Build The Clustertruck Rides Again - Refurbishing a 1975 Chevota

[RWBeringer4x4]

I should also note my wife pulled into the driveway immediately after all this as black smoke was still billowing out of the garage and I’m sitting there in the driveway with half my pants burned off pulling melted plastic dropcloth out of an open leg wound.

 

[waiting for time]

I should also note my wife pulled into the driveway immediately after all this as black smoke was still billowing out of the garage and I’m sitting there in the driveway with half my pants burned off pulling melted plastic dropcloth out of an open leg wound.

These kind of things can end a hobby, or a mariage.



or a life.......

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

These kind of things can end a hobby, or a mariage.



or a life.......

Honestly I’m pretty sure I got an eye roll and a “I’m glad you’re ok, dumbass” and that was about it. My wife doesn’t understand my hobbies but she gets me

 

[brian]

i, admittedly take power tool "safety" rather nonchalantly ......however, hot work safety procedures are not to be taken lightly.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Really I tend to try an operate as safely as I can most days but it only takes one lapse in judgement...been lucky so far. I do some woodworking too - getting a finger caught in a table saw is a constant fear.

 

[bikersmurf]

Really I tend to try an operate as safely as I can most days but it only takes one lapse in judgement...been lucky so far. I do some woodworking too - getting a finger caught in a table saw is a constant fear.

As a teenager I ripped from the wrong direction with a radial arm saw... the board was sucked into the saw, my hand sucked along, and into the path of the blade which had swung outwards. Three of my finger tips ran under the blade... fortunately they were not cut off. Although the scars from an 1/8” wide blade are a constant reminder of how quickly things can go badly.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

As a teenager I ripped from the wrong direction with a radial arm saw... the board was sucked into the saw, my hand sucked along, and into the path of the blade which had swung outwards. Three of my finger tips ran under the blade... fortunately they were not cut off. Although the scars from an 1/8” wide blade are a constant reminder of how quickly things can go badly.

That sounds not fun. So far on the worst I’ve done on the table saw is punch myself in the gut with a projectiled cut piece. I was just glad I wasn’t a few inches taller!

 

[archie73]

That sounds not fun. So far on the worst I’ve done on the table saw is punch myself in the gut with a projectiled cut piece. I was just glad I wasn’t a few inches taller!

Dad was a hobbiest woodworker- I avoid it until the wife pushes for something new I don’t want to pay for. Much trepidation for the saws. I’ll stick to booger welding.

 

[brian]

Dad was a hobbiest woodworker- I avoid it until the wife pushes for something new I don’t want to pay for. Much trepidation for the saws. I’ll stick to booger welding.

Agreed....not a fan of wood machines.

 

[waiting for time]

I have a huge respect for everything that is sharp, spins fast and/or holds a lot of energy.
Working on offshore wind turbines during construction thought me that simple things can escalate very quickly And you have to look much further ahead and mitigate risks as much as possible during the planning phase.

And offshore sunsets are the best.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

No real progress on the 40 lately - I’ve been driving it some but the scenery around here sucks.

Can’t remember if I mentioned that baby #2 was on the way - but he is, a boy this time. Much to my surprise, we got a delivery today. My wife had this made for the new boy’s room (completely unsolicited by me)! She’s a keeper. First piece of art in the new nursery:

 

[scrapdaddy]

That's awesome!

 

[Honger]

Bit time congrats on the little boy! And what a wife... love the art piece.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Still alive - but haven't reported in on my own thread in a while. Insane (and sad) that I've made no real progress on the 40 since March... I haven't driven it since early May. 10 days before my son was born, one of the caliper bolts stripped out of my steering knuckle, the caliper rolled back off the rotor and the brake pads machined a nice gouge into the rotor while I limped it home. The knuckle needs a timesert, and I'll need to go through the whole mess of pulling the hub, pressing off the rotor, and installing a new one. It's probably 3-4 hours of work (not a big project) but with the two little guys and 10,000 house projects the 40 has been sidelined. Ironic that a 10 minute drive the the bank killed it, and not any of its off-road adventures.

Lately, I've been trying to clean out the garage so I'm not falling all over myself trying to work on stuff in it. Progress has been steady, but slow.

A few shots to illustrate my litany of excuses.

Biggest time sink - Here’s the future cruiserhead (and his new cousin in the back).

Been wrapping up the never ending shed project:

Still 40-series relevant, as I built a loft which finally gave me a spot to stash my spare hard tops:

The Mazda had to take a turn under the knife - new power steering hoses, AC system, belts, tensioner, MAF sensor, etc.

Took up woodworking and built the new guy a changing table topper…

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

As part of the garage/shop clean up, the compressor got a new platform complete with a hose reel so I can finally stop tripping over the damn air hose all the time…

The most organized this shelf has ever been (plus my sweet late-30’s drill press is finally unburied:

On the woodworking side of things - I also tripped and fell into a pile of 1940’s iron - bringing this thing back to life is still underway

In line is an Atlas lathe that came with it…wish it was a metal lathe, but I’ll never turn down free tools…

Then this showed up a couple weeks later

I promise all the old iron (with the exception of the jointer, which I actually needed) will take a back seat until I fix the damn truck.

 

[Cdaniel]

From what I've heard, that kid has good taste in beer. I need to try some one day.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

From what I've heard, that kid has good taste in beer. I need to try some one day.

It's a staple in the greater PA area. Honestly the world of infinite craft beers we have these days Yuengling is pretty unexciting, but the price is right and it beats all the light beers. It's my "house beer." Nothing special, but always around, and drinking it doesn't seem to piss too many people off - appeals to a lot of tastes.

 

[brian]

It's a staple in the greater PA area. Honestly the world of infinite craft beers we have these days Yuengling is pretty unexciting, but the price is right and it beats all the light beers. It's my "house beer." Nothing special, but always around, and drinking it doesn't seem to piss too many people off - appeals to a lot of tastes.

it's not what it used to be. they changed something about 10-15 years back.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

It's a staple in the greater PA area. Honestly the world of infinite craft beers we have these days Yuengling is pretty unexciting, but the price is right and it beats all the light beers. It's my "house beer." Nothing special, but always around, and drinking it doesn't seem to piss too many people off - appeals to a lot of tastes.

it's not what it used to be. they changed something about 10-15 years back.

Natty Boh is where it's at.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

it's not what it used to be. they changed something about 10-15 years back.

In my head I thought “well 15 years ago I was basically a child so I guess I don’t know what I missed.” Then it occurred to me that 15 years ago I was on the cusp of my 21st birthday, and now I’m sad.

Natty Boh is where it's at.

I’m more a PBR guy when it comes to the “good stuff” but I’d never begrudge someone a Boh.