Life with Jane

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Pics didn't attach for some reason

[Gordon Dewald]

Scot - most impressive.

[Wroughtnharv]

Originally Posted by Hit_the_Rhod

I've followed this thread from the beginning, just lurking. I really appreciate the work you do, and that you were able to "polish the edges" of a really nice coach, making it your own through custom touches! Sometimes a little less required "polishing" would be nice, but then that wouldn't be our lives, would it?

Thanks for the kind words on the Pelican. Attached are a few other pieces DW and I have done.

We use the coach to go to art shows, and from weekend to weekend, between art shows, heck, we're on vacation!

Right now we're backing off on the coach work because there is so much to take care of with the RV site. But there is a few more projects that need to be polished before we head back to Texas. Any RV needs maintenance. Jane is 25 years old and needs constant maintenance.

So do you have your own CNC set up? There is 6 or so shops here in Yuma where I can get stuff cut out it appears. We picked up a couple of vultures for the cactus Christmas piece yesterday that were CNC cut. CIL wanted them to make the piece a little more Arizona.

I love your work. Are you selling at art shows? The reason I'm asking is I am thinking that might be a way to sell some stuff. I want to start doing forgery, the hot kind.

[Wroughtnharv]

Originally Posted by okmunky

Harvey,

Are you gonna put bows and ribbon on the packages under the tree? I'm anxious to see it finished and lit. Keep this up and in a few years yours will be one of those "you gotta drive by some night in December" places.

Barb I hate to commit to how the finished thing will look.

It's kind of like a walk in the park. You head out A to B and then you see G. You head back towards B after checking out G and you see N. Basically we are all along for the ride.

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by Wroughtnharv

Right now we're backing off on the coach work because there is so much to take care of with the RV site. But there is a few more projects that need to be polished before we head back to Texas. Any RV needs maintenance. Jane is 25 years old and needs constant maintenance.

So do you have your own CNC set up? There is 6 or so shops here in Yuma where I can get stuff cut out it appears. We picked up a couple of vultures for the cactus Christmas piece yesterday that were CNC cut. CIL wanted them to make the piece a little more Arizona.

I love your work. Are you selling at art shows? The reason I'm asking is I am thinking that might be a way to sell some stuff. I want to start doing forgery, the hot kind.

Harv, I know what you are saying about the RV needing maintenance! Ours is a 2001, and needs TLC more than newer ones, but not really that much as I think about it. Still need to get under and replace the desiccant dryer for the air system, as it is overdue . . .

We do have a CnC with a Plasma Cutter. Many people would think that means that you unload raw material into one door of the shop, press a button and the finished 3d piece comes out the other door! The challenge is to use the tools available to cut pieces which will be shaped and fit together to make the 3d pieces. Sometimes the first iteration isn't the end product!

We do sell at Art Shows, and we do a lot of custom work too. The custom work is more phun as we get to stretch the box a little. Both my wife and I do the designs and building. She is more abstract in her ideas, myself, more functional, but together we do pretty well.

I well know what you mean about people copying your work. We've had numerous pieces "knocked off" by others. As far away as Washington State. That was before we started concentrating on 3d work though. It's more difficult for someone who can't design for themselves to copy a 3d piece than it is to copy a flat, 2d piece! We've given up getting mad, we know that next week that "artist" will be selling our last years "stolen" pieces and we will have NEW ones!

Have you gotten the Poinsettia completed with the gold lights? Did I miss it? That looks freakin AWESOME!

We've been making small forges for a knife maker recently, I'll have to take some pics and send them to you. From a "large" one about 20" long and 11 or so inches wide, down to a "tiny forge" that is about the size of a small lunch box, runs on a 1 lb propane bottle for about 60 minutes! Really cool stuff for glass bead makers, or people who want to make small wood working tools, etc, or maybe make a knife or two!

On selling at art shows. It's a nice way to travel and see stuff while at the same time writing off your travel! Last year we went to WA state by way of Show Low, AZ. Visited DW's Father there, did a Farmer's market, then on to Oregon, did two art shows, then to WA to visit family. A good portion of the trip was a write off. The IRS just says the write off has to be LEGAL, it doesn't say it has to make good BUSINESS SENSE!

Upshot was the sales paid all of our expenses, but with (especially) the mileage write off and other travel expenses, we only showed a small profit for the entire trip. That doesn't count the 22' awning self-deploying in Montana at 65mph, on I-90 . . . but that's another story Ahhh, good times!

Oh, shameless plug for our work: KY Metal Art Home - Phoenix Creative Metal Art 859-866-8607 "We are committed to making the 2-D media of metal into a 3-D picture of life."

Take care and hope to run into you in person sometime in the future.

[okmunky]

I've heard horror stories about awnings self deploying. I bought one of these years ago, but many of you guys are talented enough to make your own. Save Your RV Awning with an RV Awning Travel Lock!

[Wroughtnharv]

Scot I love your stuff. I have a thousand questions but that can come later. I'm sure we will meet in the real world.

Barb, the tree project ran into a snag. I was rocking along when I decided that I didn't like the way the light attachment was going. So I untied everything and started over. Basically every light is cross tied to the frame. That's twice the number of ties and at least that much additional time. Also the bulb selection is getting slimmer which means I'm building the bulb placement as I go. It makes it more fun.

Today was mostly about working on the tree. you wouldn't know it to look at it but I think the extra effort will make a difference. Glenda suggested that after the cactus decoration is done it will be time to redo the poinsettia the new improved method.

We'll see. Hopefully by Tuesday the building components will be on hand and that can be my fun. Plus I'm getting real anxious about getting the forge going. February will be all about getting Jane ready for the trip home. A metal dock is waiting for me as soon as I get home. It's a pretty kewel project and welding over water is good for the pulmonary system.

A couple of months at home full of projects and then we hope to be off to the mountains for the summer. Fall in Texas, then back to Yuma.

Tonight the vehicle parade went through the neighborhood. Next year there will be one more. I think Lil Blue will look great wearing a light sombrero with a Santa cap middle, cotton ball and all. Full size of course, couple of thousand lights at least.

[okmunky]

I can’t wait to see the new projects!

[Hit_the_Rhod]

Originally Posted by okmunky

I've heard horror stories about awnings self deploying. I bought one of these years ago, but many of you guys are talented enough to make your own. Save Your RV Awning with an RV Awning Travel Lock!

okmunky, We were using velco straps as additional security on the awning, but it apparently wasn't enough! I looked into locks like you posted, and we will use if and when we get another awning. We thought about it, and for the most part we are in the coach, or out somewhere exploring, so for now, we decided against replacing the awning. If and when we do, we will definitely invest in a couple of locks!

[Wroughtnharv]

We experienced the dreaded unroll at speed standing still. The awning was put up and the Cedar Creek set up at the farm. The front of the coach was moved about a foot and a half.

I repaired the roof, put away the awning less the canvas and sold it later as is.

[Wroughtnharv]

Progress can be a hussy. This is a good example. I thought there had to be a better way after doing the poinsettia. The better way is much more tedious and time consuming.

[ronjhall]

Originally Posted by Wroughtnharv

Progress can be a hussy. This is a good example. I thought there had to be a better way after doing the poinsettia. The better way is much more tedious and time consuming.

You may want to use black zip ties. They are less likely to deteriorate from sun light.

[guardrail53]

The Awning on Mona has been converted from a spring, pull down awning to a crank out awning! I just bought new ends for it and installed them myself, with Jira's help to steady the awning on the ladder while I worked on the ends! It is a metal incased awning, so when rolled up, you crank the handle down, it is very tight and it can't unroll unless you put the handle in it and turn the crank!
It cost 85 dollars and you would have to buy the crank handle also! I have never had the crank move in going down the road, and it is just as tight as it was when I left the previous CG! It does have the locks on the arms that lock them together and I take electrical tape, and secure them too!
Now my window awnings are the spring loaded ones, and I have never had them unfurl going down the road, and these on Mona do not have locks? They are all metal encased awnings also!
My old ones on my old Overland had studs and a hole in the arm, and had a little cam/lever lock that secured them. I need to find the locks for the window awnings and install them before the next trip out west! Rail!

[Wroughtnharv]

Ron is right. The black ty raps have a much higher UV rating than the whites. But the whites are cheaper and more readily available.

The tree and presents has been a nightmare. Yesterday CIL and myself tested about forty out of a fifty bulb set, bulbs bad, all shorted out. We tested replacements and installed them, powered up, all bulbs flashed and shorted out. All of those particular bulbs bare out of stock. So this morning I will replace two strings of those lights with new sets. That's about three hundred ty raps removed and replaced. Oh fun.