Things have been pretty quiet around this board on the car front, so I figured I'd start a thread looking at what I've been doing and hope that people chip in with their projects.

So first up - the garage is completly converted into a welding/fabricating shop. I'm building an remote sensing instrument for the US Naval Research labs under contract. So on we go with the picture show:

Here's the base of the instrument - space frames look cool, but are no fun to build.


Here it is with the front and the legs attached -they fold up transformer style.


Pivot points - the sleves are stainless steel - TIG welded.


Each of these welds is about 0.060" wide.


Here's the top of the "mast" - crane section in aluminum. I've been learning how to TIG aluminum. It's been 20 years since I touched a TIG - the learning curve was mighty steep, but I'm getting the hang of it.



Some close ups.








This week I also decided to retire the old red tool box. I've had it for 20 years - time to move on.



The stainless monster - now when I slop paint on my tool box I can just wipe it off.





All my sockets in one drawer -who knew it was possible.


All the precision stuff in one place (well, a few things left in the other box).


OK - now you go.

WOW Craig impressives
You always have the cool stuff beautiful fabrication
What's new with me ... nothing major, just working on bathroom #2 and bought another vehicle, a 2002 with less than 42,000 km on it.

Pics, we need pics.

That's a real nice toolbox! What is a remote sensing instrument?

I've been browsing the forum, just not posting.

I haven't really been online as much as I usually am the last coupe of weeks, I've been helping a friend with his 740 and getting my 240 ready for our trip to Portland next week!!

Not much left to do on mine; change the belts, oil change, and finish retrofitting cruise...

Hi Craig,

When I furst saw the stainless monster, I thought you had converted a pizza oven.

As you know, I'm busy putting things back on my 220, finding-out what I did wrong, taking them off and putting them back on again. Last night it was the rear brakes (see post), I've practically given-up fly-fishing, but if anyone wants to go, I have two pontoon boats....

Jimbo

Nice TiGing Craig. I've welded more stainless than anything, TiG makes it so easy!

Ian- what flavor of 2002 did you buy??? And who/what for?

I haven't been doing any car related projects, except for other people. Helped my buddy Craig pull a V12 from a Jag for the Daimler limo I helped him import from Japan.
Also been helping Trevor fix up his wagon to sell, he bought a new Nissan Frontier.
http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicle ... Z201943375

Oh, and my bike, took a few days and several quarts of oil and trips to the car wash to adjust the valves. Got it right the third time.

Resist Dale...resist.

The remote sensing instrument in question is called a goniometer and I use them to research the way things look from all possible angles. All very academic and dreadfully boring - I'm also the only person in the world that makes them (cause NO ONE wants to buy one, not because I'm special or anything like that).

The current design that I'm putting together looks like this:



I'm still waiting for Ian's pictures (where's that finger drumming emoticon )?

That looks like it belongs on the moon. Is there a back wheel under there somewhere?? I'll resist asking for more details about what, where and how, but I'm gonna ask: why does the mast have to be out of aluminum?

Have fun making that curved truss - better you than me!

James

My engineer partner doesn't like me to have too much detail as it would make building easier - there is a 3rd wheel at the back, along with bolts and other things to hold all the parts together.

The mast is aluminum to save weight and the arc is being water jet cut out of a few pieces of plate and screwed together. There is and instrument that rides on the arc that wireless communicates with a control computer. The rest is stepper motors and whirling stuff. I get the complicated parts to build and he doesn't think much about what happens when you foul a leg back (like $100K of instrument face planting!).

Really it is nothing too exciting ... my father-in-law can no longer drive so we bought his vehicle (how can you not buy a 2002 with only 41,000 kn on it)
It is a grampa SUV, now I have something to haul stuff in

I was going to ask if it was a Buick...

Sonova.... Like I don't spend enough time fly fishing already...

River worthy pontoon boats? Sorry Craig...can't...resist...

I don't think I like you any more

The Buick comment...gold! Glad to hear things worked out for the best regarding safety and such

The US Naval research story, didn't expect to read that this morning

What I have been doing? Working at the golf course a lot, everyday but one since April 22, it's fun, way less hours that's forsure. It's nice to be in town...even though the weather is going up and down more than pogo stick

My next "project" is I found an old Tri-Moto 125 out at my girlfriends parents place in the woods near the graveyard (think auto graveyard, old pickups/equipment,generators) anyway it got hauled out here for me on a load of lumber Alberta bound.

The good, it went into and out of gear, brakes were solid, tires still had air this after sitting for 15 years, and it turned over, sort of

The bad, the pull start cord is now stuck in the all the way out position, the seat is crap, tires don't look great, lots of rust on the exhaust and nuts and bolts, however the frame looks okay, and motor well it will need a proper tear down/rebuild.

Not sure what I am going to with it exactly, there's some ideas floating around, but whatever comes of this trike you will be informed.

Also it is my birthday today, 26

Cheers