on both rear springs because one leg on one of the bolts was rusted totally through. Interesting that the bottom "fitting" has four little cups to collect salty water and rust the bolts. Check the upper left leg in this photo:


Interesting, also, how those termites pick specific spots to eat on. Here's one spot just below the driver's door, but much of the rest of the frame is pretty solid:


We're not used to dealing with such hungry insects in SC!

 

[xtremek]

Anything from the north is sure to have an infestation, beware. I was hoping to have the truck done today, but the reality of it is that it'll probably be a couple of weeks. I HOPE to finish building the bumper/trailer hitch today. I still need to wire/rewire the back half of the truck, install the box guides, fix the pump mount, install the brake controller, reattach bits and pieces removed for the frame cleaning, install the dump box, replace the lift cylinder, and repair the box floor. Once that's done, I can continue to work on it, but still use it.

 

[mwbailey]

Shoot, that's a pretty short list!?!?

Good luck and stay safe.

 

[Strouty]

I gave up, decided to buy something without rust. You are a better man than me, or a glutton for punishment.

 

[xtremek]

Shoot, that's a pretty short list!?!?

Good luck and stay safe.

I gave up, decided to buy something without rust. You are a better man than me, or a glutton for punishment.

This is all about the Benjamins, or more properly, the lack there of. When this is all said and done, I'll have a working dump truck for less than $2500, I think. And I'll have proof of concept, towing a gooseneck/5th wheel safely with a dumptruck. The next one should go much easier having learned some lessons on this one