Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Morning

I missed the rain when I delivered my first batch of boxes to Wendy. They are still living in a pile of more unpacked boxes, but she has a keen and willing family who are intent on getting them settled as quickly as possible.

Today the six of us are off to Wales for three days, thank goodness the other 4 have recovered from their norovirus attack as our three days away include a gourmet evening tomorrow night at the family run hotel we are staying . Its a welcome break for Wendy and Keith after a hectic 6 weeks since they decided to move. We are staying near Chirk and the weather forecast looks promising. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed doing useful things to my engine which is getting very close to completion.
Full sun may tempt me out later but there is no pressing reason for me to do anything other than look after myself.

[Stanley]

Just one task this morning but it took almost 45 minutes to do it. I drilled the clearance holes in the governor stand for the two 5BA set screws that hold it onto the pad on the engine bed. Then drill and tap the bed, and then install the set screws. We are ready now to time the steam valve..... But that's for tomorrow. I am looking towards my breakfast now.

[Sue]

Morning

What a lovely day yesterday and more of the same forecast today. I think we are all going to a National Trust place today and will generally just potter. We arrived at Chirk yesterday lunchtime meeting up with Barbara and Bill at the main car park. We had lunch at a small cafe followed by a walk before making our way to the hotel 7 miles away. Wendy and Keith arrived just after us, after a busy morning. They had had to take the keys back of their old house and also collected the remaining bits and pieces , mainly gardening stuff. Wendy told us that their daughter and grand daughter had succumbed to the norovirus, thankfully we have not, and amazingly neither has Keith. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

These infections can be very selective can't they Sue. I shall keep bleaching my sink and taps and hoping for the best!

[Sue]

Very complicated but interesting
https://asm.org/articles/2024/april/sus ... blood-type

[Big Kev]

Very complicated but interesting
https://asm.org/articles/2024/april/sus ... blood-type

Interesting read, I had to read it twice and have a headache now.

[Stanley]

I understood it OK and like the fact that they give my regular morning exercise that results in my drinking mug, sink, sink cleaning aids and surfaces all attacked with hot bleach and a wetting agent. Something that might help also is the antigens I have in my system after the attack of Botulism I suffered in Berlin. The doctors at Hanover certainly thought so. They told me that they envied my enhanced defence systems after surviving what could very easily have been a fatal attack.
I don't recommend the botulism but you could always try the bleach and wetting agent!
(I also think that eating my butties for years with hands covered in cow muck while I was on the cattle wagon might have had an effects as well. Daily inoculation!)
Today I shall go through my bleach routine in a few minutes when I brew my daily dose of single estate organic coffee.....
Later at 06:00 I shall go in the shed to do useful things to my valve train. After that I don't know.... it's forecast to be below freezing all day so I might just keep warm and look after myself.

[Stanley]

A nice quiet half hour spent on final touches, valve setting and lacing the engine up. Where necessary studs cut off at nut level and a final lube with thick oil to last a long time. Now I have to think of where to go next. At the moment it looks like a good tidy up and making three crankshafts out of the solid..... (I have found I have some shafting that will do.) I shall have to work up to ordering another set of castings...... Enough, I go to breakfast!

[Sue]

Morning

A late start this morning as we had a late night last night, chatting after our gourmet meal. Yesterday was a beautiful day and a very pleasant visit the Erddig Hall near Wrexham. Only the grounds and servants quarters were open but more than well worth a visit. This morning will be a leisurely breakfast before we drive home. We are out to eat again this evening, at a local curry house to celebrate Bobs birthday. Its just a year since his radiotherapy started, how the time has flown. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Many happy returns to Bob!
I've ordered a new set of castings..... I shall go and lie down in a darkened room.....

[Big Kev]

Washing the car so I can see out the windows

That wind is a bit keen

[Gloria]

A tip Stanley, use bleach on your outside door handles as well, helps stop you carrying anything into the house.

[Stanley]

I'm not compulsive enough for that Gloria! But I can see your point.
Kev. I decided that they hadn't been kidding when they forecast -6C wind chill and I decided bugger the exercise, that's too severe for me!
I shall be in the shed this morning starting on preparations for the next three engines..... Nothing like a bit of optimism!
I doubt if the weather will be attractive enough to tempt me out. I shall keep warm and fry sweet potato chips to further extend my cooking.
(The wind will be slightly less keen today Kev.... )

[Big Kev]

(The wind will be slightly less keen today Kev.... )

That's good to hear, we're off to Harrogate for tea with youngest offspring today and I'm on pudding duty so a walk to Aldi, in Colne, this morning.

[Stanley]

[Stanley]

Half an hour spent starting on the next engine. First a tidy up of the bench then some measuring and marking and then Mrs McMaster came out to play and I ended up with three billets of 2" shaft 6" long. The raw material for the next job, making three crankshafts for the next three engines! This will take up the time nicely until the next batch of castings arrive. A good start! Now for breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

We were home mid afternoon yesterday, time to do the washing and have a sit for a couple of hours before we went out for the curry, the latter was very good indeed. This morning is the hairdressers, than a trip to Wendys to take a key over, followed by another trip to Milnrow. I bought something online to find the person lives not 200 yards from Wendys previous house, what a coincidence. Further plans depend on the weather. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

I think you'll find dry but overcast and cold will cover the weather Sue.
I'm back up after two hours second sleep. A pot of tea is the current order of the day.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed for an hour at 06:00 starting on the next group of engines. I have three crankshafts to chop out of the solid. (If I die before they are finished Muthomi will have a good start for his first project in his new workshop!)
Nothing attractive about the weather but I might venture out for a short walk and a couple of items from the Co-op. There's always something!

[Stanley]

Today I started into chopping three crankshafts out of solid. The first task was to get a centre in one end of each billet and using that mark the 3/4" offset so I could punch a centre for the crank pin. Then I took the vise off the VM and cleaned the bed. Next I took the large cutter out and sharpened the 7/16" cutter before installing that in the mill. I am ready now to clamp each billet down while I chop out the excess metal from inside the webs of the shaft. Newton taught me this trick, it's a lot easier than cutting it out on the lathe using eccentric turning and an interrupted cut. That got rid of an hour so I have stopped and am looking for my breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

We didn’t wake up till well after 8, not sure why. It was a busy morning yesterday but the afternoon and evening were very relaxed. Bob finished our new wooden rose arch with the last of the cross pieces so today I will tie in the plants I had to cut back. This morning I shall change the bedding and it should dry outside as its due to be windy. Bob is at the park this afternoon, I have no plans at the moment. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

I've had my second sleep and it hasn't really come daylight in Barlick yet..... Not a lot of incentive for doing anything.
Oh. one bit of excitement, I have decided to cook a tomato and cheese omelette for my dinner.....

[Stanley]

I've just had a very nice tomato and cheese omelette. Now I shall have a dad nap!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed first thing working quietly towards crankshaft turning. Later, despite the cold overcast and rain I shall go across to the Co-op for a few goodies....