Movin' on Up!

Civilization is overrated.

Nice place.

grandpaul said:

We lived on my family's ranch since I was 3, 38 years married in the same spot up until this place, my wyfe's "dream home". Ain't no movin away from here.

I could live here at the ranch and love it; Sally is a "no" on that idea, she'll come out for a day trip or a weekend and then it's "back to civilization".

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I could live with that have my own place and let the wife come and visit me (that be heaven for me lol), when she goes away she always asks me if I missed her, my answer is always "no, was nice and quiet" I don't even phone her when she is away and then when she tells me she going away for a few days I say "good I can get the girl friend around" well she just laughs at that one, my wife likes to talk, man can she talk, under water if you give her the chance, but we have learned to put up with each other and sometimes it's good to have a break from each other, she is the oldest of 9 (and shortest) I only have 2 brothers I never see so she spends a lot of time with her sisters she has 5 of them, I just have my mates and the dogs, my kids have left home and only see them when they want something, but I like my own time as well, I get lots of things done when no one is around to bother me.
As with you Paul I have lived in my house all my life except running away for a few years in my teenage years, I am happy here it's only a small 3 bedroom house and my shed/workshop that takes up 1/2 my back yard and I am happy if the neighbours leave me alone and mind their own business, but sometimes they can't help themselves.
In the old days all the original neighbours all got on with each other and always helped each other when needed, these days those time have long gone and only seem to get troubles from the newbie's and wouldn't give you the time of day, how things have changed in the last 30 years or more, but I never change my ways, I am who I am, so put up with it.

Ashley

Got the pony walls done, have (1) 8' 2x4 leftover!

Where are the 50 caliber gun turrets?

Nice block work. Back in the olden days we staggered them, no toenails. It was a long time ago. The only guys using air hammers were the guys contracting plywood sheet nailing. Everybody else used real hammers. Fun times, whiners didn't last a day.

Not a lot happening over the holidays, but we did get some sheathing and a pair of doors done.



The only way to set up the ladder was not in the safety manual...



Anyway, we got it "mostly" done, running down to scraps...

Installed the 2 doors (no trim yet). YES, I see that the right one is not square. Too bad.



We decided the big room would be a game room, not a bad start but it needs a Dynamo Tournament Soccer foosball table still...



Bedroom already has 4 bunks set up

The front covered carport is now an almost full-size pickleball court with temporary net setup. I'll be customizing the net for easy setup & take-down, and optional setup as a tennis net.



The same area also serves as an almost-half court basketball setup

Still making progress, I was worried you’d ground to a halt.

Flatspot said:

Still making progress, I was worried you’d ground to a halt.

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Are you kidding?

Punchlist still looks something like this-

-power, lighting, A/C, insulation, walls & window in upstairs rooms
-upstairs bathroom (framing, piping, sheathing, walls, power, light, plumbing fixtures) $$$
-pony wall sheathing upstairs
-all upstairs paint work $$$

-Compile and haul off all trash, burn all combustible materials
-Clear all fields of rocks, bush stumps, and ALL cactus (rooted out)
-Rent excavator & complete pond construction $$$
-Rent bobcat and seal entire pond / creek bed with Sodium Bentonite granules $$$
-Mow 4 - 5 acres of tall grass
-Dirt work and final runway grading

-Construct secondary shed roof for tractor & implements $

-Construct septic drainage field & install septic tank (contractor) $$$
-Construct water well & pump house (contractor for well, I will build pump house) $$$
-Erect fence around 1 acre area including building (to cooperate with neighbors and obtain property tax agricultural discount) $$$

-extract all required materials from container in order to remove ultralight
-replace all of the above
-assemble and detail ultralight, prepare for flight $

-"Un Store" (7) motorcycles - oil change, battery, thorough cleaning, de-rust, etc. $$$
-All repairs to boat (electrical, oil change, battery, etc) $$$

Probably an equal amount of stuff I've forgotten to write down...

OK, I hear you. And then next week what’s planned?

Looks great stay at it!

Thursday and Friday (after sorting a new battery ground cable and charging up the battery) I fired up the '62 Ford tractor and boxed down the rough spots in my empty fields, then mowed them down to "tall grass" height, to maintain contrast with the groomed "short grass" runways. About 7 hours' work, including removing a couple of wheelbarrow loads of large rocks after boxing and BEFORE cutting.

Looking very nice...



While I still had the box blade installed, I re-cut the creek crossing so the truck could cross.

Oops...



10 minute walk to the barndo and back, 2 minutes with a shovel, and that was sorted.

I re-profiled the top edges so that won't happen again!

Yesterday was "sore back / sore knees / sore feet" day.

I had to haul out and/or relocate over 1,000 pounds of equipment, 2 motorcycles, and a dozen or so tubs full of stuff, in order to extract the Quicksilver MX Sprint II Ultralight from the very back of the container. Of all days for NO HELPERS to be available...

This was after removing the arc welder, benchtop press, drill press, (2) A/C window units and 4 or 5 tubs...


Got the two Dreer Nortons moved into the shop



Little by little I pulled the trike toward the doors, then relocated tubs and stuff to the back...



It's hard to tell, but the shelf nearest, on the left, stuck out 2" too much to get past. So, I had to relocate the contents, remove the shelf, extract the trike, then replace the shelf and re-stock it.

Voila!



The little ATV was pressed into tow vehicle service, performed admirably...



Two results. One, the ultralight is in position to start re-assembling wings & tail feathers-



...and Two, the container is quite nicely organized and reasonably clear of trash & debris. Even the big ATV can fit in there...



Man, oh man, that was a TON of work...

grandpaul said:

Voila!

View attachment 102664

The little ATV was pressed into tow vehicle service, performed admirably...

View attachment 102665

Two results. One, the ultralight is in position to start re-assembling wings & tail feathers-

View attachment 102666

...and Two, the container is quite nicely organized and reasonably clear of trash & debris. Even the big ATV can fit in there...

View attachment 102667

Man, oh man, that was a TON of work...

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How long airborne on that tank? Just curious

BERT said:

How long airborne on that tank? Just curious

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It had one gallon of mixed fuel in it for less than a month. That was over a year ago when it was new. It's never been in the air. Why do you ask?

This was the old tank...

Totally not familiar with ultalites and wondering how long they can fly on that size tank of fuel. Just curious

BERT said:

Totally not familiar with ultalites and wondering how long they can fly on that size tank of fuel. Just curious

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I believe it is around 3 GPH at around 50 MPH. So about an hour and 40 minutes at 50MPH, 2+ hours at around 40MPH which is "fun" cruising speed. (of course that is at relatively low altitude, around 1,000 feet. more fuel required to get up higher)

That is a 5-gallon tank. They make larger tanks, but they are not "Part 103" compliant and require licensing.

Just curious: why no use of metal 2x4...fireproof...bug proof. Just wondering maybe on partitions?

Onder said:

Just curious: why no use of metal 2x4...fireproof...bug proof. Just wondering maybe on partitions?

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Never liked them. Every wall becomes an amplified drum skin.