Home Construction

Well I was able to get the plastering and sanding work done before the birth of the new baby, just BARELY!   I took down the plastic hanging from the ceiling used to keep the dust contained to the "construction zone" and out of the room and the rest of the house. So we scrubbed and scrubbed the room clean that sunday.  We went to bed exhausted but with a clean and semi assembled bedroom. 

As luck would have it the wifes water broke at 2:30am and we quickly got our stuff around and off to the hospital.  Our Daughter was born at 4:36am!  So finishing up that project is on a little holding pattern wile the baby sleeps in our room, and wile we adjust our sleeping patterns. 

Home improvments!

  Its nonstop.  Over Christmas i started buy removing and moving the doors to the walk in closet, from the spare bedroom to the master bedroom.  The part of moving the doors was easy, but trying to reuse all the 60+yr old Cedar lining was VERY time consuming.  But i got it all done and i even started to Demo the inner walls to the bedroom.  Over the same Christmas break i was able to remove 2 layers of 3/8" Sheetrock, which equaled 15 60lb bags of trash!  It has been slow going since going back to work the first of the year.  But im slowly getting there.  I've added 4 new outlets and 2 of them are double gang, and i've also added 2 cable jacks for where a flat panel TV will eventually be mounted.  Sheetrock and plaster work is all that is left for now.   It does not seam like a lot...  But with the very LIMITED time that i get to work on it, the project takes MUCH longer than it should.  I just hope that i can get thru all the sanding and plastering before the new baby girl is due Feb 23rd!   

Wish me luck!

Summer's "fun"

  What a summer.   Getting the fence installed that took a massive chunk out of my summer's free time.  Wile at at one of the few Solos i was able to make it to, i started to have some issues with my Forester XT (turbo issues) so i stopped racing it and hung out for the rest of the event.  Wile at the event i found that the lower suspension arm was rusting really bad!  So i parked the car and dove into that project.  Wile working on removing the lower control arm i had a slight brain fart and went after the pinch bolt for the lower ball joint not the retainer nut...  And snapped it clean off!  YAY time to take the whole front end apart!  So i took the knuckle off, LCA off.  I got the LCA repaired but the LBJ was being very, VERY difficult to get out of the knuckle.  I ended up having to fab a custom tool to be able to pull out the LBJ that took a week between trying some heat and penetrating oil and patience, then brute force.  Now that the LBJ was out i had to drill out the bolt.   That went ok.

Wile working on the knuckle i had it clamped in the bench vise and i was clamping it down and it "broke!"  Turns out the retainer nut for the lead screw on the vise.  The screw was loose, and im SURE that didn't help, but being crappy steel that was not that strong and poorly design.  So i have yet something else to repair.  I got the car done and back together. 

Time for the Vise fix.
Busted vise part.  Wile its a cheap Harbor Freight vise it seams wasteful to throw it out for a "simple fix"

The new fix and so far its holding.  A new M20 ACME nut from Mcmaster Carr.

Then the Turbo on the Forester went south!  I tried to rebuild it, but it was too far gone and i had to source a used turbo.  I got that fixed also.  Wile working on the Turbo fix the floor jack started to leak oil.  "GREAT" yet something else to fix.  So i took it all apart and measured and ordered a slew of new O-rings from Mcmaster Carr.  I put it all back together, threw some oil in it and jacked up the Locost (see i am not totally neglecting it).  It would not go all the way up, but i figured it was low on oil.  I locked the piston and left it overnight to see if the repair holds.  I came back the next day and the Locost was still in the air!  Yay another tool fixed.  I took it back to the work bench to fill it up.  I started filling it with oil, and not knowing how much i took out of it...  I just put a bunch of oil in it.  I put it on the floor and was going to varify it was still working and i had enough oil in it.  Well i had enough oil in it....  A bit too much and i blew out the fill plug!!  Lol (one of those stupid moments).  So a new plug in on order then i can be done with the floor jack. 

Now the Air compressor will not turn on...  YIPPIE!  any other tools want to stop working also?!  GEEZ!  So that is the next thing to fix.  

Electric finally turned on!

I FINALLY got around to having the new service in the garage connected to the main panel in the house.  I went down a few weeks ago to make the connection, i got the main panel off and froze.  SO i figured that wile a simple job the potential for injury was too high and that i would see if i can find someone else to make the connection for me. 

NOW i can get all the tools re-positioned to there proper places and use all those outlets that i added!  And have access to my 220v outlets! 

Now onto the gas line for the heater.

Updated Garage pics

  Its been quite the spring and summer.  I've been working on the fence and other projects when the time allows.  I've almost got all 300' of the fence up.  I focused on getting the dog run, before July as we had 2 vacation in July and needed to leave the dogs at the house.  It will feel good when that project is completed.

  I've also been fighting with the Subaru, its coming close to 100k miles and it needs some attention.   Man i miss working on the Locost!  :'( 

One of them was to continue to get the garage in some sort or working shape.  I feel that im about there.  I just need to turn on the electric in the garage.   I've added some cabinets and hung the TV.  Now i just need to make it work!

Im working, just not on the car :(

 Well it seams that spring has FINALLY sprung!  So when better to build a fence?  So im running about 300' of fence to contain the dogs and kid.  I swear i will work on the locost again... Some day.

Clean, Clean, Clean

We are getting there.  I have been plugging away at getting it cleaned up.  I still need some cabinets to finish taking care of all the tools and supplies. I have a friend locating for a set for me.  Hopefully that will be enough to finish up the needed storage?


Look there is a FLOOR!