Complications

Well, when The Fuzz went to mount the rails for the sliding doors on the shed, he found that this one had a dent.  Said dent was bad enough so that the rollers would bind.  It was possible to force the rollers though.  That might have been the easy way, but it wouldn't be the cowboy way!

 Careful measurements showed The Fuzz that the track was supposed to be 1 3/4" wide.  

 So The resourceful Fuzz went to his toolbox and found his 1 3/4" spacer. (which also happens to be a 30mm socket*)

 But of course with the ding there, the socket wouldn't slide into the position where it needed to be.

 A piece of scrap* left over from the framing (The Fuzz has a tendency to hang on to these things) was driven into the slot.  This enabled The Fuzz to position this special tool correctly.

 Pounding against the plywood floor was ineffectual, so the rail was backed up* with this splitting maul.

 The Fuzz then hammered around the original ding, thus bringing the rail into a reasonable semblance of what it was supposed to be.

 It worked, and now there is no problem with the rollers or track.  

*Another handy Techno-Tip

 

Door Pix

The Fuzz has been a little slack the last few days.
But, he did promise some pix of this finished door project. So here they are.
On the right is a look at the exterior.
There is still a bit of touch up painting needed, and some curtains. But The Fuzz's Sweetie will take care of that.
All in all, it took a bit longer than expected. But there was a bit of an interruption that complicated things.
The Fuzz is doing OK in that regard, and his bike is functioning. There is still no news of any funds for repairs though.
But here is a great little Techno-Tip. If for some reason, one sees a Electrical-Type Flash whilst cutting wood (or anything else) The damage can be quickly, if temporarily, fixed with Wire Nuts! Of course it is better to avoid this situation entirely if possible.

One of the results of The Fuzz's recent misfortune was this broken key. It was in his pocket as he slid along the pavement, and probably contributed to the extensive bruising on his hip. (Which is still a bit sore)
Modern technology is wonderful, in it's way, but expensive. This little item runs well over $100. But not to worry.
The Fuzz has ways to handle these things.
It was time to break out that trusty Epoxy Stuff*. So The Fuzz mixed up a bit of this handy stickum, and carefully applied it, trying to keep it away from the stuff that shouldn't get stuck.
And it worked!
Good as new! (almost)

*Here's yet another great Techno-Tip from The Fuzz for saving $$$ on High-Tech Keys!

Kayak Kart 1

When The Fuzz and His Sweetie took his Kayak to the river the other day, they discovered that carrying it any appreciable distance could be a chore.
(They're not as young as they used to be)So The Fuzz slipped into that Infamous Home Improvement Store, and collected this stuff.
He figured he could just glue up a light framework of PVC pipe, slide an axle through, and, Voila! Here are the pieces cut and ready for assembly. At A are the "T" fittings, B are the elbows, and at C the main frame pieces.
It was a simple matter to stick it all together.
And here is another of The Fuzz's Amazing Techno-Tips*. To make sure everything lined up corectly, these short conecting pieces were first assembled without glue, whilst the rest was glued together. It was then an easy matter to go back and glue them permanently once everything else was lined up.
Below you can see the finished frame, without axle and wheels. The plan is, to attatch this to the Kayak with straps. Then The Fuzz hopes that it will be an easy matter to roll the whole thing to our launch (and lunch) point.
We'll give an update when available.*The Fuzz likes to give these Techno-Tips from time to time to make everyone's life, just a bit easier!

Still At It

It was time to get back to work on The Fuzz's new Work Shed.
So he got out the plans.
He and His Sweetie had picked up some lumber on one of their trips into town. And with a brand new 5lb box of nails, he was ready to go.
With the high cost of lumber these days, one can't be too careful.
Here you can see his tape being used to check and recheck this precious 2x4.
After another check, just to be sure, it was time for the moment of truth.
This time, things went right.
It should be noted that this project, like most of what The Fuzz is involved with, is a work in progress. As a result, the plans often go though certain, Modifications.This particular modification called for replacing a 2x4 with a 4x4. This seemed like a good idea to The Fuzz, since this piece would have to carry the weight of the ridge piece. Fortunately, he already had a pretty solid 4x4 on hand.
This did cause a slight complication, as The Fuzz's saw is incapable of cutting all the way though a 4x4. (actually more like a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2) But that Resourceful Fuzz easily solved this dilemma by simply cutting halfway though, and then, flipping the thing!*
And here is a look at this piece of wall frame, waiting to be raised into position. But that will have to wait just a bit longer.

*This exciting Techno-Tip also works with chainsaws on large trees!

Motorcycle Issues 1

It has been mentioned that The Fuzz has been working on getting his motorcycle back into service. Now he had the forks serviced, with new seals, and a brand new tire. But there was still an issue remaining. He had been having a problem with the motor not idling down once it was warmed up. This was embarrassing at best, and probably harmful to the motor. It was not a mere adjustment of the idle screw. The Fuzz suspected something Choke related.
But there was an inconstancy. Normally, if a Choke is stuck, the motor won't run at all. But there is usually a method of stepping up the idle during warm up. This was where he suspected the problem.
In order to address this situation, it would be necessary to have access to the carburetors, located beneath the tank. This was not a simple project. First the tank must be drained. Then, as can be seen, the seats and some other stuff had to go as well.
And here's another of The Fuzz's exciting Techno-Tips*! To assist in removing stubborn hoses and such, (like this one which had probably never been off) use Your Sweetie's hair drier to soften things up!
Well, The Fuzz did finally get that stubborn tank removed. We'll continue with this mechanical matter in the next post.

*Techno-Tips are a useful feature of Kinda Fuzzy. By sure and watch for them.

More Home Improvements

When we bought this trailer, one of the things we found out was how crummy the electrical outlets were.
They were just, flat out, wore out. We found that we had to bend the plugs on our light cords, just to make some kind of contact. And then, the plugs had a disturbing tendency to fall out.
The first time The Fuzz had to deal with these things, he found out that they were different than what he had always worked with before.
He slipped on over to the Home Improvement Store, but they had nothing like it. Apparently, he would have to replace them with the Normal kind.
Unfortunately, the normal kind requires a slightly larger hole.
It was time to break out that faithful Dremel Tool again. He chucked up one of those neat little cutting bits that look like drill bits, and went to work on the wall. He was careful not to cut the wires, which would have made this whole exercise pointless.
It might be worth mentioning at this point to any who might be involved in a similar situation, always remember to TURN OFF THE POWER*. This can easily be accomplished at the breaker box. I am happy to say that The Fuzz did not neglect this necessary step.
And of course, here is a look at one of the several replaced electrical outlets. And they work just fine.


*Another useful Techno-Tip!

Last Day

Yes, it is the last day of 2010.
But life goes on. And in our case, that means we need Firewood. One of the neighbors had asked The Fuzz if he wanted to cut up some trees he had down due to some previous windy conditions. The Fuzz knew we could use the wood so he took him up on the offer. But before going over there, it seemed like a good idea to touch up his chain. He had invested in this cool little gadget to convert that always useful "Dremel Tool" into a Chainsaw Sharpening Device. Here is a closeup look at this amazing device!
And now, Here is one of The Fuzz's exciting Techno-Tips! Note, at the arrow, how that ingenious fellow has applied a small amount of Nail Polish to a particular link of this deadly Saw Chain. Those familiar with these dangerous pieces of equipment, will realize that the chain is a continuous loop. The Fuzz has developed this technique, to prevent him from spending the entire day sharpening, and resharpening the cutting chain of this confusing machine.We are pleased to report, that he was successful in this endeavor, and here is a look at some of the results.

An Afternoon's Work

We had been having a good bit of rain lately. But it finally stopped and it seemed like a good time to take care of some things outside. These 2 trees were a little too close to the trailer, and we were planning to set something smaller there. It didn't seem to be a real complicated affair, but The Fuzz does not like to take chances in situations like this. So he tied 100' of stout rope to the tree, and the other end to a come-along and another tree.
Here you can see him using this framing square in the notch* in an attempt to "aim" at the little box (x). He was taking these precautions in the hope of not dropping the thing on top of the trailer. It kinda looks like we got old Gandalf here to help out, but you can't believe everything you see.
Well, whoever that guy was, he got busy with the chainsaw and soon the tree was notched and ready to go down. Before the final cut, we took up some tension on the line, just to make sure things got started in the right direction. And then, down she goes.
I'm sorry to report that The Fuzz missed that target by a couple of feet. But since it also missed everything else, we can consider it a relative success.
This whole process was repeated with the 2nd tree with equal success.
Here you can see both trees together. You might notice the ground crew in the background.
All that remained now was cutting them up and cleaning up the mess.

And here's some of that firewood waiting to be split.

*A Kinda Fuzzy Techno-Tip!

Tach It Up

Things have not been going well lately in regards to mechanical matters. The other day, The Fuzz was riding back from the trailer on his motorcycle. As he neared the house the tach fell off. This was a bit of a bummer, since due to another situation which I'd rather not go into right now, this bike is his main method of transport. Now this is not as strange as it may seem, since so much of this machine is constructed of (now aging) plastic. But The Fuzz admits, he was not expecting it.

Realizing that this would surely be an expensive part to replace, he gave it a bit of thought, and the wheels began to go click-click-click. Here is the result.
A hose clamp (A ) was purchased at the Home Improvement Store. This was then cut open and bent to fit the mounting on the bike. Appropriately sized holes were drilled for the screw, and it was fastened to the bike. Of course there were complications. Since the tach was slightly tapered, it had a tendency to slip out of the clamp when tightened. First a bit of old inner tube was tried unsuccessfully. Finally, he resorted to adding a clamp (B) made out of an unused scrap of the hose clamp. This was more successful.
Now there are many folks who would probably be disgusted by this crude expedient, but this is not a $50,000 Chopper or any thing like that. As The Fuzz has said he "Got it to ride on, not rub on". And so far, it hasn't fallen off again. And as you know, it's hard to argue with success.

A Fuzzy Techno Tip

Actually, The Fuzz is not here right now. But though the Wonders of Modern Technology, he will post this, even though he is (or should be) at work right now. Isn't Modern Technology great!
But on the subject of Technology, The Fuzz would like to share this Tip for Trash Receptacles.
In his line of work, The Fuzz has access to damaged and discarded trash cans. So he is well supplied. But in order to load these rather large containers onto his tiny truck, he must lay them down. This can cause the lids to open with unpleasant results. And so we present another of our incredible Techno-Tips.
Now this one is not complicated in any way. All that is needed is an awl like the one shown (or any similar instrument) and a common Bungee Cord. First, take the awl and push it though the plastic at point "A". Then repeat this action on the back side (not shown) of the container. The Bungee Cord is then slipped into the resulting holes. Thus, the lid is now secure. The arrow at point "C" gives a view of the bottom side of all this on another container.

And so, there you have it. One more of The Fuzz's Amazing Techno-Tips.

Burned Out

In the winter of course, we get rid of our paper trash in the Old Wood Stove. After all, paper is made of wood, right?
But in Hot Weather this is not a good solution. So we use the Burn Barrel.
Unfortunately this Burn Barrel has seen better times. In fact this is now a Two Piece Burn Barrel. Obviously this could be a Fire Hazard. So something had to be done.
The Fuzz's Sweetie has been busy these days rooting though his almost 30 year accumulation of stuff and she pulled out this old barrel. It had been used at one time for chicken feed, back in the days when we fed chickens.
But these days we don't feed chickens, so this barrel was a prime candidate for a new career as a Burn Barrel.
But there would need to be some modifications here. A decent Burn Barrel needs Draft. But since we're not referring to one of our favorite beverages here, The Fuzz brought out his trusty Pick. He uses this to dig holes in the extraordinarily hard ground around here. But it is also just the perfect tool for making an ordinary barrel into a real, first class, Burn Barrel.
Here is an inside look at The Fuzz's Modifications. The key here is Restraint. Just enough to get a good thorough burn with out attracting a lot of attention.
And I am pleased to report, that once again we had success. The new Burn Barrel was tested the same day and exceeded all expectations.

Techno-Tip & Cookies Too !

It's time for another one of The Fuzz's amazing Techno-Tips.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to loose stuff out in the woods ? Well, it is quite easy. Sometimes you can even loose yourself. This Techno-Tip won't help much in a case like that, but it will help you find your Stuff. The Fuzz paints bright Orange on his axes, saws and even this box of Chainsaw Stuff. This way when he's out there cutting wood, or just camping out, he can usually find his stuff even if it's half buried in leaves.

The Fuzz and His Sweetie were out there again clearing trees for their anticipated Move Into The Woods. They cut up a couple more big trees, that even fell where The Fuzz had planned. The Guy is good. Having said that, it will be admitted that there could be an element of luck involved here.

Young Daughter copped out on them this time and stayed home. The neighbor boys were disappointed. But she made up for it by having a plate of Fresh Baked Cookies waiting for Ma & Pa when they came home.

Firewood & Kissing the Splitter

When The Fuzz comes home, after a hard day at the office, he likes to relax. Maybe, take care of a few things around the house. Spring may be on the horizon, but there is still a need for plenty of Firewood. For the last couple days, he had stopped off on the way home and grabbed some from where they had cleared out a power-line right of way. There were also a few pieces he had grabbed over at the waste treatment place. (That's where the City dumps what they pick up in town.) But of course a lot of it needed to be split. And so, yesterday he got out the old Log Spliter again. Thankfuly, this time there was air in the tires . And this is the result.

The stuff on the right here, is something special. If the wood appears to be a bit wet, that's not water. This wood will burn fine. In fact, this is just what The Fuzz needs for quick heat when His Sweetie needs to warm up the Tush. This is Rich Pine, and that "wet" is really pine pitch. He found this over at Waste Treatment, and will put it to good use on these cold February Mornings.

And here's one of The Fuzz's Techno-Tips. He was finding it difficult to back this Log Splitter into position. Backing a trailer of any sort can be a problem at times. But the main difficulty was that he could not see the thing above the tailgate. Backing blind was a royal pain in the you know what. After a couple years of this, and several brainstorms involving welding, or drilling, he finally realized that a simple yardstick and C-clamp would end all the agony. And it can be installed or removed instantly. At last, proper application of the KISS ( Keep It Simple, Stupid ) principal.