Progress, however slow... but isn't it about the JOURNEY?

Nate,
As far as I know, when Bob (proprietor of Wilton Electronics, as well as a family friend) passed, the business went with him. As I recall, he mentored his daughter(?) for a time, but she apparently wasn't interested in carrying on the business. My 1952 Hudson WASP (hence my screen name) is equipped with an electronic ignition AND and electronic voltage regulator from Bob. May he Rest in Peace. VERY smart man- far beyond his automotive dabblings.

My lovely wife Elaine and I were able to get a few short drives in with Electra... top DOWN of course (and freezing). She went into indoor winter storage this weekend. The parts car (just as cool, and honestly, if I were to have found the parts (to me, but she is complete) car FIRST, I wouldn't have continued to look for a convertible) will have to weather the elements outdoors. Both cars were (and the parts car still is) at my brothers restoration shop, and EVERY person that comes to his shop, be it the parts-store guy, or a customer, LOVED the Buicks when they were parked there.

 

Thanx Mike ;

I have one of Bob's voltage regulators on my Metropolitan Nash, this was so good it made me abandon my plan to convert it to an alternator .

That's right : I use made in INDIA copies of LUCAS 1 ampere generators in this old thing and they last a long, long time between routine brush replacements .

I'd like to get one for my Morris Minor and my '69 Chevy C/10 pickup but I guess that ship sailed.....

Cool beans on the Rag Top drive ! I assume the heater works ? . back when I still had flop tops I'd drive them in the Winter with my Army M65 field jacket and a watch cap, gloves and the heater cranked up .

 

Bob was an MG guy... my Dad and brother restored one for him, and another for his wife. He remained a friend of the family until his passing.

The Electra does have a functioning heater, but several of the other electrical bits are currently inoperative. The parts car has functioning pieces I need. '62 is a one-year model, which made acquiring a parts car a smart move. With our AD's spanning all the years they did, largely unchanged, finding parts is a bit easier.

 

Cool .

Keep us posted .

I learned about the electronic voltage regulator (NEE: Control Box) from a fellow MG Nutter when I had my 1967 MGB GT MKI .

 

updates from the CARPENTER...
Just so you guys don't think I am slacking...
This is the octagonal "pendant" that will receive the curved, hip-rafters for the cupola (8' x 8'). There will be a beautiful, copper, PIG weathervane atop this pendant when the frame is complete.


This is (well, Post 5F) a post with a shelf to receive an 8x12 x 24' bottom chord of a truss which will provide a clear-span over the parking area of the barn. It was just an 8x12 x10-footer earlier in the day. As it turns out, I can cut a 10-foot radius with my 8-1/4" worm drive saw (not happily, but it works). The cuts on both sides of the stick are followed by some (electric) chainsaw work to remove the bulk of the material, and I finish the surface up with a curved-hand plane.


There are MANY unique "sticks" (I call any member of the frame a 'stick', whether it is a 4x4 knee brace, or an 8x12 x24') in the frame, maybe a hundred different ones. Sure, all the floor joists are 'common', but nearly every post (vertical members) and beam (horizontal member- although some are called girts) is unique. To say I have been making sawdust is an understatement. To date, I have "joined" (fancy timber-framer term to describe the mortising and tenoning of a timber) somewhere north of 200 sticks- just the Cupola alone has over 60 individual members (that includes all the curved hip rafters). It has been a very enjoyable task- almost a 'Zen' thing when I am in the barn, wading thru hand-planed shavings making it happen. The Frame-Raising will probably happen in late-April, or early May. I'll throw more pictures up here as I get closer. Pictures don't really do the sticks justice though- it is difficult to appreciate the scale of a lot of it.

Zig, we'd LOVE to see you and Steve (and your significant others) in 2020... our goal is to move into the new digs mid-April of 2020 (no pressure, right?)

 

My goodness- every time I read your posts about the timbers you’re working with, my hands blister, my back goes out, and I break out in sweat!
8X12X24?!? Holy moly that’s a heck of a timber! Please tell me you have a bobcat or something to help with the lifting?
Can’t wait to see the bones photos!

 

Zig, not all the sticks are that size. Lots of 8 x 8 x14-footers (easy to move around), a big pile of 4 x 8 x12' floor joists (cake), and dozens and dozens of 4 x 4 x4' knee braces (weightless). The remaining pile (all sticked-and-stacked of course) in the driveway is all the big stuff. 8 x 8's, 8 x 10's, and 8 x 12's- either 22 feet long or 24. The Kubota with pallet forks makes quick work of moving them.

 

Glad to hear you’re using mechanical help.
This kind of stuff is why my dad had four boys.

 

I like this forum. It's like a really cool, magazine. Cool stories, wonderful projects, display of talent.
And, I don't have to pay a subscription fee.

Mike, when and if you ever retire, you should teach this stuff to the youth of today.

I was going to suggest you could work at some living colonial settlement museum. But, then I read the part about electric chainsaw use.
You would have to do that part, before, or after hours.

Steve.

 

Steve,
Thank you for the kind words.

Interestingly, I have taught "a youth". A friend's son was interested in the craft. We had "class" weekly. He built an 8'x12' timber-framed shed as a "Senior Project". That was a few years back, but my door is always open. And as far as the Electric Chainsaw... it has only been used ONCE since I started this frame (way back in April of 2018). But I can say the 8-1/4" Worm Drive, the 16-5/16" Beam Saw (yes, you read that right... a 16+ inch circular saw) and the Chain Mortiser get used EVERY time I am in the shop. The same goes for the 1-1/2" chisel, the 2" chisel, and the rip- and crosscut-saws hanging on their pegs. I have joined a frame "the hard way". But... time is money (even with all my fancy power tools, I have been at it since last April), so I use every labor-saving device I have. I am down to 25 sticks left to join.

 

Hello all,
I've been a busy guy. If welding joints can be admired on an AD truck body, I offer this:


A joint (a pair of joints actually)- just in White Pine not steel.

 

And the rest of what's in that picture...

 

And an admittedly grainy shot of what came next:

 

Wow ~

I love to see good craftsmanship .

My late Step Father Lawrence (a true Man among Men) was an egineer but his love was carpentry, he'd do it as a hobby and his works were beautiful ,like yours .

 

Mike, keep the updates, coming! I love the photos, and the last one really shows your progress. I've tried and zoomed in on that last pic., but, I cannot make out what the shiny brass, weathervane, is.
Steve.
P.S. You and Zig could do a TV series. You build 'em, Zig paints 'em.

 

In case anybody thought I was just sitting around watching TV...


Steve, it should be pretty easy to figure out what's skyward. The weathervane was a gift from Mom and Dad, almost 25 years ago, for my "current" barn. I just never got around to building a cupola for it. The tarp is covering 2,400 square feet of 1x rough sawn pine for the roof sheathing. We moved all the staging out of the barn today, to prepare for the next task (sheathing the roof). With no staging inside, it looks pretty darn big! A friend saw pictures, and is asking if I can cut him a timber frame for his new home... Funny, I thought that might happen. I still enjoy every minute I am working on it.

We have taken to calling the cupola the "MountainView Cafe", as the view from it is... well... pretty stunning.

More pictures to follow.

 

More progress. It's taking some time with the weather not cooperating. I look forward to working on Penny, HERE, soon. Soon being relative.

 

Man, THIS ^^^^ IS COOL!
Excellent!!!

Steve.

 

I remember when I used to work on my old truck... and I will again just as soon as I can. In the mean time, for ZIG, I offer this:


5 months- and it's starting to look like something!

 

Many years ago,
The guy (hey, that's ME!) that started this thread posted ALL manner of pictures... mostly truck pictures, but the occasional picture of the place said truck would reside.

Well, the house and barn are a-l-m-o-s-t done (these things take time afterall) pictures if requested...

THIS is the year Penny will see some attention. To that end, I have ordered a bunch of parts for the old girl...
If you recall, she had a new rear end delivered. I have received a TrueTrac differential, bearings, lug studs and a shim kit for said item. THIS week those parts will be installed. She is coming HOME for some much deserved attention. The toolbelt is OFF (okay, it's off, but nearby, as the carpentry continues).

Stay tuned!

Mike