A mellow Saturday All Saints Day as yesterday was Halloween. Raven stayed up the hill for a face painting party gig. I did some shopping, the farmers market is still on until Thanksgiving. I picked up some more pineapple guavas, apples and a butternut squash. A stop at the hardware store for flashlight bulbs and canning lids.
I cooked myself a grass fed hamburger steak with pork and beans on the side. Simple but tasty
With nothing better to do I went to work drilling the spring extensions. It’s really slow going on the drill press through iron. I had to finish a few more 3/8 pilot holes in the outer short stock, sharpening the bit every few holes. I made some adjustments with the rotary file in the flex shaft drill, then hogged it out using the 1/2 inch bit. I had to sharpen that every few holes as well, using my lapidary rock grinder and eyeballing the grinds worked OK. It’s a good grinder and I have practiced sharpening drill bits. Drilling all those 20 holes took the whole day. There’s a pun as it’s All Saints Day. I put some 1/2″ fence bolts through to see how they line up, lucked out as they all fit well enough. They still have burrs to file, careful they’re sharp yet, but it fits.
I went up to Bosworth’s to see if Harry has grade 5-1/2″ bolts, no luck, but we looked it up in Grainger’s, they have lots of 25, I only need four of each 2 1/2″ and 4 1/2″. I know of a place in Santa Rosa will have them, where I got the U bolts for the springs. They have to be grade 5 minimum for that much weight. I’ll pick them up this week after work. The corners of the square tubes will need to be sanded in prep for welding, then bolted together to weld with Luis’ help. The 8 holes in the vardo frame will be more difficult as they need the 1/2″ hand drill, good thing I found the extra handle, but still a chore. Clamped in place and guided may help, but the pilot holes need to be right first and the spring punch won’t fit, just checked, maybe lathe turn one down at work. I’ll get it right.
Another holy day.
8shotoflove8 