Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

You know what William,----the COSWORTH at 10,000 rpm running dry, sang a really beautiful song, but then again, I am terribly biased. Only getting off the dock and OUTA the hole could you get that sound-----squirting co2 down the pipes and running 8,500 quieted it down to just a healthy growl.

So nice to get folk talking to each other again on the site. As I get older, I find I have no appetite for today's TV -----I used to have soccer playing heroes, but they were all home grown, nowadays it's 90% overseas players getting paid a million pounds a month plus, funded by Murdoch and Skye, but paid for by Joe Doakes so I tend to lose myself on the iPad.

Love being in the shop creating stuff from memory mainly but surprising myself with my ability to draw a gear case then carve it out of a solid billet with a modicum of success.
looking at different boats and engines of all types, trying to pair the outstanding ones with the boats/motor combinations-----I know they will never be anything else other than a "concept", I just don't have the time, inclination or ability to make perfect scale models and if anyone ever wants me to make a special for them I will do it to the best of my ability.

Did Donmac a guitar body in ash last year----we agreed a price, told him if he wasn't happy with it, I'd give him his money back, worked out fine.

One of the best things I have done is a commision from Rich Luhrs for a very special trophy he wanted made------I would like to say it's finished, but every time I look at it I see something I could improve on, so I take it bits and do the mods until I am satisfied with it. We agreed this over a sandwich and a beer in Tavares, if he likes it, we agree a price, if he don't like it, we auction it off, it's just a question of trust!
By the by Rich, am in the middle of making a wood rimmed four spoke steering wheel for the Silver Ghost, they all had the same pattern, real finicky piece of kit, but it'll be alright on the night!

Just about finished the sprint Molli for Watermark, done a straight six with steering and a half decent gear case, not a bad effort, think he will be reasonably happy, we'll settle the bill over a beer.

Spent a while over R/J's gear case , it didn't somehow look right, so one thing leads to another and I had to find the right 70/s race prop, Jesus wept, the depths I plunge to for a bottle of malt, but the damn thing is nearly there!

Thats me done for tonight----more ramblings later. Night! Night. MYGGWY.J.

[jackiewilson]

ANother of the wonder mornings, all things bright and beautiful, life is great so I wonder when an what the kick in the balls is going to be this time!
Seems to me ,whenever all things in the garden are lovely, along comes a plague of slugs and snails so have to smell the roses every chance I get.
Was surprised there was no comments on last nights ramblings, but it's great we got Willa And Gene back in the saddle.?
time for the three S/s------talk later,J.

[jackiewilson]

Eanie, meany miney and "OH SH-T, here comes Ermintrude!
Made a real good job of the V8 concept, then messed up on the paint job.
Must stay away from paint-----we just don't mix.
Have a few good phoggies of the brute, time for me nap.

[jackiewilson]

Couple more to keep you occupied , actual colours are ok, Application non va!

[Bob V]

Agree??

Agreed...

PS - I always admired the skillful applications of the duct tape band aids

[GENE LANHAM]

Agreed...

PS - I always admired the skillful applications of the duct tape band aids

Thanks Bob, I forgot how much duct tape we used back then----

[ron54]

Jackie....are you coming to the Bristol Bash on the 6th June?--It's only a bus ride from my hovel and although I'd feel too much of a fraud to show my face
at the evening "sit down" the fact I saw most of the wet action over the years I think would qualify a visit for the afternoon dock walkabout...Phill.

[jackiewilson]

Walnut wing was wondering what was happening, up there on the shelf collecting dust.
Its only cut out and ready Hasn't been touched for over a month, I'd gotten so into gear cases,
i almost forgot it was there. Took it down and started fernagling, carved a cockpit, put a leading and trailing edge on the centre section then realized I still had Watermarks sprint to finish.
thats when I saw the sanding marks on the deck under the polish, only one thing for it, strip the polish with acetone, dismantle the whole shebang, get it back to square one. So that's what I did.
In the meantime back on the bench is a very nice V8 Ermintrude with a dog nasty paint job, what to do? Still cogitating! Decide tomorrow.

[jackiewilson]

Thats "Ermintrude "
came up with a brilliant idea for a mount, two 90 degree chunks of polished stainless, spot welded together drill a 5.5 m hole and mount it by the prop shaft, can even get o prop on there too.
May do the same thing with the ROTORY----absolute touch of class from a real smart asse !

[jackiewilson]

Watermarks sprint laid bare ! It's had two coats of mat varnish just to seal fill the grain, ready for de nibblng with 1500 grit, will try waxing it tomorrow-----if that don't work, I'll clear varnish it
I really do have to finish some of these damn things and stop poncing about.

Found a great way to mount any boat-----take a chunk of two by four, shape an angle, stick a three by one piece of velcro on the boat and the block and by George I do believed I've got it.

Going to take a few hours out to visit my friend BillMouland, one of the world's great wood turners, I need some help with the Rolls Royce steering wheel, I tried to make one this morning and yet again failed miserably----Will try again tomorrow.

Thats me gone, night all, MYGGWY,J.

[Rotary John]

Eanie, meany miney and "OH SH-T, here comes Ermintrude!
Made a real good job of the V8 concept, then messed up on the paint job.
Must stay away from paint-----we just don't mix.
Have a few good phoggies of the brute, time for me nap.

Lookin GOOD!

[Watermark]

Watermarks sprint laid bare ! It's had two coats of mat varnish just to seal fill the grain, ready for de nibblng with 1500 grit, will try waxing it tomorrow-----

Very, very nice!

[jackiewilson]

These water based varnishes do not fill the grain, it lifts it ok but it would take twenty coats to fill IT properly.
Made good progress with the walnut wing but need some new clear yacht varnish before I can continue, will do the motors and gear cases meanwhile!

[GENE LANHAM]

So nice to get folk talking to each other again on the site. As I get older, I find I have no appetite for today's TV -----I used to have soccer playing heroes, but they were all home grown, nowadays it's 90% overseas players getting paid a million pounds a month plus, funded by Murdoch and Skye, but paid for by Joe Doakes so I tend to lose myself on the iPad.
J.

---and the music ain't the same either, Jackie----

[jackiewilson]

Age is just a number Gene, my dark skinned mates have a saying----"you is what you is"
I will never run a marathon, swim a mile,or ride a bike for ten miles, fact is, I didn't do it when I was a teenager so why the hell wouldI be fool enough to do it now.
Anything with an internal combustion in it was just fine by me"