Movin' on Up!

the dacron on those wings looks a bit old & faded, do you have to do a periodic Betts test on the fabric?
 
the dacron on those wings looks a bit old & faded, do you have to do a periodic Betts test on the fabric?
I have a punch tester with specific tip for ultralight wing fabric sold by the manufacturer (it's a Gates belt tester with adapter, so I can also test my belts).

Movin' on Up!


It passed (12 tests in various locations on all surfaces) last year, I see no reason why it should fail anywhere yet.
 
good stuff. I once had a share in a weight shift microlight, admittedly a fairly old one. The fabric failed the test. Expensive.
 
good stuff. I once had a share in a weight shift microlight, admittedly a fairly old one. The fabric failed the test. Expensive.
I learned on one of the earlier models of a Quicksilver, a weight-shift 40HP Doublequick.

Apart from the engine, the sails are the most expensive line item on an ultralight.
 
Assembled the tail section of the Quicksilver with a temporary boom at the top..

Movin' on Up!


Extracted the wings from the container in a stiff breeze and ALMOST was able to "hang glide" facing into the wind!

Movin' on Up!


Bolted the wings up at the root, still have to reconnect the support cables and aileron controls, as well as the elevator and rudder controls...

Movin' on Up!
 
I'm compiling a list of "Stuff To Do" at the ranch, it's only preliminary at this stage...

-Ride ATVs
-Shoot guns (BB guns to big-bore)
-Golf driving range
-Fly ultralight airplanes
-Ride dirt bikes
-Basketball
-Ping Pong
-2-player mini basketball
-Pickleball
-Cook out
-Camping
-Hiking/walking
-Birdwatching
-Hunting
-Outdoor photography
-Sit in the shade and sip beverages
-Drive tractor (work with implements is optional)
-Bonfire / smores
-Baseball
-Football
-Soccer
-Chalk Art on the concrete
-Watch TV / Videos (last resort)
-Work on motorcycles
-Stargazing
-Hay Rides
-Archery
-Live music
-Motorcycle rallies
-Retreats
-Tree climbing
-Watch the Sunset
-Watch the Sunrise
-Look for rainbows
-Look for Sasquatch
-Snipe hunting

Helpful suggestions encouraged...
 
Your forgot the most important Ride Norton's
Well, TECHNICALLY, riding Norton street bikes would be very little fun AT the ranch. You'd have to ride the excruciating 1/4 mile to FM 963 and get to some mighty fine twisty hill country roads that include Wallabees (regular brown ones in one area, and albino ones in another area).
 
I'm not listing indoor stuff like cards, tiddly-winks, DVD movies, board games, etc. (Although I may have mentioned TV as a last resort)
 
Slow moving progress lately, all of it "solo"; at least it's progress.

Fan/light & power outlets in 2nd floor bedroom-
Movin' on Up!


Framed out 2nd floor bathroom door and completed the outer wall sheathing. That bit at the upper left had 8 individual cuts to profile it to slip into place over the steel (not perfect, but close enough)

Movin' on Up!


Game room has nominal power and lighting; they'll need to come off to finish the sheetrock

Movin' on Up!
 
I set the bathtub & toilet up temporarily, the next task will be to spot them EXACTLY where they need to go, then plumb the drains in the joist space with absolute minimum cutting. After that, I'll reinforce each joist that gets notched.

Movin' on Up!


This was a major milestone - I'VE GOT TUNES, FINALLY!! Had to go thru three amps and two "all-in-ones" to put together a system that is fully functional, and had to buy a turntable pre-amp to co-exist with a modern amp that has no phono input. It's a decent Onkyo, but the remote clicker doesn't work. I might use the Denon after all. A friend is giving me a real nice pair of speakers to replace the Cerwin Vegas that belonged to my late friend Nacho (long story how those got swindled from me)

Movin' on Up!


Lots of rain lately - the pond is as full as it's ever been-

Movin' on Up!


I was able to spot and mark the high points in the creek so that I can dig them out in the future...
Movin' on Up!
 
Looks great! When did the Wallabees appear! We didn't see any last year. Texas got all sorts of exoctic pets going wild!
 
TV looks a little under sized. All else lookin great.
We're working with some "leftovers" on the furnishings. TV is twice as big as it needs to be for a getaway! That was basically a concession to the grandkids that get bored too easily sometimes.
 
Looks great! When did the Wallabees appear! We didn't see any last year. Texas got all sorts of exoctic pets going wild!
The Wallabees are not going wild (or at least they sure as &^%$#@ better NOT be)! They're in some pens up the road from my place about 7 miles; not sure how long they've been there.
 
I've managed to make some more progress on the second floor bathroom, but it was awfully cold, and not easy working alone...

I laid out a pattern for the last full decking sheet, and carefully cut it out so I'd be able to place the tub & toilet, and still get to all the plumbing with minimum structural weakness. This was my cut-

Movin' on Up!


Couldn't possibly heft that entire sheet of 3/4 T&G OSB, but I did manage to get it onto the lower wall purlin, then slide it past the refrigerant lines and down into place...

Movin' on Up!


Dropped it into place, set the fixtures back in place, and voila - it worked!

Movin' on Up!
 
Next came the fiddly bit - assembling and installing two walls, solo, in sub-freezing unconditioned space,,,

I had to remove the fixtures out of the way, clear the whole space, then build the back wall in the standard manner, laid out on the floor. The wall has to run right between the plumbing and drain risers, it just fits. There will be an access passage behind this wall for future service, hopefully never needed.

IMG_6883.JPG


The left side wall was not as easy due to existing ductwork in the way; I had to "stick build" it, one board at a time. Done.

IMG_6885.JPG


Everything fits as it should, and connecting it all up should be a straightforward endeavor. Here you can see that the serpentine cut did not result in loss of structural area of the deck; it's out of the traffic lane and the partition wall will have decking with a joist under it.

I will still need to build the partition walls, then sheetrock everything with moisture-resistant sheetrock, then install the doors and cabinets, etc...
 
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Stop wasting half of your waking hours on internet forums, then maybe you'll find the time to do all that 'stuff'..
"All that stuff" is not for ME to do, it's for me, my kids, grandkids, their friends, my friends, etc.

I have plenty of time to do as I please, now that I'm retired. Even so, still raising two school-age kids does carve a big slice of it.

I'm only on the internet when I jolly well don't feel like working, or when I'm worn out after working all day, but not sleepy yet.
 
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