How does the weather always know when to play up? I got the second pair of my 16" wheels back from the local sandblaster on Wednesday, and intended to paint the inner surfaces today. On cue, today was overcast (OK by me.) with slight but transient and unpredictable drizzle from approximately the time I considered getting the wheels out of the workshop. Incidentally, each wheel set cost me only $20 to blast. I think thats a good deal, and unlike the clowns I used in previous years (now gone bum up) they have things finished when they say they will be ready. They don't leave freshly blasted and unprimed parts out in the rain either.
No matter I can't paint today. I have other things to turn to, including adding footman loops to the front of my fake gun shield, and cutting some of the holes needed. I made the sight apeture sliding door many weeks ago, but only now getting around to making the hole in the shield it covers. I still have to attach a couple of pieces of angle before I attempt cutting the barrel aperture. The extra stiffening will be most aporeciated, I can assure you. Although the plate is 6mm thick, it's aluminium, so every bit of anti-wobble is a real good idea. Having to make a lot of compromises with regards to materials available, but should be presentable.
If nothing else, I have now found a use for a large bag of footman loops I got cheap a couple of years ago!
The delay with painting my wheels, means a delay with getting welding done on gun trails and some other bits. I need to get my currently unpainted wheels finished, and tyres put on, so I can swap them over with the wheels and tyres currently on the grey truck. The wheels I take off the truck will be going back to the chap I bought the truck from. He lives roughly 4hrs drive away. That fellow has offered to do the welding on the trails (weld sides onto the frames I made) and until the wheels are swpped, I wont be making that journey. Another MLU friend has offered to assist with welding the barrel parts together, and also attaching the breech block. Hello, and thanks, Andy! I'm sure I've mentioned before that my welding looks like vomit, and is about as structurally sound too.
The sunshine roof goes to the blasters in two weeks time. I have taken that week off work, so I can get the roof repaired (1x small dent) and painted that same week. Once painted, it will go onto the cab sitting on a low trolley inside the workshop. It's a perfect height to proceed with the making of the canvas roof. That's what I'm REALLY wanting to get my teeth into!