Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT Grumblebums Corner

[Grumblebum]

That looks like a good project to get stuck into. I have a bad habit of making those folding sections out of cardboard to do a final check before cutting good stock. Don't forget to get DW's thoughts on what she would like.."happy wife, happy GB.

I picked up a set of old fold up table legs from dad on the weekend so I can lessen the width on them by 100-150mm and knock up something. They are perfect for length at 840 long. If I leave the height as it is I only need a box around 230 high for the top to give a finished 900 overall bench height - perfect (in my head anyway).

I've still been warming wifie into camping - she never had that opportunity growing up so it's all pretty new to her. So far I've done all the cooking - but next trip it should be easier if the kitchen thing works out.

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I reckon somewhere between Camden & Wollongong sounds good to me....

Lyndon
Just recharging the Ipasdf now...

Just not via Broughton Pass - it's still closed

 

[Grumblebum]

Had a productive day today. 5 hours on the grinder.

Kids dropped at school and back home ready to crack on cleaning up the camper frame for 9am. Hot cup of tea first then into it.

Basic tool was the grinder and a 120 grit flapper disc (love these things). Stopped at 11 for a quick brew and some biccies then kept on until 2 when I'd finished all the accessible areas with the grinder. Then it was clean up (FYI I did all the work outside not in the garage), kids pickup and afternoon madness.

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Tonight's session is chemical stripper around the inside where the grinder can't reach, then tomorrow will be going over with a wire wheel on the drill before I can get onto the welding. There are a couple of cracks that need welding up also.

Have sussed out attaching back to the main camper and good news is I can bolt right through the steel internal structure so will get some decent stainless flat head bolts and that should be a bit better than 4 roofing screws.

Cheers GB

 

[Terrick down Under]

Did you notice that every time you think you have finished, you find a spot you missed! It looks good from here.
Now you will have tonight to think of set ideas for the kitchen. A scrap pad and pencil, to jot down the ideas as they come into your head. Those new fold up taps are nice and are so compact. A wind cover for the burners? holds the burner plate in position while travelling and then folds up to give a wind-break. Cutlery draw, but don't get you know who involved other wise you will have to get a Vernier callipers and a woollen mit to do the setup.

 

[1/2 Cup]

GB, nothing like Quality Shed Time to get stuff done.

Sounds like you are enjoying your time on leave...

Regards

 

[BBChevro]

Good progress on the camper frame GB.
I'm a big fan of flap discs too - I seldom use a grinding disc these days.

I know what you mean about the school run breaking in to your day, it seems like you just get started and have to knock off again.

But like you said, it's still better than going to work.

Enjoy the rest of your break.

 

[Grumblebum]

Did you notice that every time you think you have finished, you find a spot you missed! It looks good from here.
Now you will have tonight to think of set ideas for the kitchen. A scrap pad and pencil, to jot down the ideas as they come into your head. Those new fold up taps are nice and are so compact. A wind cover for the burners? holds the burner plate in position while travelling and then folds up to give a wind-break. Cutlery draw, but don't get you know who involved other wise you will have to get a Vernier callipers and a woollen mit to do the setup.

Yep found a few spots in the sunlight today that needed a bit more of a brush. I have one of the caravan fold up taps on the current ply kitchen sink/tub setup (think there is a pic maybe in the camper album), they are pretty nifty. I'm assuming your kitchen is fixed in the slide on rather than free standing ?

Probably notepad time tonight

GB, nothing like Quality Shed Time to get stuff done.

Sounds like you are enjoying your time on leave...

Regards

1/2 Cup, it's been great to just be away from the office. Sadly tomorrow is Friday then back to the grind on Monday. Hopefully only a couple more years and I will be in a position to change things a bit.

Good progress on the camper frame GB.
I'm a big fan of flap discs too - I seldom use a grinding disc these days.

I know what you mean about the school run breaking in to your day, it seems like you just get started and have to knock off again.

But like you said, it's still better than going to work.

Enjoy the rest of your break.

Thanks Mark, should get another solid 3/4 day in tomorrow too

 

[dlcwent]

All that work is making it looks great. I'll go along with you and Mark. Since I've been using the flap disc I doubt I'd go back to an old style grinding wheel. For one thing they seem to last five times longer. Did you formulate a final plan for the kitchen yet or is it still in the "play it by ear" stage?

 

[Grumblebum]

Today finally got into some welding. Even remembered how to use mine

Not much needed to weld the mesh on, but it came up pretty good and feels much stronger.

I filed off the gal coating on the mesh on the radius where the welds were going to be so it was clean metal to clean metal.

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Plugged up all the misc holes in it and a couple of hairline cracks, cleaned everything up and thought it was time to maybe get a coat of paint on before getting the kids. Well turns out I'd run out of my favorite hammertone charcoal cans - ******. So cleaned up and off to the green big box store for some.

Also grabbed some stainless M6 bolts. These places are getting worse. They have the zinc coated and stainless bolts all in one spot. The packets are near identical in design and colour (color) so it took an age to see that they were all there. Then I wanted 8 bolts, but no, you have to buy a pack of 3. Who walks in for 3 bolts ? So now I have 9 bolts - ok good to have a spare...

Same deal for washers, these are a pack of 12, so I want 16 which means I have to buy 2 packs of 12 so now I have spare washers.

Then the thread sizes are not written on the packs, and one brand has the bolts and another brand has nyloc nuts, so I have to open them up to make sure they are the right thread - glad I did as the first ones were wrong. And they are packs of 6, so now I have to get 2 of them also.

Anyway, rant over. Just annoyed because being 316 stainless every little pack is $3-4 each. I just wanted 8 bolts long enough with washers and nuts.

Tomorrow I'll do a final check over and wipe down with acetone before getting some paint on. Then hopefully between coats while that is drying I can get the saws out and get some timber projects going. Also have a physio session so will lose an hour and a bit there by the time I go into town and get back.

Cheers GB.

 

[Grumblebum]

All that work is making it looks great. I'll go along with you and Mark. Since I've been using the flap disc I doubt I'd go back to an old style grinding wheel. For one thing they seem to last five times longer. Did you formulate a final plan for the kitchen yet or is it still in the "play it by ear" stage?

Hi Dan, you snuck in between posts there.

I'm now low on the thin 5" cut off discs now too. Had one with just enough meat on it to trim up the mesh today.

I have a pretty good idea on what I want the kitchen to do. I'll have to sketch it up with some measurements and go from there. Starting to get longer afternoons now that it's spring here so there is the chance of getting a couple of bits done when I get home from work in the afternoons before we lose the light.

Cheers GB.

 

[dlcwent]

Glad to hear you've got a plan (like I thought for a minute that you didn't). And as you are gaining daylight, we are unfortunately losing it rapidly. (about 5 minutes a day)
What's the plan for paint? HammerRite (I think you call it something different)
5" cut off wheels? All I can get are either 4" with a 5/8" arbor or 3" with a 1/4" arbor. I use the 4" on my electric grinder and the 3" on my air die grinder. I'm following along and looking forward to see the end result. Enjoy the rest of your break, it's going away too rapidly. (sorry to remind you)

 

[Lyndon]

Rod

You should have avoided the big box store and just gone down to Illawarra Fasteners in Waverley Drive (Unanderra). They would have given you everything you needed in the right quantity..... (Don't ask - old customer, and an old customer's customer.... IYKWIM).

Sometimes the small guys are way better than the big box stores (And I like to use one up here, but they aren't open of a weekend, so they are a pain that way).

Lyndon
Expediter extraordinaire....

 

[rmalkow2]

I agree that sometimes the small hardware store is the best place to get the right fastener but still do like the convenience of the big box places. Their packaging schemes seem to be more designed to make you spend a little more money than to provide logical quantities.
The rack is going to be greatly improved when you are done. Great work!

 

[Terrick down Under]

Nah, you guys have missed his subliminal hints. By purchasing more than he needed every time, then over time he will have his own hardware store!!

 

[Grumblebum]

Glad to hear you've got a plan (like I thought for a minute that you didn't). And as you are gaining daylight, we are unfortunately losing it rapidly. (about 5 minutes a day)
What's the plan for paint? HammerRite (I think you call it something different)
5" cut off wheels? All I can get are either 4" with a 5/8" arbor or 3" with a 1/4" arbor. I use the 4" on my electric grinder and the 3" on my air die grinder. I'm following along and looking forward to see the end result. Enjoy the rest of your break, it's going away too rapidly. (sorry to remind you)

This is the one I use Dan...
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[Grumblebum]

Rod

You should have avoided the big box store and just gone down to Illawarra Fasteners in Waverley Drive (Unanderra). They would have given you everything you needed in the right quantity..... (Don't ask - old customer, and an old customer's customer.... IYKWIM).

Sometimes the small guys are way better than the big box stores (And I like to use one up here, but they aren't open of a weekend, so they are a pain that way).

Lyndon
Expediter extraordinaire....

I need to look into that. It's always the weekends or I'm in a hurry - when I need to get bits too, so I guess the big box stores get you there. There was a fastener place opened up near my work too but he only wants to sell me a box of 100 of anything.

I agree that sometimes the small hardware store is the best place to get the right fastener but still do like the convenience of the big box places. Their packaging schemes seem to be more designed to make you spend a little more money than to provide logical quantities.
The rack is going to be greatly improved when you are done. Great work!

Thanks RM, it needs another good chuck of a day to finish off now that I won't have until next weekend. We have a small hardware near here too that I try to use when I can.

Nah, you guys have missed his subliminal hints. By purchasing more than he needed every time, then over time he will have his own hardware store!!

Yep emergency spare stainless bolt kits

Thanks for the comments.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I think Lyndon was talking about a fastener company like Fastnal, basically a bolt supply house. Much better prices and accurate quantities, but since I live out of town I keep a couple hundred pounds of bolts ans nuts in a bolt rack. SIL calls it WalMart. He'll come through the shop and say "I'm going to WalMart to get a bolt. I know he's going to my rack because WalMart does not sell bolts.

 

[Grumblebum]

On Friday & Saturday I finally got to painting the camper top frame, and started on the french cleat wall. Had a few errands in-between and daddy duties too so really only a few hours of work achieved.

The camper frame ate easily the 3 cans of paint I had picked up. Bit of a ******. I do have a bit left in a pot that I'd used on the trailer so might try to use that up.

Ripped the 45 angles on the table saw, like the off feed table ? These lengths were over 5 mts (16' or so) before they were trimmed the correct length so a bit fiddly to handle.

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The first one I started at the base of my shelf supports which just happened to be a 45 degree cut, then I made an 8" spacer and worked down. Will probably stick one more at the bottom but it will have a join in it as I don't have any more full lengths. Then just need to work upwards between the supports and pickup the studs between the ones done so far.

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Then I went back to Taumac's idea of keeping the compressor back in the front of my truck, and it works out that I could make a french cleat bench that sticks out 18" (about 450mm) to cover it...

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Cheers GB.

 

[Grumblebum]

Today our town has it's annual spring festival.

Mainly stalls selling clothes and jewelery, food stalls etc.

Had a quick look at the car boot sale, of the few tools there there was nothing that caught my eye.

DD marched representing her school in the parade, so I grabbed a couple of snaps of the few vehicles that did partake...


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Either Lexus's have had a price drop or there has been a budget increase ???

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I think this is Emma Mckeon one of our regions Olympic Gold medal winners in the swimming riding in the MG.

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Well a bit of clean up this afternoon and that's 2 weeks done Back to the grind tomorrow.

Cheers GB.

 

[1/2 Cup]

GB, well done on the cleat wall..

Thanks for sharing your spring festival with us it looks like you had some great wether for it.

Regards

 

[HOTFR8]

That Lexus would be the Police looking for something new after they can not have a car from Ford or Holden so perhaps a Lexus Coupe for highway patrol? What is with the Scania? Surely you do not have them as tankers for the fire service.

 

[Lyndon]

. . . . . . (some deletion) . . . .

Either Lexus's have had a price drop or there has been a budget increase ???

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. . . . .

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Rod

Good luck with the getting back to work thing - wait till you've had 2 years off and see how easy it is.....

As to the Lexus, obviously Wollongong is the poor cousin, because they've got a GT3 Porsche now somewhere in the fleet.

Oh, and we have a Scania with the registration BJ40RH, so those 2 are close relatives.

Lyndon
Just passin' by. Have fun tomorrow!

 

[hewey]

Looks like a great day for it!

Lexus is a PR tool and won't see active Highway Patrol duties. Sure looks good http://www.motoring.com.au/nsw-cops-lexus-rc-f-101820/

 

[Terrick down Under]

Can you imagine the paperwork if you totalled the Lexus while in high speed pursuit????????

 

[Grumblebum]

I think Lyndon was talking about a fastener company like Fastnal, basically a bolt supply house. Much better prices and accurate quantities, but since I live out of town I keep a couple hundred pounds of bolts ans nuts in a bolt rack. SIL calls it WalMart. He'll come through the shop and say "I'm going to WalMart to get a bolt. I know he's going to my rack because WalMart does not sell bolts.

Thanks Andy, yep you are correct Lyndon is talking about one just like fastenal located down in one of our industrial areas. Sorry if my comments were a bit out of whack.

Normally I would too buy a box instead of individuals just in this case being stainless that I rarely use I thought I'd just go for what I needed.

I can't come up with anything better than Walmart for him to use.

Cheers GB

 

[Grumblebum]

GB, well done on the cleat wall..

Thanks for sharing your spring festival with us it looks like you had some great wether for it.

Regards

Thanks 1/2 Cup.

That Lexus would be the Police looking for something new after they can not have a car from Ford or Holden so perhaps a Lexus Coupe for highway patrol? What is with the Scania? Surely you do not have them as tankers for the fire service.

HOTFR8 that makes sense, I've even seen them in Mitsubishi Magnas in recent times. Turns out Hewey found the Lexus info and it is a promo car. I went over and got some photos of my young bloke sitting in it and on the bike too, but they did not mention anything about it being a promo vehicle. Now that I think about it all the normal computer gear that are normally in them was not there either.

The Scania is mixed up I believe with our Rural Fire Service rather than the town brigade - so bushfires etc. It would be used to take a tanker trailer to refill field units (like the 4x4 Isuzu in the pics) which are normally 3500 litres. When I was in the RFS we often had issues at large fires with resupply as there are not always dams at hand - and if you don't know the area then not the easiest thing to look for at night. I think it's also used to tow an education trailer around to events for fire safety etc.

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. . . . .

Rod

Good luck with the getting back to work thing - wait till you've had 2 years off and see how easy it is.....

As to the Lexus, obviously Wollongong is the poor cousin, because they've got a GT3 Porsche now somewhere in the fleet.

Oh, and we have a Scania with the registration BJ40RH, so those 2 are close relatives.

Lyndon
Just passin' by. Have fun tomorrow!

Didn't do too bad today back in the office as I'm yet to undivert my normal phone while I caught up on things a bit although the people that need me still had means so no real drama.

Always liked the Scania's.

Only another weekend in the way before catchup

Looks like a great day for it!

Lexus is a PR tool and won't see active Highway Patrol duties. Sure looks good http://www.motoring.com.au/nsw-cops-lexus-rc-f-101820/

Thanks Hewey, I didn't know that. The pic of the guy in that link looks to be the same fellow. So maybe not anyone gets to drive it.

Can you imagine the paperwork if you totalled the Lexus while in high speed pursuit????????

There would be just a bit I imagine, plus the new coverage it would get.

 

[dlcwent]

It looks like it was a great spring day for the parade, I don't see anyone wearing coats.

That paint you are using says "hammered" finish. And it appears to be a primer and paint in one. I'm sure it will give a nice looking finish.

Glad you survived your first day back at the grind.

 

[Grumblebum]

It looks like it was a great spring day for the parade, I don't see anyone wearing coats.

That paint you are using says "hammered" finish. And it appears to be a primer and paint in one. I'm sure it will give a nice looking finish.

Glad you survived your first day back at the grind.

Yes mate it's warming up, most of the last 2 weeks it would have been high 60's low-mid 70's. Great spring weather at the moment for getting things done.

The White Knight product is a 1 step, so as long as it's only light surface rust you don't need a primer - I've had good results on the trailer and other things so keep using it although I do the best I can to prepare to as clean metal as possible first.

Couldn't help myself on Sunday afternoon, instead of starting to clean up I knocked up some cleat hangers for the extension cables instead I did mention a while back that I was going to get fancy and dowel these up - but I'm going to renege on that for the minute as I just screwed these together.

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Last night and tonight I've been cleaning up. Another beer or so and I should have it sorted

 

[rmalkow2]

Just took palm of my hand and slapped forehead. DUH! Great way to make cord hangers and use the french cleat system. I had never thought about that but it makes perfect simple sense. Added bonus of being able to hang them anywhere on that wall. I'm filing that away in the old skull of mush for future reference.
Maybe I should follow your lead and have another beer in the garage for inspiration.

 

[HOTFR8]

Sounds like that Scania is used for what some call a Super Tanker with water supply to fires with poor water supply.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Couldn't help myself on Sunday afternoon, instead of starting to clean up I knocked up some cleat hangers for the extension cables instead

Knocked up cleat hangers for extension cords? Over here we would expect cleat hangers for zip ties after an appropriate period of time

Nice design, by the way. May have to use that

 

[Grumblebum]

Just took palm of my hand and slapped forehead. DUH! Great way to make cord hangers and use the french cleat system. I had never thought about that but it makes perfect simple sense. Added bonus of being able to hang them anywhere on that wall. I'm filing that away in the old skull of mush for future reference.
Maybe I should follow your lead and have another beer in the garage for inspiration.

Lol, yeah the cords have been bugging me for a while. Still need to do the shorter cleats up the top and the cords will likely move up higher. And if I don't like it I can just move them somewhere else

Beer and pondering is the easy part. Making the time to make the ponders happen is the hard part. Which brings you back to pondering and more beer.

Sounds like that Scania is used for what some call a Super Tanker with water supply to fires with poor water supply.

I think that is the case. Next time I see the guys at an event I'll be sure to ask to find out a bit more.

Knocked up cleat hangers for extension cords? Over here we would expect cleat hangers for zip ties after an appropriate period of time

Nice design, by the way. May have to use that

I know of a guy building a shed extension that has a new wall going up that I think will be lined with OSB or perhaps sheetrock. The same guy is getting low on lumber but might still have some 1x6 kicking around that could be ripped in half to be 1x3 then have a bevel put on one edge ? Vicky could hang her things on it then.

Now this bit I think has gone over my head - or it could just be the lateness of the hour and it will make sense tomorrow. "Over here we would expect cleat hangers for zip ties after an appropriate period of time". However you did just give me an idea for a cleat hanger for zip ties with PVC pipe.

Thanks Andy.

Frame for the top is just about done, just been hand brushing last night and tonight with some leftover paint of the same type from a 1 litre tin. Hopefully one more round tomorrow and I can refit it on the weekend.

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Thanks guys. GB

 

[taumac]

Beer and pondering is the easy part. Making the time to make the ponders happen is the hard part. Which brings you back to pondering and more beer.



From the sound of it I've really worn off on you there. LOL, let me sit back and drink this beer and think about it. [emoji482].

The camper rack came out real nice. Should look real good back on the camper.

 

[Grumblebum]

Beer and pondering is the easy part. Making the time to make the ponders happen is the hard part. Which brings you back to pondering and more beer.



From the sound of it I've really worn off on you there. LOL, let me sit back and drink this beer and think about it. [emoji482].

The camper rack came out real nice. Should look real good back on the camper.

thanks mate. Great minds and all that...

Should be planning the mounting of the spare on it as tomorrow nights ponder session. Hopefully I don't decide I need to weld something else on.

 

[rmalkow2]

Funny how the more beer we drink the greater our minds seem to get. Hmmmmm……..

 

[1/2 Cup]

Funny how the more beer we drink the greater our minds seem to get. Hmmmmm……..

So true..

 

[taumac]

GB, I just surfing around and come across this.

Since use do use the French cleat system in your place this might be something you could adapt to your system.

 

[Grumblebum]

GB, I just surfing around and come across this.

Since use do use the French cleat system in your place this might be something you could adapt to your system.

Thanks Gerard. I'm thinking of later on replacing the pegboard on my benches with French cleats also, and some small bins would be useful there.

Lilscorpion has some excellent cleat hangers in his tooling organisation thread also. If any of you have not seen his thread I suggest you wander over and have a look.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=174553

Cheers GB

 

[Grumblebum]

Well there has been a bit of talk about mowers and edgers this last few days on Lyndon's, 1/2 Cup's and Dubbers threads.

Seems I have some joy as well.

The old Masport I investigated last night and this morning looking for what I thought was going to be a failed flywheel key (thanks for the tip RM2 as I would not have known to look for that otherwise) as the last time I used it I caught some garden netting in the blades and it stopped it dead in it's tracks - it did start and complete the lawn after that but will not start since.

Anyway grabbed a new key this morning at the mower store then pulled the flywheel off later in the morning however the key was perfect, no distortion at all. So took the chance to clean up all the misc parts and carby etc while I was at it.

Got it all back together and still not starting so after a bit more investigating I found that she has no spark. So I guess I have damaged the ignition. I am not sure if it's worth trying to replace now as the mower also has other issues where I have to use a stick to take the spark plug cable off the plug to stop the mower. It had had another life before I got the mower back in 2003, so instead of chasing faults it might be time just to get a new one. A quick ebay look puts the ignition parts between $65-90.

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This afternoon I managed to drill out the bolt holes to reattach the camper frame.

Bolts feel much better than rusty tek screws.

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I managed to walk the frame up to the camper and hook it on the bolts then quickly throw some nuts on. I thought this was going to be tricky on my own to get back on but this worked well.

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Tomorrow I'll mark and drill the additional bolt holes then do a quick touch up with a rattle can and I think I can call that job done. (although I just remembered I have to do the feet - oh well that won't take long).

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Cheers GB.

 

[1/2 Cup]

GB, I get about 10 years out of a mower so you have done well. Think about it but IMHO...................its time..

Great work on the frame, it looks a treat..

Scotch O clock...

 

[BBChevro]

Well GB, I never thought that I'd be making a habit of saying this to blokes (maybe it's a GJ thing) - but "nice rack".