Mudding, Chicken Coop Door Install and FAIL, Trailer, Hen, Grilling, Camping - Friday

I had no idea that the mud could mold but this had, so I chopped the bad part off the pounds of mud left and got down to the clean stuff. There was still way more than enough for what I needed and I got to piling it on. It took some seriously thick coating to get the massive variance filled.

It took me only about 15 minutes and I tried to get it all leveled the best I could. It will likely take another day to dry as thick as it is but I will know more when I go check in a while.

It had to fill a near half inch difference so I think it did okay. I was thankful I had my large trowel to apply so much at a time.

Around noon I got started on the chicken coop door. First I had to dig out the dirt and crap that had built up.

While I was digging I ended up just pulling the section of fence that I had up. The birds free range and I won't be putting a gate up again so there was no reason to leave it up.

I found the right size piece of wood but it is OSB so I got my Tyvek and covered it to protect it.

I hung it on the coop and it fit the spot perfectly.

The pulley was still being an issue for me but I managed to cobble together a working pulley from aluminum parts.

Pretty happy with what I made.

I was walking to my truck to go pickup the co-op order when I heard this sudden rush of sound and I looked to the north to see a C-17 US Air Force cargo plane 500 FEET AGL!!! I was looking through the trees at the thing and it was HUGE! It flew due west about a mile north of the house. It meant that they had to go over Mt Spokane then drop back down to that elevation.

It was truly amazing that I didn't hear the plane until it was about 5 miles away, then suddenly it was there, and as it flew away the sound was SO MUCH LESS than any other plane. It is hands down the best plane in the fleet in my opinion. A bunch of people in the region got some killer pictures of it as it flew by.

Back home I got back to work on the door opener. I mounted the motor to the board and used a bushing for the guide on the end.

I began installing everything after a final code upload to the Arduino.

The wiring will work perfectly and I will have them all tight and neat.

So I got everything installed, the Arduino turned on, and as I watched the motor begin to turn it began to open the door.... then it just clicked at me. The motor has nowhere near the power it needs to to pull the door open. The motor is rated for 5.25lbs which should be more than enough to pull the door up but it isn't. I am pretty sure the shitty 2amp power supply I am using isn't actually supplying 2 amps.

SOOOOO I pulled the setup off and brought it in the house. I ordered a new power suipply which will be here today as well as a much stronger motor that is NEMA 23 instead of the 17 like this one. Bigger NEMA = bigger motor. It will have 16lbs of capacity and damn well better open the door. This little 17 will get used somewhere for sure, likely I will give it to J to learn with.

SO DAMNED CLOSE!!! After over a decade I am right there, edging, on the cusp of completing this project finally. It was hard not to be a bit frustrated but also excited at the fact I am figuring it out.

I got the trailer hooked up for the rather late grain run I did this morning.

The hen is doing great with her chicks. It is imperative that they get put in the hut to keep them safe. The 7 little eep eeps are running around nice and happy.

I got our burger patties hand formed then onto the grill for dinner.

The washers pit is a bit nicer now without the rock wall behind to have the washers get lost amongst the rocks. Still a load to pull out but the majority are gone now.

I pulled 4 radishes and a stack of spinach leaves from the greenhouse for our burgers.

The boys had setup their tent earlier and in a bit of a surprise to me they actually slept out in it all night long.

Got out to soak later than normal and this morning I actually slept late to after 6am.

This morning I have been to town for grain and GASP it was light out when I went!!!! Totally not normal for me. I emptied it as soon as I got home as it was only a small load and the sheep were grateful for the pile. I really hope that my order gets here earlier rather than later so I can get the coop door controls installed. PDC German darts is on today and Man Utd play this afternoon, the Kraken play this evening, we might head up to pickup some beef at the ranch up north, I will grill again for dinner tonight, and I have to check on the mud to see if it is dry enough for sanding and another finishing coat.

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