1984 Dodge Prospector
We purchased a 1984 Dodge Ram with low milage that had been sitting for many years. We did all the necessary repair work to the truck to bring it back to new condition.
A video on the 1984 Dodge Ram
1973 Scamper 19 ft Travel Trailer
before
after
Here is a video on the Scamper
Fruit Crusher and Press
I built a fruit crusher and press out of material I already had.
A video on the fruit crusher and press
The Lime Kiln Trail follows a portion of the historic Everett-Monte Christo Railroad built in 1892-93. In 1900 a rock-and-mortar lime kiln was built along the railroad. The lime was used as a whiting agent at the Lowell Paper Mill, and a flux agent at a smelter in Everett, Washington. In the boom days Granite Falls was much larger than it is today. Back then it serviced smaller towns along the Stillaguamish River. There are signs along the trail that offer a bit of history, like the location of the community of Cutoff, site of a former logging railroad spur and others. If you watch closely you can find many artifacts.
Limestone Kiln still standing
Making apple cider vinegar at home.
Use organic apples only.
If you are peeling apples to make a pie or drying them, use the peelings to make apple cider vinegar. Some people use the cores too, but I don’t because the seeds give it a bitter taste. Place the peelings in a jar and fill with (good) water. Cover the jar with a cloth and put a rubber band around it. This is so air can get in and keep the bugs out.
You can use whole apples just cut them into small pieces. Place the jar on the kitchen counter or somewhere it is not too cold or too hot. Let it sit for about a month.
If you are peeling apples to make a pie or drying them, use the peelings to make apple cider vinegar. Some people use the cores too, but I don’t because the seeds give it a bitter taste. Place the peelings in a jar and fill with (good) water. Cover the jar with a cloth and put a rubber band around it. This is so air can get in and keep the bugs out.
You can use whole apples just cut them into small pieces. Place the jar on the kitchen counter or somewhere it is not too cold or too hot. Let it sit for about a month.
After a month strain the juice into another jar. Put the sediment in too, as it is the “Mother”. Let it sit for another month, stirring daily. It is very important to stir it every day. After about a month taste the cider, if the taste is to your liking you can then strain it again into a sealed jar and it is ready to use. If the taste is not right, let it sit for about another week, then taste again. Keep doing this until it tastes just right.
Once you place the cider into a sealed jar you can store it for a long time in a cool place.
Happy Cider Making!
Once you place the cider into a sealed jar you can store it for a long time in a cool place.
Happy Cider Making!
Converting a Ford Duraspark II system to HEI
We had some trouble with the Duraspark system on our 1987 motor home with a 460 Ford. So I replaced the ignition module for the second time in two years. This time I replaced everything except the ballast resistor wire. Then I realized that if that ballast resistor wire ever went, I could never change it because you have to stand on your head to get at it, so I installed a ceramic ballast resistor from a Dodge. Since then it works a lot better except I was still worried about the ignition module going.
I decided to try an HEI conversion using a 4-pin module from GM (I had many GM vehicles and I don't remember changing the ignition module). I left the Duraspark system intact since it was all new, and installed the HEI system so that if something happened to the Duraspark system I could change it quickly. This way I could use either and compare them to see which one worked the best.
The GM module seems to work a little better, quicker starting, and the performance appears to be better. The only drawback is that the Duraspark has a starting circuit that retards the timing around 8 degrees, which helps when starting a hot engine. Well, if anything, we always have a backup system, especially if something happens when we're far away from home.
I also installed the GM HEI system in our 1984 Dodge pickup.
I decided to try an HEI conversion using a 4-pin module from GM (I had many GM vehicles and I don't remember changing the ignition module). I left the Duraspark system intact since it was all new, and installed the HEI system so that if something happened to the Duraspark system I could change it quickly. This way I could use either and compare them to see which one worked the best.
The GM module seems to work a little better, quicker starting, and the performance appears to be better. The only drawback is that the Duraspark has a starting circuit that retards the timing around 8 degrees, which helps when starting a hot engine. Well, if anything, we always have a backup system, especially if something happens when we're far away from home.
I also installed the GM HEI system in our 1984 Dodge pickup.
Mount the 4-pin GM module on an aluminum plate. This acts as a heat sink.
Grind the tabs off the module so it lays flat onto the aluminum plate. Use a good heat sink paste.
Make sure that the module and the distributor are grounded properly.
The violet wire from the distributor goes to G on the module.
The orange wire from the distributor goes to the W on the module.
12V from the ignition switch goes to the plus on the coil and to the B on the module.
The other wire from the minus on the coil goes to the C on the module.
Use a E-coil (.45 primary ohms) from any fuel injected vehicle.
The module is from a late 70's early 80's GM.
I wired the original Duraspark connectors to the module so it can be plugged into the distributor easily.
This type of setup can be used with any older Ford or Dodge.
Grind the tabs off the module so it lays flat onto the aluminum plate. Use a good heat sink paste.
Make sure that the module and the distributor are grounded properly.
The violet wire from the distributor goes to G on the module.
The orange wire from the distributor goes to the W on the module.
12V from the ignition switch goes to the plus on the coil and to the B on the module.
The other wire from the minus on the coil goes to the C on the module.
Use a E-coil (.45 primary ohms) from any fuel injected vehicle.
The module is from a late 70's early 80's GM.
I wired the original Duraspark connectors to the module so it can be plugged into the distributor easily.
This type of setup can be used with any older Ford or Dodge.
Dodge ballast resistor installed in 460 Ford with heat sink and computer fan
1987 Mallard Sprinter Class A Motor home
This motor home sat for a few years. It had low mileage, but the inside was used a lot and was quite dirty. We refurbished the cupboards, replaced the floor, repaired all the appliances, and made some modifications to the interior. We went through it from bumper to bumper and replaced anything that was worn.
A video on the Motor Home
Lime Kiln Trail in Washington
Check out the video on The Lime Kiln Trail
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is a place of breathtaking beauty with over 922,650 acres of preserved wilderness. In 1897 President Grover Cleveland designated the Olympic Peninsula's forests as the Olympic Forest Reserve. In 1938 President Franklin Roosevelt signed the act making the Forest Reserve The Olympic National Park.
One of the highlights of the park is a hike through the HOH Rain Forest. Here you will find Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock, which can reach a height of 300 feet. The average rainfall is about 150 inches per year. The park also includes over 60 miles of wilderness coastline which is the longest in the US. Here you can go fishing, hiking, boating, and beach combing. A great place to reconnect with nature. There are many species of wildlife in the park like the Northern Spotted Owl, Marbled Murrelet , Bald Eagle, Bull Trout, Chinook Salmon just to name a few. We spent a couple of days and only saw a part of the park.
One of the highlights of the park is a hike through the HOH Rain Forest. Here you will find Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock, which can reach a height of 300 feet. The average rainfall is about 150 inches per year. The park also includes over 60 miles of wilderness coastline which is the longest in the US. Here you can go fishing, hiking, boating, and beach combing. A great place to reconnect with nature. There are many species of wildlife in the park like the Northern Spotted Owl, Marbled Murrelet , Bald Eagle, Bull Trout, Chinook Salmon just to name a few. We spent a couple of days and only saw a part of the park.
Check out the video on the Olympic Park
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