Bedroom gathering

ET was in the bedroom by herself sorting some jewellery - but not for long.

Sprocket on the bed with Pixie and Holly.

Welcome home after shopping - 1

Sprocket (visitor) and our Holly quite excited that I’m back home from shopping.

Meadowbrook Mansion - K9 visitor

Sprocket - who belongs to our younger daughter has just arrived to stay at Meadowbrook Mansion until next Sunday while his mum is off on a camping trip.

His mum only just left and he is already a nuisance

What was I doing !!!

Scam telephone calls

We have a Panasonic phone system that does a good job of blocking unwanted callers.

However over the last few months the Panasonic base station has been busy announcing 'Call from private caller' and they seem to be increasing!

Hunting dog for sale

Garden pond pump is kaput!

Lasted six years so no complaints but...not happy about the replacement cost!

Price of the AQUAPRO AP1050 Waterfeature Pond Pump has increased 25% now $54.45

 


Remove some stuff from the left back corner so I can pull through the power cable.

Not often I drink beer

Came in from outside a bit overheated after doing some odd jobs like changing chook food and water then some gardening and watering. Looked inside the fridge and noticed two Crown Lagers at the bottom of the fridge door - left over from last summer.

One Crown larger perfectly fills two of the smaller tumblers from the ALDI glass set for ET and me

Cheers

OK…I’m back to my blog.

UPDATE 16th August 2022: I am moving from WordPress to Blogger (BlogSpot)

Last month I exported my data out of WordPress and imported here - into Blogger.

UPDATE 24th October 2020: I'm finding time now to catch up with this blog which is like 10 months behind due mainly because I've been so busy in Al's Workshop all year.

https://www.facebook.com/AlsWorkshop

Currently working my way through the month of June.

Last September (2016) my workshop burnt down…lost everything and since then have not felt like even maintaining my blog. Anyway…insurance covered everything both building and contents but it took nearly 6 months just to replace the shed AKA garage. Insurance company was fantastic but the nominated restoration company was a bit slack…but in the end everything turned out well.

The new shed (workshop) has four skylights with two windows at the rear…let there be light, and underground power from the house with power points and two twin fluro lights all fitted – nice. In a way I was lucky with Masters closing down it was a good time to go shopping, I bought a heap of stuff off them…up to 80-90% off on hardware and other stuff.

Mower repairs

Victa Briggs & Stratton mulching mower will not start (bugger)

Since the last time I serviced the mower a few years ago it's been running well and now suddenly with no warnings - will not start? There are a couple of things creeping in lately, harder to prime and the recoil starter is dodgy - slack cord.

Removed the cover - the end of the throttle cable needs to be unhooked from the throttle arm.

Holly at Boronia vet for monthly check-up.

Holly update - back to normal

She's back to 'normal' whatever that is when your 14 years old.

Greyhound drink stands - part 1

Family request to make two elevated water dog bowl stands for three greyhounds, one for inside the other outside.

This one pops up when searching the web for ideas so I’ll base my design on that and make it higher – grey height.

ISAAC batman wall light - part 1

This is the last bat until further notice. I am closing down Al's Workshop for the rest of winter - too bloody cold. More on this in another post.

Sending the cutting template to the Canon A3 printer downstairs in my study then just pick-up on the way to the workshop.

Motion Activated Sprinkler - part 7

Decided to combine the sensor unit, irrigation solenoid and impact sprinkler on a length of pine timber. The incentive for doing this is to deter a wandering cat that is now visiting us much too frequently at night; stalking our possums and nesting birds!

 

Made a box to hold the sensor unit and now making a base support for the timber stand.

PHOENIX USB batman light – part 5

Finished this guy and ran him in Demo mode for a while to test that everything is working OK.

PHOENIX USB batman light - part 4

Modified the controller in the usual way and installed the LED strip.

This batman light is using USB LED strip lights which is a easier build process compared to the battery version although we still need to make modifications to controller and power wiring to fit everything into the confined space – his head.

 

Typical IR controller; at one end the IR diode and power cable with RGB cable connection at the other end - both need to be modified. The IR diode mounts in the centre of his head so the power cable needs to be modified to fold back onto the controller. At the RGB connector end there is far too much cable length between the end of the RGB cable and the 4 pin connector so most of that has to cut out and re-terminated.

BRIIZER batman light - posted to US

This guy was posted to US on 4th June and only just landed in LA today 4th July.

He was posted with a COVID free certificate but still wondering if he will have to hang around somewhere for two weeks doing the self isolation thing?

BlitzWolf smart watch–working well

Serengeti Lion – customer pick-up

While working on jobs in the workshop expecting a call from a customer to pick-up the  Lion picture light this afternoon - he's here now!

Serengeti Lion - part 4

Taking some night photos.

Looks OK.

PHOENIX USB batman light - part 3

Just finished cutting the outline on the 8” band saw and then the scroll saw.

Serengeti Lion - part 3

Just like the batman wall lights I need trace onto two scrap pieces of 10mm MDF the lion and boulder outlines to mount the LED strip.

I was really busy during this period and did not take the usual number of photos.

Caribbean Gardens and Market–closure

Owned by the wealthy Spooner family I suspect under the cover of COVID-19 they grabbed the opportunity to very suddenly with no notice too shut down the market – bugger.

Covid-19 forced the suspension of the market for the very first time in its history and has now been confirmed closed for the foreseeable future. As a privately-run market in these current circumstances it is simply unviable to reopen.

Serengeti Lion - part 2

Spray the big guy and leave to dry outside, there's even a bit of sun around.

Holly–territorial aggression

Like China and Jumping Jing Ping she’s at it again this morning to redefine the Meadowbrook Mansion internal territorial boundaries…

Pixie’s gone off to complain to her mum.

Picture lighting

I getting enquires from customers about lighting up their portraits mounted in picture frames.

That’s interesting…I would like too offer picture lighting so doing some searching to see what’s available and the costs.

Al's Kitchen - Meatball curry

Mum's recipe which was handed down from her mother which was handed down from...never mind.

It’s the same recipe for chicken curry except for beef stock cube – use chicken.

F1 Facing Car–final post

This one is finished, sent these photos to the Geelong customer and she is very happy.

Al's Workshop - condensation issues

Fortunately it's down both walkways so not a big deal. Thinking about what I could use along those purlins to absorb the moisture?

Serengeti Lion - part 1

A3 frame was $12 from a gift shop.

F1 Facing Car - part 3b

Glued in those filler strips I painted at the end of the last session yesterday.

BlitzWolf Smart Watch - updates

Took me a while to install the FitCloudPro app; supposed to be on PlayStore but not there so had to go searching and get it from the developer. Then more time spent getting the app permissions setup for proper operation.

F1 Facing Car - part 3

Finished installing the LED strip and mounted the car onto the back board.

With the LED strip terminated we can now mount the car.

BlitzWolf Smart Watch arrived today!

BlitzWolf Smart Watch arrived today – yay

F1 Facing Car - part 2

Working on the F1 racing car in a A3 photo frame.

Doing a mock-up to see if I'm on the right track (no pun intended). Had to have a think about how to light up this one and that looks good. Customer is very pleased.

Al's Workshop updates

The two bats posted to the US on June 5th are still hanging around in Melbourne - WTF

Now working on the F1 racing car in A3 picture frame and on the side prepping for the next A3 picture light - Serengeti Lion.

The A3 version of the A4 range of silhouette night lights has been popular and certainly justified the purchase of a Canon A3 printer, the two above jobs will pay off the $179 printer

eBay orders for Chinese RGB LED strip lights are taking 3 - 4 weeks for delivery - that's not acceptable!!! We need to do something about that - and I have.

Happy to report I can get most of what I need from a NZ based eBay trader plus another one right here in Glen Iris (Melbourne); the latter in 2 - 3 days - yay.

Not sure if I mentioned - I have put the Batman wall light on hold for several reasons;  the cold weather, need a break from them and more importantly gives me some spare time to further develop the new version which will be USB only. USB with cord will stay at $50 and USB with onboard PowerBank for $65.

Telstra phone scam

Getting calls from 001144203562 – bastards

The number has now been blocked on the Panasonic system.

Shopping trip

Off to do a bit of shopping and looking forward to getting our regular brand of toilet paper as we just about used up all the crap loo paper purchased during the panic buying period.

Well…looks like we’ll have to wait - bloody Chinavirus

Al's Workshop - updates

Some more orders have come in-

Backyard sign - THE DEAD MANS PENNY

Serengeti Lion - like the A3 Giraffe.

Another batman - name PHOENIX.

With regard to the latter I have pulled-the-plug on Batman wall lights for the rest of the winter months - they will be hibernating in the bat cave.

Weather is just too cold out in the workshop and spray painting bats outside even under cover is too difficult and no sun to dry them.

I have also put all my Marketplace adverts into hibernation.

Hurry up Spring!

Territorial boundaries

Pixie not happy that Holly has one paw in her basket - this could escalate!

Bad Grandmas

Movie recommendation from a friend to watch this movie on Tubi.

I decided to downloaded the movie on Kodi.

AND I …

BRIZZER - still in Australia

Bloody hell...posted this guy on June 5th to US and he is still hanging around down under !!!

Pixie to Rowville vet.

Waiting at Rowville vet with Pixie.

PHOENIX USB batman light - part 2

Another bat order came in last night.

Printed the MS Word template while having a morning coffee to pop into the Bat 'In Tray'  while I finish the current four jobs.

OLIVER & RILEY RF batman lights – part 3

 

PHOENIX USB batman light - part 1

Starting this one which will be USB.

Cut the blank.

Al's Workshop updates

• Another USB bat order
• F1 car in A3 picture frame
• Elevated dog bowl stands
• MDF timber sizes

Bat order from a previous customer, this one will have to wait in the queue while I finish the current four jobs.

OLIVER & RILEY RF batman lights – part 2

From the last session with the pilot holes drilled just finished cutting the letters for OLIVER.