no i didn't score a droptank. i wish. i did however get a potential source for all those who want one.
as posted before, on sunday i went to the local markets (i can't believe i forgot to post this then). the usual small town stuff, not much of interest really. there was one ride, i took no notice of it as i think those things are a total crock. of course my wife had other ideas and paid for my son to have a go. as he got on i had a look at it. it was a little carossel (spelling?) thing, that had obviously been dragged about the countryside for years, it had plane/rocket type things hanging off it. my eldest took harry in there for his go, about this time i did a major double take. not one or two but 5 F'N DROPTANKS! i was stunned. it made perfect sense as it looked like an old peice of kit and back in the day military surplus was everywere + if you something to look aerodynamic get something from an aeroplane... they were well disguised with big holes cut in the tops, plywood seats, plywood wing/fin stubs and lots of coats of bright paint, but they still had the telltale rib around the outside and a filler cap at the top. they were only about 5-6" long so were way to small to make a lakester out of. i chatted to the owner and he was surprised that i recognised what they were. he didn't know what they were off but knew they were worth $ to aircraft restorers in the US.
seeing these reminded that they used to be fairly common when i was younger.
one thing i know for sure, i'll be keeping a look out for any old fair rides just in case. if i'm feeling rich i might ever go hunting. i'm sure i remember bigger ones from when i was a kid (more seats per plane/rocket). yes they had a big hole in one half, but 2 bottom halves put together (and a fair amount of panelbeating) would give you a full tank.
one day.
the shed cleaning thing is still continuing. i probably have at least 10 hours in it and there is so much still to do. to me it looks basically no different that it did after 1/2 an hours work. my wife says she can see an improvement, but i think she is just being nice.
there is so much stuff in there. cleaning it is a good thing as a) i'll be able to get in there and do stuff and b) it is helping me to make my mind up about getting rid of some stuff. that "one day i might have a..." stuff. aka 1500 single carb type 3 stuff. i have never owned a type 3, if i did the chances of it needing the single carb gear is rather low.
damn tinware annoys me. i had an old blanket box. say 2' by 2 1/2' by 3 1/4', not a small box. i couldn't even get all the tinware from one upright and one flat motor into it. i still have about half again to try and find a home for.
i have only had one of those "cool i didn't know i had that" moments. it turns out that a thread insert kit i bought years back for a project is 4 by .7mm metric. the thread i intend/ed to use on my 28PCI adjustable accellerator pump rods. i added the /ed to intend as it turns out that the thread on the pump rod arm isn't 4 by .7 metric as i had thought. the rod phatbug sent me turned up. thanks again rhett. i did a test cut to practice with the die before i started making the real thing, that was when i realized the problem. i'm sure i checked the thread on one of the factory pump rods but the one i checked yesterday was not what i thought it would be. in a way i'm hoping that the thread size changed over the production cycle but i doubt it. now i'm faced with the decission of what thread to use were and what to do at the throttle shaft end. if i was a born again christian type i'd say that god was testing me, but i'm not.
cleaning up my shed has got me thinking about how i would love to insulate and line it (plus seal the floor). right now i even have the time, if only money grew on trees. i still can't decide on how to seal the floor. i think painting will win out due to cost but nothing seems to be pefrect for what i want. you will ruin a race deck floor if you spray sparks on it. you will stain a polished concrete floor if you get oil one it. i think that sparks will also damage a painted floor. i'd like to have the option of having heavy machinery in there plus i often drop random heavy stuff so tiles would get cracked/chipped.
it will have to wait anyway.