Three more projects

The postman has been busy delivering the trailer electrical components ordered from China.  I’m only waiting on the 100A circuit breaker and the flexible conduit.

The three Watt Meters will be used to measure the following

• Volt/Amps from the vehicle alternator to the battery
• Volt/amps from the solar panels to the battery
• Watts from the battery being used by the various trailer consumables

Jan and I have agreed my new ‘Man Shed’ will go in the bottom right end of the back garden where the dilapidated old fibreglass shed currently stands.

I’ll need to dig a trench from the main switchboard on the side of the house down to the shed for the 240V power.  The existing sewer pipe also runs down the left side of the shed to the deep sewer main on the other side of the boundary fence.  The pipe from the house has partially blocked a couple of times and I suspect the roots from the orange tree beside the shed are responsible.  If I’m going to run electric and sewer in the trench I might as well run a water pipe.  This can be used to supply water to the swimming pool Jan wants.
There isn’t much to the existing shed but I stopped demolishing it when I realized that without a trailer I’d be double handling everything.

Jan suggested the best place for the clothes dryer was in the garage.  That way the humid hot air will rust my tools in the garage rather than make the house damp and hot! 
Fitting the dryer to the wall proved to be a two person job.  Jan picked it up and held it against the wall whilst I did the technical stuff.

She might be strong, but still needed a break afterwards.  Guess its and age thing!  Obviously I checked the dryer worked before it was mounted.  After 7 years in storage there was a doubt.  Then I temporarily connected the washing machine to make sure it also worked. 
Rather than mount the washing machine on the floor in the laundry (where Jan would have to bend over) I’ve decided to make a 400mm high cabinet that it will sit on (see how thoughtful I am).  I’ll fit a drawer to the front of the cabinet to give her some additional storage.  The cabinet won’t cost much as there are plenty of melamine panel offcuts from the office desk.
Whilst moving everything around in the garage I stumbled upon a rusty old pruning saw.  The wire brush and some engine oil has restored it.

My plan is to take it on my outback trips where it will be useful clearing small trees that have fallen across the track.  It will also enable me to cut firewood.  However I don’t want an oily sharp toothed saw floating around in the 4x4.   I ripped a small piece of Jarrah timber to create a groove before gluing a side and end cap over the groove.

Just a little more work to do once the glue has set and I’ll have a timber scabbard.

Test fit