Another project close to completion and You Tube

Let’s start with You Tube.   If you watch You Tube and are getting tired of the Ads (which appear to be more frequent and longer) there is an alternative if you are using an Android device.   Several weeks ago I installed ‘Smart Tube’.  It’s a program that skips all the Ads when watching You Tube.  Actually you load and watch Smart Tube which gets the video from You Tube, identifies the Ads and skips them.

 

The boat DIY navigation system and autopilot for our eldest grandson’s yacht is almost completed.   The hardware is finish with only a couple of software bugs  to resolve.

I’ve found a source for some ENC charts.  Another task is to confirm there is audio from the jack.

Environmental Sensor

I’ve been thinking about the grandson’s boat navigation system I’m making for him.  Particularly the location of the environmental sensor.  It measures Temperature, Humidity and Barometric Pressure.  Mounting it in the case inside the boat cabin isn’t going to produce accurate temperature and humidity readings.  It needs to be outside.  But that will expose the sensor saltwater.   I need to think of a mounting bracket that enables the sensor to accurately measure data whilst being protected.

Having worked out a potential design I started thinking about how to make the mount.   My thought was to use various sizes of pvc waterpipe. 

Whilst cycling last Monday I called in to see my brother where he proudly showed me his new 3D Printer which he was in the process of learning how to use.  

I immediately realised I'd found someone who could potentially make the mount.  

On my return home I sat at the pc and drew the mount using Google SketchUp.   His 3D Printer doesn't recognise the SketchUp file format (skp).  However I found an online conversion program which changed the file format to STL which is recognised.  Then I email him the file.

After further research I realised standard printer filament degrades in sunlight. But ABS filament has a longer life.   The local electronics store had a reel of ABS filament for $24 and my brother printed the mount yesterday.  He delivered the finished produce today.

The sensor will be secured inside the inner tube (right arrow) with the connector cable exiting through the base.  I’ll drill a series of small holes around the circumference of the cap (left arrow) will will equalise the exterior and interior atmosphere whilst preventing water from accessing the sensor.

The mount is approximately 120mm high on a base 60x60mm.  For two reasons it will need to be mounted as close as possible out of direct sunlight.   1.  Sunlight will heat it giving distorted measurement.  2.  Sunlight will eventually degrade the plastic.

I will drill a tiny hole in the base to allow condensation to exit.

Jan’s now saying “I suppose you want to buy a 3D Printer?”

Bumper & Case

The case for the yacht navigation system has been completed. 

 

Although access to the inside of the case is via the removable base I haven’t screwed down the Top Panel.  I’m waiting until I’m satisfied with the system software.  Currently that is a problem.  I’ve resolved two software issues.  The weather sensor is now transmitting data and the Gauge Dashboard is no longer frozen in the middle of the screen.   However the autopilot has stopped working.

The old brain is being given a rest and my attention has turned to the damaged rear bumper on the 4WD.  I don’t have a workshop manual for the vehicle which resulted in removal taking a considerable amount of time.  I discovered grunting and swearing helped!

Eventually I managed to remove it and see the extent of the damage

Late last year I visited several local panel beaters to obtain quotes.  The price ranged from $1600 - 2000+.  Rather than give money to someone else, I opted to complete the repairs myself and purchased a plastic welding gun from AliExpress ($43).

Using our hot air gun I softened the plastic around the cracked and damaged areas then pressed everything back into shape.  Next I used the welding gun to melt staples into the cracks in the plastic effectively sewing them back together. 

The metal ends of the staples were removed using an angle grinder. 

The welding gun has a flat blade attachment which I used to melt (weld) plastic cable ties into the small gaps between the edges of the stapled cracks.

The damaged areas were then sand and filled with body filler before a second sanding back to smooth.

The next step was to take the bumper outside and spray paint it with primer.

 

This has revealed some imperfection in the area I’ve repaired which will require more body filler and sanding before a second coat of primer. Then I can move on to the coloured topcoat and final clearcoat.

Trip and the Purchases

Too much time has elapsed since the last blog post.  It’s not that we have been incredibly busy.  Rather, not much has happened.   The soaring cost of fuel has meant only one trip with the trailer and that was a trial to test the latest modifications.

 

It was 200km to Kwoylin in the centre of the southern wheatbelt.  In 1908 the State government was requested to designate a township at the site which would be beside the proposed Quairading to Nunagin railway line.  The town was gazetted in 1913, which coincided with the opening of the railway.  The following year the Kwolyin's State Hotel was constructed.  Many rural hotels had the name ‘State’ in them as they were owned by the government.  Apparently this was done as a means of enforcing the State liquor laws and capturing the revenue.

In 916 the residents of the nearest town of Shackleton opted to pay to connect to the Goldfields Water Scheme.  The residents of Kwoylin refused and that was the start of the demise of the town.   Businesses gradually moved to Shackleton.  It appears that by the 1930’s the State Hotel was the only significant building left in the town.  This resulted in the unusual situation of Shackleton being the town and the nearest hotel in Kwoylin.  That lasted until 1992 when the hotel was destroyed by a fire.

Kwoylin is now a campsite with toilets and a basic kitchen maintained by the Shire of Bruce Rock.

The rea has returned to natural vegetation apart from a small cemetery.

Although looking at the size and age of those interned in the graves I suspect they might be ashes

On the morning of the 25th of April I drove 50km to Bruce Rock where they were holding an ANZAC Day Service.

It was a little disconcerting to see some of the Vietnam War veterans using mobility scooters and walking frames.  Others were shuffling along.   These were men my age!

On the way back to the campsite I took a short detour to visit Shackleton.  The town’s (it’s very small) major claim to fame is the bank which is 3 metres by 4 metres and is the smallest bank in Australia.

Meanwhile Jan has been shopping.   She has decided to dehydrate surplus fruit and vegetables from her garden.   The Lemon tree has been picked bare with the fruit dehydrated and then ground to powder.  Today it was the Lime tree.

Jan has also decided to dehydrate vegetables which I can take on my outback trips.

The other purchase was a pasta maker.  Apparently you add flour and water of make various types of pasta.  Some of which will them be dehydrated

I need to get on a complete the grandson’s boat navigation system and the rear bumper on the 4WD needs to be repaired after someone backed into the Isuzu when it was parked and unattended.