SkinnyG's '61 Apache

[cwcarpenter98]

Looking nice! Where's the secret attachment point for the hoist to lift the cab?

[SkinnyG]

It's just a 4x4 post that's long enough to precariously balance everything atop the crane. Removed from view.

[cwcarpenter98]

Ok, thanks. Good to know I can do it myself if need be

[SkinnyG]

First 30 seconds of THIS VIDEO

[cwcarpenter98]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

First 30 seconds of THIS VIDEO

Now I see, thank you! I had missed that when I watched it a while back

[SkinnyG]

My brain woke me up super early this morning, with a nagging "are you SURE the intermediate band was air-checking correctly?"

Dang it.

So....

I pulled the cab, pulled the trans, pulled the valvebody, and checked.

Yes, yes it is working correctly. As are all the others.

Just leaving this here so the next time this happens I can show this post to my brain and tell it to shut up.

[SkinnyG]

Like a need another project.....

But I got this 12x36 lathe for scrap metal pricing. Needs a little love, but I can do it. It will replace my 10x24.

[SkinnyG]

Paid $500cdn for the lathe.

Fixed the broken carriage feed with a $1 roll pin.

A couple of chucks fell into my lap for fixably free.

Need to source a tool post.

Then my 10x25 will go up for sale.

[Apache1961]

Nice score. Looks like it has digital readout?

[SkinnyG]

Yes it does. No power cord for it, but Googlefu tells me it's 7V AC with Center Positive, so if it works at all, I'll know pretty soon.

[SkinnyG]

Got the lathe to run yesterday. Nice, quiet, smooth.

4-jaw has a cracked pinion, I'll see if I can get a replacement.

I got two 3-jaws, one is decent but missing outside jaws. The other has reversible jaws that are all trashed and everything is loose. I'll probably buy a new 3-jaw.

BXA tool post ordered.

All new camlock hardware ordered from Grizzly, $39usd.

[jkeating1]

12 X 36 refers to what?

[SkinnyG]

The lathe can spin something 12" in diameter, and 36" long.

Bigger is usually exponentially more expensive. This is a $6500CDN lathe brand new.

[SkinnyG]

The lathe had had its camlock hardware stripped.

The majority of this lathe is still sold by others, and I sourced the camlock screws and springs from Grizzly (4003 lathe).

The detent pins were deceptively hard to locate, so I ended up fabricating my own from 1/4" drill rod, and hardened using a propane torch and motor oil to quench.



This allowed me try mount one of the used chucks I got for free.



The carriage feed got a new 6mm roll pin (the original had worn to 5mm, and fell into the apron)



And then the carriage could be put back on the lathe:



Tailstock mounted:



Lathe works, operates, and feeds. I'm pretty excited.

Need to make new tool rack for the larger tools....

If the quick change tool post shows up next week, we should be back in business.

[The Rocknrod]

That's pretty neat having a lathe.

[SkinnyG]

It's handy still having my 10" lathe so I could machine parts for the 12" lathe (big grin).

[SkinnyG]

Took today and tomorrow off work because my voice is dying. If I don't give it a rest, it will be completely gone for two weeks or more. Needs some love.

Everything needs love these days.

So.... I'm rebuilding the TH350 in my '71 C10. Again. This time changing cases, replacing all the thrust washers, a few bushings, tightening up the Intermediate clutch clearance as well as re-setting all the end play in the trans to the minimum allowable.

I'm getting a lot better at doing transmissions.

I still hate doing transmisssions.

[SkinnyG]

TH350 is done, I posted a video in the general 60-66 section.

Tool post arrived, and anchored the lathe to the ground with four 1/2" bolts, and shimmed one side of the tailstock with two strips of paper to get 0.0005" taper over 10" - good enough for me for now.



Back to the truck....

I used OBS 8600GVW brake hoses, but split the factory bracket in two and made two mounts for the hoses. This seems to clear well at ride height, full up and aired out:





OBS 8600GVW C2500 Calipers got blasted and painted, and the NBS Hydroboost unit got painted.

[SCOTI]

I was curious about the differences w/the 7200 vs 8600GVW OBS calipers or more specifically if there was a difference since one was a 6-lug set-up & the other the 8-lug. Kind-of cool that works out like that.

[SkinnyG]

I believe it's just a honkin big piston, but otherwise bolts right up. Same size rotor.

[SkinnyG]

And sold my 10x27 lathe just like that.

[SkinnyG]

In an effort to reduce my personal stress levels, I've tried to "unplug" from my self-imposed "deadlines" and just putter in the shop. Stuff will get done, but I need the shop and this project to be my "escape" and not too "goal-oriented." I've probably mentioned before, my Myers-Briggs personality type is the same as every tv and movie villain; it's not that I'm trying to take over the world, it's that I will accomplish my goals regardless the cost. That can be good, but also unhealthy. Nevertheless....

Brake master mounted:



Smoothed out the center caps as good as I cared to, and blasted and painted the front rotors (Brake Caliper paint). These will be cut once I'm back at work, as I don't have a brake lathe at home.



And painted the rear calipers:



And reinstalled the turbo:

[SCOTI]

Good progress.

[SkinnyG]

Small celebration of success. I've been down for a while, struggling with some of my own demons, and not finding the shop the "escape" I need it to be. This is all I've gotten done, but dang it I can celebrate that anyways.

[Braunschweiger]

You shouldn't force anything, sometimes it's just a little quieter, I've been following your build for a while, you've built something extraordinary and I'm curious how it will continue.
Greetings Harald