Kevin Braby

Interests:

Local government (City of The Colony)
Automotive
Machine shop
Metal shop
3D fab
Network/Data security
Embedded electronics
Wood shop

Future projects: (in no specific order)

2001 Audi  TT Roadster: 1.8T water pump, timing belt, idler, tensioner, thermostat, tstat housing, etc replacement (car currently has ~28,000 miles)

2001 Audi TT Roadster: repair 3rd power window.  Currently stuck partway up/down and crooked.

2005 Ford F150: 5.4 3 valve spark plug change. (This is the engine where the plugs extend ~1 inch past the seat, and are at risk of separating when removed, leaving electrodes and some insulator in head)

2005 F150: change transmission fluid and filter.  Vehicle is occasionally subject to lockup converter slip and resulting unlock/relock  hunting.

2005 F150: all ball joints.

2001 Mercury Grand Marquis: change remaining O2 Sensor, front driver side (can't see the connector let alone reach it)

Garage door monitor: raspberry pi 2 and hall effect sensors providing remote view of garage door status, and periodic reminders if left open for extended time.

Automated dash cam:  raspberry pi 2, camera, and wifi.  Automatically start recording when car running, automatic shutdown, automatic upload of video when in range of home wifi.  Probably include an arduino to manage power.  System to power up on door open, or ignition on. Recording to stop 10 min past ignition off.  Pi to start offloading video when in range of correct wifi.  After 10 min post ignition off recording and offload complete, pi to halt. Arduino to detect reduction of current and shut itself and pi off hard.  Arduino to run 40 minute fail safe timer and shut down timer even if pi has not halted.

TCCS light bar mounts: roughly 50 feet of 1.75 inch square steel tube with 42 weld nuts inserted.   6 brackets to mount seasonally, 18" from brick wall ~14' above driveway.

TCCS pixel tree. 15 foot tall 7.5 foot diameter steel frame tree with 1/4 round rod rings every 3 inches in height,  to be built as manageable stacking sections that nest for storage.

3D printer.  Probably a Dibond90,  research ongoing.

The Cadet: build a roughly 1/3 scale replica of a 1953 general fire truck for use as a parade car.  Engine, axle, hydrostatic transmission and other parts probably to be pulled from a cub cadet lawn tractor.

Ongoing projects:

TCCS: The Colony Christmas Spectacular, an all volunteer Christmas light show, running seasonally since 2007.  Currently ~15,000 LED  lights animated to music.

Past projects:

2003 mazda tribute:  replace oil pan, timing cover, and valve cover gaskets.

2003 mazda tribute: change alternator that requires dropping passenger side suspension, half shaft, and lowering cross frame to remove.  Also replaced lower A arm while in there.

2003 mazda tribute: common maintenance including spark plugs, O2 sensors, power steering pump/hoses, rear shocks, oil changes, brakes, and front sway bar links.

2005 F150: common maintenance including oil changes, rear shocks, and brakes.

2001 Mercury Grand Marquis: replace fuel tank and pump.  Replace all ball joints and sway bar links, brakes, oil changes, 2 window regulstors, and 3 of 4 O2 sensors.

Rolling base frame for overhanging umbrella.

Ladder rack for 4 ladders on side of house.

Many brackets/props, etc for TCCS.

Replace threshold, and most of door jam because of rot, install storm door for protection.

Build fireplace hearth and clad in slate.

Personal tools:

Millermatic 140  (have run about 50 lbs of ER70S6 .030 wire through it with C25)
Makita  and Dewalt angle grinders (4 total)
Horror Freight tubing roller with 1/2 square tubing dies.
Dewalt 12" sliding compound miter saw
Craftsman 10" hybrid table saw. (Currently serving as a table)
Micromart  7X14  lathe
Micromart  mini mill