What did you do today?

[dbhost]

Well, so far, spent 1.5 hours going around the house, the truck, the shop, picking up cardboard boxes, breaking them down and getting them into the recycling bin. Which now is overflowing. Going to head out to the driveway in a bit to try my hand at fixing Ford suicide doors. Still debating on using the material I already have, the pine bead board, for siding in / enclosing the bed and electrical cabinets. And if I go with bead board, I will propbably go with Minwax Golden Pecan + semi gloss poly to finish it off...

Oh, and I need another pair of hinges for the electrical box. Boy smart like rock moment at Home Depot yesterday and only came home with 2 sets of hinges instead of 3... The 2 were used on the bed platform... The third is needed for the electrical box...

My legacy 12v power box. is going to be disassembled to get the 12V power outlets, switches, USB charging outlets and voltometers. Need to make sure the ring sizes match the new battery. Not sure what 8mm studs translate to in American ring sizes, but maybe the 3/8 that is on them will work... Good thing is connection between battery and charge controller will be short. And unlike most builds. I fully intend on using wiring loom and electrical tape to control the cabling... No mess of random wires here!

[dbhost]

Okay, back, and using Home Depot construction grade materials is yielding, well good think I like curves... :-P

One of the 2x2s is just wandering all over the place. Oh well, everything else is pulling it into place, and this setup is intended to be temporary-ish...

VERY close to ready to have it towed to the shop for the big work, then to the tire shop, and then to the inspection / registration...

[dbhost]

Getting ready to head out to Home Depot to get the plywood for the bed decking. May not end up doing this as a semi foamie cabinet after all. I have LOTS of T&G bead board doing absolutely nothing, and this really only needs to enclose a storage compartment and look passable.

I did order from Home Depot their Ryobi One+ HP hi torque 1/2" torque wrench. Rumor has it this thing puts out close to what my Earthquake pneumatic does, and, well I can drag it on trips with me for trail side fixes... So the tool only is going for $179.00, or the tool and a 4.0 amp hour battery runs for $159.00, so I ordered it with the battery (duh), well tool only arrived. Apparently they ship them separately... go figure...

Anyway. Off to the BORG to get ply, get it pre cut so it will fit in the car, and get some hinges. Just gonna do some 1.5" hinges and not futz with the mortising. Just don't care... rather have extra wood in there than a flush fit. Will use some felt feet for cushion and to even it up...

So decision time. Get the cabinets topped, and most likely sided with T&G bead board just to finish it up, some glue, some pins and let it set up, then probably just hit it with some simple stain and poly. Again stuff I have...

[dbhost]

Working on the camper. Got the bed platform uprights re-installed, and height tested the bed / bench for seating and have plenty of headroom now. So I can sit up and work at my laptop if I want to, or just sit up in bed and not smash my dome in the ceiling. I am built strangley I admit, I have the same inseam +1" as my 5' tall wife did and I am 6' tall. Seems like all torso... Not sure if I mentioned this, but the camper shell camper is just a stopgap to get me travelling for a bit. Long term I want to build an aluminum and fiberglass over foam DIY copy of the Four Wheel Campers Project M, but with enough space in the overcab to allow for a decent memory foam mattress and the roof closed...

Need to go to Home Depot in the next couple of days, need to pick up some 1/2" ply for the deck of the bed.

Engine should be delivered to the shop this week. Need to get the truck towed over there probably Saturday so they can start their work on it. So in the mean time. I finish out my work on the camper bits.

Once I get it back, lots to do still..

1. Fix the suicide door cables. Common Ford problem, but I have the pieces. Heck if the mechanic won't charge me too much, pay him to do it!
2. Swap the factory stereo with the Android Auto infotainment system, and the tailgate handle with the new tailgate handle with reverse camera, get it all wired up and configured. I have been REALLY wanting a backup camera for a long time now.
3. Sort through, inspect, and replace / jettison any faulty / dangerous recovery gear.
4. Register the truck. Insurance goes active this Friday so I just need to get the repair work done, get about 100 miles on it, then inspection and registration.
5. Load up the BFGs and head to the tire shop down the street. Get all 5 tires swapped out and new ones balanced.
6. Tape off, or Butyl tape any body gaps / air leaks in the truck bed.
7. Load in the cabinets, wire in the house electrical 12 and 110v test.
8. Load up the camping gear, and supplies, maiden voyage...

[dbhost]

Considered and rejected. Small engines require ethanol free fuel, which is VERY hard to find and quite expensive. Cheaper than Coleman fuel by a good margin, but 1.5 times the cost of regular unleaded sometimes. Sometimes not that much depends... Honestly, I should have bought the 2KW model that can run off of 20lb propane bottles... Would be easier to deal with fuel wise. And only need it for off grid hot temp camping trips. Almost everything I have except for the AC can run off of my 300w solar rig. 12V fridge, laptop charger, and CPAP. Just remember to charge the laptop early in the day, then let everything else go... Or get a separate 100w panel / charge controller for the laptop...

[capncarl]

Have you considered using gas from the truck tank? It’s been a couple of yrs. since I pulled the gas tank on a Ford but i do remember a couple of return hoses to the pump mount plate that possibly be used to provide some fuel.

[dbhost]

Organizing things to get ready for the new job. Making sure I have office appropriate clothing since I have been WFH or unemployed for the past almost 3 years. Need more pants...

Been spending quality time refurbishing my old truck and doing the camper build. Only woodworking so far is far from fine woodworking, but I have been building a skeleton from to be topped with plywood for the bed / cabinets. Got the Lifepo4 batter in today, so all components for house electrical are in. Have a nice 6" memory foam residential twin so I might end up being the most comfortable camper shell camper out there... Pulled the old winch, brush guard / winch mount, and bumper, Stock bumper was messed up and I have had enough. Swapped in HD front bumper, 12K synthetic line winch, and wired up the lights, figured out the synthetic line models use a Hawse fairlead which is the rope guide, instead of the roller type of steel cable winches. So my license plate mount won't work. I need to remove the winch to get the fairlead off and mount a differnt type of license plate mount so Texas DPS doesn't use me to raise revenue...

The cushion around the cup holders on the center console was whacked, removed it with some force and installed a replacement. Not soft like stock, but still looks good and no pokey plastics hanging out so that is good.

Replaced the defective design IWE solenoid, which is the vacuum switch for the 4x4 system with the fixed one.

Replaced headlight assemblies, 3rd brake light assembly etc... with smoked LED units. Huge improvement in looks and performance. And the 3rd brake light was leaking into the cab so that HAD to get fixed...

Not sure if I mentioned this, but my Drill Master 18v batteries all died a miserable death within days of each other. Replaced with Ryobi One+ 18v, so far VERY happy with the performance, battery still dies off at bad times, but I have a spare...

Tow to the shop to do the engine swap is next Friday. Until then I need to fix the suicide doors in the back of the super cab, and try to get mildew cleaned off of vinyl parts in the interior.So vinegar water rags soaking them, then an anti fungal bomb in the cab. Like I said, 3rd brake light leaked...

Need to figure out a small platform to hold a doggie bed over the back seat filling the footwell gap. Drivers side and center of back seat is my dogs domain for travel. He does NOT like riding in the front seat... Passenger side back seat will house the 12V fridge, and under the platform I plan on stowing my awning / tarp, camp chair, and Ensuite tent...

The only items I have not figured storage / transport out for yet is fuel for, and the 1KW inverter generator. Everything else is at the ready.

I probably won't be doing much other than shop cleanup that is not camper related until after Christmas 23. I am going to do the camper shell camper through this fall / winter and into spring. but will get back on the cabover sleeper foamie build as soon as I can. I want it mounted up and ready to go for Christmas 23 and am hoping to maybe use it to go visit family in the PNW. Not sure, I just know I do NOT want to be home for her birthday, our anniversary, and the holidays now that she's gone...

And before anyone asks, yes I am doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. And I do not wish losing a spouse on anyone.



Oh, those silver D rings drive me nuts, and the orange isolators were from the old winch D rings. I ordered new red ones with black isolators off of Amazon as theya re cheap... Those should be here tomorrow.

[anglinastone]

Today, I did research about topic related to woodworking. Took my breakfast and go to office

[LCHIEN]

Some before and after pictures

Trimmed the top rail to close the gap


Straightened out and spaced the balusters (note that the vertical posts were not really parallel)



Rounded over the end of the top rail so the kiddos won't get hurt on the sharp corners the contactor left. I forgot a sanding block, I'll bring one next time.


Ordinarily I would cut a scrap of wood to the exact width of the space between balusters to use as a spacer. But not having my table saw handy I came up with this idea. I brought my adjustable "lab jack" work supports. I dialed in the exact width I needed.
https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...aboratory-lift

[twistsol]

Yesterday, I finished the last couple pieces of flooring at my daughter's house Grooming salon and hallways, and got all the door trim back up and rehung the closet doors. Added oak quarter round wherever there is new floor. The transitions I picked up at Menards were awful so I'll return the two that are unopened and come up with a new plan for the bathroom and gaming room transitions.

I also got all the drawers finished and installed in the office cabinets. No drawer fronts or doors yet, those come after the bookcases are installed.

Today, more spraying of bookcase parts. I forgot to build the pedestal base for the book cases soi even through everything else should be ready to install, it will be a few more days before I can do that. Countertop measurements this week so hopefully that will be ready around the time I finish the doors and drawer fronts.

[LCHIEN]

Spend the day in Austin, my Son had a guy pour a patio deck below his deck to the guy threw in some railing for the stairs as a bonus, but he did it in about 45 minutes and clearly eyeballed everything including the spacing of the 6 balusters. and the bevel cut on the top railing. Not being in the contract, My son could not really complain about it.





So a few months back my son asked if I could make it look a little better.

So its hot and the US Open Finals is on TV. So I make a day project out of a 45 minute job.

Fotos to follow.

[LCHIEN]

If the money is not an issue (my house is paid for, too) then I will let the yard man do it. You have so many creative/constructive projects I'd let the yard man do the grounds regularly and keep the HOA happy, and do the tasks you want at your pace and schedule. Besides it keeps people employed. You live in houston, the summers are brutal!

[capncarl]

Another way to think about it, we spend endless hours over thinking our dust control system so we won’t have to breathe harmful wood dust and we still wear hot and uncomfortable masks and respirators. We wear safety glasses and fogged up googles to protect our eyes, gloves to protect our hands……. Why do we still insist on subjecting our old arthritis ridden overweight and out of shape bodies to near 100 degree high humidity in the sake of exercising? In 2018 my wife and I started going regularly to our local YMCA, paid for by our AARP plan. About 5 days each week, 5 exercise machines and 1 mile on a tread mill…. In a quiet air conditioned gym! We met a lot of old friends and made a bunch of new ones, and didn’t have a heat stroke!

[Dedpedal]

Spent most of the morning laying flooring in one of the spare bedrooms and finished a bowl on the lathe. Tomorrow is Funday Sunday More Floor ar show day!

[dbhost]

You make all the same valid points my wife did... And no the lawn service is not unreasonable. I was just thinking it would get me outside of these walls more.