Converting the Garage to a Workshop

I've had the pleasure of becoming the proud owner of a 1950 lathe, a pillar drill and a small milling machine.

The trouble is where to put them, the garden shed is full of rubbish, Rachel said its a no go for the dining room, so I guess I'll have to re arrange the garage. 

With the van wrapped up and moved out of the way on a shopping trolley. Rachel (after possibly feeling bad for not letting me take over the house), said she would help so I was able to persuade her to clear the painted part of the garage floor ready for the new arrivals. 

With some help from a couple of friends and a hire van we hauled the equipment in to its new home.

With an early start the next day I locked the dog out of the garage (she'll only turn some wooden chair legs on the lathe if she's not watched closely)  and started painting the centre of the floor on probably the coldest day we have had in 2012. This meant the paint was like treacle.

By the end of the day when I wanted to move the van back in the paint was still wet, not wanting to leave the van out I pushed the van back in on its shopping trolley, wheels wandering all over the place leaving behind a trail of fresh paint tracks and blue tyre tread. 

It finally took 3 days for the floor to dry before I could walk on it without sticking to it like a Scout Hut carpet and go and play with my new toys. 

p.s. the dog did manage to sneak in and leave a paw print on the new floor but I managed to catch her before she made a set of chair legs . 

Rear Shock Mount fitting for 944 IRS conversion Pt 3

I was able to visits my uncles workshop and turn down a couple of brass bushes to fit inside the top mount bearing this is because the bolts I'm using is 12mm and the bearing hole is 15mm. I also found out later I used the wrong cutting bit. that's a whole different world.

I also faced of one of the other bushes to give me the offset position I needed for the top mount. when at full extension the shock is vertical and the top mount collar just sits off the forward face, when compressed the shock swings back and because of the off set now sits clear of the back face.

Now that I'm happy with the top and bottom shock mounts I cat fit the new section. I removed the spring plate and A arm then clamped the lower part of the section with panel clamps and adjusted the top till it sat square with a bit of persuasion and also lined up with my previous marking of the highest and lowest position for the mount bolt.

With the upside down, on my back, stuck under the van, not able to move welding done and the spring plate and A arm fitted you can now see the final result.

I'll tidy the lower point and form a radius and then there's just the other side to do, just hope it does not take me 6 month's.