Today started promisingly, S. wanted to build one of the kits we got last year at Maker Fair ( Read more... )

I think we did the out of home thing enough this weekend ( Read more... )

I got the Microbot Alpha arm working tonight ( Read more... )

Picked up a vintage (for computer gear at least) 1982 Robot Arm (thanks Deeptape ( Read more... )

The truck is back together and runs like new ( Read more... )

Wow, S. and I put the motor into the truck today, only 1 minor problem, the rear chain bracket was hitting the firewall and prevented the motor from moving back far enough to line up the transmission mounts. So we had to lift it a bit, support the trans with the floor jack like when it was removed and removed the rear set of chains from the block. ( Read more... )

Finally, the new refurbished 2002 5VZ-FE 3.4L V6 is ready to drop into my truck. Tons of work that a normal shop would never do.
Well, not unless you paid them an extra $2000 or so. I've got at least 40 hours shop time into this, probably more like 60,
and an similar number of research hours. It's been fun working on this, take it all apart , clean ( Read more... )

Did a test lift of the motor-trans, I clear the radiator support, but do not have enough angle to clear the firewall with the trans and the radiator support with the oil pan. Looks like I'll have to fabricate at least one lift tab to get the chain to clear the valve train at maximum tilt ( Read more... )

Finished up the transmission flush and cleanup, and put the pan back on with 2 hard drive magnets inside to catch any future metal debris. Swapped the trans with the old motor on engine stand #2 and used the crane to position the trans to mount to the new motor. It's really nice to be able to adjust the tilt and height so the trans slips onto the ( Read more... )

According to the Science Fiction Book Club, these are the 50 most significant SF & Fantasy Books of 1953-2002. Bold the ones you've read, strike the ones you hated, italicize the ones you couldn't get through, asterisks for the ones you loved.

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien*
2. The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov
3. Dune by Frank ( Read more... )