What made you UNHAPPY today!

[The Veg]

Sad news indeed. She was one of the good ones!

[esprit s2]

It was my Birthday yesterday, I'm in Canada on my own and no one knew. Sob!!

[Bazza 907]

Happy belated birthday Paul

[IanQ]

Yes happy birthday mate. I know what it is like to have your birthday forgotten or overlooked...mine is on Christmas Day..

[wookiecj]

Happy Birthday Paul! Ian, mine's on December 28th... almost as bad! You can spend all year looking forward to nobody remembering....

Edited May 20, 2011 by wookie

[Mark Blanchard]

Happy birthday Chap.

[dodgy]

Happy Belated Birthday, On the plus side, you are in Canada

[molemot]

Today I has mostly been fettling.....but not all the time! I've at last been able to get some work done on the kitcar...what my brother calls the "Douglas Madthing". Been fabricating gearbox mounts for the 6 speed Audi transaxle....today I started by finishing the RH gearbox mount...got it spot on, nice straight edges, holes in exactly the right place, all aligned to within a micron....shined up on the big belt sander....as was the LH one....looked a treat. Then I test fitted them, and all my sums and measuring and effort proved accurate...so I was one happy bunny. All that remained was to weld the parts together.

How hard can it be?

Hmmm... 5mm plate is getting near the limit of my mig welder. Better practise first.....so I got a couple of scrap bits, held them together with the magnetic welding clamps. Got out the welder, set it to " 3 - MAX"...the gas to 8...and the wire feed 8, too. Magic automatic welding hat was adjusted and placed on the Douglas bonce. Glasses on too....and big welding gloves....soo I had a bash at the practise piece. FIZZPOPFIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ it went.....then I switched off and inspected the result....not bad. Quite a tidy weld....piece of cake this is. Why do they make such a fuss about it? RIGHT! Now to weld the LH mount.

Got it all connected up and away we went FIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ etc.etc. Had a look at the result.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!! Awful is being kind. Must be the worst bit of welding in the history of joining two bits of metal together. Well....it WAS....until I did the second weld!!! What the heck, cattled it now so press on regardless. I did both gearbox mounts and, although they look dire, the weld penetration is satisfactory and all the bits are joined together and the things are fit for purpose.....but UG-leeeee!!

Typical to get the test piece pretty near right...then make a pig's ear of the real thing. I shall have to resort to the American system as shown on telly on American Chopper and American Hot Rod.....grind the worst of the welds down and stick some pudden on the job and fair the bits of bracket in neatly...then paint them. SMooooth, it'll be. But I shall know the true state..... I cannot wled worth a damn. Yes, that's a typo...can't even SPELL the word, let alone do it!! Infernally annoying, given the effort and accuracy and perfection that went into the making of the components.....but it'll have to do. Not doing it AGAIN.......now I know why wleders charge so much. I'll be a good wleder myself with another 4 years practise......

SO tomorrow I shall mostly be grinding wleds and slapping pudden about....then a bit of spray paint and then they can go on the car, and the temporary engine supports come out, and the whole chassis/engine combination can be put in a better position. I have it sort of cockeyed across the shop at the moment as I have had to crane the engine in and also get the crane and engine stand past the chassis...so it's at an awkward angle for access. Bloomin' sickening.....must learn to wled properly!!!!

[The Veg]

I share your pain John. I (poorly) learned wire-feed on the fly at my current job, and I'm just good enough at it to be totally dangerous. I don't have to do it enough to build any real basis of skill, but the odd weld I have to do every few months or so is just enough to make me good at faking it.

And that's if the tip FOR ONCE doesn't jam.

[Loteuk]

3 root canal treatments and zero feeling on my lower face! (two more visits ahead)..................

[Bibs]

Can I help?

[slewthy]

Started 3 jobs today (2 house, 1 car) cant get any done - keep stalling at critical steps. I'm VERY frustrated!

Oh, and UNhappy.

[Mark Blanchard]

How ever much I try and still can't fit into an S2 .

[Sparky]

Just found out I'm gonna be a grandpappy.

[Simon350S]

Nice one Sparky

Oh well Mark, never mind, lucky you've got a nice turbo already!

[mayevora]

Just found out I'm gonna be a grandpappy.

Will you be name changing from Sparky to Grampy soon then?

congrats.

[pete]

Just found out I'm gonna be a grandpappy.

[dodgy]

The one day my mate has off work and can cut a hole in my outbuilding with the still saw (moving a doorway) It'd Blooding raining hard

[fitz]

Leaving my colleagues of a couple of years at work today as starting to a new job tomorrow

[comem47]

For some reason I was being sent a message from above that I shouldn't mow the lawn today with my riding mower. First off the battery wasn't strong enough to engage the solenoid, yet it's been showing no signs of weakness at all this season. No problem says I and I jump it with the battery charger. I then go a short distance and find the chain has loosened up or stretched and now the chain is jumping sprocket teeth. OK I go get a ramp stand and lift the back end onto it and loosen the bolts for the axle and find I've just barely enough room in the slot and will have to remove a link soon. OK, well back to mowing: I lower the mower back onto the ground and go to start it and kaboom (shot gun blast sound). I first thought it was an ignition backfire, but it was way too loud. So I try to start it again and no juice. I lift up the seat and then find the battery filler caps have been blown off and the case of the battery is split wide open OK I'm not mowing the lawn today . Hint taken!!!

[mayevora]

I am running out of clothes that fit me.

[Simon350S]

Your looking seriously fit mate!

I may even have pushed hubabubba out the way to get to you

[mayevora]

Lol! Steady now Si, join the long and winding cue.

[Laura]

People that have food in their bellies, a roof over their heads and people that love them still finding reasons to be miserable.

[Simon350S]

Is than not called depression?