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All this talk of cakes is not helping when I can't eat any of them!   :D

 

Anyway, my face is still looking like the inside of a kicked in snap box so I was unable to go for my usual fry up at Ten acres cafe.

This also meant that Fat Al, my dog, didn't get his sausages so he isn't talking to me.

Did I do any car work to take my mind off the discomfort?

Sort of, but not actually.

As you know, it is now  in the tent of dreams which is nice but it does mean that in order to do anything I have to have an extension lead hanging out of the kitchen window.

This is not ideal at the best of times but now the weather is starting to go the wrong way, the lovely Doctor would be unimpressed if the window was open and snow was drifting inside so I decided to fit an external plug socket.

I didn't want a massive box on the wall that stuck out like the balls on a dog so I dug a hole in the wall to recess it into.

B5667532-2781-4363-9-D7-C-F3-C26-AC46-B5


Luckily I have a stash of matching bricks to fill in the gaps and I also have some lime mortar which will also match when it is dried out.

C9-BE194-C-1-E86-4-AF5-86-D1-B17-F2-FA91


That black cable is the co-ax for the TV which is on the other side of the wall.

If the weather is as nice tomorrow as it was today, I should get it wired in and buttoned up.

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36 minutes ago, tea boy said:

 

C9-BE194-C-1-E86-4-AF5-86-D1-B17-F2-FA91

If the weather is as nice tomorrow as it was today, I should get it wired in and buttoned up.

IP6 I hope ! 👍

36 minutes ago, tea boy said:

I didn't  want a massive box on the wall that stuck out like the balls on a dog

🤣 Proper spat my tea out at that one !

Edited by GaryH
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Well here we are.

Today was my return visit to the dentist so in anticipation of him fixing me up like new I have ordered a large Victoria sponge cake from the local cake specialist, Lil's Cakes. 

It is going to be ready next Saturday.

So the dentist...

Well the swelling has gone down considerably but not completely so he has prescribed more antibiotics.

The pain is still thoroughly unpleasant.

He was able to pry my mouth open wide enough to take an x-ray this time.

He said that the tooth where the infection is will have to be removed.

Luckily it is a back tooth so I won't look like I've just been mugged in The Gorbals.

Unluckily, it turns out that the root on said tooth goes down then turns off at a tangent so he can't do it and he's referring me to a dental surgeon.

That doesn't sound too thrilling.

I might have jumped the gun with the cake!

Anyway, the business at hand.

I got the external plug socket finished on Sunday.

80477-BC9-AADF-48-B3-A911-D0-A83-AD3-D54

2-EA315-ED-128-B-4737-ACA0-62-B688180-E4


After the dentist I made a start on removing the seat crossmember by drilling the spot welds.

I was quite cautious as I didn't want to go right through.

I had considered cutting it and just removing a portion of it  but decided it would be better to keep it  whole.

There were quite a few spot weld and half way through the job I was thinking that perhaps I should have cut it...

Once I had drilled as far as I dared it was still stuck in place.

What I needed was something thin to slide under it that I could then tap towards each spot weld.

I found these bits of stainless.

9-C221-ADA-E441-4-BFE-B8-EC-401-EC678370


I put a 90* bend on one end and sharpened it up a bit.

I could then just about tap it under the flange and then tap it sideways.

If it stopped at a spot weld I would drill it a bit more then try again until it went past.

They stainless things took a battering.

This is after it has been straightened out a few times.

8-ACD9047-F09-A-44-BF-8693-022-B02-C0550


Eventually I managed to work the whole way round and I only went all the way through once with the drill.

825-D752-A-6593-46-BB-99-CC-47-C048-AA24


This is the hole I was trying to get to.

DFBC4030-893-D-47-E7-994-D-95-E30291349-


I know it looks like a huge amount of work to get to a small hole but there is a spot welded flange of a box section on the underside so I need to get to see what is going on in there too.

The crossmember has only a tiny dusting of surface rust in a couple of places inside it.

8168-D31-B-8-B93-4576-B0-DE-423-DEAAC572


There was also a bit more here on the floor, I'll have to investigate that too.

0-D08-D23-F-54-E9-4-BF3-AD09-66-EE762435


I wouldn't have seen that if I'd just cut out a section of the crossmember.

Hopefully that will prove to be nothing sinister.

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Great work on the car!  Bad choice on the sockets.

I just moved into a unit with the same weatherproof sockets.  They are a bit crap  - we have quite a few tall adapters, RCDs and timers that won't plug into them because of the outer shell.

 

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22 hours ago, Jonny Hart said:

Great work on the car!  Bad choice on the sockets.

I just moved into a unit with the same weatherproof sockets.  They are a bit crap  - we have quite a few tall adapters, RCDs and timers that won't plug into them because of the outer shell.

 

Cheers Jonny.

The sockets are perfect for what I need them for.

 

 

I've got an appointment to have my Hampsteads sorted, 24th of November.

I'll just keep using clove oil until then, it's been a lifesaver.

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Hello there.

I have finished my antibiotics and my face is no longer blown up like a bouncy castle so that's a bonus.

I still have to wait until the end of November to have my dodgy hampstead removed but if it stays like it is at the moment then I should be able to manage ok.

I had both my daughters, granddaughter and son-in-law staying with us this weekend so car work was out of the question but we did go out for a fry up on Saturday morning which was my first proper meal for about a fortnight and it was delightful.

Back to reality today so after work I had a look in the tent.

I decided I would have a look at this little hole to ease myself back into it gently. (That larger hole has already gone, its an older picture.)

632-A3-D06-55-D9-48-FC-8051-658-D54-F0-B


When I started to drill out the spot weld there was a slight puff of red dust as I got half way in to it.

That's not a good sign...

2366-AE6-B-3-ACA-4-D78-8-AE4-0905197-A5-


The flange on the box section looks a bit crusty.

So I cut a bigger piece out to investigate.

F61-A6-CF4-EC64-447-F-AB87-699224-C295-F


Oh bolleaux!


I'm going to have some cake and contemplate the next step.

A8617609-267-C-40-DA-A68-A-D3-BEF2-F5-A9


Cheers.

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It will be worth it when you’re finished.  I was down at Redish today having new throttle actuators fitted and had some time looking at the other e46s in for similar work.  The finish is great afterwards and I guess they are using better rust protection than originally.  Have you visited?

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5 minutes ago, Ian Comerford said:

It will be worth it when you’re finished.  

I was down at Redish today

Have you visited?

Cheers IC1.

I've only visited them virtually for inspiration.

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There was a hold up on the motorway on my way home tonight, I didn't turn a wheel for about an hour.

This impacted on my tent time.

I will be replacing the scabby flange on that box section but first I needed to clean it all up to see what was what.

27-A4-D540-FF1-D-4-BB4-B5-C1-25-AA025-BA


It came up reasonably well so I will determine the cut line from whatever is visibly scabby underneath.

That is basically the whole spot weld flange.

I covered it up with two coats of rust converter spooge for now.

A9-D54901-94-F0-4-B40-B312-53-E073765-D2


That was about all I had time for.

Another knock on from the motorway hold up meant that I didn't call at the shop on the way home so consequently I have no cakes.

I don't even have any custard!

I do have a personalised secret stash of strawberry creams, courtesy of my youngest daughter.

483-F5448-B6-F0-4-D74-A3-D2-33-F181-C9-F


Cheers.

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No tent action last night, it was quiz night.

I missed the last one because I was too busy rubbing clove oil all over myself.

I should have missed this one for what good we did, came last!

I'm blaming it on too many football questions and our football expert not showing up.


Well, it has been raining all day long and when I opened the tent all the water has nicely run off the garden and gone under the car.

FBF6-A510-D905-4-BB3-9-EB9-6-BF3656-F439


I swept most of it out but I didn't fancy going along my crawling board so I went in the shed and bashed some metal with a hammer.

All the stuff I have done on the floor so far has been with 1mm steel but because the next bit to fix is a chassis section I decided to use 1.2mm.

I know 0.2mm extra doesn't sound very much but it does make it much harder to move the metal about with a hammer.

This is how far I got.

26-C3-A1-AB-51-A6-457-B-9393-D4132-A68-B


It goes in here.

F722-A664-B2-AC-4-EB8-8-CA6-FD21-C2110-E


I don't know if I'm happy with it, I might start again.

Then again, I might press on with it and see how it goes.

Decisions, decisions...

Speaking of decisions, I don't know if I should have a jammy doughnut or some custard...

I may be forced to have both.


Cheers.
 

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On 21/10/2022 at 08:10, Beaky said:

It'a clear you need some motivation.....Baklava

image.jpeg.1f57a41fae1def8e690b1c8e546b97af.jpeg

 

On 21/10/2022 at 09:15, Lesworth said:

I think these are more up his strasse, so to speak. With a nice cup of tea.

 

nice buns.jpg

Thanks Beaky but I think I'm going to go with Lesmonde's selection.

 

 

Last night was the village harvest supper and as I am one of the village people I thought it was only right that I should attend.

The main course was nice but I had to pace myself, I didn't want to peak too soon and spoil the dessert.

I went for the apple and blackberry crumble with custard.

It was that nice I had three helpings but it gave me that feeling you usually only get on Christmas day after dinner when you feel like you are about to explode.


Luckily this morning I was back to normal, or as normal as it is possible for me to get so we went for a fry up at Ten Acres Cafe.

This afternoon I had the option of either helping the lovely doctor with the gardening or going into the tent.

It was a difficult choice but I went for the tent option.

I decided that I couldn't be bothered to start that piece again so I hammered it a bit more and trimmed it down a bit.

350417-CB-1254-42-D0-9-D0-D-C43-B17-CF30


It didn't look too bad so I tacked it in.

3614-B4-A7-41-AD-4-E09-8759-B367-B0-ED17


That went ok so I welded it in.

3-A49135-C-90-B1-4267-B642-B4-B4-A99-C71


I don't really need to file down the weld because it is going to be enclosed inside the box section, but I did have to clean off the flange where the floor is going to touch it, the bit on the left.

4-B4-A37-E4-A001-40-D5-B103-EFD3-EDAE83-


The underside looked to have half decent penetration.

8-F2-EB67-B-18-D4-425-C-B0-BB-5-E7026-EF


It cleaned up ok.

0-DEB46-E6-E6-BB-4184-AA53-682728-D1369-


I'm happy with that.

I have a choice of treats as I managed to get to the creamy bun shop after breakfast.

788099-AA-8-F94-4483-89-BE-3-C6-E3-E80-D


There were two strawberry tarts, I don't know where the other one went...

I also got the last cream slice in the shop.

CEE825-E9-03-E7-4-C61-8-DAF-148-F88504-D


I'm going to have that now, with a lovely cup of tea.


Cheers.
 

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No tent time on Sunday, went out for lunch with the Lovely Doctor and the mother-in-law at Rufford Abbey.

It sounds posh but it isn't really.

They do have some large grounds and a lake which the doctor was keen to have a nice walk around.

As her mum has a dodgy hip she had booked a mobility scooter for her to use.

Not wanting to be left out, I decided that I would rather drive around on a scooter as well so it was a much less strenuous afternoon than it could have been.


Last time I made the first section of the chassis section, tonight I thought it would be a good idea to do the next bit along.

The reason that I didn't do the whole thing in one piece is because the next bit has quite a few bends and shapes in it.

The bit to the right of the new bit, here.

CC674-C65-208-A-4569-ADD9-114-EB42-EC15-


As I do the metalworking in the shed and the car is in the tent I did plenty of walking between the two whilst I was making this.

I could have done with that mobility scooter again.

BC10085-D-5-F7-A-4898-94-BB-06-CA4-FDC9-


I had two hours bashing that out and it still needs a bit more work before it is ready.

7-DB8-D33-C-19-DA-428-F-A323-68-E408-FA4


Cake pictures have been withheld to safeguard the waistlines of the innocent.


Cheers.

Edited by tea boy
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I had another two hours bashing that same piece of metal and walking back and forth between the shed and the tent and this is what I have to show for it.

CA7759-B0-75-B4-40-E2-81-C4-75722-C72962


I know it looks the same as before and essentially it is the same as before, which means that it still isn't right.

The reason it needs to be 'right' is that the floor has to fit perfectly on top of it then the seat crossmember goes on top of that.

Every time I adjusted one part it threw another part out and I was going round in circles.

I need to have a think about it over a nice cup of tea.

The options I can think of are to persist with this piece, to start again or possibly to make it in two smaller sections.

I'm not sure which way I'm going tackle it yet.


What would you do?


Cheers.

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23 hours ago, tea boy said:

No tent time on Sunday, went out for lunch with the Lovely Doctor and the mother-in-law at Rufford Abbey.

It sounds posh but it isn't really.

They do have some large grounds and a lake which the doctor was keen to have a nice walk around.

As her mum has a dodgy hip she had booked a mobility scooter for her to use.

Not wanting to be left out, I decided that I would rather drive around on a scooter as well so it was a much less strenuous afternoon than it could have been.


Last time I made the first section of the chassis section, tonight I thought it would be a good idea to do the next bit along.

The reason that I didn't do the whole thing in one piece is because the next bit has quite a few bends and shapes in it.

The bit to the right of the new bit, here.

CC674-C65-208-A-4569-ADD9-114-EB42-EC15-


As I do the metalworking in the shed and the car is in the tent I did plenty of walking between the two whilst I was making this.

I could have done with that mobility scooter again.

BC10085-D-5-F7-A-4898-94-BB-06-CA4-FDC9-


I had two hours bashing that out and it still needs a bit more work before it is ready.

7-DB8-D33-C-19-DA-428-F-A323-68-E408-FA49


Cake pictures have been withheld to safeguard the waistlines of the innocent.


Cheers.

A piece of cake might help……..oh dear, what have I said!

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On 25/10/2022 at 22:39, World Citizen said:

Cut up a Corn Flakes box, paper mache over it, lick of paint and sell it on Collecting Cars

Spend the profits on cakes

 

 

That's not a bad idea but the only problem with it is that I only have Frosties packets, They're grrreat according to Tony the tiger.

 


Anyway, I was a bit later home from work this evening so I didn't have lots of time, certainly not enough time to make a whole new piece so I decided to give it one more bash, so to speak.

After a bit of hammering and shrinking, twisting and tweaking it started to look a bit more like.

I tried the seat crossmember on top of it to see if it looked ok.

764569-CD-3-D57-4-CEC-92-AD-BC60-F0-E45-


It seemed to fit so I thought that it would probably work.

I've chopped the old bit out and offered up the new bit.

E7-D17381-3-E0-D-46-B0-A930-5-A67-E9-CD0


It doesn't look too bad.

I had neither the time or the enthusiasm to drag the welder out of the shed to tack it on, hopefully I'll get that chance tomorrow.

Cheers.
 

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I've managed to get it in, at last!

D5-DC9289-7-DDA-4548-B5-B6-D05-E803-DB81


I got a bit carried away with myself when I was sticking it in and I didn't take many pictures so I will explain what I did.

The piece was clamped in place and where the surface was level I put a light tack weld.

Once it was tacked I filed the tack welds down flush so I could hammer and dollie any sections which were not quite level without the tacks getting in the way.

Once it was all level I welded it fully.

The underside looked like this.

2754-F7-BD-C17-A-4-B4-E-A747-A6-EF320-C1


But now it looks like this after a bit of a sand down.

34999-B34-022-D-4-E9-A-80-B2-4-A022-D551


I need to trim the flange part down to match the width of the original.


The whole thing has moved upwards so that the flange is slightly too high to fit the floor back on top so I will bash this down before I trim it to size.

I left the inside like this.

52-EB161-F-8-D15-473-E-8-C04-D4494-FFCE1


I'm very pleased to have got this bit done, well, almost done.

I need to sort out the bit of floor now so that can go back in.


Cheers.

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22 hours ago, TargaWayne said:

Sterling work, but I can't help thinking something is missing from the end of this post. 🍰 🧁

Cheers Wayne. 

I'm on a diet now, until the weekend at least.

 

As the chassis section is now solid I just need to stick the bit of floor back in, easy peasy.

It probably needs a little bit of a repair first because, if you remember there was a little hole in it.

632-A3-D06-55-D9-48-FC-8051-658-D54-F0-B


This is what the underside looks like.

A860-B2-D7-F3-AD-4-BB3-8927-7-F349-FD858


You will notice that it is on top of the blast cabinet so just a quick tidy up, a little repair and Bob's your brother in law.

There you go.

526-F40-FB-5-A23-4-B31-95-EE-52-C1-CA52-


Oh, it's a bit pitted...

CD9-B5-CC6-5881-4-B47-ADE6-F567533-F393-


it could be worse I suppose...

CFADB037-0472-4-A14-982-B-07-FD5-C1-BAF1


Ah, it is worse.


I'd like to see someone who could make a new piece of floor to replace that, there's loads of shapes in it.

I don't know where to start.

I'm going to have a lovely cup of tea and think about it for a bit.


Cheers.
 

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