Winter is not too far off

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Here in sunny Queensland my neck of the woods has experienced a day time maximum of 25 degrees C. For the first time in months I have been able to spend close to the whole day in my shed. Prior to this visits to the shed were very restricted. The restriction being the 15 minutes it took to start being transformed into a big puddle of sweat on the floor. I can see why people get their sheds insulated!

Anyway, I have lived here for more than 30 years and my ability to cope with working in an uninsulated shed during the warmer months seems to have declined since turning the big 60 a couple of years ago. Funny how once a certain age on the clock ticks over restrictions or second thoughts seem to crop up. I can remember one of my grandmothers announcing at the age of 61 that she was hanging up the much beloved tennis racket and would no longer be playing in local competition and social games. Nanna said that since she turned 60 tennis took too much out of her and it actually hurt for a couple hours after the end of the game. Something that had never been experienced before. This was after probably more than 50 years of holding a racket. Because back then in a small country town tennis was one of the staple social events.

Now with nicer maximum temperatures around plans are afoot to return to Land Rover tinkering, rust cutting and welding. Today was spent cleaning up after finishing renovating the kitchen. All the bench spaces were still covered in carpentry tools and wood off cuts. With some planning and activities I should be towing the first project into the shed by tomorrow afternoon . Converting a steel frame off a previous owner's homemade tray on camper trailer into a trolley. I will modify the camper frame and have caster wheels mounted to it so I can place the Defender ute's steel tray on it and be able to move it around. This gets the ute tray off my little trailer that I have not been able to use for other jobs. The steel ute tray needs some cross wise rectangular hollow section cut off and replaced because it rusted out. Instead of having a three sided mudguard the ute's previous owner just used a flap of conveyor belt a the front of the wheel and another bit of conveyor belt at the back of each wheel. The conveyor belt was tech-screwed into the frame and decades of built up mud, bull-dust and other unsavoury things trapped moisture against the steel frame and it rusted out. A couple of more keeping in the good books with SWIMBO jobs that require welding will be done too. Cooler weather equals Happy Days in the shed!

Oh, of course to be able to unload the ute frame from the trailer I will have to clear all the stuff that has been placed in front and around the trailer. Find new homes for the 'stuff'. Then take the trailer to the where the camper frame is. Move some of the stuff that has built up around it over the years... The morning will be taken up playing Rubik's cube so I can gain access to everything.

Kind regards
Lionel

[RANDLOVER]

Yes, Queenslanders will have to start wearing socks with thongs soon, but steel caps and long pants will be better while working on your projects, especially when welding.

[Lionelgee]

Yes, Queenslanders will have to start wearing socks with thongs soon, but steel caps and long pants will be better while working on your projects, especially when welding..

Hello Randlover,

Yes, safety footwear and a welding jacket has to be included in the mix during activities now. I will have to vacuum out the work boots and evict what ever has been living in them over the past summer months. Brush away all the cobwebs. Yep - I am a home wrecker.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Make a steel rack that can fit in the gap between two pallet rack shelves that will feature multiple tiers. This will allow the temporarily shifted timber off cuts - that were blocking access to the workbench and covering the top of it - to find a new home that is out of the way where the timber is easy to access.

Then after that lots and lots and lots of cutting out rust and fabricating rust repair panels and welding them to the some vehicles. Swap the odd gearbox and fit a clutch to get a petrol Series III mobile again. Get a 2.25 litre diesel donor motor going and swap over a worn out motor and a new clutch in another Series III. Strip down an old Series II and a IIA that were bought as parts vehicles. Then regain space and keep someone I cohabit with happy that... please excuse the following bad language - the words are not my own - "the rusty pieces of crap that are a total eyesore and are just cluttering up the yard". Something about spoiling the view ...

Then my hearing fails ... selectively of course ... anyway

How rude!!!
Yippee, with the lowering of maximum temperatures I can get back into working on the long put off personal projects "To-do" list! :banana::banana::banana:

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

An addition to the list:
Use some of the steel from the old camper frame to make a shelf to fit across the bottom of a little movable welding table that I bought second hand. Not having a low shelf to be able to store stuff on is not a good utilisation of an otherwise very handy item.

That should keep me out of trouble for a little while.

The not so good news is that before it got too hot in the shed and kitchen renovations totally dominated my life - I had two pieces of flat plate cut down to fit the front face of the Defender's driver seat base frame. The two pieces of metal have since disappeared. They were all ready to weld to the frame to strengthen up the sheet metal that forms the seat base that the cushion pad fits to. It being an old farm vehicle meant that Snowy had a very hard life and the welds that hold the sheet metal to the frame had all broken off.

Oh well at least I now have full access to the welding table and the seat frame. Another job can be crossed off the list some time this weekend. Then I will tackle the mobile frame for the Defender's ute tray and start working on it. I have yet to earn my novice welder button and it has been a long time between sessions of trial and error. Well more error and lots of tribulations about reaching the level of welding attainment that I would like to achieve. Practice ... practice and then lots and lots more practice. Happy Days!

Kind regards
Lionel

[sharmy]

It's freezing here, got down to 14 degrees on Thursday night, 18 now.[biggrin]

[Saitch]

It's freezing here, got down to 14 degrees on Thursday night, 18 now.[biggrin]

Bloody Hell, mate! That's beanie and Uggs weather! I had to get the fire drum going yesterday arvo, just to have a couple of Coopers.
193340

[NavyDiver]

Bloody Hell, mate! That's beanie and Uggs weather! I had to get the fire drum going yesterday arvo, just to have a couple of Coopers.
193340

Its snowing in some places[bigwhistle][bigwhistle][bigwhistle]

Winter is great for some. Personally the SUB 20 highs all this week in Mexico is ok. Adding a few extra chilies to my cooking [thumbsupbig]

[V8Ian]

Its snowing in some places[bigwhistle][bigwhistle]

Winter is great for some. Personally the SUB 20 highs all this week in Mexico is ok. [B]Adding a few extra chilies to my cooking [thumbsupbig]
That can be done at 40⁰ +. [bigwhistle]

[Saitch]

Its snowing in some places[bigwhistle][bigwhistle][bigwhistle]

Winter is great for some. Personally the SUB 20 highs all this week in Mexico is ok. Adding a few extra chilies to my cooking [thumbsupbig]

I'm not a cold weather person, but the apricity during a Queensland winter, is a joy to experience.

[V8Ian]

I'm not a cold weather person, but the apricity during a Queensland winter, is a joy to experience.
Only on a hot winter day.[bigwhistle]

[RANDLOVER]

I'm not a cold weather person, but the apricity during a Queensland winter, is a joy to experience.


Only on a hot winter day.[bigwhistle]

I think you mean sunny winter's day and was best enjoyed in the 1600's.

At school we didn't know what apricity was, but we did accuse people of stealing our sun if they stood between us and it.

[gavinwibrow]

I'm not a cold weather person, but the apricity during a Queensland winter, is a joy to experience.



apricity - the pleasant warmth of the sun, particularly during the winter months

[RANDLOVER]

It is cold enough in Brisbane today for Queenslanders to wear a beanie with their singlets!

[Saitch]

15° here, as I type. The internal fire heater was lit at 1500 hours. We have a household rule that 19° is "Fire Time"! :firedevil:

[Slunnie]

Fire is well and truly burning here.This was an hour ago.

193682

[RANDLOVER]

16° here, I can't have a fire as I live in the burbs, but if it gets any colder I'd be tempted to smash up my furniture and burn it in my wheelbarrow. [biggrin]

[RANDLOVER]

Fire is well and truly burning here.This was an hour ago.

193682

I see it snowed in Orange and people got stuck in their cars in Mt Hotham by 50 cm of snow.

[Slunnie]

I see it snowed in Orange and people got stuck in their cars in Mt Hotham by 50 cm of snow.

It sure is. That is on Mt Canobolas.

[TonyC]

I see it snowed in Orange and people got stuck in their cars in Mt Hotham by 50 cm of snow.

They've had a bit more than 50cm.
All reports I've read are saying Mt Hotham in the headlines, but the 20 people that have had to be rescued were on Blue Rag Range Tk, which is not Mt Hotham.
It's an iconic Vic High Country track, it's steep low range experienced driver stuff in the dry, what anyone is doing up there in more than half a metre of snow is beyond me.

It runs off the Dargo High Plains Rd and that is closed.

And now we'll have another round of close off wild areas all because these people can't be bothered to read a weather forecast😡

Tony

[Saitch]

Fire is well and truly burning here.This was an hour ago.

193682

The very rare, South Polar Bear is a bloody cute fella, ay!

[Slunnie]

The very rare, South Polar Bear is a bloody cute fella, ay!

Sure is! Roxy, she's my little princess.... although she's now 15 years old! This pic was 3 months ago in my back yard.

193684

[RANDLOVER]

They've had a bit more than 50cm.
All reports I've read are saying Mt Hotham in the headlines, but the 20 people that have had to be rescued were on Blue Rag Range Tk, which is not Mt Hotham.
It's an iconic Vic High Country track, it's steep low range experienced driver stuff in the dry, what anyone is doing up there in more than half a metre of snow is beyond me.

It runs off the Dargo High Plains Rd and that is closed.

And now we'll have another round of close off wild areas all because these people can't be bothered to read a weather forecast😡

Tony


At least they had enough food and water to spend two nights in their car, as no one could deliver sustenance, even if they had a Land Rover.

I see over 62 cm of snow has fallen. The SES says lots of people get stuck or leave the road due to not carrying snow chains or even having Alpine Diesel. Even when doing the right thing, watch of for clowns carrying a lot of snow on their car that can fall off and affect you!

[Slunnie]

At least they had enough food and water to spend two nights in their car, as no one could deliver sustenance, even if they had a Land Rover.

I see over 62 cm of snow has fallen. The SES says lots of people get stuck or leave the road due to not carrying snow chains or even having Alpine Diesel. Even when doing the right thing, watch of for clowns carrying a lot of snow on their car that can fall off and affect you!

It's incredible what people do. I took the dirt rd up the mountain, it was saturated and muddy. I was ok with mud tyres and 4WD, however I was very surprised when I got to the bottom to see someone on their way up in a Kia people mover. It might be ok if they stick to the middle of the road, although it would have been rough, but if they had to pass an oncoming vehicle - I suspect they will have had to, and then all bets would be off if they leave that centre line.

[JDNSW]

Yesterday we started at 3°, and it got to 8° by dark. And still is the same. Intermittent rain ever since Friday night - but still has only added up to 3mm! Strong SW wind.

Winter is not coming - it's here!

[Saitch]

Yesterday we started at 3°, and it got to 8° by dark. And still is the same. Intermittent rain ever since Friday night - but still has only added up to 3mm! Strong SW wind.

Winter is not coming - it's here!

Too much information there, JD!

[NavyDiver]

Too much information there, JD!

Run from this one then Saitch :)

CFA training last night brought up fires of course. Starting ones for the first cold causes a few [bigwhistle][bigwhistle][bigwhistle] The Run bit is I still sweat plus and take 30 minutes to cool off a bit after running in sub 12 degrees[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin]

On another mater. High Tides! Some of the biggest of the year hear have put a lot of things under[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin] I often run along the wharf underwater in this video

Video | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=9954072711376949&rdid=BIKqEWhzP1GRI8yz)

[scarry]

Bloody cold here,as it usually is,starts around the first State of Origin game of the series.
Fire is ready to go,we have a rediculous amount of wood after that cyclone.

The dog also seems to have twice the amount of energy,in this weather,and runs around like a 12 month old pup.
Oh well,keeps us well exercised.

[Saitch]

Run from this one then Saitch :)

CFA training last night brought up fires of course. Starting ones for the first cold causes a few [bigwhistle][bigwhistle][bigwhistle] The Run bit is I still sweat plus and take 30 minutes to cool off a bit after running in sub 12 degrees[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin]

On another mater. High Tides! Some of the biggest of the year hear have put a lot of things under[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin] I often run along the wharf underwater in this video

Video | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=9954072711376949&rdid=BIKqEWhzP1GRI8yz)

I did a run last night! A 50 metre dash down to the wood pile, in what I'm certain was a sub-Antarctic temperature, with winds in the upper Beaufort Scale and then ran back with what seemed like 600kg of firewood, only to be informed that there was a stash under the potting table, just outside the back door. [smilebigeye]

[V8Ian]

I did a run last night! A 50 metre dash down to the wood pile, in what I'm certain was a sub-Antarctic temperature, with winds in the upper Beaufort Scale and then ran back with what seemed like 600kg of firewood, only to be informed that there was a stash under the potting table, just outside the back door. [smilebigeye]
Der! [bighmmm]

[Graeme]

Intermittent rain ever since Friday night - but still has only added up to 3mm!We had a very welcome 23mm to backup the 30mm that we had 2 weeks ago that started the season.

[NavyDiver]

I did a run last night! A 50 metre dash down to the wood pile, in what I'm certain was a sub-Antarctic temperature, with winds in the upper Beaufort Scale and then ran back with what seemed like 600kg of firewood, only to be informed that there was a stash under the potting table, just outside the back door. [smilebigeye]

Wouldn't that just rip the crutch out of Grannys nighty [bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf]

[NavyDiver]

We had a very welcome 23mm to backup the 30mm that we had 2 weeks ago that started the season.

Nice Drop. :ehigh5:South Oz and Westen Vic record breaking Drought got a Break with 10 to 30ish mm over the last few days. Really good to see here as its Dry plus

Dams near here got a bit then the soil soaked most or all of it up like a sponge. Hoping for a Wet Wet Wet winter and spring. Putting a bit of a smile on many farmers dials.

My cars got some mud on it. Not seen since I had my Disco[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin][biggrin]

[RANDLOVER]

It's incredible what people do. I took the dirt rd up the mountain, it was saturated and muddy. I was ok with mud tyres and 4WD, however I was very surprised when I got to the bottom to see someone on their way up in a Kia people mover. It might be ok if they stick to the middle of the road, although it would have been rough, but if they had to pass an oncoming vehicle - I suspect they will have had to, and then all bets would be off if they leave that centre line.

Some people don't leave much margin for error however I do which is why I have a 4wd as I like driving the quiet back roads and dirt roads, sometimes I don't see another car for hours, it'd be easy to take a wrong turn, then do a u-turn, put a couple of wheels off the road in the soft stuff and get stuck.

[RANDLOVER]

I did a run last night! A 50 metre dash down to the wood pile, in what I'm certain was a sub-Antarctic temperature, with winds in the upper Beaufort Scale and then ran back with what seemed like 600kg of firewood, only to be informed that there was a stash under the potting table, just outside the back door. [smilebigeye]


Wouldn't that just rip the crutch out of Grannys nighty [bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf]

No wonder Saitch found things very cold and breezy, if he was wearing a nightie!

[Graeme]

A DIL's Kia people-mover is 4WD, supposedly with basically a Pajero chassis.

[V8Ian]

No wonder Saitch found things very cold and breezy, if he was wearing a nightie!
Commando! [bigrolf]

[RANDLOVER]

A DIL's Kia people-mover is 4WD, supposedly with basically a Pajero chassis.

Probably more an AWD, which is still much better than two wheel drive, unless it has the Paj running gear with low range transfer case.

[RANDLOVER]

Commando! [bigrolf]

What, he had a knife under the nightie in case he had to wittle some kindling?[bigwhistle]

[Slunnie]

What, he had a knife under the nightie in case he had to wittle some kindling?[bigwhistle]

Fanbelt going cheap. :lol2:

[Graeme]

Probably more an AWD, which is still much better than two wheel drive, unless it has the Paj running gear with low range transfer case.It appears that the Carnival has only been front wheel drive rather than all wheel drive, so the reference to Pajero must have been for some other vehicle. However front wheel drive is still better than RWD on sloppy tracks.
The Pajero reference was probably for her previous Mitsi people-mover.

[RANDLOVER]

Sounds like may have been a Mitsubishi Delica which has proper 4wd.

[NavyDiver]

Commando! [bigrolf]

I have a few Scottish Mates- They proved it. When she proved it the bushes were in the way a bit [bigrolf]

[V8Ian]

It feeling somewhat subnivean here, this morning.[bigsad] 1⁰

[Saitch]

The rough, tough, farm dog decided he had an urgent nature call at 0330 today. :(
Apparently, in these situations, I am the sole owner of said hound.

[V8Ian]

So Henry is the only member of the household not suffering brumation? The rest of you looking forward to more primaveral conditions?

[Saitch]

So Henry is the only member of the household not suffering brumation? The rest of you looking forward to more primaveral conditions?

Well, he is a dog, not a python!

[V8Ian]

Well, he is a dog, not a python!
The rest of the residents are not pythons, well apart from the python, but are exhibiting signs of brumation.

[Lionelgee]

An addition to the list:
Use some of the steel from the old camper frame to make a shelf to fit across the bottom of a little movable welding table that I bought second hand. Not having a low shelf to be able to store stuff on is not a good utilisation of an otherwise very handy item.

That should keep me out of trouble for a little while.

The not so good news is that before it got too hot in the shed and kitchen renovations totally dominated my life - I had two pieces of flat plate cut down to fit the front face of the Defender's driver seat base frame. The two pieces of metal have since disappeared. They were all ready to weld to the frame to strengthen up the sheet metal that forms the seat base that the cushion pad fits to. It being an old farm vehicle meant that Snowy had a very hard life and the welds that hold the sheet metal to the frame had all broken off.

Oh well at least I now have full access to the welding table and the seat frame. Another job can be crossed off the list some time this weekend. Then I will tackle the mobile frame for the Defender's ute tray and start working on it. I have yet to earn my novice welder button and it has been a long time between sessions of trial and error. Well more error and lots of tribulations about reaching the level of welding attainment that I would like to achieve. Practice ... practice and then lots and lots more practice. Happy Days!

Kind regards
Lionel

Hello All,

Yes, winter is here in Bundaberg. I have been making up for lost time in the shed. The camper has been converted to a new mobile frame which now has the Defender's ute tray sitting on it. The trailer that the ute tray was sitting on previously has been liberated for other uses. The welding trolley that did not have a bottom tray now has a bottom tray. It is now much more user friendly. I also used some of the left over steel frame from the camper to make two dollies so that a couple of truck gearboxes can be wheeled around instead of blocking access. Funny how soon as something is put down without wheels its sedentary nature gets in the way five minutes after it is placed. Or the sedentary object immediately attracts more immobile objects and then chaos reigns.

The mobile frame that the Defender's tray is sitting on has acted as a proof of concept trial. The only thing I am not happy with is the trailer jockey wheels are not that good on the grass. Every now and then they dig into the ground. Mark II will feature the solid rubber trailer jockey wheels being replaced with some ride-on lawn mower wheels that I have a collection of waiting for a good purpose. Their time has arrived. At least the Defender's tray is off the trailer. So, I am counting that as a big win.

So, all in all the cooler winter temperature has allowed me to get work done in the shed and things sorted out.

With that stuff out of the way I can now look at starting some rust repairs on automotive panels.

Happy Days! :banana::banana::banana:

Kind regards
Lionel

[JDNSW]

Main effect of the cooler weather on my activities is the time spent cutting firewood!

[V8Ian]

Main effect of the cooler weather on my activities is the time spent cutting firewood!
To the point that it negates the need?

[JDNSW]

No. It is not that hard work, just time consuming.

[austastar]

He who cuts his own firewood is warmed twice!

Cheers

[RANDLOVER]

I was chopping wood in Brisbane the other day and I don't even have a fireplace, however it was a large tree root in my front lawn.

[RANDLOVER]

It's cool enough is Brisbane lately for me to wear Ugg boots at night. There were even a couple of nights in February suitable for Ugg boots due to rain, usually February is hot.

[d1disco]

Maybe had the odd "colder" day in Sydney, but those colder days have been sooo humid, that moving feels more like swimming, and anything warm becomes wet due to body overheating...

[RANDLOVER]

Today is the equinox at 13h46 when the sun will be directly above the equator, the equilux which is equal amounts of day and darkness will be a few days later due to atmospheric refraction.

[JDNSW]

And at the equinox, the length of the day is changing most rapidly.