Hal The Van

[WVvan]

Thanks Saabman,
The sun actually came out today. That's always a good sign but more telling is that the cats have started to shed. That's a sure sign of spring.


Dave

[Ford_6L_E350]

Is your tendonitis in forearm? The kind that hurts like the dickens when you squeeze your fingers on a tool, liike a screwdriver or hammer?

If it is, get one (or two) of those adjustable arm band things for tennis elbow. I've been plagued with tendonitis for quite awhile, and those things really work miracles. They even allow me to work during episodes of tendonitis.

The Futuro brand works best for me. Before I found these lifesavers, it was debilitating pain and it took a couple weeks of rest to improve.

My doctor explained the pain is caused by tendons that rub over each other when you use your hands. The arm band puts pressure on the tendons and keeps them in alignment and prevents them from moving over each other.

Good luck,

Mike

[WVvan]

Hey Mike,

Is your tendonitis in forearm? The kind that hurts like the dickens when you squeeze your fingers on a tool, like a screwdriver or hammer?

Yep that's it exactly. If you suffer through this regularly you have my sympathy because this sucks. It's not the pain as much as the inability to do the work you want. No wait, It is the pain.
Thanks for the explanation and the advice. I'll most assuredly follow your recommendations if it doesn't improve.

In some lighter news. It's been solidly snowed in for two months now but I'm going to try and get Hal on the road tomorrow. It's still surrounded by snow and there are large piles, from my shoveling, in front and behind it but we've had some good melting lately with a couple days of sunny weather so I'm going to see if I can "bust-out".

Let see if I remember how to drive this beast.
Dave

[Ford_6L_E350]

Originally Posted by WVvan

Thanks for the explanation and the advice. I'll most assuredly follow your recommendations if it doesn't improve.


Dave

Don't wait for it to improve. Try the arm band as soon as possible. It lets me continue to work while it heals. I'm wearing one right now because simply sitting at the computer is very painful without it.

When my doctor first suggested the arm band, I walked out of his office thinking he was a quack. But, I tried it and the affect was just short of a miracle. The good bands cost around $20 and I have a couple of them and about 5 of the cheaper ones. They all work, the Futuro works best for me.

Mike

[GreyDawg]

Get a forearm strap!

Tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, pitcher's elbow, weightlifter's elbow (or in my case, "schlepping a briefcase that held a laptop and too much other stuff and weighed a ton" elbow) are all pretty similar and the "tincture of time" treatments are:

* NSAIDs: ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, etc
* Heat or ice
* A counter-force brace or "elbow strap" to reduce strain at the elbow epicondyle, to limit pain and to protect against further damage.

As Mike says, the last -- the elbow strap -- works beautifully. It took about four months for my elbow tendon issues to resolve themselves, but the strap allowed me to do, oh, probably 90%, without pain. Ice for about 20 minutes, two or three times a day, in the early stages helped a lot too.

[WVvan]

Thanks to Mike and GreyDawg for my latest piece of van equipment.
One of the cheapest things I've bought for this project but very effective.



$15.99 at the local CVS.

Not a magic bullet but does reduce the pain and lets me get back to work on the van. Only problem was getting it to fit over my massive biceps.



I slay myself.

Thanks again guys
Dave

[daveb]

Dave, if you find those make your arm itch where you want to scratch holes in your arm, try these.
http://www.elbow-braces-store.com/Pro-B ... awodZxJkZQ

I have had T-elboe for 20 years because of a control I have to operate all day. I found the type you show to drive me nutz. It might feel good at first but all you really need to do is clamp your forearm mid-way.

[WVvan]

Hey Daveb,
Luckily my arm band doesn't itch until I take it off. But then not for long.

OK, arm is in better shape. Back in the saddle.
I was working on the battery box before I was interrupted.


After the glue sets do a test fit.


Now I need to create a bottom. Since this box won't be used to lift the batteries, it will just hold them after I lower them into place, I'll use the 11/32” plywood for the base.
Plenty of scrap left over from sheets I used to create the van floor.


I've laid the box on the scrap to draw an outline. I've included 2x4's laid on end in the outline since a 2x4 is 1-1/2" thick. I'll be adding a 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" square block to each end. I'll use these end blocks to anchor the box to the van floor.

I'll also be using 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" size blocks on the sofa-bed build. Why 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" size blocks? Because I have a bunch of 2x4 odds and ends laying around and each one can be ripped to two equal sized 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" blocks. A good way to use them up.

After cutting the base and doing a test fitting I noticed the long sides of the box is bowed. To counteract the bow I added a section of wood. This will be used just for the glueing phase.


Draw the outline of the box on the base then use that outline as a guide for painting on the wood glue.


Apply glue to the bottom edge of the box then clamp them both together.


Let dry overnight.
continued -

[saabman]

Hi nice work
Quick question how are you going to vent them to the outside of the van?

[blkjak]

glad yur busy again...blkjak