Safe and sound in the parking lot of the North Carolina Renaissance Festival! No mechanicals at all getting here, and averaged 7.2mpg on the very hilly (Appalachians) 435 miles here. Not too shabby!
We'll be staying in the parking lot tonight, and moving into our campsite first thing in the morning. The Faire already leveled and gravelled the campsite as part of a big improvement project they are doing, so I won't have to level the rig or get rid of the brush and whatnot like every other year. SWEET! The RV will be in almost the same spot, just facing differently, with the same amount of room for the porch, workshop area, and a fencing for the dogs.
Thus begins a new chapter, our last faire before Winter Vacation 2014-2015 begins!
Kev
Good job!!!!....how many miles on those Samson's....still no problems...
Back and forth across the country twice now, and three times on the first pair we got which we are still running. The Samson tires are awesome and show NO signs of premature wear...and they hold air WAY better than the Michelins did. I had to top the Michilins off every trip. I've only had to top off the Samsons once, this past year in Muskogee...and then only a few psi each.
All moved into camp and the camp is all set up. Tomorrow, rain or shine, I'll be setting up the workshop and the dog fencing. Then on Tuesday I'll set up the display tent and Patti and I will decorate it and make it all pretty with flowers and mulch and whatnot. Wednesday and Thursday I'll finish building the last of the catapults needed for opening day...and with any luck we'll have Friday off! Sweet!
Kev
Did you say they are showing signs of wear.....
Typo, just edited...lol! NO signs of premature wear. Oops!
Kev
So then its you with the premature wear then....got it :)ThmbUp
So all the musical chairs crap is done (moving this stuff here, that stuff there, etc.), and everything is staged at our display booth area, and the workshop area. Then the rest of the day was spend setting up the the dog fence around the porch and their exercise area. Finished that much around 4pm and called it a day! Lots more to do tomorrow!
And I got a new vape toy! A genuine Swiss made Squape Reloaded! It wasn't cheap, but I don't think it could possibly get any better than this device.
Kev
Underhill pavilion is almost all set up. Just some final details to do with Patti on the setup this morning, then back to work setting up the workshop tent and workshop. I have to get it all set up and get all my routering done today on the trebuchets and ballistae, since its supposed to rain HARD tomorrow! I'll be shooting for getting them done today if possible, but if not I can finish them up in the tent tomorrow. And then opening weekend this Saturday and Sunday!
Kev
May the clouds of mega profit drench you in their dewy love. D:oH!
The rain will be here at 4ish and not last long. It will cause a lot of damage so batton down the hatches. We have a saying in NC Kev. If you don't like the weather just wait 5-10 minutes and it'll change :D. Hope you have a good opening weekend :)ThmbUp
Workshop is all set up and ready to rock and roll! Patti is still working on setting up the booth, since she's meticulous...but she'll finish up pretty early tomorrow. I'll be working most of the day getting the trebuchets and ballistae finished and stained, but shouldn't be a late day since I did so much prep work in Ohio.
Supposed to rain HARD tomorrow afternoon/evening, but the weekend looks clear with nice weather! Awesome! Good times will be had by all!
Kev
Off to Walmart bright and early for marshmallows, snack bags, paper bags, stain and a bucket...and another brass water pressure regulator (ANOTHER one bit the dust! I go through 2 or 3 of these things a year...geesh!).
Then back to camp, where I have to get the parts for the catapults routered before the impending rain storm late this afternoon...then assemble them, string them, and stain them...hopefully before the rain.
Supposed to be great weather on the weekend though! Patti will be finishing setting up the booth while I'm working on the catapults. Busy busy!
Kev
Where in NC????? I'm driving to Raleigh today.....
He is in Huntersville, NC. This is north of Charlotte, NC. About a three and 1/2 hour drive from Raleigh.
Don
Trebuchets are DONE and stained! The Ballistae are all ready to assemble, but we have 2 on the table, so the rest of those can wait until next week. I didn't finish the trebuchets until after 4pm, and have about 3 hours to go on the Ballistae. It can wait, since we have a couple for opening weekend.
And Patti did an amazing job setting up the booth! She even washed every single catapult and the table cloths and skirts and the works. It all looks fresh and new again...lol!
Storm still hasn't hit us yet...just a gentle breeze and a few drops of rain. I really AM hoping it pours tonight though...our Underhill pavilion REALLY needs a bath after all the dust from So Cal!
Kev
Great opening day at the Carolina Renaissance Festival! I think its our best opening day ever here. I LOVE the owner of this Faire! He puts out a LOT of money in advertizing! This and Arizona are my absolute favorite shows...and he owns them both. Coincidence? Anyhow, we are well stocked for tomorrow with both catapults AND marshmallows. Then its going to be a CRAZY busy week building a TON of catapults for next weekend, 3 kids days in a row immediately following, and stock for the following weekend since we'll be working the kids days. Gonna be crazy! THEN it will slow down to just busy...and I can get some projects done, like installing Patti's dishwasher, replacing the dinette bench seat plywood under the cushions, etc. And somewhere in all this find time to fix the truck, or have a shop or my friend Gabe do it...if HE has time, since he got promoted on the faire staff ladder (head of commissary) and barely has time to breathe now...lol! And will have to MAKE time at least 3 times a week to bring the dogs out to the field to chase balls until they are fully exercised to the point of exhaustion, which they need. And change the oil and filters and grease everything on the RV before the trip out west for our winter vacation...and the list goes on and on and on. LOVE this faire. It always amazes me what Patti and I manage to accomplish here each year considering how busy it is!
Kev
Dishwasher....spoiled a little maybe?? ;).....did ya get one of the "dishdrawers"? wheres it gonna go? Cant wait to see updates.
LOL! The dishwasher was a gift from a friend in Ohio...he had it sitting around gathering dust in his garage. Apparently unused with owner's manual inside. It is a white countertop style made by Danby...made right in Ohio, USA. It fits perfectly right on top of the washer/dryer cabinet...which is convenient since that puts it right over the plumbing and electrical for the Splendide, so tying it in won't be hard at all. I just have to fabricate unobtrusive foot brackets so it stays secure when we are traveling. Just like the washer/dryer, we won't be using it when we boondock...but it sure will be nice when we are parked at a Renfaire campground or other campground with hookups!
Time to finish my coffee, and open the booth! Beautiful cool weather again!
Kev
Overall it was a great weekend! Tomorrow (after Monday morning Bizarre Bazaar with Patti) I'll get materials, probably hit the local vape shop, buy dog food and tick collars (back in the South, so watch out for Erlichia!), get a quote from the local garage to install the new TREs on my truck and center the steering and adjust the toe in and probably make an appointment, buy at least 12 bales of cedar shavings to spread out in the fenced in area of our camp for the dogs and then spread it out, figure out what I need to make Patti's dish washer work and possibly get the parts for it, and that should take most of the day...which is my only "day off" this week. Mondays are my only "day off" at any busy show, so its when I try to get the majority of my shopping, projects, and running around taken care of. If I finish early enough, we'll take the dogs to the parking lot to chase some balls!
Kev
Woohoo!!! While running my errands, I decided to get an oil change...and was referred by the kids working there to Diezel 4x4 in Cornelius, NC...just down the road. Great bunch of HONEST guys, and Mr. Diezel...which is really his last name...personally inspected my truck to see why it was floating all over the place, and to see what I'd need to make it safe and driveable for Patti. He came back in and said my ball joints look good, and even the tie rod ends, although missing the boots, seemed tight and just fine. He asked me if he could adjust a "few angles" and said would cost me 80 bucks. SURE! So he tightened up everything in the front end, adjusted the steering box, and adjusted the toe-in, which was more than an inch off. He also centered the steering, so I now have full steering to the left AND right. And MAN does the K5 Blazer handle WAY better now! Because the tires are damaged from so long running with a bad alignment, it doesn't feel perfect...but as soon as we throw new tires on her she should be absolutely perfect. At least its safe now!
He even has a very good set of 33x12 BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires that he'll sell me for 300 bucks installed, which is cheaper than just 2 new BFGoodrich ATs which are on there right now. I'm certainly thinking about it!
Regarding the lift, to do any real offroading safely, at the very least I have to replace the u-bolts on the rear axle, which are a joke. Cheap though! However, he might even have full spring take-offs in his storage shed which he is going to look into this week. He also said that if the Rough Country lift kit I can buy is 499.00 bucks, he can probably match the price INSTALLED, or maybe just a little more.
He knows his stuff, and is HONEST! The K5 Blazer drives WAY better already!
Kev
Hi Kev So what you are saying is you got a $800.00 oil change ? But Frt end geometry is very important , As is rear suspension not moveing on its mounts. Anytime you lift a veh from the factory specs You change the dynamics proportionally to the amt of lift So dont expect it to ever handle like a stock unit ! Frank
I'll throw my 2cents in on the lift. I've been there and done that with my son's jeep. Just how much off-roading are you planning to do? Remember, this is your daily driver and the more you lift and/or enlarge the tires, the more top heavy and squirrelly it becomes. Your gas mileage will suffer and Patti certainly won't like driving it. Not to mention getting her in it. I would suggest that you leave it as stock as possible. Now that you have it driving right, don't mess with it. However, that is just my opinion. Your thoughts might be different.
Dan
A stock full size blazer will go into some bad stuff with good tires. Been there also and don't regret it but stock now.
The very best money spent on off-road capability is on aggressive tires and locking differentials. Anything after that has a very poor rate of return IMO.
It already has a 4 inch lift, just a very poorly done one. And already has 15x12 rims with BFGoodrich tires...but the front tires are worn unevenly because of how off the alignment was. So I have to get 2 new tires regardless, and might go for the more aggressive tread pattern since we are often in very muddy areas at Renfaire campgrounds. What I want the shop to do is fix the lift and make it right and safe and strong. I want to keep it at a 4 inch lift with the 33s, but don't want to go any bigger.
Kev
Just for fun I priced out 2 new BFGoodrich ATs to replace the front tires, which are what is on there right now. 33x12.5x15s. 475.00 was the cheapest I found around here. Yikes! Looks like the K5 is gonna have "new" more aggressive shoes next week!
Kev
The garage called today and all the parts are ordered. Everything should be here in time to get the truck completely fixed on Monday. Now I just have a find a ride up there to drop the truck off in the morning, and a ride in the evening to pick it up!
Kev
When do you need to be there and where is it?
EARLY (8am) on Monday morning. Its in Cornelius. Diezelbuilt 4x4 Fabrications, 18637 - B Northline DR, Cornelius, NC. 28031. Not far off of 73 in Huntersville. I shouldn't have any problems finding a ride though since a lot of our friends here at the campground have vehicles, and most of them have Monday off.
They actually just called me and confirmed that according to the tracking numbers, the parts will all definitely be in in time to do the job on Monday. SWEET!!!
Kev
WAY ahead on the catapults! Shouldn't be all that late a day tomorrow. SWEET! Its going to be a busy week coming up though, what with the student days and getting ready for the following weekend. THEN we can take a breather...sort of...and I'll have time to take care of a few RV projects before winter vacation.
Kev
Yea, that's a little to early to ride over there to assist. I have to take the kids to pre school first. Sorry man :(
No problem bro. My friend Tony saw my shoutout on Facebook, so he'll be following me down there and driving me back, and then driving me back to pick it up around 5pm.
Kev
Finished up the catapults around 5pm, and then went to the market with Patti for marshmallows, snack bags and paper bags, and some groceries. We are going to be just fine this weekend, all 3 student days, and the following weekend! Hurray for planning ahead! Getting the truck done won't put a dent in our production at all. SWEET!!!
Kev
Great day at faire today! Made enough to pay for the K5 Blazer repairs and then some...so tomorrow is just money in the bank for Vacation. Most of what we make for the rest of this show is also vacation money, except what we have to spend on food and materials. SWEET!!! It looks like its going to be a great winter vacation!
Kev
So sadly, due to a misunderstanding between the owner and his employee that orders the parts, they ordered the wrong lift kit (with rear blocks instead of a full spring lift kit). Problem resolved, so they ordered the parts for me today, and I'll get them installed NEXT Monday. Ah well. No extra cost, and they are going to weld in a gusset support where there is a crack in my frame by the rear passenger side shock mount, also at no extra cost. SWEET! I payed the owner today for the good used set of 4 BFG Mud Terrain tires, 33X12.5X15s, so he'll have them dismounted off the Jeep rims before the job next week, and they are even going to try to find time to have them mounted and balanced for my by the tire guys they use if they have time...but no promises.
And my tilt steering column bolts are loosening up again, dangit! I should have used lock tite! They are going to be working on all that as part of the job, or I would have done it myself today with loc tite.
The booth is all set up for student days at the Faire...Three of those coming right up! Supposed to rain like heck tomorrow, but they always get the forecast wrong in North Carolina.
Kev
While it is in the shop for the lift kit have them check the frame behind the steering box for the usual frame cracks that Chevy is famous for. With those bigger tires and the lift if it is cracked it will get bad real fast. There many different repair kits out there for just that problem. If they have the option of using the balance beads for the tires then go for it, I had them put in the 35's I just put on my Jeep and they are great! No wobble or hop at all.
Thanks Rick! The owner before the guy I bought it from already reenforced the frame behind the steering box with a welded in gusset. They bought it from him before the project was finished and just flipped it. The first guy did a lot off good things right, like welding in the steering box reinforcement...and then the kid I bought it from got a hold of it and did a lot of hack jobs like the lift. I can always tell who did what...lol!
Kev
Slow first kids day since there were tornado warnings and over half the schools cancelled. We did okay though and had fun (most kids in NC are well behaved). 2 more kids days to go!
After kids day today we mailed some stuff out at the post office, and then went to an Ulta for Patti to get some makeup up in Mooresville, NC, and then we went to Best Buy and bought her a new computer. Her Acer, about 4 years old, bit the bullet with complete hard drive failure this morning. We bought a Dell Inspirion 15 as a replacement, and its a nice computer! I've always had good luck with Dells. Hell, the computer I'm typing this on is a Dell Latitude D520 close to 10 years old with XP and still going strong! It took me a while to get it set up just right for her, but she's now quite happy with it! Touch screen too!
After kids day tomorrow, I'll be in the shop building more Bandits for Thursday...and on Friday more Bandits for the weekend.
As always North Carolina keeps us on our toes, we love it the most of any faire we do besides Arizona, and we somehow manage to accomplish great things here project wise every year!
Kev
Great student day today...one more to go! Friday I'll have to finish a run of Bandit catapults, a few hour job, so I'll have the rest of Friday off before working the weekend. I think this is the smoothest Hell Week we've had so far in North Carolina!!!
Kev
Last kids day done, and Hell Week is officially over! After the cannon went off (signifying the end of Faire day), I went back to camp to cut out and sand dowels and put them in the dehydrator while Patti put in a cameo appearance for us at the after-party. Tomorrow I'll finish up assembly on 75 more Bandits which will take me about 3 hours, and then we'll have the rest of the day off together. The kids today were awesome as a whole, and we had a lot of fun with them. So we get sort of a day off tomorrow, and then the third weekend! Woohoo!!!
Kev
All the catapults are done and stained for the weekend and up at the booth, 50+ bags of marshmallows are also at the booth, and the booth is all set up for a regular weekend and looking pretty again.
This was the smoothest kids days so far at this faire, and the kids were wonderfully behaved all in all. We made some money and even had fun! Bring on the weekend! Its supposed to be perfect weather, and we are ready for it!
Kev
We make our children say yes Sir and ma'am here in NC ;)
Awesome and very busy day at Faire today! And another coming right up tomorrow! Then on Monday the truck goes in for the work it needs. I'll have the rest of Monday off besides getting up early to drop the truck off and pick it up in the evening...then it will be 4 busy days of building catapults. The following week I can start working on some projects before winter vacation. Always busy at this show and love it...although looking forward more and more to vacation...lol!
Kev
Outstanding weekend overall! Getting my truck fixed tomorrow...Woohoo!!!
Kev
So they worked on our K5 Blazer all day, and were ALMOST done by closing time. They called me at 5pm and said it should be completely ready to pick up by noon today. Now I just have to find a ride...lol!
Kev
So two whole days in their shop, and the boys at Diezel's 4x4 keep finding more stuff they NEED to correct before giving me back the K5. Around 6pm this evening Diezel himself handed me the keys to the baddass company promo Jeep and said I could use it until they finish tomorrow. They have one last thing to do, which is rebuild the steering column (which had broken structural parts inside the tilt section and was non rebuildable by itself) from my old broken one and a spare one he had in the shop. Did I mention that NONE of this extra work cost me a penny more? They gave me a quote, and are sticking to the quote. Holy crap! Frame welding in two spots, driveline and headlight alignment, new brake hoses, new hardware in one rear drum, drilling out and replacing two brake bleeders, the steering column rebuild...1400 bucks was the quote for the whole job and they are sticking to it...they sure aren't making any money on my truck repairs! Now this is a shop with honor and integrity! And holy crap are they doing a nice job!!! I highly recommend this shop to anyone. They are outstanding!!! They are going WAY over and above the call of duty!!!
They are located on Northline Road, in Cornelius, NC, and repair all vehicles. They specialize in 4x4s and Jeeps and whatnot, but can do it all. They even do custom metal fabrications and body and paint work. I can't speak highly enough of these fine gentlemen!!!
Kev
WOW!!! Good deal man. I'm glad your blazer will be upgraded and safer :)ThmbUp.
I wonder if they'd do that kind of work on my '84 HR Hm?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Diezels-Auto-Repair-Diezel-Built-4X4-fabrication/225879060804353
And they do some work on motorhomes. They are helping to build a custom one from the ground up...pics on their facebook page...lol!
Kev
Yay! They finished up late in the day today, and I took a bunch of pictures of the work they did. I'll post more individually with descriptions when I have time, but for now here is a photobucket slideshow link to the pictures I just took today of some of the work they did. Rides like a dream now! And what an awesome steering radius in BOTH directions! I LOVE the new tires...lol!
And she sits about an inch higher now and perfectly level. SWEET!!!
http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/ClydesdaleKevin/slideshow/North%20Carolina%202014
Kev
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FNorth%2520Carolina%25202014%2FDSCF3509_zpsd0581ae9.jpg&hash=8ac3014a46e7614d17820ceeae932443ca7309fe)
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FNorth%2520Carolina%25202014%2FDSCF3534_zpsd877abe0.jpg&hash=02f80889ab2012728c49f21fc0c55eecf85cb9c1)
Kev
What? They didn't wash it for you? :)rotflmao
LOL! I actually do need to run it through a self serve car wash soon. Lots of dirt and mud built up in the sheetmetal and whatnot. She's rust free and I plan on keeping her that way!
Kev
A Chevy, rust free? That ain't gonna happen unless you live in Arizona and never leave there. Or you keep it in a climate controlled garage and again, never take it out. You will eventually start to see the bubbles in the paint over the rear fenders followed by the front fenders and the backs of the front fenders and the cab corners. Especially with big tires that throw mud and dirt up into the cavities where it would not normally go.
Our 91 & 92 K Blazers are rust free. Location is a large contributor but maintenance is also a factor. The 92 (the one with the blower on it) has never been off road and the 91 got extensive pressure washes focusing on those areas after any trips off pavement. It takes work, but it's possible to keep them that way.
I'm wondering when Kevin is going to get it painted.
It lived in Arizona its whole life, and is indeed rust free. And it spends every winter in Arizona, so it will stay that way.
We plan on getting it painted in Arizona after the show, probably early April. We are going to have it painted desert tan using Monstaliner.
Kev
So I woke up this morning and the front passenger side tire was flat. Well hell. I aired it up and drove it back to Diezel's. I also noticed the horn wasn't working. They fixed the horn in just a few minutes (broken wire), and Diezel had me follow him to the shop that mounted and balanced the tires. Good thing too! The tires shop didn't take into account the dust covers for the front calipers when they added the wheel weights, and they were all sheered off and missing in the front. They found the leak on the front tire and plugged it, and found a nail in a back tire and plugged it, and rebalanced the front tires...which greatly reduced my wheel noise on the road. So everything happens for a reason, eh? I think its pretty crappy though that the shop charged Diezel 25 bucks to fix what in my opinion was their own screw up...I mean, who installs tires without giving them a leak test? They didn't even replace the valves, which I also found negligent, and the original mount and balance cost Diezel, and then me, 89 bucks. And while I was waiting, the owner of Tire Doctor started talking smack about Diezel's shop, like "yeah, they are great with lifts...but if you need any real work done like brakes, come to us." Totally unprofessional in my opinion...especially since Diezel and his shop have nothing but good things to say about Tire Doctor. But now the front tire holds air, we found the nail on the back tire, they are properly balanced, the horn works, and all is right in the universe.
Kev
I would have made them replace the valve stems.....for free.....all the big tire shops change the stems so they don't get sued when that old one failed one the way home at 75mph.... really sad....throw em under bus and post their name and phone number and we can all call em 5 times a day and tell em they suck :D
Its all good. Tires hold air now, and MAN is the ride awesome now! Its like driving a brand new truck! All my catapults are built and at the booth, the booth is stocked with marshmallows and whatnot, we have enough food and libations and whatnot for the whole weekend so we won't have to leave sight, and all is right in the universe...lol!
Kev
Great day at Faire today, and it was a lot of fun giving out Halloween candy to the kids! Should be another great day at the Faire tomorrow! From this point forth, its all about stashing away winter vacation money! We already have next year's faire fees set aside.
Kev
I hope that when the patched the holes they pulled the tire off the rime and buffed and plug/patched from the inside. That is how it is supposed to be done at a tire shop, if all they did was stick a plug in it from the tread side then that is as bad as the not replacing the valve stems. I'll tell you, I had the balance beads put in the new 35's I had put on my Jeep and I will never use wheel weights again! Tires with weights eventually go out of balance due to tire wear and also lost weights. Off road that gather mud and get scraped of by rocks. The beads are inside so none of that can happen and they are always moving so tire wear makes no difference. The steering is a lot more stable also.
if the leak was within a inch or so from the edge of the tire the tire should be replaced.....personally I am not a fan of the plugs for the long term.....I always make em take them off and patch it correctly....
.02
Never had a tire fail from a plug, and I've done it myself many times. I always keep an eye on them, but have gone 20K plus on many plugs before having to replace tires because they were simply worn out.
Kev
Overall the weekend was good, and money in the bank! The little trick-or-treaters were polite and had a great time. Lots of catapults to build this coming week!
Kev
I'm with Kev on the plugs. Use good ones and rubber cement and they'll be there when the tire is replaced. But the sidewall area is an emergency patch then replace tire issue.
Well Kev, me and my group might make it to the faire next weekend. Glad your doing well and can't wait to see what upgrades you do this winter.
Awesome!!! Hope to see you guys at the Faire! You can actually see our rig poking up behind the fence near the petting zoo...lol!
Kev
Nice do nothing day today, and probably my last one until vacation. In addition to building catapults, I have some projects I want to get done before we leave on vacation:
Relocate the Boondocker converter way closer to the battery bank (in the same compartment as the washer/dryer). Also going to do some creative wiring so that I can just hit a switch to turn off the converter when on inverter power, instead of unplugging it and plugging it back in all the time. While I'm at it I'll add a switch to isolate the washer/dryer, since its computer does not like modified sine wave AT ALL.
Build shelves and organizers in the washer/dryer cabinet for Patti.
Run plumbing and electric to Patti's new dishwasher, which sits on top of the washer/dryer cabinet. And also make some metal brackets for the feet so I can secure it to the top of the cabinet for traveling.
Make new plywood dinette access panels (under the cushions) since the stock particle boards ones have given up the ghost and are being held together with Gorilla Tape.
Jack up the front of the rig and adjust the steering box play using the Frederic method (where the heck is he anyways?).
Repair the damage to the body at the rear right storage compartment...which might require removing the rear bumper to do correctly.
Change the oil and filter.
And that is the list for the RV. For the K5 Blazer before vacation, I want to:
Install a NEW B&M Megashift floorshifter so I can use my lower gears manually (its all busted up and missing some parts, and has the wrong bracket, so it only shifts into Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive...it would be nice to use 1, 2, and 3 offroad...lol!). Its cheaper to buy a whole new unit from Summit racing (about 240 bucks delivered), than the missing parts to make the old one work.
Replace the steering stabilizer in the front with a dual stabilizer unit from Rough Country.
And if I have the time and money, replace the stabilizer bar bushings, and install an ORD stabilizer bar quick-disconnect kit...which also lowers the stabilizer bar brackets to improve geometry with the lift.
So I'll be stupid busy from this point forth!!!
Kev
By the Petting zoo......is that wise? W% :D
Quote from: pvoth on October 27, 2014, 06:08 PM
By the Petting zoo......is that wise? W% :D
LOL! I'm actually glad they put our camp back there. It got our dogs used to livestock animals, so they don't bark at sheep or horses or cows anymore. They still bark greetings at the sheep dogs though! And the camels walk by our camp all the time, which the pups just stare at in amazement and puzzlement.
Kev
Kevin, what brand of finish are you using that cures well in cool, wet weather, or do you have a nice heated space that you're doing all this wood work in :p.
I gave up a LONG time ago using any kind of varnish or urethane in the environment we work in. The catapults are simply finished off with Minwax stain and sealer.
Kev
So today was eaten up with a doctor's appointment for Patti so she could get her BP meds refilled, running around doing errands, taking the pups and the cat to the vet for their annual well visit, and then dinner with friends at a Texas Roadhouse.
No time for projects this week! Its all about the catapults for the next 3 days.!
Kev
LOTS of catapults built today, the rest will be finished up tomorrow.
150 days tobacco free!!! WOOHOO!!! 2452.78 dollars NOT spent on tobacco, and that's just what I saved from not smoking! Figure on half of that again for Patti's cessation of smoking. Its like having another income that comes from some benevolent relative who secretly adds money to your bank account without your knowledge...lol!
Lots more to do tomorrow, and then an evening run out to get marshmallows. Busy busy!
Kev
MOST of the catapults and done and stained and we are ready for tomorrow. I was only able to make one poor lonely trebuchet because my beloved table saw decided to give up the ghost. Blade stopped turning, and then it caught on fire. Yeah...its dead, poor thing!
Weather forecast sucks for tomorrow, rainy and cold. Dammit! But Sunday is supposed to be nice although cool!
Kev
Time to get a Delta with a belt drive blade ;).
LOL Redneck. This was an old Craftsman that takes a 7 1/4 blade and was my favorite little table saw...it was old enough to say Made in USA on it. Before I throw it out I see if there is any way to fix it, like maybe new brushes or something. Otherwise I'll pick up a cheap Ryobi on Monday, since they work well enough...just not as good or quite as this old Craftsman did. I leave tools at each location now so we don't have to carry them all over the country, and I don't have time to order anything in the mail or run around looking for pawn shops.
Kev
Craptastic weather today, but hopefully folks will come out to the faire anyway. And now I have something else to add to my project list: The pups were in such a hurry to go outside this morning that they knocked me off balance and into the closet door, breaking the glass. So I'll be going to a glass and mirror shop on Monday! Big clumsy goofballs...gotta love 'em!
Kev
Big clumsy goofballs, I would guess your definition would be the dogs and Patti's definition would be you as she was cleaning up glass all day. W%
I'm a big clumsy goofball as well, and the wifey applies it to both me AND the dogs...lol!
Kev
SLOW day at the faire today! I let Patti stay home because of the cold and wet weather, and there was a VERY small turnout! Tomorrow is going to be busy though! All the folks who wanted to come out today are going to come out tomorrow along with the folks who planned to come out tomorrow. Oi vey!!!
Kev
Yay!!! The new B&M Megashifter kit arrived from Summit Racing yesterday afternoon for the K5 Blazer...so guess what one of today's project is going to be? Its going to be nice being able to shift into the lower gears if I want to...and to actually be able to glance down and see what gear I'm in...lol! While I'm at it, I'm going to pull the cover off the transfer case shifter and see why its indicator doesn't work, and why it doesn't light up...and fix it if I can (meaning if it doesn't need replacement parts). Pictures of course will be posted of the project. Also on order, but what hasn't arrive yet, is a Rough Country Big Bore steering stabilizer. I went with that one because it doesn't hang down where it can get damaged like the dual unit. And as luck would have it, its supposed to be an awesome day in the 60s today...great wrenching weather!
I already had a glass shop install a new mirror in the closet door and reinstalled it. I did that yesterday.
Also on today's project list is to cut to size the new plywood covers for under the dinette cushions and get those installed. And plan out and get started on the shelves for inside the washer/dryer cabinet. And decide exactly where I'm going to relocate the Powermax Boondocker converter. There really isn't enough room in the washer/dryer cabinet for it and still give it the required airflow. And no room under the dinette directly over the batteries since its filled with the on demand water tank and plumbing, the inverter, and the solar charge controller array and electronics. So I was thinking, either in the battery compartment itself since the battery compartment is huge with lots of venting for battery gas (so it shouldn't be too corrosive an environment), or else in the storage compartment right next to the battery compartment. I'll figure it out!
And then if I have time, I'll tackle some other projects today, depending on how all that goes and how smoothly it goes.
Wednesday through Friday its nothing but catapults!
Kev
AHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! Stupid goshdarn B&M website and support!!! I know I have this goshdarn freaking thing installed correctly, but it won't upshift from the low to high! Gate shifts just fine from Park to reverse to neutral to drive...and then switches to ratchet for the lower gears. Ratchets just fine down to low...and gets stuck!!! Won't upshift! Just gets stuck in whatever lower gear you put it in if you want to upshift. Will let you shift down to low...and then STUCK!!! what in the world!!! I've quadrupled checked all my adjustments, and their website sucks moose weenie for support!!! Googled this for the last hour and found nada!
I can manually get under the rig and grab the B&M shift lever plate and move it back into action...but goshdarnit!!! This was ALL FREAKING DAY!!! I'm about to go all Jihad and stuff on B&M!!!
Forgive the language, but I'm PO'd (although taking all the swear words out of this post...its unedited elsewhere) made me laugh and feel better during the edit...lmfao!!!)
I KNOW I have everything set up right! Even without the cable attached to the transmission it won't upshift, although it will downshift all day long!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....
Kev
Will it shift without going to the ratchet? Which shifter is it? I had that problem with my OLD Hurst shifter and it turned out to be a loose rivet in the gate.
What Rick said. Which shifter is it? Some are dual gate Kevin. Normal for street driving then push it down or sideways and it switches to ratchet for the track.
Quote from: oldrockandroller on November 04, 2014, 08:55 PM
What Rick said. Which shifter is it? Some are dual gate Kevin. Normal for street driving then push it down or sideways and it switches to ratchet for the track.
Quote from: Rickf1985 on November 04, 2014, 07:56 PM
Will it shift without going to the ratchet? Which shifter is it? I had that problem with my OLD Hurst shifter and it turned out to be a loose rivet in the gate.
Had a similar problem racing a K5 years ago at Bend, Oregon. Emergency switch of shifter coupled with a change of driver who wasn't familiar with the particular new dual gate. Apparently common.
B&M Part number is 80690. I followed the instructions to the letter, the cable swivel is in the front hole, I removed the stop pin for 4 speed applications, and adjusted the cable exactly as per the instructions. The shifter itself is perfectly level, the hole for the cable is 3 inches ahead of it, and the cable routing is one smooth circle with no tight bends or kinks. It shifts just fine in gate mode in Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive. And its doing what its supposed to do in drive...the trigger goes down about 3/4 of an inch or so. It even ratchets fine going down from 1 to 2 to 3. But will not ratchet up. I also noticed that when you ratchet it past Drive down to 1, the trigger comes up and stays up. I don't want to force it or break anything...although I've tried to get it to ratchet up with reasonable force to no avail. If I'm stuck in the lower gears, if I grasp the shift lever on the side of the transmission (where the cable swivel is) with a vice grip, it easily moves forward back to neutral, and then I can shift again. By the way...I did try to remove the cable swivel from the lever and try the shifter that way to see if it was something in my transmission binding...but nope! Even with the cable disconnected, it shifts fine in gate mode, ratchets fine down to the lowest gear...and gets stuck and won't ratchet up.
My new big bore Rough Country steering stabilizer arrived today and I installed it in minutes...finally a project that went smoothly!!!
I also got Patti's shelves build in her washer/dryer cabinet, and made new plywood bases under the dinette cushions in the RV.
Summit racing did call me back, but B&M still hasn't, which leads me to believe their customer service sucks.
Kev
I think what you are going to find is with the cover off and looking at the ratcheting pawl that it is not coming back far enough to drop down into the gear to advance the cable. When you adjusted the cable did you try sliding the pin in and out of the shift arm in every gear? It only takes one turn on the small shaft that the pin itself is on to be off for something like that to happen. I am assuming that the shift handle is moving forward but the gear is not advancing, is that correct? If the cable is coming in from the rear, which I think I remember it does then loosen the adjustment on the small rod two turns and try that. You want to try to push the cable back towards the shifter just a hair and see if that makes an improvement.
Rick
I had a B&M shifter in my 62 Nova....I hated it it took real practice and skill to make it shift right.....the car was scary fast and revved quickly.....you have a pic of that thing Kev?
Nope Rick. When you ratchet it down to low, the handle itself gets stuck and won't move forward. I did indeed try the cable adjustment at each gear, and its dead on. Its the handle itself getting stuck in the lower gears, as it locks up even with the cable disconnected.
Kev
It sounds to me like a defective shifter that is jamming in low for some reason. Hard to diagnose without seeing it in person. I would return it if it was a new purchase and get a different model. You really do not need a ratchet shifter for street use, get one that you can select the ratchet and not one that defaults to ratchet.
Fixed!!! B&M walked me through it. There was a large spring not in its proper place that had come dislodged and was jamming up the gears. It must not have been installed correctly to begin with, because it took me a while and some bloody knuckles to get it back in place...and its not going anywhere now. Shifts fine up and down now. SWEET!!!
Kev
Remember that wihout pics Some of us have absolutly no idea what you are talking about ! Frank
Great news Kevin.
Pics will be posted tomorrow evening! I kind of like the way this thing shifts though the forward gears now! Quick and flawless once I figured it out. And the new steering stabilizer made a HUGE difference! What was on there was not only blown, but was the wrong one, and installed with the wrong bolts, so it kept hitting the tie rod on turns, and since the rubber was all worn out, it was clunking. No more clunk, and the new Big Bore nitrous stabilizer from Rough Country came with all new bolts, so its now installed correctly and doesn't contact the tie rod anymore. Not only that, I can take my hand off the wheel now on a flat road, and the truck goes straight! Not bad for big fat tires and a 4 inch lift!
I even fixed the indicator arrow on the transfer case shifter and got its light bulb working. It required some creative filing and drilling and a piece of metal added in place of one of the missing plastic fingers...and a good bit of epoxy...but it works now! I even freshened up the paint with some Testers blaze orange model paint and a fine brush.
Kev
when you racket down to low.(pulling the t handle several times while pulling back)....then banging it forward don't shift it?.....its made for racing with high speed shifts just pushing it forward should advance one gear at a time...its tricky
posted too quickly....glad you got it sorted out.
The rest of the day yesterday, and all day today, is going to be nothing but building catapults. Gotta have stock for the weekend!
Kev
Kev rox!
Seems like Kev had a surprise visitor recently....
Yep! CircleD popped in yesterday to say hi! Hopefully I'll get to hang out with him on Sunday evening if he can manage to come visit the faire. Seems like an awesome guy! I was just so busy I felt almost rude, and I hope he didn't take it that way. And thanks CircleD for the gift of the multimeter, which now lives in the K5 toolbox!
All the catapults are built, all the marshmallows and whatnot are bought, and we are ready for another awesome weekend!
Kev
I didn't think you were rude. The way my life is I have to make a schedule and if I get a free moment then utilize it. Hopefully get to see ya Sunday. Stay warm.
CRAZY busy day today, and the new design with the front trigger was very well received! I'm going to be VERY busy building a LOT of catapults this coming week! Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in a few projects for the RV. Patti has two more shelves she wants me to build, which is something I need to do while I have a woodshop available.
Kev
Got all my materials and whatnot today, and will be crazy busy for the next 4 days building catapults and trying to get small projects done. So I had a few hours off today on my only day off...lol!
Kev
Well, myself and many others enjoy the hard work you put into building all of your catapults and thank you again for the gift. So far no one has been injured at the house with it W%. And those of us that love old Chevy's are glad to see another one getting fixed up :)ThmbUp.
Awesome Circle D! I ordered the ORD swaybar drop link/disconnect kit for the Blazer, plus new bushings...so soon I can call the suspension completely done.
I cut out all the parts for the new catapult design today, and designed a desktop version of a similar design. The trigger on the desktop is outstanding! Torsion rope spring loaded, and you just bring the armature back and it loads and locks with the trigger. SWEET!!!
Our catapults just keep getting better and better!
Kev
Pretty soon you will have to register them with the ATF! :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao
Well, the weather forecast for this coming weekend is COLD!!! Freezing at night, and only in the 40s during the day. I better get some propane cylinders before the weekend for the Buddy heater to keep Patti's tootsies warm!
Kev
Let me do a weekend update for Kev. IT'S COLD, PERIOD!! :D
They are talking about 17 degrees Tuesday night here in Jersey!
Grand Canyon NP=2f.
Brrrrrrrrr
Its 24 degrees this morning in Huntersville, NC. Tonight is supposed to be the REALLY cold night before it warms up again...15 degrees! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
Kev
MAN! What are you guys going to do when winter comes? :)rotflmao Were still in short sleeve shirts in Ontario Canada and it's only -5
Anybody missing Kevin? Ever so often we have to slap him up beside the head and tell him to post something. We are having Renaissance withdrawal! Are you working so hard on stock that you can't talk to us?
He is on VACATION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I believe he left this area a while back. Me and the family went to the Ren Faire and met him and Patty. Super nice people and loving what they do. His next stop is Arizona for the winter where it's warm and dry N:( . I'm not jealous but wouldn't mind going W%
Do they have to go by Oz on the way by. Maybe they can drop by Greg's ????? D:oH!
I'm watching "Tombstone" on the AMC channel and thinking about Kevin. He and Patti always spends New Years there. It sure would be nice if he would check in and let us know of his adventures.
They are enjoying there vacation ! I see them on facebook daily !
Sorry guys! I'll update soon! Love you all!
Kev
Well Merry Christmas anyway Kevin and Patti.
Oh Kevin, where are you???? Inquiring minds want to know.
Quote from: ClydesdaleKevin on December 26, 2014, 09:00 PM
Sorry guys! I'll update soon! Love you all!
Kev
That was December 26. What do you call "soon". At least tell us where you're at. I'm guessing you are boondocking in Arizona.
Dan
Now THAT is how you go on vacation! No telling everyone where you are or what you are doing. The world is tuned out.
Every day I go to the forums hoping Kevin has posted something letting us know where he is traveling, how busy he is, or what he is doing to his Chevy, guns, catapults, motorhome, dogs, etc., etc. But, each day I am disappointed. I guess he has found a new set of best friends and is hanging out with them. I hope he and Patti are doing well. I miss the posts.
Dido. Seems silly I guess but when someone as active as Kev falls off the site you can't help being concerned. If your pissed at us for something we've said fine. Tell us and then disappear. If it's a case you want everybody to worry about you for a while then just up a don't post. It works. Other than that Kev were the @#*! are you. Hm? D:oH! i??
They are in Arizona Doing well , All are OK If you must converse with them they are often on Face book Frank
I contacted Kevin last night on facebook and he aware that we all miss his witty stories about what is going on in his life. His direct quote to me was "Just taking a break from being on the internet so much. I hop on the net for morning coffee now and that's it. I'll be back soon...lol!"
So now everybody knows that Kevin is still alive and well and will be getting back to us soon.
Thanks Kiddo :)ThmbUp
Yes, joanfenn said Kevin is very active on his FB page.
I've been wondering too.
Thanks guys, I looked up Kevin on Facebook, but because I'm not a "friend" of his, I can't see anything other than a few pictures.
Dan
I would love to hear a great tale from Kevin when he gets back. A tale of boo docking and having great fun. Until then maybe I will have to go back and read his old threads.