Thomas Mertzig Rest In Peace

Yesterday I found out that one of my favorite customers had passed away. Mr Mertzig had this kind of manly grace about him and you just couldn't help but like and respect him. I always got a kick out of the skull with the wings hanging over his front door. Although in poor health and hooked up to oxygen and in his mid seventy's to me I never thought of him as a frail old man. He was more like a retired superhero or some kind of former bad ass. Anyway, when I was finished with my work in the basement I went upstairs and didn't see the usual oxygen hoses running everywhere. I couldn't bring myself to ask his wife about him so I just finished up my business and left. Later I did a search on line and found his obituary. He died about a month and a half ago. In his bio I found out that he was in the Army Special Forces in Vietnam. A twenty year veteran on the Army Parachute Team. So I was right! He was a super hero/bad ass....I wish I got to know him better.....Rest in Peace Mr Mertzig

Gatling Gun: The Saga Continues

Remembering The Gatling Gun

Freedom!

No comment needed.

Spark plug tube removal tool

I had an oil leak on my 98 Vulcan. It was coming out of the channel where the left spark plug is. I found that once you start getting up in mileage, the cam chain stretches and starts to wear a hole in that channel. So after making this tool I was able to remove the tube (after removing the spark plug). I found that the tube had been worn through but it had been repaired with some kind of epoxy. The chain also appeared to be tight and not rubbing against anything. The threads to the tube were covered with some type of silicone thread sealer. There were two O rings that make the seal( I assume) so I cleaned the threads and put it back together. So far....no more leak. Also, it took two people to remove the tube because one person had to hold the tool pressing it into the lip of the tube squarely. The other person tapped the end of the tool lightly with a hammer, loosening the tube. 

Materials List for tool:

black iron pipe

2- 1/2 x 3/4 bushings

1- 3/4 coupling

1- 4 inch nipple

1- 6 inch nipple

note: I had to file the flat sides of the bushing down about a 1/16th of an inch to get it to fit into the tube.

*** There is a picture of the spark plug tube leaking oil in a previous post***

Thor's Hammer

 
These mystical hammers are for sale in my shop. Total Baddassery!

Old School Compound Bow vs Apple

I dusted off my Uncle John's 30 plus year old Bear Polar Ltd compound bow. I set up the apple and camera and went upstairs and got the bow (which rests beside my bed). I hit the apple with the first try. To all you real archers out there....I am aware that you should be able to put all your arrows in a three inch circle at twenty yards anyway but this still made me smile.

The Creature From The Black Lagoon Sculpture

My first attempt with WED clay. I want to make a mold then cast it in resin or some such like. This water based clay isn't meant to be the finished product. So I need to get the mold process going pretty soon. This is strictly for personal use. The fine people at Universal Studios own the rights to The Creature....and all the other A-List monsters!

The Creature From The Black Lagoon

This is one of my many projects that I'm working on and will not finish (due to mind issues). It's Universal Studios Creature From The Black Lagoon. At this point I'm still blocking in the basic shape. Once I'm happy with the overall mass I'll start adding the details. When I'm almost done with all the beautiful finishing touches, I'll very slowly slide it to the edge of the table and drop it down on to the floor. Then I'll go upstairs and pour myself a glass of whisky and find something else to do.

My 1998 Kawasaki Vulcan: Now What?

I'm not sure if this oil leak at the spark plug is a major or minor problem. I'll worry more about it after I fix my electrical problem.  Hidalgo has developed quite an appetite for batteries. The first battery died at 9:30 at night, and hour and a half from home. The new battery died in my driveway after a long ride. Seeing how there is a new stator (generator of electricity for the bike) I'm hoping it can only be the voltage regulator that's bad.  I wanted to replace it all along, but when I ordered one off of E-Bay it was the wrong one. So I sent it back and took a shot with the old one. Oh well, that's what happens when you get cheap. Anyway, a new one should be here in a couple of days.

Laconia Motorcycles

Laconia New Hampshire: Bike Week