What did you do in your shop today?

[outlawmws]

Final fit and detail sanding on the camping box for the Lantern/Stove(s)/fuel/Pantry box All was made from recycled or leftover scraps except the brass fittings:


Stove/Fuel/Lantern side:




The lantern is a Franken-lantern with a 1947 242 assembly put into a more modern 275 /fount and there is a RR reflector as a brim extender behind everything else. VERY bright! The Fuel Station I made from a Coleman 200A single mantle fount and a 1 gallon Tank from a Prentiss Wabers Stove.

And the pantry has full width double doors and this side also acts as a wind screen for the stoves. Worked GREAT last weekend!




And with both doors open as a pantry and windscreen . I still need to make a box for the bottom compartment - someone misunderstood me thinking I meant a drawer, and that is actually a good idea!





I have a piece that goes across the top of the two doors to prop them open. Makes a good Washrag sized "towel" bar as well.



The Pantry side has some organizational details I use also:

L-R;- Instant oatmeal and Cocoa in the 3X5 card box; Dawn dish soap and Hand soap (why take more than you need for the tip?); Cinnamon, Cooking oil, And SODS pads:




Foil and A selection of baggies, (I had to put packing tape "pulls" to get the foil out of the very snug fit...):




And a mini torch that makes preheating the stoves easy, and the piece of grill is for keeping sausage from rolling back to the same place... I have a much larger one for longer trips for more people:

[brokenmantle]

played with a couple 2572 lanterns.

[outlawmws]

And a couple of evenings ago I topped off the lanterns I used camping with the home re-fuel station , and then refilled the big 3 gallon refuel station, so three tins of Coleman off the shelf...

[offrink]

Today I milled this bad boy. 36” red oak.

[outlawmws]

Wow, How long was the log, and how many board feet do you think you got?

[offrink]

Due to rot on the big end I had to cut it at 8’ 6”. I got between 23-26 1” cuts. Say 2/3 were at least 28” (in reality they were more and bigger but don’t know exactly). Quick calculations say 400-450 board feet. If I did my math right.

[outlawmws]

That will build a LOT of stuff!

I emptied and disassembled the camp box to start into the finish work: Staiing and painting so far...

Pantry side painted:



And the Lantern/Stove/Fuel side:



and how the fingers came out - has a little breakout where the groove for the center panel slotted into - I love the Glue and sawdust "wood putty" approach! (Thanks Norm Abrams!)

[outlawmws]

The last three nights I've been tweaking the camp box for spare parts and accessories before I coat the stained wood with Deft (since the weather isn't cooperating)

Probably a good thing glue doesn't work as well on a Defted surface...

I swapped LED planters and the replacement fits next to the stoves, which is a good thing as the first thing I need when setting up at night is light to light the lantern!



I added blocks for the stick lighter, and the funnel. a "rest" for the aluminum shade, then notched the funnel block so the rim catches there, and then added a twist tab to hold it there.

Another block keeps the little oil can of Neetsfoot oil where it needs to stay,

Hooks for the lantern bail, and a DOE wrench for the 7/16ths, parts on the lantern, and a 4" crescent just because....

The black elastic band holds spare mantles, and under the lantern the Spare pump leather and cap gasket live.

I was going to but the spare generator under the lantern but there is not enough room, so I just dropped it into the shade extension.

If you look close on the right you can see the pipe handle I added to the fill station - MUCH easier to handle compared to the web strap!




and here it is closed up but for the front door. Now its on to final organization of the pantry side after the deft dries. With the larger (but still pretty small) LED lantern out of there I have more space to work with...

The LED lantern is an Eveready "Fusion" model and I'm quite impressed with it for its size...

The flask get Denatured Alcohol and lives behind the right front stove.




I'm trying to work up the gumption to go cut a table top for the table this will sit on much of the time in camp.

[greatdane]

[QUOTE username=florida grown userid=6229815 postid=1306022954]

@ deanofid, the part is a friction drive spindle for a GO-PED scooter pictured in the top (the bottom GO-PED is chain driven)

the spindle with the grooves was from a long defunct company I was reintroducing back to newer "pedders" they were called core spindles, what they did was help prevent the drive tire from getting squared off over time as the core shape matches the original curve of the tire instead of a straight spindle like so below.

then the only way I could figure out how to duplicate the radai was I made a duplicator.

originally the pedders had me making these alignment tools so I wanted to make scallops in the handles instead of traditional knurling which was why I originally purchased the cutter.

the unit is pretty neat for sure as ive seen nothing like it that can do a compound radius. Very nice man, a one man show and I have tried to plant a seed to get him to make units that would fit a 16x20 but I don't think he will (fingers crossed).
the cutter is pricey, I paid around $300-350 IIRC but quickly made my money back.
you are correct , the SS was hardening on me I tried to keep it cool by spritzing since no misting system but it didn't help.
As for the groves in the spindle, no they are not needed although I did make ONE grooved manually with a mill but those cost to buyers woulda went through the roof and my testing shown no grooves needed.

sorry about the text size , no idea what I hit that made it so large.

What a nice way of thinking this duplicator Florida. Respect.
Your way of using the lathe must then be by handpower? , as you must follow the lines on the original to make the copy ?

[greatdane]

[QUOTE username=outlawmws userid=4669281 postid=1308584751]That will build a LOT of stuff!

I emptied and disassembled the camp box to start into the finish work: Staiing and painting so far...

Pantry side painted:



And the Lantern/Stove/Fuel side:



and how the fingers came out - has a little breakout where the groove for the center panel slotted into - I love the Glue and sawdust "wood putty" approach! (Thanks Norm Abrams!)





Da.. I like the endresult of that corners Outlaw, they look like they always been like that and the multi-useablility for those boxes is very pleasing. i will certainly copy that to make storingboxes for my longtime resting lamps, though I will use (good quality) plywood, to make a shortcut.
Thanks for the bench Outlaw - my wife already ordered nr. 2, but smaller hehe, but same theme - and it is almost finished.

[greatdane]

[QUOTE username=offrink userid=2145783 postid=1308542371]Today I milled this bad boy. 36” red oak.
Nice mill Ben. I did the same to a walnut some years ago and still have a lot of walnut ?. What is your plan? How thick slices did you cut ?

[outlawmws]

Thanks Great Dane!

I finally finished the Camp box more or less! I may replace the lid with some recovered maple so the lid can also be a cutting board, (since I can't decide to stain the birch as its a pain to stain evenly...), but the deft and paint is done for the case, doors, and door prop.

I also built a double wide table top for use with two of the cloth top "umbrella tables" which is low, but for a one or two nighter, perfectly fine! Table has not been camped with yet.

Gear side; -The Franken lantern was built at the Coleman camp out at Pinnacles. The stoves are recent, and there is a small LED lantern in the lower left corner from my son. Funnel, spare mantles and parts, tools, lighter, brim reflector, all fit!

Pantryside - double doors so I can use the doors as a wind screen for the tiny one burner stoves

The bar is to keep the doors propped open but it also makes a good hanger for a washrag (which I use as a hand towel...) I still need to make a box/Drawer for the bottom compartment, and I'm still working on some of the pantry supplies, organization...

And I flat blacked 2/3rds of the Wash station: The ring is so I can lock the grip handle open and just use the valve, BUT I've discovered in two trips that the lever is a much better valve for general wash-up as its a "dead man" valve! So I will probably only use the ring for showers, (got to be quick for a shower as its exactly one gallon, and 7 min run time just "on"... Adequate but definitely a fast one! The wrench I had to modify as the only wrench I had that fit the main nut for refills was a 15" crescent! The only negative is this thing likes a fair amount of pressure so hand pumping is out; I use a 12V protable Coleman inflate-all...

Also a complete shot of the table...

[offrink]

[QUOTE username=greatdane userid=3214396 postid=1308685681]

Nice mill Ben. I did the same to a walnut some years ago and still have a lot of walnut ?. What is your plan? How thick slices did you cut ?[/QUOTE]

That one was cut for window sills in a restored horse barn. 1”x full width. Once dried in the kiln I will go back and cut them to the needed thickness or, I’m hoping this is the route they want, they take it just the way it is, cut it down to the sizes they want, bring it back and I’ll plane it if needed. They want it rough sawn so only plane one side.

Will be doing 13’ length 2” x full width to 3 logs this weekend. Lots of work. Glad the sun is up for a long time!

[outlawmws]

Solar Heating Test today for the Wash station: The day and test started about noon at 70 deg, an hour later its 74, but breezy. Water started 70 out of the tap, it hit 85 in abour an hour, and above 105 in about 4-5 hours, then the day cooled and it stopped. I've gotten these up to about 110 F before with no breeze...

I added the basket to hold Jet dry bottles refilled with dish and hand soap, and a dobie pad...

[outlawmws]

Finshed a smaller project last night, a mini camp table based on an old woof camp stool:

As a seat - Dang uncomfortable but OK for a few minutes... BUT I picked up a squarish Seat pad from a free pile at a yard sale and it fits perfect and while not GREAT, its is still 100% better that sitting on those wood rails!:




As a duffel stand - keeps the clothes duffel out of the dirt/mud and most of the bugs... This is my "weekend" duffel , enough to get by for 3, maybe 4 days (I have some hanging clothes I bring as well -long sleeved shirts, rain gear, and jacket) There is a second or even a third duffel for longer trips




As a table - Good enough to eat a meal off of, or as a side table while I'm cooking.: Finished size is about 14 X 15-1/2.
All recycled or leftover scrap materials



I'll probably steel wool the folding seat frame and put some oil on it to restore some of the wood - maybe Lemon oil -something that will soak in a bit...

[greatdane]

I really like that solar washstation, though I would make it twice the size, as I over time got hair all over my body but the top of my head hehe.

And I finally finished the last bench. Same work, cutting out a whole lot of roses, gluing the frame and knocking in dowels, grinding the lot, painting and finally putting the two benches together so wifey got her bench lounge so she can take a nap in the senior incubator, as our sons calls the greenhouse as we use it for having the/coffee in early spring and autumn when the weather can be a bit chill.
So now I am permitted to buy yet a new lamp

[outlawmws]

GD, I built that one as a smaller version of several others. The original is a 2-1/2 gallon soda acid tank converted; Then there is the 5 gallon Syrup tank that was already plumber with the dip tube, so like this one, a really easy conversion. two made from Hudson sprayers (so the pump is self contained), but those are plastic so limited to solar heated only.. (burning-man anyone?) and one from a commercial sprayer that was used for janitorial soap spraying. (SS but with a plastic base, so solar only also, of some "safe" heat source like the car heater vent. (works!)) I can dump 1/2 the water and boil it in a pot and remix, but its a hassle...

So Lots of options for wash stations!

The other SS wash stations:

The wood platform is for the big 5 gallon and is to hold soap, Dobie pads, scrubbers etc. the shower extension pipe is there too.

Any of then will take the risers. (Al 1/4" NPT) The new 1 gallon uses 1/8" pipe... - works fine and is that much lighter! I'd like ot get about a 4 ft extension for it for showers...




The Hudson spray versions one large, one for picnics (a gallon).




And one we started for Linus out of an old copper Soda Acid tank, that someone had drilled for a lamp conversion:

[outlawmws]

I got back to the Coleman pump I picked up a few weeks ago, that turned out to have a crack. Linus and I had soldered up a pump shaft with similar lengthwise cracks up at the Diablo camp and meetup, so I decided to give this one a shot. I could have probably simply wrapped the crack with vinyl electrical tape and made a user out of it but I decided to take the challenge (knowing I HAD to keep solder beads out of the inside)

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A REPAIR TO CONSIDER FOR PRESSURE VESSELS LIKE LANTERN FOUNTS AND STOVE TANKS! THIS PUMP AND AND THE PRIOR PUMP SHAFT CARRY TRANSIENT LOW PRESSURE PEAKS, AND NO FUEL, SO IF THEY FAIL THERE IS NO DANGER.

i did the same procedure as at Diablo - Cleaned the area well, (fine wire wheel) then vinegar into the crack as best I could, Locally heated the crack to try to anneal it some, then to keep the end nozzle from de-soldering, I clamped the disassembled tube with the end piece against a wet sponge. then l locally heated the crack and got solder paste in it with a Q-tip.

I used the tiny torch to keep the heat as local as possible on the crack and applied solder only when it was hot enough to flow the solder, and "stitch" soldered down the crack. Once I was sure it was there I re-flowed the lot, and wiped it down with paper towel.

It worked! It is sealed (for now) and while no show piece, its OK for a working pump.



The materials and general "setup" (Post repair)



and the closeup:

[outlawmws]

Found a few minutes to clean off the residual "tinned" solder:

[outlawmws]

This took several evenings of getting material, carefully cutting and fitting, staining (in the case of the cheese box, lemon oil to try to restore the dry wood a bit, and working at the slightly warped (inwards) side boards... - Still ongoing but about there!), to get to the point of trial fitting and making guide blocks for the silverware tray.

That tray was side made from 5 gallon paint sticks and 1/8" ply from Joanne's of all places! (only $5 for a 24 X 12 sheet) Only stain so far, I may line it with silver tarnish cloth!

This fits nicely (1/4" clearance in 3 directions) in the bottom space of the camp box I've been working on! The Cheese box needs tray rails and I need to decide which gets the cover - the S try or the Cheese box...

The Silver is,,, (drum roll) Sterling! Upgrading camp!

4 Salad forks
4 regular forks
8 spoons
3 butter knives (Almost fit the full 4 place settings)
And one orphan long soon (also Sterling) because they are handy for cooking...

[MartyJ]

I like your projects. I use a camp stool the same way as a side table in the Baker tent. I use an old kitchen cutting board as the top. I have a little cheese box like that but didn’t make any lift out tray. It looks good.

[Gunhippie]

https://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?24529-Calling-all-GAI-Filler-Capper-users&p=249952#post249952

See replies 205-208. Lots of fun for girls and boys!

Beer thirty!

[greatdane]

The cheesebox looks real nice Outlaw. Is the box some sort of pinewood, Douglas? and the spoontray, birch ?

[outlawmws]

Thanks GD! I'm sure its pine of some sort, but Douglas or other? No Clue... The company had offices in NY, San Fran and Chicago, so which would be the likely place to make cream cheese? Or were those distribution centers only? here in Ca I'd guess Doug...

The Paint sticks I have no clue at all? its a very soft white wood, knot free, fairly fine grain... any hints there?

I did line the tray with cloth (pic's later, working...) and the last piece I need to do is a lid and some sort of pull. I think I have a plan for the pull, (to get it started out of its slot in the big box) but I'm still deciding on lid material and if its for the tray or the overall box... My original plan was on the tray, but sized for the cheese box, (so I could close the tray when out an being available for use) but the cheese box is an easier fit...

[outlawmws]

Updated pics of the box and tray hopefully I'l sort the lif this weekend.

[outlawmws]

So what wood WAS my Cheese box made of? I went looking for an answer yesterday and my Google Fu found a family owned business, that has made cheese boxes for a hundred years or more! No info on the web site but still in business and still making boxes for chews, as well as other things!

So I shot them an Email and while I didn't hit direct pay-dirt, I got some info I didn't know about cheese boxes!

"Unfortunately this is not one of our boxes. We make all the round cheese boxes that you see but not the four sided ones. For our boxes we use Basswood and Aspen. These woods are used because they are odorless and sapless and also very light weight. I am not sure what lumber was used for the box that you have but I know that they usually would not use Pine because of the sap. It is a very cool looking box though. I am sorry I can't help you get more information on it."

Very nice reply, and I sent a thank you back!

So looking at the grain, between the two, I'd lean towards Aspen?

A key here is "These woods are used because they are odorless and sapless"

Any other thoughts?

[thewoodswatchman]

I worked on this 120 year old "Louis" mahogany Steinway. She getting prettier every day.

[outlawmws]

I'm still fine tuning the camp box, mostly for contents and how they are packed, (getting denser all the time...) but Now I'm also working on my new to me KampKook, Mod. 3 that came today!

This one was from Eprey: $10 and change plus near $30 for shipping: just under $40 all told.

I've been watching for a Model 3 KampKook since the Pinnacles Coleman camp out second weekend of Jan.

The pics are deceptive how small this stove is! 8-1/2 X 14-1/2 X 3-1/2! closed up! those tiles are 6"



It's rough on the paint, but generally very straight!, only surface rust.really, th
e only real physical damage is one burner foot has 1/2 broke off; other than that its "consumables" like the hose, tank cap O ring, (already replaced from stock) the pump leather may make it! It was whole at least, and almost making pressure!. inside the tank seems very clean (dry, but few rattely things inside) Its soaking in Evaporust already.

More pics:

I had to flatted the grill a bit but 5 minutes in a vise and a small crescent and its good to go.

If I had to guess there is only 1/3rd or less ov the original black paint left. looks to be satin, but in the 1920's it may have been shiny?

Right now I'm deciding between a full paint job, or de-rust and some BLO to stop further rust...



The valve and cap needed some wire brushing and an O-ring (Done, post pic - the cap is holding the Evaporust in overnight on one side then turn and till I'm home from work tomorrow)






The tank was a PITA to fill - I had to put the Evaporust in the cut milk carton, and use the cut off handle as a spigot. I'll need a special funnel for this one!





Anyone know if this was factory "hose clamps" for the pump hose?

[outlawmws]

I got some 1/8 hose for the pump yesterday and the leather soaked in Neetsfoot, and that came back! I got some 7/32 that should fit better tonight




The tank was soaked in Evaporust, and rinsed out with water (many many times - A couple of square inches of news print bits came out... ) then alcohol, then dried and filled with fuel. used a pin to knock the check valve ball in the cap loose and rinsed that with WD-40. (Out of carb cleaner)



I'd replaced the Cap O ring last night. With pressure the tank was squirting fuel so I got the stove and matches, primed the first burner with fuel from the tank (just aimed the generator jet in there...) mounted the tank and it fired right up!



I over-opened the valve so you could see the flames better, but it roars along pretty good! I'm a Happy Camper (pun intended)

[outlawmws]

Dang it, Lost a post...

So the Stove paint looks bad... I spend the weekend soaking it in Evaporust and turning it and scrubbing it, and there is a LOT less paint that I thought! The Evaporust was well behaved and this was just most of the rust removal. I'm now thinking the paint is not really savable, as there really isn't much to save!

Pics from all sides...

Front and back:



Right and left sides:



The Bottom:



The Label Looks much better:



A touch of Mothers should brighten it right up!

But I think I'm resigned to painting it at this point. My estimate of what was left was way off!

[outlawmws]

I also a few days ago had a go at the aluminum wind screen, and then again last night. and finally scrubbed it with SOS: That is in much better shape, albeit not perfect. Still some work to do but its getting there!

Step one was getting all the dog ears flat again. The knife was to nurse them open and the tongs I use all the time to fix crunched and dented tool box and metal drawer edges. I made the tongs from mortally damaged nipper pliers, by welding angle iron in as jaws. The short fulcrum give then enormous clamping pressure

If anyone decides to make a pair, when you go to weld, have a piece of metal clamped in them so the are flat closed on the metal, This will make them a tiny fraction non parallel when closed on themselves.








After a session with the smaller tongs.:

Overall Before pics



Overall after tong work and a light scrub with a Dobie bad (killed the Dobie pad...)




Then I worked the wavy stuff with two hardwood blocks , on in a vise and one that I hammered on with a large wooden mallet.

lastly I scrubbed the crud with SOS. Its not bad compared to where it started!

I may have one more go with the wood blocks and SOS, and a few spots may get some love taps with a planishing hammer

[outlawmws]

Sold the old family van last night

Oldest Daughter: "Goodbye Van! You were just like a Van to me!

[mowgod]

Well I've been replacing hydraulic hoses on a 60 ft boom lift. Just the boom hoses were over 250ft of hose and that was just 4 hoses I have 3 more to make and install but there small compared to most

[outlawmws]

Painted the burner manifold on the new (>95 YO ) KampKook Mod. 3 camp stove with 1200 deg Black semi gloss, and reassembled once dry (doesn't take long in the hot sun!)

and I'm half way done with painting its box & cover with gloss 500 deg engine paint (finger crossed there but I wanted gloss and no one makes gloss > 500 deg that I could find...)

I'll flip it and the cover over tomorrow and Go again...

[outlawmws]

Progress pics of the >95 YO KampKook stove

Burner assembed after paint:


This corner I had to build up the foot with weld (did that on top of a brass piece and welded almost 1/2 the ring with a MIG)



Close up:


And the secondary burner end with the Bronze plug holding the valve assembly (bad pic not very impressive in the available light..)



Got pissed off at Rustolium again! however...

I finished painting the stove box today after painting about 1/2 yesterday, and less than an hour later gave it a second coat (did the same thing yesterday 3X!)

Box is fine, even on the front that was painted 24 hours before.

The dang lid crinkled on me, (and not even consistently!)

Second time Rustolium has done this, last time with with clear coat following their directions to a Tee... AND its all the same can of paint this time...


Lid shots:



Body, no issues here!

[outlawmws]

So despite the top needing to get sanded and re-shot, and me needing another can of the gloss, 500 deg paint for that adn to paint the handle adn clips, its ready to go if needed:





The skillet is about as big a pot I expect to use, and that one will go despite being cast iron. its a Griswold No. 6 (8" no clue what they were thinking...) but its only about 3 lbs so I'll go for it... I should have stuck the copper tea kettle I got a week ago on top. 4 cups solid copper, tinned inside, only 6" in Dia.



The pump has the right size replacement hose, with the string "clamps" - seems to work fine! still pumping the original leather! - not sure for how long! (spare pump leather and fuel cap O rings in an old medicine capsule, so good to go there...)

Heh, I should put this into the "unfired" thread! ?

[outlawmws]

OK I still need the paint for the handle and straps, and the re-shoot of the top, but Its operational despite that!

Shown All packed up with the funnel I modified for it, and spare parts tin, got O rings and pump leather, (Did they make a special funnel for these tanks, or did they consider the dished end of the tank the funnel?)




The initial preheat, used the generator to fill the preheat cup, mounted the tank, and lit it off




after that burned for a while, I let in some fuel, still needs some additional preheat




then got everything lit up! burner #2 just went blue, right off (as I'd expect)





Then heated some water in the "new" cooper kettle:



You know, its HARD to get pics of steam!

[Barrett]

Looking good outlawmws!

[outlawmws]

Thanks Andrew!


I picked up a grossly neglected knife a week ago, (even had a broken off tip) to salvage the stag grip, but the grip was too short for the intended use.

So I tightened up the grip (it was loose), wire wheeled the "surface rust" off, then last night reground the tip so it has a point again, if not the original (or even a classic point style), then this AM went at it with wet or dry (Wet) to see how much of the deeper rust could be removed.


It's good Solingen steel, and I like the thinness of the blade as its easy to maintain an edge that way, and it's curvature makes for a good skinning knife. Losing that tip made it just under 4" long in the blade. Good size for a skinner.

Here is a before and after for so far. I'm not done and am also considering grinding a gut hook since the top point is messed up anyway:

I'll keep in in the camp box as a second (or third) skinner, as skinning a deer can dull a knife fast. Need to make a simple sheath. (the as found edge is pretty sharp for about half as it is now, and I haven't touched the edge...)

Before:



After





Before I did the sanding, it looked like it was marked "Oak Cutlery Co., Solingen Germany", After sanding I discovered its "YORK not "Oak"

[outlawmws]

Yesterday I painted the handle and handle clips on the KK Mod 3 stove. I need to assemble and sand/paint the lid, but today got sidetracked to my moms house where we moved a couple of small things from HER garage to mine...)

Yesterday I also spent WAY too much time on my work room looking for some lead free bullets for some reloading I can't procrastinate any longer on... Never found the bullet,s so I re-ordered...

I DID find this old Pelican case and thought "this just might do..."





What do you think? the very old protected by the new!



Yes, that is the KampKook Mod. 3! JUST fits! All it needs is a folded hand towel top and bottom, and some corner foam so it's not shifting (full foam on the "bottom" in carry position so the foam supports the stove...)

[outlawmws]

Got the PW Preway P4821 Wedge stove sorted out and fired up!

All I had to do was soak the pump leather in Neatsfoot oil (overnight) rinse some fuel through the pump to soak/clean the pip valve (so the tank pressure would not leak back), adjusted the packing nuts on both valves and tightened the orifice at the business end (had odd burning on the first try and it was because it was dripping fuel out the sides of tip...)

Once that was done, She Lives!

This stove is supposed to be 40's/50's, still trying to pin it down... but for a stove 70 or so years old, its roaring!

[outlawmws]

I got back to the wedge stove today, to replace the 70 odd YO pip in the pump. it was holding? but not completely every time..

Bill graciously sent me some pips and I used one of those and his previously posted and downloaded instructions!

I installed one in the tank of the wedge stove, and it fit/worked perfectly!

I added one thing to cleaning the pocket - I chucked it in a hand drill, and spun some fine steel wool into a "point" and used that to clean the pocket really easily!

I also clamped the pip holder in a vise with lead/soft jaws while digging the old pip out. - this so I wouldn't slip and stab myself! (I have more scars...)

Thanks again Bill!

[outlawmws]

Nothing heavy duty. (worked all day, now its 95 out so...)

And not GPA related, but it MAY become camping related since I never bring the mandolin or guitar camping anymore; this is even smaller!

I got in the new bridge for the 20's banjo Uke I picked up two weeks ago, Strings have been here over a week awaiting the bridge, so I strung that up and filed 3 of 4 string guides bigger in the bridge - its a bit high but its also a uke.. NOT fussy!:

I'll have to learn something on it! (and NO! NOT Tip, toe, through the tulips...)

[outlawmws]

A little mini project - fast and dirty, but it will do what I need, which is to protect a small 12V solar "battery tender" panel that I'm using as the charging panel for a USB charging Station which is simply a small 12 V battery, with a lighter socket and a USB adapter. This is just enough to keep the little battery that is the core of the charging station charged.

I want the panel to not get crushed in the load for camping. a ready made case or padded pouch has not surfaced, so...

This is also a tutorial for how I make my plywood tables here and there; scale this up, possibly go thicker than the 1/4" thick Ply I'm using here (and use on the smaller tables..) and you can make them as large as 4X8 (bigger if you can get the material - OR you could hinge two halves together...)

For experienced wood workers, nothing here should be new, I'm aiming this at the people that are not experienced wood workers.

The tools are extremely basic. These are for the post cut out assembly:

• A square and a pencil for layout.
• A counter sink for the sheet rock screws.
• A larger drill to make clearance holes where needed,
• A Battery drill, but could be replaced with a corded drill, an "Egg Beater" hand drill, or even a drill press.
• A #2 Phillips screwdriver - that is what the dry wall screws are.
• Lastly is the Glue, I like this stuff as its better for resisting moisture, and sometimes it rains up camping....

And the basic, Frame: cut square in a mitering chop saw, I could have used a table saw, radial arm saw, Skill saw, or even a hand saw - just get the ends square.




The frame material was salvage from some Church thing, and the staple marks show, I pulled them and belt sanded the sides clean (totally optional if the material is new). the notch is to clear a projection on the panel, so the box size is that much smaller, and less room for the panel to be rattling around inside.


The bottom panel with layout marks. I generally for these projects just eyeball the screw positions. This was chop sawed off some scrap, to length. but with a belt sander you can roughly saw the panels out and belt sand the edges after the glue and screw routine. Or you can use a skill saw and guide (I do that for almost all cutting of plywood) or use a table saw...





And after drilling the pilot holes and countersinks so the sheet rock screws are flush.





I start in the far corners to position things, Start some screws to "pin" he position, then drill the rest, pining as I go. Different screw patterns "top and Bottom" as I had to work around the notch.

While its still "pinned" I drill through the short end pieces into the end of the long frame pieces. these are where the short frame parts have to be clearanced for the screws... These 4 screws go in first with glue.

Then I glue and screw the bottom panel in place and get this:



And the end Frames: Note I bias the screws away from the ply, this is to keep the corners out there tighter. The ply will hold the rest easily.






Also, I had to offset the Ply screws near the end frame screws so they are close to the end screws, but not intersecting... (Compare the ply screw pattern...) Been there, done that...

I still need to run this through the belt sander to remove the excess plywood, but I always do that operation even when its not that gross, as this makes for a completely flush fit for the ply to the frame.

And the Semi finished Product: the panel fits nicely, you can see the notch is for the modified hinge that will act as the hanger for the solar panel. the ply piece is also hinged and props the panel at an angle for better sun.





You can see how made larger, this makes for a very sturdy but light table top - This is how I've made them for topping a folding wood frame camp stool, a "cloth top" table, as the cloth is useless as a table, a double size version in length to make a larger table that is about the size and height of a coffee table, but I made for overnight trip and for cooking sitting down. And many moons ago, a table that was partly supported by my old tent trailer tongue, and positioned the propane stove next to the tongue mourned Prop tank.


This case will get some felt inside to pad the panel a bit. and another panel for a top and the excess, belt sanded off. then the top get trimmed to fit and hinges and a catch..


I'l post more pics as I get to completing this case.

[mowgod]

This is what I'm working on its a JD 450J Dozer thankfully it's just a PM service but it's big older brother needs a complete undercarriage which equates to about 2 weeks of work but when I'm done it will be ready for another couple thousand hrs of pushing dirt. Yup I get to play with the big boy toys and love every minute of it. I spent 20 years working on cars and began to hate it at the end. I never run out of work with our fleet of over a hundred pieces of equipment there's always something to do

[outlawmws]

I got too busy to post this from two days ago: I finished the resurrection of a jewelers/watchmakers saw from the entombment of solid rust. Did it without breaking any of the tiny wing screws. Converted a chisel handle into the missing saw handle complete with a copper ferrule.

The handle ferrule is just a short piece of 1/2" copper tubing. Hammer to Fit, File in place!

The Saw had a spike type tang (which I had to straighten) and I drilled a 3 stage hole for a rough fit for the taper. Then I put the thing in a vise and tapped the handle down with a rubber mallet. It went on pretty tight, so should be OK.

The rust pitting was bad, but you should have see the rust! I wire wheeled the rust off but the wing nuts and even the slide part were solid. it sat with PB blaster on it in a corner forgotten for several years, then I cleaned out that corner... one screw came out, and the slide tapped off and loose, but the last wingnut needed a couple of days on Evaporust, AND some heat to get it worked loose without breaking it...

The top wing nut was MIA - I tried a 6-32 - too small and an 8-32 was too big, so I dug in some brass screws and found that one; that is either sub standard #8, or is a 7-32!


The resurrected one:



And a Family shot. Three are marked Germany and two of these have brands, the last one and the resurrected one are unmarked.

The bottom two are/will be my "go to's generally, but I plan on putting different pitch blades in the others so I don't have to mess with changing blades, which generally breaks them (easy to break; they look like fine wire!

[outlawmws]

Phil now THAT is some heavy duty Wrenching! Closest I got to that big was farm equipment on my dad's ranch in Idaho on a visit when I was about 20 or so. I repaired his swather, a tractor and a baler...

[Ridge Runner]

Well, not quite my shop—but I played hooky today and continued on a house project at home.

My wife and I finally decided to pull out the carpet to install a hardwood floor in the master. Figured we’d also fix this incessant squeak-rub-and-a-dip in the floor as you walk by the bed. It’s been driving us totally batty for 6-8 years. The house is only 10 years old...

So I pulled up an 80” x 96” area of subfloor to see WTH was going on and attempt a repair:


Looks like our framer didn’t install the floor joists quite-right. Not impressed since he was difficult to work with throughout the entire framing process—almost fired him a couple of times.

This just opened the wound and ground in some rock salt!

The way he nailed them caused the top chord to split at the right end abutting the flush LVL. The split caused a dip in the floor. Even an electrician can figure this ain’t right:


This ones top piece got pulled off with the subfloor. Oops! You can really see the nails here that split the plies of the top chord:


Got things cleaned up now. I cut the nails and removed them from the four joist ends. The cracks are pumped full of glue and screwed and clamped together:


Saturday I will be making some very, very long tapered shims to make up the difference in the step between the joist end and the LVL carrier. There’s about a 1/4” step on the ones I have exposed. Then on to closing it up...

Hopefully laying flooring next weekend!

[corky569]

I found this clothing rack next to a dumpster, I'm sure it used to have dowels on it to hang hangers. I figured I could make an adjustable shelf for lanterns and other storage. I also found a decent pallet recently with 1"X4" pine boards. Ripped a few for the cross beams, cut the rest to size. I think it's gonna work great.

[Hoffy1039]

New project...lanterns on top shelf