More engine work complete

I got a chance this weekend to put in a few hours of work on the engine for my VBB. I had to enlarge the case ports to accommodate the Malossi 166cc cylinder kit that I'll be using. Here are a few pictures I took to document what I did.

Before:



Partial cuts on the flywheel side:







Mostly completed:







With the Malossi base gasket on:







Lots of fun doing all the work on this. I got a new Dremel and the flexible shaft attachment for this project as my old off brand Dremel knock off kinda gave up the ghost. It really made me realize how the right tools really make the job easier.

I'll be taking the engine to my buddy JJ so he can inspect the case porting I've done and make sure it's adequate.

Barring any more need to expand the case ports, final assembly of the engine will be this coming week. After that, work on the frame begins.


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New shots of the engine for the VBB

I'll post descriptions later.

Flywheel side

Clutch side

Gear box and clutch side bearings

Flywheel side case half, showing the kickstart gear

Drive side with the 10" backing plate in place

Drive side with the rear hub in place 

Garage cabinets project

So, this is what my workbench in the garage looked like before I started on this "little" project. It just kind of evolved in the what you see here over the years. No real plan, no real attempt at keeping it clean or organized. It's a useful space, but thoroughly annoying that was constantly in this state. I guess that's my fault.

Here is the progression as I cleaned everything off to get the space ready for the cabinets I obtained from my buddy Pete.

This is the cleanest the workbench has been since I built it.

The next few pictures show the installation of the "new to me" cabinets.

Funny enough, and as is usual with me and projects like this, I ended up having to shift the cabinets 3 inches to the right. My rolling tool box goes in the space just to the left of the workbench and the position of the cabinets wouldn't allow the top of my tool box to open all the way.

I'll have to take and post another picture of the final set up. The workbench has gone back to be a bit messy as I've under taken another project.

Testing out BlogPress from my iPhone

I thought I'd test out this new-to-me BlogPress app. I like the idea of being able to write here while "on the road". I'm also glad that you can post in landscape mode, which isn't obvious at first glance.

Some of the app reviews talked about formatting issues too. Especially when adding in images. I'll test that too.




Here's a picture I took this morning of one of my most favorite things ever, an eggnog latte. Uncut Alpenrose eggnog and Sweet Maria's New Classic Espresso Blend roasted to Full City+. There will be a second one made and consumed this morning :-)

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Using this thing more.......

No, this is not a New Year's resolution, just something that has been on my mind as of late.  I feel like I've been gradually losing what little(in my mind) coherent writing ability I had.  I think I'm in one of those use it or lose it situations.

So, I think I'm going to focus most of my blogging here on the projects I have started and the ones I will be starting, not just on random thoughts I have.  My postings will be for both for posterity and, in the case of one of them, so I can repeat the process.

The big things I have on my list right now are:

• Building up the 1964 Vespa VBB and P125X engine.
• Redoing the fire pit in the back yard based upon the instructions here.
• Building a few Adirondack chairs to go around the above listed fire pit, based on the plans here.

There are others, but those are the big ones for me right now.  The latter two are decently easy to pick off if I'm going for the low hanging fruit.

Why socialism will never work long term.......

And by long term, I mean more than the half century that the USSR tried it out.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23

I usually don't care too much for bumper stickers, but....

I saw this one the other day and thought it was quite funny and true:

"Please don't tell Obama what comes after a trillion!"

It made me chuckle out loud and sent a shiver down my spine. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure he already knows what comes after a trillion and he has his sights firmly set on that end.


In other news, I can't believe it's been almost a year since I posted anything here. Blog FAIL, fo sho. I would say that I promise to be better about posting stuff here, but I'm not going to because I most likely won't. *sigh*