| Date |
Costs |
Activity |
| 8/1/2005 |
|
The last couple of weekends (and the next couple as well) have been spent helping my best friend move into his new place. Lots of work to do helping him get major work started not to mention that I am having a large 4-bay garage (50' x 30') built for me and I am doing outside staining as well as inside electrical work.
I am hoping that by the end of this month that I can move the Vortex into it and continue working on it. Until then I will continue to accumulate parts and supplies as needed so that when I get back to the project I will be able to again make some good progress. |
| 8/3/2005 |
$40 |
Got the rough drive hub back from the machine shop today. I pressed the two parts together and welded them up and then brought it back to the machine shop for them to turn all final surfaces, bore it, put in the 1/4" keyway and drill/tap the hub. I also gave them the sprocket for them to bore and put in the mounting hole pattern.
Here are a couple of shots of the rough hub/adapter combination:
 
Here are a couple of shots showing the hub orientation with the flat belt pulley, note that I put the shoulder side of the pulley towards the sprocket side. I did this so that if the belt ever 'walks' it will not impact the chain/sprocket!!!
  |
| 8/10/2005 |
|
I talked with the machine shop today, they are completing the drive hub for me and
I will be picking up the completed hub assembly/sprocket this weekend.
It seeams that the JT Sprocket for the intermediate shaft is not simply case hardened, but hardened through out. The sprocket material was so hard that putting in a keyway was not practical, the machine shop had a hard enough time boring out the center and drilling the holes. The keyway in the sprocket is not really required.
The hardness of the sprocket should help make it last a good long time against chain wear. |
| 8/11/2005 |
|
Our 4-bay garage is progressing nicely, all concrete floors are poured windows, doors and garage doors are in. The other day I finished staining/sealing the entire outside T1-11 sheathing and I still have interior electrical wiring to do as well as build the staircases.
Main power is still not connected but this weekend I will begin moving the Vortex project into it's new 'home' in anticipation of power being connected soon.
I have simply out grown my current workshop and the Vortex along with all of it's associated parts and components have made it nearly impossible to walk through the shop without constantly tripping over stuff. |
| 8/12/2005 |
$60 |
I picked up the finished hub today from the machine shop and it looks great. He ended up using carbide drill bits to drill the holes in the sprocket as well as the center bore, again he said that the sprocket was extremely hard...
Here are some pictures of the finished drive hub both with and without the flat pulley:
 
|
| 8/21/2005 |
($167) |
Today I got the check from Fedex Trucking to pay for damages to two 2" thick foam sheets that I bought from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co.
I had originally filed for damages on the 2 sheets as well as an additional $50, this way if I wanted to repurchase 2 more sheets that the shipping to me would be covered as well. Once I sent them pictures of the sheets, they fully reimbursed me for the claim of $167.
The sheets had a single break in the middle so I can still get some use out of them. |
| 8/28/2005 |
|
I completed the interior wiring in my work bay of the garage (the important bay!), plenty of outlets at key locations as well as 3 power hook-ups for my welding/plasma equipment. I also installed five 8' long commercial fluorescent fixtures that hold 4 T8 light bulbs each, so when lit the interior looks like daylight!
This Wednesday the electrician is going to pull the power meter, swap out the old electrical panel in the house, install a new 40 slot panel and connect up the run out to the garage.
Still have to install insulation and dry-wall my work bay before it gets too cold and install the wood burning stove for heat. I also have to wire up the other 3 bays as well but the power requirements for the rest of the garage is minimal compared to my work bay, so wiring should be pretty easy. |
| 8/29/2005 |
|
We have power to the garage! Contractors came over and ran line from house to garage, put in much larger circuit breaker box into the house as well. |
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