Blah Blah Blah Let's Weld Already

Stopped in at Eagle Industries this morning, its a metal shop with a considerable laser cutter, on my way to work. I think I remember James saying it was where his FIRST team used to meet and I would believe that, there is definitely enough tooling there to support a team. Anyways, I went in an asked if they had any scrap sheet metal cause I am going to practice my MIG welding before I try sticking things to the bus. I honestly thought that they would point me in the right direction on where to find some metal, but they took me out back and rummaged through the scrap bin for me. I left with a handful of pretty thin sheet metal that they cut up into rectangles for me too. I thought they might want some money for it but they just waved me off and sent me on my way. Nice! This is actually the second time I have approached a random metal shop for this kind of thing and it is also the second time they've given me a bunch of free scrap. I would highly recommend this method, just show up, be polite and ask nicely.

Anyways, I got a shipment of some parts and pieces for the bus. Only about half of what I ordered was actually in stock, but I made up the difference from another vendor..... except for the rocker panel that somehow slipped through both of the orders.... damn rocker panel. Also, ordered a set of 94mm Mahle pistons and cylinders for my engine. It will take a while for them to get here and stuff but I am pumped. Spend all the money!

We lowered the wind turbine at work today and swapped it out with our latest and greatest revision. I balanced the blades, so hopefully they don't fly apart and/or chuck a hunk of lead through the air. It was pretty cool though, they have a tilt up tower, which I have never seen work in real life. Pretty easy to use, just takes a couple of people and a truck.

Gonna track down Dwight Havu tomorrow and convince him to let me use his welder.

Sick Again

Sad to report the stomach bug is back today and as such I have done nothing that the world wants to know about.

Also this picture is awesome because me and my RPI friends did it once.

Weekend Adventures Update

So, it was my birthday this weekend but I kept it low key so I can make the actual party a blowout. Basically, came home and did rustic things with Sam on Friday night. Got off to an early start Saturday and went out to visit Steve Daniels Machine Shop, where my engine case is being worked on. Steve is an awesome guy, basically everything he owns..... I want. Dad came along and we talked with Steve for about 2 or 3 hours. When we came in he was working on this huge lean-to shed that he is building from enormous 8x8 logs that all came from the woods out behind where he lives. This guy owns like 100 acres and goes logging everyday after work for the past year or so. Ambition is this guy's middle name. This shed looks like a wooden version of stone henge and it's pretty obvious that once it is complete, it will be there for a very, very long time.

Steve owns a couple of custom VW buggies, a porsche, a pristine VW single cab (seriously, there are pictures in a book it is so nice, this book), 5 BMW motorcycles, a handful of rusty VWs and a daily driven Vanagon. He also is the owner of Daniel's Machine shop which has some very nice equipment. Essentially, this man is a champion. Below is his R75 motorcycle, which has over 170k original miles, has been been restored and is basically a sex-machine.

Yup.... I want that too. 

After distracting Steve from working on the shed for a while, he offered to help me assemble my engine free of charge. AWESOME. So, once we get everything together we can work on it for a couple of Saturdays with Steve's guidance which will expedite the process and make sure we do everything correctly the first time. The case will be line bored this week, the crankshaft will be checked out and hopefully he'll send out the cam and lifters. I'm going to order pistons and cylinders this week too. 

Then, Dad and I went out to Oxford dragway for an afternoon of racing. They had some nostalgic dragsters, gassers and funny cars there. My one gripe was that there was way too much down time between races and we spent a significant amount of time waiting for stuff to happen. 

Funny Car

Awesome Gasser Car

After the races I spent the evening with the Litchfield crew, had a fire, checked out the stars and took a late night dip in the pool.

Heaven

Today, Allie and I hooked up with former MSSM res life staff member Stefan D-W at the Center for Wooden Boats to go for a lovely afternoon sail.  D-dubs is still on the job hunt, but things seem promising and it sounds like he has been taking all kinds of ladies out on the water.  He was actually just getting done with one when we showed up.

Also, this great picture I took.  Very D-dubs.

Anyways, sailing was crazy great.  It really is an absolutely one-of-a-kind place.  Being out on the water in an old wooden boat is awesome by itself.  Add to that the Kenmore float planes constantly taking off and landing on the lake, the great scenic views of the Space Needle, Downtown, and the houseboats, as well as a huge variety of interesting boat traffic it is just really phenomenal.  Multiple times we got a direct fly-over from the Kenmore float planes.  I have already signed up to volunteer and am going to get orientated next weekend (as well as pick up my Victrola from DW), sooo gonna be awesome.  Also it was my first time skippering a boat in probably at least 5 years.  Did pretty well, hope to check out to go solo next weekend.  No doubt DW will have awesome Flickr pictures up sometime reasonably soon.

Toby Hrynick is in Front of Me Right Now

I am at a Tim Hortons in Toronto, Canada with Mr. Tobias Hrynick. He sends his regards.

Pics and it happened.

I am actually currently stuck in Toronto. My Jeep decided die horrifically here. So I'm here until it lives again. Well not really horrifically, just sort of shifting in a less than favorable way. Of course it would wait until I was in a foreign city with no appropriate recourse to do so. Silly silly Jeep. Though for a used car, first mechanical issue in 3 and a half years is not bad. Not bad at all.

Hopefully my next post will be stateside. I kind of have work on Monday.

We Should Clearly Play This

Well I've spent my morning watching Moonbase Alpha videos on YouTube. The game is a very accurate simulation of what establishing a lunar colony could be like. It's a free game distributed by NASA. The following video should sum up why we should play when I return from Canada.

Pukin' & Puppets

Today I suffered from a severe stomach illness, so I've been chilling out my apartment.  Just ate eggs, bacon, and sriracha (whoo eating!).  Also watching Being Elmo, a documentary about Kevin Clash.  It's really, really good.  Probably my second favorite movie next to Man on Wire.  Pretty inspiring, a dirt poor kid from Baltimore that was so passionate about puppets he just worked his way into the big time league with Jim Henson.