Hobbies

I went to a combined 50th party recently, me being one of the birthday people (no my birthday is later in the year, I'm still a 49 yo spring chicken). Megan put together a number of photos for the party with a bit of a theme of 'Dad's hobbies" and it made me think that I have gotten involved in a number of activities and hobbies during my life, I think I will take some time to write about them over the next days/week/months oh well some time in the future

Flying lessons - first solo

Wow, yesterday I got to do my first solo flight. What a buzz.

I was not expecting it at all, I have looked at the syllabus on Fri night and it looked like I have to do glide approach, flapless landings, going around and aborted takeoffs, so I assumed a few weekends worth.

We did a few circuits and I was goiung quite well, then one landing it all seemed a bit long, got near the end of the runway and so did not do a touch & go, the the instructor got me to look at the flaps, still up! He had pulled the circuit breaker so the flap lever did not do anything and I didn't notice, but he was pleased. Next circuit he did a simulated engine failure after take off, and then it was a glide approach, on late finals and there was an aircraft stuffing around on the end of the runway so we went around. The sweat was flowing at this point.

Normal circuit next time and he asks me to do a full stop landing. Bugger I thought, I'd like to get a few more in, its a fantastic day. Then he springs it on me, how about doing one on my own!

Cool I say trying to look cool and failing badly. But it all worked out well, the plane & I did a circuit and came back in one piece, a reasonably acceptable landing too.

As I said, what a buzz. The instructor & I worked it out afterward, I had 7.5 hrs dual flying before going solo which the instructor says is good, especially for an older student, apparently most people take 12 - 15 hrs.

Well I need to make sure I concentrate on the flying and not let things go to my head.

But I won't forget that flight for a long time.

Learning to fly

Its not a new years resolution, I don't do those, probably more of a bucket list thing, although I don't really have a bucket list either.

However I have wanted to learn how to fly for a very long time so I have now started.

My first lesson was 2 weeks ago now, what a great experience, I had bought the theory books when I booked so I had read the book on general aircraft stuff and so had some ideas about what was happening. My instructor, John, explained things really well and let me do almost all of the flying, the weather was tremendous and I was torn between listening to John or looking out of the window as we flew over the sea off Orewa. I got to fly the whole way back and landed the aircraft, although I'm not sure how much John 'helped' me.

I did my second lesson (Straight and level) with an older instructor Judith. Not as exciting as the first as she did a lot more of the flying, maybe I made her a bit nervous, but still very enjoyable. So far 1.3 hrs, not very much but a start.

I did a fair amount of study on the theory while we were camping, so I'm almost ready for the first exam, but I think the next thing on the agenda is to book the medical, otherwise I may just be wasting money, I'll do that as soon as I get to work.

Looking forward to my next lesson, climbing and descending, next Sunday.

Pizza oven update

I've been ignoring this blog for a while now, thats what happens when you get a job and time gets short. However the pizza oven is mostly done now, it is fully functional and we are eating pizzas on a regular basis. I have only made the oven door today so I have not attempted to do anything other than pizzas in it, but soon I hope to try a roast soon.

The pizzas have been great and we have had a number of pizza parties, so far everyone has had good things to say so we must have got something right.

What I still need to do is to is properly cover the oven with render and complete the braai that is next to it, should happen some time in the future!

Pantyhose needed for Pizza oven!!!

Yes, sounds strange I know but I need some pantyhose to do the next section of the oven. The next thing I need to do is cover the oven in a layer of vermiculite, it comes in granules which makes it hard to cover a circular surface. So the idea is to fill the legs of pantyhose with vermiculite and then wrap them around the oven before covering it all with a layer of plaster.

So are there any ladies (or wanna be ladies) in the Auckland region who can help me, I need about 10 pairs. If you can you can email me jim@west.net.nz, or leave a message on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Jimboeri

Thanks

Jim

Pizza oven #9

The first part of the oven dome is now complete. The first couple of courses are quite easy, the bricks are split and then laid with the mud/clay/mortar mix using a piece of plywood cut in a quarter circle with a 420-mm radius as a guide. You can get about 2 courses done a day, then let the mortar cure before starting again.

Eventually the angle of the bricks is such that gravity takes over and you need something else to continue laying the bricks. A swiss ball is used for this, I thought I might need some bricks to lift it up a bit, but the ball I was using was big enough on it's own.

I still carried on at 2 courses a day, it wasn't hard work but it was a bit tricky. I gave up with using a trowel early on, I put on some thick rubber gloves and picked up the mortar with my hands and poked it where it was needed with my fingers.

Quite satisfying to have completed the dome so far.





The next bit was really easy, a layer of the mud/clay/mortar over everything for a covering of about 5cm. This links it all together, and adds more bulk to retain heat when cooking.










I understand that the most important part of getting pizzas right is getting the oven temperature right. So I have been fortunate in getting a thermocouple from my swimming friend Geoff, thanks Geoff. It's inserted in the oven wall, we'll have to see how it works when the oven gets fired up!

Pizza oven #8

Some progress to report. While waiting for the fire bricks I did do some work on the BBQ side as you can see, I am going to make a back wall for the BBQ but that will happen when the oven is complete.

I picked up the fire bricks and pizza hearth tiles on the weekend. Took a while to cut the pizza tiles (a thin fire brick) to size but got it done, then a thin layer of sand & cement on the base bricks so they lie flat and then the tiles go down. Once that was done I started on the oven dome which means that all my firebricks need to be cut in half, not too difficult though.

My main conumdrum was what to use for the mortar. Andrew next door use refractory concrete/mortar, but that costs $100 for a small bucket and he went through 2.5 of these and I didn't want to spend that sort of money. Robin in his article uses clay from the garden mixed with sand and cement, but the guy from the place I bought the fire bricks recommended using Lawsons Super, a cement admixture. These guys all know more than me!

So while Andrews option was obviously good, it was expensive, and Robin has done heaps of ovens so there is no reason to believe that the clay/cement mixture won't work. So I've gone with Robin's mixture, but added the Lawson Super to make the mixture more workable and for insurance. But I won't know if I've done it wrong until it's too late, bugger.

But at least it's starting to look like an oven.

Pizza oven #7

I haven't updated the blog in a while, the slab needed to cure for a few days and I needed to get more materials for the oven and BBQ.

I scored a great freebie and got around 200 second hand bricks from Jan Battaerd at the surf club, and I have ordered some firebricks too.

A layer of bricks goes on the slab, helps to retain the heat, and these are held in place with a line of mortar around the edge.

The oven and inner arch are made of half bricks held together with a 'mud' mortar. Robin Overall's design uses a mixture of cement, sand and clay/subsoil. I was a little concerned about this and was considering getting some commercial fireclay. Bit a bit of reading in the 'net and I found that the grey clay that is the bane of east coast bay gardeners is basically fireclay so I decided to stay with Robins method.

I'll carry on when the firebricks arrive.

Pizza oven #6

I have now achieved my first major milestone, I have a base on which to build the oven itself. I must be getting alittle more used to it but mixing, moving from the front of the house and pouring the slab seemed easier that the other concreting operations. I think the local hire man will be disappointed I'm finished. As you can see even more rebar to hold it together.

The slab has to cure for a few days so I can do some work on the front garden, it is looking truely tragic at the moment. I also need to start ordering the materials for the oven or there will be no building going on at all.

Pizza oven #5

It was a big day today, hired the concrete mixer and filled all of the blocks with concrete, only its called grout when its filling the blocks. It took about 1 cubic meter of concrete, which google tells me is 2.3 tonnes. I mixed it at the front, barrowed it up and around the back, and then put it in with a spade and a little funnel thing I came up with.


Next is to box up for the slab that goes on top, and which will hold up the pizza oven and BBQ, not too hard so should give a little time for the body to recover. I am feeling a little weary & sore tonight!