Wheelmen - The snag. 9/30/2006
Shaolin Tiger comes over Saturday afternoon, and we sit down for a sushi lunch. Shooting the breeze I layout what Peter and I have been discussing. ST is all for it, since he sees as it as a community service, much the same way I do. If Peter blogs about it, and it helps someone in the his specific community, it’ll all be worth while.
So we get there, and Peter and Wuan give us a warm welcome. Followed immediately by cold beer. Which was very welcome because we got stuck in a traffic jam on the way, and right in the middle of it, the air conditioning in the truck gives up. On a hot day. The cursing that went on in the truck is not fit for human consumption, so I shall refrain from re-posting it here. Let’s just say we weren’t as fresh as daisies when we got to Peter’s place.
I start work on the “project”. Peter sits there in his wheels, while ST and I go through the parts involved. I go out, and start work. Where we hit the first snag, because I started wondering how the hell can the Japanese shove so much wiring and connectors and electronics into such a small space. It was impossible. Or at least I thought it was, until I lubricated my brain with more beer graciously supplied by Wuan.
I got the brackets in. ST arranged the brackets, and showed me the best way to get them in. I tried getting them in place. Not a lot of place for my ham sized hands either. This was like trying to fist a virgin. With no lube. I sweated and cursed, I skinned my knuckles, and finally got it in.
When we hit the next snag. The tie rod wouldn’t clear the panel. At this point, ST and I looked at each other, and told Peter it might have been easier if he had bought something a little older and simpler, and we would have been done by now. Peter just grinned at this, and we resumed work.
I asked Wuan how much destruction I could inflict because of the project, and she said, “ask him”, nodding in Peter’s direction. ST and I decided to call it a day at this point. I explained to Peter what had been done, and what remained to be done, and he said we shall continue next week.
Oh, by the way, ST’s new Nikon D200 rocks. A very capable camera. If I didn’t already have a kick ass digital SLR, I would be very tempted to buy one. Bugger it, I’ll buy one anyway.