Moving in....

[electra225]

I started moving into the shop on May 1. I have been sharing the saga with the moderators, but wanted to share it with all of you as well. I have all my stuff physically in the building, with a path around the edge, barely. I have stashed tubes and "I'm sure I'll need that" type stuff upstairs. I need to work up there and get things arranged better, but I need power for a light and for a fan. That is not done yet, maybe by the weekend. I have the radios on shelves, other stuff stashed somewhere, stacked on top of something until I get the bench built. That will let me get the test equipment in it's proper place and free up space in cabinets for other things. My service literature will go on the top shelf of a 4' cabinet. What won't fit gets tossed. I believe I have a spot for everything. Next project is the bench, then I'll be making pretty good progress. I have decided to build a 42" X 72" bench, with a 2X6 frame and with 2X4's set 12" on center for support. It will have four 2X6 legs with 2X4 horizontal bracing, 2X4's set 12" on center with a lauan shelf for test equipment. It will be 36" tall, plus the half inch MDX top. I plan on using deck stain on the bench, including the top, then I'll use an epoxy coating on the top so it will be more wear-proof. I don't believe spar varnish polyurethane will be tough enough. The bench will set in the corner. I'm going to build a power strip out of a 1X4 and several electrical outlets nailed to it. Cheaper than a commercial model, and I can modify it like I want it, and screw it to the bench. If any of you guys have a suggestion you may have tried or wanted to try on a home-built bench, I'd appreciate your sharing your ideas.

[TC Chris]

No suggestions, just congratulations on the move-in.

Chris Campbell

[19&41]

It looks like you have some good solid ideas for your bench. You might want to have some circuit protection on your strip (s), to save any wear and tear on your breakers.

[electra225]

Good idea! What type/kind/model of protector(s) would you recommend? I was thinking of having six outlets, ganged over a 6' span.

[19&41]

If this won't work, look at what else this firm has to offer. they have a wide variety of good stuff.

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/-35- ... tor?ref=42

[William]

I like that, I may have to get one. Thanks Rex!

[hermitcrab]

Not to change the subject, but how is the water situation in your area there?... I hear wells are drying up left and right out there ... not good...

[electra225]

We live in a desert. They tell us Roosevelt Lake is at like 15% of its capacity, that water rationing is right around the corner. They have told us that for the nearly 40 years I have lived here, either full-time or part-time. Still, they build tens of thousands of new homes, water their golf courses and, just recently, suffered a main break that let eight million gallons of water flood SR 60. The irrigation canals are all full of water. Farmers irrigate their fields, growing cotton and edible crops. They tell us one thing, then do quite the opposite, so who knows? All I can see for sure is that when I turn on the faucet, water comes out. And that the bill never goes down, not even if you shut the water completely off to the property. One month we were billed for 30,000 gallons of water when we had the water totally turned off while we were in Missouri. The next month, we washed the cars, took showers, washed clothes watered the lawn and only were billed for 13,000 gallons. If we put 30,000 gallons of water on our little place in a month, it would have floated off to Florence......

[William]

To also add to Elton's question, I have a childhood friend who was born and raised right here in my little town of Hart. He was educated as an engineer and his first job was the city engineer for Bay City. Chris's post about the swing bridge in Bay City actually shows a photo of Richard Schaner in a news paper clipping. Check it out here under "Chat" and the topic was "hey, car fans". Anyway, Richard and family decided to follow his younger brother Gary to Phoenix and look for a job. He got a job as the city engineer with the city of Scottsdale and later in his career went to work for the city of Queen Creek when it started to grow.

One day as we were talking I asked the question, where does all the water come from and aren't you afraid of running out or a least low? I had always read that all of AZ water came from the snow melting off the mountains and running down into the reservoir's. If the snow fall was off there would be less water. He said that is partially true, but 75% of Phoenix's water comes from wells. My next question was really, how deep are these wells? He said anywhere from 1500-3000 feet deep, and there are lots of them. Also, over the years there have been things put into place to replenish the water supply back into the ground. He explained how it works, but in a nutshell everything that goes down the drain is used in some way, or sent back into the ground.

Here is something else that seems mind boggling, and I'm not sure if this is still true or not. At one point, there were more people owning boats in the state of AZ than any other state in the whole US.

Bill

[electra225]

Back to our regularly scheduled topic.......

I have everything piled up in the south end of the shop, awaiting the installation of the mini-split and to give me more room to build the bench. Stack, stack, stack. Stash, stash. I have no idea where anything is for the most part. Getting the bench built, getting the test equipment into its home, then organizing the upstairs storage area are the next two priorities.