Dan, Author at Fabville

How to Build a Barrel Stave Pool Cue Rack

Projects, The Cabin, Wood Projects / December 29, 2021

This is another in-progress project that I have underway. This post will be updated as I continue the project. Here’s a dry fit of what I’m building: A temporary screw to hold the triangle that will most likely be replaced with a wood dowel setup. Also using the bottom mount of a pool cue rack for the ping pong balls. Drilling the Ping Pong Paddle Holes After measuring the placement for the ping pong paddles, it was time to use a Forstner bit in the drill press. The largest Forstner bit I had was 1-3/8″, this hole was just large enough for the paddles we have, but probably would have otherwise gone up to at 1-1/2″ for some extra clearance. Initial Assembly Applying a Stain Here’s an initial coat of stain. I used a “dark walnut” varathane. More to Come I still need to add a “shelf” for pool cue chalk and conceal the screws. That’s all for now though!

How Much Does It Cost to Have a Pole Building Built?

Projects, The Workshop / November 22, 2020

Variable and Total Cost, Things to Look For, and Tips on Hiring a Contractor In this article, I cover the build process of our 24×30 foot “daylight” pole building. I’ll provide detailed first hand experience. How much we paid to have this shop built, only doing the pad site prep ourselves and having everything else contracted out. I’ve never taken on a project this large (or expensive). Some times it’s better to have things done right the first time, and with a warranty. With this large of project, not having the experience was a huge factor for me deciding to hire it out. Also, I would have been hard pressed to find the time for the actual build, but also needing to learn and research how to construct various elements to code. Of the companies we contacted, none provided site prep, so we either had to contract it out, or do it ourselves. We opted to do it ourselves to try and save on labor costs. There must be some companies that will do everything start to finish, but the ones I talked to did not. We were looking for the most cost effective building structure. Aside from a Quonset hut style shop which my wife would not agree to, pole buildings seem to come in at the lowest cost. A few years back we had a quote for a “stick-build” shell, and it was substantially more expensive for just a shell structure. It would have been unfinished on the inside just like the pole building. Snow Load and Wind Rating The builder we chose has most of their shops rated for a 25 pound snow load and for 85 mph winds. They state if your jurisdiction requires higher wind exposure or snow loads, that building prices will be affected. If your considering a DIY kit, make sure these requirements (and others) meet your local code requirements. Septic Line With our septic line running through our backyard, we weren’t sure if we were going to even be able to build in this location. The sales person advised we would have to reach out to the county inspector office. After calling our county inspection office, I was quickly referred over to the county health department. Our county health department is responsible for overseeing septic systems. I started to get some conflicting information. The original person I spoke to said we could be build a shop over the septic line, and that we would just have to sleeve it. To add a sleeve involves putting the primary line inside of a larger pipe. I ended up putting 22 feet of pipe for sleeve in. Later, we would have someone else come onsite to sign off on the build plans. This was a different representative than whom I had spoken with on the phone. They stated a different requirement. This person said the septic line needs to be at least 5 feet from the building. I would also have to sleeve over the septic line where the driveway would go. So after initially planning to sleeve the line, I would also have to do some relocation. Septic Line Relocation To relocate the septic line, there would be a lot of digging ahead. Your application will certainly vary. Better yet, you may not even have a septic line to worry about. Or at least not in the location you’re building (including where a driveway will be installed). I first had to locate the septic line, which according to the “as-built”, should run right through the middle of our property. This is when I first started using a rented excavating and was soon later able to locate the line. Once I located the septic line, I was able to start trenching out for the relocation. For the relocation, I used two 45 degree elbows to ensure a path at least 5 feet from where the shop would go. I had to find the line further in backyard, and again, had to start digging for where I would have the PVC meet back up. Pole Building Site Prep Our property has a gradual slope, after running a line level, we had about a 9″ difference from the front to the back. We chose to start with a base of 2″ chip rock. After multiple rounds of compacting, it was time to go over the base with a 5/8″ minus mix. More compacting and running line levels to ensure everything was within 1/2″ of being level. This was about a 3 day process. Lots of material moving and manual racking. After some final compacting, it was now time to call it done. Temporary Driveway We also needed a temporary driveway to the building site. With construction crews going in and out, grass would quickly get tore up, especially after heavy rain. I just went with a 2″ chip for the driveway. Having a driveway (and not dirt) was a requirement from the contractor. We also had to make sure we didn’t “disturb” more than 2,000 square feet of native ground. This included the shop area and driveway combined square footage. Otherwise, we were told we would have to hire an engineer to ensure adequate drainage was achieved. This is per our county’s code. Local codes on this and other requirements will vary. Waiting for the Build One of the requirements was for us to send in a confirmation card once the pad side was ready. I did this on July 10th, 2020. When we first signed our contract, we were scheduled to begin January 2021. However, we were told if they had a slot open up we might be able to begin sooner. Sure enough, I got a call they could start late August/early September. When I called in mid August to see if things were still on schedule, I was informed they had a foreman who had been out sick for a while, and there might be delays. We didn’t hear anything for the next

2019 Score Baja 1000 – Most Challenging Race on Earth?

Automotive / August 17, 2020

This is a recap video by Monster Energy for their team at the 2019 Baja 1000. It marked the 52nd annual race for the 1000. Monster Energy sponsors several classes. Their vehicles include some of the following race classes: Some of the notable racers on the Monster Energy Racing Team include BJ Baldwin, Cameron Steele, and Casey Currie. More on the SCORE Baja 1000 Check out more of our posts on the Baja 1000!https://fabville.com/category/automotive/racing/baja-1000 To learn more about the Baja 1000, and SCORE, the sanctioning body, take a look at their website: http://score-international.com/

Rivian Update (Company Progress Report – August 2020)

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Rivian / August 16, 2020

Here’s a Rivian Update for August 2020. In this video they show what they refer to as their progress report. It’s a guided tour of their Operations Facility in Normal, Illinois… If you’re not already familiar with Rivian, they’re an all-electric “adventure vehicle” manufacturer. Rivian is expected to start producing their first vehicles, likely in 2021. Originally slated for late 2020, but thanks in part to the pandemic, their dates have pushed. Their lineup currently includes a truck as well as an SUV that share the same “Skateboard” platform. The R1T is their pickup truck, and the R1S is the SUV. They have also designed an electric cargo van, although I have not found verification if the van has it’s own skateboard platform. The Factory Their CEO, RJ Scaringe gives a guided tour of their production facility located in Normal, Illinois. Normal is approximately a 2 hour drive from Chicago. This plant location is home to their manufacturing operations. They show batteries and drivetrains being assembled to the subframe. Some of the job roles they have at this location are: Quality Manufacturing Ops Vehicle Engineers Manufacturing Engineers Their robotic arms are color matched in the same blue that is one of the color options on the truck. Approximately 500 robotic arms are part of the plan for this particular facility. Reusable Dunage I found this interesting, many of their parts will come into the factor with a reusable dunage. What is dunage you might ask? Dunage is typically packing material that protects products during shipping. Examples include bubble wrap, corrugate, or, in the case of Rivian, plastic containers. They will re-use these containers. They ship them back out for new parts to be sent back in. He mentions these are made from ocean based plastics. A vacuum-like device is supposed to be used to suck up the plastic from the ocean. Could this involve taking plastic from the infamous plastic island in the Pacific Ocean? Apparently the Rivian packing and logistic team are behind this and not a third party vendor. Very cool from the sustainability standpoint! Wheels and Tires RJ checks out where wheels and tires are sitting and ready to go. 20″ all terrains and 21″ all season tires are apart of their inventory. A 275/65R20 tire is listed for their max ground clearance on the specs page for both the R1S and R1T. This seems to imply the all terrain tires may be the standard and whereas the all seasons are an optional upgrade. Rivian Headlights While looking at a headlight, Scaringe mentions how the headlights are one of his favorite parts of the design. A friend of mine said there was no chance this design would make it into production. Things are different in the startup space. Smaller companies trying to get their first vehicles off the assembly line likely don’t have deep budgets. This can be time and money based. A budget to re-design things involves employee salary too and the longer something is in design, the longer it will take to see sales. Larger automotive manufacturers on the other hand, tend to consistently operate with a much different approach. Also unlike traditional automotive manufacturers, they don’t unveil an over-the-top concept and drastically make the vehicle much less visually appealing if they decide to go into production with it. A lot of this startup electric automotive manufacturers are doing things differently. Whether or not many of them can survive, remains to be seen. It’s certainly not easy starting a new company, let alone one in automotive. There’s quite an overhead cost. Preorders Rivian is still accepting Preorders through their website, for more information on their vehicles check out Rivian.com. Don’t Miss Another Rivian Update, Checkout Our Other Articles! Check out more of our articles on Rivian:https://fabville.com/category/automotive/electric-vehicles/rivian

Ford Mustang Mach-E – Hooning 1,400 Horsepower!

Automotive, Electric Vehicles / July 30, 2020

This must be the first action shot of the new Ford Mustang Mach-E, but a one-off. The production Mach-E will have a much more mild styling and on the higher trim levels, it appears it will have 459 horsepower, far short of the 1400hp this vehicle is supposed to produce. How Much is the Ford Mustang Mach-E? Price and Trim Packages The Ford Mach-E is expected to start out at $43,895 with a few trim levels, topping out with the GT Package at $60,500. These prices are before the eligible $7500 federal tax credit in the US. Prices were from Ford’s website at the time of this article. Model Price Select $43,895 Premium $50,000 California Route 1 $51,800 First Edition $59,300 GT $60,500 California Route 1 This is a quote directly from Ford’s site, I’m still not clear what the “California Route 1” package actually entails other than being rear wheel drive with an anticipated 300 miles of range per charge. The freedom of the open road is ever-present in a California Route 1. This signature rear-wheel-drive model was designed for stamina on the road; standard with the extended range battery for a targeted EPA-estimated range of 300 miles. Source: https://www.ford.com/suvs/mach-e/2021/#innovative-features Battery Packs and Range The extended range, RWD version of the Mach E is expected to have a 300 mile per charge EPA rating. Depending on the model, there are two battery packs available. One with 68 kWh’s, while the the larger one will have a useable 88 kWh. Mustang Mach-E Charging The Mach-E will have J1772 CCS combo charging. This will allow for charging at Level 1 or Level 2 for J1772 and a faster 440v quick charging on the CCS system. Ford claims they will have the largest charging network in North America. Ordering You can currently place a pre-order for the Ford Mustang Mach-E through Ford’s website. https://www.ford.com/suvs/mach-e/2021/ At the Drag Strip Here’s a short clip of the Mach-E 1400 burning some rubber at the track. More Fabville Articles on Electric Vehicles Fabville Electric Vehicle Articles

Hummer HX – No, It’s NOT The Upcoming Hummer EV

Automotive, Off-Roading / July 17, 2020

The Hummer HX first debuted as a concept vehicle at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. By 2010 the Hummer brand was in a dire financial situation. GM decided to shut it down along with some of it’s other brands such as Pontiac and Saturn. It seemed GM was on the brink of entering the HX into production when their financials were starting to look dismal. Many believe the Hummer HX could have saved the brand. My worry was that they would drastically change the production version into something far less appealing. Now we’ll never know. There’s a few videos on YouTube and articles claiming this is the new Hummer EV that was announced during the Super Bowl. But this isn’t it. It would be great to see the Hummer HX resurrected, but there’s no indication that GM has plans to do so. The new Hummer EV is built on a full-size platform, certainly not the size of Jeep Wrangler frame. A small fleet of Hummer HX’s were used in the Transformers 2 movie. Unfortunately it didn’t see much life beyond that. US Specialty Vehicles – Converted Jeep to Hummer HX There’s another company called US Specialty Vehicles that offers hope of owning an HX inspired vehicle. They convert Jeep Wranglers into what they call Rhino XT’s. Ordering one of these will set you back on finances a bit. The starting price is around $85K. A Hellcat version will top off around $157K. While it has several similar features to the HX, certain elements are clearly different. Especially the lack of a trademark vertical bar Hummer grill up front. Bureko H2X This is a body kit conversion for the Hummer H2. The kit is based on the body styling of the Hummer HX Concept Vehicle. A small fleet of Hummer HX’s were used in the Transformers 2 movie. Unfortunately it didn’t see much life beyond that. The H2 platform actually pushes this body kit into a larger vehicle. The original concept vehicle was smaller than the H3, and subsequently the H2. It was a actually similarly sized to the Jeep Wrangler. Update: It appears Bureko no longer makes the body kit and has focused their efforts on building 6×6 vehicles. You can check out Bureko’s website at bureko.cz. MEV Hummer HX If you happen to be looking for a smaller version of the Hummer HX, there are a couple options available from a company called MEV (My Electric Vehicle). MEV licensed the rights to use the Hummer HX from GM and they’re mini HX electric vehicle is still available today. Two variants are available, the HX (hard top), or he HX T (topless). The proportions clearly aren’t a true scale down of the original. Rather, it’s been modified to fit adult passengers. The modified proportions remind me a bit of a caricature drawing. This is fairly similar to Power Wheels adaptations for the overall design. I have no idea if these are street legal anywhere, I imagine they’re more commonly used in small communities that have roadways designated for golf carts. Our small town now allows registered vehicles such as ATV’s and UTV’s for use on roadways that are 35mph speed limits or less. Some larger retirement communities are similar as well. Going Even Smaller I don’t believe any of these are still in production, although there are various die-casts and radio controlled versions of the HX produced. Many of these can still be found on sites such as eBay and Amazon, among others. More Posts on Fabville! Refreshed Hummers by Mil-Spec!

Zero SR/S – Sport Bikes are Going All Electric!

Electric Vehicles / July 16, 2020

Back in February, Zero Motorcycles unveiled the latest addition to it’s all electric motorcycle lineup, the Zero SR/S. Speculation about the bike leading up to the unveil was that Zero might simply add on some extra fairings to their Zero SR/F, which is a street fighter style bike.

Tips for Socket Organization

Reviews / June 3, 2020

Socket organization solutions aren’t always expandable or convenient. I’ve used rails in the past that aren’t always the most convenient to carry around. If you get a few extra sockets of a particular size, it can throw a wrench (pun intended) into your organization methods. If you’re like most people, I’m sure you’ve experienced digging through a toolbox looking for the right size socket you need. Socket Organization – Rails Many years ago I bought a 300 or so piece mechanics tool set and bought several socket rails to try and keep them attached. I still had several sockets that were leftover and many rails that weren’t filled up. Overall, I just didn’t find this method very practical for my use. At least, certainly not when trying to create a custom solution. My newer Kobalt set came with rails that are removable from the main case. At least these are sized for a specific set of sockets. No extra slots, etc. It simply was designed to fit. They are however, somewhat difficult to pull off their clip. I imagine over time it will wear a bit on the plastic material and become easier to remove. Bin Method Instead of looking for a range of single sized sockets, with either a 1/2″ or 3/4″, I’ve found it easier to have them in one spot location. Whether it’s a 6 point, 12 point, shallow or deep socket, 1/2″ drive or 3/5″ drive, I’ve found it easiest (for me at least) to have them divided by size, and in order. So what does this look like? I have my sockets divided by metric and standard (also known as imperial), and sorted in sequential size. 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm, etc. one after the other. This was how I organized them a few years back, I had cup which I labeled by size. I wanted to get a better feel for how space I was going to need, and planned to build a custom organizer. Ultimately, I opted to go with something a bit more generic. These are organizers by Dewalt. These bin organizers by Dewalt are decent in my opinion. I would have liked to see additional slot options for smaller compartments. I’m likely going to glue some dividers into a few spots, particularly on smaller socket sizes. Once I get everything set the way I want, I’ll label each section with what size it is. It wasn’t about trying to cram as much into a drawer as possible, but rather making sure there’s enough room for everything while still being organized. This falls in line with a concept known as 5S, which stands for Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. More on this below. 5S (or Kaizen) For anyone interested, the 5S methodology is a concept for keeping only what you need and giving everything a specific place of it’s own. It can help give a more efficient work area and a much cleaner and far better organized one at that. A brief overview of the 5S methodology on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5S_(methodology)

What Does an Electric Dragster Sound Like at 200mph?

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Racing / May 23, 2020

An electric dragster certainly has a different ambience than compared to internal combustion dragsters. There are quite a few who prefer the loud noise, and to each their own, but are quieter race tracks the future?

The Million Dollar Mustang – Vicious – Full Custom!

Automotive / May 17, 2020

Timeless Kustoms built this over the top Ford Mustang. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the first Mustang the owner had them build either. The car started off as a 1965 Mustang Coupe, but received Fastback treatment along with a host of other custom metal fabrication during the build.