New thing in the making, But you will have to wait...

Sorry that there has been no activity on this blog, but after I went back to work I just have not been doing much in the way of projects, except one that I am not going to reveal until it is done and be on display at the next Civil War reenactment at Willamette Mission park next July, just to say it is an AWESOME project, so if you want to see it You may have to come and see us on the Forth Of July.

And it does have something to do with wood by the way, I bet you couldn't guess that one.

Spills, Spills, Spills, Spills,

This is another resurrected project from a year ago or so.

Last year at Willamette mission Civil war reenactment, one of our friends in the traveling town folk let me borrow a tool that her brother had given her for her birthday. She brought it over to me and I knew exactly what it was, and she graciously let me play with it (thank you Heather) all weekend. I had so much fun with making spills with it I just could not stand it, I had to make one for myself.

A spill is a spiral of wood, generally pine, that is made into a long cone for which it is used to take fire from the fireplace and transfer the flame to a candle or light a pipe. This was before the mass production of matches. People would have to go to

the local cabinetmaker and he would make them out of scraps, because nothing went to waste.

Being the way I am, I was not going to buy one, so I set out to find, or try to find plans

so I could make one in the more traditional manner. Well after many attempts, I finally shelved the project for another time, sometimes a little time does wonders for the mind.

So last week with wood in hand, I trekked on down to the shop and started on the mock-up, just to see if I could make it right, well to make a long story short IT WORKED!!!

Next thing was to make the real deal, and came up with a very good working spill plane. Below are the pics of the not so finished plane, I want to put more period correct screws and finish on it.

Front view of the spill plane.

Left end

This is the fun part when the spill is coming off the plane knife.

Just a few minutes of work and I have a full cup, I think that I will make a sign to sell them at reenactments, 12 for a nickle, at least they are period correct. It is real addicting pushing a piece of wood

over a piece of metal and cumming up with a useful product that we can use in reinacting.

Cool Keys

One of my more latest projects was to make a custom key for my

motorcycle. I made one about 2 years ago and have used it ever since.

Then a couple of months ago I decided to make some more, just so I could take

them to the Nor-Cal tech days that I went to back in June, I guess that I wanted to

see if there was any marketing in them, I had a few bites and donated a couple to the

raffle that they had.

They are made out of an exotic wood called Coco Bolo and have a brass tube

where the fob goes through the wood.

I love to turn something mundane as a key into a piece of art!

Back to work.

Well, yesterday I got the call back to work, I will have to wait a week until the 8th of August but hey, I don't care at least I am going back.

Road ID

The other day I was watching the Tour De France and they had a commercial on

this company that sells a bracelet for identification, I was intrigued so I went to there

web site. They market the bracelet for runners and cyclists but I thought that It would be

a perfect fit for a Motorcycle rider.

It is just like the ordinary silicone bracelets that every one is wearing but incorporates

a stainless steel tag that you can put just about any information on that you want,

I put on my name, birthday, wife's phone, sons phone, med history, and just

a little saying that I use occasionally. It also comes in a cool tin.

This way if I am ever injured anywhere, the paramedics can identify me and let the

important people know what is happening, a great idea, with that I would have

thought of it.

White face instrument panel

Today I am going to attempt to post a mod that I did to my KLR. I have found that I really like the white face a whole lot better that the old black face with red numbers, as we all get older our eye sight gets worse and worse.....

I will not digress any longer, and get right to the point of this blog.

This Mod is for the First Generation Kawasaki KLR 650.

First of all, just TAKE YOUR TIME on this one, when you remove your needle make sure that everything is aligned and flat, you do not want to break the needle. Below is a pic of the tool that I use when I do this mod.

 

Fine line Sharpie,10mm socket with extension,small Phillips screwdriver,
8mm open end wrench, real small Phillips screwdriver, larger Phillips screwdriver, and the 2 shims.

The Mighty KLR and all it's glory.

Remove the 3 screws on the out side of the cowling and then the 2- 10mm bolts on the inside, you can unplug the
turn signal wires if you like or just let the cowl rest on the front fender as I have in this photo. All you need to do is
be able to access the screws and nuts and speedo cable.

Remove the 2 screws the hold on the cover for the wiring harness, the speedo cable, and the 2-8mm nuts that hold
the cluster on the front bracket.

Now the cluster can be removed from the bracket to access the back side.

 Do not forget to remove the reset knob for the odometer, there is a SMALL screw in there, so don't loose it.
unscrew the screw and pull the know straight out.



Now with the cluster removed from the bracket, undo the 3 screws that hold the front bezel (the black thing) in place.
There is one screw on the right and one on the left and then one just to the left of center on the top.



We will start with the speedo first, This one is the most trickiest one to do so just have patients. Remove the 2 screws on either side of the speedo cable connection, and carefully slide out the instrument without disturbing the magnets in the housing.

Once you get it apart, mark with the sharpie a line on the outer ring of the mag to line up with the tab on the magnet and a line on the housing so everything is lined up, this is for reference for being able to put the needle back in the right spot.

Now unscrew the 2 screws on the front of the plate and insert the 2 shims, skinny ends first, in between the plate and the housing making sure that the 2 shims are opposite and placed as close to each other as possible.

 One shim pushing, one pulling.
                              



 

Notice how the shims are together and opposite each other and close to one another, also the hole in the plate and the bottom of the needle are flush to one another. Now apply SLOW and even pressure from Both sides of the shims and re-adjust if necessary, Just GO SLOW AND CAREFULLY WITH THIS, you do not want to break the needle.

WHEW!

Now the the plate is off, you can breathe a breath of fresh air. Also be careful of the black tabs on the wheels for
the speedo, you don't want to break these.

Next, screw on the new plate, almost there.

Once the new plate is on, make sure that all the marks that you made are still lined up in
a row. Then put the needle back on so it is just resting on the pin, everything needs to be lined up, I guess I all ready said that
but I guess that I needed to just say it again.

This is the way that it should look, with the needle just resting on the pin. Now you can re-install the speedo

back into the cluster and screw it down.

Next, undo to wiring from the back of the tach, and the 2 screws that hold it in. Don't forget the 2 screws that
hold the face on in the front of the plate where the temp gage is.

Housing with the tach removed, you do not have to remove the needle from the temp gage, just very carfully work the unit out.
It just takes a little wiggling and it comes out, do not force it.

 The process for the tach is the same as for the speedo.

Just slow and easy.

Screw the new face on.

When you put the needle back on, place it just touching the pin on the underside, press it on and then take
the needle and gently move it over the pin to it's resting place, this is because if there was not a pin
to stop it, it would relax down to aproximatly this position, so it needs to be reset to rest on the pin, at least
that was the way it was on my tach.

The needle in it resting place.

Now just ease everything back in place and screw the screws for the temp gage back in.

Now just re-install all of the wires back into there proper place, if you can't remember the sequence, it is molded into the back so
you can't mess up. Now is the best time to turn over the cluster and turn on the ignition and fire it up to make sure everything
is working properly, lights, tach, etc...
Its a real bummer getting everything all buttoned up and find out you forgot to re-attach something. Don't ask me how I know that.

Everything all buttoned up and ready for a ride, don't forget the re-set knob...


I would like to do this mod for the 2nd generation, but I do not have access to one, so if anyone
is in the Bend area that would like to let me use there's for a template, let me know.

I find that the speedo is just about dead on at 60 and just a little shy at 55 with my gps, but it is a lot better than the OEM ever was.


I hope that all went well for you and your installation, If you have any questions E-mail me at
rwquiring@yahoo.com




ENJOY





Dam blitz

Just got back from my latest adventure with the bike, a 860 mile road trip to see and take a picture of my bike at some of the dams and reservoirs in the great state of Oregon.

The first day was the longest with 580 miles, the first dam was Gerber which is located east of
Klamath Falls about 30 miles through some cool farming communities, I have never been to the east side of KF so this was all new country for me.



It was already hot at 9:30 in the morning and I had a lot of miles to go.

Next one on the list was Selmec over by Grants Pass, If anybody has the chance to travel the road from Klamath Falls to Medford, that is a great road, and wonderful scenery to boot. Once I got to Medford, I went Through Jacksonville, Applegate, and a few more small towns, this is were I made one of my only wrong turns, the cut of to Wilderville was not found and I ended up in Grants Pass so I had to head back south to get to Selma, all was good and only a couple of miles out of the way.

This one was not a very big dam so it was kind of anti-climactic. So onward and upward (to the north) I went, Back to Grants Pass and I-5, If you ever have a chance to drive north on I-5 on a KLR with the wind howling from the north, DON'T... Are people crazy or what?

Once I was in Roseburg, I was able to get off the slab and go to Whistlers Bend park and found the small irrigation reservoir, which reminded me of Reimer Reservoir, for those of you who don't now that one, It's the reservoir that Teresa's Dad and Uncle built years and years ago on the farm in the Dallas area.




It was so nice and peaceful that I just wanted to stay and jump in and cool off.

 But alas, I need to get one more for the day and so I turned around and went back to I-5 reluctantly. Heading north again to hwy 58 and to the town of Lowell and Fall creek res.

At this point, all I wanted to do was find a camp spot and lay down, It was about 7:30 so I found a campsite about 7 miles down the road and proceeded to set up camp, It was a small site and no one was around, perfect, set up the tent and did some house keeping and started to make dinner, THAT was a fiasco let me tell you, needless to say I made a mess of my Chili, oh well live and learn I guess, Next time it will be freezed dried food all the way.

The next morning, after a restless night I got up at 5:30, packed up and headed to the nearest place to get some coffee, I decided to take the road less traveled and more scenic, there are some very nice places to go if you just want to take it a little slower and smell the roses... Made it to the final dam of the trip, which was in Silverton.

After bagging the dams, I needed to go and see my Mom and Frank in Dallas, Mom is recovering from a nasty tumble down the stairs, she is doing all right but was pretty banged up. I had a wonderful time at my Uncles place visiting with all the relatives from my moms side of the family. Then on the next morning I headed for home, yea!

Sorry for just MC photos but that was all I had time for, I have ONE more dam to get, and that one is in Heppner, I may just go and head up to the Tri-Cities and visit Trenton and Erica on that trip, so until next time.....






Dam Number 2

Well yesterday I decided to grab the Ochoco Dam just out of Prineville. After going to

work and finding out about THAT situation and then going to one of my co-workers

house to "discuss" the situation with work, thanks Dave for letting me vent. I figured the I would take

the drive to Alfalfa and Prinville res. (the twisty way). The road wanders through the BLM land east of Bend, and then along the Crooked River into Prinville, this is a great MC road with lots of corners.

I could not have picked a more perfect day for a ride the Temperature was just right. The only thing that

was bad was the the wind was blowing from the north in Prineville and by the time that I got back

to Bend, it was blowing from the south, go figure, this IS Central Oregon.

The Mighty KLR at Ochoco Dam (I like the way the sign says
No Parking)

I think the next Dam Or Dams that I am going to do will require an overnighter, I can't wait..



Started the Damtour

       Got the information and placard for the Damtour 2011 yesterday. I looked over the info and decided to just get it started, so I geared up and went for a ride, even thought it was only 8 miles to the first one, it's a start.

         For those who do not know what the Damtour is, it is a self guided tour of dams in both Washington and Oregon and some bonus dams in Montana, Idaho, Nevada and California. There is 8 in WA and 8 in Ore.

I am planning to do the ones in Oregon only, If you do all 8 you receive a pin from the state that you did them in, if you do all 16 you get a trophy, and if you do the bonus dams and all 16, you get a special trophy.

You need to go to the dam of choice and take your placard and take a pic of the bike and the dam and then submit it and then you are credited for the dam.



North Unit Diversion dam in Bend, Oregon



I found that you need to place the bike in a manner that the sun does not reflect off the placard and blot out the number on the placard, I had to take about 4 pics to just get one that came out.

I hope that when I go to the other dams, I am aware of that and do not mess up!

So, until the next Dam run.....

My Son's wedding was this weekend.

   Well we all got back safe and sound from the trip up to Kenniwick WA for the wedding of my son Trenton and new Daughter in-law Erica, It was a great time of getting to know some of her family. The weather could not have been any better, the accommodations were great. 



Trenton and Erica at the rehearsal dinner.



I just wish that a few more of my family members could have been there. I will just have to send them some pics of the activities that happened.

Teresa and myself at the rehearsal dinner.

The room in the church that we had the wedding, we had a nice view
facing east.



Erica and her family.

That is about all I have to say today, so thanks to all who made this a wonderful weekend, and we wish Trenton and Erica the best in there new lives together.

Damtour for me

This year is the year to do it, The Damtour 2011.

This is a self guided tour of dams in the states of Oregon and Washington with 4 bonus dams

in Idaho, Montana, Nevada and California. I will only do the ones in Oregon as because of time and MONEY will limit me. There are 8 in Oregon and 8 in Washington.

Yesterday I sent in my registration form and this morning I was regestered on the tours sight. I wanted to do

this a couple of years ago but was unable to, so this is the year.

I will be posting up as I visit the various points of interest (Dams).

Happy Fathers day to me!

   Well as we all know, yesterday was fathers day. I got a very good phone call from my middle son Trenton, It was good to here from him. My oldest son, Devon came over as he does almost every Sunday, and helped celebrate the day.

  After a wonderful lunch of hamburgers, chips and potato salad, Teresa, Kacie and Devon gave me one of the coolest camping chairs that I have ever seen, I saw on at the TD in Nor-Cal last week and was able to test sit on it and thought that it was although unconventional, very comfortable.


   The Monark chair is made by a company called Alite Designs, it is very light and small, the stuff sack is 4 x 13 inches and the whole chair weights I think about a pound, I am really excited to take it camping and hope that I can take it with me on one of my future adventures.

The stuff sack that the Monark Chair comes in.

This is a very quality product and well made and did I say comfortable.

Unfolded and ready for assembley.

The legs pop together with shock cords.

When I first saw one of these chairs I just scratched my head and said huh?



So once it is assembled you sit down in the sling.



Sorry for the Cheesy grin...

You actually sit in the sling and balance on two legs, it is very much like rocking back on your dinning room chair, It is as I mentioned earlier it is very unconventional but it works great!

Thank you all...