Ha! Success. Back to normal programming.
Now where is Tim?
Right On! 👍
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
Ha! Success. Back to normal programming.
Now where is Tim?
I didn't understand this post until this morning when I discovered that we can post pictures again.
So, yes, success! I went back and edited a recent post that needed a pic. No problemo.
While in triple tree limbo I started work on the trailer canopy. Theory being the Fiat can have it's own mobile garage.
Be better for the timber deck as well.
It would make for a handy camper if we go that way.
Could even carry a sidecar or two.
It's just on 2m wide inside. Maybe a bit taller than 1st planned but the wheelbase is 8ft wide so stable.
1903 Brown engine barrel etc
. And my roller and bender.
Bruce, allow me to plant a seed:
On the trailer, how about "removable sides and removable top"
Build each side as a removable panel, same thing for the top, a removable panel, that can be bolted into place with a simple 4 to 8 bolts, whereas the receiving nuts are actually welded into place in the permanent framework on the trailer.
Build a permanent framework onto the trailer, that will always be there, but have panels for both sides and the top that can be easily unbolted, and removed, so the trailer serves multiple purposes.
Two Million Mile Rider
Exploring the World in Comfort
Planting seeds is good Miles.
Be hard to make that one grow this time.
The trailer currently weighs 450kg empty with a gross of 1400kg.
Leaves 950kg payload.
The Fiat weighs 750kg though the manual says it should only be 650kg.
Leaves 200kg.
Add in a spare wheel etc leaves 150kg.
The aluminium frame and sheeting will end up being a bit over 100kg, say 110 /115.
What with offcuts from the totally cool unique design and shape.
I may be able to include a back door as well as the ramp.
Making a rigid ultra light structure that won't get ripped off by a passing road train requires structural integrity.
Any spare weight capacity is likely to get taken up with insulation on the walls.
A minor upgrade capacity wise could possible come through a wheel upgrade from 13" to 14".
Marginal, expensive and unlikely short term.
At least 25mm Ali tube roll easily by hand though still trying to think how I can fit a motor to my roller.
Written somewhere between 3-30 am and 5.
Might sleep in now.
So in the life is stranger than fiction theme and a variation on the dog ate my homework.
Tim the fine fellow and volunteer triple tree builder was at the vintage veteran bike coffee again today.
He was called out to A sea going job on shortish notice and today I heard the why and what.
Elon Musk sent up yet another rocket with I suppose a satellite.
Now they are working towards reusable rockets or at least the motors and other bits.
Motors are about 10 mill each and there's a few.
So a ship was sent to meet the rocket as it landed in the ocean.
That's a controlled splash down with rockets burning etc.
Problem was they had to wait 2 days for the last of the fuel to vent......
Yep valves open and no internal pressure?
Oh no!!!
Water ingress.
Then did a Titanic impression and resides 5klm down now.
One or two small details to resolve apparently.
Like if the rockets burn til it hits water then maybe the nose won't break from impact?
A hard point to hitch to??
Oh!! And floatation?
Yep that would be handy.
Made by geniuses for sure.
Just shy a couple of practicalities.
Made my day really.
In the category of "small world", I watched that whole thing. The section your friend is going to recover is the part that will take people to the moon, and beyond. It's a pretty big deal. They had pushed the rocket beyond design constraints so they could see what damage would occur in case of an emergency. Mostly to the flight surfaces, but also they removed a bunch of the re-entry tiles. Not sure what else.
I was looking at the fuel gauges (telemetry on the video feed) and wondering about that, because in the NASA landings they have to do the same thing before the astronauts can be picked up from the capsule. Only on the NASA version the whole thing is buoyed by balloons, and the venting process is pretty quick.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
I would love to see these ultra rich people spend their money on solving real world problems here on Earth, before spending all that money trying to act like a Big Man in wanting to inhabit Mars. Other than useful satellites, I see no reason or need to be spending billions and trillions of dollars on space exploration, when the same money could be spent feeding and health care for hominids on this planet.
This is so right I quoted it just to read it again.
My initial reaction was a bit kneejerk. And while I still agree with FM (cause he's right), my personal beliefs are more gray area.
I see the value in exploration and gaining knowledge, I just feel the balance is wrong. Less space toys, more serving the people that made them so rich.
I have a different view on this. First off, far be it for me to tell anyone what they should spend their money on. Secondly, and more important is endeavors like this create a lot of quality jobs, sponsors education, challenges brilliant minds and brings forth solutions that positively effect the world. NASA and ESA employ people around the globe, and continue to invest in new technologies/science to the benefit of all mankind.
Look at the Apollo program alone, and what it has done for the world. (here is an example: https://www.npr.org/2019/07/20/742379987/space-spinoffs-the-technology-to-reach-the-moon-was-put-to-use-back-on-earth)
Unless we solve the root cause of poverty, giving the poor food and health care just breeds more poverty. Throwing money at poverty doesn't work. We've been there - done that, and continue stupid practices. Careful application of resources from all the worlds governments might.
No idea how to bring this back on track. My sincere apologies Bruce. Eradicating poverty is something I'm passionate about. I'll stop here.
Hold my keyboard and watch this! 🙃
On track?
That would be the day.
Not really concerned about that.
It's been decades since I've watched the news as such.
They are always with an agenda
And the net is getting harder to retrieve useful info from.
Courtesy of our mega wealthy ones.
That rocket which is a total loss by the way as it's probably not worth fishing up from 5 Klm down.
Their payloads apparently are normally in the order of a billion dollars.
Losing the delivery vehicle is small change.
For me was just an amusing distraction.
Elon seems a decent fellow.
Hard to know really.
On a different note.
Need to decide when to pull the Guzzi forks down for final measurements.
And whether we should try and take the Dodge south for a camping trip on a farm in 2 weeks.
Wife's not overly keen on the rigmarole involved in getting organised etc.
But we have great friends with awesome kids.
And it's an opportunity to get a kid fix for the kidless.
Then there's the next trip to Cambodia and how long should it be?
Life goes on.
Take the trip. Enjoy the borrowed family. Eat too much. Come home and recover from the vacation.
Illegitemi non carborundum est!
1960 Morris Minor Traveller? Just a guess. 🤫Bruce, for those of us that are not familiar with the vehicles that are specific to OZ,
can you tell us the year, make, and model of Dave's pickemup ?
