Sleeping

I never knew anyone could actually sleep like this. Hands tucked under cheek all adorable-like. I figured it was a movie stunt, but here you go... Sunday morning like a baby.

Project Rollers - Take 4

The rollers are really coming together now! I've been shopping for some pipe to use as spacers to be able to clamp the roller drums in place without improperly stressing the bearings. I wanted to find a pipe that would just fit over the 1/2-inch axles. Guess what...that's not a common size pipe. The local steel supplier's website advertised schedule 10, 3/8-inch pipe with an inside diameter 5/100'ths larger than 1/2 inch. When I called to see if they had any in stock, the salesman told me that shouldn't even be on the website...Great!

I had basically put that on the back burner and went into my neighborhood hardware store to get some bolts to use as axles for the floating frame wheels. While I was in there I decided to check on their very minimal pipe stock. To my great surprise and amazement, they had galvanized pipe that had a 6/10'ths-inch inside diameter. It's called EMT conduit. (Who would have thought that EMT's use conduit?) Better yet, it was $3.50 for a 10-foot stick! That was savings enough to purchase a little pipe cutter to make accurate cuts with...

With all my spacers cut, I am now ready to assemble the main frame...
...except I had a couple more holes to drill first. So, risking the possibility of waking my family at 6:00 this morning, I drilled the necessary holes. I'm stepping the drilling, and could really use to add one more step between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch, but whatever.
Here's my setup for drilling. It took a bit of care to get the drill press level so that I could drill a vertical hole...granted that I placed the piece to drill level also. A friend suggested I gang-drill the frame pieces so the holes were certain to be aligned. Good suggestion!

If you look close in this picture, you can see the little zingers of hot metal coming off the bit. I love that! They smoke as they fly because they are burning the lube oil.
I have now purchased almost everything I need for the rollers. The last things on the list are bungee chords, a roller belt, wood for the floating frame, and some paint to dress it up when I'm done. We should be seeing some full assembly shots very soon!

Granted that this project works out, I have just signed up for an event that will put my rollers to the test! I signed up for the very first 100 Miles of Nowhere race. This event has been organized by a man with strong reasons to support cancer research, and 2/3 of the registration for the event goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. With cancer all around, and even very recently on the minds of my own family, I signed up for the event. Yes, I'm paying a small sum to ride 100 miles on my own...going nowhere! Sarah flipped when I told her. :P The reward will be knowing I've helped out just a little. Anyone crazy enough to join me?

Weekend Visitor

Last weekend we had a visitor parked outside our house...an asphalt eater!
You see, we've been very pleased to have our road closed down for construction (no traffic in the evenings or on the weekend)!
We worked on the garden this past weekend, and scored big with the girls. We roughed in this little path with concrete bricks and Caitin and Jamie ran back and forth on it all weekend long!
We planted our peas, carrots, onions and spinach and planned out where we will plant the warm-weather plants.

Yup, it's spring here...the dafodils are out and tulips are up. We love this time of year!

Oh yeah, and the recent forcasts are calling for chances of snow again. Typical!

Project Rollers - Take 3

Time to thread the shafts! Starting off with a little chamfer to get the dye started a bit easier.

It takes a good bit of pressure on the dye to get it started properly, but once it's started just turn and lube.

The new threads are a little jagged, but will clean up with use...

...and a little help from the drum sander. The drum sander has saved me the cost of getting a bench grinder. I'd like a bench grinder, but I really don't have space for one, and I'd have to save up my pennies to get one. Later on, I'm sure...

A quick assembly makes this project begin to come to life! The next step will be to create some spacers that will hold everything in it's proper position and some nylock nuts to lock it into place.
I couldn't help not showing how it works at this point... CLICK HERE to see it roll!

Easter pics

Here's a couple pics of the girls Easter morning... Where's the Easter Bunny?

And one for the Family!

To be fair, I thought I'd post one for the family also...I already explained some of the fun-in-the-sun things we've been able to do lately, so here are a few pics:

Picnic between conference sessions.

Sandbox fun Sunday afternoon. Good thing I had just heard a talk that said we should laugh the next time we feel like groaning. Way to bury your sister, Caitin!

The resultant tub-water...


This scared us the first time with Caitin's energy and inclination to pump the swing high. Jamie loves it, though!

Here's the link for slightly higher quality:

Caitin & Jamie on Glider

Project Rollers - Take 2

For a while there progress on the rollers was slowed..., but the work has picked back up! This week's work consisted of creating end plugs for the pipes to create the roller drums. I used some composite decking material that happened to be sitting in my shop (sorry Ralph for not getting this back to you!)

After about 9 cuts apiece on the miter saw, the blanks are marked for center and drilled for mounting on a face plate mandrel to turn the pieces on a lathe.

I borrowed a little wood lathe from a friend. These pieces nearly max out the size capacity of the lathe, and I was a little worried that it might not be powerful enough, but it's a gutsy little thing. The major issue has been to keep any tool sharp enough to work effectively. The composite material is pretty tough stuff.

There are two types of end plugs I am turning. The first has a little groove in it to accept the belt. The second does not need this, so the outer lip is smaller. I finished one of each today and loosely assembled the first roller drum. It takes me about 2 hours apiece to turn these plugs. I'm sizing them just right to be able to press into the pipe, and so the bearings will press into the plug. The key to this is to take it slowly!

Just 4 more plugs to go and I'll have the three roller drums ready to mount on the frame. Now if I could just find some time to ride my bike...

Lovely Spring Weather

This past week has been beautiful in Spokane. We have been loving the sunshine and warmer weather. Caitin and I broke out on the first trailer & mtn bike ride this week...only about 1 mile total, but still nice to get out. We made it down to the river one day to check out the rock-throwing conditions, and Sarah was also able to get out on a run to meet us there.

I put the commuter bike to work one day as a test run with the newly fixed rear cog. It's a strange and rather exciting feeling to ride something different than I've ever ridden before. The fixed cog causes the bike to REQUIRE pedaling 100% of the time. Try to coast and it kicks your legs on around. Try to stop pedaling and be ready for a bucking experience. Throughout the ride I had to concentrate on NOT pausing.

The bike rollers are progressing slowly. I've come up with a lathe and have turned the first bushing to press into the drum. I'm working out some kinks in the manufacturing process, but I expect I'll be able to kick out some finished parts and begin assembly soon.

At work, the construction season has begun, and we are on the receiving end of it at home. The street we live on is closed and is being torn up even as I type. We love the reduced traffic, particularly in the evenings! Now we've gotta figure out how to keep that road closed permanantly.