Druidic Dabblings and General Twaddle !!

[V8Druid]

although it looks a lot bigger in the pix .... the centre gaps are only 30mm and after discussions with SWMBO the consensus was .... no way is he going to get his arm through them

Way toooooo breezy today for even contemplating MIG, so stick and chip it was ....... tea interrupted the consolidation process and was getting on for dark by the time I'd come back to it, got this all welded up ...... plus a few capping pieces onto a couple of bits of 70mm square, I'd had sat, for a.n.other lil' job as well, whilst the Caddy was whirring.
If the forecast is to believed ... 'sposed to be wall to wall blue sky tomorrow, so an hour or so,s fettling in the a.m. and this can have a coat of not so shiny sh1t (satin black) and get left to dry in peace in a box.
get the 70mm bits fettled as well and assembled, then I can start on 'the boss's much mithered for gates.

These women don't understand the need for seeeeeerious thought processes in creating ..... taken me ages to hit on an idea for hanging these damned gates ... 'tain't gonna be an easy one .... it's got to look right, as I will be looking at it, ad infinitum and now't pisses me off more, than looking at summat and thinking, " if only I'd done ...... "

question for you guys ..... do you prefer thumbnails interspersed into the text, or full images and not have to blow 'em up separately ??? .... I personally favor the latter in threads ..... much easier than darting back and fore ........ answers on an e-postcard, to Druid central, SVP

 

[V8Druid]

Aye I've heard some of these Environmental Extremists as I prefer calling them try to compare us to Holocaust Deniers. Yeah he does jump around but I think that's kinda typical with some university lecture types. I listened to a couple of his other lectures and what he says is more than common sense the whole climate change is like a fad like wearing skinny jeans. lol I found one particular point quite interesting though as he mentioned in the late 90's people were getting fed up that this global warming thing wasn't happening so the powers that be changed it to 'climate change' and now they keep talking about the build up of 'carbon'.....hmmm the sky only turns black at one time of day as it has since the beginning of time.

basically they'd run out of ideas on how to tax us all and some tw*t dreamt this one up ..... the reference to population control was interesting at the beginning ....
there always have been three 'natural' methods of population control ... since biblical times and before ......
famine, pestilence and war ....
the first is simple ... Country A breeds like rats, can't feed itself, so the excess of population dies off ..... or used to, 'til 'the world' at large decided it'd do summat about it and pour in 'aid' .. so they can breed even more ..etc., etc. ..... sorry if I sound cynical and hard..... but reality is!!

Second .... well we're killing off the 'bad' bugs / insects, quicker than they can breed in some situations, so pestilence ain't what it used to be .... so the populous out-breed themselves into trouble, etc., etc., .... see above

Thirdly .... war !!! hmm ...... not such an easy one to comment on ...... these so called 'wars' tend, these days, to be more genocides, by corrupt minorities, most often of the 'ruling type', reducing ethnicities in a population .... similar end results, but can it really be called a war ??? And just how much effect do they really have, in relation to 'general population control'??

will the world ever see another 'war' like WW 1 & 2 ?? ..... if we believe 'the pundits' ..... it will be over water .... and we live on a planet that has 90% of its surface covered by H2O !! ..... the tech exists to never be short of water .... it just costs ...... the A rabs manage to do it and are pretty damned good at it !!

 

[Regy53]

OK .... bit more twaddle and a bit of dabbling .... when the rain eventually ceased dropping out the sky, 'bout 12 today, I went and eyeballed yon genny again ...... sod all obvious in the way of re-sets, so re-introduced the battery to the system, with the isolator and up comes said "delayed inputs active" orange light .... bearing in mind that up until Friday, I'd never seen it lit before.
turned the key to manual and pressed the go button ............. and away it went ?? ....... AND said light turned green after about 20 seconds of running ..... WTF??

View attachment 1740

So blessed with 3ph again, .. I got a lead out, plugged in the band saw and cut up a pair of gate frames

View attachment 1739 View attachment 1738
then plugged in me belt grinder and sorted all the shaping up on the fire guard kit, sharpened up a few chisels and re-ended a few bars and drifts that were in need re-shaping , before turning yon genny back off.

Probably ran it as long as I had the other day, when it refused to re-start. ..... Started sweet as a nut again ...... and again 10 minutes later, with said light doing the same sequence each time.

I need to get some better info. on the 'nuances' of this old girl

Anyway ...... with the big yeller thing in the sky co-operating, thought I'd get said fire guard assembled

started with the end panels/returns first
View attachment 1741 framed up, infilled View attachment 1742 and consolidated View attachment 1743

followed by the main centre run

View attachment 1744 bloody weather had to have a go, just to remind me how fickle it can be View attachment 1745 but didn't last long

the off-stand / distance from the 'hot-box' isn't huge, if I'm reading Josh's dimensioned photos right .... certainly not enough to stop a one year old from reaching it, so the central area had to have some Shem-proofing, with reduced bar spacings being favored over meshing it. ..... hence the gaps reducing by 50%, in't middle section.

got the ends onto it .....

View attachment 1746

and then spent the rest of the afternoon consolidating it all View attachment 1747 ...... and now I've run out of piccys again @Regy53 ???

is 10 at a time not enough? It is kept this way for loading times and to help the forum run quickly.

 

[Mogman]

is 10 at a time not enough? It is kept this way for loading times and to help the forum run quickly.

10 is plenty for me especially if it keeps things running smoothly we don’t want it to end up like the last one (will probably never get that bad how ever many pictures are posted though )

 

[Adam]

Druid, Regarding the delayed input active, it could be something to do with the oil pressure switch, most sets need to see zero oil pressure or rpm depending on the setup before the starter is allowed to engage.

 

[Mogman]

Druid, Regarding the delayed input active, it could be something to do with the oil pressure switch, most sets need to see zero oil pressure or rpm depending on the setup before the starter is allowed to engage.

Would that be so you can’t try and start it when it’s running especially if it’s equiped with a auto start switch from the mains

 

[V8Druid]

Druid, Regarding the delayed input active, it could be something to do with the oil pressure switch, most sets need to see zero oil pressure or rpm depending on the setup before the starter is allowed to engage.

Would that be so you can’t try and start it when it’s running especially if it’s equiped with a auto start switch from the mains

would make a lot of sense that ... but hadn't been running in maybe 30-60 minutes .... plus I've started it previously a few times quite close together ?? possible glitch?
can not recall ever seeing the light lit before though and deffo not seen it going green when running
let's hope it's settled its little head

 

[V8Druid]

is 10 at a time not enough? It is kept this way for loading times and to help the forum run quickly.

Yanking yer chain Ross ...... to a degree
P&C is 25, Maskinisten .. no idea... haven't found the limit yet .....
it's a lot better than what we've all been used to for so long, for sure ..... just wondered if it was an arbitrary number, or whether there was a reason for the set limit
I'm used to multiple posting

keep up the good work Boyo

 

[Adam]

Would that be so you can’t try and start it when it’s running especially if it’s equiped with a auto start switch from the mains

Yes that's the one. It the oil switch begins to fails it can think the engine still running. But some want see no pressure then oil pressure so not straight forward to bypass or will shut down.

Some are fairly simple set ups and others are well over the top. Some will only crank for 0.5 seconds and lock out if rpm too low or battery voltage too low. Others want see 250 rpm + on the mag pickup before they will let the injection pump / ecm fire. But obvisly druid ain't getting this far..

 

[V8Druid]

paint pot out this morning .........after a LOT of fettling and spatter removal

getting Blackfriars black board paint to cover with a decent finish is an art form ..... one I am well acquainted with after many years of decorative iron work coating.

but a slow process ...... yet to find a better product to produce as good a finish ..... all down to the wrist action

then moved on ..... eventually ..... to the lil' 70mm box section job I mentioned .... a.n.other job for Alex .... sign post gibbet for the project he's just finishing off on ... for this year, at least !!

all it needs now is the base plate to arrive

Then ...... got started on 'the boss's gate requirement

I'm in the middle of this and Pam arrives ..... she's been in painting mode today ..... having interrupted the gibbet creation earlier, to get her a tub of bituminous mixed up to do the soffits on the mower shed (which saved me doing it), there was now a can you just .... Pam hates heights ... as in, can't stand on a chair .... could I come and do the gable....she could manage the rest

it certainly needed a coat, after all the blazing sun shine we've had, through the summer, it was in need of sealing over again, for the coming winter's weather .. that end catches a lot of the worst of it ...... so half an hour later I was back to me bench .. having covered the 'pointy bit', leaving Pam on the rest

only one sure way to create a match pair ........

as long as you make damned sure the first one is absolutely 'bang on'

hinge creation tomorrow ....... then I am going to need some idea of just what she has in mind for infill ...... I have several ideas, but have to get them past 'committee' .... she has a few, but no idea of HTF I am gonna achieve some of 'em ..... more on that one again

treatment night, so 'early bath', hence half a shed end painted and me finishing while it was still light ...... great sky tonight after it ........

hard to do it justice without going and getting a decent camera out.......by which time it would have disappeared ....... bright orange, in multitudinous shades

ten day forecast is awesome ..... dry, dry and more dry YAY!!

 

[V8Druid]

Busy-ish week - on/off ....
another lovely day Tuesday ...... and sky to finish off with

sod all done though, aside from entertaining lil' miss Clara ....we'd not seen her for a week, as she and her mummy have been visiting cousin Shem in Plymouth ... she made up for it .... and kept me on my toes all day !!

Squeak has turned 'Punk', with a green forehead .... god knows where he'd been

and much to Clara's amusement

did manage to get a suss on me gate hinges after she'd gone home, in readiness for a crack at 'em Wednesday ..... after I'd lopped this up into 4, more manageable lumps, in readiness for a repatriation with Josh and Katie May, the next time we head down to Plymouth ...

made for their wedding .. 5 years ago and been taking up space here ever since ... didn't want it slung out, so it had to be made more transportable ..... after I'd removed all the 'pretty' lights

one of the many things I was tasked with, back then .... bit of a head scratcher at the time .... "you want what? .... how big? er .... ok, see what I can do " the things we do

anyway ...... was a busy day Wednesday, on all the fiddlys for yon gates .. takes for ever to make the lil' bits, especially when they have to be mm accurate, to get it all to fit and work ...

only two more to make ....... once I'd got a 'fit' sussed.

 

[V8Druid]

stuck some cross bars in't frames, suitably positioned to match an existing 'run line' and fitted the first pair, ready for a trial fit ....

then set them up for a lift into position, to suss the other pair of hinges ......

the posts they're attaching to were perfect when i put them up ........ about 5 years ago .... but being timber, have been subject to the vagaries of the UK climate and aren't as upright as they were, when they got set in concrete

so needed to tailor make the top hinge set ..... once i could measure up the discrepancies .....

enter the 'Drema to the fray

and some assistance

suitably sussed, they went back on the bench ....

and I turned my attentions to producing the bespoke top hinge set, to allow for some bent/warped posts
by the time I was ready for a re-fit, my assistant had 'burgered off' to her keep fit class, so was a one man op getting it all back in spot and suitably 'fixed' in situ ........

mission accomplished though ....

 

[V8Druid]

big grin from 'the boss' on her return

now to dream up the next bit ...... infill and decoration

Certain people have been playing with 'templates' of what 'she'd' like,

made the mistake of telling her I'd got several sheets of 2 & 3 mm stainless stashed away
yet another great skyline that night .......

got Clara-ed again yesterday, so sod all achieved, other than mowing the grass, after she'd departed .....

but was a beautiful day ..... up here at least ...

was pretty bloody foggy, down in the village

'crazy cat' developed a new skill set .... Mower Surfing ... rode around the entire lawn, either on the bonnet or on my lap .... never done it before

not the greatest of pix, but on the move and almost dark

not a great deal achieved today ... Pam's elderly farmer cuzs turned up, mid morning .... which slowed any progress ..... followed by more visitors after lunch, which damned near knackered the entire day ..... did get the one end of the black shed finished off with a fresh coat of 'bitch' and a few facia boards cut and painted ready to get the guttering up, for the inevitable winter downpours, in between the interruptions

More anon ......

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Gate hinges look like a head scratcher... Nicely done!

Are you sure those posts are going to be man enough for that job long term? Those aren’t small gates!

 

[Routy56]

Loving yer blog on this forum
Used to follow it on the dark side.....
Great set of gates no doubt used as an excuse to do some fabing
Gotta agree that you will need to upgrade the post to some nice steel ones....

 

[V8Druid]

Gate hinges look like a head scratcher... Nicely done!

Are you sure those posts are going to be man enough for that job long term? Those aren’t small gates!

Cheers MB.... considerable thought given to the problem ...... the gates'll spend most of their time closed, in line with the fence run, so in the strongest plane, but yeh they're a large pair of gates (1260mm each) but relatively light TBH - ATM anyway ..... plus I will put some support rests/retainers for their open positions, for some support and stop them blowing about when open .... ultimately, as and when the 4 x 4 timber posts 'die' they'll get replaced with some 100 x 100 x 6 SHS ones

Loving yer blog on this forum
Used to follow it on the dark side.....
Great set of gates no doubt used as an excuse to do some fabing
Gotta agree that you will need to upgrade the post to some nice steel ones....

Thanks Routy .... glad to amuse .... could find lots of other things to use as a fabbing excuse .... these were just generating the most ear-ache ..... got a few other projects sat in the melt pot.... some been there a while

as for the posts .... all in good time .... as above

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Cheers MB.... considerable thought given to the problem ...... the gates'll spend most of their time closed, in line with the fence run, so in the strongest plane, but yeh they're a large pair of gates (1260mm each) but relatively light TBH - ATM anyway ..... plus I will put some support rests/retainers for their open positions, for some support and stop them blowing about when open .... ultimately, as and when the 4 x 4 timber posts 'die' they'll get replaced with some 100 x 100 x 6 SHS ones



Thanks Routy .... glad to amuse .... could find lots of other things to use as a fabbing excuse .... these were just generating the most ear-ache ..... got a few other projects sat in the melt pot.... some been there a while

as for the posts .... all in good time .... as above

They look a good tight fit - should self-support well whilst closed so will more than likely be fine as you say! And if at some point they do move I’m sure you know someone who can come up with an engineered solution...

I’d like to mirror Routy’s sentiments - it’s nice to see projects being created and I really enjoy this thread. Keep it up please, I’ve learned a bit about fabrication watching it!

 

[V8Druid]

They look a good tight fit - should self-support well whilst closed so will more than likely be fine as you say! And if at some point they do move I’m sure you know someone who can come up with an engineered solution...

I’d like to mirror Routy’s sentiments - it’s nice to see projects being created and I really enjoy this thread. Keep it up please, I’ve learned a bit about fabrication watching it!

cheers MB .... I learn a lot from the rest of you guys, too

Now't done over the weekend, as been down to Plymouth for Lil' Shem's 1st birthday and his christening gathering

got back about half nine tonight ... can't seem to better the 2hrs 20mins for the trip ..... dial 80 and sit there for 170 miles .... bloody busy on the M5 tonight though ... will have to have a go much later in the evening next time we go down

Fire guard fitted a treat

and was pretty well 'received' ..... took some getting in the back of the Golf though .... was an 'only just' job and I mean ONLY !!

Forecast looks good for the coming week, so soon as my infill material arrives for yon gates, I can get those finished off and 'the boss' can get the paint brush out

Should also have 40t of planings before the end of the week to play with too, so'll hopefully have some more usable space to spread a few bits out, to get at said stainless sheets, currently at the back and buried, to make Pam smile ..... yet again

...... once they've had a talking to with the plasma

Time for bed !!!!!!

 

[fred]

that looks a big heavy lump of metal to be lugging about every time you need to add a log! Put in a door!!

 

[V8Druid]

that looks a big heavy lump of metal to be lugging about every time you need to add a log! Put in a door!!

door'll open to a good 45 deg.s Fred and they don't tend to chuck huge lumps on it anyway .... can always either tilt it forward to get a bit more or slide it forward.
the gate in it's a good idea, but I was working to some fairly restricted info., making it ... plus it's months since I last saw it and paid it no attention

Josh's info. pix .... not too bad really

perhaps if it proves an issue I can re-model it, now that it's in place and easily sussed ............... we'll see how they get on with it

day recovering from the weekend, today and we've had Clara most of the day too ..... plus I've an early start tomorrow ... up at 05.30 to be in Llandough hospital for a loooong hour plus, head first, in an MRI scanner ... again!!

.... at 07.45 a.m. !! don't think they realise it's a 100 mile round trip for me ... done enough mileage this weekend already .. gonna be pushing my luck

I'm claustrophobic ... so it's always a very loooooooooooooooong hour plus