What are you doing during lock-down?
 

So what's everyone up to?

Still working for now. We do daily drives up the canyons around us in the Jimmy. The last 2 days we went and did some target shooting.

Business as usual for me, working. Our office is working from home but we're essential, facilities. We cover a full city block and 6 stories. Kinda quiet and peaceful with a very limited few here. Easy way to get things done. Until we're sent home, doors locked and my days are business as usual. Our company is working from home, here, in between and west coast offices. They have stated that we're financially stable, strong as ever, 152 years strong, we get paid regardless. I hope all of you are doing well but main thing, STAY SAFE!
If we have a lockdown, I've made myself a sweet to do list at home as well. In other words, I have plenty to do and no rush to get it done.

Yesterday I designed and cut out some stickers for a friend at work. Will be my next custom design decal to be listed on my eBay store.

A Storm Trooper riding a minibike lmao

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...a702b496a3.jpg






Today I washed all the vehicles today.

No the Hyundai isn't pulling a trailer lol, that's just where it's parked.

Didn't even bother unhooking the trailer from the Blazer, just washed it still hooked up to the trailer with the muddy 4 wheels still on it lol.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...9cd96581b1.jpg

Your Blazer looks nice, I bet those light bars kick ass!

Still working. Just bought some heated black leather H3 Hummer seats for the Colorado.... going to do that upgrade. Might make a build thread on here for it...

I am diagnosing an intermittent misfire and continuing going to work! :D

Misfires sure are scary until you solve them..

Lockdown projects
 

Changed serpentine belt on my 2001 blazer now looking for oil leak. It's cold and damp out, yuk ! Hope everyone is well.
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Smiling away !

Well I got furloughed today, so I have some time off, I'll be knocking out a few things around the house... With the Blazer, I have a different sound system in the garage I've been wanting to install, make a little more room in the back cargo area. Gotta pull the electric power steering column back out of our 2010 Elantra and realign the steering shaft... pulled it apart and replaced a bushing a while back, but I guess I got it out of phase when I reassembled and reinstalled it, because now the steering wheel is slightly off to the left and it's throwing a dummy light on and it's DRIVING ME NUTS lol. Then on my 98 Saturn, I have a new AC compressor to install because the old original one on it now is seeping freon out of the front seal. Aside from that, I'll finally be going through and cleaning out my garage, it's a wreck right now... I want to be able to park both of my ATV's in it when I done. I can fit one in there right now, so it's a start lol.

All stuff that I could easily do and work full time as well, I just really have a hard time messing with that stuff after working for 12 hours a day lol.

I'm now working from home and have been going to work at night (we operate 24/7) if I need to do something in the laboratory. Went in at 3am-6am last night. Worked up data at home during the daytime. Going in again at 12:00 tonight. Still able to draw a full time salary and to do what I need to do, but it's getting tougher. I'm not getting close to anyone except my wife. No drinks at work, and no touching my face (I'm not wearing masks). Exposure rate is taking off here in Indiana next to Chicago and Detroit, so I have a little decontamination thing I do as I'm leaving work. Key card and car keys with hand sanitizer before hand. Wash hands - then hand sanitizer on hands as I leave and elbow or foot the doors open to the parking lot. Once home leave shoes at the door, change clothes, put clothes in garage for 24 hours, and wash hands again. It's all I can do (and all I am willing to do). If I can't feel safe that way, then I'll just frickin' stay home.


__________________
Les Myer
Professional Redneck

Played with my 3D printer for most of the day. It's been out of commission for a few months. Replaced a belt tensioner on it, tried to recalibrate it and get the axis' aligned, it got me irritated and I just gave up on it lol. But I think I got it all sorted out today!

Working on a batch of face mask straps for my sister that's an RN a couple hours south of me to give out in the hospital she's at. Plus the wife has accumulated a list of "things" she wants printed while the printer has been down...

We're still working for now as our business is connected to agriculture which is and always should be deemed essential, but jobs are slim given that dairy farmers are still dumping milk by the thousands of gallons coupled with milk/grain prices that are still quite low. We finished up two jobs this week for customers (aerial videos of one of them below - still getting used to flying so there are a few quick movements in the videos). It has rained the past two days and the new jobs we have in the schedule were pretty wet to begin with so we're in a bit of a holding pattern right now. As it stands, what's in the schedule right now is only going to keep us busy for another 6-7 solid working days.


Last weekend I upgraded the main control board on my 3D printer to a BigTreeTech SKR Pro V1.1 board with Fysetc TMC2208 drivers in UART mode. Everything went quite well. I have a BTT TFT35 v3.0 display to install as well that I might attempt this weekend. I printed a case for the new display before the mainboard upgrade, but didn't want the headache of upgrading the board and the display at the same time.

I am taking some time to make a dust shoe for my CNC router based off of this design and modified to fit my router. I finally have all of the materials to cut it out and assemble it so I'm going to try to knock that out this weekend.

I have also been gathering the parts to do a 50A subfeed to power my shed. A bit overkill for just lights and a small 2.5hp air compressor, but I wouldn't mind the possibility of moving the router out there at some point to regain some garage space. Besides, it sucks to find out later that you need more power...

My wife has been working from home for a month now along with my two boys doing the whole home school thing. Seems to be working for them. I setup a home office for her down stairs and the boys get to use the dining room table as their 'class room'.

I built a new computer chair today. Have had the Corvette Z06 seat and the chair base sitting in my garage for well over a year. No time like the present to get around to all these little projects I have lol. Cut some flat stock steel and bolted it all together.

I have some random shorty headers that I thought about turning into the uprights for arm rests for it, if I can come up with a way to put a cushion on them.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...2995fafd97.jpg



Compliments a Subaru WRX one I built a couple years back


https://i113.photobucket.com/albums/...305_140949.jpg

Nice chairs!

Blazer related? Fixing a tiny little oil leak by the end of next week once parts come in
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...5c06202f78.jpg
rod cap wants out

We did some tree & shrub trimming outside this afternoon.

I was also able to get my dust shoe knocked out:
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...3438e8973c.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...e7314be487.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...0b8ecedb23.jpg
When I redesigned it to fit my machine, I also put a boss into it to fit a 2-1/2" shop vac hose which is what I use currently for cleanup. Sooner or later I'll get a proper dust collection machine with 4" port which is what the larger boss is.

Fixed our Argo 6x6 today. Some old fuel crap pushed through the vacuum actuated fuel pump on it and up into the carb's fuel inlet and blocked it up. Was troubleshooting for almost and hour before I figured it out, then felt really dumb when I finally did lol.

Then took it out for a test rip. Handed the wife the keys and I messed with the slow motion video feature of my new phone lol

Ordering my Megasquirt ECU for the engine build. The U.K. guy seems a decent chap. Hope it will turn out as it should. I'll hand over 1300 bucks...

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...735fa3be55.jpg
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Purchased this little gem at an auction, and fixed that drivers corner and replaced the leaf spring.
Then decided to join you all on the forum!

Built a shelf out of some walnut I picked up a couple months ago! I still need to poly it but this is where its at for now. It's 56" wide and 36" tall for scale.
https://i.imgur.com/cGiNgLph.jpg

Was it a salvaged/branded title/declared totaled by the insurance company or did the owner just sell the truck off after it was rear ended?

I am thankful to be working. I even take the Blazer in some nights....

I does have a salvage title as Nationwide paid out on the rear end claim, now that its fixed I just have to have it inspected and re-tilted as "previously salvaged" so I can license it.

So what are your fuel injection plans??? I would like to hear. Don't think you have posted about this before? if so, please send me link.

As for me, I've been going into the lab at night time after midnight to do any actual lab-work required (all by myself), and doing the rest of what I do from home via Citrix to my company server - and by teleconference/telephone/emails. Guess I should be glad to have a job where I am able to work full time this way pretty much indefinitely, if necessary. I am VERY careful about social distancing and practising good technique with my hands, handwashing, and use of hand sanitizer. I do not wear masks since the only thing any mask less than N95 truly does is protect others from getting large droplets coughed or sneezed on them (if I start coughing or sneezing I'll definitely keep my ass home). N95s are made from unobtanium and they only filter out 95% of particles anyways (how big do you think viruses are?). General Nurses in the local hospital here get one N95 (unless working with COVID patients) and they are trying to figure out how to sanitize them for re-use. Home made cloth masks are least effective. You need a full face shield respirator with powered air supply if you want to protect yourself around viruses like the one for COVID-19. They have them.... but what if your patient is asymptomatic so far but really has it.

You may have heard how masks helped countries like China. That is because everybody wears them, and if no one is able to cough droplets on someone else, then it really does help. Here in the USA our freedom to generally not give a sh** about other people and our belief that we have the right to do whatever we want ends up hurting us. The cheapo masks only help if everyone does it. When you have a sick unmasked person coughing in your direction, wearing a mask won't do you much good. Remember that you can be exposed to some virus without getting sick, but not if your viral dose is high enough to overwhelm your immune system. Different people have different amounts of exposure that makes them sick. Look at some families where everyone related by blood gets sick and others are fine while taking care of their sick husband. Trick is to reduce your amount and frequency of exposure.

And don't forget about mask and glove stupidity. Wife found a video on Facebook of an older woman in a mask and gloves in a grocery store trying to get into one of those plastic bags that comes on a roll. Pulls down the mask and licks her gloved fingers to open the bag - then puts her mask back up in place.

Thank God for delivery services. Groceries and stuff from Amazon/Walmart. We just finished getting new Wood floors installed in our downstairs just as the pandemic was getting started and finally finished getting everything back into place. Wife is starting to go stir crazy as she is an OR nurse sitting home without work (no elective surgeries being done) and she recently got poison ivy from the back yard - poor girl! As for me I have outside vegetable gardening and yardwork coming up soon - a basement to go through and get rid of some things - a deck to re-stain (oil stain every 2 years). Thinking about re-joining my local shooting club as I now have time to do it again with the racing season on hold. I have a hydroboost coming for my Avalanche that needs installed to stop leaking fluid. I have plenty to keep myself occupied at home but I worry more about my wife not being able to get out like she wants - it seems to bother her more.

But some hood vents in, packed electrical connections with dielectric, might start making a grounding kit.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...5f0631b9b2.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...8cda436d23.jpg

Yesterday I got my second 3D printer up and running after being out of commission for months. Don't know why it took me so long to just print out the parts I needed to fix it with my other 3D printer...

https://i113.photobucket.com/albums/..._175645967.jpg




Then went and ripped around in this crazy thing again behind the house, lol

LOL and I thought I was bad with my golf cart! Wife took on some of the trails today and got it all muddy, bad girl. She owes me now. What you using for the computer to run the prints? Full system or more eco cost friendly like a raspberry pi2 or 3 or such? It that painters tape on plate? How you getting good adhesion to keep project in place?

Oh this thing is made for it. I'm waiting on some good rain to fill that hole up some more and then I can really make use of the amphibious feature :D

I actually use to use a Raspberry Pi 3 running Octoprint, but just above these printers on a shelf is a Dell workstation PC that I've repurposed into a home server (media server and game server). It's running Windows 10 and I just remote into it and use it to control the printers. With the Quadro GPU in it, I could probably model on it too, better than my regular PC lol, but even on a wired connection, Windows remote desktop has so much latency that it's pretty horrible to try... Been wanting to try another piece of software for the remote access, I just haven't bothered yet...

On the one on the left in the picture, yes just blue painters tape. Heating the bed to 60, PLA sticks AMAZINGLY well to it. Larger prints usually bring the tape up with it when removed, especially if I give it extra prep and wipe the tape surface down with an alcohol prep pad first. But normally I just wipe off the tape with a moist rag, bring it to temp, and print directly on it. I can normally get 9-10 prints off the tape without destroying it if I'm careful about removing the print from it.

The one on the right that's fully enclosed, I use it for just ABS. It has a glass print bed. I wipe it down with alcohol and use hair spray as my adhesive promoter. Can usually get 3 or 4 prints per surface prep, especially if they're smaller prints, but it I'm getting ready for a long print I'll usually do a full alcohol wipe down and fresh hairspray coat prep, just to make sure there's no issues. Seems to work the best so far in my case. Larger prints will sometimes lift the edges a little as the ABS shrinks a little during the print, but I haven't had a print break loose yet since using this method. They stick well while still warm, but it's stupid easy to remove the prints when done. Usually once the print is done I'll just open up the front door on the enclosure, and as the print and bed cools, the print will literally "crack" off the build plate by itself. Then I just reach in and grab it.

Today's small 3D print was a wrench holder. Be doing at least one more if these and some socket holders too. Probably some other specially holders and mounts too. Over the past few weeks I've come to the conclusion that I don't like the organisation of my toolboxes lol.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...833e3f7495.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...05742bdc9b.jpg

I go to work tonight.

Another small 3D modeling and printing job. Designed a universal bracket for standard 22mm handlebars that can be used to mount all sorts of things. In this first case, a small tab to mount a horn button on our ATV's :D

I like projects like this. Small, simple, and quick to design and print, yet almost limitless applications!



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...41945b1df0.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...b5f48c3b27.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...8e8c8d2e12.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...ed39b685df.jpg

Nice! The little things are always great.


me I've been working 4 days a week, and now doing work on the blazer with time off...

some body touch ups, add ons, and been getting my summer rims ready. Next weekend I'm taking my carrier off to paint and redo the thread locker on it, and see about some for the gate part, self tappers keep coming loose...

Got outside yesterday and modified the latches on a cheap Tractor Supply trailer. Got rid of the spring loaded sideways latches and welded on some custom made regular drop-in-pin style latches. The 6x6 was catching the pins that stay stuck out about 2 inches inward every time it was loaded on the trailer, already has 2 bent wheels because of it... Now nothing sticks out towards the inside of the trailer and the 6x6 can be driven right up onto it with ease :) Can't fold the gate back inwards when the trailer is empty any more, but never did that anyhow...

Welds aren't pretty by any stretch, but the 'ol Harbor Freight flux core mig welder does great for jobs like this. Did even better after I finally ran out of .030 wire and changed it to .035 after this photo, that I took after running out of .030 lol


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...284e0fc86d.jpg

With my tennis elbow acting up and keeping me off the ATVs for a while, my inner nerd has come out. Been 3D printing a tracked rover to run off a raspberry pi. Now trying to wrap my head around programming it... The movement was easy, but I want to be able to remote control it over my wifi network and have a live camera feed from it.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...ed6ec598b7.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...5bd19d7581.jpg

This looks cool 💪💪💪

Today I knocked out one of my to do's that's been on my person list for some time now. Got up in my attic and ran some cat 6 cable to various rooms. Been wanting to put the media center pc in the living room on hard wire for a while instead of wifi. Now the wife and I are going to change rooms for the home office computer area, but leaving the modem and router in the old room where I'm also leaving my home server connected to it.

Now I have hard wired gigabit ethernet in almost every room of the house :)

I've been partying with friends.

girls or boys?? Lol

Omg been doing so much stuff rebuilt my front bumper, installed a pa 2” body lift, new fuel rims, new ball joints, cv axles, tie rods and sleeves. Lucked out and found a 99 envoy at the wreckers so got heated leather seats and door panels with the ash tray delete and deluxe overhead console only thing left to put on is the ash tray delete and overhead consol
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...078972dd0.jpeg
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Working,blew an engine, bought a parts truck...