Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[Bob Heine]

"When they opened the door wide, they couldn't open the awning window. To fix the problem they moved the window away from the door and the door away from the window until they cleared. Then they patched the siding. I moved the window a little more away from the door and I'll be re-framing the door with less blocking."

Sad when a new owner doesn't care enough to keep the character of an existing building and instead just wants it to look like it's new instead of a classic.

Where will it all end...

Andy, I used to be the one adding "character" for the next owner. Feeling a little guilty. I made Masonite sliding doors in the garage of our last home and painted one side. The paint (or something else) caused the doors to bow so they were very difficult to slide. Never fixed them!

I should be able to add some new and different character to the workshop structure. It will never end...

Great progressBob.

Always a job or two to do.

Hi Rian! Thanks for stopping by and you're right. It was cold outside this morning (by South Florida standards). I'm talking 48*F (9*C) and breezy. It warmed up a little but the workshop project is in the shade of the carport and there's a tiny heater in the shed. Instead, I pulled the '87 Corvette out in the sunny driveway and installed that automatic A/C vacuum controller that I rebuilt last year headscrat). I have to open the driver door wide to do the work so it can't be done in the garage. I wouldn't survive doing it in warmer weather so this seemed like a perfect little project.

The box is located above the accelerator pedal behind the vanity panel. All I have to do is stick my upper body into the space, swivel my head as far as it will go and remove all the stuff in the way. At one point I was bent over backwards and questioned my ability to get out from under the dash. I didn't take a lot of pictures because of the spittle all over the lens. Suffice it to say the job is done and I am going to find out which body parts are hurt, probably later this evening.

Dang Bob, you're a one man dynamo. I have 2 hands and can't get as much done as you do. Can you slow down, you're making me look bad. :

Kirk, if I slow down Liane calls the mortician.

Bob: I wasn't going to say anything about the window framing since it's only a shed, but that added board you put in really makes it look right now. nice work.

thanks for the tip on the pony wall (I think that's what they call it) and i built one on the back of our house when we re did that framing 26 years ago. for my kids house's garage which is where the rotted sill is they have a ton of stuff up against the wall so I was wondering if there was a fix without doing a pony wall so we didn't have to move all their stuff.

that said it's probably a fairly easy fix once we start it, but the trick will be the upgrade instead of putting the sill back maybe putting in a cement riser to put the new sill plate on to keep it from rotting again.

keep up the good work and always fun to see what you are doing. i'm still wrapping my head around your come along moving that planter a few feet.

Drives, I feel like the biggest part of these repair jobs is "moving all the stuff" and trying to move it to a place where it will only need to be moved back. I haven't been real successful but now I buy lots of casters so the multiple moves are easier.

There is a job listing in cities called the "Urban Forester." That's the person to-whom you submit your requests for tree removals. It's also the person who disapproves your landscape addition because it's "the wrong tree in the wrong place." Actually, you can understand that better when your neighbor to the back plants a bunch of palms directly-underneath the power company service lines. That's what we're facing, and now all those trees are growing into the lines. Eventually the power company will come-in and chop-down the trees, when they cause power outages. So we've got that to anticipate. My wife (the E.E.) tried to talk our neighbors out of it, but they planted these power-interrupters anyway.

I have a friend who is a graduate-degree landscape architect, who works for one of the east-side cities between Miami and Boca Raton. I ask him for advice from time to time. He did a landscape design for me to get me through an issue with the local city administration. Shut them right-up. "Comply with code!" works both ways!



When I see your progress in fixing things, it motivates me to do something else around here. You're in St Johns, north of Lansing, I believe that's home to Saylor-Beall. They make a good product (air compressors).



Ain't dat 'de-truth! Again, when Bob works, I feel-guilty about not having-accomplished more, and go do something-else.

The Hudson River Valley is a very-scenic place to be. I bet you couldn't believe your good fortune when you got your home there. I'm surprised your house was one of a few having a chimney. I would expect more homes would have fireplaces. I had a friend in Highland Falls (NYS 7W) across from Poughkeepsie, and the property went right-down to the river. I visited him in the fall and the spring, and the fall colors were a real treat, it looked just-like a Thomas Cole or Asher Durand Hudson River School of painting, which after-all was the source of inspiration for these artists, and Washington Irving's fantasies, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle.

My parents built a new 2-story home just before WW II up-by Lake Ontario, in western NYS just-south of the Erie Canal. In the winter we had a view of the freighters on the lake. It had a fireplace, and was big-enough that it held 5 siblings. It cost $4,000. Their six-bedroom 2-story custom home they built (with built-in central AC!) in 1957 was a step-up, as it had a large 2-car garage, an open floorplan, and vaulted ceilings in tongue-and-groove hemlock. That one was $17,000.

Your GTO was a lot of fun to drive, I bet. I had a '67 convertible for a bit, but after a brief ownership, when I was offered three times what I paid for it, "bye-bye!" Recently, I was cleaning-out a shed to demo it and I found a set of headlight bezels for it. I also turned-up a spare set of Hurst-Hatch t-tops for a 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am I used-to own, still in their OEM factory GM naugahyde carrying bag. It was a gold-pinstriped "Smokey and the Bandit" 6.6 litre Pontiac engined model, I bought from the original owner, it was $10K before the "limited availability" dealer Ben Dover surcharge.

Philip, I think a lot of development houses built in the early 1950s had big markups on anything extra or different. The Cape Cod houses in our development had a base price just over $10,000 and the Ranches like ours were just under $12,000. The fireplace and extra window in the kitchen eat-in area bumped the house to $14,500. The fireplace also made the eat-in area two-feet longer.

A lot of the west bank of the Hudson River between Newburgh and Kingston is undeveloped so it is a wonderful place to go boating. Our last cruise in the fall was always at the height of the foliage changing color. All along the steep banks of the river on the western side there are streams and waterfalls that can only be seen from the water. It was a really special time in our lives. The eastern shore has the New York Central/Penn Central/Conrail railroad running along the shore. Makes for a scenic commute to work in Manhattan for a lot of people.

If you bought a house before 1934 and the FHA, you usually had to come up with a 30-to-50% down payment and repay the loan in 10 years or less. Your parents probably had 10-to-20% to put down and stretched the mortgage to 20 or 30 years. Back then, $100 a week was a rich man's income.

The GTO was a fun car and I would have kept it forever if it had air conditioning. It didn't and that was fine in upstate New York but unacceptable in South Florida. I wore a suit to work every day and wool, a black vinyl interior and no air conditioning made for a damp commute.

Your Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am was the last of the muscle cars for a long time, as I recall.

Thanks for the compliment Driftpin. And yes Saylor-Beall is here in St. Johns, and well as the engine component supplier Mahle (they make pistons and turbos). I have a friend who works for Saylor. I keep asking him for a free sample of a 2-stage compressor, but he always turns me down. Can you believe the nerve?

Kirk, with all the free compressors Saylor-Beall must give your friend all the time, that seems kind of selfish. I gave away every single free IBM Personal Computer they gave me. Oh wait, that was none...

 

[xtremek]

.............At one point I was bent over backwards and questioned my ability to get out from under the dash.......
Kirk, with all the free compressors Saylor-Beall must give your friend all the time, that seems kind of selfish. I gave away every single free IBM Personal Computer they gave me. Oh wait, that was none...

Bob, I'm pretty sure I'm a bit younger than you, I when I have to work under the dash like you did, I'm always worried I may not make it back out.

And the one perk that my friend usually gets that I'm truly jealous of, is a expense paid trip to the SEMA show in Vegas.

Nice job on the Vette.

 

[rixtrix1]

Well, Bob, I gotta hand it to you for getting that fern up in the tree. What a project, but hey, you don't seem to run out of them. I got tired just reading about it.

 

[jimreed2160]

Bob, that description of you squirming around makes me wonder how they hire mechanics these days. Maybe something like this:

Kid: Yessir! I was top in my class at the automotive school. My specialty is computer diagnostics.
Mgr: Well that is great. Top of your class. Hmm...I am sure we can use you around here.
Kid: Well that is swell.
Mgr: In fact, I am going to make you a team lead.
Kid: I expect nothing less.
Mgr: You can lead our HCR team.
Kid: I can start Monday. By the way, what is the HCR team?
Mgr: Why, Heater Core Replacement team, of course. Welcome aboard!

 

[driftpin]

Bob, I'm pretty sure I'm a bit younger than you, I when I have to work under the dash like you did, I'm always worried I may not make it back out.

And the one perk that my friend usually gets that I'm truly jealous of, is a expense paid trip to the SEMA show in Vegas.

Nice job on the Vette.

Well, Bob, I gotta hand it to you for getting that fern up in the tree. What a project, but hey, you don't seem to run out of them. I got tired just reading about it.

On my back, head-down, under the dashboard is one of my least-favorite places to work.

I have a staghorn fern about half that size I left sitting on the ground, I'm thinking of cutting it up and making multiple smaller plants to suspend.

 

[patlun]

Patlun, welcome to the Garage Journal and I am honored that your first post is on my thread. We are coping with Florida winter weather today. It is around 27C (81F) outside so I need to go out soon. We are well into Spring with flowers blooming and in a few weeks some of our trees will lose their leaves (very confused plants in Florida). Thank you for your very kind words, I really appreciate them.

I like your signature because English is also my second language. As George Bernard Shaw supposedly said "The English and the Americans are two peoples divided by a common language."

I see you are from Sweden. I've only been to Stockholm once and that was only for a day during a cruise in 1998. My grandmother was born in Göteborg and contributed 43% of my DNA, according to Ancestry.com. Specifically from Götaland & Svealand, to the south of Värmland. I seem to have taken my "Southerner" thing to extreme.

I will try to send some of our sunshine and warmth your way.

Sorry for an late answer I have been busy rereading Gregor's (sakurama) thread and working.

Thank you for the welcome! And i really appreciate the sunshine and warmth, we need it soon. it was snowing when i drove from Stockholm to my house in southern Värmland last night.

Maybe English is my third or fourth language, behind SQL and Perl

Stockholm is a nice city to visit, at least when it is warm and sunny. Me? I just live and work in the city. Now I will try to get some quality time and relax. The only thing I must do before Monday is servicing my snow blower and make sure the lawn mower is ready for use. The grass will soon start growing, even if there still is some snow on the ground.

I like your Corvettes, they reminds me of reading the pulp fictions about Larry Kent who always drove a Corvette. And they looks nice

 

[RickP]

...
I ended up using Simpson ties to reinforce the sill-to-jack-stud framing rather than using cripple studs. There's also a few construction screws holding it all together.

...
I spent $165 for a slightly used Bostitch pneumatic coil nailer and and a few bucks more for 3,600 2-inch hot dipped galvanized siding nails.

Bob, you're making that shed too nice - the termites are going to have to start looking for a new home! (hopefully not in one of your buildings). Nice job on the framing - it definitely looks hurricane-resistant.

I have a very similar Bostitch coil nailer, and it sure does make siding and sheathing installation go a lot faster.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Bob, you're making that shed too nice - the termites are going to have to start looking for a new home! (hopefully not in one of your buildings). Nice job on the framing - it definitely looks hurricane-resistant.

I have a very similar Bostitch coil nailer, and it sure does make siding and sheathing installation go a lot faster.

The termites will show up in their little tuxedos and there'll be valet parking and tours of the new digs before dinner.

 

[RickP]

The termites will show up in their little tuxedos and there'll be valet parking and tours of the new digs before dinner.

Sounds like "National Treasure" with Nicholas Cage played by an Oscar award winning cast of tiny critters going in search of buried treasure under the shed! After the final credits roll, Bob will be replacing the rest of the shed one stud at a time...

Bob, any plans for spraying pesticide under the shed to keep those critters from taking up residence again?

 

[HOTFR8]

Well that was funny. There is only one 'Stud' in that building of Bob's.

 

[shortykorte]

"When they opened the door wide, they couldn't open the awning window. To fix the problem they moved the window away from the door and the door away from the window until they cleared. Then they patched the siding. I moved the window a little more away from the door and I'll be re-framing the door with less blocking."



Sad when a new owner doesn't care enough to keep the character of an existing building and instead just wants it to look like it's new instead of a classic.



Where will it all end...

I’m thinking we call the Flagler Preservation Society and report Bob.

Great work Bob. Looks new. After you attend the GJFC get together, you might as well continue up to Tally and assist me. [emoji2]


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, I'm pretty sure I'm a bit younger than you, I when I have to work under the dash like you did, I'm always worried I may not make it back out.

And the one perk that my friend usually gets that I'm truly jealous of, is a expense paid trip to the SEMA show in Vegas.

Nice job on the Vette.

Kirk, I am a few months from the three-quarter century mark and I don't recall exactly when working head down under the dash became worrying but it was decades ago.

I would put the SEMA show on my bucket list but I would feel guilty because I got to so many cool events over the years.

In 1991 I returned to Boca Raton from a two-year assignment in Australia. I returned to a different IBM where 7-day work weeks and 20-hour work days were the norm. I showed up at a 2:00 AM meeting wearing a Daytona 500 jacket and the head of the project asked if I was into racing. When I began salivating and babbling I guess he heard YES. They sent Liane and me on a business trip to Indianapolis for the May 1992 qualifying weekend. I had to give a speech to a group of people one evening to qualify the trip as "business." IBM Entry Systems (PC) had a pit box and a sky box that we got to spend time in. I was glad we were there for the qualifying weekend to watch Roberto Guerrero set a record 232.618 lap. The next weekend the race started with the coldest race day temperature in history and Guerrero wrecked on a parade lap before the race even started. Ed Hinton wrote an article about the '92 race: http://www.espn.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/10946567/indycar-crashes-marred-1992-indianapolis-500

It was a few steps to the pit wall.

We also had passes to the museum but I don't want to upset people with the photos. We spent part of the next day in the Hulman Terrace Suite IBM rented (at the very top of the grandstands like the ones on the other side of the pit straightaway).

The suite was at the end so we could watch the cars exiting turn 4. It was deja vu all over because my friend had tickets to the Daytona 500 in almost the same spot (lower down and metal bench seats). We were at the Daytona 500 in 1988 when Richard Petty had his spectacular crash).

Well, Bob, I gotta hand it to you for getting that fern up in the tree. What a project, but hey, you don't seem to run out of them. I got tired just reading about it.

Ric, my stuff may make you tired but I saw the Chevy S10 lemonade you brewed. Swapping all that stuff from the wreck to the silver one made me a happy kind of tired.

Bob, that description of you squirming around makes me wonder how they hire mechanics these days. Maybe something like this:

Kid: Yessir! I was top in my class at the automotive school. My specialty is computer diagnostics.
Mgr: Well that is great. Top of your class. Hmm...I am sure we can use you around here.
Kid: Well that is swell.
Mgr: In fact, I am going to make you a team lead.
Kid: I expect nothing less.
Mgr: You can lead our HCR team.
Kid: I can start Monday. By the way, what is the HCR team?
Mgr: Why, Heater Core Replacement team, of course. Welcome aboard!

Jim, good one. I did the first evaporator change on the PT Cruiser after a shop quoted $1,400. The second time it had to be replaced I took it to the guy I trust and he quoted $1,100. That seemed more than reasonable and when I heard how hard they worked to do it right, I gave them an extra $100 (didn't mention it was still $200 cheaper than normal).

On my back, head-down, under the dashboard is one of my least-favorite places to work.

I have a staghorn fern about half that size I left sitting on the ground, I'm thinking of cutting it up and making multiple smaller plants to suspend.

Philip, it took me a long time to talk myself into swapping that module. I'm going to fix the old one so I have a spare. I plan to Tom Sawyer one of my grandsons the next time it has to be replaced.

Next time that monster is on the ground it is getting cut up for sure.

Sorry for an late answer I have been busy rereading Gregor's (sakurama) thread and working.

Thank you for the welcome! And i really appreciate the sunshine and warmth, we need it soon. it was snowing when i drove from Stockholm to my house in southern Värmland last night.

Maybe English is my third or fourth language, behind SQL and Perl

Stockholm is a nice city to visit, at least when it is warm and sunny. Me? I just live and work in the city. Now I will try to get some quality time and relax. The only thing I must do before Monday is servicing my snow blower and make sure the lawn mower is ready for use. The grass will soon start growing, even if there still is some snow on the ground.

I like your Corvettes, they reminds me of reading the pulp fictions about Larry Kent who always drove a Corvette. And they looks nice

Patlun, rereading Gregor's (Sakurama) thread is an excellent use of your time. He's a modern Renaissance Man.

Winter in Sweden is depressing and long but the long summer nights make up for that. I do remember the transition from snow blower to lawn mower. I made a mistake putting the snow blower away in Spring 1967. We had a storm dump a foot of snow on March 22.

I didn't know about the Larry Kent stories. Probably just as well because any book that mentioned Corvette would have sucked me in and there are hundreds of Larry Kent books.

Bob, you're making that shed too nice - the termites are going to have to start looking for a new home! (hopefully not in one of your buildings). Nice job on the framing - it definitely looks hurricane-resistant.

I have a very similar Bostitch coil nailer, and it sure does make siding and sheathing installation go a lot faster.

Rick, I was thinking the same thing the other afternoon. Then I remembered how well situated the shed is. Our house sits high on the property (we're on a coral ridge) and the roof of the shed is about the same height as the patio. The shed might come in handy as a shelter when that big Category 5 comes our way. I'm planning a generator hookup just in case.

The termites will show up in their little tuxedos and there'll be valet parking and tours of the new digs before dinner.

Andy, those little buggers are going to pay for the repairs. I'm going to charge them a tiny fortune for the tux rentals and all you can eat poison buffet.

Sounds like "National Treasure" with Nicholas Cage played by an Oscar award winning cast of tiny critters going in search of buried treasure under the shed! After the final credits roll, Bob will be replacing the rest of the shed one stud at a time...

Bob, any plans for spraying pesticide under the shed to keep those critters from taking up residence again?

Rick, those little guys turn down Oscars -- they want to be able to eat their awards. I am trying my best not to uncover more damage but you know I will go looking as soon as I get the first wall shaped up.

I have a box of termite bait/poison things to set up around the shed. The original owner of the house, built in 1988, told me he used a stash of banned Chlordane under the shed slab. That's good for subterranean termites but the ones doing this damage are dry-wood termites and they just fly in and dine above ground.

Well that was funny. There is only one 'Stud' in that building of Bob's.

Thanks Simon!

I’m thinking we call the Flagler Preservation Society and report Bob.

Great work Bob. Looks new. After you attend the GJFC get together, you might as well continue up to Tally and assist me. [emoji2]


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

Stewart, I was thinking of saving a piece of damaged wood to prove it wasn't done by an endangered Boca Raton Tuxedomite.

I would love to attend the GJFC party but my driver can't spare the time off (he works two jobs at the moment). I'm expecting him to spend his precious free time sporting a pneumatic nailer on some Hardie siding.

 

[Bob Heine]

Thanks to Andy I have a second hand to help on the table saw.

I bought a couple of miter guide bars that fit this table saw, thinking I would use them to make a panel sled. Maybe someday but for now it makes a great featherboard holder. I screwed the track to the scrap wood and used a metric thru-bolt to lock the bar in the track. I will also use a clamp on the end. It feels pretty solid with just the locking screw.

 

[jimreed2160]

Good work on the featherboard. Things go south quickly on a TS and it is nice to keep yer digits waaay back in the cheap seats.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Good work on the featherboard. Things go south quickly on a TS and it is nice to keep yer digits waaay back in the cheap seats.

So true

 

[oldironfarmer]

So true

Glad to see you posting, Steve!

 

[Bob Heine]

Good work on the featherboard. Things go south quickly on a TS and it is nice to keep yer digits waaay back in the cheap seats.

Hi Jim, thanks for stopping by. I bought a plastic featherboard years ago and it was a total disaster (OK, mostly operator error). A friend taught me to keep my eye on my hand and be sure the saw blade never comes in sight. He was very afraid of table saws but insisted on trying -- followed by an ER side trip.

So true

Steve, thanks for stopping by as well and it's really good to hear the successful cycle through the hospital. I am always impressed with Australian health care. Patient always comes first.

Glad to see you posting, Steve!

Andy, it makes my day to know Steve is up and around.

 

[Bob Heine]

Managed to make a little progress yesterday by getting the first cuts on the door frame pieces.

The new blade makes all the difference. I was going to do more but my mistakes escalate when I am tired and don't realize it. Ended the day with no major mistakes and three pieces of door frame with their first cuts. Two 6' 8" sides and a 6'3" top. You'll notice the extra notch in the piece on the right where I was a little careless putting the board on the table saw. At least there was no blood involved.

Today was fairly productive, with all three door frame pieces cut and a side seal test fit. I also managed to build the six-foot 8.5-inch 6" x 8" header.

The carbide tipped reciprocating saw blades arrived so I was able to remove all the blocking from the right side of the doorway.

I will remove the old 5" x 6" header, cut (or replace) the cripple studs and fit the new 6"x8" header. I also need to notch the ends of all three door frame pieces and router the hinge locations. I plan to notch the door frame pieces just like the originals.

 

[Higgins]

Spent a lot of time under the dash of the C3s, and C4 Corvettes. The 1st thing I would do is remove the drivers seat. Then put a stiff pillow on the floor to protect your back. After that, your good to go !!!

 

[Higgins]

Steve, We purchased 4 AC on top of a mountain in TN. It's soo steep you can hardly walk around the property. So any trees that fall down the hill, requires 400-600 ft of logging chain to use with a witch up at the top of the hill/ Any garden work requires a bobcat to get around the property as a wheelbarrow or tractor and cart will to cut it. So one moves up to some of the big boy toys real quick!!

 

[Bob Heine]

Spent a lot of time under the dash of the C3s, and C4 Corvettes. The 1st thing I would do is remove the drivers seat. Then put a stiff pillow on the floor to protect your back. After that, your good to go !!!

Steve, We purchased 4 AC on top of a mountain in TN. It's soo steep you can hardly walk around the property. So any trees that fall down the hill, requires 400-600 ft of logging chain to use with a witch up at the top of the hill/ Any garden work requires a bobcat to get around the property as a wheelbarrow or tractor and cart will to cut it. So one moves up to some of the big boy toys real quick!!

Higgins, thanks for visiting my thread. I was 47 when we bought the '87 27 years ago. Crawling under the dash was a lot easier. Next time I have to spend any significant time under there I will definitely pull the seat. I've pulled them quite a few times, starting with a fresh leather upholstery 25 years ago (it has held up well). My main worry with removing stuff is the plastic connectors that seem to crumble as the car enters its third decade.

I don't envy your garden work. We are biting the bullet and having the big ficus in the back yard taken down. A bobcat would help picking up the pieces but I don't do heights so younger (immortal) folks will be taking it down.

 

[Bob Heine]

I am making progress on the workshop repairs but I am taking extra time at each step to close the building up at the end of the day. I managed to get the left side door frame finished and attached to the door. The cart from Northern Tool came in handy as a holder and a cart for the door.

I got the door set in place and quit for the night. Today I planned to start on the right door and frame but I've had a stack of wood leaning against it for a long time. I was going to just move the stack but when I looked for a place to move it, I realized I would be moving it multiple times. I have admired all the great wood racks made by many GJ members and decided to do a free version with wood scraps. Four light duty swivel casters, a piece of 2"x8" from a bed frame, a couple of well used pieces of plywood and a 1"x3" slat from that same bed frame (neighbor's trash) screwed together into a 34" rack that will end up back behind that door when I'm all done. I didn't measure anything and it ended up completely full with every last plywood and Masonite scrap that was leaning against the door.

I cut the head from the jamb and then removed all the screws holding the side jamb in place. The hinges haven't seen much use in the past 22 years so a fair bit of Kroil had to be used to get them to move.

The jack stud is termite free but my 2"x6" jamb is thicker than the 5/4" jamb it is replacing. I'm going to have to move the main stud and jack stud to get it to fit properly. Fortunately I did buy a couple of extra pieces of 8-foot 2"x6" lumber. With both doors open I can probably get a bobcat in the workshop.

I found that the wall has settled a bit because the siding has drooped to the point the door wouldn't open without scraping. The reciprocating saw did not do a very good job cutting that siding back. It will be removed once the framing repairs are complete.

 

[don long]

Interesting project there bob. Looks like you are well into it.

You mentioned going to the Indy 500. I have tickets promised to me for the 2020 race next year. The seats are across from the start finish line right behind the flagman.

I've used these tickets several times in the 90's It's a fun time

 

[RickP]

The carbide tipped reciprocating saw blades arrived so I was able to remove all the blocking from the right side of the doorway.

How did the saw blades work out? I've haven't seen those blades with carbide tips before, but they sound like they'd really chew through the wood.

I like the new scrap wood cart - especially how you used "found" materials for it. One of those may be in my future as well. Nice that your sizing of it worked out perfectly!

 

[Guster]

Looks like you already got a lot of use out of that new cart. Bit of an unconventional way to hold a door on edge but almost enough reason to buy two!

Though I must admit you got me Bob! Suddenly you had double doors and me wondering where I missed you fitting the extra door. Just to realise it was always there. That plywood cart was time well spent. I think you will get definitely a lot more use out of it now that its primary purpose is not to keep plywood standing upright.

PS. Did you just mention buying a bobcat too or is Andy coming for a visit?

 

[jimreed2160]

I am making progress on the workshop repairs...but...The reciprocating saw did not do a very good job cutting that siding back.

Hmmm. Is that one of the cordless and operator-less automatic saws that Amazon sells in the year 2026? Did it fall out of the time warp? Or perhaps it is a current model and there was operator involvement? Inquiring minds are interested. I think a quality review is in order.

 

[BBChevro]

Hey Bob, good work repairing the termite damage in the shed. [emoji106]

I hate working behind any dash - I would imagine that it would be tight quarters in a 'Vette.

The feather board looks like a great idea - although if there was "no bloodshed", perhaps you should ask Shorty about the correct procedure. [emoji1]

Sent from my SM-G950F using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[oldironfarmer]

I really like your rack, Bob!

Rolling wood rack, that is.

With all the Bobcat talk I hear from you it sounds like it's time you bought a mini skid steer. You've got plenty of room and it will really help building the new shop you have planned. The new ones are like bulldozers, one hand joy stick.

Get one with rubber tracks.

It will come in handy after the next storm.

 

[Bob Heine]

Interesting project there bob. Looks like you are well into it.

You mentioned going to the Indy 500. I have tickets promised to me for the 2020 race next year. The seats are across from the start finish line right behind the flagman.

I've used these tickets several times in the 90's It's a fun time

Hi Don! I thought I was repairing a workbench but it seems to have that scope creep thing going on.

I went to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Watkins Glenn, New York a couple of times and to the Daytona 500 several times as well. In the early 70s you bought a ticket to see the Grand Prix and could wander the garages to watch the cars being prepped for practice sessions. In the '80s the ticket prices for the Daytona 500 kept going up and you couldn't do anything but watch from the grandstands. The qualifying weekend for the Indy 500 was the best of both worlds. I got to wander the garages and see the track from multiple locations. As I got older the drive to the track and back home took the fun out of the Daytona 500 and no matter where you sat, you couldn't see the whole track. Whenever something exciting happened, everyone jumped to their feet and all you could see was the back of people's heads. I watch the races on TV now and get a great view of everything. I do miss the smells.

How did the saw blades work out? I've haven't seen those blades with carbide tips before, but they sound like they'd really chew through the wood.

I like the new scrap wood cart - especially how you used "found" materials for it. One of those may be in my future as well. Nice that your sizing of it worked out perfectly!

Rick, the carbide blades are no better than a sharp bi-metal blade when cutting wood but they are a huge improvement when you come across a nail or screw. They cut through nails and screws twice as fast as the regular blades.

The wood cart is reminding me that I should get rid of a lot of the scraps I'm saving. I'm probably going to install one of those steel racks on back of the shed and limit the scraps the this cart and the little steel shelf unit.

Looks like you already got a lot of use out of that new cart. Bit of an unconventional way to hold a door on edge but almost enough reason to buy two!

Though I must admit you got me Bob! Suddenly you had double doors and me wondering where I missed you fitting the extra door. Just to realise it was always there. That plywood cart was time well spent. I think you will get definitely a lot more use out of it now that its primary purpose is not to keep plywood standing upright.

PS. Did you just mention buying a bobcat too or is Andy coming for a visit?

Eugene, I love that little cart. The steel door is heavy and awkward to move around so setting it in the cart carries more than half the weight. It isn't stable enough the plane the edge of the door but I don't plan to plane the steel.

I need to open the second door more often. The hinges were rusted together pretty well but a little Kroil helped free them up. I think the cart is going to be a great addition and I may put some better casters on the bottom. The best part of the cart is not knocking over a piece of plywood every time I walk past.

I had a momentary lapse with the bobcat. I found a 22-year-old one for about $12,000 and then looked at a mower deck for another $4,600, a trencher for $8,000 and of course a jack hammer for $5,000. I'll need a trailer to haul it around and a truck powerful enough to tow the trailer and load. Something in my voice tipped off Liane. I opened my mouth and she said NO!

Hmmm. Is that one of the cordless and operator-less automatic saws that Amazon sells in the year 2026? Did it fall out of the time warp? Or perhaps it is a current model and there was operator involvement? Inquiring minds are interested. I think a quality review is in order.

Jim, it is a simple saw but the instructions hint that simple operators should leave it in the box. I should read instructions.

Hey Bob, good work repairing the termite damage in the shed. [emoji106]

I hate working behind any dash - I would imagine that it would be tight quarters in a 'Vette.

The feather board looks like a great idea - although if there was "no bloodshed", perhaps you should ask Shorty about the correct procedure. [emoji1]

Sent from my SM-G950F using The Garage Journal mobile app

Mark, thanks for stopping by. I am trying to be slow and methodical about doing this repair. I have the slow part down for sure.

The space under the dash on the 'Vette is borderline accessible. My Fiat was smaller but the door sills were lower. I always try to get into position and then get out -- before doing any work. If I'm successful, I start on the project. If not, I try to chill out and take a nap. Bad situations always look better after a nap. Smart people just take the seat out.

I was surprised by how well the featherboard worked. I try to stand to the side when operating the table saw and I treat the wood being cut like it's a pile of poop. I'll only touch it with a stick.

I really like your rack, Bob!

Rolling wood rack, that is.

With all the Bobcat talk I hear from you it sounds like it's time you bought a mini skid steer. You've got plenty of room and it will really help building the new shop you have planned. The new ones are like bulldozers, one hand joy stick.

Get one with rubber tracks.

It will come in handy after the next storm.

Andy, I'm hoping to make friends with someone who lives near me and owns a skid steer. If that fails, I'm thinking of making friends with the clerk at the equipment rental store.

 

[Bob Heine]

I was about to go out to the workshop yesterday morning when I looked at that fern hanging from the come-along. A familiar voice behind me said "you never finish anything" and when I turned around, no one was there. Rather than cut nails and install lumber I used a ratchet strap to pull the fern closer to the tree, drove my all-thread spike through the middle of the fern and re-set the chain holding up the fern.

After I re-located the come-along, I was able to lift the fern and attach the ring nut to a new 3/8" chain with a shackle.

The fern is now hanging higher and feels far more secure.

In its new position, the fern is touching the tree trunk and will likely attach itself so I won't have to worry in the next major storm. Well, worry is a relative term. If the tree falls or that branch breaks I'll have plenty to worry about.

 

[jimreed2160]

That Staghorn is impressive.

 

[casmurbax]

Great job on the Fern.

Just one question why no tree limb protector where the chain is wrapped around the trunk?

 

[bolensboneyard]

Bob now stop for a minute and think about this. You have a heavy fern to lift. You now have a shed that will allow you to keep a bobcat out of sight and the neighbors view. You see where I'm going with this? Look honey; at what we could do with the garden if we had one! Oh! Be sure it has an enclosed roll cage for protection and something to sleep in; now that you will be living in the shed full time.

 

[sawduststeve]

I opened my mouth and she said NO! been there done that, said everyman.

Bob,great work with the shed rebuild, I did loads of this type of repair with the old man when I started work, agricultural joinery , he used to call it, I always enjoyed it, still do. Things seem to be cheaply made these days and get replaced far to easily. A decent shed is still a lot of money though. I've got a nice little job coming up, a tree house repair, the ****** thing is bigger than the first flat I bought.

Have a great week
Steve

 

[driftpin]

I think that fern would have been cut-up straight-away to make it easier to maneuver. I have one I need to do, I just haven't gotten around to messin' with it again, since the last time. My beloved spouse has an aversion to ferns, while I like 'em. She hates boston ferns, I like 'em. Staghorns, same thing. Oh well.

I once went to a city commission meeting trying to get a project approved which needed no variances, just a lot of applications and reviews to various parts of the local gov't. I had a landscape architect draw me a full plan, to-code, and he gave me a to-scale rendering, in color, and I had-listed the xeriscape and native species, in a schedule. It went beyond what was required for that stage of the process, but I wanted to be "proactive" in dealing with these people. One of the elderly city commissioners, after hearing the testimony from me about the $$$ landscape plan, looked at me like I had cockroaches erupting from my mouth, screwed her sour-looking wrinkled face into a sneer, and told the assembled attendees, "xeriscape? That just draws rats!" and voted against it.

You know from other posts, I've been to Watkins Glen for the Formula 1 races. I have pics I took from then (1960's) of many famous drivers, now deceased: Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Dan Gurney, John Surtees, and others. Being able to wander around and to watch them working on the cars was a great benefit of admission.

I just returned from Daytona Bike Week. We didn't watch the 200, I have in years-past, but I did go to the National Championship TT race with a friend from western NYS who was a national #-holder in the 1960's & '70's. An Indian FTR750 won the race for the 3rd consecutive year.

My friend rode BSA's and Triumphs in flattrack, his parents were British and German bike dealers back-then. Now, he's got a fused cervical spine with internal titanium hardware holding him together, and is battling cancer. He's a machinist, and still runs his own shop about an hour south of Rochester.

In years-past, I've been to Bike Week during the races leading-up-to the 200. Back then, you could access the outside of the turn 1 banking, and watch the bikes run flat-out from the front straightaway, past the start/finish line, and onto the banking. Depending on the class of bikes racing, it could be interesting or thrilling/almost terrifying. There was a guy from New Zealand, John Britten, who designed and built his own motorcycle, and he sold them for competition and also for the street, if you had the $$$$. Those things were DOHC 1000 cc V-twins, they used a lot of carbon fiber, and their sound was awesome. Ducatis were the hot bike until the Brittens were built. In the Battle of the Twins race the Brittens ran 1-2 until just before the last couple laps, and then they poured it on, and just walked-away from the race Ducatis, not even-close. That's the year I was standing next-to the hot pits entrance, as the bikes were coming and going for practice, and I got some great shots of the Britten going back to their pit area. When I looked to my left, on the other side of the pit entrance, there was Sir John Surtees, only person to win the motorcycle Grand Prix rider's championship, and the F1 driver's championship. I spoke with him briefly, he was very courteous, and made a couple observations about working for Mr. Ferrari as his F1 driver. They called Ferrari "The Commander," and he was supposed to be notoriously-difficult to work-for. Sir John said at the end of the F1 season, Ferrari would order all the cars destroyed, as he didn't want factory secrets to be discovered.

Your shed is getting a good make-over, but a bobcat on your lot isn't practical, better leave it at my house south of Ft. Lauderdale.

Speaking of Watkins Glen, that's the site of the Woodstock 50th anniversary, and a handful of the original performers are going to appear, including Country Joe McDonald. I don't think his partner, Barry Melton ("The Fish," his lead guitarist) is going to be there. Barry Melton played at my younger sister's wedding in Golden Gate State Park in San Francisco, many years ago. "Gimme an "F!"...

A pic of the Britten, the carbon-fiber masterpiece made in New Zealand, now selling-for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Brittens built outnumber Bugatti Royales built, but not by-much.

 

[Bob Heine]

That Staghorn is impressive.

Jim, our daughter gave us the two ferns in that tree when she moved from Florida to Ohio in 2001. I picked them up and hung them in a tree in the back yard. Probably weighed 20 pounds. When that tree died and had to be cut down in 2011, I moved the ferns to the Mahogany tree in the front yard. Could barely lift the big one and used a 3/8" rope with four-pulleys to raise it into position. Including the time it was in our daughter's care, that fern is over 20 years old.

Great job on the Fern.

Just one question why no tree limb protector where the chain is wrapped around the trunk?

Thanks John! I normally put a piece of hose on a chain or rope when it goes around a branch but I didn't do that in 2011 when I first hung the fern from that branch with a 3/16" chain. In 8 years that chain didn't make a dent in the bark of the Mahogany tree and the tree didn't make any defensive growths around those thin links. I figure the 3/8" chain has lots more surface area so it should have even less impact. In this photo you can see the indentations from the first chain to the right of the new one. That's 8 years of impact on the bark.

Bob now stop for a minute and think about this. You have a heavy fern to lift. You now have a shed that will allow you to keep a bobcat out of sight and the neighbors view. You see where I'm going with this? Look honey; at what we could do with the garden if we had one! Oh! Be sure it has an enclosed roll cage for protection and something to sleep in; now that you will be living in the shed full time.

Bobby, I would be fine living in the shed -- decomposing in the shed, not so much.

I opened my mouth and she said NO! been there done that, said everyman.

Bob,great work with the shed rebuild, I did loads of this type of repair with the old man when I started work, agricultural joinery , he used to call it, I always enjoyed it, still do. Things seem to be cheaply made these days and get replaced far to easily. A decent shed is still a lot of money though. I've got a nice little job coming up, a tree house repair, the ****** thing is bigger than the first flat I bought.

Have a great week
Steve

Steve, most of the time I try to keep my mouth shut. Can't count how many times I have forgotten to do that.

It's funny you say that you enjoy this type of work because I'm the same way. I always wanted to learn to weld so I could do proper rust repair on my cars when we lived in New York. Failing that, I found the same kind of enjoyment from repairing damaged wood structures. I like the idea of repairing the inside of a tree house. Not that crazy about the outside work that might require a harness and ropes.

Speaking of hanging from trees, we accepted the estimate for removing the big ficus in the back yard. They are supposed to come Monday morning. They have to take it down without damaging the power line that passed next to it.

In addition to the main tree, there are two smaller trees that I let grow when the main trunk tipped over. One of the trunks is on my side of the fence and the other is on my neighbor's side.

I think that fern would have been cut-up straight-away to make it easier to maneuver. I have one I need to do, I just haven't gotten around to messin' with it again, since the last time. My beloved spouse has an aversion to ferns, while I like 'em. She hates boston ferns, I like 'em. Staghorns, same thing. Oh well.

I once went to a city commission meeting trying to get a project approved which needed no variances, just a lot of applications and reviews to various parts of the local gov't. I had a landscape architect draw me a full plan, to-code, and he gave me a to-scale rendering, in color, and I had-listed the xeriscape and native species, in a schedule. It went beyond what was required for that stage of the process, but I wanted to be "proactive" in dealing with these people. One of the elderly city commissioners, after hearing the testimony from me about the $$$ landscape plan, looked at me like I had cockroaches erupting from my mouth, screwed her sour-looking wrinkled face into a sneer, and told the assembled attendees, "xeriscape? That just draws rats!" and voted against it.

You know from other posts, I've been to Watkins Glen for the Formula 1 races. I have pics I took from then (1960's) of many famous drivers, now deceased: Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Dan Gurney, John Surtees, and others. Being able to wander around and to watch them working on the cars was a great benefit of admission.

I just returned from Daytona Bike Week. We didn't watch the 200, I have in years-past, but I did go to the National Championship TT race with a friend from western NYS who was a national #-holder in the 1960's & '70's. An Indian FTR750 won the race for the 3rd consecutive year.

My friend rode BSA's and Triumphs in flattrack, his parents were British and German bike dealers back-then. Now, he's got a fused cervical spine with internal titanium hardware holding him together, and is battling cancer. He's a machinist, and still runs his own shop about an hour south of Rochester.

In years-past, I've been to Bike Week during the races leading-up-to the 200. Back then, you could access the outside of the turn 1 banking, and watch the bikes run flat-out from the front straightaway, past the start/finish line, and onto the banking. Depending on the class of bikes racing, it could be interesting or thrilling/almost terrifying. There was a guy from New Zealand, John Britten, who designed and built his own motorcycle, and he sold them for competition and also for the street, if you had the $$$$. Those things were DOHC 1000 cc V-twins, they used a lot of carbon fiber, and their sound was awesome. Ducatis were the hot bike until the Brittens were built. In the Battle of the Twins race the Brittens ran 1-2 until just before the last couple laps, and then they poured it on, and just walked-away from the race Ducatis, not even-close. That's the year I was standing next-to the hot pits entrance, as the bikes were coming and going for practice, and I got some great shots of the Britten going back to their pit area. When I looked to my left, on the other side of the pit entrance, there was Sir John Surtees, only person to win the motorcycle Grand Prix rider's championship, and the F1 driver's championship. I spoke with him briefly, he was very courteous, and made a couple observations about working for Mr. Ferrari as his F1 driver. They called Ferrari "The Commander," and he was supposed to be notoriously-difficult to work-for. Sir John said at the end of the F1 season, Ferrari would order all the cars destroyed, as he didn't want factory secrets to be discovered.

Your shed is getting a good make-over, but a bobcat on your lot isn't practical, better leave it at my house south of Ft. Lauderdale.

Speaking of Watkins Glen, that's the site of the Woodstock 50th anniversary, and a handful of the original performers are going to appear, including Country Joe McDonald. I don't think his partner, Barry Melton ("The Fish," his lead guitarist) is going to be there. Barry Melton played at my younger sister's wedding in Golden Gate State Park in San Francisco, many years ago. "Gimme an "F!"...

A pic of the Britten, the carbon-fiber masterpiece made in New Zealand, now selling-for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Brittens built outnumber Bugatti Royales built, but not by-much.

Philip, I'm pretty sure that lady has a close relative in every city commission in Florida.

It's funny you mention pictures. Somewhere in the boxes of photographic treasures I have photos of my friend and I sleeping under a tarp tied to my '71 Vega GT. The first year we went it rained and the next year it was dry but so hot half the people were shirtless -- including the ladies. In some cases "Hold my beer" came to mind and in others "Keep your shirt on" was more appropriate. It was my first run-in with the super wealthy. We were wandering the garages in muddy t-shirts and jeans while the drivers' significant others (super models one and all) were clicking high heels in their designer leather jeans and bedazzled blouses. Apparently the ladies were carried to and from the garages because there was no sign of mud on their shoes.

One of my best photo opportunities came in 1980. A friend belonged to the SCCA and I helped crew on his 1979 Datsun 200SX at a Daytona (infield track) event. We had to replace the clutch at lap 10 so most of my memories of that race involve burnt clutch dust and transmission gear oil. In return, he got me a course worker pass to the 1980 Sebring 12-hour race. While wandering the pits I came across the BMW March M1. I was close enough to touch it and one of the drivers was Bruce[?] Jenner. He was talking to someone while standing next to the car so I whipped out my camera and started taking pictures. I was using my Minolta SLR with motor drive and 70-210 telephoto lens. In the viewfinder I was getting some of the best photos of my life and was really proud of myself. As I moved though the pits I took more and more great shots. At some point I checked the film counter and something was off. I had taken way more than 40 pictures but the counter was on 0. Those photos are extremely fuzzy and live in the ancient brain cells inside my head -- I forgot to load film in the camera. I took more photos but couldn't get into the pits during the race so the shots I have are from the sidelines. Better than behind the fences.

 

[casmurbax]

Wholly ficus Bob!

Thanks for replying to my question in regards to the branch protector. You are right, the old chain just barely left a mark, new one shouldn't be an issue at all.

 

[shortykorte]

I guess the 80’s wants its ficus back. I didn’t realize they got the big.
An empty camera? Head scratcher


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Bob Heine]

Wholly ficus Bob!

Thanks for replying to my question in regards to the branch protector. You are right, the old chain just barely left a mark, new one shouldn't be an issue at all.

John, I'm hoping it will be fine. The only thing that could ruin my approach is a hurricane. A strong enough wind can take a branch that size and turn it into a pretzel.

I guess the 80’s wants its ficus back. I didn’t realize they got the big.
An empty camera? Head scratcher


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

Stewart, that ficus was planted in 1968 and by 1996 it was pretty big. We have had it cut back many times and would have taken it down years ago but the next door neighbor claimed to love the tree. The new owner, not so much.

 

[Bob Heine]

I stopped at Trader Joe's yesterday. Liane said she didn't want anything for our anniversary today so I just bought her a rose for every year we've been married.

I bought five dozen and ended up with three extras but I don't expect she'll count to see if there are 57 roses (she likes to add the 2 years of dating so 59 would keep me out of trouble).

My special anniversary celebration was to prepare for the tree removal tomorrow. The crew will be able to make faster progress if they don't have to work around my fencing so I took it down. My neighbor offered to help but he wasn't home today. Started work at noon and by 2:30 I had the section of fence behind the tree moved out of the way...

...and the two 8-foot wide gates removed.

The gates are pretty heavy so my new cart got pressed into service. With the cart at one end and a hand truck at the other, I was able to move the gates.

The last section of fence came out after I cut away the air roots that had woven themselves through the fence. I managed to also lift the 8-foot post out of the ground and get it out of the way. The short post used to latch the two gate sections together was not as easy to lift out of the ground so I left it. Last step was to move some of the stuff my neighbor had in his yard that was a little too close to the work area.

I'm going to need a little extra pain medication tonight. I didn't feel it while I was working but everything fell apart when I quit at 4:00.