Lord Gruntfuttock

What's behind that front hubcap, drum brake...? (Got a PX, no idea what the NV is...)

Built me a bench out of scrap materials. Wanted to cover the water pump and create a small work area in the new house garage. Used a Supercheap bench (bought at 60% off) as a starting point and made top out of kids old wardrobe shelves that I'd wisely saved/hoarded (can't throw out decent 18mm MDF mate)... Boxed in pump with scrap timber and removable front panel... Surprised myself as it's even level... And a bit of bog on the screws/joints, some sanding, coat of paint or 3 and it looks ok, has a lip around the back/side wall too to stop springs/balls etc falling down gaps. Not bad for costing nothing, and now I know where I'm working I can bang some lights up...

Oooh had one of those...

Catlins cruise So after the massively staggered convoy regathered for refreshments at the Fortrose cafe, we headed to the Waipapa Pt lighthouse in Otara. (Otara, wot?)... Wrong Otara bro... (file pic for reference) Worst shipwreck in NZ was here in 1881, lighthouse built 1884. Should've taken pics of the trees that grow sideways. Haven't really got any pics without the midgets in em... Highlight was seeing the seal have a go at the asian tourists who got a bit of a 'fuck off' message... Interesting bit of the country, some good roads for fangin, couple of 25km/h corners and a few boulders set the 'check engine' light off. Proper OS cars don't suffer such worrisomes. It went away, eventually... Next was Curio Bay, massive earthworks/construction happening here, so picking another spot likely to be ruined by 'progress'. Old school camping ground and store are still hidden in the flax though, so there's hope... The petrified forest bay was pretty interesting. Only ever really been here for surfing so first proper look at stone trees. There is a Toddy dressed in black in there somewhere... Kids wanted to poke around rock pools and were very excited to find a starfish. I was wondering what you'd snare by chucking a line into some of the big channels... Waikawa was pretty interesting, sold an old Hartley boat to a geezer here and had a poke around but couldn't see it. The museum's worth a look but we were heading back by that stage... And wife away when got home so mate came round and we drunk cheap Russian beers and watched Dunkirk movie on loud. Recommend... Oh, that's my shin - result of rock-hopping with kids (not cheap Russian beers, honest) Don't recommend...

Good catchup guys. Got coupla scenic pics but bit durnk to post...

Coming for quick cruise cos better than house stuff Bringing midgets. BP ascot 11'ish in blk subie...

I really don't know at present. Just lots on that makes a day off tricky. Later event sounds good...

Yeah looks great, agree is too good to hack so stick with bolt-on mods. Sweet buy. (Got a CB360 project-in-waiting in the shed, similar lines)

Can you do skids in em...?

So I've been informed it's not my daughter's birthday after all (Father of year award - got the month right tho). So may be able to make it, but will likely have kids tagging along. This is barring the modular wardrobe furniture turning up and me spending most of that weekend swearing at it...

The bum of a horse...

Giant propeller. Always wanted an old wooden prop as a room fan...

Last time I was there I went up the twin towers for a beer. probs can't do that any more...

Awww great route. Done a bit of surfing thataways. Daughters birthday unfortunately else would be there (if other commitments permit). Will see if things change, birthday could be held Sunday yet, then could take kids along...

I see a problem. Either a mouse on fire will scuttle under flammable crap, or burning mouse parts will be thrown into flammable crap. Workshop burns down either scenario. Also prob lethal to kids etc. Still want video...

Had look from your link. Mousetrap Barrys indeed. Sad thing is I watched about a dozen of them before snapping myself out of it..

Had another crack at fixing broken electronics... About a year ago our LG LCD telly gave up the ghost at around 4 yrs old, just out of warranty, natcherly. Just sighed and bought a bigger one at the time, and put the koozed one away behind the couch. Now we've renovated I decided to have a look at it. From memory the thing powered up but there was no screen action, so was probably something a bit technical (ie not a fuse or similar). Not much in these things, a power board and a main board, with connectors to all the gubbins (didn't take pics as I was pretty sure I'd end up taking it to the tip, so these are interweb screen grabs). Power board on left, main board on right... Not my board but very similar, shows the 3 plug and two ribbon connections you have to disconnect to get it out... I looked for anything obvious, and also for spare boards online but think the 47" was a bit of an orphan, so there's not much about that doesn't cost more than a new telly. I was pretty sure it was the motherboard that had a problem with a bad solder connection, so decided to bake it, as I really had nothing to lose. Solder melts around 185 - 215 Celcius (depending on composition) so I ramped the oven up to around 200 then placed the board on a cardboard stand (don't use metal)... A couple of minutes into it I checked temps, was pretty much spot on, around 204 deg max. Left it in the oven for 10 minutes, then turned off and opened door so it could cool. Really important not to move it until everything has set in place... Once it was below 120 degs I removed it and let it cool completely before reassembly. On first power up it did more than it had previously, but the screen was garbled pixels, so I had another go at connecting the two ribbon cables (used a magnifying stand to make sure they were lined up better this time). And voila (bottom telly)... Pretty bloody surprised actually. It's a smelly process too by the way, so best to run extractor fan/open windows. To give it a proper test I bung it on the bedroom wall mount and looked on my hard drive for a high def movie to watch. Went sweet... Will place in the family room as watching pron on this size screen at the end of the bed is a bit daunting...

Yeah really nice lines on tank/seat combo. So many get this wrong... [Edit] nice front guard chop too...

Cruel...

Mebbe... Where you thinking? Worth taking surfboard? Could strap the mal to the beige mondeo wag = Gumby on a plank/shark feeding... Either that or take the bike/tent/spare oil for a minimalist overnighter = bad sleep /whiskey... Or convince mate the Leyland needs a run = booze cruise... All depends on calendar/weather/wife...

Big shed...?

Didn't some Lions escape from a circus/zoo once and eat a kid in Lawrence? Recall seeing them stuffed in Dunedin museum or somewhere... [edit] Wiki indicates I may have over-egged the story a little... "In 1978, two lions named Sultan and Sonia escaped from a circus in Lawrence. The circus' tranquiliser guns had accidentally been left behind in another town so they could not be shot with tranqiliser darts. They were eventually shot by police but not before one of them had scratched a seven-year-old boy across the face." [edit # 2] So there is now a 47 yr old bloke somewhere with a facial scar caused by a lion having a go. Bet no-one believes him when he tells his yarn down the pub...

Yay, WOF'ed... Was a tad nervous as bloke who normally looks after my shitters has moved on, and didn't want some stranger who didn't understand OS foibles picking things apart (factory oil leaks, lack of brakes, inability to change gears etc). All good, so will be chuffing round over the weekend. Will camp out if weather is kind...

LOL'ed at that...

Working Saturday (well, now actually). But prob taking kids out tomorrow for a nosy, wife strangely not interested in gazing at old machinery and yarning to stationary engine enthusiasts. Least with the girls I can distract them with candyfloss while I contemplate my impending Barrydom... Drove past Edendale twice yesterday and lots of smoke belching chuffers travelling on the road...