Holly barking on bed

https://youtu.be/I-3pnwFMYnA

Workshop temp @ 3.16pm

Just came out to check on the chooks who are fine (dug in) inside the cottage garden

Expecting a parcel delivery

Expecting a delivery today so put out my post/parcel sign.

Postie(s) have got the hang of it now and even press the video intercom bell before zooming off. One day I was about to toss in that dish drying rack into the recycle bin and thought…there must be some other use for that ?

Too bloody hot

Workshop activities curtailed for the next few days…phew.

The perils of night time photography - OMG

After taking those photos went to get the sign to put in the workshop and very nearly walked into this nocturnal visitor with my nose brushing the web – Crikey

Country property name sign - part 6 evening photos

As expected difficult to take night photos of something like this - eyeballing the sign looks good. On the Samsung J7 Pro went into Camera Pro mode to manually adjust exposure, aperture and ISO etc but that takes too much energy.

Country property name sign - part 6

Here is a outdoor mock-up of the sign with Jasmine in the background and Cactus up front. Found a timber post behind the garage to knock up a sign post.

Solar panels for property name signs

Solar panels - anyone know where I can get 5V panels like this one which is no longer available from Jaycar (see previous post).

Solar LED strip lights for property name signs

Not happy with what's available so once again looking to do my own thing.

Not willing to pay like $35 bucks for solar LED strip lights. Crikey…that would kill the price point.

Scroll saw clean out

After using this for the last couple of days the easiest way to clean the saw is take it outside and give it a blast with the cordless blower.

I don’t bother with any dust extraction.

Country property name sign - part 5 update

Here are night photos of the sign but before I took them stuck some white paper to the inside of the back panel and yes it does improve the lighting effect but not really captured by the phone camera.

Country property name sign - part 5

Fitted and screwed on the back panel, then removed it. Found a length of 5V LED strip and taped it around the inside of the sign frame.

Looks good considering there's still a lot of light around with the 'shade mesh' curtains drawn.

Country property name sign - part 4

Spent this session cutting the back panel from the same fence paling and boxing in the sign.

Making a frame that will be glued and tacked onto the back of the sign. The strips of timber I am using are from a carton of ALDI garden stakes, very handy for woodworking...

Country property name sign - part 3

Off to the workshop to cut the last 2&1/2 letters and during cutting the last segment of the very last letter (the M) we had a break-out - bugger

Setting up to cut the last segment of the last letter - yay

Country property name sign - part 2c

Thought I was going to make it through but with 1&1/2 letters to go my back said enough is enough so we'll have to wait till the morning to finish this part of the job.

Country property name sign - part 2b

Did some gardening this morning and finally planted some small potties into the cottage garden that have been sitting on the front porch since last month. Then into the workshop to cut another letter or two...slow going.

Last session we cut one letter...the O.
This session we cut 2&1/2 letters, D, A and half the E...lol

Country property name sign - part 2a

Prepped the sign, pre-drilled blade holes in each letter and headed for the scroll saw.

The usual masking tape, spray on adhesive and stick down the template.

Country property name signs

With regard to country property name signs started looking around for some hardware like scroll brackets.

Found one at Bunnings for the prototype name sign @ $6.30.

I'll follow the sun

Pixie will actually drag her basket to follow the morning sun through the balcony windows - pretty smart.

Hot Wheels sign (part 2)

For this session not much to show after a few hours with rest breaks this afternoon.



Sign is cut out (phew), sanded and ready for the lighting part of the build.

Rough Collie customer feedback

Always nice when happy customers send back photos of their silhouette night light(s) along with nice comments. This doggie made a safe trip from Wheelers Hill to Coldstream. This one features remote control (bottom right corner).

Country property name signs

I'm thinking of designing and making a prototype property sign with solar powered LED lighting.




I've had a browse and not come across any with name lighting - interesting. Anyone interested PM me for special deal!

Hot Wheels sign (part 1)

Starting another job and first time for one of these.

As usual doing the layout in MS Word 2019 for double A4 size poster print.

Workshop ceiling fan - Part 6 Final

In order to screw on the back plate I need to work out a way to hold the nuts and spring washers in the block mounting holes.

With the screws nipped up to the nuts I'm dabbing hot glue in there trying not to get any on the screw threads.

Workshop ceiling fan - Part 5

From the last session sprayed the MDF plate gloss white and while that was drying started hanging the LED Fluro lights over the workbench.


While this is drying we can start hanging the lights.

Workshop ceiling fan - Part 4

The fan is up and now we are wiring the controller.

Nice to see it up there!

Workshop ceiling fan - Part 3

 From the last session I began this one by separating the fan from the base assembly

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Up the ladder with the base assembly (timber mounting plate + fan mounting base) and here I've put in two hex metal screws and about to remove the clamps to secure the other two corners.

Workshop ceiling fan - Part 2

Starting the fan install after posting that unboxing video clip.

Collecting what I need, this little roll of three core cable will do nicely between fan and controller. I got this when Masters was closing down, sitting all by itself on a barren shelf with a price tag of 50 cents. I knew it would come in handy one day.

Al's Workshop updates

Batman is ready to fly away.
Rough Collie with remote control off to new home.
Hot Wheels sign is next up.

Hot weather slowed things down a bit with 40 plus temps in the workshop (down tools) but we are rolling again.

At Bunnings today bought a Arlec ceiling fan which I will install tomorrow.

Workshop ceiling fan - Part 1

I purchased this Arlec 120cm 4 Blade White Ceiling Fan (CSF122W) for the workshop. Cost was $44 so happy with that!

Bathroom basin is blocked

Nearly forgot to have a look at this today!
Water is very slow to drain out of the basin.

Three pipes service the bathroom, can you guess which one was blocked?
With ET guarding the basin and the garden hose (connector removed) shoved in all the way to the end of the pipe I went and turned the back tap fully on.

Motion Sensor Night Light and Torch

Heads up - Bunnings selling these and it's the first time I've seen a twin version of this and $10 is a bloody good price.

Al's backyard chooks update

Time to change the bed linen, particularly important during the summer months. Also included is a little walk-through.

We only have two old girls left and both are 10 plus - Misty (Wyandotte) and Speckles (Pekin). I use kitty litter boxes and for each empty out most of the hay and with reading glasses on scan for mites - the buggers are tiny.

Al's 8" band saw - what's that noise ???

This is my 8" band saw that I made in 2017.

Al's Workshop - Batman light revisited

Houston...we have a problem.
Finishing off some details and when I turned on the lights most of the Blue was missing - bugger!

Tested again this morning to confirm and the RGB LED strip is indeed faulty, the controller itself is OK.
What happened ???...I don't know but it's fortunate I ordered two sets of lights. I'll have a look to see if I can repair the faulty strip at a later date.

Speckles and Misty enjoying cool change

Speckles and Misty camped in the chook run enjoying the cool change. Interesting that thunder and lightning don't bother them all that much, the dogs are on our laps :-)

Hot Wheels LED light sign - part 1

This is my first customer order for one of these so here prepping in Word 2019 to print a double A4 landscape cutting template. Lighting this one up will be tricky cos ain't much room between the letters.

Rough Collie on stand - part 7

After working out how to mount the IR receiver we can go ahead and complete the lighting.

Sorting out the wiring in conjunction with the physical layout.

Rough Collie on stand – part 6C

We need to mount the IR receiver board (PCB) so that the actual IR photo diode is visible from the front through a 'window' which needs to look neat and tidy.

Went for a walk around the workshop looking for things that might be suitable as a window, lens, cover or bezel to hide the actual infra-red photo diode.

Rough Collie on stand - part 6B

Mounting the Normal - Auto slide switch.

Used two small wood blocks to mount the slide switch.

Rough Collie on stand - part 6A

I need to mount a tiny IR receiver (for infrared remote control) on the front of a silhouette light stand in such a way that it has line-of-sight to the remote control AND hide it from view behind a window or lens that's transparent to infrared.

Anyone have such material that I can fashion into a window/cover to hide the IR receiver?

If needed I can extend and/or bend the IR leads.

Rough Collie on stand - part 5

Just finished hot gluing the Fairy LED's onto the back of the doggie so turned it over to check the lighting effect. Also did some more planning about installing the LED controller.

Allowing for sunlight streaming in through the four skylights and two back windows of the workshop and with cardboard propped up at the back the lighting looks OK.

Camry washer jets blocked - Part 3

The black gunk or Biofilm is still giving me problems. The proper fix is to remove the washer fluid reservoir and give it a thorough cleaning but...that involves jacking up and removing the drivers side wheel then removing the mudguard cover to gain access to remove the reservoir!

Decided to try a sort of cyclic flush-out to avoid the above.

In the last post related to this I mentioned that the passenger nozzle jets clogged up again - just when I thought I was done. Removed the nozzle from the bonnet as shown to check and yeah...clogged with black gunk again.

Passive Metal Detector - Version 2.0

Used the same handle and made a new 'detector head'

Version 2.0 is sleeker, lighter, handles well and has good penetration...

Pixie - If it makes a noise it will die

She will not give up until the squeaker is surgically removed and chewed to pieces.

Camry washer jets blocked - Part 2

The actual jets are clear, turns out both nozzles are internally blocked ??? and I have worked out the likely chain of events. Car was loaned to a family member and during the loan period the washer reservoir ran out of water. Water was added and I presume the washers still would not work cos when I went to use them the other day - nothing.

Rough Collie on stand - part 4

With the first coat of stain on the stand and the doggie ready for the lights we can move over to the electronics/electrical workbench. For this job I've come up with a new hybrid lighting idea anf if it works out I will likely offer as a additional lighting option on Al's Workshop.

Holly had burrs in her paws!

Found burrs buried deep in Holly's back paws so yeah something to keep in mind and check.