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What You Up to During Lockdown ?


JeffR

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I'm bored, seriously bored.  

So started looking round for something to do. 110  V8 could do with some (bit of an understatement) work, but needs welding and well, my welding kit got cremated last October, so thats a non starter.  200Tdi needs shed loads of electrics sorted, doable if the Aldi multimeter (my decent one , yeah you got it , got cremated along with the welding kit, metal folders, engine crane etc last October) does what it says on the tin. It also needs moved, that's gonna be a bit more problematical, cos like I sorta left the handbrake on for a year or so (actually last summer when one of my coronary arteries decided to cease to function as a pipe and kill off a wee bit of heart muscle....) and the rest of the brakes have seized in sympathy with the handbrake... Oh and the tyres only have air at the top, the dinky compressor that plugs into the coffin nail lighter (note to ones self, haven't had a cigarette in 3 years now) can't cope with Landrover tyres and the big compressor , well that got cremated along with my trolley /bottle jacks.  So Thats working on the LRs stuffed.

Tried to give myself a hernia moving an autobox and transfer box thats going in the V8 at some point into its new garden store residence.  Mind you, can't find the torque converter or flex plate anywhere, but did find a GKN overdrive in a filing cabinet (well where do you keep yours...) that was also full of air tools and recycled rat food. 

Could finish stripping out the family VW that the wife parked under a car Transporter, but thats got a whole new fungal ecosystem going on inside it (leather and Aspergillus sp are made for each other , it would seem).  Could try and fix the other family car that ate its timing belt last week in Sainsburys carpark, but well, thats still in Sainsburys carpark cos the recovery company will only recover it to a garage ( telling them that "I've got a garage" doesn't count, evidently).

So over the weekend I built a new fishing rod rack  (why have I got 32 fishing rods and 75 reels?), started sorting out the garage - forgot we had a mini in there! And about a cwt of recycled rat food (think about it....), found that I appear to own at least 2 1/2 dismantle passats and way too many knackered landrover brake calipers. Oh and a Disco 1 front axle. Also found a pillar drill I can't remember buying... Warning on one of the medication boxes states "may impaire memory", yeah well they aint telling fibs there.

So set about the tools... Now a lot went up in flames during the October conflagration, but plenty survived.  When I say survived, theys on life support (never realised how damp the garage was), so been playing around with electrolysis to remove rust. Quite entertaining and sorta works. Just don't leave ally bits in too long (like overnight) cos well they disappear. Gonna experiment with different electrolytes, sodium bicarbonate (washing soda) is best so far, but dishwater tabs also seem to work quite well.  DON'T use salt, honest its a bad idea. Saw a video of someone using molasses to remove rust so may give that a go.

Also stripped out a lovely heated Recaro from a Vauxhall Pininfarina coupe to see if I could get the seat heaters to work cos they (the seats) will fit in one of the 110's, bolt spacing is almost identical.  Found the problem, wiring to both pressure sensors was snapped - nice easy fix ,  just need to completely remove the airbags and wiring before they take up residence in a landrover. Also need to make a drivers side floorpan for the 200tdi, cos i'm b£$%erd if I can find the old one.

Still bored though....

 

 

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If it makes you feel better I've been b**ering things up and failing to make progress on the 109 as well as killing equipment :(

Had the MIG, the CNC mill and the garden strimmer all die on me during quarantine (I'm not mourning for the strimmer), and a brake calliper bracket that would be 5 minutes work on a mill has been causing me grief for weeks as I keep ending up down various dead-ends trying to work around it with what I've got to hand.

Means the 109 is disabled in the garage, still covered in sh*te and in the way of about 20 other jobs I could be getting on with :angry:

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48 minutes ago, FridgeFreezer said:

If it makes you feel better I've been b**ering things up and failing to make progress on the 109 as well as killing equipment :(

Had the MIG, the CNC mill and the garden strimmer all die on me during quarantine (I'm not mourning for the strimmer), and a brake calliper bracket that would be 5 minutes work on a mill has been causing me grief for weeks as I keep ending up down various dead-ends trying to work around it with what I've got to hand.

Means the 109 is disabled in the garage, still covered in sh*te and in the way of about 20 other jobs I could be getting on with :angry:

My Golf ate its temp sender unit (which also works the signal for the ECU to energise the glow plugs) so "tries" to get a new one.......

VW "what colour is it"

Me "don't know its buried in the engine bay, performs super human feats of contortion to establish its probably a green one"

VW "what engine"

Me "PD130"

VW" "Year of manufacture"

Me "2002"

VW "OH"

Me "What do mean OH"

VW "err there's like 6 possibilities"

Me "WTF"

VW " three green ones, a black one and a grey one"

Me " I make that three types..."

VW "well no cos you've got a green one with a red spot, a green one with white spot and a green one"

Me "OK so what are the part numbers ?"

VW "all the same"

ME "F@£K it just give me the commonest and Ill take the risk,....."

VW "We sell equal numbers of the green ones..."

ME "pick one at random, I won't hold you responsible, it only costs a tenner"

VW "can't do that, click as he hangs up"

So Golf is still belching smoke on startup cos the ECU thinks its at running temp and doesn't need the glow plugs, which will now soot up and cease to function...

Gonna buy a bloody horse instead of a motor vehicle, at least the  waste products are good for the garden and you can eat the damn thing when it dies ,if push comes to shove.

 

By the way I think I'm gonna have that R Tech Mig over the Kemppi, can get a new helmet and spool gun for the same price.  I really miss my Lincoln Viking 3350.....

Edited by JeffR
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1 minute ago, mmgemini said:

Nothing. Well I did try to sort the load bay lights in my Defender, so far after four weeks the new lights are there. New wiring in headlinind and the back vertical cover thing still hanging down.

 

Hiya Mike, meant to give you a bell , but lost all my phone numbers when cordless phone base station had a disagreement with our lunatic (and it would seem) fully electrically insulated pet rabbit... Trust you are all well down there.

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Hi Jeff  <number removed> . Yes we are fine and not murdered each other yet. Age is no help it takes ages now to do anything. Yep I'm 82 in June

 

Edited by Retroanaconda
PM best for mobile numbers
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13 minutes ago, Happyoldgit said:

Not bored at all, as ever there's so much to do and never enough time - or inclination to do all of it.

These have been keeping us distracted though

 

Pups.jpg.20de28984c1afdf0983fa07313885f5e.jpg

We kept two of those off a recent litter never a dull moment regards Stephen 

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17 minutes ago, Happyoldgit said:

Not bored at all, as ever there's so much to do and never enough time - or inclination to do all of it.

These have been keeping us distracted though

 

Pups.jpg.20de28984c1afdf0983fa07313885f5e.jpg

Man , they're cute. We currently have rather too many pets.... Four rats, the worlds coolest Hamster, 2 Guinea pigs, the worlds horniest house rabbit , a 8 kilo cat (and he's been on a diet - lost a kilo-  he took to comfort eating after we lost his brother due to feline lymphoma. ) and 2 completely insane 8 month old kittens.  I won't mention the Bullfinch chicks I'm raising (neighbour brought them round after felling a tree last week), they'll be fledged soon and ready for release.

So I shouldn't be bored, but I am.

I really need to go fishing, haven't spent a night on a beach in nearly a year, wife even bought me a new reel for my birthday this year, and I haven't been able to try it out in anger....

Edited by JeffR
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1 hour ago, Snagger said:

Has one of them peed in the water bowl?  Looks a little funky...

 No, it passed the taste test, quite fresh in fact🤣🤣🤣

In reality they are in the shade under a tree so it's just the reflection of the leaves.

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1 hour ago, Happyoldgit said:
1 hour ago, Happyoldgit said:

Not bored at all, as ever there's so much to do and never enough time - or inclination to do all of it.

These have been keeping us distracted though

 

Pups.jpg.20de28984c1afdf0983fa07313885f5e.jpg

 

I bet they, fun though. shame there’s a lockdown, my daughter would be very happy to pop over and amuse them for a while 👍
 

Never had a springer spaniel, what are they like?

 

cheers, Steve 
 

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27 minutes ago, SteveG said:

 

I bet they, fun though. shame there’s a lockdown, my daughter would be very happy to pop over and amuse them for a while 👍
 

Never had a springer spaniel, what are they like?

 

cheers, Steve 
 

These are working strain so programmed to hunt and flush so are busy and active. I've always had Labs and saw so many manic and out of control Springers on shoots I swore I would never have one. The moral here is never say never! Mine is my shadow, very loyal and quite a character. I'm keeping at least one pup, two are going to new homes this week, another may possibly be spoken for so one left ...decisions decisions.

What amazes me is the number of people who now want working strain gundogs just for pets.

 

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We've a pair of Springer Collie retriever mongrels.

Loyal. Insane. Strong willed. Cute. Messy.

She springs, digs, swims, and sleeps in a ball.

He defends, steals, and they both chase ducks, squirrels and cats. But not pigeons, unfortunately. They both think paint work in the house is optional, and prefer the distressed look.

The next dog will be by Sony.

IMG_20200506_175949.jpg

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1 hour ago, Happyoldgit said:

These are working strain so programmed to hunt and flush so are busy and active. I've always had Labs and saw so many manic and out of control Springers on shoots I swore I would never have one. The moral here is never say never! Mine is my shadow, very loyal and quite a character. I'm keeping at least one pup, two are going to new homes this week, another may possibly be spoken for so one left ...decisions decisions.

What amazes me is the number of people who now want working strain gundogs just for pets.

 

I suppose it’s down to the fact that most working dogs have character. If exercised well they also make good family dogs, so no surprise they are popular.

Had labs here too, latest addition a few years ago is a beagle.

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Grew up with a lab/springer cross, then my first dog was the same cross (very different dogs though - both from working springers, but working lab in the first case and 'show' lab in the second - both needed plenty of exercise, the difference was size and intelligence...). Current dogs are a border collie/golden retriever/flat coat retriever cross (okay, technically mongrel) - calm, tolerant, likes herding, basically a very chilled out collie - and a 7 month old cocker spaniel, who's show type but hasn't read the manual - she's a flat out bundle of over-enthusiastic energy who would clearly like to work! She's my son's and he's keen to train her to work, so we'll see.

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Puppies !!!!!!

They'll keep you busy alright..

I think there are a few people here who love puppy pictures...

Deep sigh....

As the Ladies are getting older we have started to look around where to go...

Working Golden Retrievers that is.

Not easy these days...

 

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I am working normal hours at home, but it seems much busier doing other things as well:

sprog 1 learning to cycle:

large.cycling.jpg.abb45706c3f85f5ac11d1728ce3670a4.jpg

Make sure sprog 2 doesn't disapear:

large.IMG_7821.JPG.0923207e4354b7c9fbe2437fb3fd10e2.JPG

Walk sunny:

large.IMG_7808.JPG.854ef632040f1b98fb871cb72fdfe8c9.JPG

I might get 1 hour tonight on the landrover (still on topic!).

 

Daan

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Now here's a question, got the airbags out of the seats, how on earth do I dispose of them?  Got a battery and lots of cable (can you see where this is going....) and an urge to do something which I may regret! 

15 hours ago, cackshifter said:

Jeff, good to hear from you but I'm just slightly worried you have to remove the airbags from those seats...you will be careful won't you? 

 

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1 hour ago, JeffR said:

Now here's a question, got the airbags out of the seats, how on earth do I dispose of them?  Got a battery and lots of cable (can you see where this is going....) and an urge to do something which I may regret! 

 

 

Cameras at the ready....

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1 minute ago, Happyoldgit said:

 

Cameras at the ready....

Theres a sycamore tree in my garden (about 4m/5m tall) which shades out the gooseberry bush.  Took a slightly smaller one down a fortnight ago using a panel saw (bloody hard work), now the airbag is quite compact sooooooo  (in the past a few inches of det chord would have worked) If I drill a big enough hole in the trunk, insert said airbag, hide round the corner with 30ft of cable and a car battery.... How much damage can I actually do

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