Working on the Hanger/Shop

Chip has had time off from work (slow job market) and suggested that he and I should start catching up on a few tasks that I have had on-hold around the Hanger.

Monday we framed-in and foamed-in the four Skylight Holes that have never been completed or installed in the Office Loft. Heat was leaking in and out of the unfinished holes - the actual skylights will be install if and when the roof is replaced.

We started building covers for the two attic access ports which are about 2x3 feet in size. The ports have been covered with plastic and leaked a lot of heat in or out, but always in the wrong direction (i.e., hot in summer, cold in winter). The ports are now going to be covered with a wood framed doors with four inches of foil faced foam insulation. We glued foil around the cut edges and will provide simple four screws attachments to the port frames. The HighBay access overhead door received the same treatment and will look the same from inside the Loft.

Today was a short day, Chip had to go to the dentist. But we were able to finish the attic and HighBay overhead access doors.  Good news! The Loft no longer leaks expensive heat to the outside.

We spent a good deal of time trying to figure out how we could run tree conduits from the Loft to the LowBay Shop below through the apartment. The lower level shop has suffered from lack of Internet connectivity and the Loft has not had easy access to out-side antennas.  I need three 1.5 inch conduits between levels.

The walls do not provide easy access between the two levels. We can up with a very cleaver solution - but I will only show a person who actually visits the shop, assuming they can't find it in plane sight. The installation will be completed maybe tomorrow.

It was good to start working on the shop again !!!!!
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Driveway Apron Installed

Today I had a Driveway Apron installed as per the home owners requirements. It will be tomorrow before I can drive on it. Later next week the installers will return to rock the near-side, to match the current grade.

The Ant and The Conduit

The "ant" (see previous post) is still running around on my desk, I am not sure what it eats, but it is still as energetic as ever. I saw second ant on the floor the other day, and decided to spray around the corners of loft, but this one ant (or it's sister) has survived.

As posted on my "Ham Radio Blog" I am still looking for a way to provide Network and RF connections from the loft to the Electronic Shop, two levels below. The latest desired location has a Septic Vent in the way.

There does not seam to be a way to run a conduit down through the walls. I may have to resort to putting the conduit in the corner of the laundry. I was wanting to avoid that location as cabinets will be install in that location someday.

This Blog has a "New Look", thanks to Google Blog Dev Team for providing new style Templates.

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An Ant

When I first started working in the Hanger I had a few (a lot) of very small "ants" around my chair in the apartment. They had to go - a little RAID took care of the problem.

Yet, when I set up my desk in the loft, I noticed a single large red/brown "ant" roaming around on the top of the desk and over the monitor shelf. For the last few weeks the same "ant" has stayed on the desk just wandering around. Or at least, I hope there is only one because I have not killed it. I hope "they" are not many, and I am just seeing be beginnings of the main invasion.

For now, I will let the "ant" live, at least until I see another at the same time.

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Lost in the Move

During my move to the Hanger, I had saved away many small important things that I wanted to make sure were readily available upon finish.  There were several medicine bottles, old laptop disk drives, some thumb drives and many other small things.  I had all of these things in stacks in the Master Bed Room on the floor in boxes, thinking that I would move them last and therefore it would be easy to keep track of them - NOT!

We have looked for the representative Large Tylenol bottle and other things, and have not found them as of yet.

Carolyn thinks this "good stuff" may have be sent to the dump!

She cleaned up at the last minutes from the Master Bed Room and used a previously discarded "clear bedding container" as a box to collect the remaining articles from the room. I had seen and used the "bedding container" before to collect trash for the load going to the dump.

We moved that last minute things out of the house and onto the porch, I may have tossed what I thought was the trash in the "bedding container" onto the load that went to the dump!

I sure hope NOT, and I hope the items turn up SOON.

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First PlasmaCAM Parts Cut at the Hanger/Shop

Weather: Very Sunny and Mild

Chip and Carolyn came to the Shop today.

Chip wanted my help to cut some patterns on the PlasmaCAM for building an adapter for his tractor. My PlasmaCAM was not set-up for use yet (following the move). The Files that Chip needed were on my Shop Network Server - which also had not been unpacked or set-up. Some of the parts for the Server were in unknown boxes on one of many racks (large shelves).

I was hoping that the currently installed Plasma Cutter "Consumable" (cutting tips) were good enough for this project, as there is no telling where NEW replacements are located in the Shop!

The first task was locate all the Tools, network cords and Severs. Also, the PlasmaCAM Workstation also had to be located and setup. Nothing seemed to work as it should on initial "turn-on". The network IP Address had to be change to work with the LAN system supplied by the new ISP. The Router, DHCP, Samba, File Server and most things just refused to work together.  A lot of time was consumed just trying to get a minimal working configuration.

The Wireless Router Security was giving us grief, But, in the end, we set the Wireless Router (WAP) to "no security" and at least we could get the files for Chip's Project. With everything limping along, it did not take much to cut the 1/4 steel plate into the needed parts. The cutter consumables were serviceable for this task. The PlasmaCAM is a great tool for this type of task. I wish I had someone that needed a lot of parts that I could cut for profit.

While Chip and I worked on cutting parts, Carolyn wanted to help organize the pantry and food supplies.  I saw what she had done before she and Chip left for the day.  Later I took another look, and now realize the magnitude of her efforts and organization, I now can find things in the pantry MUCH better and can see what is needed for resupplies. She also did many of the house hold chores that I have thus far neglected - Thanks Carolyn.

One benefit of today effort, my Shop Network is coming together, and more of my Shop Office and HAM Shack is taking shape.

Thanks, guys!

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Desks are in the Loft

Weather has been cool, but clear and very nice.

My Desk and Radio Station Workbench and now put together and in the loft. Ready to receive the supporting materials (stuff) and ready for normal use.

The Internet, Local Lan, Power  and Antenna cables will be installed as needed.

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Carpet Installed in the Loft

A very nice day, cool in the shade, warm in the sun, with bellowing white clouds.

The carpet installers were here this AM to install the carpet in the loft. It took about 3 hours. They did a great job, it really looks good.

After the installers finished, Chip was here and helped move my Desk and the Amateur Radio Station Table to the loft.

The Desk had been taken apart several days ago and just waiting for the loft floor to be finished.

I built the Station Table many years ago but had not used it for several years - it has been in storage at the Hanger.  I thought that it would never be used again, but the loft will be the right place to reassemble and use it.

With the bright sunny day and no rain, I was able to return to the roof to install the Cell Phone Booster Antenna - it now temporary connected up and working. Soon I will be able to install the longer cable and move the amplifier to it's permeate location.

It is good to see progress in the Hanger/Shop! - Thanks to Chip.

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