Weekend Engineering!

I bought a New Miller Millermatic 140 AMP Mig welder about (2) weeks ago for a list of small projects. (I love it)

This weekend, I'll be making a new type of coring shovel so my girl friend can plant her flower bulbs. (I hate doing this, because, I would like to do some testing and refining first) But she does not have the patience, yet she put it off this long.

The Ground we have is deep, little if any stones. Only issue would be the root systems from the existing plants. Not a problem. The Problem I see, is under the top soil, is clay, and I think this clay is mixed in with the top soil. So there will be issues with the release of the plug. And I hope it rains more.

"But she does not have the patience, yet she put it off this long."

It's easy to be ambitious about a project when you're not the one doing the work

A few years ago I needed to make some post holes for a gardening shed. The soil here is rock-hard Georgia clay. A regular post-hole digger just bounced off the top layer and went nowhere. Likewise a power auger went down about 10 inches and didn't have enough torque to go any further.

A guy at Home Depot recommended using a 6-foot-long iron bar rammed into the ground to break the clay up enough to allow the post hole digger to work. That combination worked great - a lot of labor, but at least it worked. I've since found out it's called a San Angelo Bar:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202520451/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=san+angelo+bar&storeId=10051

This may be more than what you need for planting some bulbs - OTOH, this plus your corer might get the job done quicker.

Talking about clay nightmares

(2) years ago. I put up a sun shade over our deck. (2) corners attached to the house and (2) corners attached to poles/columns. I had to put these columns about 4' from the deck, ^{(so I can put in a hammock when she didn't want, but now loves.)} .

I started digging the foundation for the columns, the first 6" went great, but when I hit the clay, my shovel and pick just bounced off with a high pitched "PING".

I did rent a large post hole digger to finish the job, good thing the small one was already rented out.

As far as clay is concerned, three years ago, when I made a black pea gravel patio with a fire pit that also turned out, because of the clay, as a extra benefit as a 1500 gallon reservoir rain barrel. It will hold water for more than a week, we don't know because we use it up before it can seep away.

Sheila my girlfriend was very happy about, is a story for another time. . I'll get pictures.

"The Ground we have is deep,"

911, this may come as a surprise to you, but ALL ground is deep.

_{Look, it's Friday and the boss is gone. I'd be gone too, but I took WED. and Thrusday afternoons off already this week.}

911, this may come as a surprise to you, but ALL ground is deep.

Ah! you have never been to Door County (the peninsula) in Wisconsin. Where the ground topsoil is thin, or the bedrock is close to the surface. Depends on how you look at it........ "Thank you, Niagara Escarpment"

The ground isn't deep here in Florida. Dig down 10 feet and you hit the ocean

What holds the dirt up, if there's an ocean under it?

Fish. Lots of them.

Broken images on my end

That seems to happen every time I post unless I hit backspace before typing (I didn't post any pictures). Any ideas?

Try downloading the images to your PC, then uploading to CR4 from there. Posting a URL to a website often gives flakey results.

I find folding a good wipe of butter between the pastry layers gives flakey results
Del

All round to your place for some tau-by-two then .

Imagine a flock of fish, holding up Florida. Come on! You're a cat.

A flock?

No, we have schools of fish down here....smart fish.

But the're really fat fish....

This one shown singing the fish anthem....

We catch those all the time on the flats...funny...

Last year, we had our refrigerator go out on us. We found out it was just the compressor that died out. Changed the price tag from $1,000+ for a new fridge to ~$120-130 for the new compressor (I forget exactly, it's been a while).

I could help figure out -exactly- what's wrong with your refrigerator with a couple more details. For starters, is the door to freezer and cooler both white? And did you have magnets on it when it started to die?

Excellent and cogent questions!

Yes, both doors are white. There are three shelves and a butter tray.
3 magnets were on side facing South, but none on doors.

Compressor runs, thermal limit switches operate as expected, (no ice maker) both fans run non-stop, had not been moved, dust bunnies regularly cleaned from coils... I've done some poking around looking for clues, but no apparent trouble is showing.

Fridge was in the house when I bought it 6 years ago, and it is a commodity type unit, the sort that are generally used in apartments. Mfg date show it to be 12 years old. I think the expected life of these inexpensive units is only about ten years, so I'll prolly just purchase an early Christmas gift for Doorman's Chick. (we'll see how that works out!)

...you're not really going to give her a refrigerator as a Christmas gift? Tell us you're joking. And if she says that's what she wants, don't believe her; it's a trick.

No chance you can just recharge the freon stuff (whatever it's called now)? Then spend the money on a trip to Napa, or something else she'd really like?

Hey, wait a sec. You live in Fargo. What do you need a refrigerator for? Just open a window.

"And if she says that's what she wants, don't believe her; it's a trick."

Boy, you're right about that!

<Wifespeak> Oh, honey, really... don't get me anything for my birthday.
<Reality interpretation> You darn well better get me something pretty nifty... or else!

Don't see a recharge port; it's an inexpensive appliance, I suspect it wasn't intended to be repaired on failure.

And as you say, in November the porch is an effective substitute here in Fargo USA.

Black Friday is right around the corner if you can manage to wait that long.

Dear CR4: My refrigerator quit working. It is white and the freezer is on the top. Any ideas about how to make it work again? Oh, it is ten years old or so.

• Did you try shutting it off and turning it on again? ^{(works for my computer)}
• Is it plugged in?
• Did you contact the manufacturer or where you bought it from?
• Did you try moving the magnets around on the door?
• Did you try shooting an arrow threw it?
• We need more information here?

We're here and happy to help ........and "your welcome!"

ps,

if you tried shooting arrows threw it, we would appreciate pictures.

• Did you try shutting it off and turning it on again? Yes
• Is it plugged in? Yes
• Did you contact the manufacturer or where you bought it from? No
• Did you try moving the magnets around on the door? No, removed them; I will try moving them around.
• Did you try shooting an arrow threw it? No, any advice about where to shoot threw?

Thank yew!

Del will provide you with a nice long bow for that. Where is Del? I haven't noticed him on line for a while. Oops. If I kept reading two more entries I would have answered my own question. Mea culpa.

Did it make a lot of noise first? Have you tried turning the radio up?

Did it make a lot of noise first? Yes, sounded like my Chevy Cavalier.

Have you tried turning the radio up? No... radio doesn't work either, but I am hesitant to ask about that, leery of what advice I may get!

I've put up some shelves for Mrs Cat and I'm working on a Yew longbow (quelle surprise) nearly finished.
Del

This really isn't a weekend project, but it is taking some on-the-fly engineering.

My boss bought 4 12' x 6' x 3' high sections of used stage. (as in the things performers stand on whilst performing.) Well built, but the wood floors are no good.

They were built to be moved by a fork lift and sat directly on the ground.

He wants em on wheels. So, we have to make fold-able wheel sets and attach jacks to each end so that we can pull them with a golf cart, then lower them onto the ground and remove the tow bar.

He's changed his mind twice now, thus the on-the-fly redesigns.

We've settled most of the design problems and he's gone today so we may get #1 completed.

Any ideas on a durable, inexpensive sturdy floor? We have the 2x4 wood lumber to use as a base for the floor. Right now, it may just be exterior grade plywood, heavily sealed and painted. We'll cover that with carpet.

I always use two layers of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed to 12" center joists for a good sturdy floor.. rock solid and ...portable..:P

I'll probably try one layer first, with the understanding that I might need two.

Thanks.

We've been told to prepare for 20-30cm of snow over the weekend. I'll be analyzing my Crystalline Water Remediation Device for structural integrity and expected life span. I'll also be evaluating the Actuator of that device for optimum motion and trouble-free operation. Then after said Actuator is done remediating all that crystalline water, said Actuator will return to its Docking Station in front of the Visual Stimulation Device to observe some Canadian Football while testing and verifying the effectiveness of various lubricating agents. And then, should the female co-occupant of said Docking Station be agreeable, we won't be shopping for a fridge.

good luck on your "Crystalline Water Remediation Device". nothing goes better with Canadian football ^{(or American Foorball for that matter)} than cold beer!

Finishing up a chicken tractor coop.

Design: Two weeks ago.

Framing: Last weekend.

Finish (hopefully): This weekend.

Chickens: Next weekend.

Eggs and chicken$hit: From then on.

Getting ready for winter, I've got an old "Salamander" heater that I use to warm up my workshop. Cleaning out its fuel lines and putting on a new cord, which got too close to the blower end and melted...

Leads me to a question for the masters....This heater burns kerosene. Now, I've got about 100 gallons of home heating oil that I had used in my house furnace before getting a new gas one. Would it be possible to use this fuel in the salamander? Perhaps changing the nozzle orifice? More trouble and danger (fumes) than it's worth?

K1 is lighter and more refined than No. 2 heating oil. I think you will get a lot more fumes especially from the extra sulfur that's probably present in the No. 2 heating oil. I'm not sure I'd be inclined to use it in that application.

Replacing all the rusty steel brake lines in my 2002 Chevy Suburban. The nice engineers at GM must have thought no one would drive these longer than 10 years and who would think their wife would be driving it alone when the brake pedal went to the floor while towing a 32 foot camper trailer more than four hours away from home. Fortunately, my wife is totally awesome and had the presence of mind to use the manual override on the brake controller to stop the rig using the trailer's brakes before hitting anything.

The cheap bastards value-minded engineers accountants used a barely coated mild steel tube rather than stainless or copper-nickel lines for a critical safety item. Nice.

The really nice thing is the worst corrosion occurs in a spot virtually invisible to casual observation while under the truck changing the oil, dropping the transfer case, or rebuilding the rear axle. The failure occurred where the lines run on top of the frame rail between the body and the frame between the ABS module and the engine compartment.

I'm using copper nickel lines. A cost differential of about $20 in material cost saved for hours on my back, skinned knuckles, rounded off coupling nuts, rust and grit in the eyes and the neighbors covering their childrens' ears to protect them from my tapestry of expletives. Grrrrrrr.

Damn this thread... damp patch has appeared on kitchen ceiling. I refurbished the central heating several months back, must be a weeping joint somewhere.
That damn thing will be crying it's eyes out once I get my hands on it grrrrrrr hissss ftzzzz.
It's hard to pinpoint it as the damp has followed the joints in the plasterboard.
Ha! I know how to get rid of it, I'll send it to you guys...
Here you are..

Del

Just aim those track lights up, toward the ceiling, and dry it out first.

Send mine to Doorman.

Ouch, I hope you find no surprises, the makes that weekend project in a couple months ��

When you screwed that light fitting in, was there a strange hiss ? It was probably an irate squirrel, disturbed in slumber.

Let's see...

1 - Repair the plow for my tractor - needs some welding done. (also need to install the tire chains)

2 - Finish the design work for an extension to a pitched roof over one of the dog kennels.

3 - Rebuild one of the doors to dog kennel.

4 - Shorten handle on wife's new rake.

5 - Balance the books for the business (financial engineering )

Woo hoo.
Found it nice and accessible. It was an old joint, must've got disturbed when I fitted that new rad'.

Tightened it up about a 1/4 turn and mopped up about a mug full of water, I'll leave it ope to help it dry out... yeah... what? No that's not laziness, you tell Mrs Cat it's the sensible option... I can check it's drying and re fit everything in a day or two (when I've finished my longbow)
Del

Does filling two wheelie-bins with leaves, having a bonfire and rodding the drains count?

Now, Who accomplished their planned week end projects?

I managed to get the ReconstructMe to work properly and got a few little models done. Didn't have enough time to fiddle with the latter program though. I'll post up some pictures tomorrow

Cool,

I did the coring shovel, after 4 revisions to the shovel (while Sheila was planting) I got to the point of getting the design right so the plug would extract, by that time Sheila was just finishing up I ended up helping her..........

Because I was trying to get it done before she finished, I sacrificed quality, and just used it to understand what it needed to be done.

Fortunately, That's what I planned on doing , I made the handle longer, and had bought more tubing for the core shovel. Thinking have I have it worked out, I can cut the handle down, and use the fresh piece of tubing and do the required cutting on it from what I learned.

I'll cut the modified tube off the handle and redo with the modification on the extra tube and weld the handle on that. Should be ready for her planting next year.

Pics?

Not yet,

I was thinking someone was going to ask, I thought I had some pics from her garden I was going to post just show the garden she has, but they are at home. ^{just to atleast tide over until I get the new designed shovel done} ......... because her garden is quite pretty.

On the coring shovel, with the modifcation that I was doing basically concurrent to actual planting, by the third revision to make it work get a little rough looking was too embaress to print ......... because we were planting the bulbs at the same time and had to get the bulbs in because the weather was turning. If I get time this week I'll remake the core shovel, shouldn't take long.

I made some headway on the fridge reanimation.

Whilst banging around I discovered the datasheet for the unit. It was folded into a small square and tucked into a hiding place in the plastic grille in the front, at the floor... the decorative plastic grille that keeps all but the largest toys from rolling under the unit. As the two point typeface of the datasheet presented a challenge for my eyes, I brought it to the office where the magnify feature of the copy machine will be pressed into service. Victory is near!

Moving the magnets around on the door had no apparent positive effect, and the arrow holes should present only a small challenge to patch.

Moving the magnets around on the door had no apparent positive effect

Welp, I'm out of ideas. Good luck, mate.

You may have gotten a batch of magnets that were manufactured in the southern hemisphere and erroneously shipped to the northern hemisphere.

Try rotating them all 180°. You might also consider using the magnets to cover the arrow holes, too.

Ah HA! Great minds think alike!

"You might also consider using the magnets to cover the arrow holes..." This is already done, compliments of Doorman's Chick.

She was a little slow coming on board with the necessity of purchasing a crossbow and metal-piercing bolts... she opined the money might have been better purposed for some as yet to be defined major appliance. Dunno what she is thinking there.

Yep.

Me. A little sore today. Shovel held up well. My Green Guys [Saskatchewan] lost their playoff-off match, but it was a wild game, thrilling to the very end. My beer fridge contains about 14 fewer beers. Didn't buy a fridge.

Chicken coop is at 90%, ran out of material...finish this weekend.

Sure I've mentioned this before, but your images are just not displaying. Save them to your PC, then upload to CR4 if you want others to see them. This is what I see of your last post:

Me too.

My point is I did not upload any images. I believe I have a software program which I recently loaded which is at odds with CR4. It only happens on my work PC, not at home. Whenever I post at work, these wannabe images (which I did not post) appear as images (almost).

I used IE this time to post, and the "imges" did not affix themselves.

Must be a Google Chrome issue.

I use Chrome with no problems. And Slimbrowser, too.

I use Chrome and Opera mini on mobile and FF and IE on desk/laptops. No odd images.

I'm restoring, sort of(I don't want to destroy the patina), an old camel back trunk I bought on-line...

Be very careful about restoring it...................even with the patina, it may be worth more as it is before the restoration...........

but then again, I only repeat what I hear because I watch the antiques road show.

It's a real art form...When you finish, it shouldn't appear to have been touched....

Nice
Del

Woof !

I have an almost identical thing. In my/local vocab it's known as a 'dome-cheast'. The thing has followed me for decades, despite numerous times of me leaving it. I have no pictures to hand, but will get some.

I acquired it in a farmhouse in Blighty some 40 years ago. There is a (partial) sticker on the outside that would indicate it has been to 'frisco a long time back. It's very knackered (in my opinion), but the exterior is even better than the one you posted. Internally it is bad, but I have no idea of how 'bad' is 'bad'.

A fair few people might want to kill me, but I just use it as a general storage trunk. It's got all my son's childhood toys inside ! It ain't for sale at any price, not after all these years. The thing just amuses me. Thru lean times and good, I've kept the thing.

The full story is stupidly funny. I'll post more (or PM it) depending on interest, but I'm having a great giggle that you have something so similar, SolarEagle.

I think I have your twin !

<...The full story is stupidly funny... post more...>

Look out. Here it comes:

<..."I have a dome chest I would like to get rid of...."...>

Do tell...or has it gone missing?

I'm keeping you buggers waiting. This thing has followed me for a great many years, so it's only fair I keep you lot on a hook,...........I also have an old tool chest it's a bit knackered, maybe in part because I use it as a foot rest. It's got woodworm damage, and also a lock without key. I like the thing because some years ago somebody lovingly crafted it. I think it's a carpenters thing, and my memory of the tools inside would bear that out.

The tool chest is a class act - when I first saw it, the thing was full of kit that many people would love. I didn't keep the tools (yep, stupid of me I know. The stuff was a carpenters gear from yonks back). It is from a time when people took a huge pride in building stuff good

The chest still resides with me. In younger years I found myself moving house due to poverty or whatever. More than a few time I had to relocate with not much more than a backpack of stuff. At all times, the chest went with me. It was comically insane, and very much one of those 'be there to see it' things'.

Part of it's attraction is some sort of label, inmicating it has been to California. I can look at the thing and go into fantasty about who owned it and wheret has been.

I'll get around to pictures, but every time I look is sends me to drelaand.

Welding up the better half her own welding table!Next to install the curtain rods that I welded up last weekend.
And if I get time work on my jewelry boxes for x-mass.

Oooooh, those jewelery boxes look cool.
What are they made of?
Del

They are Birch Del.

If you can catch the wood at the right time the decay is superficial but the bacteria and water have put all types of color into it. Too much longer and the wood rots the fibers as well.

The upper part of the tree was clear but the butt was starting to rot. This was in between!-)

Cheers, ta' I wondered if it was birch, but didn't want to guess and look like a muppet.
Handsome boxes.
Del

Looking like a muppet is a bad thing?

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

THAT wouldn't be a wise move on my part. I've learned enough about cats over the years to know the ONLY way to win a fight with a cat is to catch him COMPLETELY by surprise, like when they're sleeping.

Whoa! You're a cat too! Jeez, I'm trapped, again.

Did I say Muppet???
I errr... meant to say... errr
Moppet...
Yes that's it I meant to say Moppet... and anyhow..
Kris made me say it
Del

You and Mizuti have me surrounded. This is a clever, cat-like ploy to lull me into a state of over-confidence, I'm sure of it. Hello, I must be going. Retreat! Retreat!

Thanks Del, I am working at fitting them with magnetic latches and a magnetic key.

These rare earth N50 magnets are amazing. I'll use a magnet in the lid to keep it closed and a piece of soft iron for it to attract.

Then I will use a second magnet as a key to add a same polarity force to the other end of the iron to let the box open.

I have thought about just rotating a second magnet with a key to replace the iron, but this way the only moving part is the key.

Brad

Interesting how kinda similar it is to the bark of the Silver Birch ...

Nice coloring,

They look like they were cut from logs that laid for quite some time, and water stained to a point of well on its way of breaking down. Some of the wood looks to be turning to pulp.

On the farm Dad had a sawmill. (keep the three boys busy in the winter time) We had cut some popular under those conditions similar that had that coloring.