Chili's

Getting ready to watch the Bronco's play the Lions, in Detroit.  figured while I had a few minutes, I could catch up on the weekends events.

We boogied out of the house about 10:00 AM on Saturday and drove across town to the Flea Market.  Did a quick walk through and didn't see anything.  I don't no why I have so much fun looking at and for junk but I do.  Candy enjoys it, so it works out well for both of us.

We headed out and made the drive down to Pueblo for the Chili Festival.  We walked through and checked out all the vendors and there was a lot of them.  Candy had a pork chop on a stick and I had a cup of corn.  The place was packed and we arrived about 12:30 PM.  We found parking pretty easy, but the amount of people was surprising. We bought some Pueblo chili's that were already roasted and peeled.  I used to buy a bushel and then I would have to clean them.   Going this way is easier as I will probably only use the six small bags I got.  We got three mediums, two hots and one extra hot.  I am going to be making some awesome green chili this winter.

Friday night I did some looking on Craigslist.org to see what I might find in Pueblo since I would already be in town.   Well I did find some old junk that I wanted to look at, so on our way down to Pueblo I called the # and left a message we would be in town and if I could look around.   We met up at his property at 3:00 PM.  Candy was a little freaked out because of the area as well as buying off Craigslist.   So we met the guy at his address.  It was a RV/Mobile home repair business. It was just outside the mobile home park, which he owned as well.

He was pretty cool and he opened up his shop to let us in the back.  When we got out back, it was about an acre, just loaded with old farm implements.   I will be going back to get some more items as there are lots of things I can do with what he has.

We walked around and looked at all the different old tillers, disc harrows, cutters, harvesters and more.   It was a blast.  We came across what I think is an old cement or some type of industrial dump cart.   I have searched the web high and low trying to find a picture of something similar but haven't yet.  It all seems to be original and it is in excellent shape.

We had always talked about trying to find a mining cart, but man they are like 3K.  Candy spotted it and when she pointed it out, I was like yes.   It was tucked away where it wouldn't be easy to get out.  It weighs a bunch and no way Candy and I would be able to get it out.   

The owner went got his truck and chains.  We had to drag a couple of large disc harrows out of the way.  Then we were able to just roll it out.  It is in working order and was pretty easy to move on the 36 inch wheels.  We loaded it up in the back of my truck.  Luckily the guy had some ramps so that made it easy to load.  

I also grabbed a couple of old steel wheels that are about 5ft in diameter.  I plan on going back soon and getting more.  I have several uses where I could use them.  There are some other cool items that I am interested in as well.

This picture shows one of the steel wheels I snagged.  I am also showing off, my sunflowers.   I made a second one today.  We placed them to the left and right of the big wheel on the backyard fence.   I think it looks pretty cool.

Who know's maybe I am getting a little bit crazier as I age.  But it is a lot of fun to take some of the old steel and re-purpose it into something else.   My welding skills are starting to improve and I still have all my fingers.

Flea Market

For the last couple of weeks on Saturday, Candy and I have been going out to the Flea Market.  We have a pretty good time walking around and checking out the vendors.  It is like a big outdoor garage sale.   I have picked up some decent items for little money.

I picked up a Viking Sprinkler Alarm head for $5.00.  It will look pretty good hanging in the shop.

last week I found a barn hay trolley and got it for $25.00.  Not sure what I am going to do with it, but I am sure I will find a use.

jeez

So what is up.  I have been super slammed as of late.  Plus I have been trying to get my distance in.  I think I crossed the 100 mile today.  My truck went into the shop on Monday, so it made it an easy decision that I needed to walk.  It should be back on Thursday.

This last weekend Candy was out with friends to Denver for the day.  This gave me some extra time to mess around at the shop.   With my time, I created another piece of yard-art.  Another flower but this one is about six feet tall.  It is my Kansas Sunflower.  It should look pretty good through the winter.

For this piece I used:  18' diameter tiller wheel for the flower head, an 8 ft. Studded T Post for the stem and the base is a heavy duty brake rotor.  

The stem was a re-used from when I had posts and chicken wire around some new trees we had planted.  They have grown enough that earlier this summer I pulled the posts.  That was a job! I had twelve of them to pull.

The brake rotor was a freebie that picked from a car dealership in the scrap pile.  The tiller wheel came off of E bay.   I actually bought four of them so have some more flowers to make.

I cut off the bottom of post where I wanted it.  Then I cut a groove in the brake rotor so that it would accept the T post.  I took the wire wheel  to the tiller wheel.   Welded the tiller wheel to the post.  Then welded the post to the brake rotor.   Then I welded on bolts to the post so that it will hold three wine bottles.

Took some black and yellow spray paint to it.  Shazam, there you go!

Building out the Squadron

I have been expanding my WWII aircraft squadron.  So far I have built a Mustang P-40. Douglas SBD Dauntless and a  Mitsubishi Zero.  I am getting quicker at making these.  I sat down and knocked the Mitsubishi Zero our in about an hour.  Each time I cut one out, I learn a new trick to make the process quicker and easier.

From top to bottom we have the Douglas SBD Dauntless, Mitsubishi Zero and the Mustang P-40.

Framed Art

Back in May I created a decoupage project on canvas.  I used a picture from an old Star Wars poster book we had.   I painted the canvas a bronze color then added the picture and glued the gears and clocks on around it.   It has been sitting in the dining room since May, this weekend I picked up a frame for it.   I hung it in my office next to my Star Wars film canisters.

Now that it is framed and hanging, I like it even more.

3D Paper Airplanes

When I was in the sixth grade I had a teacher who turned me on to these 3D paper airplanes.   I can't remember the teachers name, now that I am writing about it.  It will come to me....

It only took me a few minutes to find what I was looking for on Google.  Being I was off yesterday and looking for something to do.  I printed a couple off and started cutting and gluing them together.   Building these two took me about three hours total.

If you would like try your had at one of these you can visit: http://users.ece.cmu.edu/~koopman/airplanes/

Once they were done I sprayed them with a clear satin urethane.  I figured this would help with adhesion as well as strengthening the whole structure.  I have about four more plans for different types of airplanes.   I think they will look pretty cool hanging in my office or shop.

Labor Day Weekend

I cheated and got an early start to the Labor Day weekend.  I took PTO on Friday so we could go to the State Fair.   We left the house at 10 AM and stopped and met the boys at the office.   We had a quick breakfast together at the greasy spoon next door.

On the way down to Pueblo, we stopped in and visited the Corvette Center.   I have my car there having some more work done to it.  Will probably be another few weeks before it is ready.  So while there I asked if they had a scrap pile I could dig through.   They did and I scored on some pretty good scrap for my yard art.  Picked up a cam shaft, several brake disks and some other assorted parts.

The Fair was nice, we were there at 1 PM.  Found free parking close to the gate.  Did the tour, animals, 4H, arts, midway and several food vendors.  All in all I think we spent 4.5 hours there.  Had a good time.

Saturday we spent a good portion of the day at the Auction House and then the Flee Market.   I scored some pretty decent deals, of course more stuff to make yard out of.   Picked up an old jack, old detonation meters and the coolest item was my X Ray On warning light.   I think it came out of the airport because they were also auctioning off old school bag/suite case scanners.  Didn't need them, but the light was cool.  The light flashes red when it is plugged in, the light inside makes the red lettering glow.

I was going to build another flower for the yard with the jack I picked up.  Instead I decided to use up the denotation  boxes I snagged.  I bought 4 pieces, two denotation boxes, one amp gauge and another box like the denotation boxes, but labeled with heating.  They were a buck a piece.  So I decided I would make a box to hold them to go along with the X Ray On warning light.

I cut the wood, then holes to hold the control boxes.  Screwed it all together and hit it with some yellow paint.   I used scrap wood that I had saved and yellow paint that I already had on hand.

Added the control boxes and the amp meter once it was dry.  I think it looks pretty cool.  I have no idea what I am going to do with it.

Don't get me started.......

@nallyeric really dig your part in the @macklemore video.