July 22, 2013

           Here’s another [high quality] rambling post, mostly about the little work done today. Some will conclude my quality of life has taken a steep dive; others will recognize inactivity as merely the prelude to some pending novel adventure I haven’t revealed yet. First, here is some useful trivia. Shown here is the gear for determining the tongue weight on my new trailer. A scale and a jack stand. I get a laugh out of shops that rig up overhead pulleys to do the same job. The tongue weight is obvious, but there is another figure that needs attention: weight distribution on your trailer. Why is it important to place 60% of your load ahead of the axle?

           It has to do with wind. As you move into the wind, there is an aerodynamic lift that pulls the trailer tongue up. If there is too much pull, it can lessen the weight of your vehicle tires, causing traction and braking problems. I knew this when I chose leaf suspension over the torsion bar option. Plus, torsion bars, I hear, are impossible to repair on the road.
           Note that this trailer is NOT designed for the long distances I will be putting it through. Hence, I will be investing in a spare, manual air pump, a grease gun, and compatible wrenches. And a fire extinguisher. There is never any problem with attention to detail around here. (That is confusing. I mean the trailer frame itself is not designed that way, which is why I spent much time strengthening the joints. The camper pod is meant for long trips.)

           Why a bathroom scale? This particular scale (in the photo) has proven uncannily accurate and waterproof over the years. I leave it as homework for the reader to figure out how I am able to easily measure the full loaded weight of the trailer with this one scale without lifting anything off the ground and using just one hand. I’ve discovered the load on my trailer is so far under limit that I’m considering adding 129 pounds of extras, which is quite a lot for me. Even that will only bring weight up to 33% of what’s allowable. You cannot even tell the trailer is there, but cornering has to be relearned.
           Next is the steel grating over the trailer bed. This is done to keep the beams square and save weight--and for long distance travel. My neighbor works on a demolition crew (wow, you should see his motor home) and gets me all the raw materials I need except lumber. Today I sanded off rust and applied a base coat of rust inhibitor to the grate. (Alkyd direct-to-metal non-photo-reactive polymer.) When done, the trailer will have five coats. Rust-proof, primer, undercoat, and two overcoats.

           The rust proof and primer are only applied to the previously non-painted metal surfaces. After considerable thought, the camper box will be wood with the joints metal reinforced. The camper will be removable to an extent. By that, I mean it will be strongly clamped to the wagon bed most of the time, but can be removed, with effort, if I require service as a trailer. Remember, I had to leave a few valuables behind at Wally’s Folly because I had no way to move them. All my buddies with pickups were using their truck beds to store stuff already.
           Here’s a photo of the rust cladding going on the mesh, with the eBike in the background. The idea is to use cheaper, lighter, plywood as the camper box base with little regard to strength other than to hold the camper in shape. Then, eight bolt-on metal stakes added to support the trailer sides, or whatever is resting on the flatbed. For security, I’ve successfully drilled cotter-pin holes in ordinary carriage bolts that can only be released from inside the box. Clever, actually.

           I’m reminded again why I don’t shop at Sears. They are priced out of orbit. It would be different if Craftsman was still manufactured in the USA, but I’m not paying $18 for a Chinese-made 17mm socket wrench. Not when the whole set at Harbor Freight sells for $5.99. I was all the way up at Aventura today specifically to shop for tools, generally light duty affairs and even then, only as needed. I managed to attack my drill press with a heavy steel bar and a rubber mallet. This completely cured the bit wobble.

           Here’s cute sign at Sears on one of their in-store sales cards. Wow, great price reduction, time to stock up. It’s sad in a way, as Sears was one of the places known for quality as I grew up. They may yet bounce back as there is community backlash against Wal*Mart practices all over the country. From fining them for employee underpayment to kicking them out of town, it largely serves them right. And K-Mart. Well, they go by so many different names now I only shop there when I’m already nearby.

           Issues. Yes, I have a few issues with the annoying parts of the world. One is that I wish people would knock it off with “young” musician videos. You know the ones, listen to this kid, he’s only such-and-such years old. I do nothing today, or for that matter in my life, playing music that I didn’t or could not have done when I was six or eight years old—had somebody simply taken the time to give me a few pointers. And Internet censors, you are a pack of losers. It is the lazy parent who wants society to protect their children. Do your job, install a filter. You will get nothing but opposition to censorship from me. Let parents do the protecting and leave my computer alone.
           I will never support the suppression of any knowledge. I personally know how difficult it was to find out the things I needed to know as a child. I am not against queers, I merely find them too boring, always on about the same thing. But, I am against any overly vocal minority who try to impose their will upon others who clearly sick and tired of the matter. Or people who post weight loss photos or claim they’ve beat drugs. All such “wins” are temporary until further notice. In that sense, yes, I have issues.

           [Author’s note: I do not support any type of Internet ban, but I also do not support the opt-in features some of the lower intellects are proposing to “regulate” the Internet. This is the situation where instead of filtering out certain topics, the user chooses from a list of what is desired to be allowed through to their browser. I say no, and I’m not thinking of myself here. There is a horrific danger of implementing any form of prohibition—because it does not work, has never worked, and criminalizes the average citizen. The very existence of an opt-in list kept on file by wierdos like Google and Microsoft is too terrible to comprehend. How long before that list is used to subpoena, railroad, or blackmail? Some people never learn.
           How great is the danger? That is not really important, what’s important is that all surveillance, once legalized, will escalate. People don’t stop to think. It always starts softly—did you know it was originally voluntary to get a dog license? Soon enough, it becomes mandatory, with the records utilized to generate revenue via citations and fines. Then there’s Internet, with non-elected entities working 24/7 to force you to hand over your password, but you can’t have theirs. What’s next? “Were either of your grandparents Jewish?” Like I said, some people never learn.]

           So, lighten up. Here is “Sando Spam”. Question, now that Miley Cyrus is pushing 21, are there any solid plans to get rid of her? Or are we to be stuck with another God forbid, another Britney Spears? No, real men don’t want to hear about your pregnancies before, during, or after. Exception, when it is my kid. Time’s up, ladies. Next!

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