Fred's Minnesota Blog

Liz stopped over for a few minutes and I put a new hubcap on her car.

Here is her car last February, notice the odd hub cap on the rear.

Buds on the Maple tree in the side yard.

Some 'volunteer' Jonquils.

As is typical in this time of global warming, at noon on Saturday April 26th, the temperature was a balmy 24 degrees. Thank You Al Gore.

# posted by Fred @ 3:42 PM 4 comments

This weekend I went to another quilt show, this time Liz had some of her quilts displayed in the competition. Our friend, Marlene was there also. The high light of the day was I got to run the quilting machine.

The salesman said that I could have my own.

Here are some of the quilts I especially liked, the Tee Shirt quilts are a nice way of displaying all your adventures and the reading quilt was also very nice. the quilt in the upper right was the winner of the show. I have a large number of Tee shirts from all my trips and may think about organizing them into a quilt.

# posted by Fred @ 8:56 AM 1 comments

The weather last night was a gloriously warm 40 degrees and I finally got the cylinder head off the Saturn.

It came off with very little trouble considering some of the adventures in the early stages. It must have been the warm weather that made it go better.

The cylinder head sitting on the floor.

No, that doesn't look good!

All the parts neatly organized on the work bench awaiting re-assembly. I am off to the head rebuilder today, I will see what the repair will cost.

Welding on the bolt that was stuck.

# posted by Fred @ 4:58 AM 0 comments

I am working on a 1995 Saturn that has no compression on cylinder number three. It has been in my garage all winter, it being too cold to work on it but this past week we had a couple of days in the 30's and I finally got started.

Engine at the start. Notice the broken motor mount.

Engine with motor mount and valve cover removed.

The bolts that hold the timing chain cover on were so tight that I broke my 10mm socket taking out the first bolt and stripped off the corners. I tried to weld on a nut to get it out but was not able to get a good weld. I finally welded enough junk on the end that I was able to get my vise grips on it and get it out. Will report more progress as it warms up and I get some more work done.

# posted by Fred @ 6:47 AM 0 comments

For those of you who are familiar with my politics; it will come as no surprise to see me at the Minnesota Tax Cut Rally this Saturday.

What will be a surprise is that I was able to get some one to go with me.

I made signs.

We carried them.
I estimated that there were about 10,000 people at the rally, even though the Start Tribune claimed less than a thousand. It was so cold, thanks to global warming, that most people couldn't stay for the whole thing. I had a good time even though it will take me a few days to get warm again.

# posted by Fred @ 10:42 AM 0 comments

Our friend, Alicia, was in town on business this week and we met her for dinner in downtown Minneapolis. The restaurant was the "Peninsula".

Gerardo and Alicia.

# posted by Fred @ 5:00 AM 1 comments

My milling machine has been sitting on the floor of the garage since last spring. I have finally gotten the stand done and made the lift this weekend to put the machine on the top of the stand.

Framing up to support the hoist.

Lifting the Milling Machine off the skid.

Setting upon the table.

Portable, on casters.

# posted by Fred @ 4:39 PM 0 comments