View Single Post
Old 3rd September 2019, 17:34   #417
FLYING BANANA
Moderator/Club Shop
 
FLYING BANANA's Avatar
 
MG ZT 1.8t+. No.3 of 4 in Sunspot Yellow & Ford Fiesta in Black.

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Rattler Farm
Posts: 22,475
Thanks: 9,270
Thanked 15,645 Times in 6,806 Posts
Cool I only went for a haircut....................

.......................................... around Allen n Val’s house, ended up staying the day and learnt about welding from both Allen n Matt.
Still got my haircut from Debbie, who is a qualified hairdresser. She also cut her Mums hair and tidied up Allen’s.

Allen was having problems welding up his keel ballast plates. He has done one ok but was struggling with the second one. So Allen spoke to Matt who offered to come down and have a go at finishing off the welding.
So after the haircuts Debbie was taking Val shopping, just as they left so Matt turned up. I made Matt, Allen and myself a cuppa. My plan was to have my tea then leave and go home and paint my gate.

But it did not work out like that as I got to learn about welding. I have had a go at welding back in the year dot with the old oxygen and aceterlyn gas system. Could never get on with arc welding but the system that Matt and Allen were using fascinated me. Gas and wire is the best way to describe it. I know it has a technical name but it eludes me for now.
The keel ballast plates weigh in at about 2 cwt each. So having Matt there was a bonus for Allen.

As turning the plates was easier with two rather than Allen either struggling on his own. He does have a heavy engine hoist but it’s long winded in getting, and setting it up.
I watched why they fitted new and bottom plates. Heated and hammered into place. Then drilled and bolted to pull the new pieces into place. The under the lip plates bend in one direction and the top plate bends in another direction. Amazed at watching the clamps, heating, hammering, drilling, welding and bolting the plates together.
In between all this I was making the tea, holding the various drill bits, hanging onto the butane heating torch and sweeping up.

One of Allen’s friends popped in just as Allen was off to Screwfix to get two new 13mm drill bits. Then Val and Debbie came back. More tea? Oh! Go on then. Now on my 5th mug of tea. We chatted with Allen’s friend.
Soon Allen was back and the drilling could get started again. Debbie went off to see how the workmen were getting on at her bungalow. She had the plasterers, plumbers and electrician working today.
Allen’s friend left and Val announced that lunch was ready. I only came round for a haircut and now I was eating lunch and drinking more tea.

After lunch Allen and Matt went back to work whilst I helped Val to clear up. Val washed and I wiped. Soon everything was put away.
Now the reason that Allen was having trouble with the welding was due to the mask. It has a lightness/darkness adjustable window. Allen had somehow darkened the window, along with is tinted glasses it was too dark to see. But Matt had shown him what the problem was.

So with more tea being drunk whilst I watched the last bolt being tightened up. The wind had picked up and it was starting to turn a lot cooler so Allen called it a day. Matt has a hours drive home, and what with the kids back at school the traffic would be heavy.
I swept up whilst Allen and Matt put the welder and gas safely away. Tools and drills were stowed and it was time for Matt and I to leave. Takes me less than 3 minutes to drive home. Takes longer to park up.

(I should point out that the welder and mask belonged to Matt which Allen was borrowing).

Many thanks for reading and the kind comments.
__________________


232750. Be patient Banana, we will soon be back together and enjoying the shows again.

onen hag oll
FLYING BANANA is online now   Reply With Quote