Druidic Dabblings and General Twaddle !!

[V8Druid]

weather back to normal here today .... can't see further than the end of the lawn ... but at least it's just damp not pissing down .... but means everything you put down or touch is damp too !!

ran the genny up this morning to power the plasma, belt grinder (with a nice new 36 grit belt) and the band saw.
intent on doing something other than grovel under the P38 and that i enjoy ....

this got started before crimbo ...

corners trimmed and then reset it for 'ron' ...

'fraid i forgot to get any plasma pix ....
but basically trimmed this up and some extra bits for attaching to it .....

looks a bit tidier with the sharps off it
then it got boss-ed up

and a coat of shiny tish, 'fore heading in for a late tea ... Pam's circuits night on a Wednesday, so always late eating, when she gets home after 'em.

die grinder and a flap wheel shines up the pin holes nicely
Was nice to have the evening so light last night .. drawing out nicely ... pity tonight wasn't the same ... had to lug this inside onto a bench in me box ... heavy enough too

next bit tomorrow .... got plasma-ed this morning ... and ground up on the belt ... assembly time if it doesn't pee down

 

[Lancs Lad]

Gra,

As I mentioned in my reply to Smiffy, it's the top end crop of machines that push the boundaries of what can be done that causes the heat etc. Ever wonder why the dearest machines are also generally the thinnest? It's become sexy to pack everything into wafer thin shells. Cooling fans as a result have been sacrificed for heat dissipating pastes and the cases doing double duty as heat sinks.

If buying I wouldn't hesitate with any mid range machine from the named brands, HP, Lenovo, Dell Samsung etc. Can't say I have any liking for Acer, Packard Bell etc at the lower end.
Main thing to ensure is that there's no crapware or free trial software installed that you don't need. Remove it all as soon as you set the machine up and then religiously ensure that you don't install anything you don't need. Good housekeeping is crucial to maintaining a responsive machine.

And, if your use case is met, look closely at a Chrome OS machine. I have to say I'm seriously tempted, would have bought one before now except for two or three items of specialist software which I can't do without and only available on Windows. Otherwise I'd have already jumped ship.

Can't disagree with any of that, spot on.
Only reason I mentioned the dell is we have em and they work.

But....I got a free Google Chrome book from Google...curiosity got the better of me and I eventually fired it up....in short I'm impressed. Just use it for browsing and downloading....
If that's your main use then give em a try. Fast as anything to fire up and no faffing with all the associated tosh that pcs require.

 

[Lancs Lad]

weather back to normal here today .... can't see further than the end of the lawn ... but at least it's just damp not pissing down .... but means everything you put down or touch is damp too !!

ran the genny up this morning to power the plasma, belt grinder (with a nice new 36 grit belt) and the band saw.
intent on doing something other than grovel under the P38 and that i enjoy ....

this got started before crimbo ...

View attachment 11737

corners trimmed and then reset it for 'ron' ...

View attachment 11738

'fraid i forgot to get any plasma pix ....
but basically trimmed this up and some extra bits for attaching to it .....


View attachment 11739

looks a bit tidier with the sharps off it
then it got boss-ed up

View attachment 11740

and a coat of shiny tish, 'fore heading in for a late tea ... Pam's circuits night on a Wednesday, so always late eating, when she gets home after 'em.

View attachment 11741

View attachment 11742

die grinder and a flap wheel shines up the pin holes nicely
Was nice to have the evening so light last night .. drawing out nicely ... pity tonight wasn't the same ... had to lug this inside onto a bench in me box ... heavy enough too

next bit tomorrow .... got plasma-ed this morning ... and ground up on the belt ... assembly time if it doesn't pee down

Brilliant stuff as usual, love this blog

 

[V8Druid]

Can't disagree with any of that, spot on.
Only reason I mentioned the dell is we have em and they work.

But....I got a free Google Chrome book from Google...curiosity got the better of me and I eventually fired it up....in short I'm impressed. Just use it for browsing and downloading....
If that's your main use then give em a try. Fast as anything to fire up and no faffing with all the associated tosh that pcs require.

how ????? where do I sign up for one please

 

[V8Druid]

Brilliant stuff as usual, love this blog

cheers Boyo ... makes all the pix and input worthwhile when it's appreciated

 

[Lancs Lad]

how ????? where do I sign up for one please

Long story...we were obviously a target customer . It was supposed to be used to contact them to discuss swapping hosting to them....needless to say I never got round to it. I figured they could manage without it.

 

[Left hooker]

weather back to normal here today .... can't see further than the end of the lawn ... but at least it's just damp not pissing down .... but means everything you put down or touch is damp too !!

ran the genny up this morning to power the plasma, belt grinder (with a nice new 36 grit belt) and the band saw.
intent on doing something other than grovel under the P38 and that i enjoy ....

this got started before crimbo ...

View attachment 11737

corners trimmed and then reset it for 'ron' ...

View attachment 11738

'fraid i forgot to get any plasma pix ....
but basically trimmed this up and some extra bits for attaching to it .....


View attachment 11739

looks a bit tidier with the sharps off it
then it got boss-ed up

View attachment 11740

and a coat of shiny tish, 'fore heading in for a late tea ... Pam's circuits night on a Wednesday, so always late eating, when she gets home after 'em.

View attachment 11741

View attachment 11742

die grinder and a flap wheel shines up the pin holes nicely
Was nice to have the evening so light last night .. drawing out nicely ... pity tonight wasn't the same ... had to lug this inside onto a bench in me box ... heavy enough too

next bit tomorrow .... got plasma-ed this morning ... and ground up on the belt ... assembly time if it doesn't pee down

Just finished my breaker adapter to s-type

 

[Bucket on wheels]

Here you have a cheapi's puter only 3395.GBP, surfing the forum on this one be like a turbo forum

https://translate.google.no/transla...rbar/alienware-area-51m-173-fhd-144-hz-g-sync

 

[Cyberprog]

Whatever you do, stay away from Razer. We've just bought some here at work and we're not too impressed.

The XPS has always run a bit hot, I've got a couple here where we've added extra heat transfer compound to make them run a bit cooler!

But it's only of any notice if you're pushing the laptop, and frankly I don't. What I have is overkill

We have them with the new dell docks also, so a single USB-C connection into the laptop in the morning which powers the laptop, and then connects my other two screens, keyboard & mouse and anything else I need.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Whatever you do, stay away from Razer. We've just bought some here at work and we're not too impressed.

The XPS has always run a bit hot, I've got a couple here where we've added extra heat transfer compound to make them run a bit cooler!

But it's only of any notice if you're pushing the laptop, and frankly I don't. What I have is overkill

We have them with the new dell docks also, so a single USB-C connection into the laptop in the morning which powers the laptop, and then connects my other two screens, keyboard & mouse and anything else I need.

Ditto...never thought I'd be discussing laptops on plant forum but heyho...

 

[V8Druid]

Ditto...never thought I'd be discussing laptops on plant forum but heyho...

just about 'anything goes' in this thread Boyo ....

 

[V8Druid]

Well yesterday was a total write off ... RAF day .... did sod all, other than take Clara to nursery for nine, picked her up at three fifteen and some grand dadding 'til half five .... She makes me smile, even when ropey .. sits in her seat in the back of the P38 with a map book on her lap feeding me directions ... as in "yellow road Grand dad, silver next, red one soon " ... God knows what page she's one ??

Anyway .. better day today .... the adapter got a second coat first thing, while the fog cleared - a bit, 'fore I got the gear out ..
slit this tube first and lopped a bit of 80 x 8 for a spreader fillet/stiffening rib ...

then got a few more bits out .. and set 'em up ...

after i'd extracted the 80 mm pin from the SEC and cleaned its grease off it ..

tacked it up a bit ...

and added a few more bits ... stiffened them up ... and set about sequentially welding it all up

can always tell when I'm 'at it' by the size of the slag lumps

spent some time de-spattering it and tidying everything away, before de-camping indoors, as it was trying hard to rain, for a coat of shiny tish ...

Firwoods Bitter Choccy Brown .... great paint .. needs no undercoat and dries bloody fast .... matches the 'Drema's brown very well too

managed a second coat before packing in for tea and left it sat on't bench with its mate, the adapter.

see they're forecasting rain tomorrow afternoon ..... with an horrendous day for Sunday ... see if I can give this one a try out in the a.m., before it persists down 'praps

would've loved to have MIG-ed this up ... but a tad too breezy to trust the gas shield ... with some impossible locations to grind any porosity back out !!

 

[Cyberprog]

These are the golden years Gra. Memories she makes now with you which will last - make the most of them! Can still vividly remember working on a wooden garage with my grandfather and going to wimborne model village with him.

Wish they had lived closer and I could have spent more time with them, but Ferndown to Bristol back then (and even today!) Is not a great drive.

Sorry if that's a bit of a glum post, just struck me

 

[V8Druid]

These are the golden years Gra. Memories she makes now with you which will last - make the most of them! Can still vividly remember working on a wooden garage with my grandfather and going to wimborne model village with him.

Wish they had lived closer and I could have spent more time with them, but Ferndown to Bristol back then (and even today!) Is not a great drive.

Sorry if that's a bit of a glum post, just struck me

aye ... you're right there Alex ..
I have very few memories of my grandparents ... both my grandfathers were dead before I was five and had been ill for several years before, so have very very few memories of them, other than ill in bed ... and no real interactions ...
both grandmothers died in my early teens, with the one living in Eastbourne, which was where she hailed from originally. Lived there with her eldest daughter, who moved there when she married..... T'other wasn't the pleasantest of people !! ...... and yeh Ferndown's a fair trek from yours.

never really had a lot to do with kids, 'til Pam's, in my forties .. and now theirs .... never really wanted any of my own ... perhaps my genes telling me NO .. but I really do enjoy my time with Clara ☺... Josh's boy Shem is also getting more 'interactive' as he's grown and'd probably be nice to see more of him too. The little un is still a tiny, fragile, bundle in a Druid's world ... makes me nervous getting presented with him ... let alone left to look after him for half an hour

 

[Cyberprog]

I know how you feel! No inkling for kids but love my nephew's to bits.

Never met my Grandfather on my mother's side, he died a year before I was born. My parents managed to persuade my gran to move from Croydon then, a smart decision, to Thornbury. We lived in central Bristol then (Bishopston in fact) and it was easy enough to go and see her every other weekend. We "granny sat" (an excellent idea, I'd encourage you to copy!) when my parents needed a night off. Gran would come over and we would make her tea (under close supervision by her!) which was usually Pizza because it was easy and fun to do.

Later on when I got my DL, I'd go out on a Saturday and take her shopping, which made her life easier. She baked great cakes when we were younger, and was fiercely independent to the last. Oddly she wouldn't listen to my mum on financial matters, only my Dad. Of course what happened was my mum would figure out the best course of action and then Dad would be summonsed to deliver the advice, which would be followed!

My grandparents on my father's side were odd. I think my gran was agrophobic as she never went anywhere. My grandad was great till he had a few strokes which began his slow decline into nursing homes.

 

[V8Druid]

I know how you feel! No inkling for kids but love my nephew's to bits.

Never met my Grandfather on my mother's side, he died a year before I was born. My parents managed to persuade my gran to move from Croydon then, a smart decision, to Thornbury. We lived in central Bristol then (Bishopston in fact) and it was easy enough to go and see her every other weekend. We "granny sat" (an excellent idea, I'd encourage you to copy!) when my parents needed a night off. Gran would come over and we would make her tea (under close supervision by her!) which was usually Pizza because it was easy and fun to do.

Later on when I got my DL, I'd go out on a Saturday and take her shopping, which made her life easier. She baked great cakes when we were younger, and was fiercely independent to the last. Oddly she wouldn't listen to my mum on financial matters, only my Dad. Of course what happened was my mum would figure out the best course of action and then Dad would be summonsed to deliver the advice, which would be followed!

My grandparents on my father's side were odd. I think my gran was agrophobic as she never went anywhere. My grandad was great till he had a few strokes which began his slow decline into nursing homes.

Lived in Brynland Avenue (27) in Bishopston, in '77/78 ... shared a flat there ... owned by Mr South of England ... was a big bloke .. and a builder with lots of student accommodation in the area ... damned if i can recall his name - Ray summat ... hasn't changed much, looking at google street view, other than some off street parking.

 

[Cyberprog]

Lived in Brynland Avenue (27) in Bishopston, in '77/78 ... shared a flat there ... owned by Mr South of England ... was a big bloke .. and a builder with lots of student accommodation in the area ... damned if i can recall his name - Ray summat ... hasn't changed much, looking at google street view, other than some off street parking.

Lol, that road was always a nightmare to park on. I lived a bit further down on Logan Road (15) not that you'll find it on street view

 

[V8Druid]

Lol, that road was always a nightmare to park on. I lived a bit further down on Logan Road (15) not that you'll find it on street view

aye, was a bitch, even back then ... we had massive snow that winter ... car was buried for 3 weeks as none of the side streets were cleared ..... Redland was a fair troll from there in the bloody snow

 

[Cyberprog]

I can remember walking over to redland occasionally. I used to have to walk up from the church on cranbrook road when I got the 21 or 22 bus home from school. If I caught a 20, that took me up the tennis courts on the bottom of kings drive and it was a flat walk from there In the morning I'd always walk down, as it was easy and more chances of a bus.

 

[V8Druid]

wasn't the greatest of days yesterday... weather-wise, foggy as **** and drizzling / light rain most of the day ...
really wanted to see how the other mount suited though ... so 'twas a grin and bare it day!!

choice of two Kins yesterday morning ..

... and opted for the 4.5 tonner ...

t'other one's very similar, just a bigger base and also has two base outlet ports to suit an HPX ... but only a 4t cap.

Lugged the bits out onto the bench ...

and discovered I was going to need a spacer plate to raise the FF QCs off the top plate .... fortunately I had one already knocked out from a previous use ...
will cut the odd side off it next time the band-saw is plugged in

got it all bolted up and then swung the Miller over it to couple up to its lift eye ... easy way of hanging a Kins

then 'twas time to plumb it all up ... easy off the bench to reach the dipper QCs
and change over valves for the crowd circuit ... then hung it over the SEC to get a pin into it

hangs real nice with the jaws open to nigh on meeting ..... get past the closed point and it starts to hang a tad odd, with now't in the jaws .... but'd be fine gripping summat ....

centre hanging line is nicely in line with the rotater, hanging pin and jaw tips!

makes for another useful tool in the arsenal ... sort some 50mm pins and sleeves ... don't think what I had made a while back will work ... bit too long ... and it'll go under the VA-r too