OP
Above 1200 Sq/FT Ernie's Place
- Thread starter StormcrowAz
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Looks and sounds like fun. Glad to also hear your dad got to join you.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Looks like a great trip Todd and glad to hear your mods have worked out well.
Seven-Mile Rim and Poison Spider are two of our favorites as well. Heading there in a couple of days to meet up with some friends so thanks for the pictures to get me amped up.
Seven-Mile Rim and Poison Spider are two of our favorites as well. Heading there in a couple of days to meet up with some friends so thanks for the pictures to get me amped up.
j p smith
Well-known member
Awesome pictures Todd, thanks for sharing
Jayman17
Well-known member
Wow, great looking photos, looks like a fun time! Nice your dad could go with you.
Jay
Jay
harley jim
Well-known member
Awesome Todd
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Drives – Thanks, and yes it was a great time! It was also some good quality time with my dad and I’m very grateful we could spend it together.
Mike – A little late in my response here, as I see you’ve already went and come back. Sounds like you had a good time, too!
Jeff – Thanks for checking in!!
Jayman17 – Thank you! And yes, it was a good experience. I shouldn’t have waited so long to go. And not only was it good quality time with my dad, but I think it made the overall experience that much better. The car could burn to the ground tomorrow but I’ll have those memories with me forever.
Harley Jim – Thanks and thank you for stopping by!
Ok, this is the last thing I’m doing to the Can Am and then I’m done.
The insulation in the tunnel seemed to have helped a wee little bit, but not nearly enough. Everyone on the forums says these wind deflectors are the fix for the heat problem. They are kind of like those little wing windows in old trucks you could pop open to direct some breeze into the cab. Broke down and bought the pair, only to find out they don’t fit with the aftermarket mirrors I installed. So had to open up the wallet yet again for the mirrors that did fit. I have to say though, those guys at Can Am did a good job engineering these accessories. Everything has been super easy to install and fits nicely with everything else. It’s nice not having to custom-fabricate everything in order for stuff to fit and work.
Mirrors required one rivet nut to be installed into the cage. There’s pre-existing hexagonal holes in various place to facilitate these accessories, and turns out they were nice enough to pre-install these particular inserts at the factory. One bolt into the rivet nut and a nut/bolt combo through the existing tab below it.
The deflectors were a little more involved, only in that I needed to drill two holes into the cage on each side for more rivet nuts. Still pretty easy, though. The deflector kit included the required rivet nuts and the new Astro nut-setting tool made quick work of it. All of the how-to installation instructions for their other products have been pretty solid, but I kind of ignored them in this case. They provided a link to templates you print out for alignment of the rivet-nut locations and I didn’t really care for that. Instead I pre-assembled the mounts to the deflector using half-inch ¼-20 nut/bolts and used the assembly for locating where I wanted it on the pillar. Put a (highly technical) fingers-width of clearance between deflector and mirror when folded in.
I did a sway bar swap, too. Evidently the factory decided to use super heavy-duty sway bars on this particular model of Maverick (the RC, Rock Crawler), most speculate this is due to liability issues. There’s a similar model of car that uses a smaller-diameter bar that’s a direct fit for swapping out. Basically gives you an added 85% extra articulation while still retaining some benefits of having the sway bar. I took out the original and ran without one for Moab and can definitely tell the difference in body roll in the turns, mostly on pavement. The extra travel was nice off-road. I would like to have something in there though, thus the swap. Hopefully it will be a good compromise. Plus it’s an easy removal and replacement job.
One note on something I did not expect was the Zerk fittings in the new sway bar bushings. I had everything installed and saved the Zerks for last, not wanting to damage them on anything, considering they are threaded into plastic. It was then I found out the bushing had a smooth-bore where the Zerk goes. It’s not pre-threaded. With limited room to work it in was just easier to remove the bushing and install the fitting outside the car. I guess this was intentional (?) as the I.D. of the bore is smaller than the fitting, allowing the Zerk to create its own threads. No biggie, just took a bit more time.
Taking it out this weekend for a day-trip in the desert, so we’ll see how these new additions pan out.
Mike – A little late in my response here, as I see you’ve already went and come back. Sounds like you had a good time, too!
Jeff – Thanks for checking in!!
Jayman17 – Thank you! And yes, it was a good experience. I shouldn’t have waited so long to go. And not only was it good quality time with my dad, but I think it made the overall experience that much better. The car could burn to the ground tomorrow but I’ll have those memories with me forever.
Harley Jim – Thanks and thank you for stopping by!
Ok, this is the last thing I’m doing to the Can Am and then I’m done.
The insulation in the tunnel seemed to have helped a wee little bit, but not nearly enough. Everyone on the forums says these wind deflectors are the fix for the heat problem. They are kind of like those little wing windows in old trucks you could pop open to direct some breeze into the cab. Broke down and bought the pair, only to find out they don’t fit with the aftermarket mirrors I installed. So had to open up the wallet yet again for the mirrors that did fit. I have to say though, those guys at Can Am did a good job engineering these accessories. Everything has been super easy to install and fits nicely with everything else. It’s nice not having to custom-fabricate everything in order for stuff to fit and work.Mirrors required one rivet nut to be installed into the cage. There’s pre-existing hexagonal holes in various place to facilitate these accessories, and turns out they were nice enough to pre-install these particular inserts at the factory. One bolt into the rivet nut and a nut/bolt combo through the existing tab below it.
The deflectors were a little more involved, only in that I needed to drill two holes into the cage on each side for more rivet nuts. Still pretty easy, though. The deflector kit included the required rivet nuts and the new Astro nut-setting tool made quick work of it. All of the how-to installation instructions for their other products have been pretty solid, but I kind of ignored them in this case. They provided a link to templates you print out for alignment of the rivet-nut locations and I didn’t really care for that. Instead I pre-assembled the mounts to the deflector using half-inch ¼-20 nut/bolts and used the assembly for locating where I wanted it on the pillar. Put a (highly technical) fingers-width of clearance between deflector and mirror when folded in.
I did a sway bar swap, too. Evidently the factory decided to use super heavy-duty sway bars on this particular model of Maverick (the RC, Rock Crawler), most speculate this is due to liability issues. There’s a similar model of car that uses a smaller-diameter bar that’s a direct fit for swapping out. Basically gives you an added 85% extra articulation while still retaining some benefits of having the sway bar. I took out the original and ran without one for Moab and can definitely tell the difference in body roll in the turns, mostly on pavement. The extra travel was nice off-road. I would like to have something in there though, thus the swap. Hopefully it will be a good compromise. Plus it’s an easy removal and replacement job.
One note on something I did not expect was the Zerk fittings in the new sway bar bushings. I had everything installed and saved the Zerks for last, not wanting to damage them on anything, considering they are threaded into plastic. It was then I found out the bushing had a smooth-bore where the Zerk goes. It’s not pre-threaded. With limited room to work it in was just easier to remove the bushing and install the fitting outside the car. I guess this was intentional (?) as the I.D. of the bore is smaller than the fitting, allowing the Zerk to create its own threads. No biggie, just took a bit more time.
Taking it out this weekend for a day-trip in the desert, so we’ll see how these new additions pan out.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
My Jeep buddy from Moab brought his trailer over for some repairs. Constant use of it as a step, plus age and fatigue, caused a couple cracks to form. Drilled holes at the end of the cracks, bent up a patch for underneath, and welded everything up. A little hand-finishing and it is sturdy again and not too horrible looking. Forgot to take pictures, though. Also fixed the trailer brakes, a couple wires came loose at the axle.
Another good friend of mine came over the next day, and he’s a mild kind of prepper. Wants to have a mobile solar-powered set-up for those times when the grid goes down. He got a nice 200AH lithium ion phosphate battery and monster inverter. He has four 100 watt solar panels we’ll install on his porch roof at home to keep the battery topped off. This thing should be able to keep a decent amount of things powered in an emergency, especially with the amount of sun we get. I talked him into a set-up similar to my mig welding, using a moving dolly. I call it the Solar Cart.
Here’s some of the stuff going into it
What we’ve managed to get done so far. Mounting the battery and inverter.
Welded some bent tabs out the front and a couple more on the sides to keep it lined up. Added a flat piece of stock across the top of the battery and a couple custom tie-downs bars to secure it to the cart. Also welded a piece of plate with tabs and two pieces of half-inch tubing to support the inverter on top of the battery. Plenty of room to remove/replace the battery and work with the terminals.
Both our schedules are pretty busy/conflicting in the next couple weeks, so this will be a while to complete, I think.
Also fixed the trailer brakes, a couple wires came loose at the axle.Another good friend of mine came over the next day, and he’s a mild kind of prepper. Wants to have a mobile solar-powered set-up for those times when the grid goes down. He got a nice 200AH lithium ion phosphate battery and monster inverter. He has four 100 watt solar panels we’ll install on his porch roof at home to keep the battery topped off. This thing should be able to keep a decent amount of things powered in an emergency, especially with the amount of sun we get. I talked him into a set-up similar to my mig welding, using a moving dolly. I call it the Solar Cart.
Here’s some of the stuff going into it
What we’ve managed to get done so far. Mounting the battery and inverter.
Welded some bent tabs out the front and a couple more on the sides to keep it lined up. Added a flat piece of stock across the top of the battery and a couple custom tie-downs bars to secure it to the cart. Also welded a piece of plate with tabs and two pieces of half-inch tubing to support the inverter on top of the battery. Plenty of room to remove/replace the battery and work with the terminals.
Both our schedules are pretty busy/conflicting in the next couple weeks, so this will be a while to complete, I think.
rattle_snake
Well-known member
yup, uh huh. Last mod to Can Am. sure.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I like where Justin is going with this. Bwahahahahahaha.....
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Ran the Wickenburg Mtns./Copperopolis trail this past weekend.
Not too horribly difficult, but with some fun sections.
Awesome desert scenery
Isaac Bradshaw (1819-1885 according to the plaque) grave site
And the Bradshaw Mountains are littered with evidence of old mining operations.
Overall a great day-trip!
Not too horribly difficult, but with some fun sections.
Awesome desert scenery
Isaac Bradshaw (1819-1885 according to the plaque) grave site
And the Bradshaw Mountains are littered with evidence of old mining operations.
Overall a great day-trip!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Looks like a fun area. I like exploring the mines and surrounding areas as we go off-road as they seem to tell a story and each one is unique.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
That trail looks like my speed, Todd. Will have to put it on the list.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Mike – I get the whole “the trail is the thing” mentality, but I also like it when there’s cool stuff in between or at the end to check out.
PugetDude – I saw the thread where you posted pics of your front/back yard views (awesome, by the way). I bet there’s a lot of great trails out in there in the Superstitions.
So the wife had a friend of hers over for a visit, and said friend noticed our custom gates and asked if I could make one for her back yard. She doesn’t want anything fancy, just something functional so should be fairly easy. They are just a couple miles south of us on the same street, still in horse property, so their fencing and corrals are all made out of well pipe, too. They had a pile of random pipe sections for me to scrounge through, so materials are covered. While there and talking to her husband, he said he had a bunch of metal they wanted to get rid of if I wanted it. More 1.5” pipe, about .125” thick wall. I guess he built an aviary for his hawks and someone complained about it, so he had to tear it down. Looks like he built a small casita-like building for them instead. Anyways, free metal for the taking.
Started working on the gate - going to be a simple square out of round tube. Heavy stuff.
Went back to their house with the Mr.s to grab what we could of the free metal. A lot of it was still in awkward sections. Looks like it was roughly tacked together. Brought the grinder with cut-off wheels to make it manageable for transport.
Putting the Tacoma to work
Ran out of steam, but there were still a bunch of flat panel sections left, so stacked ‘em up and saved those for later.
Pipe unloaded onto the rack at home. All of this material looks to be in good condition, with just some surface rust (“desert patina”) present. No idea what I'm going to do with it all, but I'm also sure it will come in handy at some point. Also need to weld some stops on the rack ends to contain this mess.
So side-track back to Can Am stuff…we’ve mostly been taking on weekend type trips with the toy hauler. I’ve been wanting to do more day-trips close to home, so planned on using the cargo trailer for that instead of dragging the huge camper around. Well…it works, but barely.
The rig barely fits, is uncomfortably close, and requires some gymnastics to get everything secured and tied down. After the Wickenburg ride, we had people stop and ask if we would mind if they watched us load it. Evidently it was quite entertaining. The Boss was not pleased and told me we should get a bigger trailer. Who am I to argue? After debating between a bigger enclosed car hauler and flatbed, and going out and checking out a few brands/models, we settled on this Diamond C equipment trailer.
It’s WAY more than needed for the side by side, but figured it might come in handy in the future for anything bigger/heavier that may come along. Never know, I might want to get another Hummer. It has a large built-in storage compartment near the tongue plus a hydraulic tilt bed, too. So no need for ramps, which is nice. Gotta figure out how to incorporate a winch into the equation.
So remember that pile of pipe panels left behind? 24 hours after purchase, I’m throwing rusty metal onto the brand-new trailer.
Made it easy for transport, and I can cut up the panels into manageable sections at my leisure. on my own property. Now I just need to finish making that gate…
PugetDude – I saw the thread where you posted pics of your front/back yard views (awesome, by the way). I bet there’s a lot of great trails out in there in the Superstitions.
So the wife had a friend of hers over for a visit, and said friend noticed our custom gates and asked if I could make one for her back yard. She doesn’t want anything fancy, just something functional so should be fairly easy. They are just a couple miles south of us on the same street, still in horse property, so their fencing and corrals are all made out of well pipe, too. They had a pile of random pipe sections for me to scrounge through, so materials are covered. While there and talking to her husband, he said he had a bunch of metal they wanted to get rid of if I wanted it. More 1.5” pipe, about .125” thick wall. I guess he built an aviary for his hawks and someone complained about it, so he had to tear it down. Looks like he built a small casita-like building for them instead. Anyways, free metal for the taking.
Started working on the gate - going to be a simple square out of round tube. Heavy stuff.
Went back to their house with the Mr.s to grab what we could of the free metal. A lot of it was still in awkward sections. Looks like it was roughly tacked together. Brought the grinder with cut-off wheels to make it manageable for transport.
Putting the Tacoma to work
Ran out of steam, but there were still a bunch of flat panel sections left, so stacked ‘em up and saved those for later.
Pipe unloaded onto the rack at home. All of this material looks to be in good condition, with just some surface rust (“desert patina”) present. No idea what I'm going to do with it all, but I'm also sure it will come in handy at some point. Also need to weld some stops on the rack ends to contain this mess.
So side-track back to Can Am stuff…we’ve mostly been taking on weekend type trips with the toy hauler. I’ve been wanting to do more day-trips close to home, so planned on using the cargo trailer for that instead of dragging the huge camper around. Well…it works, but barely.
The rig barely fits, is uncomfortably close, and requires some gymnastics to get everything secured and tied down. After the Wickenburg ride, we had people stop and ask if we would mind if they watched us load it. Evidently it was quite entertaining. The Boss was not pleased and told me we should get a bigger trailer. Who am I to argue? After debating between a bigger enclosed car hauler and flatbed, and going out and checking out a few brands/models, we settled on this Diamond C equipment trailer.
It’s WAY more than needed for the side by side, but figured it might come in handy in the future for anything bigger/heavier that may come along. Never know, I might want to get another Hummer.
It has a large built-in storage compartment near the tongue plus a hydraulic tilt bed, too. So no need for ramps, which is nice. Gotta figure out how to incorporate a winch into the equation.So remember that pile of pipe panels left behind? 24 hours after purchase, I’m throwing rusty metal onto the brand-new trailer.
Made it easy for transport, and I can cut up the panels into manageable sections at my leisure. on my own property. Now I just need to finish making that gate…
j p smith
Well-known member
Good score on the materials! Nice upgrade on the trailer, you will appreciate it alot going forward.
Annual Hit & Miss Engine Workshop is set for Dec 4th, 9 to 2 you are welcome to drop by if you want
Annual Hit & Miss Engine Workshop is set for Dec 4th, 9 to 2 you are welcome to drop by if you want
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Nice trailer Todd.
I too have been waffling on purchasing another car hauler. I still have my little 6x10 utility trailer that I built a few years ago. It works great for the majority of what I need but I may get back into flipping a vehicle here or there and if so it would be nice to have something to load a car on to. Plus with either my son's Jeep, mine or a member of our Jeep club, it would be nice to have the ability to carry one if needed.
My only complaint about hauling our Jeep in our previous enclosed trailer was in fact tying the Jeep down. It was like playing Twister. Strapping down on an open trailer is much easier with a wide vehicle in addition to just getting in/out once in the trailer. Our sand rail, sand drag bikes and snowmobiles were a breeze to load/unload in an enclosed trailer but a full size vehicle was a bit more cumbersome.
I too have been waffling on purchasing another car hauler. I still have my little 6x10 utility trailer that I built a few years ago. It works great for the majority of what I need but I may get back into flipping a vehicle here or there and if so it would be nice to have something to load a car on to. Plus with either my son's Jeep, mine or a member of our Jeep club, it would be nice to have the ability to carry one if needed.
My only complaint about hauling our Jeep in our previous enclosed trailer was in fact tying the Jeep down. It was like playing Twister. Strapping down on an open trailer is much easier with a wide vehicle in addition to just getting in/out once in the trailer. Our sand rail, sand drag bikes and snowmobiles were a breeze to load/unload in an enclosed trailer but a full size vehicle was a bit more cumbersome.
rattle_snake
Well-known member
Nice score on the pipe.
I see some sand paddles, what is the story with those??
I see some sand paddles, what is the story with those??
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Jeff – Appreciate the invite! I’ll put it on the calendar and check with The Boss to see if we have any conflicts. Thanks for stopping by!
Mike – Thanks! And twister…yes I can certainly relate. Which brings to mind the Danny Glover catch phrase: “I’m too old for this ****”. I really like the concept of the enclosed trailer, but think the flat bed will be better in the long run for my vehicular needs. And if you haven’t looked lately, be prepared for some sticker shock. Like everything else - limited availability and price has gone up. I seriously considered just building one myself (it’s just metal and some axles, how hard could it be???) but ultimately she veto’d the idea. Something along the lines of: “It’s just one more project on your list and I’d rather spend that time with you doing things we both enjoy rather than you spending that time building something in order for us to go do those things”. She’s got a point. Thanks for commenting!
Justin – The short story is that they are there keeping the avalanche of round pipe from spilling out onto the concrete. Long story is that the paddles belong to a couple of Yamaha Blasters (2004 and 2005, I think) that used to be ridden, but have been woefully neglected as of late. With the addition of the side by side, I don’t see that changing any time soon. The quads are certainly fun, but the Can Am is just more comfortable and easier to ride for lengths of time. See the above "getting old" statement. It’s now on my short-list to clean them up, make sure they still run, and get them sold. Should mitigate some of the costs incurred from the new trailer.
Mike – Thanks! And twister…yes I can certainly relate. Which brings to mind the Danny Glover catch phrase: “I’m too old for this ****”. I really like the concept of the enclosed trailer, but think the flat bed will be better in the long run for my vehicular needs. And if you haven’t looked lately, be prepared for some sticker shock. Like everything else - limited availability and price has gone up. I seriously considered just building one myself (it’s just metal and some axles, how hard could it be???) but ultimately she veto’d the idea. Something along the lines of: “It’s just one more project on your list and I’d rather spend that time with you doing things we both enjoy rather than you spending that time building something in order for us to go do those things”. She’s got a point. Thanks for commenting!
Justin – The short story is that they are there keeping the avalanche of round pipe from spilling out onto the concrete.
Long story is that the paddles belong to a couple of Yamaha Blasters (2004 and 2005, I think) that used to be ridden, but have been woefully neglected as of late. With the addition of the side by side, I don’t see that changing any time soon. The quads are certainly fun, but the Can Am is just more comfortable and easier to ride for lengths of time. See the above "getting old" statement. It’s now on my short-list to clean them up, make sure they still run, and get them sold. Should mitigate some of the costs incurred from the new trailer.j p smith
Well-known member
Hey Todd, I just recently saw a trailer where they mounted the winch on the side of the deck and used a pulley in the center. They had a expandable coiled hose for the power
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Jeff - So the trailer I have has the split deck thing going on.
I think the challenge is that if mounted in the traditional location fully forward, the cable would run over the tilt ramp and when hooked to a car and force applied, the tilt bed would just be pushed down again by the cable. In my limited Google searching I’ve seen it done a few ways.
A big tower bringing the winch up over the level of the tilted bed. I really don’t like this.
Bolting the winch to a plate that is attached to the front of the bed. Not as bad.
This guy cut out a section of decking and recessed the winch a bit. He also off-set it to the side, and brought up a good point that pretty much all hooks or winch points are in-line with the frame rails (makes sense, for strength) so the winch would be pulling in-line with the frame and d-ring/hooks.
Not sure if I would want to off-set it or center it? What I’ve got kicking around in my head is something that is removable, using the receiver hitch concept. Welding a piece of receiver tube between the frame rails as far forward on the tilt section and cutting out just a small square in the deck for the hitch tube to slide into. Something like this (quickly threw together for a visual)
Looks like there’s enough real-estate to pull this off and beams just might be in the right spot, need to do some measuring.
Kind of like what a lot of guys do with their work benches and vises. That way it doesn’t have to stay out in the weather all the time. I can keep it locked up in the storage box on the tongue, along with the battery.
The thoughts are still brewing, probably need to go out and stare at it some more. Thanks for your input!
I think the challenge is that if mounted in the traditional location fully forward, the cable would run over the tilt ramp and when hooked to a car and force applied, the tilt bed would just be pushed down again by the cable. In my limited Google searching I’ve seen it done a few ways.
A big tower bringing the winch up over the level of the tilted bed. I really don’t like this.
Bolting the winch to a plate that is attached to the front of the bed. Not as bad.
This guy cut out a section of decking and recessed the winch a bit. He also off-set it to the side, and brought up a good point that pretty much all hooks or winch points are in-line with the frame rails (makes sense, for strength) so the winch would be pulling in-line with the frame and d-ring/hooks.
Not sure if I would want to off-set it or center it? What I’ve got kicking around in my head is something that is removable, using the receiver hitch concept. Welding a piece of receiver tube between the frame rails as far forward on the tilt section and cutting out just a small square in the deck for the hitch tube to slide into. Something like this (quickly threw together for a visual)
Looks like there’s enough real-estate to pull this off and beams just might be in the right spot, need to do some measuring.
Kind of like what a lot of guys do with their work benches and vises. That way it doesn’t have to stay out in the weather all the time. I can keep it locked up in the storage box on the tongue, along with the battery.
The thoughts are still brewing, probably need to go out and stare at it some more. Thanks for your input!
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Had some good QST this weekend.
Worked on the neighbor’s gate.
+
My Jeep friend stopped by with another quick project. When out wheeling he would disconnect his sway bar and then use zip ties to keep it up and out of the way. He was looking for a more elegant approach, and being a tool-and-die guy, made these posts. Short section of steel stock drilled/tapped and will get welded to the shock tower. Another section of aluminum was turned down and a stud added to the other end to screw into the steel post.
Tacked in place for fitment
Steel section welded in
Much better than zip ties!
Quick little project but a decent improvement and one less thing to worry about when out on the trail.
Got back to the gate – cut and welded a racking section in place. Should keep the dogs inside the yard.
Managed to squeeze in an hour or two on my own stuff, and put a little more of the plasma table together. Table squared up and then gantry tubes and roller bearings installed.
Worked on the neighbor’s gate.
+My Jeep friend stopped by with another quick project. When out wheeling he would disconnect his sway bar and then use zip ties to keep it up and out of the way. He was looking for a more elegant approach, and being a tool-and-die guy, made these posts. Short section of steel stock drilled/tapped and will get welded to the shock tower. Another section of aluminum was turned down and a stud added to the other end to screw into the steel post.
Tacked in place for fitment
Steel section welded in
Much better than zip ties!
Quick little project but a decent improvement and one less thing to worry about when out on the trail.
Got back to the gate – cut and welded a racking section in place. Should keep the dogs inside the yard.
Managed to squeeze in an hour or two on my own stuff, and put a little more of the plasma table together. Table squared up and then gantry tubes and roller bearings installed.
j p smith
Well-known member
Had to reach back into the memory bank. The trailer I saw the winch on was set up so the deck lower to almost the ground, it did not tilt, it lowered for loading. Not sure what would work but there has to be a good solution.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Got up early on Sunday, working on trailer stuff. Started first with making sure the tongue weights would be good for towing the Can Am.
The tilt bed worked great. Once past the tipping point it just floated back down.
Spent a good amount of time installing more tie-down points on the deck so I can use the wheel nets. Evidently they are supposed to be the way to go and the four big d-rings and stake pockets would not have been optimal in securing the rig. Turns out I only had six of the recessed tie-downs, so ended up using the forward set of d-rings on the trailer, but seems to be working good. Beautiful day out, too. Shorts and t-shirt weather.
Safe towing accomplished (hopefully), it was time to install that gate. Loaded up the cargo trailer with the welder, tools, and gate and headed down the road.
Here’s what they were using.
Fence panel blocking the large open area held on with bailing wire. The “gate” was hinged with a dog leash, bailing wire, and that yellow nylon-type rope. A wall hook/hanger was wedged in place to keep it closed.
Fortunately they had a sub-panel nearby with an outlet directly underneath, so was able to feed 120v to the 211. Welded the J-bolt barrels to the existing post and added a latch. Gate is now ready to use.
Pretty tired, but felt like at least I got a lot accomplished. I think I can now focus on getting the plasma table up and running.
The tilt bed worked great. Once past the tipping point it just floated back down.
Spent a good amount of time installing more tie-down points on the deck so I can use the wheel nets. Evidently they are supposed to be the way to go and the four big d-rings and stake pockets would not have been optimal in securing the rig. Turns out I only had six of the recessed tie-downs, so ended up using the forward set of d-rings on the trailer, but seems to be working good. Beautiful day out, too. Shorts and t-shirt weather.
Safe towing accomplished (hopefully), it was time to install that gate. Loaded up the cargo trailer with the welder, tools, and gate and headed down the road.
Here’s what they were using.
Fence panel blocking the large open area held on with bailing wire. The “gate” was hinged with a dog leash, bailing wire, and that yellow nylon-type rope. A wall hook/hanger was wedged in place to keep it closed.
Fortunately they had a sub-panel nearby with an outlet directly underneath, so was able to feed 120v to the 211. Welded the J-bolt barrels to the existing post and added a latch. Gate is now ready to use.
Pretty tired, but felt like at least I got a lot accomplished. I think I can now focus on getting the plasma table up and running.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Great job on the trailer and gate. Behind that gate I notice a huge rock and maybe a swimming pool? Fake rock or real? in any case you sure made a nice improvement your friends property with that gate.
I like the hitch type method of attaching your winch if you can figure out the height of cable.
I bet your weather is nice again while I’m looking at rain and clouds most days now.
keep up the great work.
btw how’s the compressor working? Any issues?
I like the hitch type method of attaching your winch if you can figure out the height of cable.
I bet your weather is nice again while I’m looking at rain and clouds most days now.
keep up the great work.
btw how’s the compressor working? Any issues?
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Drives - Thanks! Yep, that is their pool and it's a pretty nice set-up. Not 100% sure but suspect the rocks were manufactured, as there's a water-slide incorporated into them. They also built a gazebo next to the pool and sunk the ground level down a few feet. I guess they are making it a swim-up bar of sorts.
And the compressor is working great! It is so nice to run a die grinder continuously and not wait for it to catch up. In its own room outside, it's hardly noticeable when it kicks on. I did find one leak at the outside reel when airing up trailer tires. It's after the shut-off valve and before the hose, so hasn't been a huge priority to fix as I keep the valve closed all the time. It's on the to-do list...
And the compressor is working great! It is so nice to run a die grinder continuously and not wait for it to catch up. In its own room outside, it's hardly noticeable when it kicks on. I did find one leak at the outside reel when airing up trailer tires. It's after the shut-off valve and before the hose, so hasn't been a huge priority to fix as I keep the valve closed all the time. It's on the to-do list...
drivesitfar
Well-known member
I’ve moved and loaded stuff on my trailer that not sure how or why but I’m still scratching my head wondering how you tied down your rig inside your enclosed trailer. WOW!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Drives - Climbing over tires and crawling on the floor. It wasn’t fun, trust me. If I had a bigger breakfast that morning I probably wouldn’t have fit. Hope you and yours had a great turkey day!
With a few days off for the holiday, I managed to make a little more progress on the plasma table. The water pan comes in two halves, probably for shipping. They must have bent these pan halves from two different sheets, as one is your typical shiny stainless and the other has a dulled finish to it. Like it was bead blasted or some such?
Factory instructions are to use a bead of silicone on the flanges and tighten with the 10 provided 8-32 x ½” socket head cap screws. I’ve read a number of people had leaking issues, so going off of a forum member recommendation I’m trying this marine-grade 3M product instead. The small tube of silicone is what the factory sent with the table:
Instead of using just the bolts, I sandwiched the flanges between a couple sections of 1” square tubing. My thoughts were that it would provide more even clamping pressure across the entire flange surface.
After waiting the recommended cure time of 24 hours, I pulled the clamps off and put the bolts in.
Looks pretty good, hopefully it holds. I think the best solution is to weld the two halves together, but I’m skeptical that my tig welding skills would be up to the task on this thin material.
Installed the slats, bearings, lead screws and motors and got to the first “custom” modification of the table build. Instead of using a laptop/stand set-up, I am going with a touch-screen monitor and fan-less mini-PC. This monitor arm was meant to clamp to a desk/table.
It came with some thumb-screw tightening system and this bracket, which is pretty heavy-duty. Nothing I could use as-is…but with a little modification it should do the trick.
Chopped it up, drilled some holes in it, and then a couple corresponding holes in the factory gantry tubing.
Tacked together and installed on the arm. This assembly gets bolted to the gantry tubing.
Quick coat of paint, bolted it on and moved forward. Wired up the motors to the control unit and downloaded the necessary controlling software. Managed to get the unit moving under its own power!
Of course nothing is ever easy. Looks like I left a bit too much material on the modified monitor arm bracket and it’s getting in the way of full-motion on the Y axis. The stanchion plates are supposed to be what contacts the bearings and stops the travel.
Looks like I have about an extra ¼” gap on the one side. I’ll need to pull the arm off and trim that bracket up some.
With a few days off for the holiday, I managed to make a little more progress on the plasma table. The water pan comes in two halves, probably for shipping. They must have bent these pan halves from two different sheets, as one is your typical shiny stainless and the other has a dulled finish to it. Like it was bead blasted or some such?
Factory instructions are to use a bead of silicone on the flanges and tighten with the 10 provided 8-32 x ½” socket head cap screws. I’ve read a number of people had leaking issues, so going off of a forum member recommendation I’m trying this marine-grade 3M product instead. The small tube of silicone is what the factory sent with the table:
Instead of using just the bolts, I sandwiched the flanges between a couple sections of 1” square tubing. My thoughts were that it would provide more even clamping pressure across the entire flange surface.
After waiting the recommended cure time of 24 hours, I pulled the clamps off and put the bolts in.
Looks pretty good, hopefully it holds. I think the best solution is to weld the two halves together, but I’m skeptical that my tig welding skills would be up to the task on this thin material.
Installed the slats, bearings, lead screws and motors and got to the first “custom” modification of the table build. Instead of using a laptop/stand set-up, I am going with a touch-screen monitor and fan-less mini-PC. This monitor arm was meant to clamp to a desk/table.
It came with some thumb-screw tightening system and this bracket, which is pretty heavy-duty. Nothing I could use as-is…but with a little modification it should do the trick.
Chopped it up, drilled some holes in it, and then a couple corresponding holes in the factory gantry tubing.
Tacked together and installed on the arm. This assembly gets bolted to the gantry tubing.
Quick coat of paint, bolted it on and moved forward. Wired up the motors to the control unit and downloaded the necessary controlling software. Managed to get the unit moving under its own power!
Of course nothing is ever easy. Looks like I left a bit too much material on the modified monitor arm bracket and it’s getting in the way of full-motion on the Y axis. The stanchion plates are supposed to be what contacts the bearings and stops the travel.
Looks like I have about an extra ¼” gap on the one side. I’ll need to pull the arm off and trim that bracket up some.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Took advantage of the beautiful weather here and went for another ride on Sunday. More desert trails, this time about half-way between Phoenix and Wickenburg. Our destination was an old gold and vanadium mine, called Dragon Mine. A very quick ride got us there.
I’d read about it on-line, but definitely neat to see it in person and imagine what it was like back in its day. We saw about another half-dozen vertical shafts like this, sprinkled throughout the day in various places.
From there we put another 40 or so miles on the cars, just cruising through washes and desert trails. Ran across some more old ruins:
Grave markers
And what appears to be another sizable operation, which our map only identified as “ruins”.
There was also a “Tub Spring” noted on the map, and consisted of a pipe on the ground with water barely trickling out of it.
Not a whole lot of technical riding, just a couple spots here and there needed to go into 4 low. Still, overall had a great day outdoors.
I’d read about it on-line, but definitely neat to see it in person and imagine what it was like back in its day. We saw about another half-dozen vertical shafts like this, sprinkled throughout the day in various places.
From there we put another 40 or so miles on the cars, just cruising through washes and desert trails. Ran across some more old ruins:
Grave markers
And what appears to be another sizable operation, which our map only identified as “ruins”.
There was also a “Tub Spring” noted on the map, and consisted of a pipe on the ground with water barely trickling out of it.
Not a whole lot of technical riding, just a couple spots here and there needed to go into 4 low. Still, overall had a great day outdoors.
plain2car
Well-known member
nice scenery... I have not heard of the area before... looks pretty cool!
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
plain2car – Yep, I love the desert. We’re fortunate have a lot of good trails to explore here in AZ. Thanks for stopping by!
Tis the season to be distracted by holiday shenanigans. Have managed to spend a little time in the shop, though.
If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of a Wahl clipper looks like, here you go:
Before I started shaving my head, I used to cut my own hair with it. Now it’s relegated to goatee trimming. After somewhere between10-15 years of weekly use it started shutting off, whenever the cord was flexed in a specific direction. A wire broke right where it goes into the strain relief. Took it apart and did some cutting, soldering, heat shrink, electrical tape work, cleaned and freshly oiled. The cord doesn’t look as pretty as it did before, but it still runs good.
Got back into making progress on the plasma table. Started by fixing the monitor bracket. Ground off a little of the bracket and re-painted. Now has plenty of clearance and the gantry stops where it was intended to.
Wanted to build a lower shelf and make the whole thing mobile, so stole some ideas from the Langmuir forums. Started with the shelf itself, made from 1.5” square tube.
After taking that picture, the thought occurred to me that I seem to make an awful lot of rectangle/squares. Probably pretty boring to viewers by this point, if this was a You Tube channel I’m sure I would be losing subscribers in droves.
Anyways, welded in some grating in. Don’t really want/need it to be completely flat and the wire presents less area to collect dust and dirt. (plus I have the wire racking, and metal/wood is still expensive!)
Rough idea of what’s going under there. The black/yellow tote will eventually be part of the water table system. Considering I’m using this for hobby stuff and not production, I don’t want the water table to be full all the time, and want somewhere to drain it when not in use. The tote should work fine for that and allow me access to clean it occasionally. But I’ll get to that later…
Needed to make some feet for the table to sit onto the shelf. Cut some sections of c-channel (salvaged from old trailer frame) and 1/8” plate, which then bent on the press. While I was at it, cut up some and cleaned other material for the next step.
Welded the c-channel to the plate
Tis the season to be distracted by holiday shenanigans. Have managed to spend a little time in the shop, though.
If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of a Wahl clipper looks like, here you go:
Before I started shaving my head, I used to cut my own hair with it. Now it’s relegated to goatee trimming. After somewhere between10-15 years of weekly use it started shutting off, whenever the cord was flexed in a specific direction. A wire broke right where it goes into the strain relief. Took it apart and did some cutting, soldering, heat shrink, electrical tape work, cleaned and freshly oiled. The cord doesn’t look as pretty as it did before, but it still runs good.
Got back into making progress on the plasma table. Started by fixing the monitor bracket. Ground off a little of the bracket and re-painted. Now has plenty of clearance and the gantry stops where it was intended to.
Wanted to build a lower shelf and make the whole thing mobile, so stole some ideas from the Langmuir forums. Started with the shelf itself, made from 1.5” square tube.
After taking that picture, the thought occurred to me that I seem to make an awful lot of rectangle/squares. Probably pretty boring to viewers by this point, if this was a You Tube channel I’m sure I would be losing subscribers in droves.
Anyways, welded in some grating in. Don’t really want/need it to be completely flat and the wire presents less area to collect dust and dirt. (plus I have the wire racking, and metal/wood is still expensive!)
Rough idea of what’s going under there. The black/yellow tote will eventually be part of the water table system. Considering I’m using this for hobby stuff and not production, I don’t want the water table to be full all the time, and want somewhere to drain it when not in use. The tote should work fine for that and allow me access to clean it occasionally. But I’ll get to that later…
Needed to make some feet for the table to sit onto the shelf. Cut some sections of c-channel (salvaged from old trailer frame) and 1/8” plate, which then bent on the press. While I was at it, cut up some and cleaned other material for the next step.
Welded the c-channel to the plate
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
This assembly then welded to the shelf
Now the table is captured on the shelf, so I can roll the whole thing around. I’ve seen other guys just weld casters to the feet of the table (no shelf), or permanently incorporate the shelf by welding more tube to the table legs, but I like this as it allows me to keep the table untouched and removable, along with maintaining functionality of the leveling feet independent of the rolling shelf.
That done, it’s time to build a small rolling platform for the Hypertherm. I want to be able to use this not only for CNC operations, but as a manual cutter away from the table as well. Hey look, yet another rectangular tube structure…
Trying to conserve what little steel plate I have, I thought I’d try some mesh screen material that I’ve had laying around for the deck of this little cart. Didn’t think the wire racking would work as well here, as I wanted to be able to smoothly slide the cutter in and out if needed. Welded in some cross-supports and cut the screen to size. Found out quickly that this stuff is really thin. Not really welding it in as much as a bunch of tacks.
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Also thought I would make an exoskeleton of sorts for it. Keep it snug and safe. Plus it gives me some weld-able areas for mounting a desiccant dryer and hooks for cable management. Was originally going weld a piece of plate on top to make a small platform to put stuff on. Considering I won’t be doing any cutting on it, or any other work really, I figured I’d just make another grab handle, mimicking the cutter. Left the vertical supports here long and using them as a jig for tacking that handle in empty space where I want it.
And that’s as much as I was able to get done. One other thing to note…about half-way through the day the flap disc I was using got away from me and nicked my thumb. Small slice, nothing too bad and a little band-aid from the first aid cabinet got me through the rest of the day. Went to clean it out that evening and noticed it left a little present behind. Side of the thumb, right next to the thumbnail.
Metal splinters aren’t uncommon, but this thing was a bit larger and more wicked-looking than normal. Had to enlist the wife’s help for minor surgery.
Other than removing one of the shards of Narsil from my thumb, the weekend was pretty good.
Now the table is captured on the shelf, so I can roll the whole thing around. I’ve seen other guys just weld casters to the feet of the table (no shelf), or permanently incorporate the shelf by welding more tube to the table legs, but I like this as it allows me to keep the table untouched and removable, along with maintaining functionality of the leveling feet independent of the rolling shelf.
That done, it’s time to build a small rolling platform for the Hypertherm. I want to be able to use this not only for CNC operations, but as a manual cutter away from the table as well. Hey look, yet another rectangular tube structure…
Trying to conserve what little steel plate I have, I thought I’d try some mesh screen material that I’ve had laying around for the deck of this little cart. Didn’t think the wire racking would work as well here, as I wanted to be able to smoothly slide the cutter in and out if needed. Welded in some cross-supports and cut the screen to size. Found out quickly that this stuff is really thin. Not really welding it in as much as a bunch of tacks.
[/url]Also thought I would make an exoskeleton of sorts for it. Keep it snug and safe. Plus it gives me some weld-able areas for mounting a desiccant dryer and hooks for cable management. Was originally going weld a piece of plate on top to make a small platform to put stuff on. Considering I won’t be doing any cutting on it, or any other work really, I figured I’d just make another grab handle, mimicking the cutter. Left the vertical supports here long and using them as a jig for tacking that handle in empty space where I want it.
And that’s as much as I was able to get done. One other thing to note…about half-way through the day the flap disc I was using got away from me and nicked my thumb. Small slice, nothing too bad and a little band-aid from the first aid cabinet got me through the rest of the day. Went to clean it out that evening and noticed it left a little present behind. Side of the thumb, right next to the thumbnail.
Metal splinters aren’t uncommon, but this thing was a bit larger and more wicked-looking than normal. Had to enlist the wife’s help for minor surgery.
Other than removing one of the shards of Narsil from my thumb, the weekend was pretty good.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You're making good progress, Todd. Good idea on keeping the table unmolested.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
See this??
This is called showing off.
Nice work Todd!
This is called showing off.
Nice work Todd!
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Or his floor isn’t level and he adjusted PERFECTLY!!
nice work and welding squares never is boring for those of us learning or wanting to weld so keep up the hood work snd always love the pics.
wow that little piece of metal looks like it meant business and happy to see it’s no longer a part of you.
nice work and welding squares never is boring for those of us learning or wanting to weld so keep up the hood work snd always love the pics.
wow that little piece of metal looks like it meant business and happy to see it’s no longer a part of you.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
PugetDude – Slowly but surely! Not sure why, but it felt like the “right” thing to do, keeping the table separate. Thanks for stopping by!
Dan – That’s called the power of selective photography. What’s not shown in that picture is it’s only held on by one tack, allowing me to adjust it to level. Also not shown is the 5 minutes it took tapping up and down on that dang thing trying to get the display to read zero. Nor did you see the 10 pictures it took to get that shot, as it seemed like every time I got it zero’d and then grabbed the phone to take the picture…it would jump back to +/- .1, like it knew I was coming! Of course after fully burning it in it moved a little, but not much and at least I got it started in a good place, which I think helps. Thanks for giving me a hard time.
Drives – I really doubt anything is adjusted perfectly in my shop, but I try to at least get close. I find it’s easier to put stuff together and requires less “custom” fabrication to make things work right. Thanks for following along!
Made a little more progress on the plasma cutter cart. Finished up the grab handle.
Welded casters to the frame. Had to shim it with some small scrap pieces of 3/16” plate so it would sit at the same height as the shelf.
From all my reading on plasma cutting, clean and dry air is a critical factor for making good quality cuts. So even though I do have a filter/dryer/regulator combo up front in the air system, I figured I’d put another point-of-use desiccant dryer on the cutter. The dryer I got didn’t come with any mounting brackets so I made my own. Not sure if this is how it’s supposed to be done, but it’s how I’m doing it.
Bracket welded to the cart
Dryer mounted
I debated whether or not to just permanently plumb the air hoses versus using the quick disconnects. Fittings tend to leak, but I also didn’t want to have the hassle of wrenching on it if I ever need to take the cutter off the cart for some reason. Considering this will only be pressurized while in-use, I’ll live with any potential minor leaks for the convenience of easy maintenance.
Added some pieces of rebar (just because) for cable management.
All loaded up.
Thinking I might want to add another hook in the rear for the power cord and maybe figure out a small folding handle so I can drag it around the shop when needed.
Dan – That’s called the power of selective photography.
What’s not shown in that picture is it’s only held on by one tack, allowing me to adjust it to level. Also not shown is the 5 minutes it took tapping up and down on that dang thing trying to get the display to read zero. Nor did you see the 10 pictures it took to get that shot, as it seemed like every time I got it zero’d and then grabbed the phone to take the picture…it would jump back to +/- .1, like it knew I was coming! Of course after fully burning it in it moved a little, but not much and at least I got it started in a good place, which I think helps. Thanks for giving me a hard time. Drives – I really doubt anything is adjusted perfectly in my shop, but I try to at least get close. I find it’s easier to put stuff together and requires less “custom” fabrication to make things work right. Thanks for following along!
Made a little more progress on the plasma cutter cart. Finished up the grab handle.
Welded casters to the frame. Had to shim it with some small scrap pieces of 3/16” plate so it would sit at the same height as the shelf.
From all my reading on plasma cutting, clean and dry air is a critical factor for making good quality cuts. So even though I do have a filter/dryer/regulator combo up front in the air system, I figured I’d put another point-of-use desiccant dryer on the cutter. The dryer I got didn’t come with any mounting brackets so I made my own. Not sure if this is how it’s supposed to be done, but it’s how I’m doing it.
Bracket welded to the cart
Dryer mounted
I debated whether or not to just permanently plumb the air hoses versus using the quick disconnects. Fittings tend to leak, but I also didn’t want to have the hassle of wrenching on it if I ever need to take the cutter off the cart for some reason. Considering this will only be pressurized while in-use, I’ll live with any potential minor leaks for the convenience of easy maintenance.
Added some pieces of rebar (just because) for cable management.
All loaded up.
Thinking I might want to add another hook in the rear for the power cord and maybe figure out a small folding handle so I can drag it around the shop when needed.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
As you mention only showing square projects you then come up with this design. Looks like it’s going to work out great and not sure I’ve seen anybody around here put on or use a dryer and our air has a ton more moisture than Arizona. Nicely done and let us know how it performs!!
rattle_snake
Well-known member
Super jealous of plasma table setup. You **** in case I didn't say it earlier.
Also ***** you live on the wrong side of town, would be very handy if you lived around the corner with that setup.
Also ***** you live on the wrong side of town, would be very handy if you lived around the corner with that setup.
j p smith
Well-known member
Todd awesome thinking and work
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Drives – A lot of folks put in dryer/cooler up front in the system to help with the moisture separation. Considering we only get like 3 inches of rain a year, I’m hoping the compressor air tank will do its job and catch most of that up front. I have about 15’ of copper between the tank and the main filter/dryer/regulator, which should catch anything that doesn’t drop out of suspension into the tank itself. There’s a bunch more copper after the first dryer and before it hits where-ever I choose to plug the plasma cutter into, so I’m thinking the desiccant dryer at the cutter is just insurance. I hope so, at least. I didn’t have any moisture issues (that I know if) with the little oil-less compressor, but I probably didn’t use that as much as I will this new one. Time will tell.
Justin – Well thanks, but I think you still have me beat with the mill and lathe! Seriously though, the cost on these tables has come down considerably, especially with Langmuir putting it together in a DIY assembly kit. I just couldn’t pass it up. And if I can actually manage to get it up and operational, I’d be happy to cut some stuff for ya. You don’t live that far away, and I’ve certainly driven further for less important things.
Jeff – Thanks!! Sorry I missed the Hit-and-Miss event, Tis the season to be busy… How did it go?
Not a whole lot of progress lately. Had some folks over for “Friendsmas” this past weekend for white elephant gift exchange and such. Swept the shop and picked up a little. Had a little spare time and finally got the traffic light squared away and re-hung. Picked up this little sequencer off Ebay some time ago
Opened up the light
Previous owner had it cobbled together (with a bunch of electrical tape, bleh) so all lights would be on all the time when plugged in.
The sequencer board tucked in nicely behind the green light.
Hung the light back up at the rear of the shop.
Justin – Well thanks, but I think you still have me beat with the mill and lathe! Seriously though, the cost on these tables has come down considerably, especially with Langmuir putting it together in a DIY assembly kit. I just couldn’t pass it up. And if I can actually manage to get it up and operational, I’d be happy to cut some stuff for ya. You don’t live that far away, and I’ve certainly driven further for less important things.
Jeff – Thanks!! Sorry I missed the Hit-and-Miss event, Tis the season to be busy… How did it go?
Not a whole lot of progress lately. Had some folks over for “Friendsmas” this past weekend for white elephant gift exchange and such. Swept the shop and picked up a little. Had a little spare time and finally got the traffic light squared away and re-hung. Picked up this little sequencer off Ebay some time ago
Opened up the light
Previous owner had it cobbled together (with a bunch of electrical tape, bleh) so all lights would be on all the time when plugged in.
The sequencer board tucked in nicely behind the green light.
Hung the light back up at the rear of the shop.
fartymarty
Well-known member
From the above to the below....... Wish I had a better story to tell about the traffic light. I picked it up from my cousin (divorce sale kinda thing) and he, or the previous guy, wired all the lights directly to an extension cord. So basically it’s all on, or all off. Plan is to get one of those controllers and hook that up when I run power to that side of the shop.
Here's the obligatory picture!
20200625_191710r
....in only 18 months...I wish I could get to my someday projects in twice that amount of months.
Well done.
*************************************
I love the lighted mast...did you borrow that idea from your buddies twin masts? ...or ??
Have I missed a post once again?