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Post by faffer on Mar 19, 2017 13:25:56 GMT
Thats the way John, aslong as it holds Welding vertical is a pain in the ares like upside down, at time i have dropped amps donw by a third to get a nice run but that was on MIG no chance with stick.
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Post by JohnV on Mar 19, 2017 15:15:45 GMT
Lollylaggers post sent me off on deck again to have a go at the second one ........ maybe a touch neater than the first, but not a lot in it. There was no fender ring welded to the deck next to the second one so it was a bit easier to grind a bit more clean, but still impossible to get at the back between the toe rail and the upright. Same methods as the other, not pretty but it's on good and solid. Only took an hour for the second one !!! As expected I now have a stinking headache so I have knocked off for the day. The Mast rest will have to wait till tomorrow Attachments:
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Post by lollygagger on Mar 19, 2017 15:41:14 GMT
Lollylaggers post sent me off on deck again to have a go at the second one ........ maybe a touch neater than the first, but not a lot in it. There was no fender ring welded to the deck next to the second one so it was a bit easier to grind a bit more clean, but still impossible to get at the back between the toe rail and the upright. Β Same methods as the other, not pretty but it's on good and solid. Only took an hour for the second one !!! As expected I now have a stinking headache so I have knocked off for the day. Β The Mast rest will have to wait till tomorrowΒ I only have MIG experience but if forced to weld to rust I crank up the power and aim more at the rusty bit. Finger files are good at getting to awkward bits and much more effective than I imagined before I got one. I thought they'd tickle it smooth but they eat away at steel quite nicely.
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Post by lollygagger on Mar 19, 2017 15:43:55 GMT
I was only saving gazza's good reputation with the rust comments - I did it so he wouldn't have to.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2017 12:27:33 GMT
Still slow progress as I split myself between ours and the Ormelite. Sunday saw the Cauliflower bolted in position along with a good chunk of the domestic water pipe work reconnected. I also wired the immersion heater back up. I didn't have too much time on it as the Dwarf hadn't seen much of me over the weekend. She has given the throne the thumbs up - she's had a seat fitting and seems happy with it Good push on Thursday and we will be getting closer. Should hopefully be dunking her back in early April. Pictures on Friday....
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Post by JohnV on Mar 20, 2017 12:46:57 GMT
Look forward to your photos Gazza
This morning welded the mast rest onto the deck (left the tacking up brace attached, after all, it a helps make it stronger) Not bothering to tidy it up or paint as it will be chopped off as soon as the mast has been dropped and cut up. It's massively over engineered as it's 3" heavy gauge angle but that's what I had in stock (and it will go back there when I've finished with it)
It's rather windy today so not really suitable weather for dropping the mast ...... but at least everything is ready for it.
Anyway that's three outside jobs completed ........ back to the engine room now ....... first job clearing up !!!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2017 12:51:34 GMT
Look forward to your photos Gazza This morning welded the mast rest onto the deck (left the tacking up brace attached, after all, it a helps make it stronger) Not bothering to tidy it up or paint as it will be chopped off as soon as the mast has been dropped and cut up. It's massively over engineered as it's 3" heavy gauge angle but that's what I had in stock (and it will go back there when I've finished with it) It's rather windy today so not really suitable weather for dropping the mast ...... but at least everything is ready for it. Anyway that's three outside jobs completed ........ back to the engine room now ....... first job clearing up !!! it's not a day for deck work here - tilting it own with rain and gusty winds. The engine room must seem pretty inviting!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2017 11:11:01 GMT
Work is still providing invaluable technical support with this refit. I have searched high and low for the correct plug for the Denso circulation pump I purchased before Christmas - with zero luck. So a different approach was required. Creative use of striped back insulated butt crimps, a soldering iron and some heat shrink sorted the job out ππ
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2017 8:23:34 GMT
Well, Thursday came and went, I got a bit more done but no pictures I'm afraid. The domestic water system is now finished, I've had a chance to refine and rejig things a bit - the old system grewed over time, now I have a much neater system, I'm waiting for a couple of fittings from eBay for the water level gauge that's getting fitted, up till now the water line at the stern is the only indicator I had. The dwarf has been eating into my time available finishing it. We only had time for this on the way home from nursery yesterday. No buggering about this weekend as we have stuff to do today and of course it's mothers day tomorrow.
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Post by JohnV on Mar 27, 2017 8:24:29 GMT
Well I have been busy (of course because it's nice and sunny, Muggins here has been finishing off inside jobs most of the time !!!) Engine room is finally at a stage when I am happy to leave it. All the engine room floor plates have been removed and the bilges vacuumed out. All the dozens of nuts and bolts, spanners, screwdrivers etc, put back in the racks ...... Oil and filter change still needs to be done on the main engine, but it will be Tuesday or Wednesday before there is enough tide to be able to run the engine long enough to get the oil hot. (I know I could do it by turning off the seawater valve and opening up the top of the strum box, sticking a hose in and feeding it that way as it only needs enough water to lubricate the impeller but it's faff) The two boxes for the new engine battery bank are in place with all the cables made up (presently the domestic bank is being used) I just need to buy the batteries (basic truck batteries, nothing special) I have had a major sort out in the stores and thrown out some more stuff (I did look at some bits, that I know I will never use, but don't know what to do with) There is a box with several large three phase contactors (brand new) and overload trips for big electric motors (20 to 30 Kw) Finally yesterday I got an outside job done, I have been hesitating over for a while, lowering the mast. (I wouldn't have thought twice about doing it in the past but I think that if you are not careful a serious bout of illness can leave you unsure of yourself ....... it does something to your confidence) Sabina's mast is as old as the hills and was originally made from an untreated spar imported for making telegraph posts, shaped and then used as a mast on a fishing boat called "Samson".When the fishing boat was scrapped the wheelhouse ended up as a shed and the mast was kicking round the yard for years. It's about 10" diameter at the butt and weighs a bloody ton. I welded up a mast rest out of some heavy 3" angle and rigged a 4" x 4" post about 8' long as a gin pole. a double purchase block onto the forestay run back to the anchor winch. The stays remain under tension all the way down so there was no worry about side play. I had been hesitating about doing it on my own but realised I was being daft .... with something like that, if it goes pear shaped then you don't want anyone else around and likely to get injured. All went fine and with the anchor winch lowering it quite smoothly, The gin pole was just about long enough (although you could hear some creaking) and kept sufficient angle for the leverage. I have been starting to cut it up into 4' lengths, with a hand saw !!! (well it is good exercise and I haven't any petrol for the chain saw) so far I have made just two cuts !!!
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Post by kris on Mar 27, 2017 8:29:15 GMT
It's amazing what a bit of good weather does for the motivation. Are you going to replace the mast john or not bothering?
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Post by JohnV on Mar 27, 2017 10:34:49 GMT
It's amazing what a bit of good weather does for the motivation. Are you going to replace the mast john or not bothering? Not going to bother for now ........ I have a skinny pole on top of the wheelhouse where I will put the fwrd light and anchor light for now (cables are already up there ..... did it when installing radar) and then look around for something a little less massive to replace it. ......... It doesn't need to be quite as tall and it certainly doesn't want to be as heavy !!! She definitely looks better with a mast but I just don't have the time (or the energy) to faff about with it at the moment !!!
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Post by kris on Mar 27, 2017 11:20:31 GMT
She definitely looks better with a mast but I just don't have the time (or the energy) to faff about with it at the moment !!! i can understand that sentiment.
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Post by JohnV on Mar 27, 2017 14:36:27 GMT
Well This afternoon I got stuck back in again. Chopped the mast up into 5 sections and used the winch on the crane to drag them to the gangway and the crane to lift them over the side onto the jetty. One of my neighbours is going to use them for firewood. I removed all the mast fittings (The hounds and mast bands look like they are blacksmith made and quite old so I'll hang on to them). All the other fittings, shackles bottle screws etc have been cleaned oiled and put away. The fwrd light and anchor light have been washed and fitted to the temporary "skinny pole" on the wheelhouse (but not yet wired up) ....... and I'm knackered !!! but feeling very pleased to have it all done. It's only half three but I've had enough so it's a bottle of Shepherd and Neame's excellent Whitstable Bay IPA and a sit in the sun for me now ......... Cheers !!!
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Post by faffer on Mar 28, 2017 16:40:37 GMT
You John are putting me and Gazza to shame.
Are all these jobs for something special or just needed to be done jobs that have been waiting for a while now.
Love to see some pics of your boat/s.
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