NEW ENTRY GATE

We are finally having a new entry gate built and thus far it looks great. It will keep lookie lou's out, as well as some of these pesky Deer. There are still other areas that need to be secured from the deer but this is a huge start.

 It really kind of sucks to be locked out of your own place...but on a good note the only parts left are the side pieces being built and installed and the automatic opener bought and installed.

Although it's only for a couple hours until the cement sets up a little.

This is Natasha's dog Scooby, who we have been dog sitting while DJ et al spend a week in southern California. He is a very good dog, Registered German Short Hair. Without saying the cats of the house are not impressed.

WELDING AGAIN, FINALLY

This post is just because I am happy to have my functioning welder back.

My first project was to weld up a crucible for melting softer metals. I had a shell from an old permanent magnet motor. I set it up in my power hacksaw, to remove a step at the end. Needless to say I need to pay more attention to setup and getting a square cut on a tube that has to be rolled because it's too big for the equipment being used (the ends of the cut didn't meet).

I searched my scrap bin and found a 5/16 in brace I had built for our old deck, and then salvaged when the deck was replaced. I checked the size and it would work for the bottom. This brace was an L shaped piece with gussets welded to strengthen the bend.

I removed the gussets and ground a clean surface. After some grinding on the motor casing they seemed to mate pretty well. I ground a bevel on the edge of the casing, clamped the motor casing to the clean surface of the brace. Time to weld. Oh no wire not feeding, ok, got that fixed, now the weld is porous. Check all of the gas connections, ok, all hooked up correctly. Now weld, wow you can not imagine the good feeling to star getting a good bead.

I still need to use the cutting torch to cut the shape of the bottom I want. I also need to locate, drill, tap, and install lifting ears at the top of the crucible. Then to plan and execute the devise for moving the hot crucible.

I will have to add pictures to this later as our camera decided to go haywire. Sorry! 

SURE FEELS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO DO STUFF AGAIN

Well as the title says it feels great to be able to move around and get things accomplished again, after being pretty much confined to a chair.

I started cutting the tree that fell across the pasture gate and three of the cherry trees we have taken out so far.

I still need to remove and cut fire wood out of one more Cherry tree. It's really a shame to have to remove these cherries, but the trees started too get some issue a few years ago and just kept getting worse.

The next project is going to be a path above and along our lower driveway. I have started excavating the ends already (see below).

 The picture below is the area being changed. We are transplanting our Josta Berries, Current Berries, and the black currents. We will then leave a path along the top of the retaining wall, and excavate wider areas (two of them) along the upper side.

The wider areas are to hold a couple of Green Houses, one for an Orange tree and the other for a Meyers Lemon.

I really need to apologize for the less than great pictures, Our camera seems to have decided to not work correctly.