Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Hey Don the tail light mod is great. It's too bad about the compressor. I hope it's not something serious. It looks like you 've got a great new companion. He reminds me alot of my Spike with shorter hair. :metal:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Love the progress. Those lights are amazing and truck is coming together great. Never met anyone else who has been to the Azores or even knows where they are. I was never stationed there but Command did forget about our jet there for 10 days of fun. Also stopped off quite a bit. Reading your posts is getting me excited to start my truck.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

good work don... those taillights are coming together nicely and i really like the idea of them. jojo looks like a great friend and helper. abandoned or drop off critters make the best companions.

keep it up man, we got a week of beautiful weather ahead.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Tail lights are coming along nicely! JoJo looks like a great addition to the family and shop. It doesn’t take long to get attached. I agree with Clem. All of our animals have been cast offs. We have two small dogs now and they are both constantly under foot!

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Thanks Guys for all the Comments… The Warmer weather finds me motivated to get going, not to mention time until the next Get-together at Clem's keeps getting shorter...:mm: and my list of things to do is SLOWLY shrinking…:rolleyes:

Since the Compressor is temporarily unavailable, I started prepping my custom sail panels for their mod… Will post some pics soon!
Contacted McMurphy's friend about my custom emblems… and began prioritizing future things to do...:metal:

Tax return season is upon us here in the Body Art industry...:bann:
For those who haven't experienced this phenomenon… It means virtually every hour the Studio is Open, we have steady work.:uhmk: Not complaining, because it sure helps my "Budget" build fund...:haha: Which in turn prompts me to value the days off, and attempt to get as much truck time in as possible along with the Honey-Dos my Beautiful Wife finds for me to do...:metal:

As for JoJo, there is a crazy story behind his arrival that I will share a bit later… And although he loves to follow me around, and will chase a ball tip he drops… He disappears when the grinding and noise making involved with metal surgery begins...

Have a GREAT Day Guyz… Happy Wrenching!!!:metal::metal::metal:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Back on Page 22 Post #527 I posted a couple of pics about my idea for a pair of Custom Sail Panels I picked up for $10...:metal:
I posted my card idea in Post #334 on page 12 that shows my Holy Fire Customz logo… hence the "z" added to Custom…

At first my thought was to redo the paint on the lettering and add a "z" onto the "m"…Well that has morphed into the following…

My plan is to make a die out of a 2x3 by notching out a "Z" with a rotary tool, then with a hammer and punch tap the "Z" into the Sail Panel… I have a punch that fits the original lettering…
Now I have one question… What are the thoughts about using a propane torch to warm the aluminum, a bit, prior to tapping in the "Z"???:confused: The reason I ask is my concern about discoloring the metal. My plan is a Faux-tina Paint so I plan on retaining the patina on the Sail Panels… although I may repaint the lettering in the event my attempt to match the patina on the "Z" doesn't pan out...

After embossing the word "Custom" from each panel onto a piece of paper, I lined up the 2x3 and mapped out where to place the "Z" in order to clamp the panel in place before tapping in the letter… Here is the progress so far, I should have a chance this evening to notch the "Z" into the wood...:uhmk:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

I Sure miss the ROCK!!! I had a blast there, was lucky enough to get 2 tours there, for a total of 5 years… Here is a pic of the Church in Praia built in the 1500's
Enjoy!!!

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

and a couple more pics of the island…
one of Terceira from the air and one of my son on our neighbors burro...

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Nice work on the lights Don! Looking good! Eagerly waiting on how the Sail Panels turn out! :metal: Remember...the smoother they are the faster you Sail!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! :lol::lol::chevy:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

So cool. My biggest memory was the taxi driver that thought he was an INDY car driver and the bull fighting ring on the beach. Craziest winds to land in also. Food was so good there too. We missed the church some how.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Nice work on the tail lights.
When we were talking on the phone for some reason I figured they were getting stuck on the fender not Frenched. Sick work Don.
Give JoJo a treat from me and Vomit dog.

Can't wait to see them Sail Panels.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Nice job on the taillights.....looking great

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That's the Best Reason to get them SMOOOOOOTH!!! :uhmk:

I have ridden in a Taxi there when two taxi's were racing...:metal: Both Mercedes if I recall correctly and it was only $3 to go from the base to Praia which was about 3 miles away…Amazing food! Amazing People… I enjoyed every minute of my 5 years there… Would love to go back for a visit...


Thanks for the advice during the phone calls, and Thanks for the Compliment! :metal:

As I posted earlier, there is a story behind JoJo's arrival, so here goes…
JoJo showed up at my daughter's one afternoon as the grandkids were getting off the school bus… He was either lost or a drop-off. The property is out in the sticks on a dead-end gravel road, so strays are not uncommon… Long Story short, my daughter had been to a funeral for her friend Joseph. The granddaughter called the dog JoJo, because her Mommy's friend Joe had died, so JoJo seemed to fit. He has responded to his new name since. He is very well-trained, Housebroken, and knows basic commands. He loves riding around with me when I run errands and hasn't attempted to go too far since his arrival. Awesome addition to the family...

Thanks!!! As soon as my Electrician diagnoses the compressor issue, I will get that fixed and get to finishing the taillights… ;)

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

I agree those tail lights are awesome. I was behind an Impala today and was thinking about these lights.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Not much to report other than the Air Compressor is back off it's Vacation…errr…Holiday. :bann: Apparently I ran it enough with all the grinding that it just overheated...:eek: Although I pressed the red reset button 3+ times that day, I guess I didm't exercise enough patience… So yesterday when my electrician showed up, as I was explaining all that happened, I have some Italian in the blood so there were lots of gestures :lol:, I pressed the reset button and it clicked...:dohh: I immediately stopped the talking and gesturing and switched on the compressor… WALA… It began compressing Air...:metal:
After running a few times, I changed the oil in the compressor and enjoyed the rain and cold front that began rolling in...:waah:
No Update on progress due to weather and the fact that today I get to play carpenter at the studio...:crazy:
Spyed a BBW Fleet on Craigslist about 20 miles away…HMMMM!!!!

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Thanks Man!!!:metal:

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BBW where? :mm: that is good news on compressor.

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Thanks Man...:uhmk: Sure glad the compressor was an easy fix!:metal:
BBW is not too far from here, got a friend to go over this coming Wednesday to go over it and send me pics...

Worst part was that I wasn't even able to get to enjoy the working compressor...:waah:
I had to do a long overdue modification at the studio, needed to enclose our cleaning and sterilizing area… Here are a couple of pics of the progress...:mm:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Work always gets in the way of play

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

That's Okay as long as Play = New Toyz...:metal:
see below...

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Nice score! I like new toys.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Not much to report… Thanks to our lovely Global Warming...:lol: We have another crazy winter weather weekend...:waah:

My first attempt at the sail panel customization found me completely trashing the 2x3 I attempted to turn into a Die. Wrong Bit for the Dremel...:dohh:

Good thing 2x3's are plentiful…;)

Picked up some new bits that should allow me to get it right this time...:mm: now I just need to get the 2x3 cut to the correct length, mark and carve…

Here's a pic of the Boy's Volvo following our latest Winter Event...:crazy:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

New toys are always nice

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

sounds like you're tooling up. always good.
freaky weather we're having, huh.

kim and i have now officially burned 10 rick of fire wood since november. the stove has burned constantly. brutal out there.

i stupidly tried to paint a buddies hot rod in a 49* booth and the material just fell off to the floor. never try that again.:lol:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Getting Ready for the warmer weather that seems to be delaying it's official arrival...:waah:
No heat in the busted knuckle work shed/tent… so I am resting from the Tax-return season which finds our business bOOOOOOming...:bann: Pushing lots o' ink which we love to do...:metal:

…and ya gotta love working with the public...:crazy:
I once had a guy who couldn't comprehend why the letters on his neck looked backwards in the mirror… He made that observation, not once, not twice, but 3 times with the last time being after he got home and removed the bandage he called the studio extremely upset because the tattoo was backwards...:dohh: DON'T Do DRUGS!

I once had a woman get a tattoo on her forearm, and as I was explaining the aftercare instructions, and braking down my machines, she asked… "You used a Needle???":eek:

…another young lady arrived before opening, and after trying to walk through the locked door, asked what time we opened. I had opened the door to make sure she hadn't hurt herself due to the noise involved upon trying to open the locked door… Apparently the CLOSED sign at eye level on the door didn't register in her grey matter… Upon explaining that we opened at Noon, she asked, "What time is noon?" WHAT??? anyway, I told her 12 and yes this get's better...:banghead: She then asked what time it was… I answered 10:45, and she proceeded to make the observation…"Oh, so you open at 11?" I, as politely as possible, answered no, 12 Noon. I then closed and locked the door and amazingly enough she never returned...:metal:

My Observation and ensuing question… When did common sense go the way of the 8 track?

Stay Warm everyone!!! and hopefully these tales will prove that maybe, just maybe, we aren't really caught in a Twilight Zone Episode!

And last but not least, while watching a recorded episode of "Route 66" there was a 61 Chevy Truck that, in my opinion, had a huge role in the episode titled, "Layout at Glen Canyon.":chevy:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Are you guys doing tattoo removal now? 36 or 80 grit on that flesh eater? Lol

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Maaaaaybe...:haha: I do have a couple of signs eluding to removal in the form of Handsaw and a Rusty Cheese Grater...:lol:

Disclaimer: We Do NOT do removal… but we do lots of cover-ups….:mm:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Thanks to McMurphy...:lol: I HAD to have some custom emblems made!:metal:

They should ship out this week, here is a sample…
Not quite finished, there is a bit of hand filing left to do… Will post pics upon arrival!

Thanks Jay!!!

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Those emblems look great....they will be great additions to your truck.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Cool emblems!

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Thanks Guyz… Like a kid waiting for Christmas now! :bann:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Emblem came out really nice

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Can't wait to see the finished emblems. Very nice! And for what it's worth your new sander is way prettier than mine. The one I have is just old ugly red!

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Can't wait to see the finished product…;)

Got it from Eastwood, picked this one because it only requires 2.7 CFM and my single stage compressor can easily handle that… most of the sanders I looked at needed anywhere from 9 to 13 CFM… Looks like we should be back to normal temps this weekend, so I plan on giving the sander a trial run on Monday...:metal:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Another new toy for the Workshed...:metal:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

I am glad Jay was able to hook you up, those emblems look pretty sweet !!
I know he is looking for a few projects right now as he is stuck at the house for a couple more weeks !! So if you know anyone who wants this sort of thing made, make sure you point them in his direction.

I cannot wait to see what you do with yours !
I still have not mounted mine, but it is on the list to do.
The hang up is that I saw some stock Apache emblems mounted on the fenders, and that has my brain on the fence about my original idea of putting them on the cowls.

Hmmmmmm decisions decisions... :metal:

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Hhmmmmmm ......

Toolz.

Approved.

A man can never have enough tools.

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I am sure you will knock it outta da park no matter where they get mounted!:metal:

Thanks Grizz… :mm: the coming weekend is showing promises of warmer weather… Monday is forecast to be 19C :metal: :bann::metal:

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We have a 16'C forecast for Sunday.

I have sourced an empty 24 inch Argon/CO2 mix bottle about 40 miles from here which we will collect on Saturday morning before going to visit Nicola's brother at Whitstable 5 miles further and possibly grabbing a fresh seafood lunch in the harbour.

Just need to find somewhere to get the bottle filled as most places want to sell you a £100.00 rental contract for the bottle plus price of a fill.

Catch you on Skype over the weekend.
Nicola is back from Venice and from the pics it seems they had an awesome time.

Re: Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...
 

Life has me missing out on truck time...:waah:

but…. these arrived today and have me CHEESING!!! Thanx Jay, and I am sticking to my story… it's all McMurphy's fault...:haha: