Decorating

All chained up.

Posted on April 19, 2019 by akadventurer

Rearranged and consolidated pocket watch chains yesterday. I only need two, one for the watch and one for the knife on my double Albert setup.

Had one, a bronze one already setup for that. Added the new black chrome one as the second. This setup with a Nightize S-biner hanger works great.

The biner fits over the snaps on my leather vest. Just snap a snap through the big biner, and it dissappears, but holds the chain ends giving the single or double prince albert chain attachment point.

Then cut, splice and reassembly, netted me a bracelet, which I wore all day, and really liked. Simple and classy-ish, but didn’t drive me batty. Two main strands with a third linking them.

Then the left overs got me a neck chain–which I have no idea what I’ll do with– yet.

And two big clasped utility/watch chains, which I also have no current use for… I’ll think of something.

If you look close the bracelet has 3 different chain sizes/styles, the necklace 2, and both utility chains are different…

I actually had a lot of fun doing these! The opening and closing of the rings and links was a bit tedious, but still fun.

Categories: Customized, Decorating, EDC, Fabrication, Jewelry, key-chains, Modifications, New Gear, Pocket Watches, Re-purpose, Recycle, Repurpose, Watches

Puppy time?

Posted on April 2, 2019 by akadventurer

For a while now I’ve been using this old quartz crystal key chain, that I’ve had since I was a kid, as the fob on this watch.

Few days ago I happened to think of some jade figures in our curio case, that I hadn’t seen for forever (case is in a terrible place foractually viewing what’s in it) so I went and got one out, moved it to a table in the den.

The figures belong to Mom, something my brother got her for Christmas or a birthdaysome 25 years ago, so I made sure she didn’t mind.

Occurred to me with the captive loop it’s tail makes it’d make a nice keychain fob. She said she wouldn’t mind that either…

Wasn’t sure I wanted to bang around a chunk of jade with my keys though..

Getting the watch out yesterday morning and it was sitting there, dawned on me that it’d be a great watch fob. 10 minutes to kill later and I’d made a chain for it.

Here is a better view of the color on the figure, that gorgeous deep rich green.

Possibly a Husky, but looks more like a Malamute to me… 🙂

I remember they were carved by a local artist, but I’ve no idea who.

Dont worry about the other fob suddenly out of a job, I’ve got another pocket watch on the way. Will just have to decide which fob goes where.

Categories: Customized, Decorating, EDC, Just Plain Fun, Modifications, Pocket Watches, Watches

Got my money clip back!

Posted on February 23, 2019 by akadventurer

While killing time in the shop with misc. little projects, and trying to find parts for one, I came accross the Buffalo Alaska Mint coin/silver proof from my old money clip. Several years ago the curve of the clip broke– its brass, and it had gotten brittle, work hardened from repeated bending back and forth.

I had intended to put the coin on a new clip, but never could find one I liked, wanting one similar yo what it had, a hinged camming action that clamped it shut.

Got to thinking that I hadn’t really been in any hurry to solder the Marlboro cowboy emblem back onto the clip I’ve been using after it came off last summer either…

So, why not combine them, eh?

The curve of the broken end on the coin backing plate almost perfectly fit the clips curved end.

Cleaned the chrome platting off the one, cleaned the other to bare brass and tinned them in solder. Pressed and heated. Twice.

Filled with solder along the curved end. Three times…

Have I ever mentioned that I Hate soldering? Well I do!

But sometimes I get lucky!

It ain’t perfect but its solid and will fer sure work.

All that holds the coin on is the bezel, 4 little tabs that bend/crimp over the backing plate.

Two old friends with a lot of memories attached

— the Marlboro clip I’ve had since I was a kid. The buffalo clip I got 10 year ago this spring on a 2 week trip to the big city, hanging out with a good buddy when he came home from the service, Fun Times!—

back in service together, finally!

Categories: Adventure Metal Works, Brass, Custom, Customized, Damages, Decorating, EDC, Fabrication, Good Friends, Modifications, Repairs, Sentimental, Welding

Auxiliary truck lighting and 110V wiring.

Posted on December 24, 2017 by akadventurer

I now have a 110V cord hard wired, or permanently mounted anyway, in my truck. Run from under the center of the dash in the cab, out the firewall, and ending in the drivers side inner fender. Should come in handy for any 110V current tools I might want to run off of my power inverter.

I’ve actually wanted to wire a setup like this in both the front and back of the truck for a while, just never got around to it.

So, Why now? your asking…

Weeeeelllll….

What do you get if I’m bored, not feeling the season, wanting to do something festive, and just plain silly fun, and have a brand new 20′ spare set of Christmas lights just laying around?

😀 😉

Cut up a couple old cords, one from a dead fan, the other from a dead string of lights, to make a small extension cord. Cord ends wouldn’t fit through the hole in the fire wall, and I needed a custom length anyway, so I put it through, then installed the 2nd end, thus my now permanent cord.

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Dug out the old power inverter I cary in the truck;

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Lots of zip ties;

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And voila!

😀

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Yes, I know I’m a total redneck… And that I’ll Never live this one down. But its just so freaking cool to drive around!

One guy that passed me on the 4 lane, as he went by me slowly, his passenger suddenly did a double take as they came up even with my front fender… The guy just about Garfielded himself on the window! Just so hillarious!

That reaction alone was worth it if no one else noticed… And a lot of other people noticed. Got lots of smiles out of people on our quick trip to town last night.

If nothing else I “lightened” up a few folks evenings, hopefully for the better… Definitely got me feeling a lot better!

Next year I’m thinking I’ll hang a wreath in the middle of the grill, and light it, and run the other lights on out down the full bed length. 😀

Merry Christmas everybody. 🙂