Maintenance Monday

Ever have one of those days where you basically spend all your time just getting ready for what comes next? Yeah, me too. Today was one of those days. All the little projects I've been putting off began to come to a head as I get ready for the last push before the show, so I banged them out to be able to move fluidly the next week.

Little project #1 - actually screw my bar queue for the paint booth to the wall. Seems like a simple enough job, but then ya gotta drag out the hammer drill, buy the longer tapcons, blah blah blah. I've made up all kinds of excuses the last year why I've not done it, but after having the rack full of product almost dislodged from it's semi-permanent stance, I figured it was time to get 'er done. Nice and tight now ;)
Little project #2 - replace the paint booth filters and clean the ceiling/walls. Yep, if it sounds glamorous, it must be! Nothing but good times here :) I have to replace my filterwall about 4 times a year. Not a hard job, just a pain as I typically wait too long to do the job and by the time I get around to it, the filters are LOADED with paint residue that is Nasty with a capital N. When the filters fill up, the air flow is reduced, so lot's of little nibs and dusties accumulate on the ceiling and walls ready to foul your perfect clear coat. So all the surfaces get brushed, wiped, vacuumed, and then misted so all is ready for a new onslaught of paint this week.

Here's some spanky new filters and shiny walls as a backdrop for Jay's frame, fresh out of the media cabinet and ready for some primer. Paint pics tomorrow night for ya.

Bigger project #3 - I ran up to United Titanium and picked up my Ti end caps for the Luv handles, one more piece of the puzzle to get and I'll be able to finish this months order. Seems that .875 x 035 Ti is very hard to get, as I've been backordered now for two months and my normal multiple sources are all claiming scarcity. I've got enough stock left for February's bars, but was hoping to make some for the show and send out March as well...we'll see.

Little project #4 - I'm doing a bit different color tone for one of the show bikes and prepped these 960's (my favorite XTR crank) for a new finish...a sexy pewter chrome.

Little project #5, 6, 7... slotted Jay's bb, reamed the seat tube, washed/degreased the frame, mounted the new bender and it's pedestal in the mechanics room, bent up a bunch of headbadges, polished dropout plates for the slider bikes, moved my demo rack to make room to move in some more machines, replaced the ballast and switch in my blast cabinet, and finalized the design I'm going to use for Steven's Klunker styled 29er.

So, not much progress today, but now I'm set to really hit it in the paint booth tomorrow right through show time.

Fiddly-bits of Knowledge -

I'm a few days behind on email, so if you have not heard back from me, don't despair. Gonna try and catch back up tomorrow night.

Answer to Emmy's artistic pic was... a LAVA LAMP that resides on my desk.

Out of curiosity, how many of you are going to make it to Indy for at least one day of the show?

cheers,

rody