Slow Build in Oz

[edgeau]

I'll be interested to see your results. My 13 year old gas fridge died today. I will probably be changing over to a Brass Monkey 40l compressor fridge as that is the only thing on the market that comes close to the space I have. A bit disappointed there isn't an Engle that will fit as I would pay the extra for something I know will last decades.

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[MickinOz]

I recokon those Brass Monkey fridgws will be OK, mate.
I base this opinion on a couple of things:
1) for a given size, they are not rhe cheapest thing around, closer to midrange
2) Jaycar sells them , so they can't be total crap, and warranty backup should be OK

Edit: Jaycar say three year warranty - they can't be too bad.

[MickinOz]

I didn't get the test done. I brought the missus to Adelaide, for 10am wednesday appointment at the eye clinic. It is now 7.45pm Thursday night, she's about to spend her second night in hospital, and probably will have a lumbar puncture in the morning. The nurses took pity on us last night when the doctors decided she needed to be admitted at about 7pm wednesday night , and let me sleep on the day bed in her room. The boss today pulled out the covid rules and booted me out. Made me wish I hadn't elected to use our private health insurance.

[MickinOz]

Port Power must be doing OK across tbe river at AdelaideOval. I can hear th e crowd roaring as I sit in my ute in the underground carpark at RAH.

[edgeau]

That does not sound like a good time. I hope they sort the problem soon for her. Seems like you need the drop for your trips to the city!

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[MickinOz]

Certainly could have used the 'drop last night. At least, after the first trip, we always bring the bug out bag.

[MickinOz]

Its now 4.15 am Saturday. The missus was allowed to go home at 9pm last night.
Expressed my reservations to the doctor.
"She doesn't want to stay here in the city, she wants me to drive her 2.5-3 hours home on that goat track we call National Highway 1, in a 4wd she was complaining she could feel every bump on the road on the way down here. 4 hours after a lumbar puncture. What could possibly go wrong."
Another night in the hospital. Doors open at 6. I will be collecting her then. Breakfast at Cafe de Vili's, then home.

[MickinOz]

Made it home. First Saturday of the school holidays. Nose-to-tail from Adelaide to Port Wakefield. City drivers don't get the keep left unless overtaking rule.
They also think the speed limit is the minimum speed, not the maximum.
The Wakefield road has elapsed time cameras. I wonder how many will get a picture in the mail?
Brought home some sliding door track.
Teardrop will have sliding cabinet doors.

[MickinOz]

Some progress.
In between extended hospital visits, birth of first grandchild, etc, have managed to fit some sliding door track, and make the doors.
The sliding door track is small, intended for maximum 5mm panels.
So I bought a 4mm marine ply "project panel", 1220 x 810mm for the princely sum of $19.
Just enough material to make two doors that overlap by 70mm.
4mm marine ply is reasonably stiff, but still flexes too much. I used the off-cuts to make some stiffeners to glue to the back side of the panels.
The door tracks are just wide enough for the 3mm stiffeners on the front panel to clear the face of the rear panel.
Spent a bit of time with a 1mm drill bit in the pedestal drill making clearance holes to nail the track in.
They come with predrilled holes every 8 inches which I thought wasn't enough unless you are dropping the track into a rebate.
So I drilled two new holes evenly spaced between the factory holes. Now have a hole about every 2.5 inches.
End result looks OK to my eye. Being imported marine ply it is hardwood, so not really the right colour, but I think it's acceptable
The missus wanted drop in "finger pulls."
Seem OK to me.

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I have temporarily bypassed the regulator for the solar panel that keeps my boat charged. Even with the continual overcast and rain, did I mention that I live in Australia's driest state, the old 40W panel on the roof has been putting in an amp or so.
Enough that the Renogy controller went into "float" mode.
Mudguards have been fitted then removed so the bolt holes can be sealed with polyurethane, then the camper painted before refitting.
I put the call out on Facebook last night for some ol' skool Hella tail lights. I have a pair, but one is cracked. The price of new ones, which aren't stocked here, was a little prohibitive for me.
A bloke that lives around the corner from me dropped around a very good condition set of Narva lights this morning, almost indistinguishable, and refused to take money for 'em.
He was more interested in the Dalek in my shed than the trailer.
"pay it forward" was the instruction. Karma ain't always a bitch.

[MickinOz]

In-flight entertainment installed.
Looks somewhat "agricultural" at present.
I'm hoping it'll look a little less so once I put some buttons over the screw heads and do a concealed run on the the antenna and power wires.
Got a little lazy and kicked back to watch nearly all of Apocalypse Now while testing the telly.
Hasn't got any less weird after all these years. Still love that line "I want my meat rare, rare but not cold".

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[tony.latham]

BTW Tony, I reckon I saw a comment from you about using a scotchbrite pad on a sander to scuff the surface prior to painting.
Is that just a nylon scourer or does it have an abrasive in it?

Scotchbrite is a brand and they are abrasive. I assume you have them over (or under) there.

Thanks for the explanation on hunting. I wasn’t doubting the legality.

Tony

[MickinOz]

Thanks mate. I have since found them in the hardware store.
I am considering a modification of your technique. I may attack a nylon scourer to my orbital sander. Today is prep for paint day.

All cool on the hunting front.
The more I look into the laws, I see we aren't so different to the US, (Apart from we don't have as much good eating game available,)

We just got really stupid on Gel Blasters, though. Some are styled to look very much like real guns, and a couple of idiots have tried to use them in hold ups. Result, The cops have been over the laws with a magnifying glass, and have determined they meet the definition of a firearm. they are now treated like a real gun and must be licensed and registered. So we are still the Nanny State. It may be enough to get the Government kicked out at the next election.

[tony.latham]

We just got really stupid on Gel Blasters...

I teach a class on firearm evidence to LEO. And I had to Google what they are.

Tony

[MickinOz]

Yep. Dangerous, eh?
An interesting phenomenon is occurring this time though.
See, Australia is divided on the whole gun control thing.
There are those who own guns and resent any further incursion on our fun, and there are those inner city leftist professional student gender fluid protester sooks, whose main entertainment in university was performing certain "favours" for their lefty professors, who cannot understand why anyone would want to own a gun.

This time, though, even the lefty sooks can't believe this bulldust.

[MickinOz]

Progress on the build has stalled a little.
I am writing at 8 am Saturday, local time. It is overcast and raining.
My three weeks leave is about to come to an end. Back to work Monday, so I've got today and tomorrow.
Rain, and a couple of days where I did actually go to work so as to complete the requirements for a CASA licence to operate an unmanned aerial vehicle up to 25 kg, has meant I haven't been able to do much this week. I also went running cable for my son for a day and a bit.
I got the drop ready to paint, but the primer says apply at max 32C. So the days it wasn't raining the surface temperatures hit 40C.
So dang close! I just don't have enough room to paint in the garage.
Bought all the bed linen. Sheets, pillow cases, pillows, comforter.