Druidic Dabblings and General Twaddle !!

[V8Druid]

thought for the day ....
tomorrow is going to be 3 weeks 'til the longest day ..... down hill again ... WTF did the last 23 weeks go since the shortest day??

looking at a cople of pix last night of BIL's gates and not happy with the doubles -- did not look finished, so was playing about with 'em and ....

thought this looked 'more like it' ...... so got 'em out again this morning .. went looking for some more rings ..

and

much happier with the results .... it also matches up nicely with the pedestrian side gate ...
got the hinge pins assembled ..

and set up a post and gate for the first of 'em to be attached ....

then the ped. side on t'other side of the post, followed by the slam, so's I could suss catches and slam plates ....

see how they all match up now

catches half sorted/sussed and the bell for tea put paid to much further progress tonight
found this in my letter box this morning, after a foray down the village shop .....

took me a minute or three to work out WTF it was .... I mean South East Asia? WTF do I know in S***on ? ..... then I twigged

 

[V8Druid]

a BIG thank you to Ian @Gecko ...
he'd PM-ed me a couple of weeks ago asking for my full address, as he had a little something he wanted to send me ....... well it arrived today ... 11 days ain't bad I reckon ...

new Druid hat ........

I've always got a hat or cap on ......... and I thought this was a great 'play on words', when someone put it up, on a sweat shirt .. ......and Ian found it on a hat

love it

 

[Gecko]

I'm glad you like it!
I was assured the postage would be a month, so 11 days is certainly a surprise.

 

[V8Druid]

I'm glad you like it!
I was assured the postage would be a month, so 11 days is certainly a surprise.

love it Boyo ... again, thank you ... I was surprised to find it in the mail box yesterday after you'd said shipping was a month
obviously shipping it inside a magazine is the way to go

on the subject of shipping stuff .... how did your new Jakie hoses fare ? ... busted any yet ?

 

[V8Druid]

had a visit from Alex this morning ... he'd belled me yesterday to see if I was about and whether the welder'd be handy ..
wanted some brackets nailing together for a tool box on his lorry .... quick cuppa and natter and soon had his bits on the bench for assembly

ended up with a few extra holes after a bit of a brain freeze ... but least we sorted it 'fore they got assembled ... big placcy box to go on them ...
then spent a couple of hours with the Husqy blower clearing the drive of Pam's carnage .... some of it was taller than her ..
so didn't get back to me bench 'til well gone three .....
on the fiddly bits

while since I last made a drop latch

few 'hidden' slam blocks

and that's the pedestrian side done

panel to fit to the other side of the post ... and to 'balance the look' it'll have 'dummy' hinge mounts (they work 'til they get a weld under 'em to fix the side panel solid to the final post) .... but a bit of a handful to lug about ATM, so left loose/de-mountable, for now

and fixed to the side gate slam post ....

and I'd had enough for one day ..... was half eight .....
got the doubles to latch and fit a drop bolt to tomorrow and the get the far post hinges fitted, some fettling and ....... job done
BIL can come and paint the damned things then .... I've painted more than my fair share of gates over the years .. I'll turn my skills to his work bench

 

[Gecko]

on the subject of shipping stuff .... how did your new Jakie hoses fare ? ... busted any yet ?

So far so good!
The new hoses look kosha and so far the only issue was one leaking at the joint. Slackening and retightening seems to have seated it properly.
So far, I've replaced the four on the stabiliser legs, the two on the extradig, the four between the boom and dipper and the four (5?) on the hydraclamps.
None of these hoses had failed, but were sure showing their age.

 

[V8Druid]

So far so good!
The new hoses look kosha and so far the only issue was one leaking at the joint. Slackening and retightening seems to have seated it properly.
So far, I've replaced the four on the stabiliser legs, the two on the extradig, the four between the boom and dipper and the four (5?) on the hydraclamps.
None of these hoses had failed, but were sure showing their age.

I presume that there were SIGNIFICANT savings to be had, buying where you did, rather than your 'home' market?
hoses have always been dear, but are getting really silly now

 

[Gecko]

I presume that there were SIGNIFICANT savings to be had, buying where you did, rather than your 'home' market?
hoses have always been dear, but are getting really silly now

Yep, significant savings.
1 meter, 1/2" 275 Bar w/ 1x straight, 1x 90deg BSP fittings - about £7
I can't get someone to do a crimp for that price!

 

[V8Druid]

Yep, significant savings.
1 meter, 1/2" 275 Bar w/ 1x straight, 1x 90deg BSP fittings - about £7
I can't get someone to do a crimp for that price!

View attachment 36102

you'll be taking orders at that rate Ian .... unbelievably cheap

 

[V8Druid]

my start to the day ... lawn and a couple of runs down the side of the drive, before dumping the 'proceeds' for barrowing down to the bottom of the bank and our grass dump .....

...... and then getting the Dane out to do the rest .... 'fore heading for me bench
set the doubles up .... to suss the catch, drop bolt and keeping them secure

had to move 'em to fit the catch back plate ... couldn't risk it pulling, fixing it without it being clamped down

back in place, paired up, latch components fitted and drop bolt made up and fitted ......

.... with slam plates and bolt security tag .... stops it being lifted when closed ... latch has a hole for a pad lock and the upper slam plate won't allow the opener to be lifted when the latch is locked ... lifting these off the hinges, as a pair'd take some doing ... especially if the BIL welds a washer on the top of a pin

Then separated the pair to install the bolt retention hook .. drop bolt is spiked for marking it's retaining hole when installed and makes for easier alignment when in use

and that's not a blow hole in the weld .. just the slag ... these rods have a habit of gassing the slag ... look at it 'fore chipping off and think " sh*t - don't look good" ... and perfectly fine underneath

then Clara arrived .... not been well since Sunday, as I said earlier in the week .. but improving and her and her mum needed a change of scenery ...
looking a bit pasty, sporting her new hair cut ...
she and granny'd been making some paper bunting and a 'jubilee crown' to keep her amused... and insisted I was in attendance to oversee the proceedings and generally get bossed about, so she must be feeling improved

back to it, an hour an' a half or so later ....
opener finished ..

security measures in place and all fettled off

post and hinge pin time for the other half of the doubles .. after tea ...

then Pam wanted to see 'em set up

not got enough bench space to lay them all out (without clearing a lorratish out the way)

detail of the security measures for those interested

and that is job done - thank **** !! ..... the fiddlies take almost as long as the rest of it ('specially when you ain't done one in a loooooong time)
all locked up in a box.... awaiting the painter .. 's a lot to paint

BIL's work bench next

 

[Gecko]

you'll be taking orders at that rate Ian .... unbelievably cheap

Very cheap, but still not completely confident of the quality of the fittings or the hose.

Even building a test rig and trying to burst an assembly, while useful, wouldn't really replicate service conditions.

 

[maz]

my start to the day ... lawn and a couple of runs down the side of the drive, before dumping the 'proceeds' for barrowing down to the bottom of the bank and our grass dump .....
View attachment 36133

...... and then getting the Dane out to do the rest .... 'fore heading for me bench
set the doubles up .... to suss the catch, drop bolt and keeping them secure
View attachment 36135
had to move 'em to fit the catch back plate ... couldn't risk it pulling, fixing it without it being clamped down
View attachment 36122
back in place, paired up, latch components fitted and drop bolt made up and fitted ......View attachment 36124
.... with slam plates and bolt security tag .... stops it being lifted when closed ... latch has a hole for a pad lock and the upper slam plate won't allow the opener to be lifted when the latch is locked ... lifting these off the hinges, as a pair'd take some doing ... especially if the BIL welds a washer on the top of a pin

Then separated the pair to install the bolt retention hook .. drop bolt is spiked for marking it's retaining hole when installed and makes for easier alignment when in use
View attachment 36125View attachment 36126
and that's not a blow hole in the weld .. just the slag ... these rods have a habit of gassing the slag ... look at it 'fore chipping off and think " sh*t - don't look good" ... and perfectly fine underneath

then Clara arrived .... not been well since Sunday, as I said earlier in the week .. but improving and her and her mum needed a change of scenery ...
looking a bit pasty, sporting her new hair cut ...
she and granny'd been making some paper bunting and a 'jubilee crown' to keep her amused... and insisted I was in attendance to oversee the proceedings and generally get bossed about, so she must be feeling improved

View attachment 36123

back to it, an hour an' a half or so later ....
opener finished ..
View attachment 36127
security measures in place and all fettled off
View attachment 36128
post and hinge pin time for the other half of the doubles .. after tea ...
View attachment 36129
then Pam wanted to see 'em set up
View attachment 36130
not got enough bench space to lay them all out (without clearing a lorratish out the way)

detail of the security measures for those interested
View attachment 36132 View attachment 36138
and that is job done - thank **** !! ..... the fiddlies take almost as long as the rest of it ('specially when you ain't done one in a loooooong time)
all locked up in a box.... awaiting the painter .. 's a lot to paint

BIL's work bench next

Fantastic work mate...now...whats the forum members discount on those gates? The missus just spotted them and knows my fabrication skills aren't that good

 

[V8Druid]

Fantastic work mate...now...whats the forum members discount on those gates? The missus just spotted them and knows my fabrication skills aren't that good

jeeezus - yours too .... Pam's trying to work out where she can fit some in here ..... and thanks

 

[V8Druid]

summat a bit different today .... wanted the BIL's bench sheet on me bench to lop up and as I had the 'Drema's heart beating to do it, shifted some bulk bags first, that the boss has been nagging me to move for ages ...
slung a set of forks on the blade to save trekking back and forth by 50%

and trolled off to the far side of the black shed ...

saved three trips

as said elsewhere ... had to put one back, when Pam found a nest full of chicks in the fork sleeve of one bag .... so'll have to come back to that one later in the summer ...

bags done, could revert to the original reason for waking the 'Drema ....

and put where I wanted it .....

got it set out for lopping up tomorrow .... plasma time, I think

sadly it has now just pissed down with wet stuff ... hopefully there'll be some traces of my setting out tomorrow
'sposed to have been a wetter, than drier day here today, but the day's been lovely and possibly the warmest in a while - actually sweating in the sun and air temp.s well up .... (talking to BIL earlier 30 miles away - been in a fleece all day) .
.. no rain forecast past eight, here, so a bit miffed... also 'sposed to be a nice one tomorrow too ...... we shall see

 

[TiltyShaun]

Been rather wet here since 4pm last night….and it has just started again!! Kill the rat but save the bird. We all have our strange little ways!!

 

[V8Druid]

Been rather wet here since 4pm last night….and it has just started again!! Kill the rat but save the bird. We all have our strange little ways!!

the birds hadn't invaded the house
was some bit wet here all night and looking grim this morning with a stiff N Easterly still bringing lighter rain ... 'sposed to clear shortly, with luck, but ........ Steam rally weekend in Aber., so it's bound to be wet and cool

 

[LKSF]

We have the same problem with Yodel and Herpes here, or Evri as they're now called. They just can't be arsed driving up here, admittedly it's probably because they've got so much to do on a small wage.
What I found with Yodel though was to leave a bad review of them on Trustpilot, all of a sudden your case gets given priority and things start happening.

Gates are looking good, sorry If I missed it, but where did the rings come from?

 

[V8Druid]

View attachment 36180
sadly it has now just pissed down with wet stuff ... hopefully there'll be some traces of my setting out tomorrow
'......

well that's f***d it ... just stopped raining and the sheets covered in puddles

 

[hiluxman]

well that's f***d it ... just stopped raining and the sheets covered in puddles

Dry here for a change, even had chance to give the inside of this a hoover out

 

[V8Druid]

We have the same problem with Yodel and Herpes here, or Evri as they're now called. They just can't be arsed driving up here, admittedly it's probably because they've got so much to do on a small wage.
What I found with Yodel though was to leave a bad review of them on Trustpilot, all of a sudden your case gets given priority and things start happening.

Gates are looking good, sorry If I missed it, but where did the rings come from?

sounds like a plan ... bas***ds

Our Hermes bloke is brilliant, although he's blotted his copy book yesterday when he didn't show with the delivery they'd said would be latest 3rd June ... I'll give him some stick when he turns up ... didn't expect to see him TBH ... wishful thinking on Hermes part FFS !!

the rings're rolled up on my old DS&G lathe ... make a mandrel for the chuck and roll 20ft of 12mm bar round it slooowly off a rest ... the Harrison'll do the same - plenty of grunt - just won't be able to feed 20ft lengths into it, as it doesn't have a 60ft wide workshop behind it could drill some holes in the box walls and thread it through ... take some lining up though