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Roy Creek Ranch

a Log Home in the Hill Country

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A Practical 2 KW Shop Solar System

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on December 4, 2019 by JimDecember 10, 2019
photo of All six solar system panels installed

Two years ago, I installed a small solar system to pump water at the ranch. This solar generator makes us independent from the grid by insuring we can always pump water  — even in a grid down event. I’ve learned a lot about solar power and want to continue. What about refrigeration? In a power failure we cannot refrigerate food or produce ice.

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Posted in Projects, solar | Tagged air conditioner, consumption, DIY, energy, gas, generator, grid down, how to, insolation, Interstate, inverter, LED, lighting, power, rainwater, refrigerator, renogy, solar, system

An Altoids Light for the Solar Station

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 16, 2019 by JimFebruary 13, 2022
photo of Operating position at WB0MMC

Ikea makes a wonderful work light (JANSJÖ)that sells for about $13. I have several of them, and love the warm pool of light they provide on desk surfaces. Let’s convert one of them to solar power with the Altoids LED light project

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Posted in Projects, solar | Tagged 12-volt, altoids, amateur, Anderson, battery, distribution, DIY, ham, howto, ikea, JANSJÖ, lamp, LED, power, power pole, radio, supply, wb0mmc

Solar Powered Rainwater Project – Completed?

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 15, 2017 by JimNovember 15, 2017
photo of Completed Solar Powered Rainwater System

The Solar Powered Rainwater Project began about eight months ago, although one might argue it is the culmination of my rainwater system dreams beginning in 2002.

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Posted in Central Texas, Gardening, Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Solar Power Rainwater System – More Panels!

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 14, 2017 by JimNovember 15, 2017
photo of A solar-powered water shed

The solar-powered rainwater system was complete — except for more panels, and a cable to isolate the rainwater power from the rest of the system. Construction on the rainwater system began in 2002, when I trenched the various wires and pipes into the ground. I needed power for the rainwater system, and tapped into an underground wire originally intended to supply power to the well.

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Posted in Greenhouse, maker, Projects, Rainwater, solar, Woodworking | Tagged amateur, ampere-hours, battery bank capacity, build, charge, controller, deep cycle, DIY, equipment, Grid-assist, grid-tie, ham radio, how to, howto, Interstate, inverter, kill-a-watt, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, marine, mppt, off-grid, panel, panel wattage, pwm, rainwater, renogy, solar, solar panel wattage, storage, teardrop, trailer, wb0mmc

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – Refinement: Jammin’ Jacks

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on October 21, 2017 by JimOctober 21, 2017
photo showing Measuring Key Dip

Every piano is different, and although there are recommended measurements for key dip, blow distance, hammer height, etc., changes are sometimes needed to suit a specific action. At this point, Danny Boone’s Regulating Grand Piano Touch and Tone suggested fully regulating … Continue reading →

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Posted in maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs | Tagged action, action rebuild, Bernerd, blanco texas, danny l boone, DIY, grand piano touch, hammer, how to, howto, jack, jack screw, let-off, Mollberg, piano, regulating, regulating grand piano touch and tone, regulation, repetition lever, restoration, rtfm, shank, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano, wippen

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – Early Impressions

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on October 20, 2017 by JimOctober 20, 2017
photo of The Weber and Baldwin Pianos Nested

With casters installed and a rudimentary understanding of action adjustments, I was able to tinker. Hammer alignment went quickly, and as predicted, the sotto voce pedal now worked properly. Since the rockers were not snugged into their final position, they tended to drift, so I touched up the hammer line and let-off, and put the action back into the piano. It was time to play!

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Posted in maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged 1893, 1927, action, action rebuild, Albert Weber, Baldwin Model C, Bernerd, blanco texas, carved victorian case, DIY, hammer alignment, how to, howto, Mollberg, piano, restoration, sotto voce, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano, weber piano company

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – Baby Needs New Shoes! (Err, Casters)

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on September 17, 2017 by JimOctober 20, 2017
photo of the Leg reinstalled with caster

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, the Weber had been without casters for about 20 years. After we moved to our log home, I was eager to make it more playable, but there was a distinct rattling!

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Posted in maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action, action rebuild, Bernerd, blanco texas, brass, carved victorian case, caster, DIY, flange, hammer alignment, how to, howto, Mollberg, piano, restoration, shank, sotto voce, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – RTFM

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on September 5, 2017 by JimOctober 20, 2017
photo showing how to adjust repetition level spring tension

At the beginning of this project, my piano technician friend Jack recommended I read Regulating Grand Piano Touch and Tone by Danny L. Boone. It breaks the process down into 56 steps from reshaping the hammers to adjusting the pedals. I spent some time with it, but dove into the process with Bernard’s and Celeste’s help without really reading it all.

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Posted in Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action, action rebuild, back check, back check regulator, Bernerd, blanco texas, danny l boone, DIY, flange, getting things done, grand hammer butt spacer, grand piano touch, gtd, hammer, how to, howto, jack screw, Mollberg, piano, regulating, regulating grand piano touch and tone, regulation, restoration, rtfm, shank, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – The Circle of Refinement

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on September 1, 2017 by JimSeptember 5, 2017
photo of piano strings and hammers

After the much-needed boost of demonstrating the Weber with rebuilt action at our piano gathering, I was eager to continue. Time to align the hammers so they centered on the strings and shifted correctly when the soto voce pedal (or “soft” pedal, on the left) was pressed.

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Posted in Central Texas, maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action, action rebuild, back check, back check regulator, Bernerd, blanco texas, DIY, flange, grand hammer butt spacer, hammer, how to, howto, jack screw, Mollberg, piano, regulation, restoration, shank, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano

Weber Piano Action Rebuild – Assembly and Adjustments

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 27, 2017 by JimSeptember 2, 2017
photo of the Action ready to reinstall in the piano

We were hosting a group of our pianist friends on Saturday, and I hoped to have the action back together and with luck, installed in the piano for a little preliminary “plunking”. Time was short!

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Posted in maker, Music, piano, Projects, repairs, Woodworking | Tagged action rebuild, Bernerd, block plane, DIY, felt bushing, how to, howto, let-off, Mollberg, piano, pin block, punchings, restoration, rocker arm, string height, Texas, texas hill country, weber grand piano, whippens, wippens, wippens cushion

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