Jarm69, Author at Crazy & Co.

New Equipment, Generator 07

5 March 2024

We have just finished a complete refurbishment and overhaul of one of our compact generator systems. TBF, this one is a bit special, in that it was gifted to me by my late Father in Law. I wanted to keep it working as it provides a connection to him. It has actually turned out a bit like Triggers broom in Only Fools and Horses. It has had a new cabinet, radiator, alternator and control systems. If the engine blows then there really isn’t much left of the original.

We actually ended up using this one much more than we expected, due to its low running costs, making it perfect for smaller events such as a coffee cart hire, etc.

What happened was the unit we were using was designed to demount from its transport trailer into the back of one of our vans. This worked great, up until the original casing fell apart due to corrosion. Being a Kubota engine there was plenty of life left in the actual unit itself.

The original rotted apart generator casing. — The Original Rotted Apart Casing

It was built on four castors, up until one corner fell off and it came back on three wheels. Luckily whilst obtaining a new generator to build into the rear of our fire engine, we noticed that the dealer we were dealing with had a large supply of new cases for compact generators.

We obtained one of these, which were priced at a really keen price point, and set about the construction. The cases were pretty complete except for things like control panels, door locks, etc. We managed to track these down, with a delay on waiting for a delivery from China for some parts unobtainable over here.

The unit when it was constructed looked superb. Unfortunately following the advice of some experts to bond the Earth line to the Neutral, a requirement in most generators, the unit went bang. Seems that on centre tapped alternators this is a big no no.

So back to our supplier for a new alternator. Unfortunately when we removed the case to wire the new one up, we found that it also was a centre tapped alternator. Cue another trip up north to obtain a non centre tapped version.

So far so good. Except when we came to assemble it, the coupling system didn’t meet up. Seems our original unit had a recessed flywheel, which left the tapered shaft mount about 5 mmm short.

Cue yet another trip to swap flywheels for the correct one. This one happily did fit, and everything went together perfectly.

Well almost. Whilst screwing in the Earth point connection, the end fell off my screwdriver, and into the alternator internals. Meaning another complete strip down of the cabinet, to then strip the alternator down to retrieve said fallen off bit.

Happily this time everything did go together properly. We dropped the unit onto its original trailer, necessitating a few minor alterations to the fastening system and Bob’s your Uncle.

Generator mounted back on it's trailer — Mounted On Its Transport Trailer

0 comment

Catering, Fun Story

Pancake Day With Our Mobile Creperie

13 February 2024

We are fast approaching pancake day, or Shrove Tuesday as the more religious would have it. We are now undergoing our annual avalanche of last minute enquiries for a pancake or mobile crepe cart . Companies suddenly decide that it would make a good treat for their staff. Problem is they seem to come to this conclusion about a week before the actual day. The smart companies have already booked up all of our crepe carts a couple of months in front.

French Crepes

Truth be told we provide crepes rather than pancakes. Whats the difference I hear you ask? Basically just the consistency. Crepes are much thinner than the traditional British pancake. Legend claims that a good French crepe is sos thin, you can read a love letter placed underneath it. The actual ingredients we use are virtually identical except for the crepe having more water, to make it thinner

Originating from the Brittany region in North West France, crepes are now considered a national dish, though most countries have similar dishes with a variety of names. There is a tale that a housewife in Brittany accidentally spilled some thin porridge on a hot flat stove and through this mistake the crispy pancake was invented, could it be true? Possibly, many other foods have been discovered by accident.

Jour Des Crepes

So popular are these crispy delights in France, that they have a religious holiday named in their favour. Also known as La Chandeleur (The return of light), it symbolises the approach of Spring.

Yet another legend (gee just how many legends are there about crepes)
has it that if you toss a crepe from a pan, with your right hand, catching it whilst holding a coin in your left, you would become rich that year

Savoury Crepes — A “Galettes ” or Savoury Crepe

Although it is the sweet dessert crepe that most of us are familiar with, there is also the Galette, which is made with a less sweet mix, and meant to be served with cheese, meats, mushrooms etc, to make a filling savoury meal.

To be honest we all prefer the sweet version in the office, and this outsells the savoury probably 99 to 1.

0 comment

Fun Story

Stop The World I Want To Get Off

12 February 2024

The world is currently in a state. The Middle East is in the middle of one of its endless cycles of violence. Russia and Ukraine are still going at it hammer and tongs. The Houthis are trying their best to sink any passing ships. The economy is in the doldrums. Prices are up, fuel is up, food is up. Middlesbrough don’t look like achieving promotion this year.

And now, PETA the animal rights organisation is calling upon Carousel manufacturers to stop using fibreglass horses on their rides, as evidently “Animal-themed carousels unintentionally celebrate the exploitation of sentient beings,”

FFS, just when you think people cannot be any more crackers than some of the fruit loop examples we have seen popping up over the last few years, we have this. What’s next, an amnesty for little girls to hand in their My Little Pony Dolls. Perhaps stuffed teddy bears will be in their sights, I mean, all that cruel exploitation of the poor little stuffed dears.

More worrying is the fact that going by some of PETA’s past campaigns, the said little girls might find themselves being smacked in the mouth by tofu pies. Or even being drenched in paint! Perhaps they will skin the carousel horses and hold the bodies up, presumably dripping in resin.

What about your local funfair. You might turn up to find that PETA have descended through the night and released all the carousel horses. Bit far fetched? No more than the bloody stupidity emanating from PETA.

Unusual Restaurants, Dinner In The Sky

10 February 2024

Dinner In The Sky, another in our series looking at some of the more unusual eating establishments around the globe. This one is different because it is situated around 150 feet in the sky!

This one is present in around 60 countries. Starting in Belgian in 2007, David Ghysels who owned a marketing company and Stefan Kerkhofs, a bungee jump organiser partnered to create an aerial based dinner for the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe association.

This led to them being contacted by people from around the world who wanted to replicate the experience. They decided to go down the franchise route.

By 2009 Dinner In The Sky they were operating in more than a dozen countries including China and Canada.

Permanent Location

Michael and Janeen Hinden discovered the concept at a trade fair in 2008. They tested the concept at a New Years party, and eventually put the plans in motion for a permanent location in Las Vegas. Costing $4 million the location was to have a ground based restaurant as well as the high flying set up.

We can take to new heights with our gourmet catering options, but admittedly not 150ft dinner in the sky.

0 comment

Catering, Equipment

Burger Joints Of The World, Nathan’s Famous

20 January 2024

Another American chain tracing their history back over 100 years. Starting life as a nickel hot dog stand in Coney Island in 1916, the chain bears the name of it’s co founder, Nathan Handwerker. Nathan started the business with his wife Ida. The hot dog recipe they used was her idea, with her grandmother creating the secret spice sauce.

Although they were Jewish, their produce lacked rabbinic supervision and the meat wasn’t kosher, they advertised it as ‘kosher style.’

Handwerker was an immigrant who arrived in New York and found work at Feltman’s restaurant in Coney Island.

Going Into Business For Himself

One legend has it that Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante, the ‘singing waiters’ encouraged him to start his own restaurant. The official company history doesn’t mention this, but it’s a nice story. The couple spent their life savings of $300 to start the business.

When he launched he undercut his former employer who was charging 10c for a hot dog. Nathan’s came in at 5c!

At the time, food regulation wasn’t really a thing, and hot dogs were considered cheap fare. Handwerker had customers dressed in surgeons smocks eating at his place, presumably surgeons would only eat good food.

Expansion

Nathan’s son Murray drove the expansion of the chain. A second branch in New York was added in 1959 and a third in 1965. By 1968 the company had gone public.

The family sold the chain to a group of private investors in 1987, at which point the chain was franchised and expanded rapidly. They acquired Kenny Rogers Roasters and Miami Subs Grill.

By 2001 Nathan’s Famous had 24 company owned units, 380 franchised units and 1400 stores in 17 foreign countries around the globe.

They signed a deal with major league baseball in 2017 to become the official hot dog sponsor.

The original store had remained open 365 days a year since its inception, until being forced to close due to hurricane Sandy, but six months later it was repaired and reopened.

One quirk is that the original store still served fried frogs legs which has been on the menu since the 1950’s

Hot Dog Contest

On the 4th July Nathan’s Famous hosts an annual hot dog eating contest. Starting in the 1970’s the contest sees contestants trying to eat as many hot dogs as possible in 10 minutes. The current record holder is Joey Chestnut with 76 hot dogs and Miki Sudo with 48 and 1/2 for the ladies.

0 comment

← Previous 1 … 72 73 74 … 125 Next →