Updated loft bed

Boy never cleans his room - but the ladder upgrade has been completed.  Total cost - about $15 + some polyurethane I had on hand.

Shed Expansion

Not the prettiest concrete ever poured, but it'll do the job - covered with a wood subfloor.

Workshop expansion...

Well, it's decision time.  The shed door hinge pulled out of the shed over the weekend - note to builder/previous home owner - 1" screws into 1" pine to hold up a door made of particle board and 1" pine?  Really???

Roof deck is rotted, sheathing is rotting.  At a minimum, those need to be pulled off and replaced.  For not too much more (36 bags of concrete, six or so additional sheets of plywood and some 2x4s), I can increase the size of the shed by 50%.  

Here is the plan: 

1) Excavate the area behind the existing shed, exposing the edge of the existing 4" concrete slab.  I did this already.

2) Build form for 6" thick 5x9 concrete pad, and excavate two additional inches for stone base

3) Drill holes in edge of existing concrete slab for rebar - doweling the two pads together so they act/move as one slab

4) Pour the concrete (using a rented mixer) and let cure

5) Wait until spring. The back yard is very soggy in the spring, and moving dirt is....  difficult to say the least without destroying the yard.

6) Tear the rear sheathing off the existing shed and frame the addition

7) Tear the existing roof off, and then frame the addition roof - 2x4 rafters like the existing

8) Install new roof

9) Remove all sheathing and install new

10) Paint exterior

11) insulate and finish interior walls - paneled

12) Enjoy 40+ SF of new space.

Fun project! 

Blu Baby 42

Another completed project - 42" blu baby foam airplane. The two different wings were left over from the original - one with ailerons, one without.  First flight attempt will be on Wednesday or Thursday. Power provided by a Tower Pro 2410-9 electic motor from Hobby King.

Update - Need some downthrust.  

Blu Baby 33 - 2nd flight attempt

It was a little windy, but I made another attempt to fly the Blu Baby 33 this morning at the park.  A little too windy.  The right and down thrust seem to have helped, but the wind made it difficult to tell for certain.  The landing approach was basically pull the throttle down and the plane just hovered .  Cut the throttle and it actually landed backwards!

Adding a little more throw in the rudder tonight, and trying again tomorrow.

UPDATE:
It flew much better without wind.  One more washer under the motor mount and we should be good to go!

Next project

The big winter projects will be... covering the Mystique (I know, I'll believe it when I see it) and...

Estes 2157 Saturn V 1/100 model rocket.  I will be replacing the 24mm motor mount with a 29 - to fly on the new 29mm Estes black powder motors.

Blu Baby - 1st flight

Wow - does this plane ever need down and right thrust (adding a couple washers to the motor mount to point the motor down and to the right).

Under power, the plane pulls hard up and left.  No power and the thing will glide forever...  Will try again tomorrow.