What did you do today?

[Pete D 362]

I (finally) finished modifying my sandblaster, and it works quite well.

I added a metering valve.  One benefit is I only use a few cups of media at a time.

I replaced the "view port" glass with a couple of pieces of window glass and a stick-on plastic protector sheet.

I replaced the 4 mm screws & nuts with longer nuts, retainers, and thumb screws to facilitate easy removal of the glass & protector sheet.

I added 2 EXTERNAL LED lights.

I made & installed a sheet metal intake baffle to draw dust downward & away from the view port.

I added a pressure regulator and distribution block, ran 1/2" tubing (and 1/4" for an added blow gun), a foot pedal, and a better blast gun.

I connected a big shop vac and dust deputy which eliminates dust.

I caulked all seams, added weather stripping where needed, and doubled up with foil HVAC tape on outside seams.

I removed (an apparently useless) screen support, & cut down the screen to allow it to sit lower in the cabinet.  This allows blasting slightly larger parts.

 

Last pic is my "test" blast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20 by Pete D
Typos

[ebinmaine 70,232]

I did TEN push-ups this morning!!

[ebinmaine 70,232]

@Pete D

 

Excellent work on that!

[953 nut 57,366]

Yesterday I fertilized all of the flower beds. I haven't been able to balance well enough to get around without a walker since my stroke so I just crawled on hands and knees. 

Today I realized the location of a few muscles that have been under utilized for over a year.             Some Bayer Back and Body seems to be helping.

Today I will be changing the oil and air filter on the 310-8 and lubricating it in preparation for the first mowing of the season.   

[ebinmaine 70,232]

@953 nut

Getting it done!

 

Niiiiice.  

[Ed Kennell 40,159]

22 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Today I realized the location of a few muscles that have been under utilized for over a year.

Seems recently I get complaints from muscles and joints every time i do anything.  I guess it's due to age and cabin fever.    Keep it moving Richard even if we need to work from our knees. I have kneeling cushions located at several locations where i have to work from my knees.

[ebinmaine 70,232]

2 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Keep it moving

 

This is the key!

[953 nut 57,366]

10 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

I guess it's due to age and cabin fever. 

Both age and inactivity all winter long are plaguing me. Since mid December I have been rather inactive while caring for my wife. Now that I am asking my old body to do things it hasn't been doing for months it is rebelling.

[Ed Kennell 40,159]

Yesterday I installed the 42"SD on the 312-8.       I find the electric hoist invaluable to pick a deck from the dolly.

 

Then use the hoist to raise the tractor so i can roll the deck under from the front rather than to drag it under from the side.   As we get older and weaker, we need to get smarter.

And yes, I had my kneeling pad handy while connecting the deck and mule drive.

 

Finished spreading the roadapples in the flower beds.     RIP Jay.

 

 

Installed the window flower boxes that I made over the winter.

 

Ready  for spring planting and mowing in a couple weeks.

[953 nut 57,366]

18 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Finished spreading the roadapples in the flower beds.

I did that for several years but have found the weed seeds survive the horse's digestive system and thrive in their poop.  Chicken poop is richer though it is hard to come by these days because of bird flue concerns.

[Ed Kennell 40,159]

5 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

I did that for several years but have found the weed seeds survive the horse's digestive system and thrive in their poop.  Chicken poop is richer though it is hard to come by these days because of bird flue concerns.

I agree and understand horse manure is not the ideal fertilizer.   But as you know, I am cheap  thrifty  and the horse manure is free from a horse boarding/riding farm that is only 2 mile from me and they even load it for free.    The have also switched from straw to sawdust for bedding which makes a better mixture.   BTW, my Amish neighbor does spread his horse manure of course, but the bulk of his organic fertilizer is purchased commercial  ground chicken manure  that is delivered and spread with a rotary spreader on a truck.

[Handy Don 13,225]

5 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

....    Keep it moving Richard even if we need to work from our knees. I have kneeling cushions located at several locations where i have to work from my knees.

A few years ago I acquired a set of quality kneepads for a one-off task and thought I’d rarely use them after that. Ha!

Now they are an essential in my “go” bag. Yes, I look silly wearing them all day when only on my knees occasionally. Fortunately I’m mature enough not to care!

[Wayne0 814]

5 hours ago, Handy Don said:

A few years ago I acquired a set of quality kneepads for a one-off task and thought I’d rarely use them after that. Ha!

Now they are an essential in my “go” bag. Yes, I look silly wearing them all day when only on my knees occasionally. Fortunately I’m mature enough not to care!

I tossed an old foam pool float in the dumpster at work. One of my co workers pulled it out and cut kneeling pads out of it. Dang, I never thought of that!

[WHX?? 50,404]

Goin to cut up the mother of all maples tomorrow at Dan's.

 Get by with a little help from my friends 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 27,034]

3 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Goin to cut up the mother of all maples tomorrow at Dan's.

 Get by with a little help from my friends 

 

[WHX?? 50,404]

52 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Fer sure Silvia  ... This is the one that bashed the cab of @Achtos new Dodge. 

Be interesting to count the rings. We should have a pool to see guesses the closest. My guess will be 127. 

[Achto 28,534]

3 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

We should have a pool to see guesses the closest. My guess will be 127. 

 

I was thinkin' 150

[WHX?? 50,404]

On 3/20/2025 at 6:16 PM, Pete D said:

I (finally) finished modifying my sandblaster,

Just caught this Pete. 

 

Next time post it in the blaster mods thread for better future reference. I'll see if I can find it. 

 

Almost all the  same mods I did. I need to do the dead man's pedal yet.

Yer gonna find that tape on the inside will not last. 

The inside light has a plastic diffuser that comes right off and provides better light if you are still using it. 

Your source on the outside lights and how are they held on? Any glare thru the glass? 

 

I can't find that mod thread. 

[Pete D 362]

13 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Just caught this Pete. 

 

Next time post it in the blaster mods thread for better future reference. I'll see if I can find it. 

 

Almost all the  same mods I did. I need to do the dead man's pedal yet.

Yer gonna find that tape on the inside will not last. 

The inside light has a plastic diffuser that comes right off and provides better light if you are still using it. 

Your source on the outside lights and how are they held on? Any glare thru the glass? 

 

I can't find that mod thread. 

 

Yeah, as soon as I added the tape inside I knew it was not a good idea.  I had already sealed the seam, so it will not be a leakage issue.

 

These are the lights, no glare.  They are held on by double faced tape (included) and I used tie wrap anchors for the wires.  The lights also include stick-on wire clips.

 

20" under cabinet lights
https://a.co/d/hSA8ygX
 

 

[Pete D 362]

13 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Next time post it in the blaster mods thread for better future reference. I'll see if I can find it. 

 

I think THIS is the thread.

[ebinmaine 70,232]

Oh man. Busy today! I spent a couple hours in the new workshop this morning. Organizing and cleaning. Sorting and shuffling. Got more items from the basement and relocated them appropriately. 

 The electrician was here for several hours today. 
We now have the big generator connected to the house with a proper interlock switch. 
Also, he moved some circuits in the basement apartment. Connected a heater and kitchen stove and installed another track light over the kitchen sink and stove. He moved a circuit and installed a chandelier where the dining room table will be. 
Trina and her momma worked on installing more wall pieces. 
 

[Marv 963]

On 3/21/2025 at 8:36 AM, Ed Kennell said:

Seems recently I get complaints from muscles and joints every time i do anything.  I guess it's due to age and cabin fever.    Keep it moving Richard even if we need to work from our knees. I have kneeling cushions located at several locations where i have to work from my knees.

I am with you all the way. Working from knees is no longer possible. Seems that standing position is mostly survivable. Sitting is better yet as long as knees are not bent past 90 degrees. But, we press on.

Marv

[Achto 28,534]

Todays adventures, the big maple tree that Jim was talking about in the post above.

 

Had this tree been in an open space I would have cut it down my self. It happened to be situated so that it need to be cut from the top down. Other wise there would be damage to my house, the neighbors house, my garage or all 3. For this reason I hired a professional to put it on the ground. Well worth the price when the tree was down and there was 0 property damage.

 

Well strike that no property damage comment. Jim being the plow man that he is, just had to lay a furrow in my lawn. Not with a plow though, he used the front stand on his wood splitter when he was dragging it around with his tractor.  

 

A big THANK YOU to the small crew who worked diligently at it all day but only managed to get about 1/3 of it cut up, split, & the mess cleaned up. 

 

Lot of work left to do and needless to say, I'm beat. Sure @WHX?? has a few pics to share as well.

[WHX?? 50,404]

44 minutes ago, Achto said:

just had to lay a furrow in my lawn.

Practicing up for Pullstarts lawn... 

44 minutes ago, Achto said:

hired a professional to put it on the ground. 

Can't believed the way he dodged that power line. He was well worth it not to have it disconnected.

Had the mother of all saws too. 

Base measured 6 ft diameter. 

missed the shot of Dan taking a digger...

Edited March 23 by WHX??

[wallfish 17,352]

4 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

He was well worth it

Yup

We had a guy drop quite a few around the house that were ruined from a big ice storm years back. There's a big difference between the pro that does it every single day and the "handyman, jack of all trades" that's cheaper in price.

Like Dan, I can chainsaw on some stuff but dropping the hairy stuff is best left to the professional. 

54 minutes ago, Achto said:

Jim being the plow man that he is, just had to lay a furrow in my lawn. Not with a plow though, he used the front stand on his wood splitter when he was dragging it around with his tractor.  

What a tool bag! LOL