Beating the Quarantined Blues

[HPSimpson]

Ron, Those post about five from each corner hope there sitting on concrete pads, hard to tell you engineering of record on this job So far looks real good keep up the good work.

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron, Those post about five from each corner hope there sitting on concrete pads, hard to tell you engineering of record on this job So far looks real good keep up the good work.

4ft holes steel plate with rebar sunk into 320 Lbs concrete each hole. We've had 80mph winds with existing structure. I'm told mancave and covers good for 120mph winds, but rather not find out. Going to pour 5inch thick slab reinforced with 1/2" rebar.

EDIT: The framing is 5 each 8" x 24' x 3" perlings and 2each 8" x 20' x 3" CEE channel. Got the whole kit for $1025 out the door.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

My Family Team arrived 0615 and tin all hung. Gotta paint, do electric then enjoy. New threepoint tractor powered wood chipper, Kawasaki Mule, tractor tiller, cement mixer etc...

I'm very proud of my Neice Sarah and Nephew Steve, and most of all wifey Vivian.

So Blessed!

Happy Trails, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

That roof looks to be first class job, great to have the family involve many hands makes easy for all, Ron.

 

[endoscott]

There is nothing that pleases me more than seeing kids who know how to work! Thats a great family you got! Seems like most kids now are afraid to get a hangnail and avoid hard work. I guess my AGE is showing or something

 

[Wiredawg]

My little 120lb Sarah walked on the tin and did all the fasteners from above. She's a bottle rocket and dynamo all wrapped up into one.

Cheers, Ron

 

[endoscott]

Huh, speaking of rockets, all that hands on work experience directly translates to engineering. My son works at Aerojet. They are dying for more women engineers. And also for people who have worked with tools. A lot of the PhD design guys never picked up a hammer. Book smart way different than common sense smart. She would be a rare commodity for aerospace and could write her own ticket. Its really fulfilling work. No working with crappy Chinese tools or parts!

 

[JR]

Unfortunately, that's the new norm. The place I work at is at a loss on recruiting fitters and welders that can pass a 6G test. And they've really lowered the bar too. Used to have to be able to pass both stick and TIG and it was an expectation that you had your inconel certs within a short time frame. Now the requirement is carbon steel stick only, no
Fitting requirements, and they're still striking out.
Skilled labor is becoming a thing of the past.

 

[Wiredawg]

Unfortunately, that's the new norm. The place I work at is at a loss on recruiting fitters and welders that can pass a 6G test. And they've really lowered the bar too. Used to have to be able to pass both stick and TIG and it was an expectation that you had your inconel certs within a short time frame. Now the requirement is carbon steel stick only, no
Fitting requirements, and they're still striking out.
Skilled labor is becoming a thing of the past.

She's on track to get a wildlife biology degree like my wife. She wants to do field work... maybe work at an airport, she likes the outdoors. Nephew getting meteorology degree... both straight A. We all get together every weekend, truly the high point of the week. They're great kids!

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Ran conduit for two GFCI light circuits, two all weather fluorescent fixtures, and an LED motion light today. Tomorrow I run and connect the wiring, and a new 20A GFCI circuit from the panel.

Heres a pic of the conduit and fixtures.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

Looks real good Ron, yes a 20 amp GFCI from the panel for two lights, an motion sensor should work really well, progress of this project is very smooth.

 

[fest3er]

Pics Ron didn't post from a while back....

 

[JR]

We need a double like!

 

[Wiredawg]

Howdy TDR Friends,

This is a great thread and still relevant... When I built my shop, I realized I had great opportunity to capture, store and use rainwater. In San Antonio TX area we are always dealing with drought, so I designed and installed one 1600 gal tank, then a second, then a third. They've held up pretty well, but needed some maintenance. I'm reconfiguring my three themp rainwater capture since adding another cover to my mancave/shop.

Had to crawl inside one I had damaged with the frontend loader of my tractor 10 years ago... a truly redneck repair for the 6 inch gash. Used rubber dually mudflap, NP-21 industrial adhesive, and 1inch sheet metal screws. Held good for 10 years, but started seeping water this year. Drained it watering outlying trees, turned it over, crawled into it two days in a row, and sprayed layers of Flexseal. I think it's good now.

I messed up when buying the third opaque white tank versus a black one cuz it was $100 less at tractor supply. It worked pretty well except it became a algae breeding tank. Drained it watering trees as well, turned it over, crawled into it, and pressure washed it two days in row. Seemed the algae almost grew into the plastic.. Got it all cleaned and going to paint it black. That's what I'm working on now.

Another part of the project is installing leaf guard on the shop 4" rain gutter. It catches Mesquite leaves and Texas Ash leaves from the other side of the shop and clogs up the down spouts. That'll be next.

So, didn't think about posting this project and taking pics. I'll take some today and post.

Keep up the diligence and stay healthy as we all make the best of this pandemic.

Ron

 

[JR]

Ron that's alot of water! What do you use it for?

Some years ago I scored two old 300 gallon chem totes. I collect rain water off my one barn out back and use it for the animals and flowers. Wouldn't be enough for the garden during dry times like this so I just pump out of the pond using an old swimming pool pump. It works pretty good.

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron that's alot of water! What do you use it for?

Some years ago I scored two old 300 gallon chem totes. I collect rain water off my one barn out back and use it for the animals and flowers. Wouldn't be enough for the garden during dry times like this so I just pump out of the pond using an old swimming pool pump. It works pretty good.

We water plants and trees. Also have aerobic sewer system that treats and waters grass.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Thought I would dredge this thread back up as I just completed another project redoing the conduit under my lean to cover, installing a 96" Big Air fan, and upgrading weather resistant lighting from florescent to LED.

This took me almost three weeks to complete as disabilities keep me from working too long at a time and recovery from back strains, etc.

Anhoo, the fan is super quiet, moves a lot of air, and the LEDs are intensely bright to say the least. Going to remove 10 year old jalapeno mood lighting and replacing with LED dimable, light show type bulbs.

Next project is to install two 96" Big Air fans inside my shop.

Hope to see projects other old TDR darts are doing too, and OK, not so old TDR farts.

Cheers, Ron

 

[GCroyle]

Ron

It’s looking darn good. Don’t set yourself back overdoing stuff.

I spent some quality time with my Airstream fixing annoying but not broken stuff.

Just wrapped up R&R on both tank dump valves. Many other trailers valves are easy access but not a low riding AS. They are under the huge pan that supports tanks so field repair starts by cutting an access panel in the pan and all work is done on your back to service valves.

Not broken just decided to replace on my terms. Passed water leak test.

And looking deeper into vibration on my truck focusing on drive shaft. TBD I hope.

Many other projects but valves were new territory.

Gary

 

[KATOOM]

Going to remove 10 year old jalapeno mood lighting

Is this like some kinda south of the border cantina cat house reference?

 

[Wiredawg]

Is this like some kinda south of the border cantina cat house reference?

yep, still got em inside the shop.

EDIT: Select the picture, enlarge it, and you can see the jalapeno lights. They are cool, hold up well. These new ones are brighter and will work better in background.