Tsunami warning

CCTV Security System - Update

Still tweaking things, full screen capture of the desktop PC showing IE browser connection over the internet to the CCTV/DVR system. However...DDNS on the DVR itself is not working???

Freshly baked bread – NOT

Coles banned from advertising frozen bread as 'Freshly Baked'.

Coles have been doing this for years, that's why their "bread" and other related stuff only lasts for a day!...and Coles customers were not aware of this - Crikey. Just a warning will do and make sure to replace Freshly Baked with Freshly Reheated.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-29/coles-banned-from-advertising-frozen-bread-as-freshly-baked/5776650

CCTV System - Part 4 final

All the cables for the balcony area, along with the four new camera cables, come down here.

CCTV Security System – Update

At the horse paddocks feeding Dusty and on the phone checking the system at home.

New guitar strings

The girls are tripping to The Glen so asked them to get me a set of acoustic guitar strings from JB-HiFi, Martin Acoustic Guitar Strings - Light. Can't remember the last time I had a string change on the Eston acoustic which itself must be 50+ years old.

CCTV System - Part 3

Finished running the last two cables and mounting the cameras in the carport area.

Mobile phone data

Running out so just tacked on some more. Been using the phone s lot more connecting over the net to the CCTV/DVR at home. Over the last 3 days chewed up about 100mb of 200mb allowance on my Vodafone $20 SIM so just added 1GB for $10 bucks - not bad.

Pond maintenance - it needs it.

The pond pumps (waterfall, fountain and bamboo water spout) are cycled through most of the day (every day x 365) off a timer which is connected to a RCD (AKA GFC).

Every two weeks I treat the pond with Aquapro/Aquatec Bionatural Feature Clean Treatment



which keeps everything looking pretty good all year round.

However over winter what was one a thriving water lettuce died off and seemed to contaminate everything so time for some TLC.

CCTV System - Part 2

CAM 1 that views the driveway and front gates is done.

CCTV Security System - Update

Been a busy day so behind with this particular post. As per the normal routine shuffled out to the balcony to wake up the computer and lately to also check the new CCTV/DVR system so turned on it's monitor and was horrified to see the CAM 1 live picture !!! Could it be a faulty camera? Watched it for a while and it seemed to pulsate...like something breathing...could it be a moth?

Went off to fin...d the ALDI extendable pole cobweb brush, extended all four telescopic sections and it easily reached up there so gently brushed the front of the camera and something flew away - a moth.

Yep...that was the ass of a large moth on CAM 1. Looks like this could be a ongoing issue, the IR night LED’s will attract them and it cosy in there with the warmth of the LED's and protected under the weather shield.

Cocoon CCTV Security System - Update

What's happening at home? This is a screen grab off my Samsung Galaxy Note displaying live pictures - from home. The RXCamPro app also allows you to playback recordings plus other stuff. If you configured the DVR to send Alerts then when you receive them on your mobile device you can go have a look in Record Playback to see what triggered that particular event - not bad.

Cocoon CCTV Security System – Update

Nice weather today so decided to start installing the new CCTV system, Most of the work involves running the bloody camera cables, often in places where humans shouldn't go! Well...we are half way there with two cameras wired back to the DVR displaying pictures on the monitor :-)


This camera (CAM 2) is mounted on the dining room corner.

Bandsaw 17 - Upper guides

Taking a break from the larger components and onto something more intricate - the upper blade guide assembly (wooden leggo).

Once again using clamps to mock up so I get a feel for how things might pan out, It's starting to look like a bandsaw.

Bandsaw 16 – Lower wheel dodgy tire

Lower wheel - this clearly shows how I stuffed up cutting out around the valve base of the tube.

 It's OK for now but will likely stretch at that weak point. I will buy another 12” tube from Kmart and replace.

Bandsaw 15 - 12" bike tubes

Popped into Kmart on the way back home from the horse paddocks to buy a couple of those 12" inner tubes that will become tyres for the bandsaw wheels.

First task is to cut around the inside of the tube.

Bandsaw 14 - Wheel tire video clip

I used my aging Kodak Z730 camera and for some reason there is no audio - never mind.

Bandsaw 13 - Faulty bike tube

As per my last post continued on to put a "tire" on the upper wheel but when I pulled the second tube out of it's box discovered it had been packaged with a funny kink - bugger.

Back to Kmart to exchange that one. Keen to push on and see a "blade" running on the wheels I fashioned one from banding tape held together with masking tape - it works!

Bandsaw 12 - banding tape blade

Video clip below of the bandsaw running with a banding tape blade.

Bandsaw 11 - improved motor pulley

I pre-cut the groove on the router table with a V-bit and then mounted the pulley on the motor shaft to finish turning with my "V-groove file" and yeah it runs quite true.

The shaft has two flats so I drilled and tapped the pulley to accept two grub screws.

Bandsaw 10 - Motor pulley problems

Over the last couple of days been trying to recover from a major setback!

While trying to turn the crowns on the fattened wheels the V-drive pulley, which is bolted to the impeller, keeps separating itself (spinning off) from the threaded motor shaft under the heavier loads. I was wondering if this would come back to bite because the motor originally ran CCW and the impeller screwed CW (opposite direction) onto the motor shaft. The blade needs to run CW so I reversed the motor direction with the added benefit that the motor could be mounted towards the back of the saw.

Bandsaw 9 - V groove turning tool

With lots of grinding I put a V point cutting edge on one of my old files to turn V-groves on pulleys and drive wheels.

Bandsaw 8 - Upper wheel mount/tension assembly.

Plodding along...and yes moving forward in the right direction.



Until now the bearing flanges were just screwed on but when the wheels are spinning under load from blade tension there will be something like 150lbs (70kgs) of force being thrown outwards in all directions from the centre of the wheels. This is the final glue up of the four flanges using Titebond Original wood glue - classic yellow glue. The wheels have already been trued for wobble but I will need to check that again by mounting them on the lower wheel mount shaft and spin each wheel as I tighten the screws.

Solar garden lamp

Bought a solar post light from Bunnings and very impressed with the appearance and light output.

Bandsaw 7 – Fatten wheel rims

The upper and lower wheels are basically finished and run true with minimal wobble, however there is one more task - fatten the rims.

The wheels are made from 17mm laminated chipboard of which I have a good supply. I need to fatten the rims to 34mm with another layer in the form of a doughnut or ring which will then be glued and screwed. The final operation will be to turn the rims true and then cut the 5 degree crown.

Pet barrier–update

Had another go at setting up the barrier using spacer blocks on the left side to maximise the gap so Milo can get through.