Visit our Popular Forums

ND10CentCan · 11-14-2010, 01:43 PM

Here is the first start to a new home for the Albatross. Until then, it sits in the cold and snow.

Splitrock · 11-14-2010, 01:57 PM

Ummm, the frame is missing . . .

qc1500 · 11-14-2010, 01:58 PM

Looks familiar
De Mazzel!

ND10CentCan · 11-14-2010, 02:23 PM

If this wasn't ND, I would swear someone stole the frame....what's left of it after the rust got after it anyway. It is waiting in another part of the yard for a welder to show up with lots of steel and patience.

Splitrock · 11-14-2010, 02:47 PM

Welder huh? Sounds spendy.

The shed looks nice.

Gary

ND10CentCan · 11-15-2010, 06:08 AM

I wish it weren't so spendy to get someone to come out and fix the frame but you have got to pay people for their time and skills. It's only fair and we are going to be grateful when it is all done. So far we haven't found anyone because of the wait time in welding shops. The soonest anyone said they could "take a look at it" would be sometime in January. Uffda. In January, I expect the frame could be three feet down in the snow.

Right now my husband is threatening to buy a welder and do it himself. Let's see: full time job, building a house for the Albatross, and learning to weld. I don't see any problems here.

Sandy

Splitrock · 11-15-2010, 08:23 AM

I live in a farm area so I got welding and baling wire tie up instruction in high school. My favorite class was called "Lunch Time". That was my first encounter with that thing called "portion control". I didn't like it then either.

I use a stick welder and a farmer's rod. To me, it's easy to weld . . . it's hard to get a pretty looking weld.

Gary

driftless · 11-15-2010, 08:46 AM

Maybe there is a Tech school in your area that has a welding class. You could get them to take it on as an advanced class project --- no labor cost, just materials. The assumption would be that the instructor would supervise and inspect the work.

You could also run an ad on Craigslist under services wanted to see if you could snag someone who isn't so busy.

I'd hate to think of it sitting under the snow all winter. Good luck.

ND10CentCan · 11-15-2010, 06:09 PM

All good thoughts....so far we have had lots of people say they know of a cousin of a friend that had a roommate that used to go with a girl that had a brother that welds and maybe he could take a look at it. My husband is pretty talented and I think given some basic instruction and assistance, he could do it. I am not sure where we are going to go with this; I hate to see it just sitting there and knowing the winter is soon upon us. Too bad we couldn't afford to retire and move south with the Albatross in tow to repair it in warmer areas. The Carribean sounds nice about now....

On another note, my husband did buy a "How to Weld" book and he says he is learning lots. Too bad they expect him at work all day

and don't give enough coffee breaks to run home to work on the Albatross. I think he needs to file a grievance

ND10CentCan · 02-06-2011, 08:33 PM

After many a day in the winds, blowing snow, and bitterly cold temperatures, we are making some progess in the rookery. Today we got the first dormer window in on the west side. Only three more dormers to go and we should be ready to put down some shingles. The man in charge thinks we will be starting on those this coming weekend. The man is a dreamer I say.....

The oversized garage door is here and ready to be installed. We just haven't been able to get to it all yet. Warmer weather is expected this weekend and we have our daugther and her friend coming to visit from MN. I will be in class all day Saturday so I won't be a lot of help at all. Now if we can just the two of them up on the scaffolding hanging sheets of styrofoam and tyvek. I will wait to spring that on them after they arrive on Friday. Nothing like family to put you to work first thing huh?

Lance M · 02-06-2011, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ND10CentCan

Uffda.

That's a word not often heard here in Texas! When I get finished welding Abby, I'll be all fresh with my welding skills again. Any luck with a fabricator up there?

Splitrock · 02-06-2011, 10:15 PM

My cousins live up in Grand Forks. When I first saw the movie "Fargo" I laughed for one solid week. That's exactly how they talk.

ventport · 02-07-2011, 06:32 AM

If you can't weld good, weld a lot!

mimiandrews · 02-07-2011, 07:14 AM

I was told the three fundamentals of good welding are:
Practice,
Practice,
Practice.

The theory is fairly simple. Get the guy in the welding equipment place to recommend a type of rod that is easy for beginners, and to teach you how to set up the equipment. Then bum some scrap from a welder or someone who sells steel, and practice until you can't beat your weld apart with a big hammer.

Remember SAFETY.
Protect your eyes properly at all cost!
Take precautions that there's nothing nearby that can catch fire.
Have a good fire extinguisher handy in case something does.

ND10CentCan · 02-07-2011, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb379_2010

That's a word not often heard here in Texas! When I get finished welding Abby, I'll be all fresh with my welding skills again. Any luck with a fabricator up there?

We haven't really had much luck there so far but had a lead after Thanksgiving. I am not sure on what happened to him but he has kind of disappeared.

Good thing my husband is taking weldingn class two nights a week. I still think we want to have someone else do it just to make sure it gets done this decade....

So it goes...if it weren't for bad luck sometimes....we carry on!

ND10CentCan · 02-07-2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splitrock

My cousins live up in Grand Forks. When I first saw the movie "Fargo" I laughed for one solid week. That's exactly how they talk.

I thought it was funny but then I realized it was hilarious....can't believe we do talk like that and it seems completely NORMAL. Everyone else talks funny. All my Canadian relatives say we sound funny too. Now when we travel, people always ask "Are you from Fargo?"

You betcha!

ND10CentCan · 02-07-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimiandrews

I was told the three fundamentals of good welding are:
Practice,
Practice,
Practice.

The theory is fairly simple. Get the guy in the welding equipment place to recommend a type of rod that is easy for beginners, and to teach you how to set up the equipment. Then bum some scrap from a welder or someone who sells steel, and practice until you can't beat your weld apart with a big hammer.

Remember SAFETY.
Protect your eyes properly at all cost!
Take precautions that there's nothing nearby that can catch fire.
Have a good fire extinguisher handy in case something does.

Thanks for the input on welding. It seems as if we will never get to the point of doing any actual work on the Albatross because we will be stuck on the fixing the frame but, I tell myself, all good things in time. The Albatross wasn't built in a day, and it took way longer than that to clean out the innards and mouse remains so just be patient.

I will pass on your info to the man in charge. He is headed off to welding class in about a half hour....I got him a new fire extinguisher when we got the Albatross and he was doing demolition. I think I need the super size for when he gets his welding machine down the road. I might also contact the insurance man and see what we are covered for in case things turn more intense than we figured...

So it goes and we will see what adventure is around the corner after tonight's class. I have already figured that my mother's day gift will be some sort of a welding machine so I am prepared.

As long as it ultimately leads to us camping, I am all for it.

Splitrock · 02-07-2011, 07:35 PM

I hope the welding student pays double attention during the layout section of the class. The welding's important, but the layout's critical. It's gonna be really nice if the shiny can fits on the big steel part.

The last welding job I did, I set my jacket on fire. I actually set the jacket on fire with the grinder. When people ask me if I smoke . . . I say, "Only when I'm on fire".

That waz my lucky jacket too!

ND10CentCan · 02-07-2011, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splitrock

I hope the welding student pays double attention during the layout section of the class. The welding's important, but the layout's critical. It's gonna be really nice if the shiny can fits on the big steel part.

The last welding job I did, I set my jacket on fire. I actually set the jacket on fire with the grinder. When people ask me if I smoke . . . I say, "Only when I'm on fire".

That waz my lucky jacket too!

People have been warning me about welding burns and fires since he started the class. He still hasn't gone through all the different types of welding yet so he really hasn't gone too far on anything to say he is ready for welding.

The best part is that he didn't give up and say "This is all your fault!!" since I bought the AS on my very first adventure on Ebay. He's now the wiser and so I am. A cheap lesson that we have paid for but learned from. We now know what we didn't know we didn't know if that makes any sense at all.

We are hoping to be camping by the spring of 2012 if all goes according to Hoyle. Much of that depends upon a lot of things going just the way they need to go to make things happen. I have my fingers crossed at this point.

RamblinManGa · 02-07-2011, 09:00 PM

Hi from Ga. . . Sir Splitrock mentioned welding in school as part of keeping the farm going----

---so how bout friendlying (is that a word) up with local high school shop/welding teacher and offer them some practice for the kids, with teacher supervision of course. maybe you throw in lunch or make a contribution to the school. Just an idea that might not be SO spendy., Regards,Craig