Continuing Thread: What Are You Fix-It'ing Today?

[rsrguy]

Shot some tail surfaces today...

[Bill Douglas]

Looks great Guy.

What sort of paint do you use for a plane? I'm a hobbyist level car painter.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by bugstrider

-snip-I did find it funny that Wes, the guy assisting with finishing commented how grossly over engineered this project was -snip-
I also just wanted to thank the folks of this form for allowing me to share this little project. -snip-

Trev......it is us who should be thanking YOU for sharing this amazing project with US!

Adding to Wes's comments.....and as I said before....your posts w/accompanying photos and commentary here....just like the planning and execution of your projects......are truly THE gold standard.

CONGRATULATIONS - it truly looks fantastic!

[rsrguy]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Looks great Guy.

What sort of paint do you use for a plane? I'm a hobbyist level car painter.

Its a urethane made by consolidated aircraft coatings available through aircraft Spruce and specialty. It's designed to be extremely flexible as we use it to paint fabric covered aircraft, really good stuff.

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks, that's interesting.

I'm thinking aeroplane coatings get a lot of grief. Dramatic changes in temperature, high speed objects hitting it, and like you say flexing.

Haha, you reminded me. GF shouted me a trial flight in a Piper Cub. Oh chit. 1,000 feet up in something made of canvas and rattling aluminium. I had to go to a winery straight afterwards to recover.

[HobieMarty]

I let the body of the lighter hang in a closet for a few days to insure that the paint would be fully cured before handling it. I polished the little brass decorative pieces, used a rotary tool and some liquid polish, and glued the pieces in place. That is all I wanted to do with it today. I will let the glue dry really well before reassembly.

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[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Baz

Trev......it is us who should be thanking YOU for sharing this amazing project with US!

Adding to Wes's comments.....and as I said before....your posts w/accompanying photos and commentary here....just like the planning and execution of your projects......are truly THE gold standard.

CONGRATULATIONS - it truly looks fantastic!

Thank you very much sir!!! I enjoyed posting about it and did laugh at my own boneheaded mistakes. I will admit that it made me feel good when Mrs. Bugs smiled like a little girl knowing her tub isn’t far off from being delivered.
I now do have a query for the DYI hand-rail brain trust in the group. We need to construct a hand rail for the pad. Two section and I have never done anything like that before. For the giants that have walk before me… anyone have any pointers suggestions or ideas on how to make an nice looking curve and sweeping arc? We haven’t decided on the style yet but due like the cable type rails, although that type works for straight runs, not curves……




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[rsrguy]

Beautiful results bugs!

[Brian 162]

Replaced the spark plugs in my 17 Tahoe today. I died a horrible death doing it. The job fought me every step of the way. The right bank was the hardest because the a/c lines were in the way.
Plus I'm starting to get arthritis ( I'm 64) in my left thumb so it's difficult to grab anything.
I gained a new respect for mechanics old and young that are wrenching every day

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by rsrguy

Beautiful results bugs!

Thank you very much sir!!


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[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Brian 162

Replaced the spark plugs in my 17 Tahoe today. I died a horrible death doing it. The job fought me every step of the way. The right bank was the hardest because the a/c lines were in the way.
Plus I'm starting to get arthritis ( I'm 64) in my left thumb so it's difficult to grab anything.
I gained a new respect for mechanics old and young that are wrenching every day

Oh boy do I feel your pain….
Doing this on our 95 GMC K1500 5.7 is a PITA. I have learned to place a 2’x3’ piece of 3/4” ply on the top of the engine with a towel so I can lay across the engine to get to those pesky back plugs. My biggest challenge is getting the wire boots off without tearing them, thus causing a complete plug wire replacement. This last go around, two years ago prior to its smog test, I placed numbered stickers on the wires and cap so I knew where everything went at the rear of the engine. I also used some aviation anti seize on the boots and plugs in hopes to eliminate the cooked on issue. I expected to have to repeat it this year since smog is due again and with a current odom of 346,000 miles, I didn’t have confidence of it passing. To my suprise and after a “pre” test, it passed. sowing my “shocked” face. I was even more shocked when I did some pre-planning and inquired about a catalytic converter replacement due to the miles and was unsure where the smog would go. It was replaced in 1999 at the cost of $150.00, in 2023 that cost is now $997.00 WTF?!?!?!?!? I was very happy it passed.


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[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by rsrguy

Shot some tail surfaces today...

Beautiful!!!! Has any of your work appeared on any of the STOL Drag airships? That would be some killer advertisement for ya.


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[rsrguy]

Nope... those guys don't really paint their stuff.

[jyl]

Replaced the high pressure power steering hose in the Vanagon. The original German hose is mostly NLA, only occasionally available and at a high price ($300+). But one of the US parts vendors has a pretty close replacement. There is a brass threaded plug, Allen socket, that you transfer from the old hose’s banjo fitting to the new one. Ok, a 4 mm Allen is too small, a 5 mm is too large, WTF is this the mythical and detestable 4.5 mm size? Took the hoses to an autoparts shop to see if they had that size. The manager found the needed tool, wire brushed the threads, applied thread tape, installed the brass plug - no charge, just old school good service. He’s the new manager, the shop has been running understaffed with no manager and employees working double shifts with no time off. This new guy is getting the shop in shape, it’s clean, well stocked, looking up.

[bugstrider]

Took a page from Baz’s parental property prep guide. Spent the last two days workin on mum n dad’s landscaping. Mrs Bugs n I were trimming and cleaning front and rear yards. Disclaimer….. I have no bloody idea how to properly care and trim palms. Went at it how my wee brain told me. Things were a tad out of control and now things look better and even installed new landscape led’s.. The “death fronds” were particularly nasty and punctured gloved hands and legs if you weren’t on your game. Ask me how I know this…….. dang things are like punji spikes.









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[A930Rocket]

Installed new Motorcraft front rotors on the F150.

[varmint]

Not fixing. More assembling. We go all out for Halloween.

[bugstrider]

^^^^^^ That is freaking awesome!!!!!!

I keep eyeballing the 13’ Jack Skellington at Home Depot, kinda hoping someone will buy it so it’s out of stock and I cant spend $399.00

Mum sent a couple pics of our handy work at night.


Mrs. Bugs assembling a couple of Adirondack chairs we got at Sam’s. 10yr warranty and better made than the thin plastic ones that crack after two seasons. Also assembled a fire pit for the ledge above the pad for the future hot tub.


Doing a test run with some hot chocolate.

[Baz]

Bugs! Wow - once again you have confirmed your status as THE gold standard of this thread.

This time not by the usual well written and photographed exploits. Oh no. This time because you took care of Mom and Dad! I'm really proud of you, my brother. Much respect!

It really looks great and I know Mom and Dad are proud as can be.

That palm is a Canary Island Date Palm and absolutely quite ferocious if not handled properly. The entire Date Palm Family has very sharp spikes at the base of their fronds and some of them have such sharp tipped leaflets I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy!

I'll post a photo below of the same Cordyline australis at Mom's - as your folks have. I planted these in small 3 gallon pots along the side just to give some vertical accent in a very narrow bed and they've done great. Interesting because around here they aren't used that much - probably much more in CA.

Adding the lighting was a nice touch. A way of enjoying the gardens after dark in a way that provides a completely different & unique experience. Especially the last couple days with the full moon we've had - it's been just off the graph!

[ted]

Heading out, camper, trailer and race car all fixed for now.


Basically go here and fix stuff for 3 days.