11.30.2022

Jim did some soldering of the wire harness for the radio...

Wiring up the connections...

Then Jim switched his attention to welding on the casters to the car dollies...

First one assembled!

Wildlife break - Jim downloaded the pictures from the trail cam and there were some surprises; namely, another bear!  This is about a month after all the bear activity in the summer.

Bambi...

And, of course, unsurprisingly, turkeys!

Another surprise - we've never seen raccoons on the property - here's three big ones!

High 47.4/Low 28.2 - rainy and windy

 

11.29.2022

Jim had to get up and go get bloodwork done before his annual physical next week, so he was ready for breakfast and coffee when he got home!  Mom and I left to go do a Home Depot pickup and run a couple errands.

In the metal shop, Jim started bending the steel plate to make car dollies for the Mini... 

He made a block that he clamped to the steel so that the bend would be in the right position...

He also made a jig that he used to measure the right angle for the bend...

Check out how perfectly identical they are!

Then he made the two other bends on each piece - this is the part that the casters will attach to...

Another fun project ahead - Jim had an old radio in the 4Runner that we've never liked.  He bought a new one that will work with Apple Play that looks really nice.  First step is to remove the old one!

Jim also continued logging more stair climbing time by bringing up more Christmas dish and decoration tubs!

High 33.8/Low 27.9

11.28.2022

Jim had basically resigned himself to having to take the Bob-tach into Bobcat to get the bushings out - he had tried everything.  But then he watched one more YouTube video that showed someone welding the old tapered pin to the bushing, with the tapered end facing in the opposite direction.  Then he used that to hammer out the pin and bushing.  So he figured he'd try that...

And it worked!  He got both bushings out! Now he just has to clean things up and wait for his parts to arrive!  Happy dances all around!

After all that, Jim proved that he is the Best Husband Ever by lugging down all the Fall dish and decoration tubs, getting all the many Christmas dish and decoration tubs out, and lugging most of them up.  I think his phone said he did over 40 flights of stairs just this afternoon - before he started his workout!

High 45.1/Low 37.5

11.27.2022

Today was all about working on the Bob-tach - Jim was thrilled that right before lunch he was able to get the pins out of the joint so the Bob-tach is now off the machine...

Jim showed us the wear - one side is noticeably thinner than the other...

Since the Bob-tach is free, he was able to move it over to his steel table and clamp it in place - next task is to get the bushings out...

But unfortunately, all Jim's measures to get the bushings out didn't work.  He tried brute force, using a piece of steel bar and his 3-pound hammer.  He tried heating it up with the torch.  He then got his 20-ton press out, welded a bar that he could use between the two and tried to press it out.  All with no luck.

That basically exhausted what he can do to get them out without destroying something else.  He'll be making a trip to Bobcat to see what he can do.  But the good part is that now he can just take in the Bob-tach without having to have the whole Bobcat towed!  

Jim's hopefully correct steel order is supposed to come tomorrow morning, so Jim had to take the seat out of the 4Runner and load up the wrong size steel plates so that he's ready when they come.

High 43.5/Low 35.2

11.26.2022

Mom and I ran into Saratoga to pick up some fire school envelopes and to do some not-Thanksgiving meal associated items from the grocery store!

Jim was busy working on the Bobcat - he got the one set of tracks tightened correctly and jacked up the other side to work on it... 

He's working hard to try and take apart all the joints on the Bob-tach assembly - this is going to be a ton of work!

High 48.5/Low 33.7

11.25.2022

 

We celebrated Thanksgiving today with our turkey meal when Kyle and Hope came to visit.  The table was set...

The turkey was pretty and Jim did a great job carving...

Time to eat!

It was good to spend a little time with Kyle and Hope - a great day!

Jim did do a little work in the morning - cleaning up and checking out the Bobcat some more.  Never a day off for him!

High 44.2/Low 34

11.24.2022

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Kyle and Hope are coming tomorrow so Mom and I did some prep work today and we'll enjoy our turkey dinner tomorrow.

Jim has another big project ahead - doing some maintenance and repair on the Bobcat.  He needs to tighten up the tracks but there are some pins in the front that are loose and need replacing, which will be a big job.  But the first step is to bring it in the auto bay...

He has a 50-ton jack that he can use to get the tracks off the floor...

He has to measure the track placement and he actually uses grease to push the tracks into the right space...

Starting to take apart the front and do some investigation...

High 44.1/Low 26.1

 

11.23.2022

It was a frustrating morning for Jim.  His steel order was supposed to be delivered today and they typically come early, so Jim got up early and was dressed and ready by 7:00.  He had some coffee and part of his breakfast, but had to go out and warm up the Bobcat and get it all ready to go.  Of course, then they didn't come until much later.  When Jim went down the driveway to take the delivery, the order was wrong.  There was none of the angle pieces he had ordered and the steel plate was 3/8" instead of 3/16" thick.  His press wouldn't even be able to bend that.  So he had to talk to the dispatcher right away and then put everything away and talk to his rep.  They apologized but won't be able to get the right order delivered until Monday.  

Since he wouldn't be able to do the steel work he wanted, Jim decided to put a coat of protective Rust-oleum on his brake assembly for the press.  Then proceeded to not have enough paint to finish...

Mom and I had to run to the post office so we stopped at the little hardware store in town and picked up another can - he got the top all repainted and will do the other side tomorrow...

Jim has to do some Bobcat maintenance and work coming up, including adjusting the tracks, so he wanted to spray off the Bobcat before working on it.  Chilly working with water, but he got it done and then the power sprayer all blown out and ready for winter storage...

High 43.5/Low 26.2

11.22.2022

 

Jim finished assembling the brake for the press today...

Then he attached it to the press and bent a sample piece - perfect!  Jim's steel order comes tomorrow so he'll be ready now.

Then it was more pre-winter prep work - he took the heater apart, cleaned it all out, filled it up with fuel and got it ready to go.  This heater really warms up the lower level well.

Jim made another Craigslist sale and headed off for that in the late afternoon.  He also stopped to get more diesel fuel and made a run to Home Depot.

High 42.4/Low 30.5

11.21.2022

Jim continued doing some detail work on the drop box today as well as assembling the brake for the press.  He ordered the remaining steel he needs for the box as well as the plate for the other set of car dollies today - that's supposed to come on Wednesday.

High 36.1/Low 18