More new projects....

WilliamA

It's been something of a dumpster fire around here for the past month or so. We installed (had it installed) a new forced air gas furnace in the house to compliment (not replace) the wood-fired furnace we've been using. Other than a few details involving sheetrock to hide the new ductwork, that's done. We're loving the furnace and I am especially loving the not getting up and starting the wood furnace every morning. Last year, I gutted and remodeled our small pole barn from horse stable (we don't have any hay-burners) into a new studio space for Kathy's pottery work.

She moved the pottery out into the new space a couple of weeks back and now we're converting the dining room back into a dining room. My son (he's 12) wanted better brakes on his go kart so last week we gutted the kart, moved the engine and mounts over to the middle of the frame and added a giant 4 piston disc brake caliper and rotor.

He's been gleefully thrashing the crap out of it for a couple of days now and the lawn and driveway are starting to look like an off-road course. Kathy has had, stuffed away in her cousin's pole barn, a giant gas pottery kiln. It's been patiently waiting for me to get it from there to here and then stuffed into the back side of said pole shed/pottery studio. Last week, her dad and I moved the mountain (kiln) to Mohammed (pottery studio and unloaded it.

I had to tear out a wall to fit it into the pole shed. I'll get to fixing that next week....

It's now sitting inside mostly where it's going to be while we build a brick chimney, wire the blowers, plumb the propane lines and make a huge steel hood to keep it from burning down the pole shed.

I'm tired...

What about fun? This week, I ordered a "Raised Air Intake" (aka, "snorkel") kit from Mopar to fit to my Gladiator and will soon be cutting a large-ish hole in the hood to fit it on. Been wanting to do that for awhile now but my priority has been to be an adult (I HATE that!) and pay off my CC first, then squirrel away the money for said swag. I'm looking forward to getting it put on! The kit is currently making it's way through the Jeep dealer parts distribution network so I won't have to pay shipping. Should see it show up at my closest dealership in a week or so.

But what about camping and trailers and fishing etc? I've been wanting to do the Trans-Wisconsin-Adventure-Trail for some time now. I downloaded the gpx files from Gaia maps and have that saved. This coming week, we're doing a 4 day camping trip with Kathy's sis and family to shake out the new RTT and equipment, then on to the Adventure Trail. The kiln can wait!

After that, I have plans to add a water heater to the T@G. I've been researching the option of adding a water heat exchanger into the plenum for the diesel heater for some time now and have it all worked out to my satisfaction. Now I just need to source the parts. There is a kit available from the UK to do it but the shipping cost is half the cost of the kit so I'm trying to find a US supplier. If not, I'll just suck it up and pay the shipping.

Do I NEED hot water? Absolutely not! I do just fine heating water on the stove. But I enjoy the tinkering and, truth be told, get almost as much fun from tinkering as I do from adventuring. If it doesn't work....meh..... If it works great (I suspect it will).....meh....

It's just how I roll.....

In the meantime....DW has been mumbling something about adding onto the pole shed for a greenhouse, and the boy wants a stage 3 engine upgrade kit with cam and lightened flywheel for the kart....

Sigh........

WilliamA

LuckyJ

Yep, you have definetly been busy! 😊

About that water heather, I am sure that you have tought about it, so, how are you going to mannage heating tge water w/o warming up the trailer??

WilliamA

Yeah...I thought about that. Keep in mind that I camp a LOT in cold weather. It's more about the fun of figuring it out than the actual use. Call it a "research" project.....

You know....

"Research".....

WilliamA

WilliamA

We just returned from a 3 day family camp. We had to switch campsites 3 times (don't you just LOOOVEEE "Reservations.com"?) and had to fall back on the diesel heater for two nights. Camping with DW's sis and family in their new Wolf Pup. Kid's had a ball, biking and fishing and hi-jinks. My son caught his first big bass. The girls (his cousins, aged 9 and 11) each caught their first fish! Super fun time!

We did a proper test of the new "bedroom" (rooftop tent) and I'm pleased and greatful to say it worked great! Will loves his new personal real estate! Super easy to put up and tear down. 5 minutes each way.

This week, a trip to my oldest son's house with a few more miles logged on the trans-Wisconsin- Adventure -Trail.

WilliamA

WilliamA

Oh yeah....I checked and my Mopar Jeep raised air intake finally came in so I spent six hours yesterday cutting a hole in my new hood to put it on. I love it.

WilliamA