Blacksmith practice!

Today we had some activities as one of out colleges is about to leave for another employer and we wanted to do something extra.

We all got a try at making our own fire pitchfork! To do that we went to Smedjebacken, just a few kilometers south from Ludvika.

Outside the forge. On Ovako's factory area, Ovako is lending the premises to the club.
The furnaces, apparently this is one of northern Europe's largest permanent forges!
Some of the tools.
Demonstration of the forge and how to regulate the airflow.
Some instructions before some hand's on.
"Do not grab objects that doesn't look hot with your bare hands, the look might be deceiving!"
Heating.
Forging!
More demonstrations of the different steps.
We have never been this effective at work! ;)
One of the final steps, separate the material to two pieces at the ens to make the fork part.
Takes some effort to pound through the metal.
Sorry, forgot to shoot the most important piece, the result, but I'll try add that later! :)
All I can say, if you ever get the chance to try forging, take it! Already thinking about taking a course later on or perhaps join the blacksmith club. http://www.vagasmida.blogspot.com/

Update!

The result:
It ended up a bit short since I wanted to make a proper handle, only for small fire places. :)
The fork part shape became a bit too roundish, next time...

Jolly Death Star!

Got a surprise gift, a building set and instructions to build a LEGO Death Star Ornament!

Now I only have to get a Christmas tree to hang it in! ;)
Thanks Tobbe!

It just hit me...

Yesterday it just hit me that the rear side of the Leatherman Bit Kit (plastic bit holder) would be a perfect place to put a diamond coated or ceramic grindstone.

It's just a flat surface that is suitable for a sharpeners in the same style like these:

Popped a email to Leathermans marketing department pointing this out, now it's just a matter of waiting to see it they will regard me crazy or if they will implement it. :)

Messing with brain!

First proper ride!

Yesterday it was about time to take the "new" bike for a proper ride! Last ride was just to make sure everything was working OK and that no parts would be loose.

I decided to make my way to Högberget, I knew that there was a high probability that the trails there would be somewhat dry, and it seemed to be correct.

Since I was close to the abandoned "command center", that was built during the cold inside the mountain I went there to have a look, it was sealed off but the entrance was still visible. "The Eagle" is closed.


Overview.


Bought white handles, still can't understand why?! ;)


The short but nice DH-track ! Someone had placed a big tree over the "exit" but that just forced one to go right at the end and there by get a great jump out of the woods on to the grass field.


Had to push the bike up, past the worst areas, but it was well worth it going down the same way! =)


View from the top, Knutsbo behind the pond.


After a some transport i was in Central Ludvika, decided to enjoy the moment.


Wish I had had the time to go back and take some shots of the sunset, ah, well, an other time...


The Reign still clean, proof of dry trails! :)


The ground covered with flowers.


The green stuff can't be far away now...


Time to go home. Not there, I still had to bike a few kilometers further.


GPS-Plot:

Extreme Makeover - Easter Edition.

So now it's finally ready, had some doubts about the stickers, it took some time but I think I managed to pull it through!

Started with a Giant Reign 2006 frame. Updates: New rear rim, Mavic XM317 DISC, Shimano XT rear gear shifter, Shimano XT rear derailleur, Shimano XT cables, Shimano XT 9-speed Cassette M770, Shimano Wheels Hubs MTB XT Disc Hub Rear M756 36h Black 6-Bolt, Shimano Chains HG73 Chain 9 Speed. New DU bushings for the Manitou Swinger 3-way, new roller bearings in the rear swing.
Since they are only stickers it will be fairly easy to replace them as they get trashed or I get tired of them.
Can't do the same with the colors but I think I will cope with them.
As I mentioned earlier I have tried to copy the color scheme from my old Gary Fisher Paragon. When I bought it I wasn't that excited about the white/orange combo but it grew on me over the years.
Only time will tell if the colors will stay on good or if it will chip off when it gets bombarded with loose stones and mud.
One "funny" discovery was that the XT rear derailleur simply refused to work properly until I replaced the derailleur hanger with a spare one, perhaps explains why the SRAM X-9 derailleur wasn't working flawlessly. Still impressed that it worked better than the new XT!
Now I can start my next project, put gears on the Pugsley!

A few "before" shots:

More toys!

Placed a order on a XEROX PHASER 6110N color laser printer yesterday at elevenish, today about the same time I got at text message on the phone that the printer was delivered! That speed I like!

The price for the color laser printer including delivery ended up at 1300:- Sek fron Dustin.se, very fair price if you ask me, however when I got to the post office I realized how big and heavy it was! =)
Everything needed to get going except a USB-cable, wonder why they don't ship printers with a cable when almost every other USB connected item you buy ships with one?! I will probably connect it via the Ethernet network anyway. =)
Toner cartridges mounted.
Ready for start up, read on the reviews that the printer had a tendency to make some smoke when the fuser is heated up for the very first time. Disappointed that no smoke was shoving but a burned smell spread in the room...
First color photo printed! Had some trouble with the printer stopping because of malfunction in the paper tray, switched it off but that was a mistake since it started over with the calibration process all over again, took ages!
I hope it will serve me well for at least a few years to come, I seldom print anything but when I want to I never have a printer at hand. I refuse to buy a inkjet printer since all inkjets I have come across tend to stop working after a short while due to the fact that the ink dryes up and clogs up the intricate jet nozzles...

Back from the repair shop, again...

Some time before Christmas I left my Seiko black/orange Monster watch to the repair shop to get the black clock hands replaced with white hands.

It looked fine with black hands but it was hard to read the time with black hands against black background. Hence the swap.
All was fine until a month ago when suddenly the minute hand got loose and started to spinn when tilting the watch! Got it fixed for free but the repair took forever, apparently the repairman had been sick and so on...

This is how it looked with black hands:


To set the time again on an automatic watch requires a small procedure, Seiko has a excellent guide for the SEIKO Cal. 7S26, I'll put a link here for future preference:www.seikowatches.com/support/ib/pdf/SEIKO_7S26_35_36.pdf

While the Seiko was on repair I used my Casio Edifice (EF-126D-1AV) for being relatively cheap I must say it is extremely accurate and well built, must be one of the best watches I have bought when comparing price/performance.

Skinput interface...

Actually looks like something that might actually work in the real life with some further development.

Done & done

With the help of some woodoo and a few curses I managed to finish the rear wheel, it used the old spokes that was ever so slightly a bit too long, but it should hold together for the purposes I have in mind...