The end of May I had a couple weeks where I was really productive.-a Not necessarily with perfect results, but mostly things were just working.
The last week or so not so much.-a I decided to take off yesterday and
work on something just for myself.-a Not to improve the shop.-a Not for a customer.-a Not to help anybody out.-a Just for me.-a I was hoping maybe it would give me a bit of a reset.
I decided to get my smaller boat running.-a I haven't used it in two
years. I hadn't planned on it setting so I had not run it dry last time
I used it.-a I figured charge the batteries (they all charged, but they
are off of other boats) clean the carbs and it would be good to go.-a I wasn't expecting totally clogged, but it took a while before I even got
that far.-a I struggled with even priming the engine until I realized the pickup tube fell off inside the gas tank.-a They claim its repairable,
and the swivel head should just pop out with a pull and a twist.-a Nope.
Not even with a vise grip slide hammer as hard as I could hit it while standing on the gas tank.-a I could waste three paragraphs describing the issues that ensued, but just rest assured it was a whole thing.
I grabbed a portable carry tank out of the storage container, but a
quick connector on it, and hosed it up.-a I can prime the engine (I
think) but it still wasn't getting any fuel.-a It was a whole thing as well.
The only thing I accomplished was cleaning out a tool cart so I had a
place to put the carbs after I pulled them off the engine, breaking to fittings you can't just order... so I'll have to make them.-a This engine already has an oddball t-fitting I made out of aluminum after the last
time I got it running after sitting a while.
I'm not even going to work on a personal project today.-a I'm going out
to lunch with a couple buddies and if we don't spend the rest of the day shooting the breeze I'll go bank fishing on the way home.
Those carbs can just sit in the top of that tool cart for months until
the next time I feel like having a really frustrating day.-a I did figure out that the way they were setup they weren't quite going full throttle
at full forward throw on the throttle lever.-a Probably a mistake I made last time I worked on them.
Those carbs can just sit in the top of that tool cart for months until
the next time I feel like having a really frustrating day.-a I did
figure out that the way they were setup they weren't quite going full
throttle at full forward throw on the throttle lever.-a Probably a
mistake I made last time I worked on them.
Now about those carbs...-a and those broken fittings.-a Still not done.
On 6/11/2026 1:26 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
Those carbs can just sit in the top of that tool cart for months
until the next time I feel like having a really frustrating day.-a I
did figure out that the way they were setup they weren't quite going
full throttle at full forward throw on the throttle lever.-a Probably
a mistake I made last time I worked on them.
Now about those carbs...-a and those broken fittings.-a Still not done.
I found fittings that, "should" work.-a Good.-a One less thing to deal with.
On 6/11/2026 2:52 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:26 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
Those carbs can just sit in the top of that tool cart for months
until the next time I feel like having a really frustrating day.-a I
did figure out that the way they were setup they weren't quite going
full throttle at full forward throw on the throttle lever.-a Probably >>>> a mistake I made last time I worked on them.
Now about those carbs...-a and those broken fittings.-a Still not done.
I found fittings that, "should" work.-a Good.-a One less thing to deal
with.
And it may not have been necessary to break those fittings.-a The fuel
line has a liner, and the liner bunch up creating partial obstructions
at each point the fuel hose was splice for things like a squeeze ball,
fuel filter, quick coupler, etc.-a Frack!
I do have some automotive alcohol resistant fuel line on hand, but I'll
have to wait for those replacement fittings to arrive now or go ahead
and make some.
Since I have them off already I'll go ahead and take those three carbs
apart just to be safe.
It's turned into a whole-nuther thing.-a I figured since its down I'd
move some weight "permanently" forward.-a Flat bottoms are notorious for porpoising and slapping at speed.-a Often you can get more speed out of
them before they trim to high and porpoise by moving weight forward. The heaviest items in the boat usually are me and my passenger, so moving
the console and bench forward is what I decided to do.-a I could put trim tabs or flotation boxes on the back instead, but I would prefer to keep
the boat no longer than it is if I can help it.-a There are some
backwaters I can barely make it into around some very tight turns.
Moving everything forward really only requires a longer steering cable anyway.-a I already had longer shift cables and wire is just wire, of
which there was already an excess.
I do think I may make a new console rather than use the old one, so
there may even be some actual metalworking involved.-a Not just unbolting some stuff to move it.
"Snag"-a wrote in message news:110ibsc$39f2l$1@dont-email.me...
-a And somewhere in this mess I'll find time to work on my toy , the '86
GMC pickup . It's going to get me into new territory replacing rocker
panels and parts of the floorboards .
--------------------------
In case you or another reader don't know, there are several suppliers of replacement full and partial body panels.
https://www.usa1industries.com/
I replaced the radiator support (the full width front panel) on my 91
Ranger with one. This freed the old rusted-out panel by cutting through
the outer layer, leaving a solid base for the MIG plug welds that
attached the new one. https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-double-sided-rotary-spot-weld-cutter-drill-bit-71085.html?
A center punched recess guides them.
These cut sheet metal in relatively straight lines without distorting
the cut edges. I cut apart an ice damaged above-ground pool into
manageable sections with it. The weather and chemical proof liner and
trim are my source of sheet metal for projects like the truck floor
patch I should be out working on instead of cooling off here in the fan breeze. https://www.harborfreight.com/professional-pistol-grip-air-shears-57301.html?
These also cut tight corners in confined spaces at the costs of less directional control and of scattering viciously sharp chips. https://www.harborfreight.com/18-gauge-professional-air-nibbler-57930.html
If you need to replace only the lower part of a door this tool forms a flange recess to overlap the joint, flush on the outside, and punches
holes for MIG plug welds to fasten it. https://www.harborfreight.com/professional-air-punch-and-flange-tool-58620.html
The Clecos I mentioned earlier pull the panel and patch tightly together when you can't use a clamp or reach the back side.
"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:110q08c$nce7$1@dont-email.me...
...
Closely copying the floor stamping has been a lot of effort. Now I know I have the tools and skill to do it and can consider other tricky sheet metal patching.
--------------------------------------
The door skin hammer wasn't as useful on this job as expected. It was to clean up another deeply concave job that had gone poorly with a less suited hammer. The essentials for free forming sheet steel were the anvil and ball and cross pein hammers for bending and flattening (erasing mistakes) and the wooden block with a recess for stretching concave. I turned it on the lathe from firewood, the recess by swinging the compound.
Stretching hardens steel the same way bending does, so it tends to stretch uniformly as thinner areas become more resistant. That's similar to glass blowing in which thinner areas cool and stiffen more.
I used to make dished artsy stuff from scrap copper pipe by compressing the metal to expand and curve it, then had to pound ball pein dimple texture all over to hide the resulting ding marks.
The vee block fitted to the hardy hole helped form the edges of the raised ribs but so was the rib height shim and round rod for adjusting the rib width, all held on the anvil with a welding Vise-Grip. Clecos made trial fitting much faster and easier than #5 screws even though I could reach the nut on the back.
An auto body planishing hammer with the back a rounded end cone flattened wrinkles more neatly and closed up poorly supported edge gaps better than the ball pein, nice but maybe not necessary. I could have used a square faced one. Old style tin snips could cut the pool trim steel. My bench shear just made it easier and left one side flat.
On my anvil the edges around the center are rounded, at the square end beyond the holes the edge is almost sharp. Both are useful. I've tried hot forging on a Chinese cast iron anvil as well as a large old one and noticed the difference. I think for the lighter mostly cold work I do at home the HF type cast steel (not iron) anvil might be good enough according to reviews. Viking smiths forged fine swords and armor on anvils the size of bricks with points to drive into a log end. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/52069-viking-age-stump-anvil/
"Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:1781620394-16941@newsgrouper.org...
Don't dismiss the value of a bag of sand instead of an anvil.-a We're in
my case. Just walking outside and throwing it on the ground in the sand.
---------------------------
The loose sand or a canvas or leather bag of it substitutes more for the hollowed log end than the anvil, for forming smooth depressions. I
haven't needed to closely match curvatures enough to need one, and don't want to risk my benchrest sandbags which are thin split suede instead of grain leather. Used canvas bags such as banks once gave away have become rare and leather bags are expensive craft show products.
"Snag"-a wrote in message news:110sf7d$1e89n$1@dont-email.me...
-a Go to the local thrift store and buy some used blue jeans - heavier fabric being the main requirement . The legs make great sand bags - fat
guy jeans for bigger bags for metal forming bigger panels . I have some
that are over 40 years old , some filled with sand and some with rice .
-----------------------------------
I checked Goodwill recently for cheap work pants and found a $9 pair in
my size from LL Bean, $79 in their catalog. They still had the labels attached. IOW I failed, they are too nice to risk.-a Maybe next time.
Yard sales too ...
On 6/11/2026 2:52 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:26 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I found fittings that, "should" work.-a Good.-a One less thing to deal
Those carbs can just sit in the top of that tool cart for months
until the next time I feel like having a really frustrating day.-a
I did figure out that the way they were setup they weren't quite
going full throttle at full forward throw on the throttle lever.-a
Probably a mistake I made last time I worked on them.
Now about those carbs...-a and those broken fittings.-a Still not done.
with.
And it may not have been necessary to break those fittings. The fuel
line has a liner, and the liner bunch up creating partial obstructions
at each point the fuel hose was splice for things like a squeeze ball,
fuel filter, quick coupler, etc. Frack!
I do have some automotive alcohol resistant fuel line on hand, but
I'll have to wait for those replacement fittings to arrive now or go
ahead and make some.
Since I have them off already I'll go ahead and take those three carbs
apart just to be safe.
It's turned into a whole-nuther thing. I figured since its down I'd
move some weight "permanently" forward. Flat bottoms are notorious
for porpoising and slapping at speed. Often you can get more speed
out of them before they trim to high and porpoise by moving weight
forward. The heaviest items in the boat usually are me and my
passenger, so moving the console and bench forward is what I decided
to do. I could put trim tabs or flotation boxes on the back instead,
but I would prefer to keep the boat no longer than it is if I can help
it. There are some backwaters I can barely make it into around some
very tight turns. Moving everything forward really only requires a
longer steering cable anyway. I already had longer shift cables and
wire is just wire, of which there was already an excess.
I do think I may make a new console rather than use the old one, so
there may even be some actual metalworking involved. Not just
unbolting some stuff to move it.
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