TubeNet

I expected to be able to play more, but it hasn't happened yet. But I have a list of projects, and can make progress on them, I hope.

Rick "building a staircase into the attic" Denney

bloke wrote:

Rick Denney wrote:I expected to be able to play more, but it hasn't happened yet. But I have a list of projects, and can make progress on them, I hope.

Rick "building a staircase into the attic" Denney

There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for
Oh oh oh oh and she's buying a stairway to heaven

If you think my attic is heaven...

But it is a good place for stuff we can't throw away but do not need routine access to. But right now, we have to push stuff up through a 20" square hatch while climbing a ladder, so the space remains underutilized.

We could have spent $4000 hiring someone to build the staircase, and that would have required several trades. Fortunately, I know how to wire a house (and I know the code), plus I know how to build a staircase. I can even float drywall. I'm $900 in for materials, so far, for a staircase with oak treads and risers. I'll probably need to spend another $500 on materials. But all the wiring for that corner of the house goes through the opening I want to make, so the next step is moving all the wiring.

Also, we are installing a new skylight (a large, commercial type) because the current one leaks, and to do that we are having to put on a new roof. I will build a staircase, but I Do Not Climb On an 8:12-pitch roof. All that's doing is further diminishing my portfolio (already cashed enough out for this, thank God).

Then, there's the series of large prints I need to make from photographs, some of which might be sellable.

And I'm still in the middle of moving all my CD's and LP's onto a computer. I'm about halfway through the classical CD's, so far.

Of course, there's that pesky daytime thing (work).

Every retired person I know says they are busier after retirement. I believe them.

Rick "who, at present rate, won't be able to retire until age 90 in any case" Denney

My kids (2 and 4) are home from preschool indefinitely, and the grandparents are not able to help out.

No comprende "free time" !!

Working on finding the newly freed up tuba time. I keep meaning to, but work followed me home. And, like so many others, childcare did as well.

I'm hoping next week will be lighter, and I can get in some more tuba time.

I am getting yard work done.

Rick and Bloke,
Sorry to say this, but if you need your attic for storage, you have way too much junk. Junk automatically increases to match storage supply.

Rick,
I read you have a GMC Motorhome. That was an engineering tour-de-force. How about a picture?

I work from home. Now that the kids are home with "digital learning days" for weeks, I have even less free time now than the little time I have normally.

sweaty wrote: Rick,
I read you have a GMC Motorhome. That was an engineering tour-de-force. How about a picture?

Too much junk? That’s crazy talk!

But since you asked:







Nothing that makes it move is old at this point. Drivetrain is fresh from air cleaner to hubcaps (front hubcaps—it’s front-wheel-drive). The rear suspension is also new, and converted to disk brakes. The front end is a kit based on a mid-90’s one-ton Chevy truck, with more maintainable bearings and bigger brakes (and a little wider stance than the pic above).

But it needs finish bodywork and paint. I messed up—paint has tripled in price since I’ve owned it.

Rick “not contemplating any further big expenditures for the foreseeable future” Denney

Just give it a buff... When gas gets to $2 a gallon, road trip it!!

I've worked from home most of the last 10 years (and at least the last 7 in a row). Working from home is nothing new to me.

What is new, is that my kids preschool is closed. So instead of 8 hours of normal work time, it's now trying to total 8 hours in the morning, naptime, and late at night.

As they say though, and perhaps more true than ever... These are first world problems. I'm not complaining!

Too late, you just did!!

Three Valves wrote:Just give it a buff... When gas gets to $2 a gallon, road trip it!!

buffing it to a shine would result in polished aluminum and raw sheet mold compound (same fiberglass they use on vettes). The paint is chalked to primer, and indeed primer is showing in more places than that picture shows. I took it to Ohio last year—ran like a top. We had planned on taking it to Maine this year, but that’s up in the air, of course. 8 mpg—only a little less than the same 455 got in a Toronado. I’ve road-tripped it when gas was $4 a gallon, but gas was 23¢ a gallon when it was new.

Rick “who may be living in it before the current situation gets sorted out” Denney

Mark Finley wrote:yesterday I went on a drive in my Muscle car. I made some noise and had some fun.

Sweet ride! No side or nose badge I can see. Sure looks like a classic Pontiac!

Rick Denney wrote:

sweaty wrote: Rick,
I read you have a GMC Motorhome. That was an engineering tour-de-force. How about a picture?

Too much junk? That’s crazy talk!

But since you asked:







Nothing that makes it move is old at this point. Drivetrain is fresh from air cleaner to hubcaps (front hubcaps—it’s front-wheel-drive). The rear suspension is also new, and converted to disk brakes. The front end is a kit based on a mid-90’s one-ton Chevy truck, with more maintainable bearings and bigger brakes (and a little wider stance than the pic above).

But it needs finish bodywork and paint. I messed up—paint has tripled in price since I’ve owned it.

Rick “not contemplating any further big expenditures for the foreseeable future” Denney

That thing is killer cool!

bloke wrote:

Mark Finley wrote:1970 pontiac Lemans with a 400.

Had one like it when I was 15, and told myself for 30 years I would get another one someday

This one is nicer (and faster)

My Mom had a Catalina with that motor...but it was "low carb".

My Dad had a couple of 455 luxury Pontiacs with 4bbl's...whoosh !!!

Growing up we had a big ole 1968 Olds 98 with a 4 bbl Rocket 455 under the hood. Man, you could lay a mean patch of rubber with that right rear tire, no power brakes required. Really impressed the chicks or so we thought lol. I'm sure my Dad knew why that tire wore out so quickly.

Mark Finley wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N0n0Gv9Dww" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
A couple of weeks ago I got home from picking the car up from having the Carb worked on. I decided once I was through my gate I would let my security camera record my arrival. I could have done a lot more than this, but I didn't want to cash into my garage.

Deciding if I want to put a positraction rear end in it. I'm thinking about an overdrive tranmission, and taller gears.

That put a smile on my face

Reading. But that's what I do anyway.

Serious horn bathing over here, as I've acquired a few more pawn shop tenor trombones. Easy to clean up, make playable, pass along to needy trombone players.

Unfortunately no extra practice. Dental work has kept me away from playing for two weeks. Stupid crowns falling off old root canals resulting in molar extraction, bone graft.

We're not on total shutdown here anyway. I'm still driving to my day job (hooray for changing to day shift!) to keep the telecommunications universe running across the state. The kids are home from school with laptops and lesson plans. And instructions to practice. And finish up the music room/aka former wood shop in the garage.

With all schools in Texas closed and me unable to play for another 6 weeks due to shoulder surgery, I thought I'd get my local repairman to do a job on my Mack Brass tuba. I have smallish hands, and the thumb ring is so high that I can't press the 5th and 4th valves at the same time, so I thought I'd have him move the ring down or install one where I need it. (I took the ring off but would rather have the support for my thumb.) Figured its a win-win; he has no repair or school business coming in, so it provides at least a little income. But alas, he has closed up shop until this pandemic is over, so when that happens he'll be covered up again.

On the other hand, if I do any more spare-time arranging for our tuba ensemble now, our 88 yr-old tubist will be 112 by the time we read/rehearse all of them.

For me, getting a really good grip on fundamentals again. Never realized the significant importance, always written it off, and doing it the past few days has dramatically made my playing more fluid, which I was always struggling with.

With 2 bands and 2 quintets on hold for now, I have ramped up my practice time. Mainly I'm exploring the mysteries of Arban. It is deceivingly easy in some parts and always challenging in technique, range and endurance. I also try to get in a mile or two walking outside to keep me sane.