Another step forward

[romanyrose]

G'day chaps after watching the weather forecast the night before having rubbed the front wings down again where i had refitted the outer skins i thought i would at least be able to crack on early before the rain but after getting up with my Bernard to give her breakfast etc i made the mistake of taking mine back t bed with medication and i was gone .
I should have known better due to it being a regular thing each morning but i just forgot but i did manage to rise while the sun was shining so take my old gal as usual then crack on someone had borrowed my roller i inch tapered brush and tray so after pulling my hair out incase it had been put safe my lass nipped to Asda for three cheap sets which was ok till my helper turned up with roller etc in hand after borrowing it weeks ago and not bringing it back so lesten learned and not again.
A good wipe down with white spirit a mix of the paint and i was off using the brush round the lights and the like i continued to roller the front end and with rain forecast clouds getting a tad thick i thought blow it crack on and see what happens all done under my blue roof the sky and cold biting wind using my dust bins as a shelter from the wind with a tad extra white spirit to help the paint sort of flow it didn't turn out to bad.
Because i prefer the Romany way of painting i am quite happy with how it has turned out and you can see there is a good thickness of paint laid down so i did what i had planned but not in the way i had planned thanks to people borrowing things and not bringing them back knowing full well i would be needing them sooner rather than later .
I did get concerned as it started to spit with rain but i guess i was lucky it was almost dry it started to rain heavy and from what i can see no harm has been done but at least the front end is painted again .

Catch you later. R-Rose .

[romanyrose]

Well chaps, after a frustrating day yesterday looking at my front end paint job i have to say i am happy and have the effect i was looking for that's not super smooth that i get when spraying but more of a if you scratch me it will have to be hard but yes it has a deep look about it .
I was surprised the rain had not effected it or the cold come to that but the very rough panels that were do look presentable at least and will pass for me considering it's bitter cold there is no way in the world i will get a good super smooth finish unless i rub it down and blow it over in the warmer weather.
Because of the canopy and how low it is when the cat flap is open the center support fowls on the cat flap handle although i could have bent both supports the same to lower the flap but i decided to use some old ones that had for some reason had the ends cut off now this meant digging out my old taps and dies and finding a bit of brass bar.
The size of the bar eludes me but i drilled the center out so i had ample to run a 7/16 W tap down the center then ran a dye down the support 7/16 W thread 2 inches giving me enough room for a lock nut and adjustment, the tab at the end of the original support shaped like a butterfly with a slot in bent over at the widest edge for strength i guess but i made one identical.
Then came the part i don't like and that's the grinder now that i am dangerous with but i fitted a cutting disc but i persevered and cut a slot in the brass tube deep enough to hold the butterfly plate i then screwed the brass threaded tube to the support locked it off with the lock nut then ran a drill through the brass-butterfly-brass countersunk both sides put the support in the vise heated everything up with my gas gun and ran solder in cleaned it up with a file not that it needed much and i now have a shorter rod that lowers my flap to miss my center support of my canopy .
Yes a five minute job with a welder but i don't weld or like i said earlier i could have bent it but instead i spent the day tinkering and am well pleased with the result if a little different also if my lass can put a picture up it might help one understand my waffling but Oh! am i happy and No2 tomorrow . Catch you later. R-Rose

[romanyrose]

G'day chaps. i guess i have to apologize to those who can use a vernier or just read a simple ruler but i have a great difficulty with figures or just measurements in general but it's not because i am thick it's just figures and measurements mean very little to me understanding part of the brain gone not that it stops me .

I am afraid the taps and dyes i own have seen a lot better days and to be honest some need throwing in the bin not that it ever happens but like today a blunt dye cut a terrible thread which meant i wasted a lot of time and materials but as it happened i was lucky to find a bit of brass in one of my boxes of junk .

Anyway due to a late start i marked up the second support for the tail gate and carried on managing to get at least the parts needed tapped or just ran a nice thread down the support and dug out a lock nut leaving just the butterfly part to make although half done it just needs drilling countersinking both sides cleaning fluxing and soldering the job should be done.

I must say i am kind of brassed off with having a bit of difficulty with the second support but i guess that's what comes of tools that should have been skipped also the fact i have brand new sets safe makes it even worse if only i remembered where that safe place was .

I have know dought tomorrow will be a better day now i have found my better blow torch that works wonders with silver solder . Catch you later. R-Rose

[romanyrose]

Well chaps i thought today would have the tailgate top supports finished but as usual not all plans work out as they should and i broke what i made yesterday which was a bit of a devil due to not having any of the brass bar the size needed left which enhanced the fact my old lathe is still in pieces since my big move and the smaller odd ball one i bought is still where i put it not having had enough time to repair the motor .
After a brew not deterred i cut a length that was enough from an old wheel brass handle drilled it out and tapped the thread required cut a slot for the butterfly piece made yesterday soldered drilled and pinned it to the threaded sleeve cleaned up ready for painting tomorrow but i have a slight problem to me anyway .
Although both the supports are the same length and will do the job the eccentric or should i say OCD part of my brain has started to give me grief all because one sleeve is made from steel and one from brass , when they are painted you will not notice the difference but because i know i will be making a steal one tomorrow so they match daft i know but little things like that really annoy me but at least practice makes perfect and i am really realizing how much i miss my lathe that would have made the job so much easier and satisfying.
Never mind a change is as good as a rest and maybe i should take a little peak at that small home made lathe and replace at least the rubber perished cable that's supposed to take power from the plug to the motor to see if it works or just fit another motor that i just happen to have just in case .
Catch you later. R-Rose .
PS i found a box full of taps and dyes the size i needed all nice and shiny but a bit late now

[romanyrose]

Another day has dawned but to be honest it was midday before i managed to surface but i guess that's nothing new for me anyway but with my little jobs done around the bungalow as a bit of help for my lass i cracked on with HEC and the strut that i was going to alter.
Now for a good while now i have been wondering where i got the struts from basically because a good steal is normally easy to work with but to be honest these steal rods have been a pain from the word go and i hadn't realized why till this afternoon till for what ever reason part of my memory returned hard for some to understand but i lost it big time many years ago but that's not the point and another subject altogether.
The rods i am trying to use are cut from a large piece of matting you lay in concrete to strengthen it when on a big pour and this stuff is the lowest of grades of steal that is produced PIG IRON so is there any wonder why the metal would not do what i wanted it to it is also slightly larger in diameter but i now remember getting it cherry red before bending it to shape at the cat flap swivel end ''tube''.
Because i came across some original ones that had come from my 109 after fitting gas struts it was only then i remembered what i had done a good few years ago it was then i came across some brazing rods so who knows what will happen tomorrow .
I am just over the moon that part of my memory has returned as to why i did what and when so maybe tomorrow will be a better day than today but having said that both struts are fitted the center pole of the canopy is not obstructing the top tail gate with door open and canopy fully out and to top it off putting a level across the struts the bubble is in the middle as it is when resting on the top of the bottom tailgate .
Sorry for the waffling but i am very happy .

Catch you later. R-Rose

[gossamer]

Well done, Brad.

[romanyrose]

G'day chaps, after a very restless night due to excitement after maybe buying another trailer but more in period keeping with my wrecker i got the final answer this morning to my text yep! i seem to be getting the hang of that to so it's crack on time for a 200 at least mile journey .
I say at least because i have so many people to call on to pick up parts as well as drop off trinkets to members that are stuck so the camping side of the the truck will be an on going process basically because as you might have noticed i don't rush anything i do and prefer to get the pleasure of making it up as i go along which to me is less stressful and to be honest i don't know what is going to happen next but have a rough idea .
I guess with my nato hitch on it will be a practice run for the old gal and myself to be honest which i think i have earned but it's also a test run for when i nip to derby and a bit further towards my old stomping grounds from the A1 to Halstead 12 miles from Colchester.
Of course as usual it depends on health issue's but i don't like to be beaten and really need a cruise although only up the road for some people it will be a goal for me and satisfying at that so i am just hoping things keep going as they are and when back i can carry one with the camping side of HEC which i know i will miss and might work in my favour to maybe work a bit faster or try anyway.
One thing i will miss is my dog but she will be at home with Janie so they will both have a rest from my waffling .

Catch you later. R-Rose .

[gossamer]

Hi matey

Please give as much notice as possible of your trip to Derby as weekends tend to get booked up quickly with sproggle and other comitments,

Chin chin.

[romanyrose]

G'day chaps,I woke this morning and the sun was shining so it was a case of lets crack on but that was my mind thinking before trying to do the obvious so back a step sit on the bed before any movements progress it must be like watching a sloath climb a tree steady as she goes .
Anyway the at last the front fog lights were part of the job for the day so the live wire feed from the relay had been connected to a double female socket for soldered bullets wrapped in conduit and fixed under the front valance between the wings all nice and neat molded to the shape of the valance underneath with small bolts nuts and washers all matching.
Holes drilled in the dumb iron to except rivnuts of my choice so i have a good thread for the earths of both lights earth cables connector with good continuity it was then to the feed that was done nice and neat in a straight line in wiper washer tube fed into the lights at the same angle or degree of curvature female connectors fitted to the earths and insulated female connectors to the buld along with a sleeve to the bare part of the wire normally fitted to the hella bulbs light fronts clipped in place and try them did they work NO .
Time for a brew then test with my trusted avo and to my surprise no power to the bulbs so off with the valance and check the join where the single feed fits into the double connector because i had fixed the wire in water jet pipe nice and tight to the valance it had pulled the feed out but because it was in conduit i could not see it but is now rectified but the lights still don't work but because the feed went as far as the relay fitting an earth that was ready to plug in and hadn't with bullet fitted to the connector they surprisingly work .
Time now to carry on making brackets for the 60's style side awning that has been purchased from a good friend and member on here so now the camping side has started although the gas kit has to be fitted under my false floor i hope my visitors with be digging out my cooker come hob out from the back of one of my little sheds.
Really cracking on now lads although slow it's finally coming together although very different to others which i guess is my trade mark.

Catch you later. R-Rose .

[RMS]

Can't wait to see the progress Brad - sounds like you're really cracking on now

Well done!

Cheers,
Robin.