Indian Tadpole

[Tom from Rubicon]

Your comment Rick, reminded me of a neighbor I hired who was ambivalent to occupational hazards. He related to me that his first job after HS was for a company making carbide header dies. I asked him, of all the guys you worked with. How many are alive today? Me he replied.
Same darn fool restored Farmall tractors. Sand blasting and repainting was part of the process. I found that out and asked him if he wanted to live to enjoy his grandkids.
So he got a good respirator and even after a tomcat gave it a few shots he still wore it. His real job was share cropper.
Tom

 

[fasteddy]

Woman needed her dishwasher repaired. Arranged for a time for the repairman to be there and said she'd leave the key in a designated area and he wasn't to worry about the dog but he couldn't say a word to the parrot. Not one word and she mentioned this repeatedly.

Repairman lets himself in and sure enough the meanest looking pit bull you ever saw just laid there and watched every move he made. The parrot on the other hand never shut up. Screeching, swearing, calling the guy names and just as he was packed up and headed for the door he couldn't resisted telling the parrot to shut up.

The parrot looks over at the pit bull and said,

"Sic him, Brutus."

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Steve I knew a parrot like that, spoke English & a more profane animal never existed! He died many years back, probably choked to death as a result of spewing excess venom. He was an equal opportunity offender, but most offensive to women, children and small animals, not necessarily in that order. On nice days the owner, an old woman. would place him on the front porch and we children would pass by the evil old Macaw after school & he would call us *&%$# etc. as we walked by. I learned a lot from that disgusting ol' squawker & I kinda' miss him! He was never politically correct or sensitive of ones feelings and certainly not afraid to express his feelings or opinions...the bird had balls & that's a quite rare these days!

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

As well you know that curmudgeonly squawker was not hatched with a vocabulary. The old folks across the road occasionally kept me after school.
Ed and Effie Jordan, nice WW I generation folks.
Their parakeet repeated what it heard. I thought it was great. Effie would get embarrassed and tell the bird to talk nice.
Ed knew what he had said and was not embarrassed.
Thanks Rick, for reviving memories of Sixty years ago.
Tom

 

[fasteddy]

Another bird that is rarely mentioned is the Myna bird. Years ago a pet shop in a mall near were I lived had one that sat inside the front door of the store. The doors rolled back to open up most of the store front. He was a character. He certainly had an eye for beautiful young women and would only pull this when he saw one.

As soon as a young lady would pass by he call out, Hi, beautiful, my name's Fred. Want to go out with me. Fred's dating life was off the charts. He had to be home by 9 since the store closed then.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Another Myna bird was owned by a fella I worked for who owned a Buy here. Pay here. car lot. He finally had to take it home because it would say things like, Finally sold that piece of **** did you. Another sucker bits the bites the dirt, ect, at the wrong times.

Some customers thought it was funny. The smart ones took it as a warning.

Sid's on the Danforth. We turn no one away no matter what your credit. There were dimmers on each string of light over the car lot. Low on the back rows and bright on the front row.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

The gas tanks now have the tops and sides soldered together and the gas fillers in. I forgot how much hand work went into folding the top edge onto the sides and getting it snug while nothing moved.

I'll get forms made for the tank bottom and the end made tomorrow. I form the metal over them so they are consistent in shape and size.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Game was called for the weekend do to a pressing need for Uncle Stevie to assist a 6 year old grand niece in playing Barbies and building different things with Play-Dough. You would not believe the rules involved in doing this and I do mean exacting rules too. No deviation was allowed.

I did get to cut the brass pipe reducer bushing down that I used as the filler tubes. One inch outside diameter and three quarter Inside diameter. I used a brass hose block off cap for the cap like I always do. Had to take off 3 threads and smooth it off with the belt sander.

Got all the measurements for the tank bottom and end so first thing tomorrow I make the patterns and cut and bend the metal to make them.

That is of course if another round of Barbies and Play-Dough doesn't break out instead.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Well you may be Uncle Stevie but my saddle is stamped Grandpa Tom. Yours and mine are of like age but my little dear Genevieve has a curmudgeon for a grandpa. If you can do it Steve, you have my heart felt respect. Vivy already exceeds what I knew at the same age exponentially by a factor of 5. My earnest desire is to life long enough to expose her and her brother into the Metal Arts. A forge is in the works.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Tom,

Brothers, granddaughter. Grace is the same 5 times ahead of what I knew at that age. She has some pretty in depth talks with her two aunts. I always go along with whatever she want's to do. Some day all she'll have is the memories of an old man who sat on the floor and did his best.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Wishing for many memories for these children!

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Hey Steve, my wife Ramona has over the years been pulling Granny Nanny duty mostly with Vivy, and is thunder struck by the child's vocabulary. I told Mona fear not but for the parents who when Vivy gets older will argue and talk back with authority. I dearly hope we exist long enough to be a permanent influence in their lives.

Hoping to see a permanent Camel Back Tank soon Steve,
Tom

 

[fasteddy]

Tom, how true those words. As my sister in law says when puberty hits the gates of Hades will open and Grace will step forth. Her view of the world around her is that of someone twice her age.

I'm just loaded photos and If I can figure out how to get them on here I will. New computer.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

This is the plate I made for the pedal chain idler. The steel rod is just to take the place of the chain stay. Welded two small pieces of bar to the plate that will sit on top of the chain stay to prevent movement.

Small U bolts will hold the idler to the chain stay. If one link was removed the chain was too tight so I used two idler pulleys to take up the slack. That way slack is available to adjust the back wheel.

I reversed the bolts that the pulleys ride on for clearance of the wheel. The excess will be cut off.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

New sander. This is what I bought to replace the belt sanded that threw sparks all over my lap. Fortunately I was wearing a welders apron that prevented any personal damage but I was a little excited none the less. I use this to finish sand the the tank parts to shape and knock off any sharp points.

Makes sanding the underside of the side panels easy.

Works like a champ.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Tanks are starting to take shape. I'll start the bottoms and the ends tomorrow.

I put the top on first. The top is held on the form with plumbers strapping and tightened down with a length of 1/4" all thread and two washers and nuts. The tank form is 3" wide and made from medium density fibreboard. The metal on top is 3-1/2" wide. I square up the top so the metal even on both sides

Then I clamp the sides onto the form and line them up with the top. The top it formed over both sides in three of four places to hold it in place. I use a body hammer to finish forming the top to the sides. In the photo's I made the top 3-3/4" wide and it was harder to form with the extra 1/4" of width. I started the bends with a piece of flat bar used on end.

While its all clamped together the top and sides are soldered together with silver solder.

I used brass reducers, 1"OD and 3/4"I.D. The caps are for closing off garden hoses that are left without nozzles. Home Depot plumbing aisle. I cut 3 threads of the top and smoothed them off on the belt sander until they were even and there were no saw cuts. One inch hole saw to form the openings and soldered two tabs on the bushing so it won't come loose. I'll get a photo tomorrow.

Using 24 gauge instead of 26 gauge plate is making for a better tank.

This is how they look so far.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

Awesome! glad the heavier metal is working better, watsa work...........Curt

 

[indian22]

Great looking tanks Steve!

Rick C.

 

[PeteMcP]

Still tuning-in to this build Steve.
Those tanks tho...! That's the way to do it. Love 'em.

 

[Tinsmith]

Very Nice, Steve!

Dan