Just figured it'd be handy for there to be a place where anyone can post up pics of what they built or broke this week, without it hijacking someones thread.
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This is a dumper i made this week from a severely bent car trailer axle someone gave me that i shortened, and some wire decking and struts from a pallet rack, plus a chicom lift id welded a boat winch on years ago, and some conduit bracing to resist soak up the twist.
Me and my son have been cutting and splitting OWB fuel for an old man on his pasture and my truck just cant drive out there, but his 4wd quad can so itll solve that problem. I only get paid if the wood comes out and gets dumped in a carport. Small loads to keep from tearing up the field.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0120181656.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1516505277)
Not a terrible place to work.
And here I thought by the title it was going to be a place to tell lies. :D
If it doesn't work as a wood hauler, you could make a mighty big catch and release possum trap! ;)
Panel cutter for 8mm polycarbonate greenhouse panels.
Edit: Didn't see this was in Forestry and Logging. Sorry I'm off topic :-[
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Quote from: Resonator on January 29, 2018, 11:00:13 AM
If it doesn't work as a wood hauler, you could make a mighty big catch and release possum trap! ;)
Id do better to bait it with a little copper wire and some meth tied to a 12gauge trigger!
Tiny forwarder. Well, kind of a cross over. Cross between a skidder and a forwarder.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/P_20180128_170653.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517263067)
Mike: Are you sure Walmart isn't missing some shopping carts? :D :D
Mike do you have pictures of making those ring chains you built for your tractor? What size round bar did you use for the rings?
Theyre not missing. I know where they are.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/BB8157CE-4CA3-4B32-A704-7F740AE2A886-314-0000003F36166D77_zpsbb4904a5.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517284383)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20161226_145824-1_zpspzph85br.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517284500)
Man down man down
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Jesse i will try to find pics. I think 1/2 for the rings and 3/8 for the rest
One more project that will be wrapped up this week. Like anything I didn't ask around enough and bought a set of axles that needed more love than I knew about, what should have taken a few weekends took 3 months but it's done now, lack a few things and some new lights and she can be back in the woods.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34634/part0_3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517279697)
took some work to gut the old axles and suspension, all new brakes, cans, replaced every piece of air on the whole thing.
I love the idea of this thread: there are so many fabricators on this forum,and so many interesting ideas. It may force me to learn how to post pictures ;D
My last project before we had to move our shovel.
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Then cheap trick for bearing race removal run a good bead on the inside of the race I prefer tig for this myself but might can work as well.
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Quote from: JesseA on January 29, 2018, 09:43:34 PM
Mike do you have pictures of making those ring chains you built for your tractor? What size round bar did you use for the rings?
Found em.. These are the jigs, one on each side of a cutoff, clamped in vice and had a torch holder and a rod holder so while i was working one the next was heating up.
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Quote
Then cheap trick for bearing race removal run a good bead on the inside of the race
Works great on valve seats and dry sleeves too. Nice stick holster on the trailer.
Gonna be a favorite thread for me too. Good idea Mike!
Quote from: mike_belben on January 30, 2018, 08:35:17 AM
Quote from: JesseA on January 29, 2018, 09:43:34 PM
Mike do you have pictures of making those ring chains you built for your tractor? What size round bar did you use for the rings?
Found em.. These are the jigs, one on each side of a cutoff, clamped in vice and had a torch holder and a rod holder so while i was working one the next was heating up.
Did you bend the rings hot or cold?
Quote from: mike_belben on January 30, 2018, 08:35:17 AM
Quote from: JesseA on January 29, 2018, 09:43:34 PM
Mike do you have pictures of making those ring chains you built for your tractor? What size round bar did you use for the rings?
Found em.. These are the jigs, one on each side of a cutoff, clamped in vice and had a torch holder and a rod holder so while i was working one the next was heating up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150620_170112_zpszdelg1iz.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517318870)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150620_170202_zpstpoo2k3a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517319050)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150620_170331_zpsc4uhvscj.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517319145)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150620_170714_zps2p7zkcfv.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517319242)
I don't know why I never thought of making my own chains. I think of making everything else
Red hot. Dont bother trying to duplicate until you build either a wood fired or waste oil fired rod heater.
Technically finished this last week, but this is my log loader. A chain connected to each end goes over a farm jack and lifts log up level with the mill and then I can roll it on with a hook. I'm not much of a welder, so most of it was welded by a guy at the firehouse.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/36921/76EF186A-D0CD-4D1A-877C-9C77B799440E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1517351649)
Built bunks for when the basket is off, then headache rack and gear holsters. It passed the test, dumped real easy. off to the cattle farm tomorrow with it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0130181457.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517358684)
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Quote from: mike_belben on January 30, 2018, 08:39:00 AM
Quote
Then cheap trick for bearing race removal run a good bead on the inside of the race
Works great on valve seats and dry sleeves too. Nice stick holster on the trailer.
Thanks Mike, I remember doing it on a set of sleeves in a JD engine a few years back with the dual shield wire learned really quick how hot that stuff burns. The stand was way over due it's not fun folding the heel rack and grapples under the cab having to worry if you're going to drag some cables a long with you.
Well Mike I was looking at your trailer and the one puffergas was making and thinking to myself the rear axle that far back is going to put a lot of tongue weight on the ATV, which will take the weight off the front end making it hard to steer. Then I saw your solution in the front rack of the bike :D. Nice build and it's always good to have the kids involved.
Mike, you build your own chains!? :o :o
Wow! thats ingenious smiley_thumbsup
Great thread. Judging from your posts you probably already have something that you use to handle those bigger blocks. If not....back in the " dark times" we used longer wood hooks. Just a shovel , the plastic handle helped keep hands warmer. When you stand straight just mark it at your ankle. Light pipe over wood and then hook in wood. Use two of them and place hooks in the "ends of the block" . Note..these puppies leave a mark. Not so bad if feet are frozen. :D
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Man thats funny, i actually have a snow shovel handle and a scrap of rebar sitting there waiting for me to make one.
on solid ground this is my pickaroon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1003171612.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1509072850)
Unfortunately the ground is never solid and it doesnt really go in the woods. And it DRINKS the gas. I made the dump cart for lighter footprint work and yes it is a little tongue heavy for the quad with a crummy turn ratio -too much trail length- but thats a short term power unit.
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I have this kubota still up north that actually pulls really well, sips diesel, has great steering brakes and an appropriate wheelbase to match the trailer. It'll be converted into the TSI machine somewhat like stephens. The existing spindles on the dumper will become the pivot for walking beams, and ill extend the back more so its a 6 post instead of 4 and the load moves back. No point in it right now, quad wont pull that much.
Also, the basket pivot uses ubolts that match the hole spacing of the unistrut welded under it. can be moved back about a foot in 2 inch increments to adjust tongue weight and tipper effort. I mostly wanted to test the hoist before bringing it to the job and embarassing myself.
Quote from: teakwood on January 31, 2018, 06:30:31 AM
Mike, you build your own chains!? :o :o
Wow! thats ingenious smiley_thumbsup
Trust me, it was a fool's errand, like most things in my life!
Quote from: firefighterontheside on January 30, 2018, 05:36:42 PM
A chain connected to each end goes over a farm jack and lifts log up level with the mill and then I can roll it on with a hook..
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/36921/76EF186A-D0CD-4D1A-877C-9C77B799440E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1517351649)
Thats a cheap, elegant solution id not considered, i like it.
Be careful with those farm jacks, always have the handle up when you switch from raise to lower. I had one knock my head half off years back.
Are those rice patty tires on your Kubota?
The welder across the lake from me makes rings cold using a heavy pipe the size of the inside of the ring, weld the end of rod (full length) to the pipe then anchor the pipe vertically to something solid, slide some pipe over the rod and walk it around the heavy pipe keeping the pipe over the rod close to the bend (like making a spring) . After you are done winding, cut down the length of the "spring" to release the rings.
The guy that was doing this said he was going to make a electric ring roller so he did not have to wait for someone to stop by to help push.
Also know a bunch of vocational teachers that made their own chains using a large machine lathe to roll the rings on a piece of pipe, they also made their own wood boilers and logging winches.
The load is between the axles, so, it can not nose up. The engine sips charcoal gas. 😊
Here is a top view:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/P_20180128_170615.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517434637)
Quote from: Resonator on January 31, 2018, 10:46:58 AM
Are those rice patty tires on your Kubota?
Yes, they dig extremely well.
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Dumper worked flawless today, exactly what i needed to get up the hill ontop a muddy wet field. It cut the number of steps down dramatically from previous technique, doubled production. Very pleased.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0131181445-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517457070)
Glad it all works for you Mike.
Quote from: mike_belben on January 31, 2018, 10:39:06 AM
Quote from: firefighterontheside on January 30, 2018, 05:36:42 PM
A chain connected to each end goes over a farm jack and lifts log up level with the mill and then I can roll it on with a hook..
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/36921/76EF186A-D0CD-4D1A-877C-9C77B799440E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1517351649)
Thats a cheap, elegant solution id not considered, i like it.
Be careful with those farm jacks, always have the handle up when you switch from raise to lower. I had one knock my head half off years back.
Thanks Mike. It works well. I'm very careful with the jack and watch with each stroke of the handle to be sure each pin goes where it's supposed to. The good thing is that when I lower it, it's empty. I can just lift the chain off and lower it by hand.
A winch that I made for the tiny skidder. It worked well. Drum had a toggle latch. Further up in the gearing was the dog clutch, sprocket with two pins.
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Now it is kind of a cross over machine, half skidder and half forwarder so I want a different winch system.
Didnt you have some vids of that machine up at one time.. Maybe on MTF? Swear ive seen it with the gasifier on front.
Would love to see more detail on the winch and how the takeoff power is achieved.
I made this rig for moving the mill and other trailers at a job where I had nothing with a hitch. 4" channel, a premade receiver blank, and some 1/4" x4" bar stock.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/14240/20180130_142254.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517710153)
Looks like I lost what I posted. Below is the winch on the tiny skidder. Use a centrifugal clutch, chain goes to the dog clutch sprocket and also reverses the direction, from there the chain goes to the transaxle. If the dog clutch is engaged the chain on the other side turns the winch drum. the other drum side also has a sprocket that locks the winch with the toggle latch.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/tractorWinch.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517749067)
drum at the rear.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/ttactorWinch2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517749164)
This is the garden tractor with the gasifier in the front.
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Video.
https://youtu.be/XZh7Quw1Rfc
Those tire chains look nice! Can you post a picture of your stove for heating the steel? Do you think sitting the steel on a bed of coals in an outdoor furnace would work? Do you tig weld? Do you think it could be practical with an AC stick welder? I don't have a tig yet. Mountain.
Wow, took me a few minutes to figure that one out. Do you have to drop to idle to put the winch in and out of gear?
MountainD- i used an oxyacetylene rosebud and it consumed a lot of gas. It was just a hand torch clamped in a little scrap made holder, and a piece of angle iron that each rod layed in and i moved it every few seconds by hand while working the current piece. Junk id tacked to the table then just knocked off after.
I would suggest hickory coals for a rod heater to save some money. I do tig weld but that was mig. No reason why stick cant work i guess.
Yes, I had to drop to an idle. The chain has to stop before I could engage the dog clutch. I did not have a lever on the dog clutch so I would slide it in by hand. Even with a lever the engine would need to be at idle. I could release the winch any time.
A retired farmer friend makes ring chain rings from [car] coil springs.
Dozer lost reverse while pushing concrete slab demo up into a pile. Then starter burned up. So i guess im pulling belly pan and trans right here. Stacked some rock under it to make some crawl space.
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I'd throw some short rounds under it. You could work it up a couple inches at a time and then get a hunk of plywood under it so you're not being rock tortured and water boarded with trans fluid at the same time.
Mike, I don't envy you one bit on that job. I'm sore just looking at that picture.
Tell us a little about that forklift? It looks like there's something missing at the rear of it??? More pictures as the job goes along would be kool.
I replaced the starter last winter on a 1010 JD gas crawler. Had to drop the belly pan to get the wires off, then take off the carburetor and sediment bowl to get the starter up and out. The fan belt broke while I was trying to pull the engine over to check the ring gear. I pulled the nose to move the hydraulic pump ahead on the front of the engine, and we found the radiator was rotten and needed a core. A very expensive job in the end. All to replace a starter that had been on since the 1960's.
The dozer was new on that farm, and had only been used to spread manure in the winter and gather sap in the spring. Just like new, with only a bit over a thousand hours on it.
Quote from: mike_belben on February 06, 2018, 09:13:50 PM
Dozer lost reverse while pushing concrete slab demo up into a pile. Then starter burned up. So i guess im pulling belly pan and trans right here. Stacked some rock under it to make some crawl space.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0206181512.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517968887)
Mike is this a power shift, hydrostatic, or straight drive transmission?
Trans is a 3 speed powershift and i hope the issue is in the selector valve on top but i need to clear out the 5 inches of oil mulch and get to the trans sump strainer. Also think i may have a leaking oil cooler line buried in the dirt under there.
The fork is a 1960s or 70s nassco, made in alabama i think. Detroit, 3 speed powershift, think theyre combine axles, its open dif with bald tires, gets stuck pretty easy. Chains would help. Its rated for like 16k and goes up maybe 18ft. Heres best pic i have of the back, nothing missing, just wierd lookin.
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Probably the best iron money i ever spent. I have 6 or 7 of those containers and the free camper shed.. Theyre all full of metal stuff from my shop move across the country.
Works on logs too, go figure.
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Might be worth throwing a gauge on the transmission just to see if you're even building pressure.
Mike, I am sure this isn't your first rodeo, but be careful with that belly pan. I had a comalong I was using explode holding a belly pan full of mud and grease on a 641 come within inches of making my wife a widow, and she didn't even realize it.
Wow, thats pretty heavy! I'll use a chain and binder, unbolt it then dump it on the fork.
It pushes good going forward in all 3 gears, just not engaging reverse. It was always slow on the first time reversing after startup, sometimes a few minutes then it'd catch and work fine all day. To me, consistent with leakage in the control not shifting a spool to clamp the no1 clutch for reverse.
After a few months of sitting it finally quite. Hopefully its some tired O ring.
Hopefully it is something cheap, and the fact it has full power in forward gears gives one hope.
I had to do 3 of those belly pans on 641's that summer on the job in the dirt, with what tools I had in my small service truck, which was lacking for the job, to say the least.
That comalong came apart taking the first one down, I had a warn winch on my pickup and with a little rigging used it to pick it back up and do the other two.
Could be a primary or secondary shuttle as well they'll have o rings and back ups as well, different application but I had a secondary with a broken o ring everything down stream of that circuit gave me issues.
Well today I had to make an exhaust system for a Perkins out of a 211 Cat excavator. Original parts coming out of the turbo were no longer available from Cat so this is what I came up with.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20965/KIMG0290.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518298409)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20965/KIMG0287.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518298283)
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That come out nice.
Nice job. smiley_thumbsup
Bushmechanic,I love that. I did the same thing years ago with the turbo outlet on an International TD 20c . The 573 v8 would burn the cast iron up from the inside.I used weldable malable iron fittings from f.w.webb.
I'm following right along here. You're all giving me alot of inspiration, and alot of work to do come spring and summer
Here is my shop heater. Warm up my welding helmet so I get about 10 minutes of welding before it starts to fog up. Keep my water from getting too cold and keep my gloves dry and warm. Keeps the cell phone from freezing up and hard to use.
.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/Heater.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518134530)
Wouldn't hurt to up size the smoke pipe too, coming off the turbo, and "Let her breathe". ;)
My fabrication project for this week is replacing the front bunk on a 1995 Superior log trailer. Got the old bunk cut out and cleaned up ready for a new one. Now if only the darn trucks would stay away so I could finish it.
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20965/KIMG0294.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518660675)
What was wrong with it ?
if it was like some of our late nineties trailers, the crossbunk was probably rotted out. we have a couple b trains that have had most of the bunks replaced over the last couple of years. it is still cheaper than payments on new stuff,which seems to be made thinner every year :)
Lopet it was rusted completely out. Owner had it plated in several spots to get by til he got time to replace it. You can see how bad it was by the holes in the bottom of the old bunk.
I spent several hours this week--way more than I expected to--fabricating a front end guard for a tractor that a friend expected to use for bush hogging. It came out good; unfortunately on Thursday morning he passed away. This one's for you, Art.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34291/Art_s_tractor_2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519004227)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34291/Art_s_tractor_1~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519004377)
Sorry about your friend.
Only thing different I could see doing is making the guard fold down for service small quick pins to the upright pipe and bolts on the outside for hinges.
Sorry for the loss of a friend.
What was the green piece of metal on the bottom of the brush gaurd in it's previous life? Always like a good backstory
I left room behind it so the grille could be taken out to clean the front of the radiator. If you wanted to take the radiator out, you have to take the grille shell off, so you'd have to take the guard off anyway. Next time it comes off, if I have to work on it, I'll slot the bolt holes a bit on the sides. It fit good when I tacked it together, but warped some when it got welded up solid. Hard to figure how much to plan for twist, shrink, or warpage. Oops.
Granite state; that was from a shipping support on a forage harvester from the JD ag dealer where I used to work.
The screen cloth was from the old guy's gravel screen. The pipe used to be part of a sprinkler system. You can't have too much useful scrap iron around, because you never know what you'll need next!
That is sad to hear.
Sorry to hear.
Sorry about your friend. It goes fast.
my condolences
Thought today was a good day to have the big door open and crawl around on the concrete floor. :)
It's almost as much fun as breaking through the ice with the skidder. :D
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Looks good. Why are the torque arms and hangar angles so different?
No idea, that's the way it was on the pup. Maybe it has to do with the two sets of springs not being identical.
Nice work!
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4x4, articulated steering, walking beam front axle...this is what happens when you acquire 3 identical mowers lol finally done. well, could paint it i guess.... of course, i just stole the engine out of my goodest mower for the lawn so i have a little problem now.
You guy's have some interesting uses for old lawnmowers I have to say, good to see it repurposed and a fine job.
YaaaassssssssssssSSSSSSSSSS!
I could use a small thing like that in my woods. A 40hp tractor,with a loader, takes a road to get it through the woods.
well it'll only do about 2- 6'' tree with branches on 4 without branches. traction seems to be the limiting factor... we will have to see how long the itty bitty keyways last on the axle shafts lol
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Load the rear tires. ;) I did have the wifes 30hp tractor in the woods. But that has loaded tires on it. I hauled out alot of wood on a trailer and some with the hyd arms. It did real good,even with tuff tires,but it's 4wd too.
Nice pinefeller.
I've got 2 50lb rear wheel weights sitting in the scrap pile
They came off an old Ford lawn tractor - might even be the same bolt pattern?
Come get them - same deal as that Briggs motor - don't want them back.
hahahaha sold!
oh and it looks like it needs this as well... I'm gonna start making a pile...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0225181844.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519602488)
nothing beats shopping at the neighbors junk treasure pile! any old antifreeze laying around for the tires while we're at it?
no antifreeze - bet a local garage should have ton's of used stuff sitting around..
I like that 4x4 skidder!
Here is having fun with 2" receiver hitch stuff.
The silver conduit tube is to hold the sun umbrella.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/Hitch.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518134438)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/HandWinch1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518134271)
The white arm on the winch attachment is the brake when winching in. There should be a second one on the other side and a shoe on the end.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/HandWinch2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1518134395)
good luck talking my son out of it...he has been patiently waiting two years!!!
IMG 0431 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_x6XwGdDWQ)
Pinefeller,That looks like a homemade Pasquali,great job.Gearheads forever!
i wish i had one of those! that would be perfect for play loggin! a pair came up recently on cl for $1500 but the real skidder needs new chains ;D
Love your mini skidder, your boy sure seems to have fun with it. 8)
That is cool pinefeller.
So its a belt drive pair of transaxles right? Were you able to figure out a single shifter or need to shift 2 sticks? Can you leave one axle in neutral?
I used a winch fairlead the same exact way on mine. Works good but i started off with it too low. Morphed into this over time. 2 winches and 3 pulling locations, high medium and low.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150715_140255.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519597764)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150715_140217.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519658762)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42463/IMG_20151111_132421_975.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519690269)
this is the jackshaft. i tig'd the pulleys together and the transaxles are hydrostatic with a cable going to each one and joined at the old blade height lever (now the fwd/reverser) the axles could be disengaged but this was all thrown together monster garage style. i got like $50 into this thing and maybe a hundred hours. 0 prep on the welding. was supposed to be so my oldest could learn ''the ropes'' of logging on a smaller, safer scale. hope he's interested lol if it works and he's got some ambition ill find us a 4x4 honda for summer and use the bombardier in the winter. when he's ready....the c5 8)...then the fire wood is all his to deal with he he he...thats the plan anyhow....if not its was a fun project.
Added a cutting edge to my homemade hookaroon the other day, also added a bit more hook and sharpened it.
Before
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18975/_DSC1630.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1504970215)
After
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18975/20180215_155501.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519693026)
One problem with tractors well even my ol skidder were breaks. The machines have them but there are trust issues. Had added pinable shanks to the winch. With the adjustable height and direction I found they worked great for the price.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12754/21cid_181.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1508032718)
Wanted to add them to the front as well. Neutral...forward...reverse. Put a couple posts to see if they will help with shoving tops. Has to be a simple configuration or the tops hook and back up when the tractor does. We shall see
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12754/IMG_20180216_155842_28129.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519737251) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12754/IMG_20180216_160114.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519737279) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12754/IMG_20180216_160234_28129.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519737312)
Nice job Hilltop but I can see how this will turn into a "HOOKER" padgent so here are 2 entries from ol PEI.... ;D (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12754/1519736664543.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520183465)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12754/21cid_528.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519737332)
Hmmm... you would have thought that the ones from PEI would have been the red heads! ;D
Hilltop, how did the extra weight help on your pickaroon?
It turns out i really like making handles. And have an infinite supply of handle blank rejects to whittle on. Maybe time to look for an anvil. I always did like hammering on things.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0221180801a-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519744009)
Just refurbished a couple of ol puppies for the kids as well. :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12754/21cid_154.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1519747050)
Quote from: mike_belben on February 27, 2018, 10:10:08 AMHilltop, how did the extra weight help on your pickaroon?
It wasn't a very big piece of metal (1.5" x 2" x 1/4") so not really much difference, I use it for picking up firewood blocks for splitting.
I left it in the tractor and my brother tried it, once he bounced it off a block and just missed his knee with the hook he put it back in the cab and went and got his pulp hook.
Dang stephen those are pretty
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/23363/IMG_0360.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520006871)
Spent a month of Sundays building this and just got done (enough to try it out anyway) yesterday. Took my 923 army truck and added a pto to the allison auto + pump, loader, and lines from an old landing truck I had and made myself a 6x6 log hauler. Not sure if you'd consider it a forwarder or log truck. Need to make up a headache rack to lay the boom on. As it is, sticks up about 17'.
did you double the frame back there
I boxed and double plated the frame from the tires back. Welded the box and welded + bolted the plate. I dont think its going anywhere. I dont want the loader falling off.
Im anxious to see how that works out for you. Is your rig open diffs or lockers? How long are those beds?
If you have the cummins 8.3 with MW pump thats a real easy truck to get a little more snot out of.
No lockers on this. Honestly it will go anywhere (aside from snow/ice) without the front axle. Ive used the full 6x6 maybe 3-4 times in the 3 yrs ive had it. The bed is 14'6". Plan to remove the drop sides and add standards. It does have the 8.3 cummins but i havent played with that yet. I used to use it to haul lumber out of my muddy mill site but got a better road truck for that so repurposed this one.
Nice truck there Bert, we used to use those in the woods hauling logs. That looks like a Husky loader is it?
I'm really not sure what brand the loader is. No names or numbers on it anywhere. When I got it years ago it had a scrap grapple on it. Replaced that with bypass grapple from an old barko. The loader has some wear and is a little sloppy but works ok for my small operation.
looks just like the husky 100 i use in the winter
Well I see everyone else on this post figured I'd show my most important project. I miss my pickup! Photos I'm doing rear spring hangers fuel pump Reece hitch new bumper and I've got a good box to put back on. Then I've got new fenders and doors for her also. The spring bracket shown I built in a few hours. They didn't stock the front/rear so I built them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/C50B685D-E35F-4510-918C-ED4D7CF583AD.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1520165563) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/9E960DF2-D4E4-40A3-8A27-377597DA3F8E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1520165551)
I see what you did there. Came out great.
That's better than Ford could have done it, at least there's a little meat on it! Good job.
Thanks. Prolly over kill but it's what I had.
I made a rock bucket from 1" barstock.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0305181415_HDR-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520392821)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0222181711a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520392861)
Tonight added a pretty basic winch mount to my stump grapple. If i had any steel or cash id have done different but this was what i had. Gives me a way to pull logs out of spots i cant get to, or help the machine get unstuck.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0306181754_HDR.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520392871)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0306181753_HDR.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520392883)
Reading the two above posts they have a common theme in choice of materials. "It's what I had". Good to know I am not the only one who will make or fix something using what I had. I have some of what may be the oldest steel used in projects. Down the road from me an old river bridge washed out in 1977. I was able to salvage some of the steel off of it around 1982. Bridge was built around 1897 so I am using 120 year old steel.
That steel is prolly better than some today. A 20 year old truck frame is more rusted than a 1950 truck. Sad. All that scrap we hauled in were paying for!
Yeah i have a boatload of structural steel sitting up north and need it here so badly. Metal is quite precious in the rural AG south.
The barstock in that rock bucket is 1" hotroll turnbuckles from a metal building thats been laying in a cow field for 20 years. No idea when it came down or went up but im geussing it was a while. I cut split and hauled 3 ricks out of the pasture for them. Lotta work but i needed the bucket. Would have been $20 of metal in my past life.
X2 on old steel being better than some today. Just had to replace the oil pan (hole rusted through) on my 2007 pickup. $800 repair bill. (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/shocked.gif) Dealer had to lift the engine to replace it.
Old steel is better in some ways, but steel has evolved too, at least some alloys. It does seem like old steel resisted rust more than newer steels, and I have a few examples.
At a farm auction I bought a big hand crank one lung wisconsin engine. The farmer was a friend and toled me I wasted my money, claimed he had had it 30 years and it had never run. The gas tank was naturally empty and empty tanks rust, the inside of that tank looked like clean stainless steel.
I have several old guns made in the teens and 20's that even when I lived on the gulf coast and a new gun would get a light film of rust in a matter of hours, the old ones never even tried to rust.
Probably had a little more chromium back then.
What ever it is, I know steel for firearms has come a long way and some of it will stand considerable more pressure than the older ones, but it came at a loss as far as rusting goes.
I have no need to load my ammo crazy, so the pressures are not anything that concerns me, even the old model 99 made in 1932 is a fairly high pressure round.
Today i meshed in the bottom with more 5/8 rebar.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0307181328a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520454586)
Granted it now requires a drier dirt in order to fall through the grate, but i do like the size of rock it recovers now. Its very good at going into a wet pile and breaking things up to dry rapidly or rake out. The crumbs that fall out have a lot of surface area exposed for evaporation. A dumptruck pile of clay is always wet and clumpy even in a drought so you have to kinda smear it around to let it dry before its workable.
Also this will help with getting more stabile clay for roadbase. When you can break it apart and let the rain wash the really loose silty stuff out, whats left behind is much more load bearing. Im pretty happy with it. Eventually side plates and a mesh grapple clam will make it shake out dirt twice as fast.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0307181328.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520453194)
Shoot, looks like a portable grizzly, I can see where a couple of different sizes would even be handy.
I take it you got your bobcat repaired.
Dont jinx it! Every turn of the key is like russian roullette.
After 2 O-Ring changes i bite the bullet and had a new steering cylinder fabricated. New rod, barrel and seals and 3/4 day of fabrication and 550$ later(https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/cry.gif). At least it will outlast the skidder
The old rod
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180309_122325.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520897078)
old barrel
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180309_122348.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520897075)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180309_150357.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520897128)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180312_125136.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520897223)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180309_150345.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520897217)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180309_152918.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520897165)
all new and shiny
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180312_143819.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520897253)
That's some pretty tidy stick welding done on that barrel! Whoever did that got some skills.
the boss of the workshop is 72 and I always spend more time there than necessary just to chat with him, he is like a walking cyclopedia on metalwork. i have great respect for him and have learned alot over the years.
If he fixes it then he does it right! he also knows how to charge(https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
he has 4 workers and they all weld pretty good, they are all costaricans.
Is that really stick? It looks tigged from here. Exceptional if its an arc weld.
It's stick, i stand beside the worker with a extra mask trying to learn something more. that guy has a steady hand!
Very nice! My talent dtops at unbolting and removing the old cylinder.
$550 was money well spent, especially if your able to steer, and not drive into a tree. (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/shocked.gif) (And drive into the trees you want to drive into. (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/wink.gif))
Im impressed.
Was the tube honed or lathe finish?
Quote from: teakwood on March 13, 2018, 07:31:33 AM
It's stick, i stand beside the worker with a extra mask trying to learn something more. that guy has a steady hand!
Did you turn the barrel while he was welding ?
Very nice job.
Quote from: mike_belben on March 13, 2018, 09:56:04 AM
Im impressed.
Was the tube honed or lathe finish?
We buy them already done by the cm you need. they come exact form the fabric.
it says USA on the tube. the tube was just 120$, the rod was the expensive part 250$
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/20180309_150357~1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520992082)
Quote from: lopet on March 13, 2018, 06:49:44 PM
Quote from: teakwood on March 13, 2018, 07:31:33 AM
It's stick, i stand beside the worker with a extra mask trying to learn something more. that guy has a steady hand!
Did you turn the barrel while he was welding ?
they have like a little stand with 4 roller bearings (like a stone wash tromel ) so the barrel can turn on the spot. he turned it with one hand and welded it with the other(https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/shocked.gif)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28043/Christophers_fire_pit.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1521494769)
Nothing to do with sawmilling but a little something my son made for us. Only had one fire in it yet but it seems to be all it should be. I like it. Probably the best way to use a split rim anyway!
Started the hydraulic pump bracket.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180318_164704.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1521512238)
The filter is sold as a return filter. Seems like it would make more sense to use it as a suction filter. The pump is about 2 or 3 gallons per minute and the filter is rated at 7 GPM. Any idea if it could be used as a suction filter or maybe that would cause too much inlet restriction?
Filters like that are generally on the return side, they will suck the gaskets in on the suction side.
@ puffergas, dont do it. Let the pump pull freely and filter the exhaust side of the valve. Put a valvecover breather/filter on the tank for venting. Thats where a lot of trash gets in.
Thanks guys! the odd thing is that I decided not to install a valve, no room. I'll just clutch the v-belt that powers the pump. And, if I figured correctly, the engine will be the relief valve. The hydraulic motor will be the capstan winch.
Thanks!
if all you need is one way capstan then thatll do it.
Finally got this wired up. Its not fast like a forestry winch and doesnt freespool very easy, but otherwise worked better than expected. The machine couldnt drag them in the rain but the winch didnt even groan, nor did the grapple close or machine walk like i anticipated.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0324181442.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1521922676)
Completely opened up a window to fetch wood from where i couldnt drive up to it. Have a cleanup job that requires winching blowdowns up onto the road shoulder of a campground, so i can grapple and load them on the trailer.
Quote from: mike_belben on March 24, 2018, 04:26:10 PM
Finally got this wired up. Its not fast like a forestry winch and doesnt freespool very easy, but otherwise worked better than expected. The machine couldnt drag them in the rain but the winch didnt even groan, nor did the grapple close or machine walk like i anticipated.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0324181442.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1521922676)
Completely opened up a window to fetch wood from where i couldnt drive up to it. Have a cleanup job that requires winching blowdowns up onto the road shoulder of a campground, so i can grapple and load them on the trailer.
I have to bring some larger oak up a hill to steep to get the tractor down.
I need to bring some larger oak up a hill that is to steep to put the tractor on and it probably wouldn't pull them anyway. Was wondering if I mounted my electric winch on the tractor scraper blade if it would dig in enough to prevent pulling the tractor backwards. I know it would be slow but got more time than money.
Do you have a front end loader on it or just a 3pt? Which end is your battery at?
No FEL just 3 point hitch. Electrical is no problem. I have a set of extra heavy duty long jumper cables that I can connect in a minute. That's actually how I do it on the trailer. Never did get around to running a dedicated set of cables back to trailer and putting on a connecter. Just get the cables out, pop the hood, and hook up. They are like 2 gauge.
The higher you can get the cable to pull from the better is all i can say for sure. Tested it out today actually.. Dragged a pair of 20 foot+ firewood stems through my stump dump just to see. I couldnt pull them straight through or without the stabilizer log but once in the air and braced against that post they walked right over.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0325181536.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1522027043)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0325181536b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1522027071)
Im calling it the "Redneck Skyline."
Picked up another junk Cub Cadet today and had to push the crossover out to bring the cub in. Thought I would take a photo out in the sun light. Finding or making a hydraulic tank has become a problem. Maybe out of a PVC pipe. Largest size I have is only 4" but I have two elbows. Could make it U shaped. A 12" length of 4" pipe is only about half a gallon. Six inch pvc pipe would be nice but hard to find and expensive. The tank needs to fit under and or along where the hydraulic motor/capstan-winch is.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180408_102631.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523206555)
Quote from: Puffergas on April 08, 2018, 07:54:51 PM
Finding or making a hydraulic tank has become a problem.
What about using an old disposable helium tank? I've seen some bigger ones that might be close to 2 gallons.
I have used and expired 20lb Propane tank for a hydraulic reservoir. Worked very well.
I have a pair of case 400 series tractors, one runner and one roller.. That im gonna combine like you did. Be like a mini iron mule. For all the hype, it was a really disappointing machine as a tractor, lot of potential but poor ergonomics. the transaxles are the cats meow though.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150518_112725.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523242577)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20150423_145244.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523242621)
While back i made this hickory handle and am finally fitting the head onto it. My kid found it in the dirt all rusted up and mushroomed real bad from driving a steel wedge. I cleaned it up and cut out the notch to make a firewood pick (think copperheads) to keep with me at the splitter. Head still has almost an inch to go downward, hope to finish tomorrow. Theres no knob on the handle and its real flat to stuff in my belt or painters loop on my pants.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0408182116.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523243502)
I also think i have got my parbuckle rig done pretty well and ready for a test run when kids and weather permit. I notched the ramps to go on the rub rail, and sacrificed most of my few pieces of rusty channel to make the rest. Pulley is a rusty wheelbarrow rim i stepped on out in the woods. One chain and binder holds it to the trailer as tight as if it were welded, a pleasant surprise.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0408181831.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523243605)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0408181831a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523243648)
I don't have a helium or freon tank but I do have a propane tank. The problem is that it is too big. Hmm, maybe I could cut it in half....
Mike, the case looks like a nice tractor. The Cub I bought didn't roll worth a dang!
Havent tried it yet, but i made an alaskan mill for my 395 out of a panel from a big square D electrical cabinet i salvaged, and some threaded rod. Its a 36" bar and theres 22" between the rods. Should get me some decent oak boards for the kids tree fort. Still have to weld up a "ladder" for the first cut, and make a push handle and rope winder winch.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0415181707.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523849271)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0415181707a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523849033)
My quad's been apart for a starter issue. I finally put in a new brush holder and got it running. Adapted the little winch tower off my garden tractor skidding attachment onto the backrack and tested it out with decent results.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0415181757a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523850412)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0415181748.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523849232)
Its much, much cheaper to operate a quad vs my skidsteer, and the quad is well suited to go in first, make the trail, pull out the limby stuff and prep things for the bobcat so i can get a lot more done when i do bring it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0418181851-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524102744)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0418181851a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524102951)
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0418181916.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524103011)
Milled my first slab ever today. :)
it's looking good mike!
Thanks man. Treehouse planking.
Mike, that is a sweet "make do with what you got" slabber! To be honest, I'm humbled by your "stick with it-ness" and how you figure out how to get things done with what you have on hand!👍👍👍 Shoots, I'm still geeking out over that "Redneck firewood kiln" of yours👍
Thanks for the kind words sir. I owe my wife a house so gonna have to just keep plugging away. This is the first time in my life ive really had a metals shortage. You should have seen me today waffling over whether to cut up a piece of bedframe to make the track mounts. I felt like some guy on a raft deciding to drink his pee now or save it for later. :D
Yeah the kiln is on hold until i come across some stainless fire tube and can replace all the wood down near the bottom with steel. As i sealed up the leaks, combustion kept getting hotter. it melts stove pipe and splits clay flue liners in a few hours now. Runs orange all the time. the nearby wood smokes. destined to burn down without some changes. Its where i hide from the kids now when i need a break.
Sorry,but all I noticed was a little boy with a little shovel and a big bucket. ;D Priceless,as they say.
and his son (I am guessing) to :)
They're not just treehouse planks, they're "Rustic natural edge slabs!" (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Quote from: thecfarm on April 19, 2018, 08:28:35 AM
Sorry,but all I noticed was a little boy with a little shovel and a big bucket. ;D Priceless,as they say.
No its okay we can talk price. Ill give you $50 each to haul these things off. Will even wash them before you get here. Have carseats, some clothes and accesories to go with them but probably wont fit for long. Youll have to provide food and toys. Just show them your fridge and garage and theyll figure it out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0325181852.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524145268)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0327180813b-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524144294)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1122171530.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1511402902)
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0402182339.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523106857)
Sorry, keeping the dog.
I already have three kids, but only one dog; No Dog, no deal....
However.... If one of them did the welding of that front blade, I might take em for say, $100.00 each (with splitting mauls and leather gloves to last till fall), and I can buy another dog.....
What's up with the tongues? :D You know if you gave me $50 each to take them off your hands,you would have to pay me $200 to get them back. ;D
Quote from: thecfarm on April 19, 2018, 07:16:54 PM
What's up with the tongues? :D You know if you gave me $50 each to take them off your hands,you would have to pay me $200 to get them back. ;D
now that's the entrepenureal spirit!! ;)
Get them back? Let me patch you through to my financial advisor. Hold please.
"Babe, call on line 1, tell em we have no money!"
I built that blade but boy isnt far off. My dad let me start welding around 10 but i think he'll be there at 7 or 8 if i cant find a buyer first.
We put my collection of free hand planes to the test today and somethin happened inside me as the grain came out. Whod have thought id find cabinets laying out in the woods with a chainsaw?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0419181919.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524190713)
that's what i like about this place 99% of the people on here have one hell of a cense of humor 8) 8) 8) 8) mike ill send you the specs to build me a new dozer blade for my 350 jd oh you can use my dozer anytime you want just have to come to ny and get it :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D on my way home when i got acrossed the mid Hudson bridge they had DOT check there was a guy throwing his hands up and pointing at his truck had a red sticker in the window :o and thought is that mike ;) ;D :)8) 8) :D :D the real kicker was it was a white international to but single cab :-X :-X
No, that was some other poor shlub getting a shakedown.
If i was a contractor and needed helpers, id ask DOT for a copy of their ticket list. Theyre always scouting out the working man.
Was able to make some improvements to my Square D chainsaw mill. Moved the winch handle closer to the powerhead so it balances the whole rig for one handed carry. Then added that adjustable sling strap so the bar doesnt have to hold the powerhead up. It was flexing pretty bad.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0419181918.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524191281)
Also relocated the eye bolt and 'fairlead' hole so the winch rope pulls from farther away now. This acts like a partner pushing on the far end and makes it real easy to keep the bar traveling square to the grain. The squareness looks so much better than ratcheting back and forth.
I shook the kids down for enough of the coins theyve swiped from me to buy a piece of 1/2-13 allthread on the way back from takin the girl to doctor in town. im gonna drill the bar holes out bigger and swap to that for the depth adjusters. Hopefully its rigid enough to control the scalloping ive had from bending the thinner rods. Also gonna drop a roller bearing on there so the dogs quit grabbing the log.
The quad dumper trailer got some improvements too. This thing:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0130181457.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517358684)
I had bent the frame into a pretty bad saddle from the crane dumping the wood basket. Too much load for the thin, two-piece, stamped and spot welded tin shelving struts i made it from.
i flipped the chassis upside down and took the saddle out with a chain, binder and some cribbing, then welded a rebar tension strut under the bottom to hold the preload like a semi flatbed. It is much more rigid now when using the crane.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0419181916.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524191055)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0419181916a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524191077)
If i were to build another id use sched 40 round pipe for the whole A-frame. Round shapes handle torsion best. Swinging the boom off to the side to winch a log in still makes the whole chassis try to twist over.
Quote from: mike_belben on April 20, 2018, 01:16:56 PM
No, that was some other poor shlub getting a shakedown.
If i was a contractor and needed helpers, id ask DOT for a copy of their ticket list. Theyre always scouting out the working man.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Barn practice
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0421181932a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1524438614)
Last weekend was the drum project. A bit too big for the mini lathe so the hack method was used. I started to think it was time to sell the mini lathe and get a real lathe but then I learned of all the modifications. So, I'll keep it and squeeze it for all it is worth, the mini lathe that is.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180415_090604.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523813166)
Some portable band saw work.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180415_093058.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523813211)
Next, grinding. Not perfect but it is a start.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180415_103753.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523813257)
If this works, I'll try it on the skid steer plate tong/grapple with a larger hydraulic motor with high load shaft.
Brilliant!
Building a wide belt sheave? I thought it was the start of a capstan winch at first
Yes, Capitan winch. I got the idea from my Chomper 14. It uses a hydraulic motor as a winch, but it is a standard wind up winch or what ever a standard winch is called. A hydraulic wheel motor would be an interesting option. I can no longer up load photos with Chrome, must of happen with the last Chrome update. Later I'll try a different browser. When I have the time I'm working on the hydraulic tank. Strange that something like a hydraulic tank is taking the most time but I also have a space problem along with a time shortage.
A zero turn mower would be pretty good to cannibalize for mini skidder winches. Youd get a pair or independant hydrostatic in and out winch drums with a mechanical load holding brake. Hydrostatic transmissions make the most torque when you call for the least speed. So if its struggling with the load you just slow down on the stick and it makes more torque. If youre fetching light stuff you can just crank it right in fast. Infinitely variable.
Only downside is no freewheel or remote control. One could make a pinned hub or a dog clutch coupling if they really wanted i guess.
The capstan winch is one answer to the clutch and free wheel problem.
Puffergas, how much room are you working with and how much capacity do you need?
JesseA, I'm using a 5" exhaust pipe with the top and bottom cut from an old 20lbs propane tank. The bung in the top of the propane tank will be the bottom drain bung hole in the bottom. I also ordered some weld on bungs to weld on the side of the exhaust-pipe/tank. It is about 2 gallon. It will be on the side of the hydraulic motor post, set vertical. There would have been room for a 6" pipe/tank but I had a 5" in stock. I do not like the idea of it on one side (out of balance) but it is close to the center.
I got to play with my $55 TIG welder, welding the bottom on but ran out of argon. Just bought the torch to hook up to my old AC/DC buzz box. The argon bottle was from a junk MIG I had years ago. Just scratch start. That was fun!
If I'm using scratch start tig I'll flick the filler like a match to start the arc instead of scratching the tungsten on the work piece.
Skean1, I've been wondering how to start with the filler rod. Do we hold the tungsten close to the grounded work piece. About the same distance as the diameter of the filler rod. Then flick by shorting out the tungsten to the work piece with the filler rod?
Exactly. Holt the tip of the tungsten about as far as you'd weld with and snap the wire between the work and the tungsten. Move quickly like you're striking a match
You hold your normal work distance depending on cup and argon flow without touching the work piece you flick the filler down the tungsten. I'll see if I can dig up a video hope this helps Jody shows how to do it pretty well https://youtu.be/-KS4TcXps5o (https://youtu.be/-KS4TcXps5o)
HF start for the wins.
High frequency is nice but even with it I'll still flick the wire when using helium on aluminum.
Scratch starts and helium. Tell me this is a 1970s linde machine.
Nope an inverter it has great starts but helium if it doesn't have a small scratch or the tungsten isn't brand new (reground) every start will give you issues. Now if I mix a little argon in the problem almost never shows up, straight dc helium isn't an issue either on aluminum.
Why are you running helium? Machine underpowered for the thickness?
It's a 250 amp machine, once in a blue I'd have to build up 3/4" or 1" chain guide for our old harvester.
Ive got a syncrowave 300 that i havent seen in a year, 990 miles between us has been tough on the relationship. She dont call, she dont write.. :(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47446/16CF856C-FD67-4EF1-A044-5DDE54A6D3EB.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1525836642)
Here's the machine and cooler.
that was good video. would have been very helpful years ago when that is all I had to fix an exhaust manifold.
Skeans1, how do you like the Everlast? I recently got a 251si and really like it but worry about the lifespan of a welder with a computer in it.
Can you buy a welder without a circuit board these days? I've only done aluminum with my TIG. With 460 amps and hi freq, you just give it a little more pedal, and off you go.
Thats why ive kept my old syncrowave. My dads still got a linde ucc-305, they just wont die. The issue is becoming that the people who carry parts and service them actually do.
I used to lust for a miller dynasty when i was in the racecare business, and almost financed one. Years later i personally forkloaded one from a robotic process into the dumpster at smith and wesson. i think they rented another immediately and sent the broken one direct to miller. Who said it was the main control board. Repalcement was something like $3k with no warranty and they chose to buy another brand new for around $7k all set up for the process by miller. It was no big deal for them, they wouldnt even spare a spot to store the dead one for parts... But it woulda broke a bum like me.
Thanks. I like the video. Those Everlast looks nice. Been thinking about buying a cheap-oh stick inverter welder. But Everlast makes one with a lower duty cycle but lift start and a 6010 mode for about twice the price of a cheap-oh. Welders sure have changed a lot since I bought my Lincoln buzz box back in 1981. Now a days some people say not to buy a welder that will last a life time because you will miss out on the new technology. Beats me.....
Quote from: Grandpa on May 09, 2018, 09:58:50 AM
Skeans1, how do you like the Everlast? I recently got a 251si and really like it but worry about the lifespan of a welder with a computer in it.
I have had a basic Everlast Stick Welder for about 4 years now. Just use it to patch up farm equipment. Does the trick for that.
I've had good luck with the two Everlast machines I have my only complaint is the fan but at least you know it's on.
One issue with a synchrowave is the power it takes to run the big girls or even a 200 synchrowave, it's like running my shop master 300 they're power hungry and we were told parts for both will be discontinued.
Yeah there are definitely obsolete parts from miller, but im told aftermarket stuff has sprung up to cover most of it.
I still have to fix my winch, but i finally got the back rack and screen welded on. Its streetsign post and chopped up pallet rack decking. Holds all my chokers and keeps the hoses from getting chomped, which was the real issue.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0509181814.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1525970865)
This turd of a machine has pushed out more than 20 triaxles of free fill the past month. Ive gotten over 60 dumped and just cant get time for fixing the dozer, 630am sometimes theres 3 trucks idling in the road while i try to make room.
Yard should be big enough for a machine shop and a sawmill by the time i get it all spread.
Th last Chrome update fixed it so I can upload photos again. This is the start of the oil tank from two or three weeks ago. It is raining cats a dogs today so I will be able make more progress.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180422_165545.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1526144431)
Good thing I uploaded this photo because I forgot about the filter!!!!!!!!!!
We're building some new hay and air drying barns on the farm this year, and I wanted a platform for aerial work. This is what we came up with. We started with a 10' long pallet and fabricated a metal support structure for it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Forklift_platform_started.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1526145460)
Braces were added to increase it's stability, and then we added a safety railing around it along with a ladder.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Forklift_platform_almost_completed.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1526145487)
In a few minutes I'm going to go out and wrap up the welding. I need to add a second set of fork pockets below the ones already on it. It's currently set up for my backhoe forks, but I want to have the option of using the big loader as well.
With all of the braces it is very stable.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48044/58ECCE2D-200B-4A85-A683-CA66DF9AB218.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1526601710)
Picking away at this project since I got back onto day shift. I make the rings in a coil, usually 4 turns deep. The first turn is usually a throw away because it's nowhere near round. These are bent cold with very primitive equipment, I'll get pictures of that tomorrow.
When I get material they'll get four 1/4 x 1inch wide 3/4 tall grousers each.
Im surprised you were able to get them that round with cold rolling. Pretty good.
Hydraulic tank installed. Just need a few more fittings. The fill port moved on me when I was playing TIG welder. I'll say that I designed it that way to give the capstan drum more room....
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/P_20180520_165501.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1526854739)
Mike, this is the rebar roller/coiler
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48044/306CBC30-46EF-4689-8101-E1C88F5E68CB.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1526908630)
Here's the results
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48044/1CF235B5-2E8E-4087-8C25-336CFD0AE800.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1526908770)
Works pretty good!
Yeah thats pretty slick jesse. Will have to store that in my noggin for some other day.
Another way to get rings is to get coil springs from the junkyard. Already round, and high carbon steel.
The problem is when you weld the lugs and chains on theyll crack off at the weld. Spring steel has too much carbon for backyard weldments. Needs annealing and preheat/post heat for long term good results.
Or Stulz Manganese XL rods, but they are pricey.
Your exactly right on the welding there Mike. I tried to weld some half links to a proper ring chain once, looked like a great job but didn't last diddly squat when it hit the woods! Now if I was to do it again I would weld the link around the ring and have it floating, live and learn, like my old man says " everyday is a school day". JesseA are you going to put some teeth on those rings?
That's my plan, make some 3/4 inch tall grousers out of some 1 1/4 flat bar, 4 per ring, hope everything holds together. I'm a little worried that everything is going to rip off the rebar.
I would be very concerned about the rebar. it is soft and flexible I would be alot happier using hot or cold rolled.
Rebar is intended to be encapsulated in concrete and resisting tension and compression.
Only one way to find out
I really hope it works out for you. what I would think about doing is putting some pink landscapers tape on some of the pieces so if it falls off its easier to find :)
I'm sure that when the rings break they'll be easy to find, they'll probably be stabbed into the tires!
Either way, this was a good proof test for my method.
Quote from: Puffergas on May 09, 2018, 08:41:13 PM
Thanks. I like the video. Those Everlast looks nice. Been thinking about buying a cheap-oh stick inverter welder. But Everlast makes one with a lower duty cycle but lift start and a 6010 mode for about twice the price of a cheap-oh. Welders sure have changed a lot since I bought my Lincoln buzz box back in 1981. Now a days some people say not to buy a welder that will last a life time because you will miss out on the new technology. Beats me.....
Hey Puffergas, if you are shoping for an inverted welder. I just bought this one
https://www.amazon.com/ZOJAN-Welding-Machine-Portable-Soldering/dp/B077G7P71L
Not as powerfull as my previous IGBT one which is still alive.
I just bought this because of extreme portability.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19153/posteasouder.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1527075395)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19153/posteasouder2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1527075418)
Don't know if it will last as much as the other Chinese one. But for 100 bucks, i'm not too worried!
welded 5/8 rebar as grousers on the D6, been using it clearing land and the stumps and rocks havn't bothered yet.
Rebar is my regrousing plan too.
Satamax, that is an amazingly small welder! One idea I have for one of them is a remote foot amp adjuster, for TIG. Could bypass the adjustment pot with one in the homemade foot control or use a lite cable from the foot control to the adjustment pot/knob on the welder. Don't feel too bad about hacking a cheap (but nice) welder.
Took my revised limb trailer and ballast devices over to retrieve some firewood from a clearing i did last summer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0524181854.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1527212968)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0524181953-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1527212785)
Worked great. Now if i could just get the ballast to unload it.
Also finished my pitchfork. red oak sapwood i salvaged from a doady log, a scrap of a dish antenna mount, piece of EMT and some barn nails.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0522181622.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1527213355)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0524181853.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1527213090)
Quote from: Puffergas on May 23, 2018, 09:06:32 PM
Satamax, that is an amazingly small welder! One idea I have for one of them is a remote foot amp adjuster, for TIG. Could bypass the adjustment pot with one in the homemade foot control or use a lite cable from the foot control to the adjustment pot/knob on the welder. Don't feel too bad about hacking a cheap (but nice) welder.
Chinese stuff is soo cheap these days, that i would rather buy a ac/dc HF tig with a pedal, rather than to hack this one. ;D
But what you say is perfectly doable. With an old dead whawha pedal. :D
mike your son reminds me of me when i was that age never had a shirt on and would pitch a fit if my mom made put one on to go to town now i have to have one on now cant stand things crawling on me must be old age
Were you perpetually covered in dirt too? That kid has perma-filth on him.
like my dad told my wife with our first daughter at 2 14 years from now you will be wishing she was full of dirt and grease ;D
i didn't have much dirt on me but had a lot old Detroit grease on me :D 8)
Here is one man's review of the little welder.
TFS: The Smallest Welder EVER! Will it TIG? - YouTube (https://youtu.be/XI1phUMqOKo)
Well I got one done! A couple oopsies but nothing major.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48044/4B8FB5EF-8A04-4C31-A109-46B2B52167BD.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1527556787)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48044/DC0ADB8E-0060-4415-A696-42DAE3A64F29.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1527556790)
D
Nice.. Try em out yet?
Not yet. I'm looking forward to though
Quote from: Puffergas on May 28, 2018, 01:35:40 PM
Here is one man's review of the little welder.
TFS: The Smallest Welder EVER! Will it TIG? - YouTube (https://youtu.be/XI1phUMqOKo)
Good to see.
I guess, the amps showed, are overstated, for sure. But it works kind of all right for me.
Nice job there JesseA , should get some good grip with those. ;)
Nice set of chains Jesse !! A lot of work but they came out good.
I wanted to put some 4" deep stake pockets on my little trailer so I can use it for small logs and poles. The thing is made from bent up 12 Gauge (.104") and needed some reinforcement underneath. As you can see I'll never be a fabricator or welder but I have fun trying. I am liking that little EverLast PowerArc 200ST welder I have had for a month now. Weighs about 30 lbs and will run on 240 or 120 volts. Way better than the old bullet proof AC TombStone if it holds up. Never realized how much nicer DC was to weld with.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1170826.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527974523)
gg
DC is awesome till you get arc blow it always seems to happen to me. Nice little machine have you tried hooking up a tig torch to it yet?
No, Not yet. That will make thin stuff easier I think. I also want to try running it off my little 5000 W generator. Should run 3/32 rods at least. Maybe even 100 Amps ?? I made my stake pockets kind of overly complicated so there would be a lots of continuous welding to give me a good feel for it. Now I can try some other stuff.
gg
Just a little reminder. The Everlast owners manual says to only run their welder with a generator that is rated for "clean power". Everlast ain't cheap and I would hate to see someone damage theirs due to a simple mistake. At least thats what the book for my 251si says.
Nice work guys, I'm enjoying this thread.
G_man, i have the earlier version, of this chinese welder. The one without the tig capabilities. But otherwise, the same fins in the front etc. I have had it may be ten years now. It's tough, i have spent afternoons full burning 4mm rods, without a glitch. But the led display has gone astray long time ago, may be one year from new.
Quote from: Grandpa on June 03, 2018, 07:08:48 AM
Just a little reminder. The Everlast owners manual says to only run their welder with a generator that is rated for "clean power". Everlast ain't cheap and I would hate to see someone damage theirs due to a simple mistake. At least thats what the book for my 251si says.
Nice work guys, I'm enjoying this thread.
Thanks for the reminder. My PA 200ST manual says "can be used on small clean powered generators ( US and Canadian models )." Well I have a SVP5000 Generac that is 18 years old but runs fine. Mfg in Wisconsin but pretty old. I wonder if that would be OK ?? Any insight ??
gg
That would be a dirty power source, also you need X amount of continuous power. Clean power won't have the spike some gen sets are famous for.
Quote from: Skeans1 on June 03, 2018, 05:05:58 PM
That would be a dirty power source, also you need X amount of continuous power. Clean power won't have the spike some gen sets are famous for.
Thanks ! I was afraid that would be the case.
Now with a big enough gen set no reason you couldn't power it, I've thought about picking up an AHP 160 stick to hook up on a gen set for repair work in the field for 250 or less it's a throw away welder.
Some electronics don't like to be run on non-sine wave generators, After a storm with lots of power outages I heard of some people around here that ruined there newer refrigerator electronics because it didn't like the power source.
Made a few of these. Not exactly high in the "Daily Fabrication" skills department, but I will be glad I did it come deer hunting season, haha.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39936/IMG_5294.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528117716)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39936/IMG_5286.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528117730)
I just ordered this one from their web sit.
http://amicopower.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=86
The description claims some voltage variation is tolerable.
I wonder if something like a electric motor connected to the generator would help smooth out the generator output? MAybe a flywheel on the motor shaft.
Amigo called to say that they will not ship until my address is confirmed (shipping not the same as billing). I confirmed and it made me happy that they would call! ! !. Have a tracking number now. The person on the phone sounded like a US of A citizen.
One day last winter I got an idea for bolt on valve stem protection and cut all the pieces then put it all aside because I couldn't drag the welder from the basement up thru the snow to tack it up on the tractor. Finally I put it together today. Kind of heavy but it looks like it might work.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1170879.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528418048)
It's just a piece the shaped to fit the opening and sandwiched so it can't move around with the pipe end welded to the outside at the bottom and two sides.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1170863.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528418057)
gg
Very nice! And you can screw a pipe cap on there to really protect it!
A very good idea.
Well I finally have something pretty enough to post. My welds are functional... ;)
I've decided to sharpen my own bands since the local sharpening service is extremely slow/over booked and the results are mediocre (something I excel at :D). I need to make three items. A setter and an advance mechanism for the grinder and a de-setter.
Searching my stockpile, all the pieces for a de-setter just fell into place. I had the timing belts replaced on two vehicles and saved the idle and tension pulleys. Years ago, I bought a 1/2" plate that was some sort of automotive jig with lots of holes and some dowel pins. Two pins needed to be removed and, surprisingly, they popped out with a few solid taps.
Turned out the dowel pins fit the center hole on an idler pulley perfectly. I only had to drill one 1/2" hole for the pivot point and a small hole to mount the tension screw. I ran a scrap of blade through it and it works great. It doesn't remove all of the set, just gets them all back to something less than the target and eliminates any teeth that got bent way out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180607_de-setter_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528471725)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180607_de-setter_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1528471736)
That looks great john.
I have buckets, crates and file cabinets full of every kinda gear, pulley, idler, cam, coupler, lovejoy, destaco... You name it. All stuff from scrap.. And all locked in truck bodies a thousand miles away where it doesnt help me today.
:/
Been doing some welding with the import inverter.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180707_163401.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1531013197)
This thing likes to dig in and melt the butter.
I twisted off my rusted out trailer jack handle this weekend. Would have been better off to make a new one but I thought this would be a good test of welding rusted out thin metal. I almost always use 1/8 6011 with the buzz box and had good luck with it. Had some 1/16 6013 rods that never work well with the buzz box, I thought they were a joke.
Man, I was disappointed trying to weld this thin stuff with 1/8 6011. It was just what the reviews said about trying to keep the rod lit with an import inverter. No problem at higher amps but a beginner might have a bit of a problem. Then I remembered those junk 10 year old 1/16 rods. Surprise, they worked like a charm! Can keep a crazy long arc and make a nice high frequency hiss. Now I'm thinking the TIG stuff was a waste for me.
Learning to weld all over again.
This is my rusted paper thin junk weld.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20180707_163410.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1531013272)
Glad it works for ya. Never tried one of these little things. Whatd it cost?
Mike, about $150. Of course prices for everything will be going up. Figures, just when I was thinking about a plasma cutter. Oh well.. No idea how it will hold up. Only time will tell.
I want to be able to pull a trailer with the winch on the tractor so last weekend I put a 2" receiver in the butt plate of my little Farmi.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1180048.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531094487)
A couple years ago I made a bolt on 1-1/4" receiver that I would put on when I wanted to tow the wood splitter.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1180068.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531158768)
gg
Maybe should be titled "The Woodshed". A
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34291/woodshed3B_north_wall__and_roof_on~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1531359059)
project I've planned for some time, somewhat overbuilt, but it's the journey, folks. I'm only doing this once. Frame isn't mortised-Timberlocks are wonderful things. I'll finish the siding and fill her up this summer. Probably add doors next year--after the listers look at it and decide how much to raise our taxes!!
g_man: nice add-on! Should come in handy.
Oliver05262--if they raise your taxes, do that mean you've been "taken out to your own woodshed?" :D :D
All the best, Rob.
Wood shed looks good. Going to put any siding on it? If so put it up green and when it drys there will be some gaps for the air to blow through.
Nice shed Oliver ! Built to last a while. Make sure you point out to the listers that it is a movable shed on skids. They might over look that and it makes a big difference. Their assessment will still be plenty high for a shed.
gg
Nice build! For what do you use that? Storage gardentools? or firewood?
Update with a new picture. Siding is on three sides- 1X6 pine, still somewhat green and spaced with a 10penny nail. Already showing some daylight between the boards to let the wind through.
Now to figure out how to finish off the open side. I'll probably just put the 1X6's down as far as the braces go for this year, with a header across between them at 6'6". Probably wait to make doors until next summer.
Now to trade off some of my skidder repair jobs for some wood to fill it up!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34291/woodshed_with_sides_on_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1532053191)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34291/woodshed_with_sides_on_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1532053232)
Very nice looking shed.If it is used for green wood I'm afraid the wood won't dry.My brother built a similar style shed and ended removing every other board.
Put some rebar sides and a back rack on my rock bucket. 20 some loads of demo have come in, with a mixture of rebar, scrap metal, concrete and native shotrock. Ive been sifting the pile with it and its working great. The fines fall all over the driveway where i need em. Then i dump on the edge and fling the big concrete and block stuff over the hill. Medium stuff gets run into the clay up top to make my road base. Im picking out the stones for a retaining wall and so forth. 30 more loads to come.. Gonna put me up around 150. Not bad for a burnt, locked up, junk gasser bobcat.
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Eat your heart out CFarm.
I could use a burnt, locked up, junk gasser bobcat too. ;D
I am working on 3 roads now. One is being put up in the air at least 2 feet,one is only coming up about 6 inches,this is the truck road. They kinda squashed it down in one wet spot. Than the next one is where the forwarder came across the bog. Had plenty of rocks for him to cross,but the middle is higher than the wheel tracks. The wheel tracks are being filled in. Just want to level it out for the tractor.I have places for rocks 2-3 feet across and places for rocks only a few inches across. Good thing I can get rid of rocks. ::)
Below is an update video of the think I call a crossover.
Video.
Forwarder Skidder Crossover - YouTube (https://youtu.be/0_c8VHzQnnE)
Photo.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/P_20180805_145213.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1533503952)
That looks a lot like old aebi transporter.
Satamax, I've thought about doing something like that with an old pickup truck.
Emmentaler Härtetest Teil 2 - YouTube (https://youtu.be/QMgfEWm4Pz4)
Aebi Transporter - YouTube (https://youtu.be/QEL4zRG5mVU)
A roll cage in in the plan also.
Puffergas, Those things are extremely reducted, rated for 40kph. with small two, three or four cylinders, of 20/40hp usually. AG tires, lockers everywhere. Nearly unstopable! Except if they're not loaded.
Could be done with a pickup sure. Or even better, with an old toyota hiace or dyna.
i saw a rig a few yrs back. he took a ford windstar van awd cut to shorten it cut the roof off along with the doors. said it made a cheap little buggy
Subarus. All theyre good for.
Now, Mike, stop that. They're Vermont's official car. F350's are pretty much the official truck....................
Why do you think i moved to tennessee?
:p
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I don't think the grapples have liked longer logs especially since they are on a log loader.
I got sick of never having chains long enough to wrap around the bucket and pick up logs. So after buying a pair of nice choker chains from Logrite I finally made a set of hooks for my bucket.
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Crusarius,good idea.
I took a length of chain,kinda like a smiley in front of the bucket. I drilled a ½ inch hole at the upper corner of each side of the bucket. I had to make the first link a little egg shape to get the bolt through the link of the chain. I put the keyhole part of a slider from my 3 pt winch onto the chain. Then I took the slider off and put a hook in its place. When I pick up a rock that is a little to big for the tractor one wheel comes off the ground,I can slide the keyhole over to keep both wheels on the ground. 6 inches makes a big difference. And comes in handy too if I can't reach something,I can slide it over more. The keyhole hangs just a little below the bucket,just a few inches.
never thought about doing it that way. That would have been a lot easier. The nice thing about this is I have 3 slots on each side and 4 slots in the middle. So if I get really serious I can hook plenty of chains. Or I can just hook the tail to keep it out of the way.
I can hook from the front of the bucket or the back of the bucket.
Thanx for the kudos.
I had all sorts of chains hanging off the backrack of my dozer blade and discovered that it wasnt always faster to hang every stem on that i could. A lot of times the logs would climb over each other in a turn and be completely bungled.
With a bucket you have the added feature of curl to help get out but with a dozer i could only set the blade down. Ive had to buck a piece off the log to get unchained.
Found that it was more forgiving to stretch out one long chain off the blade like a mainline and clip short chains and logs to it in various places then flat drag the whole trot line out. If it bungled i could still free the machine and then push them apart with it. This also gave me a lot more maneuverability on the trail than having the butts choked up against the blade. If things got wrong enough you could splinter a butt without realizing it when they were jammed into the blade and wedged in a turn.
Really looking forward to a winch and sliders soon.
Primary reason for this setup is just lifting logs to unload trailer and setting on mill. But I also use my tractor to move alot of things around. I try not to skid if I can avoid it.
smiley_thumbsup
That will be handy, I have a couple of grab hooks welded to the outside edge of mine. Yours are probably far enough back from the front to avoid bending the bucket.
I was told by a very experienced welder to put the hooks as close to the outside edge as possible for lifting, my tractor bucket also has one in the centre that was put on by the previous owner and yes he bent the bucket.
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mine are place 1/2" from the bend in the bucket. they should be plenty strong. we will see the first time I have to pick up a log that the tractor can barely lift :)
I almost just did what you did with the hooks but I wanted to be able to use them from both sides. My dad made some on a swivel that worked really slick off both sides so I made these to work both ways. Really love the extra slots to hang the tail of the chain so it does not drag on me.
Yep, you will know once you put them to the test.
I will caution anyone with a 4x4 tractor that pulls heavy objects with their front bucket to watch out for lifting the back wheels off the ground, lots of "fun" can happen quick! The higher the bucket the worse it is.
If I need to pull something very heavy or something is stuck I will roll the bucket part way to the dump position then back up to tighten the chain and stick the cutting edge on the ground and then roll the bucket back, I'm always amazed at how much I can move this way.
had more than my fair share of wholly bad word moments :)
Kinda like when the fronts wheels start to come of the ground,Step on the clutch!!!
Than when the rear wheels comes off the ground,lower the bucket!!! Seem like both times,both ends come down fast. Need a crinching smiley.
Good idea with slider keyhole and hook on a "smiley" chain across the bucket Ray.
gg
I pulled the hydrostatic pumps out of a New Holland skidsteer on Thursday. Not a fun job, but the dealer let me use the tools to jack the cab. I was preparing to take them out the front, but in hindsight, I don't think I could have lasted long enough!!!
Nice big shop, converted from a horse arena, with a floor poured in half of it. Even plenty of room to get my crummy inside! Summer time shop, cause it's high on a hill, and cold & windy in the winter.
Oh yeah, there's a 440A skidder parked inside, so it does have something to do with logging.
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Im gonna need to do pumps and/or wheel motors soon. Not looking forward to the machine being down.
This engine followed me home. Plan to make a small table top sawmill. Turned out to be a C-153 out of a combine. No liners but more power, not sure if that is good or not.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/C-153.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537204933)
Lotta fab lately, gonna run out of welding gas soon and be in a real bind. My leased tank needs to go back to massachusetts and ill be without for a while.
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Bar rail closer
Drop on sides for my rock bucket
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Track and carriage setup for chainsaw milling from stopsign and conduit.
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A bit of over kill there Mike on the rail closer, I've never used one always done the tap the rails closed on the harvester bars. For the saw bar once I switched to sugihara bars I haven't had to do any maintenance on them and they've been through two power heads.
its surprisingly tough to close them by bearings, i was just about to give up on it. was spreading apart until it got to this stage so it's actually kinda minimal. Id love to have a hammer style squeezer but this'll do.
Incredible difference in cut quality once the rails were closed. This bar wouldnt buck a piece of firewood and now its making lumber.
Making progress on the loading arch.
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Looks like a pulley block in a tree for unloading will be next.
Not easy to make a video with the phone in one hand and the other trying to run the machine.
Self Log Loading - YouTube (https://youtu.be/kJezzRr2PYE)
That worked out great. Ive been thinking i need a pin on deadheader on the back of my little bunk trailer.
Youre at about half capacity on those back tires. I blew up 3 of them then went to car donuts and just blew one of those too. 31" MTRs are going on next. Wish i had the garden rubber foamed.
Quote from: Puffergas on September 30, 2018, 08:43:35 PM
Making progress on the loading arch.
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Looks like a pulley block in a tree for unloading will be next.
Not easy to make a video with the phone in one hand and the other trying to run the machine.
Self Log Loading - YouTube (https://youtu.be/kJezzRr2PYE)
That works good. Like the video. Much better than my method of lifting one end and then pulling the log up and on with the winch. Hard on the back and I need something up front to hold the already loaded logs from pushing forward. A winter project for me.
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gg
Here is a shorter video. It was the first test load.
First arch loading test - YouTube (https://youtu.be/KgQMTqiSOuc)
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Spray Skidder
500gal. steel tank
Deere GPS
3 section control
Rate control
50' swath
CDixon4950, what is that??
Quote from: Puffergas on October 01, 2018, 08:08:18 PM
CDixon4950, what is that??
An old franklin q80 I converted to spray clear cuts ahead of planting pine plantation.
Quote from: mike_belben on September 19, 2018, 11:28:17 PM
Lotta fab lately, gonna run out of welding gas soon and be in a real bind. My leased tank needs to go back to massachusetts and ill be without for a while.
Mike call your MA guy. When I moved, as luck had it My tanks were leased from a small shop in MD that was bought out by Matheson but still call just Lee's gas. Matheson turned out to be close to Nationwide and they had a branch here in ME. I was able to transfer the lease with no problems. You might get lucky. Who's name is stamped into the bottle?
Haven't shown much work this summer so I'd figured I'd show what I've caved up. http://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/3871D48A-2318-4D3C-8578-9ABD982F696F.jpeg
http://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/9D0D2621-87EF-40DA-800C-A91FDA79C47B.jpeg
And this is the next project. Got it cheap but needs brakes and a new coupler and tube welded on. http://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/04A3CB71-4884-4BDF-BC35-07E92AFB1FAE.jpeg
Mule has gotten new lexan new/used seat boom plated for strength with 1/2" then repainted the boom only. New wheel bearing and seal in rear axle. Lights fixed and two boom lights wired with wires through hydraulic hose/steel. One wheel welded and will also be platted some day. Power washed 3 times.
Now I remember what it was like with shortwood pulp, but if this is the way I get wood to fill the shed, I'll get through it. Couple more loads like this and I'll have next years shop heat in the woodshed.
Tree guy clearing a lot for a house bucked it up and left it for me to load and haul home.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34291/start_of_the_woodpile.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1539738631)
Looks like youd put a lot of younger fellas to shame!
There's no doubt about that Mike I've seen him in action,he's no stranger to hard work
God bless'm.
Mike he is a worker for sure 🙂
Needed to store this one somewhere.. Guy sound pretty sharp to me! ;D
Hembyggd miniskotare - YouTube (https://youtu.be/WxjxAPypnBI)
My 8 wheeler tore up pretty good on its last run. I put 4 new springs and new U bolts to get by for now and turned it to a 4 wheeler. Needs 4 equalizers im not willing to invest but also not ready to put in the full axles i want. Just flipped it over and hitched up for tomorrow.
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I'll add this video. 8)
Häng med på Skogsdag! - YouTube (https://youtu.be/0rFw6ZXHAfk)
I love the bootyfab equipment over in scandinavia but i just cant figure what 30 dudes actually do with a few debarked fenceposts. How can there be money in this? The economics always look like sending 5 workers and 20 spectators to go fetch a dozen eggs. What am i missing?
Anyways, dragged the new wood truck home today.
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I like watching those guys work Puffer. Interesting equipment.
Mike, I see you left enough rubber under the trailer. Nice truck.
gg
Mike it's been a while since I've seen a Ford of that body style! Must not use too much road salt down that way!
Only on the interstate and maybe a couple major arteries. Rural roads dont even get plowed let alone salted here. Thats why the south really shuts down when it snows. The roads are crazy narrow, twisty, sharp ditches right on the edge and not an inch of tar to spare. Very very few guard rails too.
Its not a "southerners cant drive in the snow" thing. Its a roads with zero margin for error thing.
I still see early 70s trucks in service. This ones in pretty fair shape, no rot to speak of.
I don't think the tires are big enough....
Yeah i know. You think 18.4-26 will fit if i sawzall the hood?
Goose neck trailer ripped off tail gate other day. Had son build new bed.
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That bed looks great. I have been wanting to build one but don't have anything that needs a bed. It is hard getting someone to pay me to build one with where I live. everyone wants something for nothing.
I know what you mean. Taught my son how to weld when he was 8
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now he he does most of the welding at 21 yrs. old. I mostly get tools for him.
Good on ya dad.
My dad turned me loose at 10. Been a lotta fixin in the past 28yrs. I have never once had to go looking for employment.
Jesse james had a coffee table book of choppers and pretty gals with a few pages of anecdotes in it. One of them that stuck with me was along the lines of 'hey mom, you want your kid to have a job some day? Buy him a welder for Christmas instead of video games.'
We have more welders than televisions.
Yep my dad started me a out at 13, went to work for the railroad now 50 plus years still at it working for DOA manging a welding shop. Still like building thing and enjoy this thread have use a lot of good ideas here fixing my Shade Tree mill ;D
Best thing I ever did for myself ,trade wise, was to take a night course in welding 15 years ago.I'm not great but haven;t had anything come apart on me yet.I love being able to do my own work,welding,plumbing,electrical,carpentry and sawmill have saved me and my wife a lot of money over the years.
This forum and the internet have provided a lot of ideas and practical help.
Mike,nice line about the Christmas present.
Its okay if the welder is a present to yourself. Itll keep you out of trouble too most of the time.
I got a late start in life. I was 18 when starting to weld. Dad got me started.
Quote from: mike_belben on November 19, 2018, 06:32:30 PM
I love the bootyfab equipment over in scandinavia but i just cant figure what 30 dudes actually do with a few debarked fenceposts. How can there be money in this? The economics always look like sending 5 workers and 20 spectators to go fetch a dozen eggs. What am i missing?
Mike, the language in the video is foreign to me but the event reminds me of out classic car shows or tractor shows.
The equipment reminds me of the days of my grandfather. Back then there was this farm community thing going on. One farmer would have a harvester and another would have a planter so they would team up and help each other out. So equipment was also a barter chip, like money. In that outdated community mind set I could see one farmer owning a PTO post debarker and five other farmers teaming together to pound out some posts for all. But we became much smarter and realized that those other farmers were competitors that need to be out produced and crushed like the bugs that they are. ;)
Not this guy. I send customers to the 2 nearby wood dealers early on. When they run out i start peddling mine and their low prices become irrelevant.
Sure has been a busy fall. Winter has come early with wind chills down around -20 the last few days. Interesting the way these projects evolve. Started out just wanting something to back drag the landing and access road so when it froze over night I would have an opportunity to get in and out on the frost. Started with this 8ft bumper.
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Worked great ,then wanted to be able to push slash in tight quarters so had to narrow it in.The brush would come back over the the top so added 2 pieces of channel.
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Used 3pt pin setup so I could change blades. Then Mr Snowstorm got chattin about plowing with a v blade. Up to this point I had plowed with a scraper blade on the back which meant removing the winch plowing then putting winch back on. In good weather small job but a pain in sub zero temps. So last year made a poke at a v blade.
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Well this year added a 6" lip at a 45 to keep the snow from rolling over the top. So if any help to anyone sure am impressed the way a v blade handles opening a road. I have pushed a lot of stuff with blade and bucket but the v rocks. There is no kicking sideways and one pass can do the job. the 3pt allows you to change the angle and by the nature of the v it does a great job of backdragging and leveling.... anyway for what its worth....well $214.00 really :D
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And you get to plow looking forward!
Hard to beat a V plow, its amazing how much more snow you can get through compared to a straight blade.
The scoop function on my truck plow is almost as handy as the V.
stephen where are the strobe lites?? gotta have em the more the better
I hear ya my friend getting right on it...going with da rotating red...lol
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Hope all you folks have a great thanksgiving....if yer shy on a turkey their is a huge flock in Ottawa ;D
they let you run red strobes over there? mine are all amber
what happens when the battery runs flat
Need one of those chargers that plug into the cigarette lighter :D
Quote from: snowstorm on November 24, 2018, 04:54:52 PM
what happens when the battery runs flat
Quote from: snowstorm on November 24, 2018, 04:54:52 PM
what happens when the battery runs flat
Just grab another battery.
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Well in the spirit of full disclosure..... nights seem really black this time of year and I do have an excellent head lamp. Secondly I have to take the battery out of the lawnmower or it will freeze. It actually takes a good 12v charge and is easy to store and handle. Three lights in the bag with the battery. A yellow flashing strobe. a work light and a corker of a headlight I can use while running the log loader. I know....I know those voices in yer head are not real....but sometimes they come up with a "bright Idea"... :D
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Dave is that an adze on the window sill ?
As milwaukee 18v tools replaced all the ryobi junk i owned, the batteries and chargers just sat there. Ofcoarse all the pistol grip flashlights had died early on and were just collecting dust also. So i tossed the broken bulbs, bolted on a thick aluminum plate with wires coming out the front and then heat pasted various flat LED wafers to them from ebay leftover from interior light projects or whatever. Id just wrap clear tape over the lights to hold them onto the aluminum plate.
They will work from like 9v to 18 or so and you could get half a night of run time from a good battery. I had a few of these and most were a real wide flood pattern great for putting around the jobsite. I misplaced a whole duffle bag of these in the move unfortunately. Would be a tremendous help now that all my repair work is outdoors.
I put a chicom lightbar on the bobcat and use that for mobile light. My A frame ladder is about garbage, and i think when i get another thatll be turned into the mobile light tree.
Quote from: Stephen Alford on November 26, 2018, 05:41:38 PM
Well in the spirit of full disclosure..... nights seem really black this time of year and I do have an excellent head lamp. Secondly I have to take the battery out of the lawnmower or it will freeze. It actually takes a good 12v charge and is easy to store and handle. Three lights in the bag with the battery. A yellow flashing strobe. a work light and a corker of a headlight I can use while running the log loader. I know....I know those voices in yer head are not real....but sometimes they come up with a "bright Idea"... :D
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Dave is that an adze on the window sill ?
Yes. I cut all my rafter and joist reductions with it.
That is a nice looking shop Dave, I also notice you live in a place called "Alford"...that cant be good.. :-\
Been gathering stuff for a small project. Wanted a work station that I could move around and take outside. Just the basics anvil vise hammer and tape...As you can tell a tape is optional :laugh: Went with the wheel barrow ...removable handles. Harder to lose stuff when its welded to something bigger.
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Had quite a blow this week lost power for a bit, had to upgrade my mini stove.
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Had one lady out crushing coffee beans on her deck with a meat tenderizer. said she could start the day without power but there was no WAY she would start it without a cup of couffeee :D
Stephen what's the anvil for? Are you shoeing "ol doll" :D. Love the moveable cart, I'd build one if I had more room :o.
You can use an anvil for what ever you like, they are fairly resilient . It was welded on the tailgate of my truck for quite awhile. The odd thing was I never saw anyone in the rear view mirror. It belonged to my father , his instructions were...try not to bend it. :D
:D
Shack life.
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I think you can guess where this is going..
thought it was turning into a door and you needed a place for your head :)
Not too far off.. I hit my head atleast once a week.
The builder of said shack created the wackiest homemade, ill fitting, crooked, leaking concrete firehazard of a thimble ever. now that the wifes little craft shop is in there it needed a real stove. No way i could make it work with that thing.
I still have to reframe, insulate and put the exterior back together but it worked. Place went from 36 to 82 yesterday. Knock that gripe off the honeydo list.
Wood splitter engine swap.
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I mentioned this project in the "Daily Carnage" thread, and since it took a little fabrication to get it going again, I thought I'd show in this thread what it took to do this repair.
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The original engine and the replacement are both 190cc Briggs, however, on the pressure washer engine the fuel tank is on the opposite side, and it has a no - prime starting carb. Having sat for a year the fuel had gone bad, and the tank had to be drained out, as well as the carb bowl. After that I had to blow out the fuel hose, and carb inlet, with the air compressor. Even then, it took lots of carb cleaner, and sputtering, to finally get it running smooth.
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The other issue was the pto crank on the replacement engine was about 1.5" too short. I was able to cut a section off the original pto crank, and weld the two together. Luckily, both engines pto cranks had been drilled and tapped at the factory (for lawnmower blade mounting). This made it easy to connect and align the two crank sections with a cut off lawnmower bolt, and then weld them together. The original castle nut shaped coupler then went on, to drive the hydraulic pump.
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One other fabrication I had done previous was to change the factory ball hitch, to a link pin. That way I pull the splitter around the woods with my tractor, and unhitch just by lowering the drawbar. I also replaced the kick-stand with a pivot wheel, to make it easier to unhitch and move by hand.
Like that wheel you put on. Good idea.
I like both the wheel and hitch
Agreed
Thanks guys. The wheel is also handy when loading the splitter into my ramp gate trailer. I can hook to the pin hitch, pull with the winch, and it drives itself on.
Inspired by an earlier poster, my mini skidder ring chains.
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Hey those look great, how ya like em? Howd you make the rings?
Quote from: mike_belben on February 21, 2019, 08:22:52 AM
Hey those look great, how ya like em? Howd you make the rings?
Thanks - night and day difference compared to just the r4s.
I secured a 4" x 48" round tube to my tractor loader. Drilled a 1/2" hole at the base of it and stuck the rebar in. I coiled the rebar around the tubing as tightly as I could sometimes using a cheater bar. I ended up with what looked like light car springs.
snip
Looks good, did you build that freewheel? What did you use for drive dogs when it does engage?
snip
Brilliant!
Few yrs ago i "broke" my electric winch pulling tops in with the bobcat and just shoved it in the corner. Recently tore it down and discovered a screw in the motor drive coupler backed off, dumping the whole load onto the automatic brake to manage alone. Winch brakes are only rated at half the pulling load, so the break mangled.
I got a new updated brake for $50 shipped with a welded end lug and built a mechanical positive stop brake for pulling hitches out with the tractor.
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Now to see whats the next weakest link. Im thinking the housing itself will tear apart eventually.
YouTube (https://youtu.be/PIDb1ltMvj8)
Workin good so far.
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A winch is a nice piece of equipment to have.
What do you do when John Deere wants 4 grand for a electric motor to rev your engine up to 1750 rpms? You go back to 1970's technology and fabricate a cable throttle!
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That looks an awful lot like the ones we used to have on the good (older) firetrucks so you could regulate the engine (and pump pressure) once you switched the transfer case over to the pump. Nowadays they have all kinds of fancy computer based throttle controls that you can't do nothin' with when you need to. When those first came out we had some really close calls where the throttle would shut down to idle for no reason while we had 4 firefighters inside a burning building. Their hoses would go dry and it got real interesting real fast. It took a while to get the manufacturers to address it (they said 'it just can't happen'), and they did a 'firmware upgrade' after it nearly got a few fellas killed. I never trusted them again.
That's a fine improvement if you ask me.
Nice job.
The thing about old stuff is you can count on it working or count on being able to fix it. I hate new.
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That's awesome seeing that young man learning hands on good things. Not to criticize but if there are no screen guards protecting as machine is operated teach him where the bite of the cable is if it lets go. I'm guilty of this myself many times and remind myself pretty much every time.
Looks pretty handy 👍
Quote from: bushmechanic on June 25, 2020, 07:53:11 PM
What do you do when John Deere wants 4 grand for a electric motor to rev your engine up to 1750 rpms? You go back to 1970's technology and fabricate a cable throttle!
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my 646 valmet uses a cable. i would like to flip a switch. i looked here but have not bought anything yet. synchro start products.com. would what s used on my portable welder work?
Quote from: donbj on June 26, 2020, 12:07:29 AM
That's awesome seeing that young man learning hands on good things. Not to criticize but if there are no screen guards protecting as machine is operated teach him where the bite of the cable is if it lets go. I'm guilty of this myself many times and remind myself pretty much every time.
Oh i agree.
Hes always up my butt to let him do everything.. winding up the hand winch is one of them but i only let him go until its tight then take over. Ive shown him sticks in the gears, handle taking off, snapped cables around the yard.
All my equipment is old and dangerous .. I make sure he knows everything about it, and that his fingers and eyes are his to keep or lose. 'That machine has no brains boy, you need to use your own.'
Hes 7 today.
Sometimes I think its better to learn safe practices on unsafe junk. that way you learn safety as a whole and don't rely on idiot proofing to keep you safe
Agreed. The more guards i had to fabricate and install at smith and wesson the dumber and cheaper the 'operators' they could bring in. Quality took a nose dive.
they make something idiot proof and here comes a better idiot!
Crusarius, I hear my dad in your words, and he's passed on 10 years ago.
"Make something idiot proof, and they just make a better class of idiot".
We labelled one jig they made us rush fabricate and get out on the floor "The anti natural selection device", I'm sure there was probably a way around it if someone tried hard enough :D.
Quote from: Tacotodd on June 26, 2020, 11:51:15 AM
Crusarius, I hear my dad in your words, and he's passed on 10 years ago.
"Make something idiot proof, and they just make a better class of idiot".
Thanks, I am sure your dad was a great man.
Quote from: bushmechanic on June 25, 2020, 07:53:11 PM
What do you do when John Deere wants 4 grand for a electric motor to rev your engine up to 1750 rpms? You go back to 1970's technology and fabricate a cable throttle!
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That looks just like the throttle on my Prentice 210 C.... Are you saying its old? :o Banjo
Bushmechanic, looks like there is more than one adaptation on that machine. Is that a 5.9 in a Deere?
I think its an NTA855 or NTA 370 .. Not enough visible to say. Its a bosch PES6A pump with RSV governor.
Yes kiko it is a 5.9 Cummins but not in a Deere, it's a 2001 1070 Timberjack harvester. It has been an exceptional engine in this machine, has yet to be opened up and rebuilt. I would love to know how many hours are actually on it as the meter broke at 30 000 and that was years ago!
Now i see it. That oil fill and aftercooler or intake box made me say it cant be a 6BT or CT but theres no rocker boxes to be an NTA.
Thats a rare bird! Stay ontop the valvelash and keep the oil clean.
Makes sense now. New Timberjack parts would have to come through Deere. The Bf 1280 and bf988 balwin fuel filters we're the give away to me
Ive had a hundred projects on pause the past few years from moving, being broke and then being gone all the time as a OTR truck driver. So now that im home playin mom and school is back on, i been on a kick to knock a pile of projects out. I got my onan 3phase 4cylinder diesel generator running after a decade of sitting and i guess that just gave me a boost. The uncertain times ahead makes me want to know ive got turn key assets lined up.
I got this BCS "BIO 100" chipper at the scrap yard way back, probably 50 bucks or so. Waiting on a 25mm bearing and use of a friends lathe to adapt the pto spline to the metric shafting but otherwise its nearly done. Goes up parallel. Probably add a trailer hitch later, and left room for a future conveyor to send the discharge to said trailer.
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Made this boxplane for finishing up behind the dozer to keep the hours off it. Pic is of testing it on an ugly log landing road. Needs a flip up spike tine bar to loosen the leading edge up ahead of the box. Soon.
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Put quite a bit of work into a finish mower my friend gave me years ago. Works well
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Nice work Mike
Mike, why not 4 wheels and let it float?
Quote from: Don P on September 07, 2020, 08:13:32 AM
Mike, why not 4 wheels and let it float?
Workin on it. Had no wheels and 2 frozen forks when i got it. Have 4 wheels coming and 2 forks to build.
i have committed to banging out a starter grade firewood processor before winter and thus had to scan all my junk inventory to figure out the design. pieces of treasure get allocated to long term projects so as not to misuse parts.
So we laid out the rat rod go kart.
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Ford YT18 hood, front wheels and steer knuckles off an industrial club car, the rear is a cast iron 4speed plus reverse and neutral, probably a big wheel horse but i dont remember where it came from. Tires from a deere 140. Its single belt drive and ill use a kohler k341 ive got from a speedco parts tractor. Front axle will be a drop spindle beam with a buggy spring and radius rods like a gasser. Manual steering from a forklift column and gearbox. Frame is gonna be 3 inch channel to support the weight of a CB750 engine someone gave me... for when junior gets a car and i repo his toy. itll have a 1.5" cage and im leaving room for wheelie bar mounts. ;)
For now it is a dangled carrot. Boy has ADHD and gets in a lot of trouble at school. When hes good, i add a piece or two. When he isnt, i subtract. So its up to him how long this one takes. All the junk is here but my time gets invested only when he deserves it.
I like the box blade, they sure don't give those things away at the store/dealer but they are dang useful and we need one bad
I hope he's good!! I want to see that take shape.
I like that approach with your son Mike. Hopefully he will learn mastery over his issues. I went from remedial reading in first and second grade to being called "gifted" in 4th grade. I really think I was just too busy to bother with learning it, then I figured out I could learn cool stuff when I read, and some little switch went on. Its just tough to focus all that energy....
Thanks guys. Trying something new while i still have influence over him.
next old project we had to dig out was the burkeen B30 trencher. There is NOTHING about a burkeen that isnt top tier. Im very impressed after taking it apart this week.
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It was mostly whole with a torn down 30hp hatz 2 cylinder diesel when i got it. This machine is so heavy the bobcat cannot lift it with engine mounted. when the tin came off, I realized its because the frame isnt made from 2x4 box tube.. Its made from 2x4 SOLID bar stock and 2" thick 8x12 steel ballast plates. I cant lift any corner of it physically.
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It uses shortened and spooled dana 30 five lug rears with 4.88s and a single speed, full time cast iron Tcase driven directly by a variable displacement piston pump motor for travel and trench speed. Slow and super slow. Will probably go to a 29x12.5x15 trencher tire on a recentered truck rim to gain some groundspeed and trackwidth for sidehill stability.
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That will be one heavy duty cool little unit
Its the kinda stuff that keeps me up at night sketching. My father once told me he mentally puts his coolest project last as a motivator to keep wading through the drudgery of chores a man simply must do. When a project is really burning in my head that ive put at the back of the line, i suddenly have the energy to just bang out stuff i have been avoiding forever to get to the one im lusting over.
ive done quite a bit of mental tire shopping over that little skidder to figure out what rims to look for.. 15" tractor tires are very rare (basically just 5-15 skinnies for 2 wheel paddy machines) but 16s very common as a front tire in the US so theyre cheap. Youve got 7-16, 8-16, 9.5-16 covering the 28-32" diameter range in all tread types. However they tend to be thin wall and low weight rating. Genuine trencher specific tires are very wide for floation but they also have a lot more plies and higher weight rating. Theyre basically a mini forestry tire for not too much more than tractor steers. A garden tractor lug is not nearly tough enough for a real trencher.
So one of the other things that ive put off is getting this junked woods 750-3 back together. I got it years ago in trade for a days labor, fixing a folded up loader bucket.
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Its been parked out in the woods for a few years now and ive got a bunch of utility trenching to do soon if things go well. Im tired of digging ditches. I do have a nice bucket if it hasnt been stolen off my trailer up north yet but i will build a trench bucket either way.
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First things first, one landing gear cylinder is shot. Bent like a banana, chrome all scored, cracked floating gland.. I have no money for one so just make it work. With a 3 point hitch it doesnt matter if i make solid pipes for the stabilizer legs to stay fixed. Without rigid legs these things are very, very hard to get on a 3 point. A hoe with no fluid or boom lockouts is like trying to get a dead cow propped up on its feet.
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You can see the crack along that last thread. I think it was from the bent rod being retracted by the prior owner. The crack is outside of the seal area, i think itll still work. I can vee it out, tig it and fix the thread when my other machines are here.
Floating glands are pretty wierd. You can turn the endcap nut a hundred times and it just spins because its just a locknut on a threaded seal puck that floats in the cylinder tube. You have to extend all the way and crunch the puck end very tight in a vice to deform the tube, get the puck to sit still, then break the nut loose and remove. Now push the puck down an inch to reveal a heavy wire snap ring seated in a groove in the cylinder.
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I took vee blocks, a baseplate, indicator, machinist straight edge and a block of hickory over to a friends shop press and got it straight enough. .045" total runout.. If i wasnt holding him up i coulda probably cut that in half. Its back together and it retracts all the way.
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Today is drill the nasty stabilizer bores round again, install the 4 new pins and change a brass elbow out to a steel one. Legs back on then start building a hydraulic system off the pto. I got a delavan 1-3/8 six spline to 5/8 grub screw QD coupler yesterday in town. I have gearpump here that ill mod the shaft on and flip rotation to get started. Its .77cu-in/rev so kinda small at 540 but maybe that will keep junior from smashing the bucket into things. Should have tank, filter and lines in the junkpile. Fingers crossed.
Tracking says processor parts get here today.
Mike when I have a project that I am working on I will lay in bed and build it then figure out another way to build it then I will look at the clock and it's two in the morning . With all your projects how do you ever get any sleep ;D. In regards to your son when I was in grade school I didn't have any interest in reading or learning how to read. I was interested in trapping and my mom and dad got me Fur Fish And Game a magazine on trapping I read it cover to cover just find out what makes him tick and go from there. Good luck on all your wild ideas I remember when I had many also.
Fur Fish and Game, yeah! Going to butcher spelling but maybe Gary Paulson books(hatchet et al), My Side Of The Mountain, Dick Proenick, that sort of thing? It really radicalizes the children to read this stuff about a life most will never know. For some of us and I suspect your boy it will hit a bit closer to home :)
QuoteWith all your projects how do you ever get any sleep
Well... The first step is quit your job and send the wife to work.
:D
So i had a pump here.. I used to collect dumpster pumps from work because lazy mechanics love to just put a shelf pump on a CNC over any hydraulic gripe then pass the real problem on to the next shift. So i was able to piece together lots of good ones over the years.
Anyhow you can field reverse a gear pump by just moving the driven gear to the other position and putting the idler where the driven was then flip the faceplate. So i did that to match the PTO rotation and clean up the mating faces.. Only takes about .002" on some sandpaper with diesel fuel. Then take same amount off center housing.
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i ground the input shaft freehand until it had a good "D" shape to mate with the delavan coupler really well, those just use a grub screw instead of keyway. Tried it with just the gear shaft and it ran true so as barge would say.. Hey why not?
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I then rigged up my favorite structural materials [rebar and solid romex] for a redneck test run...
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...on diesel fuel.
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Taxed diesel even. DOT repellant.
Just idled the tractor and very lightly went thru all the motions. Everything works but i discovered a bent boom cylinder and that looks like a chore to pull. The fluid came out quite filthy. Ill probably cycle one more round of diesel before tearing the cylinder out.. Makes a good cheap solvent.
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Boy had fun horsin around on it. And i got the parts for the processor, the chipper and the finish mower today from surplus center. Sawing for grade in the junkpile this year. Redneck riches abound.
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Looks to me if you fix the trencher and that backhoe maybe add a utilities locator(and a little insurance) you could have a side business digging in septic systems and other misc trenching in pretty short order.
Yeah for sure. The hoe came off a 4wd deere that was the primary machine at a septic company across the street from where i grew up. They put a new replacement woods on that same deere in place of this one, which is what i fixed the bucket on to get this old unit. Someone had too much wacky tobaccy [my stepbrother] and forgot to set the brake. It rolled down a hill and smashed a tree.
I dont know what the future will hold. For the next few years i need to just play it by ear. For instance, hank came home sick from school just now and the rule is he has to stay out tomorrow. Obviously covid had them home for like 5 or 6 months this summer and who knows about this fall, school could close any day. I might be homeschooling next month. Theyve cancelled school here a day in advance over snow predictions that amounted to zero but stayed closed anyway. Its a farce and i cant be a reliable contractor with whimsical schedules like that. Maybe when he hits 10 or 12 and can stay home alone. Daughter is already pretty good about that but until she can keep a pistol i dont want to leave here here alone.
I need to build several houses and develop 2 properties we have, ours and my fathers a few doors down, for his retirement. These are the years where i get the iron ready. After that id like to buy, develop and sell land. My equipment is dependable enough to do things on my schedule but not on a hired jobsite. And i dont want to get into the 'need a better looking dozer/skidsteer/tractor/truck..' game. My junk is fine if i dont try to put it in the wrong setting.
For the coming years a firewood processor is the right business because its a wide open schedule and mostly at home. I can log or buy in TT loads to feed the processor any time at home, and make deliveries with them after the bus comes.
Once a shop is up, hire them and their friends for the wood side ... i go back to machine/fab/repair and custom machine building. Easiest money i ever made was selling a product design license and ive got notebooks full of that stuff ive wanted to do. I like prototyping and hate production. Develop prototype, refine it, sell units, refine it more, put the supplier accounts and book keeping together, sell the whole thing then do another.
A lot of it will depend on what the kids wanna do. If they say lets landscape then it'll be a yard full of zero turns. Maybe we will be a rock crushing and mulch screening/bagging operation. If they wanna raise pigs, we'll raise pigs. I can build anything and dont care either way. Ill put a custom slaughter house here if thats what they wanna do. I dont care. It only takes one $13/hr job to support the entire family.
For today, its dishes laundry and sick kid.
Mike I wish I was better at fixing equipment never was tought.
My family had the biggest swiming pool repair and maintenance business in the area.I can fix anything on your pool or build you a house from the ground up.
But fix equipment never learned.
On the pool business I was offered in didn't like the work or type of customer.
My uncle just sold it it.
He has 3 houses one on a lake I built one in NV.
7 new vehicles ones a Bently .
I guess I should have liked the pool business :D but it wasn't for me.
You have to stay to clean and wear sun glasses , not for me.
Bruno,
I usually wear safety sunglasses from the local tractor dealer, but staying clean is something I struggle with on a daily basis!
Just gotta endeavor to play the hand youre dealt i guess. Once upon a time i thought i wanted to be a cop. Turns out mechanics are more popular these days. Go figure.
So i ended up having 3 kids all of friday thru sunday and didnt get much accomplished until yesterday.
Made the missing guage wheel forks for the finish mower but screwed up and made the stems about 2" shorter than id like. So i got lazy and just welded some random chunks of chain link flush at the top to get max height from what ive got. The bottom sleeves are adjustable but its gonna stay where its set forever.
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Cuts nice. On to the next one..
Flushed the backhoe again on diesel and so glad i did. Cant believe the trash i got out of this thing. That tank was spotless. Im now very happy i chose to keep it separate from the tractors hydraulics.
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I whipped up some shoes for the stabilizers from stuff in the junk bin. Ones mans trash as they say
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They bite right in, and with the diagonal braces now locking out the 3point, the backhoe legs will lift the tractor right up. Be handy for changing tires.
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Big braces in. This thing is a pain to hitch up.
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Hopefully i will get the tank permanent mounted tomorrow then start working on the wrist, H link and bucket.
My dad has an old kelly 30 3pt he put on his Minneapolis Moline. until he figured out the trick it was a pain to hookup now its a 20 minute job. get close, hook up the hydraulic pump then use the outriggers and bucket to place it where you can get the pins in.
Oh yeah having the hoe running is basically a must. This thing was dead on the ground and flopping all over with no fluid or lockouts when i first pinned it on and lemme tell ya that was an hour with a bobcat and two people. Real easy way to get hurt. And real frusterating without flat ground.
A quickhitch lift arm would cut the effort in half but i dont want to reduce the lift capacity any worse. And the hoe purposefully has a top link bracket too narrow for any top link so you have to use the rigid one they make. In the long run it is for your benefit performance wise, but being able to adjust the top link to align the pin bore just right would make it easier.
With power to the hoe and things going right i can hitch it in about 10 minutes now that ive done it a few times and have a sequence figured out. Not something i want to swap daily though.
Someday in the future i will probably make an adapter for the bobcat to the backhoe but that machine needs too much work to bother right now. Problem is i only have one bobcat and just cant be without it! I got the tractor in large part to have a machine with a bit of overlap to get me by while im without a skid steer. Still have to add lift pins to my fork rack and do a boompole. Most of my junk is on pallets and when the dirtguy calls out of the blue with a nearby project, it can be 20 loads dropped in 2 days so i have to be able to scramble the whole yard on short notice.
Quote from: Crusarius on September 16, 2020, 06:07:20 AM
My dad has an old kelly 30 3pt he put on his Minneapolis Moline. until he figured out the trick it was a pain to hookup now its a 20 minute job. get close, hook up the hydraulic pump then use the outriggers and bucket to place it where you can get the pins in.
Exactly. I have a LONG brand three point hoe. The first thing I do is hook up the pump to the pto and mounting is a breeze, just a couple minutes.
I did get the tank stuff done yesterday. Tank was from a scrapped CNC spindle chiller unit and was also the chiller base that everything was built above like a skyskraper, so it has lift sling hooks at the corners for picking the entire machine by crane out of tight quarters.
I suspended the tank entirely by those so that it floats. It cant move in any direction more than a half inch because the 3 point has it trapped, but it is allowed to move up if i hit a stump or something, this will hopefully prevent the tank from being crushed or punctured. It doesnt jiggle around or anything when driving around, there are little detents to keep it still in the tabs.
The other reason for a floating mount was if i ever start using it on the skid steer this pump and tank would need to be removed anyway. There is nothing in the way of that other than two 4" ratchet strap hooks welded to the frame as hangers. just undo two hoses and pluck the tank and pump together. Or if i need stationary hydraulic power off the tractor for something short term like powering a dead machine function. same thing, two hoses and grab the hydro unit off the backhoe.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0916201325_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600307389)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0916201731_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600307374)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0916201731a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600305697)
To drain the tank just unhook the chain, tip it down on a block and pull the plug. Should also be pretty good about draining any junk inside. Filter upside down isnt my favorite but it will drain back to the tank and get changed when the oil does.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0916201325a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600305911)
Boy played in the mulch pile for a while with rpm turned up about right in high pto gear. Hydraulic speed is pretty decent on the .73 cu-in/rev pump and it never got warm. I need to change all the joystick heims, theyre shot. very hard to get just one function. But it was nearly free so cant complain!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0916201806_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600305809)
So i have a good bucket sitting in mass if it hasnt been stolen yet, i think its 16" iirc.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202135_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600397395)
But that doesnt help me now and i dont want 16" trenches for 1" water lines. Working on a 10" jawbone style bucket as my normal every day attachment.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1600394249299.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393972)
This is the jaw, which id already built previously for the tractor to cut trenches and grub sappling root balls, never planned any of this out, i didnt have the backhoe at the time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202142_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600428484)
It has a removeable back wall so ya just drive and the spoil flows through and loosens, Then scoop out soft dirt with a shovel. Not great but its what i had. The attachment cuts and grubs very well because the small teeth make very high psi out of low HP. But it'll easily dig a hole the tractor couldnt back out of.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202141_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600397395)
Just hanging there for looks, the stick gets attatched to the back half that i need to build. The dogbones are done and i need to order the clam cylinders now before starting on the bucket.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917201855a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393952)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917201847_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393853)
The clam bucket is a pretty big, pricey detour over just making a standard bucket, but in the long run a savings paid in health and wellness. I like building stone walls. But pharoah had a lot of disposable people to build his, and im the one getting used up building mine. My elbows, shoulders and wrists cant handle it anymore, they hurt all the time and cost a lot of sleep. the right bucket will do the hard work for me. The big bucket is too big and i dont want the clumsiness of a thumb causing rocks to fall and crush someones hand or foot. A jawbone can clamp a stone and then swing through the whole rotation with it to try a different face, because its all on one axis and the cylinders travel with it. To roll a stone with a live thumb you need to work two valves simultaneously without dropping it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0616201815a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592534057)
Quote from: mike_belben on September 18, 2020, 07:48:24 AM
So i have a good bucket sitting in mass if it hasnt been stolen yet, i think its 16" iirc.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202135_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600397395)
But that doesnt help me now and i dont want 16" trenches for 1" water lines. Working on a 10" jawbone style bucket as my normal every day attachment.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1600394249299.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393972)
This is the jaw, which id already built previously for the tractor to cut trenches and grub sappling root balls, never planned any of this out, i didnt have the backhoe at the time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202142_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600428484)
It has a removeable back wall so ya just drive and the spoil flows through and loosens, Then scoop out soft dirt with a shovel. Not great but its what i had. The attachment cuts and grubs very well because the small teeth make very high psi out of low HP. But it'll easily dig a hole the tractor couldnt back out of.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202141_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600397395)
Just hanging there for looks, the stick gets attatched to the back half that i need to build. The dogbones are done and i need to order the clam cylinders now before starting on the bucket.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917201855a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393952)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917201847_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393853)
The clam bucket is a pretty big, pricey detour over just making a standard bucket, but in the long run a savings paid in health and wellness. I like building stone walls. But pharoah had a lot of disposable people to build his, and im the one getting used up building mine. My elbows, shoulders and wrists cant handle it anymore, they hurt all the time and cost a lot of sleep. the right bucket will do the hard work for me. The big bucket is too big and i dont want the clumsiness of a thumb causing rocks to fall and crush someones hand or foot. A jawbone can clamp a stone and then swing through the whole rotation with it to try a different face, because its all on one axis and the cylinders travel with it. To roll a stone with a live thumb you need to work two valves simultaneously without dropping it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0616201815a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592534057)
That bucket setup looks like it will be well worth the time to build. What do you use for steel to build something like that? I've thought about building a root ripper for my John Deere 10A backhoe, but didn't know if 1" 36k steel plate would be strong enough.
A 1" is way sufficient for a backhoe, my general purpose bucket for the 30to has 1" plates, of course they are hardox.
@mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) ,hey mike, can't you just drive up where you stuff is and bring a load home?
Quote from: teakwood on September 18, 2020, 08:23:50 AM
hey mike, can't you just drive up where you stuff is and bring a load home?
No, the kids are in school and momma works 6 days a week so i have to be home every day. When they are on vacations i can try but its 2 days up 2 days back with kids. Which is good since they never see family but its a challenge on me.
In august Massachusetts put a travel ban on entry from anywhere south or west of new york [except hawaii which is an international travel layover so that makes zero sense for not bringing fresh virus.] Either you need a 72hr old negative test, a 14 day quarantine which i wont do, or a $500/day per person ticket. I am not letting anyone jam some chinese innoculant stick up our noses, im not sitting around for 14 days ontop of 4 driving and im not paying them another red cent.. They robbed me from 13 to 37 years old.
You cant travel through that state without passing plate readers, which will bring up my license then probably mail me the fines. Mass has recently dabbled in revoking licenses of people from other states by mail, but "because covid" there are no appeals being heard. My CDL took years to get so i have to protect it. NY already had me in custody and took my stuff once for nothing, im not going through all that jive again.
Quote from: mjeselskis on September 18, 2020, 07:57:17 AM
Quote from: mike_belben on September 18, 2020, 07:48:24 AM
So i have a good bucket sitting in mass if it hasnt been stolen yet, i think its 16" iirc.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202135_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600397395)
But that doesnt help me now and i dont want 16" trenches for 1" water lines. Working on a 10" jawbone style bucket as my normal every day attachment.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1600394249299.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393972)
This is the jaw, which id already built previously for the tractor to cut trenches and grub sappling root balls, never planned any of this out, i didnt have the backhoe at the time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202142_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600428484)
It has a removeable back wall so ya just drive and the spoil flows through and loosens, Then scoop out soft dirt with a shovel. Not great but its what i had. The attachment cuts and grubs very well because the small teeth make very high psi out of low HP. But it'll easily dig a hole the tractor couldnt back out of.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917202141_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600397395)
Just hanging there for looks, the stick gets attatched to the back half that i need to build. The dogbones are done and i need to order the clam cylinders now before starting on the bucket.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917201855a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393952)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0917201847_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600393853)
The clam bucket is a pretty big, pricey detour over just making a standard bucket, but in the long run a savings paid in health and wellness. I like building stone walls. But pharoah had a lot of disposable people to build his, and im the one getting used up building mine. My elbows, shoulders and wrists cant handle it anymore, they hurt all the time and cost a lot of sleep. the right bucket will do the hard work for me. The big bucket is too big and i dont want the clumsiness of a thumb causing rocks to fall and crush someones hand or foot. A jawbone can clamp a stone and then swing through the whole rotation with it to try a different face, because its all on one axis and the cylinders travel with it. To roll a stone with a live thumb you need to work two valves simultaneously without dropping it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0616201815a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1592534057)
That bucket setup looks like it will be well worth the time to build. What do you use for steel to build something like that? I've thought about building a root ripper for my John Deere 10A backhoe, but didn't know if 1" 36k steel plate would be strong enough.
Whatever i got! 1" is plenty for a single tine. Youll open a relief or bend a rod before the tine cries.
most buckets and stuff you see for smaller equipment is 1/4" plate and then sandwiched 1/4" on the edges making it 1/2". You can make it bigger and heavier but that sacrifices lift capacity. I recommend keeping it as lightweight as possible. Just know you may be able to move mountains but not necessarily in one giant bite. If you are concerned about breaking something take smaller bites.
You can always make cutting edges 3/8" or 1/2" if your really worried about it. but the back side of a bucket does not see the loads a cutting edge does so that does not need to be stupid heavy thick plate.
mike, that looks pretty sweet. I like the idea of removable back. I could use that for cutting trenches through my yard then just roll the sod up and carry it away.
Id never even thought of that but yeah, on the deere sod would come off like peeling a potato. Then you could lay it back over the trenchline when finished like nothing happened. I dont think it would work on the dirt here but its a cool idea. I will have to try sometime.
I laid the jaw down on a rusty steel table and made a chalk outline then a bucket sketch that looked okay.. and then flipped the jaw so the teeth face back at the bucket. Long story short i think it has enough promise to put on hold until my tooling is set up. It is a struggle to wait but i hate making mediocre things that could be great with some patience.
So directions have changed and i hope to be stumping by dinner. Gotta hustle while the weather is good. Lunchbreaks over. :laugh:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0918201217_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600458193)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0918201217a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600458213)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0918201422_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600458218)
It was a black spaghetti mess all day, but the base of my trenching and stumping bucket is outside. Need to try it tomorrow and make some decisions.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0918201812_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600486499)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0918202053_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600486718)
Nice work Mike
Can anybody post some pics of their log height adjustment device on the sawmill? where you get the small end of the log up so the log is centered. i need to fabricate a manual device and need some ideas
Thanks
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1001181620.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1539094353)
;D
Look at machine levelling pads, they just look like two felling wedges stacked ontop each other pointing opposite directions with a lead screw to push or pull them together or apart. Its like a piece of dunnage that grows taller by a screw thread. You could use a battery impact to adjust something home made like that pretty quick. Two hardwood wedges with a steel nutsert and threaded rod probably work fine.
Good idea but too slow.
my logs don't weight much so i'm thinking like a roller axle and some lever which hooks in gradually, like a handbrake lever in a car
I use to use a 2x4 and a few different thickness sticks, my DIY mill was cantilevered so the shim stick could be long and not interfere with the mill track, that way I could place the shim while being at the end of the 2x4.
Other possibilities?
Frontier Sawmills Attachments - Toe Board - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAAMtBAfYcs)
How to set up your toe board | B751 & B1001 Band Sawmills | LOGOSOL - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RM9Lxb-Of4)
Make a cam and mount it to a shaft. The more you rotate the shaft the more it raises the log. Like one half of a ying yang symbol.
Nevermind that frontier piece is slick.
Finished proof of concept today. The jury has reached a decision:
it beats a shovel, but its no PC400.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0919201109_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600563831)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0919201047_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600564386)
Some efficiency additions to be made when i get another spool of mig wire.
We then moved on to destructive testing of cables and chains. The stump wasnt such a tough guy after half an hour of waterboarding. Oh youll talk alright mister stump.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0919201847_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600563649)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0919201811a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600563625)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0919201904_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600563344)
I use a 1 1/2 ton hydraulic jack. And different height boards under the log and drop the log onto them.
Quote from: Hilltop366 on September 19, 2020, 04:27:02 PM
I use to use a 2x4 and a few different thickness sticks, my DIY mill was cantilevered so the shim stick could be long and not interfere with the mill track, that way I could place the shim while being at the end of the 2x4.
Other possibilities?
Frontier Sawmills Attachments - Toe Board - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAAMtBAfYcs)
How to set up your toe board | B751 & B1001 Band Sawmills | LOGOSOL - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RM9Lxb-Of4)
Nice, thanks for all the good ideas.
That frontier solution gave me a good idea and i will fabricate something simple
I was also wondering if a small boat winch could be used somehow, it would give you a reduction gear and a ratchet pawl but that is as far as I got on that idea.
A boat winch or 12v atv winch might work hooked to a bell crank with the upper crank attached to the Frontier system in place of the manual lift.
A boat winch with a gear rack that raises the log support bar would make for a hand cranked, gear reduction work of awesomeness.
Or strip the rack and pinion from and old junk car and put a handle on the input shaft to raise the log support. A manual steering gear box from a truck should work too.
Cool ideas!
Another one could be a large cam (think upside down snail) that rotates towards the back stop, as you turn the winch it turns the cam that pushes directly on the log raising it until you get to the desired height, to return to "no lift" keep turning in the same direction until you reach the flat area of the cam.
Depending on where you want to be when you are adjusting the height the cam could chain drive from the winch to be along side the log or shaft drive if you would want to adjust the log height from the end of the mill.
Using a under slung cable like a drywall lifter could work also.
Here is my solution, as simple as it gets, works like a charm and didn't cost more than 4h of work
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20200921_105305.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600776595)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20200921_105316.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600776576)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20200921_105349.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600776772)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20200921_105425.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1600776756)
Well that takes the cake, love it.
That dog will hunt! This is similar to what we did with a canthook handle and a couple of different thickness wooden shims we kept near our LT-28. Good job on the modification. You may want to add a picture to the sawmill mod thread.
I got some piloted annular cutters for my mag drill and theyre awesome. You can take a piece of 1" thick plate and without even center punching it, just bore a perfect, machine finish 1.000" hole. Lube flows from a tank through a groove in the pilot which unseats when it touches the part so it stops automatic when you lift off. Im very pleased. Its like a holesaw had a love child with an end mill. I am sold on coreboring over twist drills whenever possible.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0925201802_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601082371)
Late this afternoon i whipped up a class 3 to sleeve hitch adapter and went out to my new deer trails to give it a try. Works fantastic for making a trail that has tire tracks on the outside and a seeded middle section so i can still use them with the tractor and forwarding trailer without wrecking the food.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0925201804_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601082415)
Normally these sleeve hitch attachments are useless without a pile of cinder blocks ontop but with the weight of my winch plate pushing it down the chisel tines dig pretty good and rip up the shallow root layer, killing off the competition in the seed bed.
I strapped my sled pullin block to the front and it helps quite a bit with the backhoe and skidding logs up the hill. Think i will make a more permanent arrangement.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0925201806_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601082405)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1001201609_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601604154)
It can be a pain to position in tight quarters and wont make the straightest trench when you cant quite get it in the corner right, but my dull backhoe is still putting my sharpest shovel to shame. The last job you ever want to do by hand is trench a rocked clay driveway.
Done it twice, think id rather move away then try a 3rd round!
Quote from: mike_belben on October 01, 2020, 10:11:00 PM
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1001201609_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1601604154)
It can be a pain to position in tight quarters and wont make the straightest trench when you cant quite get it in the corner right, but my dull backhoe is still putting my sharpest shovel to shame. The last job you ever want to do by hand is trench a rocked clay driveway.
Done it twice, think id rather move away then try a 3rd round!
Anything with hyd cylinders and a bucket of sorts beats a shovel all day!
Well one thing led to another as they often do. I needed to redirect runoff, trench some utility and make road for cement truck access. Needed some gravels.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0928201332a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602345560)
I havent been very happy with 3 minus lately. It rolls out nicely with the dozer if laying thick, but it doesnt spread homogenously. Youll have patches where theres all big rocks ontop of fines that stay loose and rolly. and patches where theres just fines with no big rock to keep it from mushing into the clay and creating potholes that need to be dug up and fixed later. A load dont go far if youre putting many inches of it. This doesnt matter for cars but im expecting loaded semi trucks. My forklift can be up to 35k on 4 tires, itll find the thin spot.
i cut my base and worked it until i got all the drainage perfect so minimal rock would be needed. I tried 1-3 limestone this time and love it, excellent base rock.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1002201145a_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602347269)
1-3 is rolly and needs a cap in residential application. Well, much less cap rock is needed if the base is compacted first. So i needed a compactor. And built this.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1008201819_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602340111)
Nothing fancy, just a pto shaft turning a big hunk of steel for a shakeweight over a scrapped conveyor roll, and some cut up solid rubber tires to make huge bushings that helps dampen it from the tractor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1009201628a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602344973)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1009201628_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602340095)
Its no wacker or dynapack but i spent like 50 bucks building it. hard to see, easy to feel with your feet that the stones get aligned and flattened more with every pass.. Two is pretty sufficient to get things solid where they dont shift when i drive over with a machine.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1008201355_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602345561)
From there i only need about an inch of crusher run ontop, smooth and flatten with the land plane, water it and hit with the roller again to work the fines into base. 1 day old driveway is as solid as my 4yr old one thats built from 3-5 then 3minus then crusher run.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1009201814_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1602345641)
I will probably add another shake weight block to play around with phasing them, and also some steel to capture anything that grenades. I have a bolens hydrostatic rear that this will eventually get coupled to with a predator engine. It woulda took half the time if the boy could compact on a dedicated little machine while i ran the land plane or bobcat. And hydrostatic with 3000-3600rpm will give way way better control and compaction. Gearing choices stink on my setup and its only shaking @1000hz at best. Room for improvement.
I must say...I'm quite impressed Mike with your design and fab talent. That's great stuff...especially for your kids to be around it and on it all too. Too few folks know how to improvise these days. Well done sir.
That's pretty groovy, Mike! From an old paving/gravel guy, that's some pretty nice looking work you did on the driveway, too👍👍
Thanks guys. As they say .. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Its poured all day, and the runoff pattern has been completely altered for the better. Glad i got that part behind me.
I would have never thought to make a vibrator like that. I was very confused why you had a driveshaft going to it till I realized what you were doing.
Very nice.
Belben, you need to get up here and weld me up a pantograph for my sawmill carriage and while your at it a frame for a top saw. I must say you are quite handy.
Doesnt someone have a sig about if the women dont find you handsome they should find you handy?
That would be Red Green. Also known for: "The handy man's secret weapon... duck tape". ;D
Ga Mtn Man (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=18750)
So... I saw the capstan winch for sale... One year too late. Think it was almost a year to the day from last year's Paul Bunyan show over in Ohio. The last day, just as they are packing up seems to be a good time to buy things.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57517/IMG_0144.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1603282247)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57517/IMG_0143.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1603282238)
Had to be 12 years or so ago that I cobbled this together. Neighbor provided the rear end from a 10 hp Sears tractor, the little metal dome Thingy that the shifter went through was cracked in half. JB Weld, some clamps on a flat surface, and some 'lapping' of the mating face, good as new.
The 6 hp motor was like brand-new as was the mower it was attached to, put out for junk. Somehow, the oil fill tube was broke off where it entered the casing. Easy fix. It's amazing what people throw away.
First attempt for the capstan, Filling up the wheel, or rim, whatever it's called, with some kind of body filler and machining it down. don't know anything about gear and pulley ratios, but it had comparatively no power. It's possible that I didn't get a true feel for it, I only use that the one time on a test drive dragging a telephone pole across the yard. Probably didn't help that I was riding the telephone pole and trying to keep tension on the rope same time. Could have been the Vodka.
That attempt only cost a truck load of firewood to the machinist down the holler. Not too good at bartering. The second capstan was made out of off-the-shelf weld on thingamajig's from tractor supply, conduit and the two beveled pieces by the same machinist. More firewood. Said he never thought to use a hoe to drag the firewood to the tailgate. I'm lazy. I have one of those joint jigger things, made quite a few things that looked like I knew what I was doing.
The belt tensioning slide idea I stole from the motor mounts observed in packaged sewage plants that I was volunteered to work on, and I never knew what kind of belt I was going to have laying around. Works perfect for taking the flap out of the belt. I was concerned that I would have to rig up some kind of spring-loaded idler, but really no need for a way to disengage to change gears in my opinion with no load on it. Was going to put a throttle control on, but due to the nature of the device really didn't need that either. Both items probably beyond my technical pay grade.
You may notice a piece of paracord in the pics, one end was always clipped to my belt, the other end went to a 'customized' romex metal staple. Released the brake mechanism when the string was pulled on. The rope guides were made out of the only round stock I had lying around time, heated up in the drum stove and bent around a couple of bolts in a vice. found the center point on a piece of conduit and made the pivot which mounts to a square tube going into the receiver, 'automatic' alignment with the direction of pull. I was concerned with what I believe is called an 'overhung' load... The first test? Mounted on my truck, connected to my neighbors truck. Only had about a 75' piece of rope of the right type. Gravel driveway, butt to butt fairly quickly in first gear. Didn't have spare money, (400+) for a big hank of rope, but I do stumble across amazing deals from time to time at the pawnshops, feel guilty profiting from others misery, but i do enjoy beating up the pawnshop when possible.
Made a cone out of an old plastic barrel, which became more of a sled, replete with ratchet strap. used that quite successfully for a while, 'til i cobbled up a 'fetching arch' of sorts using some golf cart wheels. no pics, someone really liked it and i couldn't say no.
Just used it most of the time to pull firewood off the hillsides, EZPZ, and up out of the crick, which was the scariest. the truck would sometimes bounce quite a bit when i snagged something, and i thought about some kinda outriggers, but i could hardly pick it up to mount it as it was then, and i didn't want to shock load the rear end.
(One of us has gained weight or lost muscle i noticed when i finally had a place to store it out of the weather, When i put it up on Harbor Freight™ stand, on sale at least once a yr. for 20 bucks.)
I noticed a few older threads relating to rope storage...
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...So this is what i came up with when i finally found the money to buy a spool, never used it...Yet. Was worried about the upright filling with water if left outside, an old tube of silicon caulking dried in the tube made a perfect cork. actually spent sometime experimenting with different way to accelerate the hardening in the tube, nice round resillient plugs of the thickness you choose are handy.
I noticed that you can see a little spool to the left in the first pic of these 2 behind the ladder, 2 120' foot pieces from the pawnshop along with a 'tree seat' that i have no idea what to do with/how to use for 50 bucks. (less than 1/2 price from 'sticker', My 'buy' point). I've always struggled with knots, '69' being perfect for joining and easy to undue, can't remember the 'real' name. Never made a stand. Generally speaking, only used one piece at a time mostly, coiled and tied for storage/transport. recently just cut down the bulk of a spool for the 2 pieces, still in good shape.
The most important lesson learned from this project? NEVER try to start a lawnmower engine without 'something' on the output shaft. I think i remember reading about this being possible with old motors...Something about cast iron flywheels?...didn't look in to the issue until one arm felt longer than the other...and my fingers...ouch.
My Dad always told me..."for a stupid head the whole body must suffer"...Lots of cross-platform compatibility in those words.
So i sorta made a clearing saw.
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Someone gave me a dead stihl 55R weed wacker that id fixed a while ago and rarely used because i dont have much fancy grass work to do and a string just doesnt work on the scrub and heavy grass i do need to cut. The 55r is not a brush cutter model and those start around $500 at the co-op.. Never gonna happen.
Well, in my junkpile was an echo clearing saw blade that i dont remember acquiring but musta also been free, my favorite price. When i unthreaded the string drum there was a splined aluminum backer plate with a slightly proud register for a 1" shoulder that matched the blade thickness. Hmm.
I used files then a reamer to enlarge the hardened blade bore until it centered on this hub, and a pair of bellville washers then a thick fender washer and finally the left handed metric nutsert that i knocked out of the plastic string hub to hold the blade to the shaft.
Cautiously gave the thing a whirl and am stunned how good it works. Stuff that i would normally be standing there gnawing away at full throttle and just wasting fuel and string while junk hits me in the face... simply lays over at idle now. Its like a jedi light saber.. Blade is barely moving and stuff is laying down without reving engine at all. Wow...
Now before anyone says youll shoot yer eye out kid... I have used this and concluded regular string trimmers throw WAY more debris and trash up in your face and probably wont ever put the string head back on. It is one sheet of steel with no brazed on tips to fly off. The hub nut didnt loosen even a quarter turn and it would take about 20 turns to lose the blade. The teeth dont have sharp tips..theyre rounded over so you can grind into a cinder block or fence pipe without harm.. Just light scratches and no need to resharpen. And it throws nothing. Not one little shred of grass or sticks comes up. The stuff just gets severed in place and lays there dead. I cant believe we all have weed wackers and psychologically think these saws are dangerous. Its the other way around. Id let my 7yr old run this saw before the string line, hands down, way safer.
But mike does it work on brush?
Oh yeah.
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Blip the throttle one time just before initiating a mock golf swing near the base. Follow through and the blade just passes by while the sapplings lay over. Im barely using any fuel now because its mostly at idle until woody 1/2 inch plus stems require a bit more.
Again this blade does not have a sharp ripping point or any tooth set.. It will not saw a kerf by going slow, but rather will just sit and smoke if you treat it like a regular circle saw. Swing it like a sickle and think of it as a rotary machete. The gullet does the cutting, the tips are completely round, dull and almost harmless.
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Mine is fs90 which I don't think is rated for it either.. with the other kind of blade you sharpen with a round file. There is a "right direction" and a "wrong direction" to go at the stem but I don't remember off hand which it is ;D Be careful of kick back and have fun. I don't know how long the shaft/hub will last but there is only one way to find out and there is another thread for the results
If you start on the left side of a sapling you'll get kick back. Always go from the right side and use like Mike said a swinging a mock golf swing. Am I right guys?
I havent had it kick or stall yet but next time i use it i will try to see if there is a better side to swing at. Hadnt considered that, thanks ed.
It makes a big difference which side you come from, especially when you get up to the upper limit of what one should be cutting😁
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Other day i decided to try a little chinese crane mast and snatch block to winch tangled logs from up higher. I didnt plan the attachment for this but got lucky and only needed to weld a tab for the jack base.
I need a mechanical helper for some shed framing soon and this ought to do. Also have some shrubs to pull up that are over a slope where the backhoe cant go. I think with a pair of limbs cut and propped under as a tripod that ill be able to winch them out.
So while i was at it i asked myself what would @Stephen Alford (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=2754) do, and built a rack to hold everything i would ever want to drag out back. Everything has its place now, sort of a mobile command post. We got room for a cooler, grab handles for the kids and even a spot for TP. Should make for less trips back up to the house now. Tried the tongs and it was a waste of time, chokers are better.
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My favorite is the saw sharpening station off the side. As my eyes get worse having the work up close sure helps. Got dark early today. Maybe some LED work lights next.
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Mike your ready for all out war in the woods! I like it! Everything you need even beverages and goodies 👍
How else ya gonna keep a 7year old from whining?!
;D
Actually, hes fine all day if you turn him loose with a hatchet. Her not so much.
I don't know Stephen but have read a lot of his posts, where's the teapot? ;D
Looking good Mike! Was running a crew one time on a job and it took me a bit to get them to understand that every time they screwed off to walk back for a tool/part/piece that was lost production and probably a pay cut for us all. We worked up some nice carts with everything you'd need for specific jobs and it really ramped things up. Only way to fly is to have everything you need ready to rock and roll.
I added a few things on my tractor to make it easier for me too.
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No pictures of a plywood box behind the seat. None of the steel artillery box either. I made a place to put a cooler of water too.
lol...right on brother thats awesome. My pandemic project was to gear up a barnfind atv. By the time I lugged saws fuel lunch etc etc etc to the woods the only thing I wanted to do was have a nap. Found a couple ol ramps from smashed delivery trucks to load it...
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Got it up and running...
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as if hauling my own junk wasnt enough i have started yarding other peoples junk....same as wood just shorter twitches...
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Well buddy yer still an old brute to be heaving those ramps up every day. I used to get around $200 each for them for the junkyard.. Guys building car trailers mostly.
I spent a lot of time turning my old cheap king quad into a limb fetcher and service truck to go fuel the machines [didnt have a 4wd pickup at the time] and when it was finally all dialed in, the thing is falling apart and just sitting outside waiting to be pushed into the firepit. Constant intermittent hiccup and stalling. An oxymoron, i know.
Thought it was fuel, thought it was valve adjust.. I guess its spark and just wish the part would fail fail so i could ID it instead of throwing parts at it or endlessy tinkering.
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Mike you cant give up on the Zuki .. I revived one from the local power company. Granted it needed brake work, carb boot, valves adjusted, carb rebuild and some fresh gas...
But this thing was way before it's time, diff lock, multiple speed ranges, and small enough it doesnt need a trail to make it thru the woods. I wanted to sell it to get a Honda but couldn't part.
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So Ive got this scrapped service crane with a telescoping stick, hydraulic winch and worm gear turntable that will be the basis for a forestry crane build in the coming year, i hope. I had to get it out of a corner that is always mushy before the winter rains set in. I get stuck in this spot every time.
So i laced up one of the bear paws i built on my spare wheels with bald trailer tires off a parts machine to see if theyd clear. which they do.
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Made a big difference. i sunk pretty good but that side clawed me out. The other side wasnt doing anything. They will dig a fast deep hole if ya overdue it. Rototills the topsoil. Horribly lumpy on hard ground. Real bad.
I have to mod the other chain slightly and put my regular ladder chains on the backs, see how it does in the woods all chained up. Will build tracks someday, interested to see which will be best.
Looking forward to seeing the Forestry crane 🏗
Changed the tooth profile on the clearing saw today, its more agressive but also more grabby and abusive to the tool now. I dont think i like it, especially near fence.
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Will be reaming out the bore hole on a husky clearing blade thats very different pretty soon i think. See how that works.
scheming on a bobcat plan ive kicked around for a while too.
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I got the on for winter yesterday
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Welp, i got my big bucket down from taxachusetts and got it hung then cleaned up the links and shortened pins to length, put on collars etc.
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Boy has been flogging the wood chip pile for a half hour. Theyre out of school for atleast the next month and already driving me nuts so i figure 50cents of diesel = small price to pay.
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Still have to rebuild the joystick heims when money comes along. Right side is barely useable. Flushed out the last round of red diesel and put 20w hydraulic in today. Hafta get a filter soon.
@mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) I know it's just an optical illusion but that dog looks like it has horns 🤣
Dog dont but some days the kids do!
Quote from: mike_belben on December 12, 2020, 07:38:58 AM
Quote from: Tacotodd on December 12, 2020, 07:10:20 AM
@mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) I know it's just an optical illusion but that dog looks like it has horns 🤣
Dog dont but some days the kids do!
Truer words have never been spoken!!!! :)
Bit of progress on a rainy day. I finished my deer sled/wood cart and it works great. Fencepost, rebar, conduit and 14" rubber full of spray foam.. All free junk naturally.
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One mans junk is another mans treasure!! Nice job Mike 👍
Shine that up and go into production. You'd probably pay at least $200 for that, maybe even an SGU, at Home Depot.
Mike, fantastic!
Then to hide from the kids i buried myself in one of the sheds with a file and another clearing saw blade. This one is a fairly large husqvarna unit that i found in a stack of random blades and unlike any other ive tried, it has tooth set. Then up at my dads i found a few more styles which all had the same sub 1" bore.. So i machined the hub down on my trimmer head to accept this apparently standard size without any more blade boring like the first one i tried.
On this saw i started by refacing the mushed teeth to a blunt edge for tryouts and it cut fairly well without being grabby. I will call this a low kickback, homeowner tooth profile. Its still a sorta smashing cutter tooth rather than ripping, but it made a real kerf big enough to saw into without smoking or binding in the cut like grass and brush teeth
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But im not a homeowner yet, so that had to go. I filed and refaced the teeth into basically the meanest chainsaw style beak cutters i could manage today.
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Which turned it into a complete animal. Its very grabby and kickbacks are serious in 1" and up wood anywhere other than the 4-5 o'clock position where its a manageable animal. Its basically a skil saw on a stick now, behaves just like one.
Probably good up to 4 or 5 inch stems with excellent dexterity and ability to cut stuff RIGHT next to keep stuff. Im amazed. Will never be without one now.
Thanks @Stephen Alford (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=2754) !
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Quote from: barbender on December 12, 2020, 08:00:49 PM
Shine that up and go into production. You'd probably pay at least $200 for that, maybe even an SGU, at Home Depot.
i hate production. Btdt. Ill sell ya the rights for $500 plus a tip for jeff
;)
QuoteWhich turned it into a complete animal. Its very grabby and kickbacks are serious in 1" and up wood anywhere other than the 4-5 o'clock position where its a manageable animal. Its basically a skil saw on a stick now, behaves just like one.
Yup that's what I meant before, sounds like you made it work like a store bought blade, nice job!
I always keep everything and pick up any good deals or free stuff that might be handy later. This time it was some old tire chains out of my "what are you ever gonna do with that" pile. 2 mostly there but slightly mismatched chains + 3/4 of some other chain for the missing pieces = a front set for the bota
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Had a set of H-pattern rear chains a guy gave me for the old Belarus that just needed cut down. It needs a clutch and front axle rebuild and that won't happen this winter so now it needs chains too they weren't doing any good sitting around!
Finished my roof, lights, and limb deflector cables on the tractor. I don't take it through much brush, but the limb deflectors are for anything that springs back from a brush pile while grappling or anything that decides to come up and over the bucket/grapple/forks and heads towards the operator. The roof is made with 1.75" DOM and skinned with 18ga sheet metal.
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Quote from: mjeselskis on December 30, 2020, 01:37:38 PM
Finished my roof, lights, and limb deflector cables on the tractor. I don't take it through much brush, but the limb deflectors are for anything that springs back from a brush pile while grappling or anything that decides to come up and over the bucket/grapple/forks and heads towards the operator. The roof is made with 1.75" DOM and skinned with 18ga sheet metal.
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How did the clutch job work out?
The new clutch works great so far. The information you provided was very helpful during the reassembly. It took WAY longer than it should have to get the shafts lined up to slide the tractor halves together, but once they meshed, everything else went good.
Quote from: mjeselskis on December 30, 2020, 02:03:42 PMIt took WAY longer than it should have to get the shafts lined up to slide the tractor halves together, but once they meshed, everything else went good.
Yes that's the tricky part. Throw a few bucks at a shop manual, you'll be glad you did.
I thought I had big problems last year when my gear shift let go and just flopped around doing nothing. I though oh crap here goes a few thousand dollars into my transmission. The manual has the break down and all it was was a split pin inside the casing that joined the collar to the shaft inside. Took a day and a half to replace a fifty cent pin. Had to remove quite a bit of stuff to get at it.
Nice job on the log catchers.
The service manual is on the short list of things to order
Curious to know how you like having the lights there. I definitely need better lights on mine.
Quote from: Crusarius on December 30, 2020, 04:12:13 PM
Curious to know how you like having the lights there. I definitely need better lights on mine.
So far, so good. I haven't hit my head on them yet. Two forward, two back. I think the rear ones will be good for snowblowing and backhoe work. The front factory headlights are bright enough, but always blocked by the bucket or cross tube. I may aim the front ones down a little so I can see behind/under the bucket for the few times I'm moving dirt after dark.
I always seem to finish that last log that should only take 5 minutes up about an hour into dark :)
Sure I am not the only one.
Quote from: Crusarius on December 30, 2020, 07:30:12 PM
I always seem to finish that last log that should only take 5 minutes up about an hour into dark :)
Sure I am not the only one.
Nope, certainly not the only one. It's time to quit when it's dark enough that you can see the sparks clearly when you saw into a rock.
Nice size tractor you have there.
I like the lights too. Been thinking the same thing,2 up high, like you did and than 2 more that point down towards the ground in front. Probably only one that points towards the back. But I have a head lamp that really gets the light where I need it. ;)
I thought alot about putting some on the loader arms at the bend. Inside of course. I was just concerned I would get to much glare off of the hood.
Ive bought a few ebay chicom LED multi light combo kits over the years. Say a 18 bar and 4 small utility lights for $50 shipped.. That sorta thing. All my junk has those and none have ever failed surprisingly.
I found a dual 20" spot/flood package for $20 on amazon. I also got a bunch of 4" and all sorts of other random ones. All still going strong.
I have wanted some nice LED floodlights around my house for quite a while. I dunno if anyone has priced out the cost of 110v LED floodlights lately. But last time I looked a nice fixture was $130+.
I picked up those 20" lightbars and wired them up to a PC power supply I had laying around. So now I have LED floodlights all over the house. Super simple, cost $20. I can easily light up across the yard and to the other side of my pond. That is not a small feat.
Bought two 6" led lights on amazon and mounted them from the roof in the center front an back. I also got a west coast mirror and hung it sideways from the front inside center so I can see where I'm going backwards, I can't bend my neck enough to be able to look back. I have bumped the mirror getting on but it's easy to reach and reset.
So id bought a $20 shipped knockoff pruner attachment based on a single vague picture.. Almost just to see what it even was honestly.. I partly expected a toy or a single piece of it. I could not have known It had a 7 spline european drive gear and 26mm pole which wont fit my square drive 1" unit. I couldnt find a trace of 7spline to square adapter whatsoever.
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I whipped this up out of all sort of junk. NPT threaded water pipe into the gear box after i tapped it. A piece of pole from a trampoline safety fence that had a neckdown that slid over the 1" shaft and adapted via welder to the water pipe. The drive shaft is a piece of steel 1/4" rod i cut out from a cable raceway assembly. I welded a blob on the end and turned that into splines. The female square drive i made from welding 4pcs of keystock onto the round shaft. And it actually worked really good but started to twist the splines.
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Back to the drawing board i guess. Handy to be able to cut limbs 15ft up from the ground.
The log catcher looks like a good idea. Any "breakaway" provisions for the exhaust stack?
Although if a log hits it, it will breakaway, just maybe not where you would like.
Doug in SW IA
Quote from: mike_belben on January 11, 2021, 07:12:38 PM
So id bought a $20 shipped knockoff pruner attachment based on a single vague picture.. Almost just to see what it even was honestly.. I partly expected a toy or a single piece of it. I could not have known It had a 7 spline european drive gear and 26mm pole which wont fit my square drive 1" unit. I couldnt find a trace of 7spline to square adapter whatsoever.
At $20, it was worth a try. smiley_thumbsup Curious if you come up with another solution. I've been tempted to buy one for our echo, but they are expensive.
Quote from: dougtrr2 on January 13, 2021, 07:54:29 AM
The log catcher looks like a good idea. Any "breakaway" provisions for the exhaust stack?
Although if a log hits it, it will breakaway, just maybe not where you would like.
Doug in SW IA
No exhaust breakaway yet. I may build a new exhaust pipe that angles back and shoots up to the roof, but haven't decided yet.
Quote from: Dom on January 13, 2021, 08:12:15 AM
At $20, it was worth a try. smiley_thumbsup Curious if you come up with another solution. I've been tempted to buy one for our echo, but they are expensive.
pull your echo head off and measure the shaft and count the spline. i think echo may use a 7 spline. there is also 9 spline and obviously square drive. if you've got a 26mm shaft then there are all 3 available. for knockoffs theres a square drive 26mm pruner head for under $60 i have saved somewhere. an NPT tap goes right in for it to thread to water pipe.
i haven't solved the issue yet. I'm thinking a piece of drill rod thats fat enough to bring down to the finished spline without any welding there. then grinding in flats to weld on the square drive end again. not having any issues at the bottom, just the top. its on the back burner until the piece of material lands in my lap or someone hires me for a job that will just pay for the OEM still attachment. for now its just a personal use tool i need once or twice a year maybe.
actually maybe rebar will work. the shaft i made flexes all over inside the pipe and it was very crooked when i started so it don't need to be perfect. it'd be fine by my standards if the splines weren't twisting off.
My almost free snowblower setup. The three point blower was given to me. I had an extra quick attach plate hanging around. I called a hydraulic supplier to size a motor to run off the bobcat auxilliary hydraulics. Turns out the exact motor was kicking around in my asst junk. The only purchased items where a couple of quick connects, lovejoy coupling, and a check valve. Best of all my 16 yr old welded it up and made it go. Wish I had this year's ago. Everyone said a low Flo machine wouldn't work for a snowblower. I guess they where wrong this thing is awesome. Finally got a little snow to give it a good test
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/54188/20210126_102640.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1611705205)
Atta boy, love it.
👍
I got this contraption for nothing. Apparently it's made to drag into a row of round bales and wrap them for the winter. From what I gather, it wasn't pleasant to use, so it got tossed in the bushes. I'm planning to strip it down, narrow up the frame rails to 34", and make it into an off road log trailer. The frame rails are 12 ft long now, so I'll add a tongue to it and keep the 12 ft deck. I'm going to build a walking beam for it. It also had a pile of extra square and round tube sitting in it that will come in handy
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110923801.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612196029)
The stub axles that are on it now are 1 3/4". They are stamped 3000. I'm wondering if they are strong enough for carrying a load of logs, or worse yet, if I add a dump body and subframe to it from a one ton like I'm hoping. If it's really a 3,000lb axle and hub, I should be fine.
Wishing for a plasma cutter right now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110706203.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195890)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110752272.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195816)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110731801.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195866)
The stubs will be fine if the stickout length is short. So youll want to completely remove them from that frame and clean them back to round. The get the pieces for your walking beam rockers.. Big square tube is best.. 3x3 by 1/4 would work. Now drill measured out pilot holes straight through both faces of the square then come in with a holesaw at low rpm and well oiled to blow that out. Insert your spindle stubs and weld both faces.
Do the same in the center for your pivot and make it a double capture like the equalizer in your leaf sprung car trailer, plates on each side. Except drill this set of holes out for a weld in bushing tube and a greased bolt or plate to go through. 3/4 is plenty for the bolt in double shear. Dont go too crazy welding the bushing tube as in time you may need to cut and grind it flush to knock it out and replace.
The pivot bolts should get tack welded or tabbed and bolted to the outside brackets so the bolt stays stationary and the tube sleeve rocks on the bolt shaft. Sorta like how excavators pin the pivots in order that the intended part wears out exactly where it is intended to wear for longest service life.
Fwiw.. A 3k spindle usually wont fail until 6k. Insurance has made industry love a 50% safety factor.
Quote from: mike_belben on February 01, 2021, 12:08:05 PM
The stubs will be fine if the stickout length is short. So youll want to completely remove them from that frame and clean them back to round. The get the pieces for your walking beam rockers.. Big square tube is best.. 3x3 by 1/4 would work. Now drill measured out pilot holes straight through both faces of the square then come in with a holesaw at low rpm and well oiled to blow that out. Insert your spindle stubs and weld both faces.
Do the same in the center for your pivot and make it a double capture like the equalizer in your leaf sprung car trailer, plates on each side. Except drill this set of holes out for a weld in bushing tube and a greased bolt or plate to go through. 3/4 is plenty for the bolt in double shear. Dont go too crazy welding the bushing tube as in time you may need to cut and grind it flush to knock it out and replace.
The pivot bolts should get tack welded or tabbed and bolted to the outside brackets so the bolt stays stationary and the tube sleeve rocks on the bolt shaft. Sorta like how excavators pin the pivots in order that the intended part wears out exactly where it is intended to wear for longest service life.
Thanks Mike, appreciate the help. I'm pretty sure I have some 3"x3"x3/8" square tube in my metal pile buried under the snow that I was thinking about using for the walking beam rockers.
I also have a 4ft length of 1.625" shaft that I was thinking about cutting down to use for the center beam pivot. I was debating using that to avoid the double capture so I could have 360° beam rotation if I needed it.
If im picturing 360 beam rotation correctly, dont bother. Youll never need it and when you do there will logs over the tires so it aint happening.
My interstate 18DT has 3/4" equalizer pivots so clearly its enough for 10 ton.
Quote from: mike_belben on February 01, 2021, 12:43:09 PM
If im picturing 360 beam rotation correctly, dont bother. Youll never need it and when you do there will logs over the tires so it aint happening.
My interstate 18DT has 3/4" equalizer pivots so clearly its enough for 10 ton.
Yeah, I probably don't need 360 rotation. In order to make it happen, I'd have to keep my log uprights narrow enough to allow the tires to clear which would limit the load size. I likely wouldn't put my tractor through any terrain rough enough to require the trailer to have that much flexibility.
Definitely not.
Now there is nothing wrong with using an axle for the bogie pivot so you can bolt the walking beams on to a suspension for dual purpose.
Say quad tires on beams for the woods and then road tires singled up for the road. Thats fine if you need dual purpose. The bogie will halve the amount your trailer rises up over stumps and double the flotation but be a little harder to steer because of the spread.
Ok I need some help
I want to build a sawdust conveyor old school out of 2x wood with manure spreader chain and wood paddles .
8" wide x 20'long.
Powered by a electric motor.
What would I need for sprockets, shafts , bearings and such to get it to work.
Thanks Bruno
Do you have any parts for it or buying all of them? What motor hp and rpm?
I would be buying all the parts
Looking to save any way I could
Look for used things
Prowl around for an old bale elevator and use the chain and mechanics from it.
Quote from: Bruno of NH on February 01, 2021, 05:50:02 PM
Ok I need some help
I want to build a sawdust conveyor old school out of 2x wood with manure spreader chain and wood paddles .
8" wide x 20'long.
Powered by a electric motor.
What would I need for sprockets, shafts , bearings and such to get it to work.
Thanks Bruno
sander bed chain. where i buy mine he builds to order and will have the sprockets. if you want i can get his phone number. right now its time to go push snow
Sander chain is probably a great idea. You could make the frame out of timbers and plank then skin the runway with steel sheet, just be sure the fasteners arent getting scraped by the chain.
A small motor with low power consumption can do it if you gear down.
Is this gonna be batch loaded by a skid steer or just have dust falling off the mill as you go?
Dust coming from the sawdust chute on the mill
Here is a dumb idea for you bruno. make a trough that the sawdust blows into and have a scoop hooked to the mill. As the head moves it will drag the plate that will slide all the sawdust down the chute.
Simple and cheap. You may end up with a big pile at one end and a small pile at the other, but still better than all over the place.
Okay then ladder style salt chain may be overkill and quite expensive. Plus takes much heavier components and power to run it vs narrow rubber belting.
A piece of gutter laid down as a trough with a plastic bondo spreader or something like that cut into a form fitting wiper off the mill carriage like crusarious suggest may be a cheap way to get the dust into bins at the ends of the mill. Some old aluminum siding or flashing is easy to bend and rivet in place for baffles to catch it all.
If a conveyor is a must maybe consider a narrow rubber belt. TSC and agrisupply seem to stock belt for bailers or pickers maybe.
A 4 or 6" wide rubber belt conveyor can run over lawn mower wheels on an axle with independent slide adjustment for tension and tracking at the idler end. The wheels already have bearings so there is savings right there.. Just mount them on .750" shaft stock or whatever size spindles the mower had. The driving wheel id just weld the bearing to the rim and shaft then weld a sprocket and hub.. Or a jaw coupler. A right angle gear box will give you the reduction, the motor mount and motor coupling all in one package so that saves money.
Here is a cheap small low power one that will probably work for a small rubber belt and light load
50:1 Right Angle Gear Reducer | Cast Iron Shaft Input Gear Reducers | Gear Reducers & Gearboxes | Power Transmission | www.surpluscenter.com (https://www.surpluscenter.com/Power-Transmission/Gear-Reducers-Gearboxes/Cast-Iron-Shaft-Input-Gear-Reducers/50-1-Right-Angle-Gear-Reducer-13-1594.axd)
Inflating tires after tensioning will help increase the tension too. And it wont take much power to run. I guess you just have to start pricing stuff and choose a direction.
Gutter is a great idea. I was thinking PVC. But unfortunately PVC in 10-12" size which is where I would want to be is not cheap.
Could always used 2 6" gutters next to each other and just cut a flap to fit into both. All mounted together so it can't separate.
Why not use a Harbor Freight dust collector blower? That's what I use on my firewood processor. I took the dust collector stuff off and just use the blower to throw the sawdust outside. It's been in service since summer 2019. Moved a lot of sawdust 8). Cheap, simple, and effective :) :) I bought the 28 month replacement warranty. Haven't needed it yet ;) ;D :)
I worrie about the wet sawdust in the winter when I'm running washer fluid.
I use alot keeping the band clean and cool.
I notice it cuts much smoother with washer fluid in frozen logs.
That is definitely a very valid concern. With a metal tray you could add some heat tape to it if that becomes an issue. But no matter what you do you may still have that issue. even if its just a dust collector.
Washer fluid doesn't freeze.
Yes it will, but it's GOT to be cooolld!!
Or REALLY cheap :D ;D
Any of you guys brazing wizards? Im having some issues trying to oxy-propane braze stainless to stainless with stay silv 45 rods. The blue flux coated ones.
Never tried stainless. I used to do a lot of brazing. On thin stuff the tip size and pressure settings are important. As in soldering, if it will tin, it will braze.
hey @bruno, how bout using a piece of steel roofing formed into a U for the sawdust trough. Give you a larger trough and I think if you do get freezing in it, it probably won't effect the function very much. Plus it will warm up and defrost much faster than PVC.
Still go with the idea to connect a drag plate to the head and let the sawmill do all the work.
Quote from: Crusarius on February 03, 2021, 08:33:10 AMhow bout using a piece of steel roofing formed into a U for the sawdust trough
Double-walled culverts cut in half work well and the plastic is very slippery. I've used them for a firewood chute to the basement. I think they come as small as 10". I like Crusarius's idea of a one-way scraper or wiper.
I have no idea what one of those culverts would cost, but I am sure its not cheap.
edit: about 200$ for a 20' length of 12" from tractor supply.
double corrugated culvert is a good idea too. but i think if its single direction you'll have sawdust loaded up at the capped end. i think it needs to be two directional or the wiper needs to be lifted out of the trough in one direction.
and fwiw, lead conveyors in ranges are an oscillating tray. basically a coated C channel as long as necessary, up to a few hundred feet, that has an eccentric shaft spun by a motor to a toggle bar that shoves it. almost like a vibratory screener except there is no fixed pivot.
link belt makes theirs on fiberglass reeds for the flexing motion.. its very slight. but that lead just marches along into the drum at the end. id say it was 30 yrs ago my dad installed the ones i maintained and neither of us never saw a major failure. thats running 6 days a week 2 or 3 shifts long. lead is just too heavy, sharp and full of fine powder for any belt, paddle or chain conveyance to last.
70 gallon 2 HP High Flow High Capacity Dust Collector (harborfreight.com) (https://www.harborfreight.com/2-hp-industrial-5-micron-dust-collector-97869.html)
mike, for the small amount that would get pushed back it wouldn;t be a big deal to just put a bucket or something there to catch the little overflow. I would just make a solid link to the sawdust chute and a fixed scraper then deal with the little that is pushed back.
Quote from: Crusarius on February 03, 2021, 09:25:51 AM
I have no idea what one of those culverts would cost, but I am sure its not cheap.
edit: about 200$ for a 20' length of 12" from tractor supply.
Menards has 8" dual wall 20ft section for $70, 10" for $100. I don't have a Menards within 500 miles, but they must be out there. I think I've bought bigger than 12" for around $200. That seems rather expensive for 12".
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/pipe-fittings/culvert-pipe-accessories/corrugated-solid-dual-wall-plain-end-culvert-drainage-pipe/10gf20np/plumbing/pipe-fittings/culvert-pipe-accessories/corrugated-solid-dual-wall-plain-end-culvert-drainage-pipe/08gf20np/p-1444451523087.htm
yea. I dunno where the nearest menards is to me. Bruno may be lucky though.
I've not checked my local Tractor Supply. I've gotten culverts from a local dealer (they carry drainage stuff, septic tanks, fabric, etc...). I'm guessing a local retailer might be cheaper than TSC.
could be. that was just a super quick google search. at least it answered my question
Them culverts come as small as 6 inches. The hardware store I work at sell them. They are called smooth bore.
I need a 6' diameter one for a convection kiln experiment :)
why not what others have used. this may not be spelled right. pratz barn cleaner
Sawdust blower on a bandmill in Sawmills and Milling (forestryforum.com) (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=21322.msg1488479#msg1488479)
Just one thread that comes up in a search of the FF using blower and mill as keywords.
Sooner or later your going to have to work off that side of the mill ;D. Look at the dust blowers that Corley5 mentioned plus the setup that teakwood built.
I'm going to give the blower a shot.
Talking about a blower on your mill reminds me of the mill I used to use for softwood which is closed now. But since I brought in my logs in with a dump truck he made me back into the blower outlet area to dump them so that the ends of the logs would stay clean and not get all muddy making it easy for him to check for rot. The first time I did that I left the door of the truck open while I unhooked the load straps. It was like being in a sawdust storm and when I got back in the truck the cab was 1/2 full of saw dust. Allen thought it was pretty funny. After that he turned the blower off for me.
gg
A local garage left the window down a bit on a customers car during a blizzard, filled the car completely. Apparently the conditions were just right.
The corrupt impound lot/repair shop that DOT had me towed to (regional towing, middletown ny) was purposefully scraping the gravel lot with a wheel loader and piling the snow and gravels 8 feet high ontop the impounded cars so that no one could get them out while the huge daily charge racked up.
Lord as my witness, one guy told me to back my trailer right into 2 other peoples cars, as in just push it right in between those two where it wouldnt fit.. I refused. I asked if they were in the scrap car business too ..he said something to the effect of 'no these are impounds but theyre gonna be scrap.' I gave him a death stare and made it clear my trailer better get treated right.
When i went to retrieve it another guy was raking up all the snow he could get to put it ontop the cars. One that was pulled out of that spot, probably for retrieval by the owner, had the whilole roof caved in, sunroof shattered and interior covered in gravel. "Not responsible for damage" signs and clauses all over spell out immunity. the NYSP and court ensure they get away with it and all should be in prison. The SP barracks has an impound lot where your stuff is supposed to go for free. They raped me for around $2700 in "storage" for a month then falsified the documents to make a deal when i told them $2100 or shove that old rusty trailer up your..
Im required to forgive them, but i wont cry if they all die slow and painful.
Quote from: mike_belben on February 06, 2021, 08:56:39 AM
The corrupt impound lot/repair shop that DOT had me towed to (regional towing, middletown ny) was purposefully scraping the gravel lot with a wheel loader and piling the snow and gravels 8 feet high ontop the impounded cars so that no one could get them out while the huge daily charge racked up.
Lord as my witness, one guy told me to back my trailer right into 2 other peoples cars, as in just push it right in between those two where it wouldnt fit.. I refused. I asked if they were in the scrap car business too ..he said something to the effect of 'no these are impounds but theyre gonna be scrap.' I gave him a death stare and made it clear my trailer better get treated right.
When i went to retrieve it another guy was raking up all the snow he could get to put it ontop the cars. One that was pulled out of that spot, probably for retrieval by the owner, had the whilole roof caved in, sunroof shattered and interior covered in gravel. "Not responsible for damage" signs and clauses all over spell out immunity. the NYSP and court ensure they get away with it and all should be in prison. The SP barracks has an impound lot where your stuff is supposed to go for free. They raped me for around $2700 in "storage" for a month then falsified the documents to make a deal when i told them $2100 or shove that old rusty trailer up your..
Here is an example of qualified immunity. Then there is civil asset forfeiture and the many false confessions due to police lying to suspects. So police can lie, steal, and get away with it.
g-man: ya, but I bet the cab got a permanent air freshener treatment--the smell of spruce :D :D. How's this winter treating you up North? All the best, Rob.
I'll put this one up here since it is sorta forestry related, in that it attaches to my 3pt winch :)
Really have been wanting a round bale spear that attaches to the winch and not the 3pt itself or the bucket. I am stubborn enough to just roll bales around in the snow by hand before taking the winch off, putting back on, etc. This is something that only gets used for 10min every 5-8 days.
Design constraints: $0, made from junk already lying around. This was complicated by 2ft of snow covering most of my junk so the inputs were even more limited :D
Some type of old axle (square on one end, tapered to threads on the other end w/ a keyway), chunk of pipe to sleeve it a ways, chunk of slightly bent 2" square tube for the receiver, 18" pipe nipple, two chunks of ubolt from F350 leaf spring replacement, angle iron, random chunk of heavy flat stock and some gusset plates that were scrap from some shearing. Add it all up in a snowstorm this morning and this gets puked out:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/A27D8276-1D06-4458-92BD-DFF5BF1D513E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1612646035)
The solid bar and pipe it is sleeved with go all the way to the back of the 2" square that is in the receiver hitch so it could be welded front and back but this means not feasible to drill for a pin. Still need weld in two bolts in each of those top triangular plates that match up with the chain slots in the winch. Hard to tell in the pic but there is heavy angle iron v down underneath the spike. This is welded to the spike in the front and tapered to a point, also welded 8" along each bottom corner of the 2" tube that goes into receiver
The whole deal slides into the receiver, then just finger tighten nuts on the bolts through the chain slot so it can't slide out of the hitch or twist/rotate much :o
Would change some stuff on v2 but v1 works and temporary fixes last the longest as we know. Built in a snowbank during a snow storm with a 110v lincoln/flux core, flap disk and cutoff wheel...
Quote from: 78NHTFY on February 06, 2021, 10:41:40 AM
g-man: ya, but I bet the cab got a permanent air freshener treatment--the smell of spruce :D :D. How's this winter treating you up North? All the best, Rob.
Permanent air freshener is right.
Doing good up here Rob, thanks. A good winter to get around in the woods so far. All the predicted big storms were fizzles for us here in the shadow of the White Mntns for coastal storms and no frigid weather either. So I'm just enjoying my normal winter spruce and fir thing. No schedules or dead lines - and a good thing too.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/20_1_10.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1612656413)
gg
Quote from: g_man on February 06, 2021, 07:08:56 PM
Quote from: 78NHTFY on February 06, 2021, 10:41:40 AM
g-man: ya, but I bet the cab got a permanent air freshener treatment--the smell of spruce :D :D. How's this winter treating you up North? All the best, Rob.
Permanent air freshener is right.
Doing good up here Rob, thanks. A good winter to get around in the woods so far. All the predicted big storms were fizzles for us here in the shadow of the White Mntns for coastal storms and no frigid weather either. So I'm just enjoying my normal winter spruce and fir thing. No schedules or dead lines - and a good thing too. (https://grillguru.org/best-wood-to-smoke-turkey/)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/20_1_10.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1612656413)
gg
Poet of White mountains ;D Don't you think pals that his winter is colder than previous?
Yes, we're into our 6th week of extra cold and light snow every other day :(. Always said that I couldn't go out if it was under 22°, now it's 30° before going out but it never gets that high >:(.
Quote from: mjeselskis on February 01, 2021, 11:17:23 AM
I got this contraption for nothing. Apparently it's made to drag into a row of round bales and wrap them for the winter. From what I gather, it wasn't pleasant to use, so it got tossed in the bushes. I'm planning to strip it down, narrow up the frame rails to 34", and make it into an off road log trailer. The frame rails are 12 ft long now, so I'll add a tongue to it and keep the 12 ft deck. I'm going to build a walking beam for it. It also had a pile of extra square and round tube sitting in it that will come in handy
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110923801.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612196029)
The stub axles that are on it now are 1 3/4". They are stamped 3000. I'm wondering if they are strong enough for carrying a load of logs, or worse yet, if I add a dump body and subframe to it from a one ton like I'm hoping. If it's really a 3,000lb axle and hub, I should be fine.
Wishing for a plasma cutter right now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110706203.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195890)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110752272.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195816)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110731801.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195866)
I think the deconstruction stage is complete and it's time to start assembly. One of the 5x5 square tube "frame rails" had a nasty bend in it that was poorly patched before so that got cut out, joined, plated, and the frame rail extended. Both rails have a sweep in them that I'll have to straighten whenv the cross members are welded in. The main frame rails are 5x5x1/4 and the piece on the left is a piece of 5x5x3/8 I had in my pile that I'll use for the tongue.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210214_114934431.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1613321430)
Quote from: mjeselskis on February 14, 2021, 11:55:13 AM
Quote from: mjeselskis on February 01, 2021, 11:17:23 AM
I got this contraption for nothing. Apparently it's made to drag into a row of round bales and wrap them for the winter. From what I gather, it wasn't pleasant to use, so it got tossed in the bushes. I'm planning to strip it down, narrow up the frame rails to 34", and make it into an off road log trailer. The frame rails are 12 ft long now, so I'll add a tongue to it and keep the 12 ft deck. I'm going to build a walking beam for it. It also had a pile of extra square and round tube sitting in it that will come in handy
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110923801.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612196029)
The stub axles that are on it now are 1 3/4". They are stamped 3000. I'm wondering if they are strong enough for carrying a load of logs, or worse yet, if I add a dump body and subframe to it from a one ton like I'm hoping. If it's really a 3,000lb axle and hub, I should be fine.
Wishing for a plasma cutter right now.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110706203.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195890)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110752272.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195816)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210201_110731801.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1612195866)
I think the deconstruction stage is complete and it's time to start assembly. One of the 5x5 square tube "frame rails" had a nasty bend in it that was poorly patched before so that got cut out, joined, plated, and the frame rail extended. Both rails have a sweep in them that I'll have to straighten whenv the cross members are welded in. The main frame rails are 5x5x1/4 and the piece on the left is a piece of 5x5x3/8 I had in my pile that I'll use for the tongue.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210214_114934431.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1613321430)
It's one of those days. Got it all squared up and started tacking the cross members in when I remembered that the frame width was supposed to be 34", not the 37" that's sitting in front of me...
Man, that 5x5x3/8 was fun to cut and bevel the first time...
Either preheat the backside with a torch or watch your one sided welds pull it into dueling bananas.
Quote from: mike_belben on February 14, 2021, 03:11:01 PM
Either preheat the backside with a torch or watch your one sided welds pull it into dueling bananas.
I'm pretty good at making bananas. I planned to jump around doing short welds to try to minimize the warping. Where would you heat? The main frame rails are capped so I can't heat the backside of the weld.
Youre welding the inside faces of the square tube so heat the outside faces. The vertical planes facing outboard of the rungs.
Quote from: FairFrank on February 12, 2021, 04:27:36 AM
Quote from: g_man on February 06, 2021, 07:08:56 PM
Quote from: 78NHTFY on February 06, 2021, 10:41:40 AM
g-man: ya, but I bet the cab got a permanent air freshener treatment--the smell of spruce :D :D. How's this winter treating you up North? All the best, Rob.
Permanent air freshener is right.
Doing good up here Rob, thanks. A good winter to get around in the woods so far. All the predicted big storms were fizzles for us here in the shadow of the White Mntns for coastal storms and no frigid weather either. So I'm just enjoying my normal winter spruce and fir thing. No schedules or dead lines - and a good thing too. (https://grillguru.org/best-wood-to-smoke-turkey/)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/20_1_10.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1612656413)
gg
Poet of White mountains ;D Don't you think pals that his winter is colder than previous?
Hey - you give me to much credit. I'm no where close to being a poet.
When I said we were in the shadow of the Whites I did not mean it in a poetic sense, I was trying to describe a weather phenomenon that occurs here with coastal storms. They have easterly winds and as the air rises up the east slopes it dries and dumps the snow. So that means that us who live close in on the western side have dry air and little snow - like we are in a snow shadow.
And our weather here is warmer than last year. We've just had our 1st below 0 F weather this week. Normally it starts around Christmas or before. The cold might be where you are but not here which is a good thing ;D
gg
Have used the farmi winch mounted bale spear posted earlier a few times, working great.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/08C50FC0-2678-4E33-8C2C-79AA90BFF548.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1614036012)
It has saved more time than it took to build, sounds like a win and no need to bother building version 2.
The SpileDriver©
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0222211903_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1614043332)
And some much needed evaporator mods in progress.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0222211904_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1614043968)
The evaporator mods came out pretty good. It is also a grill, oven, cooktop and smoker now depending on how you set the pieces up, and im getting an education out of tinkering on that. Ive made a handful of stoves but never like this
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0224211740_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1614232402)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0224211538a_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1614232300)
Meanwhile.. The govt keeps sending money i dont really need or want. So in an effort to keep the money local, i stimulated a nearby fellows bottom line on some 7.60-15 front rubbers that he had on a suzuki samurai.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0319211546_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1616277054)
I put them on some free jeep cherokee rims and stuck em on the TSI peewee swing grapple skidder project with boy today. Flawless fit.. Very excited to build this one for him. Or me.. Whichever ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0320211605_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1616276954)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0320211606_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1616276936)
that thing is gonna be sweet!!!!!!
So now with rain and mud, I move in the garage for some indoor projects. The pressure-treated plywood bed of my utility trailer lasted only about 7 years. I've not had good luck with PT plywood. So I've taken the opportunity to lengthen the 12ft bed a foot or so, and widen it about 10" to use the "dead" space between the frame and wheels. I will use 5/4" pressure treated boards for the bed and make new sideboards. So far, stripped the old stuff off and welded on the width extensions - 3" channel iron. If all goes well, I'll complete it this weekend.
Next on the agenda is a 16ft firewood table/trailer. I'll start a new thread. That'll be a bit more involved. Might even get a start on that this weekend.
The trailer as I outfitted it 7 years ago (bought the frame from my farmer neighbor for $50)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_38745B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617298718)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_38755B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617298764)
Stripped to the original frame:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_38795B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617298821)
Modified frame. Welded 3" channel iron to widen the bed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_38845B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617298864)
A little progress on the repower job I've been working on. The exhaust manifold is not ideal for this application but it should work with a little fabricobbing ,also had to extend the shroud on the radiator. Other than two clamps it was all stuff that was already on hand. Always enjoy making useful stuff out of repurposed items.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/40841/6387840D-A343-45A2-BB3F-FC21819C389D.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1617410166)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/40841/95FBEC02-DE43-47AC-9C02-14663BE20FC3.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1617410678)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/40841/A5602340-75A1-403D-B3E7-81F2C07AD334.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1617410831)
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I needed a roller to pack 5 acres of field that I tilled for reseeding. I couldn't find anything big enough, but this will work. Made from a 320 gallon propane tank. Weighs about 700lb empty and about 3,300lb full of water.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210403_152802056.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1617478240)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24804/IMG_20210403_152836626.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1617478175)
that is the nicest roller I have ever seen. I bet it will last much longer than a store bought one. The wall is 3 times as thick!
That roller is a beaut! I have a small one I use around the yard in the spring and fall. I keep meaning to add a scraper bar that just lays on the top of it's own weight and knocks off the clods that stick to the roller. Have you considered that or is that kind of 'precision' not required for your work?
Mine is gonna develop a split one of these days, I have no idea how old it is, but 40-50 years seems about right. Don't even know what's in it. ;D
Quote from: Crusarius on April 03, 2021, 04:16:49 PM
that is the nicest roller I have ever seen. I bet it will last much longer than a store bought one. The wall is 3 times as thick!
Thanks. I was pleasantly surprised by the wall thickness on this. It's almost 3/16" thick so it should hold up well.
Quote from: Old Greenhorn on April 03, 2021, 04:34:28 PM
That roller is a beaut! I have a small one I use around the yard in the spring and fall. I keep meaning to add a scraper bar that just lays on the top of it's own weight and knocks off the clods that stick to the roller. Have you considered that or is that kind of 'precision' not required for your work?
Mine is gonna develop a split one of these days, I have no idea how old it is, but 40-50 years seems about right. Don't even know what's in it. ;D
Precision is not required on this first job, but I may modify it if too many clods stick to it. The square tube that runs parallel to the tank is just under 2" away from it, so I could probably just add something to it if I need to.
Quote from: mjeselskis on April 03, 2021, 05:41:07 PMThe square tube that runs parallel to the tank is just under 2" away from it, so I could probably just add something to it if I need to.
Pretty neat! You could take a strip of UHMW and attach it to a piece of angle iron that is hinged to the tube. The UHWM will wear (slowly as it is VERY slippery) and not mess up your paint job too badly.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on April 03, 2021, 07:03:13 PM
Quote from: mjeselskis on April 03, 2021, 05:41:07 PMThe square tube that runs parallel to the tank is just under 2" away from it, so I could probably just add something to it if I need to.
Pretty neat! You could take a strip of UHMW and attach it to a piece of angle iron that is hinged to the tube. The UHWM will wear (slowly as it is VERY slippery) and not mess up your paint job too badly.
Good idea. I think I have a piece of uhmw that is about the right length. It was on the bottom of the runners of my ice fishing shack, but they outlasted the shack.
For mine I figured something like a hinged piece of angle iron that would lay on the top of the roller but brag on it by it's own weight. If it hit something hard, it would lift up. I hate when a piece of mud is filled with small stones, then I pull off onto a hard surface and the thing is bouncing over that stone every time it comes around. Your experience and whether it is worth it or not for you, will be apparent pretty soon when you test it out. Nice job in any event!
Great job on the roller I like it
Yes, top notch roller. smiley_thumbsup
I would rip a piece of 2x lumber into a ramp on the tablesaw then screw pieces of a cut up mudflap along the wood so it contacts the roller tangentially for a wiper. If it needs more pressure you could do sheetmetal over, under or sandwiching the flap.
I made a dirt roller with wiper where a C channel directly contacted a heavy precision conveyor roll for the drum. The channel was floating on threaded rods with springs, washers and nuts holding it down to the side arms. The performance was impeccable but noise unbearable and the wiper was discarded.
The plastic type flaps up front should be pretty silent and scrape well. Plus that way the loose material gets kicked in front instead of the back and will be compacted again. Hopefully the compaction reduces erosion and seed loss in heavy rain.
I like that 55G drum fan shroud too. Clever.
@PoginyHill (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=48760)
I just noticed the upside down steer beam on your trailer. Thats a clever lift kit.
Yes. It came that way. Provides great clearance over rough terrain. Only downside is the bed is rather high for the wife - Hence the lower sideboards.
Quote from: mjeselskis on April 03, 2021, 03:35:45 PMI needed a roller to pack 5 acres of field that I tilled for reseeding. I couldn't find anything big enough, but this will work. Made from a 320 gallon propane tank. Weighs about 700lb empty and about 3,300lb full of water.
Awesome roller. Do you rent it out??
Finished the trailer rebuild.
Ready for decking:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_38925B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617623330)
Self-tapping deck screws are the cat's meow...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_38945B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617623401)
Sideboards are only 12" high. Stakes are 20" high.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_38985B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617623501)
Ready for work.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_39005B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1617623545)
Came out great. I will be incorporating receiver tubes at the tongue of all future trailers. I have two i can swap like that and will stick with it for versatility and security. I padlock my safety chains into the hitch hole or lunette eye just to frusterate a thief.
Ive been workin on improving my hodgepodge skidding attachment. Its sort of an embarrassment that shoulda never been.. It was once a beautiful ripping blade for my little deere 140 but desperation morphed it into this ugly thing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0705201932a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1594011813)
But the winch was on a receiver that forced it too far back to skid with chokers on cable so i always had to reel them in then switch the chokers to the buttplate notches.
I grafted a pin-on hoist to it so id have an offroad cherry picker, and naturally tried a higher cable angle. Cable height certainly helps get logs climbing up out of tangles.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1116201523_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1605632343)
Well, revision 3 got tested today.
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The height helps offer a tiny bit of rollover protection in that it may keep the tractor weight off my noggin.
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It still carries all my junk out to the woods and back. (I dont normally bring 3 saws.. Was just making sure they still fit with the changes) Now the winch is hard mounted at about 6ft high and with full remote control which is fantastic. I did remote control and the new 500amp contactor for around $70 total. Itll control the winch well beyond my 100ft cable length.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0410211905b_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618108023)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0410211906a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618108002)
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0410211935a_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618107881)
Its still only a 2wd weenie tractor that cant keep the steers down and doesnt have a strong enough front axle or steering for a loader. The mods did make a difference in time efficiency from the remote and pulling efficiency from the cable height being raised. The tractor just repositions the attachment and charges the battery to bunch logs together. The cable brings cull trees to the main trail without tearing up keepers. I need a cable boom on my trailer now for loading the stuff along the main trail.
I still havent maxxed out the 27hp diesel at all. It would take 4wd and a FEL to be able to keep the headlights down. The balance issue is such that i am wheelie-ing near idle with a full tree cut into two sticks .. Probably 3-5 hp brings it up. On the trailer i can get maybe 5-8 trees out (a full cord) in one pass at maybe half power. 4wd and a full frame loader could fix the balaance issue and i suspect 27hp would move 2cord at a time on good ground. My ballpark number for flat ground vs even the slightest incline is probably 3 to 5x more can be moved on dead flat. Even a 5ft long 1% rise will wheelie. Now atleast i am using the winch as a mainline instead of chokers on the rack, and i now bump it in freewheel, drive past the spot, winch in and continue. About doubling what i can do if needed, with the same machine.
Looks great. Sounds like the remote works pretty awesome. How about a shorted axle with wheels you can put under the front logs to take the weight off the rear of the tractor
I considered that.. If i HAD to skid, a wheelie caster would help alot and id definitely try it. BUT.. i can move approx 10x more wood on the forwarding trailer per trip so fuel wise its smarter and sawing wise its cleaner. and then its already piled nice to unload with my forktruck, so no logjam sprawled out at my landing like if i skid it in.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0803201742-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596494550)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0803201211.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596493867)
The tractor doesnt deck very well and cant drive over logs. Bobcat is dead so it cant tidy up the landing anymore. Forktruck too big and landing too small with the way skidded logs come in. But landing is set up nice to unload the forwarding trailer with forktruck. (This isnt the landing)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0808201959.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596940730)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0808202001.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596940685)
soon i have to start thinning my fathers lot down the road once mine is finished. That all needs trailered so its just the right direction to go.
Since the tractor is so pathetic, this attachment is more an attempt at a micro yarder tower to get logs bunched along a solid trail edge faster than what i was doing before without letting the tractor leave the trail. The cable does the dirty work and i dont have any residual damage to the stand or machine to regret later.
The remote is excellent. Its on a fluorescent lanyard tied to my belt loop that will let it drop to my ankle. When not in use i tuck it into my shirt collar. If i need that hand for a second i sling it over my shoulder. No more walking back and forth or getting the wired remote tangled, lost, knotted, stepped on. I can hold the tong in place while pulling until its got a good bite, redirect cable around a stump and pull just a foot or two to roll log past an obstacle or run cable in and out on the fly so it wraps nice on the drum. I used to walk back and forth from log to tractor constantly and swear at things i was tripping over. Now i dont come back to the tractor until the log is there with me. Its great.
I got a remote for my other winch too, so i can be in a dead vehicle steering on or off the trailer and not need a helper to run the winch. Remotes are $20.
Next comes improving the log trailer so it can self load with tongs.
Phase 3 is this ugly attachment becomes the base for a small crane to help me raise timber bents alone.
It also will get lights up top pointing in all 4 directions to extend winter work hours. At low idle the machine hardly uses any fuel.
Next thing this poor boy really needs glued on...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0411211950_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618190264)
Hope there's room for lots of friends on the hood, a poor boy see-saw ;D
Well why else would rednecks build big pipe bumpers on the front of everything?
;D
Quote from: mike_belben on April 11, 2021, 10:05:07 PM
Well why else would rednecks build big pipe bumpers on the front of everything?
;D
To carry air for their tires or water for their dogs. Intimidate the millennial driving the Prius. To provide a convenient attachment point for the snatch strap after a "hold my beer, watch this" moment.
The forks should be handy as a shirt pocket. I've considered making a fork rack that would have the skid steer mount and also attach to the three point hitch. A hydraulic top link could be your huckleberry with that set up.
I have a couple of his cousins.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10624/fordson-clark.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1192061661)
Just need about 100 more horses in that tractor. Works fine on solid level ground......not so much when things get soft.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10624/20190110_163342.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1547163055)
This is for the light work. There is a set of forks (2x3 box tubing) under the carry all. Hydraulic cylinder for toplink. I think Dexta can lift in the neighborhood of 1500# on those forks.
Wudman
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0413211506_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618348690)
Its gonna fill in for the bobcat for a while.
Forgive me if I've told this story before, but here goes- my Grandpa had tandem end dump that he would pull the box off of for the winter, and put a rear mount pulp loader on to haul wood for the season. He had one small logger he would haul for, a little native guy. Well he had some wood lined up for Grandpa, but there were some good hills in there. Problem was, that little truck wasn't balanced out very good with the loader on it- it was really light on the steers and only got worse when loaded. Well Grandpa got in and got loaded, but on the way out there was a hill where his steers would come off the ground and he'd slowly go off the road. He tried a few times and it just wasn't happening. So the logger said, "I'll be right back" and ran into the local village and grabbed a bunch of folks- "hey come on Alvy can't get his truck out of the woods!" So he comes bombing back in with a carload of people. They all got on Grandpa's front bumper and by golly Grandpa said it was doing the trick, but those native guys were ribbing a gal that came with them who had a hearty build. She got mad and jumped off the bumper and Grandpa couldn't steer anymore. He got kind of upset with them, and told them "quit teasing her, we need her up there!". So finally she climbed back on and up the hill they went. I wish I had a picture or video of that one. "Alvy Alger coming out of the hole, 1972"😂
That's a great story
Grandpa had quite a few, I think I could write a book of short stories just from the stories he's told me. "Dad and the Highway Patrol have it out on the side of the road" and "Brother Runt gets knocked out by a jack pine" are a couple more chapters😁
I am waiting for chapter 2 and 3. ;D
That's a great story.
Yesterday while making a mount to hang a weight block on front that i built for a garden tractor puller, i realized my lead steering arm was loose on the kingpin top, which was a rounded square shape (4 flats on a circle) and a pinchbolt clamping arm. I couldnt get it snug so i welded up one flat, shaped it in and pounded the arm back on.
My tie rod was also bent badly. Fixing that i discovered a missing steer stop on one side i still have to reproduce but that should stop the wheel from catching trash and flopping in until it smiles the tierod and rips the wheel from your hand.
I finished the weight block and gave it a try. What a huge difference in steer quality and fork capacity. Theres 6" of clearance underneath which is fine for the yard and a great disincentive to try going anywhere stupid with it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0415211930_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618582410)
Heard the lift valve's relief squeeling for the first time here which means i can now keep the front down and max out the lift.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0415211857_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618582395)
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Nice 👍
another scrapyard treasure. $100 cash. someone payed a few grand for it.
Ford 460/C6 is about the limit
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0428211152_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1619631438)
I'm wanting to say that's about the limit for a 3 strong & healthy man (& young) well coordinated crew also.
Once upon a time I was there. A LONG time ago 🤬
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0501211948_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1619929318)
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I have that same Suzuki king quad mike, mines a 96. Got mine for 250$ CDN all it needed was the fuel tank swamped as the threaded petcock insert holes were ripped out somehow? Anyway. On those particular models, you need to remove EVERYTHING to get to removing the tank :D anyway it came with a spare tank and it works great. Low hour machine
They have their issues but for being a pioneer in the 4x4 quad market they sure got a lot of things right. Ive had much of this one apart many times. Lack of coolant or atleast thermostatic fans to manage the heat of using it hard in super low was the biggest mistake imo.
Today i should finish a sleeve hitch for all my dirt implements and a sprayer bar im building. Have to teardown the motor for the tiller and get it unstuck. Then decide how to rig that up.
I think this will be pretty handy for keeping trails and fencerows open and doing remote food plots.
mike_belben What size pto shaft did you use B100 what rpm do you use. I have one and like the way you have yours done.
On the chipper?
I have a 540/1000 and tend to run it in high for fast throughput of brush. Anything big enough to demand low gear id keep for firewood.
The shredder drum shaft is 25mm and had a proprietary 3 jaw coupling unique to BCS in a double captured bearing tube. I had to cut the tube and lose the outer bearing to expose enough of the 25mm shaft. Then i put a 25mm flange bearing over the shaft and rigged up a 1-3/8 six spline adapter that i bored to 25mm ID. That taps over the metric shaft and uses a 1/4 bolt for shear pin to get a standard usa pto shaft on it. I will get a pic up later for you.
Thanks it gives me something to think about.
Frame work in the way prevented the shear pin hole from going in straight but it dont matter.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0502211127_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1619983378)
@mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) if using a bolt for a shear pin (because it's been a subject to me in the past) what has worked better for you?
Ive never had any shearpin trouble to compare really. Just whatever i stick in the hole seems to work.
I can tell you ive put all 16hp through the prop shaft on my deere 140 puller and its just a 3/16 shearpin. Drove it out yesterday.
10-4! THX!
Quote from: mike_belben on May 02, 2021, 03:24:54 PM
Frame work in the way prevented the shear pin hole from going in straight but it dont matter.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0502211127_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1619983378)
I'd use a grade 5 bolt for a shear pin thats a grade 8, grade 8 is pretty strong, or is that what you anticipated?
Id prefer the pin shear with ease and protect my investment. Its my first chipper so i didnt know what i was in for but it hasnt sheared a bolt yet and ive chipped as big as i ever will.
Next phase for this is going on a caster wheel setup so it can pull a trailer too. Firewood limbs in the trailer, brush through the chipper.
Quote from: mike_belben on May 02, 2021, 05:28:40 PM
Id prefer the pin shear with ease and protect my investment. Its my first chipper so i didnt know what i was in for but it hasnt sheared a bolt yet and ive chipped as big as i ever will.
Next phase for this is going on a caster wheel setup so it can pull a trailer too. Firewood limbs in the trailer, brush through the chipper.
I'm pretty sure a grade 5 will shear much easier than a grade 8 :D Better yet grade 2
I didnt even look at it. Just stuck bolt in hole. Im sure i have softer ones in the bin
Quote from: mike_belben on May 02, 2021, 06:15:35 PM
I didnt even look at it. Just stuck bolt in hole. Im sure i have softer ones in the bin
You may have been right actually mike. I searched and some say a grade 8 is actually better because they will just snap(brittle) the softer ones tend to bend, although I did find others saying the other way around, i always went with the Lowe grade ones but now I'm not so sure...
As long as the 25mm stub shaft doesnt break im in good shape.
On to the batquad.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0502211922_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620005927)
Quote from: HemlockKing on May 02, 2021, 06:18:48 PM
Quote from: mike_belben on May 02, 2021, 06:15:35 PM
I didnt even look at it. Just stuck bolt in hole. Im sure i have softer ones in the bin
You may have been right actually mike. I searched and some say a grade 8 is actually better because they will just snap(brittle) the softer ones tend to bend, although I did find others saying the other way around, i always went with the Lowe grade ones but now I'm not so sure...
THAT had more meaning than just the one intended, whether you meant it or not! Just the Lowe grade 🤔
I'm not a shear pin expert, but if you put in a Gr 5 or Gr 8 bolt, I don't think it acts much as a shear pin. I know of a person who used a Gr 8 bolt in place of a shear pin and ruined their brush hog gear box. I'd start with Gr 2 and see if it shears much, if at all. Then maybe grind a groove in a Gr 5 as a next step if it shears too often or with only a light surge load.
Quote from: PoginyHill on May 03, 2021, 08:00:11 AM
I'm not a shear pin expert, but if you put in a Gr 5 or Gr 8 bolt, I don't think it acts much as a shear pin. I know of a person who used a Gr 8 bolt in place of a shear pin and ruined their brush hog gear box. I'd start with Gr 2 and see if it shears much, if at all. Then maybe grind a groove in a Gr 5 as a next step if it shears too often or with only a light surge load.
Better yet how about a brass shear pin? Could get brass rod/round bar toss a die on it and thread each end and 2 jam nuts each side? I'm pretty sure JD used grade 5 shear pins
Quote from: Tacotodd on May 03, 2021, 01:24:09 AM
Quote from: HemlockKing on May 02, 2021, 06:18:48 PM
Quote from: mike_belben on May 02, 2021, 06:15:35 PM
I didnt even look at it. Just stuck bolt in hole. Im sure i have softer ones in the bin
You may have been right actually mike. I searched and some say a grade 8 is actually better because they will just snap(brittle) the softer ones tend to bend, although I did find others saying the other way around, i always went with the Lowe grade ones but now I'm not so sure...
THAT had more meaning than just the one intended, whether you meant it or not! Just the Lowe grade 🤔
:D :D, I get most of my offshore junk items from Canadian tire
Yrs ago I was told by a J.D. mechanic to use a # 8 - 5/16" bolt on a #5 J.D. mower as the #5 would bend and the wooden pitman bar would break. He was right ;D :(.
I just wrapped up a "winter" project this week. This one is a rebuild of a small trailer I've had for quite a long time.
First a little background, I picked up this trailer at an auction years ago. IIRC I paid $60 for it and it's a home built farm/yard trailer. When I bought it there was a hitch pin drawbar on it and a simple wooden box. At that time I liked it for pulling behind my four cylinder S10, my four wheeler fit perfectly in the box so I set about giving it a makeover. I built a tailgate to go on it, set it up with taillights, converted it to a 1 7/8" ball coupler, and set up a pvc "wagontop" style covering to keep my machine out of the weather.
Here is a look at the trailer as I was installing the removable pvc frame. The uprights sat in the pockets on the side of the trailer, with a tarp placed over the top and secured, the whole thing was held in place.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerbuild_90_.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620410316)
Here is the whole rig in use. Most of the time I stored my four wheeler in the trailer at my dad's camp and would move it in the trailer or pull the trailer behind the four wheeler.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailer_90_091309.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620410682)
Fast forward 10+ years. In time I built permanent storage on my lot where my four wheeler would live and I ended up with a bunch of different sized trailers suited to various tasks. My little trailer fell into disuse sitting at the edge of my dad's camp lot. After seeing it collect dust for years I knew I had to do something with it. The tires were flat and the box was rotting. Last fall I was poised to make make the trip home with an empty trailer and decided it was time to load it up and bring it back for some overdue attention.
Once home the disassembly began, the taillights were still in great shape so I took them off in one piece with all the wiring, harvested all the hardware, removed the ball hitch coupler and used on another project, safety chains, then broke apart the remaining rotted wood for the burn pile.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerdisassemble_nr_1220.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620410793)
With the frame exposed for the first time in years I was able to clean it up a bit and apply a coat of primer before real winter set in and the work on the trailer paused. This was a good time to determine what the trailer would become. With other trailers filling most of my niches I was able to identify a need for use around the woods. A branch and slash hauler. In some places I simply cut up the tops so they rest on the ground for decomposition, in other places I want to clean up the brush, tops, and limbs hauling them to common brush and burn piles. The trailer is the perfect size to pull behind the four wheeler and make quick turn trips between the cuttings and piles. I started drawing up a rack that could be built on the frame, easy to load and no floor to render it "self-cleaning".
Once the weather warmed up, the frame, springs and axle got a coat of gloss black.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerframe_nr_041821.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620410884)
For the U-shaped rack ribs I used some 1 x 4 hard maple I milled up a few years back, decent stock but not perfect, a little cupped. I figure it is plenty strong enough but a small cross section and reasonable weight. I would need to have four of these my design. Here are the four ribs (upside down) after I bolted them together.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerpieces_nr_041821.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620410998)
Looking through my paint stock revealed a quart of "Safety Orange" so that was an easy choice for the wood framing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerpieces_nr_042221.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620411090)
I bought three leaf spring U-bolts to fasten the wooden rack to the trailer frame. They were a perfect fit but lacked a plate. So it was off to the scrap pile. Amongst the pile of odd-stock steel brought home from an auction years ago was this long bar, probably part of a long gone implement. I was pleased to find three sets of holes in this bar that lined up perfectly with the U-bolts, only needing to be bored out a little.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerbarstock_nr_050521.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620411194)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerUbolt_nr_050521.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620411325)
With the bar cut into sections it was time for a quick coat of paint. Once dry I had all the pieces for final assembly.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailerUplate_nr_050621.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620411447)
Here is the completed rebuild. The only major expense in this project was the new set of tires replacing the old dry rotted ones that were worn when I bought the trailer years ago. The horizontal planks tying the uprights together are hard maple as well, some exta 2/4 siding I milled a couple years ago. By the time I was ready to paint these planks the Safety Orange was all used up so I switched to Allis Chalmers orange (Persian #1), it's a shade or two darker but doesn't always look it in the photos. I figure it will look pretty good behind my AC tractor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailercomplete_nr_050621c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620411547)
A look through the open middle of my the trailer. There is one U-bolt at the front and each of the back corners. The frame tapers towards the front, I cut a half inch notch in the bottom of the wood so the rack shouldn't move around at all when the trailer is bouncing down the trails. The rack is 6 feet long but "endless" so lightweight material can hang out the back as needed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailercomplete_nr_050621b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620411638)
One last glamour shot before it goes to work and gets scuffed and dirty. It's not an illusion, the frame is a little tweaked as was the rack once I had it together, since they were crooked in the same direction the finished product maintains the same "character". There is one bolt missing on a sideboard here, the hard maple is very unforgiving. Despite pre-drilling everything with generous holes if you overtorque the lag bolt at all the wood doesn't strip out the bolt shears. Once it's in use I'll have to post an update loaded with brush or maybe trimmings off the mill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/trailercomplete_nr_050621a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620411723)
Thanks for reading, I hope this trailer proves as useful as I imagine it to be. Feels good to get it back to work again.
smiley_thumbsup
This is a pretty simple one but made a big difference. Last year I put a picture on picking up firewood with my little trailer and splitter. Haleiwa mentioned that if I turned the splitter around some how, it would be easier on me. I did and he was right!!
I welded a second set of mounting ears and a couple lift lugs onto the beam so I could mount it in either direction.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1000685.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620601044)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1000692.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620601050)
When I run with the beam backwards it puts the work station close to the trailer and it is just a short lob into the trailer - much better. Thank you Haleiwa :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1010013.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620601178)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1010018.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620601184)
gg
Nice G_man.
Next job, for you, if you accept the mission. ;D Would be to make yourself a table around that splitter. Like a Rabaud F31 or Lancman XLE 32.
I have worked on the later, and it's nice not to have to pick up the split pieces from the ground.
I was looking to raise the height of the drawbar on my tractor. It is about 12" off the ground, 3-4" lower than tongue height would be on my trailers for level. Looking for an off-set drawbar for my model (M7060) - I could find nothing for a simple off-set bar. Only a bolt-on hammer strap that would raise it 3" And that was very pricey. So I had my local fab shop bend a piece of 1-1/2 X 2-1/2 cold-rolled bar for an offset of 4" and drill two holes. I was a bit concerned that the cold-rolled steel is not as strong as OEM draw bar, as I believe those are an alloy steel, not mild steel. So I added a section that used a second hole and pin. Hopefully that will resist any tendency for tongue weight to bend the bar down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41125B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905714)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41135B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905690)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41145B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905779)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41175B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905875)
Stronger yet would be a gusset of 2" strap on edge welded underneath from end to end leaving enough room for hitch clearance.
Quote from: Iwawoodwork on May 13, 2021, 09:10:01 PM
Stronger yet would be a gusset of 2" strap on edge welded underneath from end to end leaving enough room for hitch clearance.
I have considered this. The weakest point of the original piece is the bend closest to the tractor. With that addressed, the next point would be the bend near the hitch. The question then is, will I have enough tongue weight to bend the 1-1/2"X2-1/2" bar with a lever arm of about 5" (distance from bend to center of hitch hole. I am thinking no, but I'll keep a close eye and will do as you suggest if I see any indication of deformation.
Youll be aiight.
O0
Quote from: PoginyHill on May 14, 2021, 07:39:52 AM
Quote from: Iwawoodwork on May 13, 2021, 09:10:01 PM
Stronger yet would be a gusset of 2" strap on edge welded underneath from end to end leaving enough room for hitch clearance.
I have considered this. The weakest point of the original piece is the bend closest to the tractor. With that addressed, the next point would be the bend near the hitch. The question then is, will I have enough tongue weight to bend the 1-1/2"X2-1/2" bar with a lever arm of about 5" (distance from bend to center of hitch hole. I am thinking no, but I'll keep a close eye and will do as you suggest if I see any indication of deformation.
I'd make one big gusset along the whole thing out of 1/4
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0515211954_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621133926)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0515211953_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621133958)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0515211959_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621133896)
Looks pretty interesting and handy. Nice job 👍
Its strangely constructed because it started as a tiny firewood dumper for a quad when i had no material and had a job busting wood in a beef pasture, 4yr old son in tow.
It has sprawled out from there and tripled in payload while still being convertible back to the little dumper wagon. That tailgate extension comes off and donut wheels flipped in make it small enough to get into a wood shed. Lot of compromises to keep the convertability intact but make it strong enough. I'll make a tipper box eventually too for dirt and stone.
Mike your posts are more entertaining than the old Rube Goldberg cartoons. I love the stuff you put together,
gg
I would love to make a nice combo dumping box. so it can dump 3 ways
I have seen those combos at a show.
Mike you need to whip up a "cable jammer" loader out of an old rear end like used to be used a lot around here. Powered by the pto on your tractor, you could even make it a cable operated dump.
Quote from: g_man on May 16, 2021, 05:48:42 PM
Mike your posts are more entertaining than the old Rube Goldberg cartoons. I love the stuff you put together,
gg
Id like to think my contraptions are a little more simplistic despite being pure scrap metal! Rube goldberg.. Ooof.. Right in the gut! ;D :D
Youd really like some of the adventures i went on to get half this stuff. The puerto ricans at the scrap yard used to call me casper because i was the white ghost.. Id just pop out of a hole in a 3 story scrap mountain then disappear back into it.
The boom on this is one of many telescoping uprights i cut off a 9 car stacker transporter trailer with a labounty excavator sheap.
Trailer needs some tweaking but it works. Used it on a job today.
Quote from: barbender on May 16, 2021, 09:40:52 PM
Mike you need to whip up a "cable jammer" loader out of an old rear end like used to be used a lot around here. Powered by the pto on your tractor, you could even make it a cable operated dump.
I just might! Electric winch stinks for fetching wood. But it did work excellent for redirecting trees off a garage today, and its great for rigging up beams or trusses off a jin pole and stuff like that where control in both directions is important. so its still a good attachment that ive got more planned for.
I sketched up a 2 spool pto winch rig that will be much better for cable logging but its a whole other project for when my lathe and bridgeports are here if i still want one by then. That will use a rear diff to drive left and right cable drums fast. And probably a hydraulic grapple loader trailer. I built this as a get by for now with what i got.
Next thing has to be firewood processor. Im starting to have log piles all over.
There's a lot of jammers laying in the weeds up here, truck mounted ones moved a lot of wood to the mills. There were both factory and home made ones. I think they were also popular in the south (a different lineage I think but they ended up with a similar machine, a convergent evolution😊) where the short log pulpers used them.
I very much look forward to what you come up with for a firewood processor. If I had more time available, I would've liked to have built one myself. Using the stroke of the splitting cylinder to also feed the log forward, use a chainsaw for the cutoff for simplicity. Even a dead deck and a hookeroon would work decent if your logs aren't too big.
Ive seen the pto cable side throwers on youtube.. I know they were common southern junk. Not seen a crane style yet.. Link me an example of the type common up there. Im curious now
Quote from: mike_belben on May 16, 2021, 10:20:08 PM
Quote from: g_man on May 16, 2021, 05:48:42 PM
Mike your posts are more entertaining than the old Rube Goldberg cartoons. I love the stuff you put together,
gg
Id like to think my contraptions are a little more simplistic despite being pure scrap metal! Rube goldberg.. Ooof.. Right in the gut! ;D :D
Not meant that way of course - I have nothing but respect for your ability and ingenuity.
gg
I built a small one using a hay elevator an my wood splitter. Mounted the elevator over the splitter, turned the chain around to pull a log down, put a handle onto the sprocket to turn the chain and move the log down to a chain hanging down at 16" had a holder made to bolt to the side of the elevator and onto a 24" bar on a chainsaw. Cut off a chunk it dropped down onto the table of my splitter. Worked good but was hard work to get a cord an hour.
You got pics ed?
I know gman im just ribbin ya. Its not the first time ive been associated with RG. The skidding attachment is one of my dumber looking contraptions because ive been running out of certain metal and money, and really needed to cable logs so looks took a back seat. Plus none of it was drawn out on this one. I just started gluing. Thats always a recipe for hokey junk.
I enjoy seeing all the contraptions y'all come up with.
One of my seniors, who will be graduating in a week or so, is building a bracket to add an air compressor to his jeep. They already installed a 5 cylinder turbo charged Mercedes diesel. It looks factory clean including the SS exhaust.
This is the bracket he finished in class this morning. There are tensioner brackets that come up through the slots. The young man has some tremendous design skills. His welding is coming along but he still has some work in that department.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22883/20AF0B7A-C247-408E-8FC6-824D9842A650.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1621261444)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22883/B60454D0-BAD3-4A24-9EF3-3F16F38B8D65.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1621261445)
@caveman (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=12883) it looks good to me. It's just amazing to me (always has been) how well a grinder can clean up (even if questionable) a weld. At least it did when for the short period of time that I worked in a 4X4 shop that we often had to fabricate things.
om617 mercedes? good engine.. did he use an AX15 or is an automatic adapter out there now?
tell him keep a spray bottle of water for the compressor. i turned the one on my cherokee into an air compressor and they get hot. it will boil water every few seconds at higher pressures. if not cooled periodically itll seize. granted i was running it a lot to power a diaphragm pump for collecting waste vegetable oil.
It must have been for refills of the tank for the engine "food" ;D
OM617 A through a Doom's Day adapter to a nv3550 5speed transmission out of a 4.0 Wrangler.
That combination sounds like a winner to me, but it's gonna real short shaft with a 5sp and dsl. But still, fun nonetheless.
Quote from: Tacotodd on May 17, 2021, 12:20:16 PM
@caveman (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=12883) it looks good to me. It's just amazing to me (always has been) how well a grinder can clean up (even if questionable) a weld. At least it did when for the short period of time that I worked in a 4X4 shop that we often had to fabricate things.
Grinder n paint make you the welder you aint
Luckily, I never claimed to be a welder. The boss did that. There was only us 2, so... :D
Quote from: HemlockKing on May 17, 2021, 07:01:33 PM
Quote from: Tacotodd on May 17, 2021, 12:20:16 PM
@caveman (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=12883) it looks good to me. It's just amazing to me (always has been) how well a grinder can clean up (even if questionable) a weld. At least it did when for the short period of time that I worked in a 4X4 shop that we often had to fabricate things.
Grinder n paint make you the welder you aint
Nothing wrong with that as long as your welding has good penetration
i got the dirt pushed out, leveled up and settled in for a shady unload/process/reload site. finally got a cheap way to skid or load and forward logs out of the woods, and a way to unload them at the landing. ($1000 tractor, $4k fork truck + pile of scrap & time.)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0517211409_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621340897)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0517211411_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621340876)
yesterday the tractor battery was flat dead. do a little digging and the 1970s kubota generator only makes 10 amps. so thats not gonna work for constantly using a winch that can draw up to 400amp. now to graft on a cheap alternator.
does anyone recognize this winch? id like to see the pto drive layout.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1621341057118.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621341176)
How about a cheap 1 wire GM style alternator. I'm sure that you will be able to use it in it's 12V state. You're crafty like that ;)
Electrically a 1 wire alternator is a big compromise for no reason. I prefer alternators with independant ground, field, load sensing and output lugs.. They work better imo. External voltage regulator is fine by me as well. Why take alternator apart to change something that never shoulda been in it?
I'll keep my starter solenoid on the fender too please. 1982 where have you been all my life? :D
Oh yeah.. In the rearview mirror. :-\
I took the delco 12si alternator off the bobcat since its down hard.. Its a 63 amp. Id prefer a 78 or 93 if im gonna make all the brackets. Still deciding.
You were born in 82 Mike?
Early 80
Well, congrats, you seem wiser and older when you write! I'm sever years older. And still thick as pig rear end droppings. :D
Just means ive made more mistakes than most people! Im sure your bank account looks better!
;D
Quote from: Satamax on May 19, 2021, 09:01:32 AM
Well, congrats, you seem wiser and older when you write! I'm sever years older. And still thick as pig rear end droppings. :D
I resemble that remark! The pig part, not storytelling. Good writer, poor imagination and memory since Multiple Sclerosis. (just glad that for now I can still play with a chainsaw!) 8)
Quote from: mike_belben on May 19, 2021, 09:07:31 AM
Just means ive made more mistakes than most people! Im sure your bank account looks better!
;D
You know, just like I do, that account isn't everything in life (now or later) but as long as you can pay your bills, the rest just adds to unnecessary temptation.
That's why I still drive my 22yr old truck, even if I did buy it brand new.
I could afford it back then, but it's a little hard to swallow. My job made it necessary but paying for it sucked!
We repurposed a small wagon today. It will serve to haul slabs to the burn pile after coming off the mill. I hope it will make that end of things a little more efficient.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22883/E04AF2FA-B345-4727-A03B-F2EF8109154E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1621449886)
Quote from: mike_belben on May 19, 2021, 09:07:31 AM
Just means ive made more mistakes than most people! Im sure your bank account looks better!
;D
You Joking Mike? I've got machinery, GAS, and debts!
Quote from: mike_belben on May 19, 2021, 09:07:31 AM
Just means ive made more mistakes than most people! Im sure your bank account looks better!
;D
😂 that's what I tell people. I've just broke a lot of stuff!
This is a great thread that I've just caught up with. I appreciate and am inspired by all the crazy stuff you guys are making. While I'm quite new to the fabricating stuff out of junk world it's really neat to see what all can be done. I wish I had half the knowledge of some of you.
Thanks, everyone, for sharing!
smiley_thumbsup
Mig wire and desparation.
No more looking for my water bottle or wrestling 500lbs of attachment onto a single shear lift pin for me.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211451_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621540760)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211437_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621540794)
Made some redneck ring terminals
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211612_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621564412)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211618_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621564734)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211635a_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621564664)
Rigged up a 950 CCA counterweight
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520212033_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621565219)
Then found a good use for these turnbuckles, replacing a chain that previously kept the mast on the quad.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211845_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621565203)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211846_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621565191)
Hooked up a mold board and recut the drainage on the new driveway
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0520211943_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621564730)
Quote from: mike_belben on May 20, 2021, 11:15:22 PMMade some redneck ring terminals
Mike, too much work! ;) I just squish the end of the pipe so I have two layers of copper. Then drill it. I slide it on the wire, crimp it a little then solder it on.
I do the same thing too but theres not enough width for a 3/8 hole in that sized tubing for a small wire so it had to be opened up.
I recently started thinking about a rotary ditch cutter.
I now have my old cub cadet model 108 back home and I think I am going to copy mikes idea and make it an all around utility machine.
I live in the woods so whenever I want to break through the ground I need something that can cut roots. I was thinking a 15" steel wheel with cutters welded on it. I am not sure if I can get the rpm's out of the pto though.
Sure get some use out of that little Suzuki, I gotta utilize mine more, sitting stored away in a garage.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65126/4BE274E7-8C46-49D1-B293-E1D8346449C7.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1621604507)
This junker that’s frankensteined works good for roaming the property. Need to get the hitch attachment, will half to retread the holes or just weld it solid. I find it works good for running down slash and compacting it, if it gets stuck, it’s only 350lbs, easy to unstuck. But yeah been using that to make my property look “neat” after thinning a area and dicing the slash I drives this all around the area like I’m mowing grass lol front wheel packs down the center too so it works better than a atv in that sense.
Quote from: Crusarius on May 21, 2021, 09:36:09 AM
I recently started thinking about a rotary ditch cutter.
I now have my old cub cadet model 108 back home and I think I am going to copy mikes idea and make it an all around utility machine.
I live in the woods so whenever I want to break through the ground I need something that can cut roots. I was thinking a 15" steel wheel with cutters welded on it. I am not sure if I can get the rpm's out of the pto though.
I would think a slower speed and higher torque would best fit that use. Otherwise I think it would stall very easily against a rock or large root.
A narrowed rear so that the cutter is offset behind one tire is my advice. Down the center is a mistake.
Make it like a trencher chain with left center right for teeth on the rim. You need to eject dirt to get the root exposed so the cutters can work on it.
The teeth should have sharp points and a good rake angle so that they want to dive deep into the dirt and stall out the engine.
You want it to be plunge hungry... Not bounce off the surface leaving chicken scratches and requiring tons of weight to dig in. Look at a bottom plow or middle buster. Its light. The rake angle of the tooth is what pulls it in, not a stack of suitcase weights. a chainsaw tooths approximate profile should work.
an adjustable gauge wheel on back limits the plunge so that you can dial in the optimal balance for the power you have vs the dirt youre fighting. Guage wheel it to eat the most it can without having to back out to prevent a stall, thats peak efficiency. Now make passes to get to your depth.
A dab of hardface on the tips to keep them pointy. Build it back up as needed.
Different rims with different cut patterns too. High speed low torque will want less cutters. Low speed high torque will want more. You could make a narrow trencher from a donut rim or a wide one from a standard. For a big trench start with the skinny then the wide, back to the skinny then the wide. Youll have to hoe the spoils out by hand of course unless you figure out an auger too.
Maybe a middle buster tailing behind the cutter wheel with a roost catcher can vee out most of the spoils.
Mike, good idea on using a vehicle rim/hub assembly for a cutter assembly, for cheap cutter points maybe pieces of car/truck leaf spring (suppose chunks of coil spring could work) welded at alternating diagonals spaced around the rim and sharpened. I am using pieces of leaf spring from a Ford F350 front to build up the non-existent teeth on my PC60 and LS1600 excavators and seems to be working great. Have not broken and wearing great for farm use.
Coil springs dont weld good, ive pretty much always had them break off. Never really used leaf spring steel in a weld application so maybe thats better. It must be if youve got them on a bucket.
1/2" thick mild steel with hardface tip has worked great for me in my flail mower/ smasher thingy. My logging winch has mild teeth on the bottom without hardface and i use it as my root rake. In time they will round and need some weld/grind but they arent showing any signs yet. A homesteader doesnt put 3000 hours on an attachment like a contractor does. You do a job and park the thing in the corner for years at a time.
Sounds to me like your thinking a rotary sawblade for cutting a trench in a straight line. I am thinking the same deal but instead of going front to back of the tractor having the blade perpendicular to it so it creates a flail ditch. This is mostly going to be used for drainage ditches and if I can have a nice smooth transition that would be much nicer than a square trench
like this
https://www.trexditchers.com/
Yes i was. A miniature of that is pretty easy to build too if youve got a lathe. A non floater axle shaft on bearings with the cutter rim bolted to it, and a pto spline adapter roll pinned to the diff end of the shaft should work fine.
Scratch that above, i forgot you have a cub cadet and not a regular pto tractor.
It has an electric clutched mower deck pulley up front right? Youll have up to 3600 rpm to work with, dont put too many teeth at first. Id start with 3 so all energy is in one engaged tooth at a time for maximum root ripping.
If you want it outfront, i would try a scrapyard bigtruck steering box shaft for pto with rubber belts to sheaves at the tractor end. Maybe a shear pin on an old modifield unit bearing to hold and drive the rim? Make some kinda mount to raise and lower the contraption off the mower link like a snowplow?
Or if possible come off the side with just a belt and no shaft or joints.
A little old ariens et al snowblower would be an easier option to build this out of i think. Toss the blower housing [or make it face the sky and build it into an electric mixer] and run the blower pulley down to your cutter rim. Put a gauge wheel up front and off ya go.
I got the york rake i started for my deere 140 way back when, grafted to the quad pretty quick while still fitting the deere. It is reversible and works great as a high speed trash rake the regular way.
I spun it around to turn one of the compost piles yesterday.
Id built, or atleast started, a rock wall to retain fill dirt. So i blow all the leaves in the yard into this little valley pocket. The kids jump off the wall into the leaves for a day or two...
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And then a little runoff creek flows through the pile all winter. i start dumping grass into it by spring and then it needs turning to stay aerobic. We picked atleast 100 nightcrawlers out.
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Little by little im gonna roll it down and around the corner and by the time its finished it will land in the flat patch ive designated for my someday big garden.
Its sort of a recieving bay for the occasional dumptruck loads of chipped trees that come to me.
Quote from: mike_belben on May 22, 2021, 10:30:31 AM
Scratch that above, i forgot you have a cub cadet and not a regular pto tractor.
It has an electric clutched mower deck pulley up front right? Youll have up to 3600 rpm to work with, dont put too many teeth at first. Id start with 3 so all energy is in one engaged tooth at a time for maximum root ripping.
If you want it outfront, i would try a scrapyard bigtruck steering box shaft for pto with rubber belts to sheaves at the tractor end. Maybe a shear pin on an old modifield unit bearing to hold and drive the rim? Make some kinda mount to raise and lower the contraption off the mower link like a snowplow?
Or if possible come off the side with just a belt and no shaft or joints.
A little old ariens et al snowblower would be an easier option to build this out of i think. Toss the blower housing [or make it face the sky and build it into an electric mixer] and run the blower pulley down to your cutter rim. Put a gauge wheel up front and off ya go.
yup, your dead on everything.
I do have a Kubota L2800 though, so I could always use that but the cub is much more nimble especially on soft ground.
No way dude i got everlasting life. ;D
Transmitter on the winch remote failed last night so i went into the junkpile that wise folks have always told me to discard, and poof. Momentary rocker switch. CertifiedHoarder wins again.
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Much better height control now on ground engaging implements. Cheap remotes have about a 3 second minimum cycle time whereas toggles can blip.
I have a Jeep comanche bed full of garbage that has been loaded and unloaded more times than I can count. I still have not been able to bring myself to scrap it for just that reason.
My wife really struggles with my minimal hoarding but she obviously doesn't understand that one day...! She just crabbed about finish mower and flail mower decks back there. I told her that's the kind of stuff that you have laying around if you have a few acres. Still doesn't get it.
i find that admitting to the accusations of your accusers really takes the wind out of their sails. so i just call myself a hoarder but im not like what youd see on TV. i dont mean it like the people who are mentally ill and save trash and have rotten food all over or 30 dogs pooping all over the living room. thats all disgusting. i just never met a piece of free metal i didnt want to put on a pallet or a shelf or in a file cabinet out back somewhere for the day i need it. little by little the piles shrink and the row of great attachments grows. in the house im as much a neat freak as i can make time for.
Quote from: mike_belben on May 24, 2021, 03:29:30 PMi just never met a piece of free metal i didn't want
+1
Definitely agree with metal :)
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Think i have mocked up a tri fold boom sprayer. An inch narrower than the quad, with almost a 10ft swath. Should be handy for killing crummy lawn to reseed, or terminating a food plot cover crop. I will put shutoff valves for the wings so i can also just run the middle to kill trails. Hand wand teed in for spot or fencerow spraying.
It's like organized, but only you know how. That's how my work desk and garage are. Most people wouldn't know where to look for a tool but I can find it in 30 sec.
Most of the time i can find the bulk of it but my memory is fading. My 7yr old has ADHD and impeccable memory comes with that so i send him hunting for the missing link now and he finds it 9/10 times.
Mike.
My 8 Year old boy has has an ADHD diagnosis. He has some odd habits and methods, but I swear, he has a photographic memory and math / logic problems seems to just come natural to him. It really is interesting how their brains work just a bit differently.
I seem to have had it when I was younger, but it was never bad enough to need a diagnosis. I seem to have grown out of it. Now my wife and her grandkids (previous marriage), they STILL have trouble staying focused on their task at hand. They are easily distracted. Of course, I can ask her what color the sky is and she'll tell me all about the grass, but never answer my question!
I just feel like a direct question deserves a direct answer, but it seems like I'll never get one. What gives with that? I also remember that women seem to be wired different than men. My buddies understand me, but women don't seem to have buddies like guys do (at least not that I can tell)
This has been the most helpful vid i have seen on understanding how to manage it. Its not an attention issue.
This is how you treat ADHD based off science, Dr Russell Barkley part of 2012 Burnett Lecture - YouTube (https://youtu.be/_tpB-B8BXk0)
And also i had to discover they cant focus on just one thing. He can only focus on what i might be teaching him if he is playing with several other distractions. Give the kid legos and lecture him some science and he will absorb it all without looking at you. Take away the legos and he wont hear a word. Its hard to get over the feeling that youre being ignored.
Meds help immensely but the side effects are a struggle.
Mike, do YOU think that he'll ever get better. Not the docs but YOU. Very few do, most (from what I understand) don't.
I just hope that it all works out well for you and your family. HE will see your family through all of the things that HE will provide you. HE being the greatest of all time and provider for all of the world!
Oh yeah, itll be fine. My autistic kid was in a beauty pageant and has straight A's so we arent a hopeless bunch in this house.
Life is a case of 'do the best ya can' until its over. Thats all i endeavor to do. I will find a way to be content with any outcome.
Similar to my signature ! ! ! ! !
well, back on topic i guess.
yesterday took the wind out of my sails on the sprayer boom when something in the secondary clutch basket on the quad fragged. it has been slipping for a long time in high range and out of ignorance of there existing an adjustment to maintain, i failed to maintain it. never seen an adjustable auto clutch. so im hopeful its a broken friction and not a steel or the basket itself. making room to park that and tear into it.
the more machines i have the more of them sit broken awaiting funds. one downside to my abnormal lifestyle.
Same cart for the old Hypatherm Plasma cutter, grinders and so on. The old one had big handles that you could wrap the cords on but the new one is really small and can cut thicker material. As you can see by the shaker bottle it's little.
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So I made some cord hangers and she is good to go
wow. pretty soon plasma cutters will look like Ipads if they keep going!
Quote from: mike_belben on May 26, 2021, 10:28:22 AM
well, back on topic i guess.
yesterday took the wind out of my sails on the sprayer boom when something in the secondary clutch basket on the quad fragged. it has been slipping for a long time in high range and out of ignorance of there existing an adjustment to maintain, i failed to maintain it. never seen an adjustable auto clutch. so im hopeful its a broken friction and not a steel or the basket itself. making room to park that and tear into it.
the more machines i have the more of them sit broken awaiting funds. one downside to my abnormal lifestyle.
As long as they are protected from the elements, they are just projects frozen in time ;D
I gots too much "junk", people keep calling my stuff junk. Ya know what, it's not JUNK, it's what I enjoy, so bugger off! :)
i call it junk to beat my critics to the punchline. ;)
love/hate, junk/treasure.. that sorta thing. no one ever complains when i fix the crisis without them handing over a credit card or getting sent 30 mins to town. the rest of the time its junk. oh hey mike you wouldnt happen to have a ....
pff. i have three of them. amateur.
I resemble that remark (just not to that extreme) ;)
Quote from: mike_belben on May 26, 2021, 10:36:40 AM
wow. pretty soon plasma cutters will look like Ipads if they keep going!
😂. It's good up to 7/8 cutting and 1 1/8 severance
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Had to make a light trailer mover attachment with the ball up near the tractor for moving bigger stuff. That tag trailer is 4k when the forward axles are in. Theres no motor in the ford but i was surprised the little bota was able to lift and pull it all. The top receiver is for gooseneck and 5th wheel stuff. I will probably make a gooseneck log arch eventually.
1/2 plate steel and 3/16 aluminum tread plate cut like butter with the little Hypertherm
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Quote from: Walnut Beast on June 03, 2021, 03:04:16 PM
1/2 plate steel and 3/16 aluminum tread plate cut like butter with the little Hypertherm
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/92EBC1EE-5EB5-4FFC-B6EF-21CA81D97323.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1622746980)
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That looks pretty sweet. What model is that?
I have a 375x that is going to get replaced by a hypertherm one day. but that day will wait till I get my 5x12 cnc table built.
Quote from: mjeselskis on June 03, 2021, 08:22:23 PM
Quote from: Walnut Beast on June 03, 2021, 03:04:16 PM
1/2 plate steel and 3/16 aluminum tread plate cut like butter with the little Hypertherm
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/92EBC1EE-5EB5-4FFC-B6EF-21CA81D97323.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1622746980)
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That looks pretty sweet. What model is that?
45xp
On post #641 I shared a picture of a bracket one of my students who recently graduated was working on. He was in my shop yesterday cutting out some stuff on the plasma table and showed me a picture of the bracket mounted in the Jeep.
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For those of you with Hypertherm plasma cutters, where do you get your consumables? Do any of you use non-Hypertherm consumables with good results?
I bought some 4x8, 16 gauge steel yesterday. In December it was $56 a sheet, February it was $84 and yesterday it was $136.
I have an old 45 on my cnc table and only purchase Hypertherm consumables. They cut thousands of inches if the start off is properly set. I have purchased them from Bakers Gas and Welding Supplies IOC at discounts. Supposed to be another increase in steel prices coming because of demand for new shipping containers. The old ones are not making it back to China now due to trucker and dock worker shortages.
Boy its always somethin. Good thing that inflation is staying around 2% i guess.
::)
So ive got 2 of the last 4 issues worked out of my log jammer. It only took loading a few logs to know that you really need a swing boom that has swing limits, and that you need a full swivel pulley with a cable guide.
So i tossed on some limit chains, one per side.
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And built the swivel. Mine looks funky because i have to be able to feed the cable eye through every time i use the trailer. Winch stays on the tractor.
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Boy signed off on it so it must be good enough.
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Mike I've tried finding some of those old PTO jammers, pretty much all of the pictures I found were on the forum🤷🏽♂️
Ive seen a few now in old logging films. Steam powered rail car loaders had them. They seemed to all be way too fast and always with a man standing right there diving over a flying log to line them up on the pile and untong.
Biggest thing i need to do now is an alternator bracket. Ive gone to big dual batteries and can barely start the stupid machine again. You need a large alternator for constant electric winch use. Itll hurt batteries and every copper contactor in the system otherwise. The generator on it is like a trickle charger. 10amp max ::)
Well I'm in the middle if a hard lesson on big battery and big alternator- I managed to leave the key turned on on my Woodmizer and milled the battery almost stone dead. No problem, had the skidloader right there so gave it a quick jump. The alternator (180 amp) belt was squealing under the load of charging, so I thought I would up the rpms. Then the belt exploded. Couldn't even find a chunk big enough to get the numbers for a replacement😂 To add injury to insult, I burned my wrist on the smoking hot alternator pulley😬 Now I'm trying to find the motivation to go out and try it all again with a new belt😁
There are lots of flavors of "jammers", the ones that were truck and tractor mounted were a bit different of an animal than the old railcar and logging camp versions. Same in principle but a little more user friendly. Mind you, I've never actually operated one and haven't even been close to one in operation. I'm told some if the factory units, you could slip the load clutch on them effectively enough that you could hold the the load in place. I don't know if that was true of the shop built ones out of differentials. They may have just been winch or drop with nothing in between. I may have said this before, but I heard stories of guys just getting the truck set up in the middle of standing timber and then using the hammer to pull the wood in as they fell it.
I have learned some hard lessons with high amp loads on a trailer behind a pickup. My load was with a hydraulic dump trailer that even had a battery right at the hydraulic pump. Lessons learned were these.
Alternators are not battery chargers. If you fully discharge a battery an alternator will recharge it given enough running time but will burn itself up.
Also do not run your alternator while using your winch or other high amp load. Alternator will overheat, factory wiring and fuses will overheat and may never be right again. I learned to turn the truck engine off so the alternator was off during high amp use.
If you use the trailer power feed thru the trailer plug, expect fuses to blow regularly. If you put in higher amp fuses expect the fuse contacts to overheat and never be right again.
Best way is to have an auxiliary battery right next to the load and run a separate heavy power feed from the pickup batteries with an auto reset circuit breaker in the line. Even with that setup, never run the alternator while using auxiliary power.
Quote from: Walnut Beast on June 04, 2021, 01:59:51 AM
Quote from: mjeselskis on June 03, 2021, 08:22:23 PM
That looks pretty sweet. What model is that?
45xp
What do the consumables cost for that machine?
I assume you always have an air compressor nearby but did you consider one with a built in air compressor?
if you fully discharge a battery its gonna sulfate heavily and lose storage capacity, never getting to the same resting voltage again. and the regulator is gonna see that super low voltage level, demanding full output from the alternator to refill it immediately, which will also boil off some of the acid level and further reduce its storage capacity.
i dont doubt at all that you experienced these issues but i cant figure out how you manage NOT to overdraw your battery by shutting the vehicle down? cutting off the alternator almost guarantees the battery gets overdrawn and then the alternator gets a high current load demand to refill it from the regulator.
ive run around 9k rpms and full field to a weldernator i made.. 90amps at about 140volts output. it was dead and in the junkpile. i soldered off the winding lugs for wires direct to an external voltage regulator and a toggle so i could switch between weld and charge mode, also with a rheostat to vary the field. it gets hot but never stopped working. regulator are very easy to kill with one little spark and being a homemade machine id forget how i set it up and pop.. another regulator. oops.
ive used the weld side and varied the rheostat and RPM to dial it in for 24v charging too. the struggle is that you really need 2 alternators to weld with. one supplying field voltage and one supplying weld voltage. batteries get run down to nothing by the time you finish a stick. i used a snowblower chassis with step up ratios for belt power.
deep cycle batteries can handle repeated deep discharges that will kill an automotive starting battery very fast.
Quote from: mike_belben on June 06, 2021, 03:14:32 PM
i dont doubt at all that you experienced these issues but i cant figure out how you manage NOT to overdraw your battery by shutting the vehicle down? cutting off the alternator almost guarantees the battery gets overdrawn and then the alternator gets a high current load demand to refill it from the regulator.
I did not say I overdraw the battery and on a 2002 F-350 with a power feed thru the 7 way trailer plug that is relay controlled, when the engine is off the electrical system of the pickup is disconnected from the auxiliary circuit in the trailer plug.
Alternators are made to be battery maintainers but not battery chargers. They are not made for continuous running at full rated amps because they will overheat and cook themselves.
Gary, I hear that all the time, but I don't know if I believe it. The hydraulics on my Woodmizer LT40 Super draw a tremendous amount of power. That alternator works hard the whole time I am using the hydraulics, it's hard to keep the 6 rib v-belt from slipping on the 180 amp alternator. In fact I just had a belt explode yesterday because it was slipping a bit and it got hot and let go. I've replaced the alternator once in the 10+ years I've owned it. I'm pretty sure it was the original alternator as it was 150 amp instead of the 180 amp they are supplied with now (which I upgraded to). Also, I don't know how many vehicles I've jump started ver the years in the frozen north we share, I've never had an alternator give up the ghost when it subsequently charged the dead battery. Actually, I've only had 2 or 3 alternator failures I can think of in 25+ years of driving. I never even started to hear the "alternators can't charge a dead battery" line until about 15 years ago when the cheapo reman alternators the parts stores were selling were failing immediately when installed. I think they were just trying to cover their butts when the remains were of poor quality, or not gone through all the way.
internal regulators.. which should have never been put inside in the first place in my opinion, will fail from heat. the rest is pretty robust.
ive been winching pretty extensively since 2006. been in 3 or 4 offroad clubs, have pulled tons of cable spotting tons of rigs on comp courses. never shut engine off, never seen anyone else shut engine off and never killed an alternator. i dont know whats going on in your situation gary but its peculiar. i think if this was normal, id certainly have known about it 15 years ago. if someone shut a rig off to winch i know a dozen guys would be yelling to turn it back on.
You guys that hardly ever have an alternator fail must not be working hard enough. :D :D
Seriously back when those old Delco alternators were first popular they were rated at 35 and 40 amps and batteries were maybe rated at 400-500 amp hours. Now we have diesel pickups with two 1000 amp hour rated batteries and a 140-180 amp rated alternator that is loaded with voltage stabilization circuits to protect the many microprocessors in every vehicle. If you look at the math it's easy to see why they say to not use an alternator as a battery charger.
Say you have a diesel pickup with two 900 amp hour batteries and a 150 amp alternator. If you discharge the two batteries to say 50% you need 900 amps or six hours of steady running at full output to bring those batteries back to full charge. But batteries do not take 150 amps for the whole time plus there are other electrical demands on the vehicle so the full charge time may be more like 12-15 hours. You can be sure that alternator is going to be smoking hot during that time as it will be too dumb to limit it's output to the rated amps at all times. Now maybe in the winter in MN when most dead batteries occur, you can get by without serious damage to an alternator when battery charging. However it is not good for the batteries either to charge at a full rate for long times.
As far as for auxiliary electrical loads like a winch or hydraulic power pack, it's hard to compare because of many differences in load and wiring. On my hydraulic dump trailer where I am lifting 26,000 lbs of grain plus trailer there is a huge load on the deep cycle battery that is located right next to the pump motor and I can sometimes dump a load every two hours. On the many dump days I usually have to put a battery charger on the deep cycle while loading or the battery cannot keep up. The only way to draw from the pickup batteries during dumping would have been to run heavy duty welding cables from the pickup batteries to the hydraulic pump as the internal wiring on the pickup would not take the amp draw.
Quote from: PoginyHill on May 13, 2021, 08:00:06 AM
I was looking to raise the height of the drawbar on my tractor. It is about 12" off the ground, 3-4" lower than tongue height would be on my trailers for level. Looking for an off-set drawbar for my model (M7060) - I could find nothing for a simple off-set bar. Only a bolt-on hammer strap that would raise it 3" And that was very pricey. So I had my local fab shop bend a piece of 1-1/2 X 2-1/2 cold-rolled bar for an offset of 4" and drill two holes. I was a bit concerned that the cold-rolled steel is not as strong as OEM draw bar, as I believe those are an alloy steel, not mild steel. So I added a section that used a second hole and pin. Hopefully that will resist any tendency for tongue weight to bend the bar down.
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First test of the new offset draw bar. So far so good. Gross weight of full trailer is about 14,000lbs. Unsure of tongue weight. Maybe 1,000-1,500 lbs?
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Quote from: Gary_C on June 06, 2021, 11:53:21 AM
Quote from: Walnut Beast on June 04, 2021, 01:59:51 AM
Quote from: mjeselskis on June 03, 2021, 08:22:23 PM
That looks pretty sweet. What model is that?
45xp
What do the consumables cost for that machine?
I assume you always have an air compressor nearby but did you consider one with a built in air compressor?
I always hear about the high cost of consumables. Any answers for these questions?
Quote from: Gary_C on June 06, 2021, 11:53:21 AM
Quote from: Walnut Beast on June 04, 2021, 01:59:51 AM
Quote from: mjeselskis on June 03, 2021, 08:22:23 PM
That looks pretty sweet. What model is that?
45xp
What do the consumables cost for that machine?
I assume you always have an air compressor nearby but did you consider one with a built in air compressor?
Yes you need a pretty good air compressor and clean regulated air to run the unit. The self contained air compressor like the one Hypatherm has is a great unit for portability but it's not as good as performance to comparable machine that uses the air compressor. The consumables last quite a long time. When cut quality goes down then you know. To change all the consumables in the torch is about 40 bucks. Better prices on bigger consumable packs and kits. The torch consumables consists of a swirl ring, nozzle, electrode, and drag tip. The electrode is the main one that goes first and they are 13 bucks. The Hypatherm I have pictured has a internal air filter in the machine but it's really recommended to have additional. The filter I have is the one Hypatherm has and is a really good one it's got a visual green dot on top to see filter is good and a auto drain on it. They are about 210 bucks. Your air flow needs to be around min. 85 psi constant when cutting. If you don't have adequate air supply the machine will shut down. I'll post some pictures of the consumables later.
I havent bought any in a long time but hypertherm had the most economical consumables and they lasted a long time. Miller was terrible service life and very very high causing my dads machine to almost never get used anymore.
I had to cut up ~1200 m4 rifles around 2013 (?) With a hypertherm powermax 1000 thanks to an ATF decision. I was able to double or maybe triple consumable life by reworking fouled tips. That was literally all i did for about 11hours a day all month, sever painted aluminum into a water tank catching the slag, that got so hot it steamed up my lense. I was soaking my gloves in water to keep them from catching fire.
Filled a coffee can worth of consumables by the end. Cost the company quite a lot.
What a shame!
Worse than cutting the dime a dozen M4s... Some bean counter decided it was a good time for some house cleaning and i had to cut up the original M3 "grease guns." WW2 full auto sub machine guns.. hand machined, hand welded prototypes made of sheetmetal, tube, barstock etc. Plus silencers.
I ran around for an hour trying to find someone who would step in and save these relics. They shoulda been in the glass museum cases up front. Where was roy jinks when i needed him.
Quote from: PoginyHill on June 10, 2021, 09:26:12 AM
Quote from: PoginyHill on May 13, 2021, 08:00:06 AM
I was looking to raise the height of the drawbar on my tractor. It is about 12" off the ground, 3-4" lower than tongue height would be on my trailers for level. Looking for an off-set drawbar for my model (M7060) - I could find nothing for a simple off-set bar. Only a bolt-on hammer strap that would raise it 3" And that was very pricey. So I had my local fab shop bend a piece of 1-1/2 X 2-1/2 cold-rolled bar for an offset of 4" and drill two holes. I was a bit concerned that the cold-rolled steel is not as strong as OEM draw bar, as I believe those are an alloy steel, not mild steel. So I added a section that used a second hole and pin. Hopefully that will resist any tendency for tongue weight to bend the bar down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41125B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905714)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41135B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905690)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41145B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905779)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41175B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905875)
First test of the new offset draw bar. So far so good. Gross weight of full trailer is about 14,000lbs. Unsure of tongue weight. Maybe 1,000-1,500 lbs?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41905B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623308238)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41895B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623308137)
Looks good but something you might what to watch. I had a hitch like that but a much lighter trailer. I run it on rough terrain with lots of sharp dips and humps. I didn't have enough vertical slop and bent the pin - had to cut it out. You have a nice long slot on the lower trailer clevis but you might need some slop on your draw bar too. This is what I ended up with.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1140491.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623584831)
gg
Does everybody realize that a pintle hitch does the same things?
A swinging drawbar on a tractor isn't set up to add a pintle, although anything can be fabbed. Most times they are going to have a clevis attached. I pefer to use a 3pt attachment with a receiver and hitch ball on that for trailers. The swinging drawbar is s close to the axle it's harder to get the trailer to swing when backing. The tongue can even foul the tires going forward and making a sharp turn.
The hitch pictured is very much like the old equipment worked right after it changed from horse drawn to tractor pulled.
Besides, if it gets the job done, it's all that counts. Done is done. Always a next job waiting to be done!
Quote from: g_man on June 13, 2021, 07:57:23 AM
Quote from: PoginyHill on June 10, 2021, 09:26:12 AM
Quote from: PoginyHill on May 13, 2021, 08:00:06 AM
I was looking to raise the height of the drawbar on my tractor. It is about 12" off the ground, 3-4" lower than tongue height would be on my trailers for level. Looking for an off-set drawbar for my model (M7060) - I could find nothing for a simple off-set bar. Only a bolt-on hammer strap that would raise it 3" And that was very pricey. So I had my local fab shop bend a piece of 1-1/2 X 2-1/2 cold-rolled bar for an offset of 4" and drill two holes. I was a bit concerned that the cold-rolled steel is not as strong as OEM draw bar, as I believe those are an alloy steel, not mild steel. So I added a section that used a second hole and pin. Hopefully that will resist any tendency for tongue weight to bend the bar down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41125B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905714)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41135B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905690)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41145B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905779)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41175B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1620905875)
First test of the new offset draw bar. So far so good. Gross weight of full trailer is about 14,000lbs. Unsure of tongue weight. Maybe 1,000-1,500 lbs?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41905B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623308238)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_41895B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623308137)
Looks good but something you might what to watch. I had a hitch like that but a much lighter trailer. I run it on rough terrain with lots of sharp dips and humps. I didn't have enough vertical slop and bent the pin - had to cut it out. You have a nice long slot on the lower trailer clevis but you might need some slop on your draw bar too. This is what I ended up with.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1140491.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1623584831)
gg
I recall seeing your innovation and like it. I have also hinged the hitch quite a bit on steep terrain and gullys. Between the lower slot on the trailer hitch and a fair amount of slop in the draw bar hole (If I recall 1.25" hole and 7/8" pin), I've not have any problems. I have also considered putting a large shackle through the drawbar and turning the trailer hitch 90 deg the act similar to a pintle hitch as @Tacotodd (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=50744) mentions. Has anyone done this?
i towed a small trailer home with a 3/4 forestry rope once. does that count?
;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0614211833a_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1623731853)
Im not sure if it counts as fab work when the thing quite accidentally bolted right on. Forgot i even had this blade.
With the tractor tied up to run the backhoe and the bobcat dead for a while i was without any easy means to tidy up the loose dirt or feed spoils to the stationary hoe for loading up to wheelbarrow away. All my joints are wearing out pretty rapidly from this osteoarthritic skeleton thats propping me up... so my days of toughing it out with a pick and shovel need to start being minimized.
Getting old mike lol
Some days you gotta tough it out though, to prove yourself you're still in this ;D . Anyone who has done work by hand(especially dirt work) can really appreciate when the machinery comes in play. They don't pay enough in trades, it literally destroys your body.
Mike, when the sad day comes that quad dies, your going to have to put about 20 grand under the seat before you bury it. You owe at least that to it :)
As christian as i may be, my machinery believes in reincarnation!
;D
Hopefully it gets reincarnated into an easier life? :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57944/EEE96867-D5B4-44B5-9A27-9730CC85F1F6.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1624065297)
Picked up at harbor freight apex 12k winch going to give it a try this weekend to help skid some logs around in the woods. I have 2 truck battery's and a solar charger. I'm going to use it as a back up to my ctl. For logs over a bank. Seems a tad flimsily for 12k lbs. we will see.
Realize that the unit can winch in 12k but it can only drag 6k by the load holding brake. So dont go dragging the logs with the machine while the winch motor is not powered up. Ive killed a brake that way and its a substantial teardown to replace
What are you mounting that on?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0618211628_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624069051)
I had hoped it would work as a vibratory sheepsfoot for compacting clay but im not impressed so far.
Had doubts from the start and hedged my bets by clocking the pucks 90* different so that theyd work as a rotary pulverizer also. Need something that can prepare a seedbed, strip sod and so forth.
Tail pulley?😊
Quote from: mike_belben on June 18, 2021, 10:56:39 PM
Realize that the unit can winch in 12k but it can only drag 6k by the load holding brake. So dont go dragging the logs with the machine while the winch motor is not powered up. Ive killer a brake that way and its a full teardown.
What are you mounting that on?
I'm not going to drag with the winch. My idea for it is to be able to drop next to a tree. Chain the skid I made to the tree and winch from that point. Also be able to move around the woods w/ forks on any piece of equipment. I initially thought I would put 2 handles on it and make it a 2 man carry. But I think it's weighing in around 400lbs currently so no man powered carrying lol Basically My plan is to use this when I'm either stuck or have a log I can drag out with the skid steer due to space. I also picked up the harbor freight tree strap and snatch block. Going to give it all a spin today.
Quote from: mike_belben on June 19, 2021, 01:53:46 AM
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0618211628_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624069051)
I had hoped it would work as a vibratory sheepsfoot for compacting clay but im not impressed so far.
Had doubts from the start and hedged my bets by clocking the pucks 90* different so that theyd work as a rotary pulverizer also. Need something that can prepare a seedbed, strip sod and so forth.
how did that end up working mike? I have been wanting to build one of those for a very long time. especially since my ground is all clay and the only time it ever seems to break up is when its to hard and dry to do anything with.
edit:
I see its just a vibratory one you do not have the roller part powered. that would be an easy fix with the right gearbox.
@Ventryjr (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=47944)
I hate to rain on your parade but ive done what youre doing. The 2 batteries will be deeply discharged in short order and permanently harmed unless theyre deep cycle. I have a pair of 925cca group 31 semi batteries on my old kubota for an 8k winch and the 10 amp generator cant keep them up.. Tractor wont start after heavy winching and i need to put on an alternator. The bobcat also uses dual 925cca's with this winch and a 65amp 12si and it is okay.
When the winch cable pulls, pauses and pulls again even though you didnt let off the button you better stop for the day. Its the voltage getting dragged down too low for the switching contactor magnetism to hold against the return springs. As the voltage drops the amp draw rises and the copper contacts inside will arc. They can melt, weld in the on position and catch fire. Listen close for solenoid clacking.
@mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) thats what I put on it was 2 group 31s. I didn't think about the voltage drop/contactor issue. Do you think 2-6v scissor lift batteries would work better? I have access to refurbs batteries very cheap. I could also wire up a quick connect charging setup to my ctl and tractor.
I ran old arc stinger cables up my boom to anderson connectors and its been flawless. Everything in the yard has andersons so the bobcat was a mobile jumper box until i bent a valve. I also have some really long 2awg jumpers with welding clamps and an anderson so i can charge anything off the bobcat or run the receiver winch off anything with a 2" hitch and a battery/alt.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1121201553_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1606016094)
@Crusarius
That frame is just a vibratory roller. the smooth drum works good on dry loose clay as a smoother but not really any compaction gained. The sheepfoot just disturbed dry clay and i havent had a chance to try on wetter stuff that it may work okay on. Sheepfoot did do surprisingly well as a clodbuster, breaking up big, dry bowling balls into granules that will spread better.
I decided to put together a new welding and layout table for my little little log cabin machine shop (not to be confused with "Log Cabin Republicans", LOL).
Out in the main shop I have a nice 4' x 8' steel table (seen in the first pic), but in the machine shop the welding table consisted of a 24" square plate of 1/2" steel that sat on a couple of wood saw horses.
At an auction I picked up some cast iron legs that came off of a piece of industrial equipment, and a local scrap yard had a nice piece of 3' x 4' steel plate in 3/4" thickness. I had some nice heavy steel casters left over from a different acquisition a number of years ago that were also allocated to the project.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/3x4_top.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306266)
I decided to install the legs in a splayed out position in order to allow me more external room for clamping at the top, yet not sacrifice stability. This also allows good room for me to sit on a tall stool while TIG welding. Some wedges were made to take care of the leg angles.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Splayed_legs.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306283)
The top was drilled and tapped so as to be able to bolt the leg assemblies in place. Bevel washers were used to keep the bolt head alignment in the proper plane.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Leg_attachment.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306274)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Leg_wedges.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306282)
Today I took delivery of a 16mm annular cutter for my mag drill so that I can drill the top for some Bessey style clamps. I'm pleased with how it came out. It's nice and tall so I don't have to bend over when using the MIG or stick, and a stool works fine for TIG work. It is very stable too. It's not as nice as many of the ones that I've seen fabricated by fellow WW members, but it works well for my purpose.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Finished_table_in_tool_cabin.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306265)
Looks great. Now i want to know more about the... camper chassis service trailer ???
Looks fantastic. Pretty sharp looking red 👍
Quote from: mike_belben on June 21, 2021, 06:20:24 PM
Looks great. Now i want to know more about the... camper chassis service trailer ???
Not a camper chassis....
A few years back I picked up a surplus utility bed that came off of a Class 6 welding supply truck to use as a mobile shop trailer around the farm.
I fabricated a chassis with 7" channel with a pair of 7,500 lb brake axles.
Mounted at the front of the trailer is a Miller Trailblazer Pro 350D with 250' of welding cable lead and 71 gallons of available fuel. There is a suitcase MIG, plasma torch, carbon arc torch, oxy-propane set, 80 gallon air compressor and a drill press all on the trailer.
I keep pure CO2 and tri-mix on board for the suitcase MIG. Also have a push-pull gun for aluminum.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Right_side.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624364343)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/left_side.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624364334)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/torch_storage.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624364344)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Lead_comparment.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624364331)
I still have a few more mods to do to the trailer before painting it. Mainly I'm planning to lower the center deck section about a foot so as to have a more convenient height for working.
A hinged bumper in back allows access to under-deck metal storage.
Wow is that thing rigged out or what. smiley_thumbsup
I was on the fence about being a camper frame. The hubcaps and steps made me think it was a good guess.
Next question----who would scrap a piece of 3x4x 3/4 plate? Nice find. 8)
Wud
Quote from: Wudman on June 22, 2021, 02:39:29 PM
Next question----who would scrap a piece of 3x4x 3/4 plate? Nice find. 8)
Wud
It's amazing what manufacturing plant will scrap out. I was trying to find something in the 1.25" - 1.5" range, but the 3/4" worked out fine.
The 16mm annual cutter arrived yesterday; so hopefully tomorrow I'll drill some holes in the top for clamps. I don't plan on drilling the entire top - only a row along a short and long side. That way I can use it for placing parts on w/o worrying about them dropping through a hole in the top.
Quote from: mike_belben on June 22, 2021, 11:34:13 AM
Wow is that thing rigged out or what. smiley_thumbsup
I was on the fence about being a camper frame. The hubcaps and steps made me think it was a good guess.
That's logical. I've since swapped the wheels out for some old mag wheels that I had on my GMC Jimmy (it was upgraded with some surplus HMMVW rims and tires). The step was one that I replaced on one of my wife's mobile veterinary hospitals. It still had some usable life left in it.
It is one heavy trailer; probably weighs in the 8K - 10K lb range fully loaded.
Im experimenting with a small roller crimper right now in my compactor frame.. Tacked on just one sharpened edge to see what all it'd do.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1624411412912.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624411420)
With a pile of weights it got fairly effective at flattening a tall cover crop but its severing ability was marginal and a spray kill would probably be required after rolling.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0622211904_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624411479)
Mike, when are you going to just power that beast and have a nice cultivator?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/44847/IMG_1448.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624452398) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/44847/IMG_1447.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624452383) Just a little idea . I have 240 acres of recreational /forestry land and to keep my 2 km roads and 4 km trails in shape I pull this big tire around .Under the tire I have 3 skidder chains attached .
@Crusarius (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=35059)
I will eventually mount a diff backwards to create a 4.1x speed increaser for the lumpy drum to act as a harley rake and general forest floor pulverizer for getting grass started in woodsy paddocks.. Or stripping off crummy lawn.
a roller crimper is for when you dont want bare dirt. In my case for lack of seeding equipment and small spaces, id broadcast seed into a tall weed/vegetation bed and then come over it with a crimper to lay the cover crop over the seed to protect it from birds and retain moisture. The crimper also acts as a cultipacker to push the seed into the dirt for better seed/soil contact and germination rates.
Again id probably have to spray to kill the old layer but the point is to let it protect and fertilize the new seed.. Have the parts to weld up a spray bar for the quad sitting on the bench now.
The commercial farms that are roller crimping are using some very heavy drums with various style cutters, often times front mount roller and rear planter in one pass to cut the fuel bill in half. The planting equipment is pretty modified and heavily weighted in order to cut the crop mat and force a seed in, usually coulters ahead of each drill. Im discovering a layer of hip high grass stalks is tougher than it looks!
Crimping is a fairly recent technology so the farms doing it have fabbed up all sorts of trial and error equipment to make it work. The yield data suggests it is a best practice vs conventional tillage. less erosion, less runoff, less phosphates in the creek, higher soil moisture etc.
We suffer from hard, thin top soil that needs more organic matter to build up a good tilth. Really im just making sure i never succumb to the television.
That makes a really nice trail Wanderer. smiley_thumbsup
I finished out putting segmented cutters on the crimper drum.. Literally just sharpened bed frame scraps, 1x1 thin angle.
It works quite well at terminating tall weeds and brambles. Before/after same spot.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0624211426_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624568500)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0624211433_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624568490)
Looking good Mike 👍 Now for the food plot improvements as well as your salt.
Quote from: scsmith42 on June 21, 2021, 04:20:55 PM
I decided to put together a new welding and layout table for my little little log cabin machine shop (not to be confused with "Log Cabin Republicans", LOL).
Out in the main shop I have a nice 4' x 8' steel table (seen in the first pic), but in the machine shop the welding table consisted of a 24" square plate of 1/2" steel that sat on a couple of wood saw horses.
At an auction I picked up some cast iron legs that came off of a piece of industrial equipment, and a local scrap yard had a nice piece of 3' x 4' steel plate in 3/4" thickness. I had some nice heavy steel casters left over from a different acquisition a number of years ago that were also allocated to the project.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/3x4_top.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306266)
I decided to install the legs in a splayed out position in order to allow me more external room for clamping at the top, yet not sacrifice stability. This also allows good room for me to sit on a tall stool while TIG welding. Some wedges were made to take care of the leg angles.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Splayed_legs.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306283)
The top was drilled and tapped so as to be able to bolt the leg assemblies in place. Bevel washers were used to keep the bolt head alignment in the proper plane.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Leg_attachment.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306274)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Leg_wedges.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306282)
Today I took delivery of a 16mm annular cutter for my mag drill so that I can drill the top for some Bessey style clamps. I'm pleased with how it came out. It's nice and tall so I don't have to bend over when using the MIG or stick, and a stool works fine for TIG work. It is very stable too. It's not as nice as many of the ones that I've seen fabricated by fellow WW members, but it works well for my purpose.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Finished_table_in_tool_cabin.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1624306265)
Awesome build Sir
Hey Mike on that crimper concept you may want to try a spiral shape vs straight across the roller. In my past life in the ag and lawn/garden world we always tried to use spiral shape on roller type attachments to minimize ground contact length at any point in time which concentrates down pressure for more effective cutting/crimping. I like your thought to use previous ground cover to protect new seedbed.
Thanks @Downstream (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=31739)
I have a PDF from USDA evaluating all the various crimper styles that existed by 2016.. About 8 or so.
Their claim was that the straight blades had better termination at the expense of lumpy operation. Curved blades could run faster due to being smoother because of to continual contact like a highway bead down the center of Goodyear OZ humvee mud tires or ag tires that end each paddle real close to the next in the center strip... But the termination wasnt as good as straight blade.
I dont have the means to fab a curved cutter paddle. The lumping doesnt bother me but im sorely lacking on weight compared to a real crimper. The best ones imo look to have a smooth lead roller and a bunch of small straight cutter wheels on sprung swingarms trailing behind. What i noticed was my smooth roller really flattened great but obviously didnt cut. As i added cutters it stopped flattening as well but started chopping better. I broke up my straight cutters into irregular segments that engage at different times and that helped.
Also mine has a rubber sandwiched pivot to dampen the shaker (which doesnt really benefit the cutter action.. The weights absorb all the shake) and when i drive in reverse the roller cants a little sideways. This causes the roller to try to steer. Imagine pressing a knife down into your forearm. It jusy leaves a crease mark for a few minutes. Thats my roller going forward. Now press it down and drag hard across the forearm. Youll get blood. Thats mine going in reverse. Which is fine since i prefer to back into the worst briar patches and knock it down a bit at a time.
If you only need forward and only have a small machine, a smooth drum with a spring loaded cutter bar that rides a snap cam that slams the single blade frequently right behind the roller is the best youre gonna do. A big heavy tractor with a big heavy straight blade roller on the front with hydraulic down pressure is the best termination you can get from an eaay to make roller.
My roller frame still fits on the front of my deere 140 with downpressure so whenever thats back together...
If I understand your post properly I think you already tried this, but just in case. When you design an ag implement for crop cutting the focus is always on lbs/disc blade being maximized for better cutting. If you cannot fab a spiral the next best thing is a shorter straight cutter approx 1/3 of the width of the drum. Space these around the circumference of the drum straight like your full length one starting on one side. Do the same in the middle and also the far edge. Each of these sections is indexed so that only one cutter bar is fully engaged at a time as the drum rotates. This will triple your lbs/cutter edge. You may have already done this based on your comments.
Yep, thats what i did and why i did it. Get the psi up in the cutter points. Didnt have enough weight with a single bar test soi segmented it into randoms with the last of my scraps. Longer angle might cut better but all i have is thick and didnt want to be sharpening all day with the grinder. Thin stuff is like a razor with just a dusting from the wheel.
I really like that analogy of pressing vs slicing. Easy enough for ANYONE to understand. smiley_clapping
And now, for that end result. smiley_thumbsup
My crimper achieved a considerably better kill rate than i expected. Probably 80-90% or so.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0701211041_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625177502)
Clover starting to poke through the mat already.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0630211608_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625177825)
Mike how many passes to achieve that? Single or multiple? Glad to see it worked for you
Think of it like painting. I dont raise the implement often, really just for rock ledge or to reposition elsewhere. So im backing into a wall of briars until one wants to get me then pull forward enough to curve over and reverse again, taking another half row down. Back and forth while curving around.
If a spot needs more i will raise the roller for just a second so the paddles shift out of sequence and try again. A lot of the stuff you fail to cut is a simple case of a it slipping between the knives. Im sure the tires are doing a lot of the kill once the roller flattens. But also just enough soil disturbance and cultipacking to get the seedbank sprouting its next wave. Unlike tillage there is no erosion in a downpour this way. There are parts id my yard just oozing away right now in the rain. With crimping the dirt is more or less undisturbed, by conventional measures. Micorhizae will remain intact so thats a big bonus.
Mike I'm well versed in tillage and the downside of years and years of row crops. Erosion is a real issue. I've been trying to implement some soil conservation practices here without getting myself in trouble
If those areas are something you are trying to establish with perennial crops look into frost seeding. I've seen tremendous results with it here in the northeast. During that time of year when the ground is frozen in the morning and muddy in the afternoon broadcast the seed. The freezing and thawing action creates the seed to soil contact. Not sure if your area would be different but it's one of those outside the box practices that I've done personally and seen excellent results.
Im no expert, but im getting better at it. I turn my compost pile with a backhoe instead of a pitchfork now, put it that way. i add about fifty fold more material to my dirt than i extract from it.
We have some pretty poor soil and the early years are discouraging. I couldnt get corn or squash to even grow the first year. Now ive got squash running between the rows and its all dark lush green, huge leaves, stiff stalks etc.
Quote from: newoodguy78 on July 01, 2021, 11:08:20 PM
If those areas are something you are trying to establish with perennial crops look into frost seeding. I've seen tremendous results with it here in the northeast. During that time of year when the ground is frozen in the morning and muddy in the afternoon broadcast the seed. The freezing and thawing action creates the seed to soil contact. Not sure if your area would be different but it's one of those outside the box practices that I've done personally and seen excellent results.
Just caught your edit. I guess that is basically whats working for me now. Its all food plot mix, started with one bag.
I planted the first fall, it came up decent and stayed green all but maybe 2 months of winter. Well naturally it all went to seed and died in place. The trees hardly had a bud on them and poof.. Sprang back up.. A solid 2 months before greenup.
By the time the pastures in the area were green and leaves were formed, i was waist high in forage.
These are test patches for light, lime, fertilizer etc.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0511211644_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1620797215)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0514210932_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621019025)
I harvested the seed off that and killed it recently for hot season, let it break down in place and build up the topsoil. The plots pop up again on their own in place and i spread the harvested seed to new areas. Retards the woody regen a bit, and eventually will be silvopasture in shelterwood pockets.
Fabricating heavy duty receiver hitches 1/2 thick all the way around
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/ECB93936-E04C-4875-B8D4-DE27AD432CFB.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1625985516)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/0FC77563-9CF7-44E6-B1A8-BAD9916C7615.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1625985518)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/05365665-32E1-42C4-A467-6A0BFD54CC9B.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1625985518)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/3D223D66-EEFD-4570-8B11-8347FC1904D4.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1625985520)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/AEE629A2-6CE2-4C16-8958-85AEC44AB550.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1625985520)
and a combination log skid/arch with a receiver for pulling a gooseneck trailer and other trailers that will also detach from the rear of arch and connect to the machine in receivers
As far as fabrication goes this is about as simple as it gets but I'll share what lead up to this little project anyways.
I'm putting a road in across a 10 acre lot I bought last fall. My source for sand and gravel is just over a half mile away on my sawmill lot. My old F350 dump had a hard life before I got it and needed some attention in order to do this job. Last year I replaced the alternator and was able to fill in the mouth of the driveway before the air pump seized up. This spring I brought out a new pump but was stymied when the long bolt through the housing snapped off. Over a series of trips I lined up a replacement bolt, hacked the old pump out, drilled an alternate hole for mounting, and finally got everything put back together. I had my skid steer on the new lot and loaded the truck off an earthen ramp at my sand pit.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/loaderramp_lot90_070321.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625975108)
I was just getting into the groove with 8 loads moved when the truck sprung a bad leak in the fuel line. I got it parked without incident but the truck was out of commission pending another repair.
Last fall I moved some dirt with my small side dump trailer mounted on my pole trailer so I made a trip using that behind my regular truck. The biggest issue with that was since I wasn't loading with the skid steer instead the loader trip bucket which is much too blunt an instrument for the job. So I hooked the side dump behind the tractor and made a trip like that. The issue with this set was to load the side dump I had to back it up to the earthen ramp and hand load from above with a wheelbarrow and buckets. Slow, and the side dump is due for a redesign that will allow it to be more stable and carry more. Here is the loader with the empty side dump after coming back from the project. I would take apart the trailer with my forklift in the morning.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/ACWCsidedump_lot90_070321.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625975480)
The important thing learned from delivering sand with the tractor was that my trail was able to be traversed by the tractor all the way in for the first time. I've had a load of building materials staged on my running gear since last fall. My next trip I'd haul the running gear into my building site and unload it, freeing up the running gear for other tasks. As soon as the running gear was empty I tossed some spruce poles on for the ride back to the sawmill. Back at the mill the spruce comes off and lumber is ready to go on for a new platform.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/770_logslumber_070421.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625597587)
The hemlock I milled last month was just right to put a 9' long platform on the running gear. This one is made with the trip bucket in mind, it has a 6x6 beam on each side, 1" planks across the center and two 2x12 cross pieces tying it together underneath. The beams are stout enough that I can rest the bucket on them, release the bucket and slowly raise and dump. It will hold about three buckets full.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/runninggearbox_lot90_070421.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625975635)
I do need to unload by hand but that is much preferred over loading by hand. At this stage it's good to be able to bring the fill to just the right place on the trail and distribute it precisely. Here is the loader and wagon ready to make another run, a load in the bucket and another on the new platform.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/ACWCrunninggear_lot90_070421.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625975790)
How about a look at the object of all this effort. Although I'm improving numerous locations simultaneously this low spot provides a good idea of the work. My route appears to be an old skidding route that was not improved in any major way. I didn't take a true before photo but have this one from when I was just getting started. This was the lowest spot with standing water when I scoped out the trail and could get through it on my 2WD four wheeler but it was obvious a pipe and plenty of fill would be needed to make this an all-weather road. Here I've started placing small logs in the void to begin establishing a base to work off, although the four wheeler would slide, straddle the logs and get stuck.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/culvertfill_lot224_100920.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625959263)
Adding more fiber to the crossing. As I did so I left a gap in the middle where the pipe would go. Easier to cross as long as you don't get caught up in the middle.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/culvertfill_lot224_101420.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625959383)
In November I brought in the pipe. The water in the draw flows from right to left as we look at the picture. As you can probably tell the trail is impassible by machine at this point. To get get tools into the building site I had to walk them across the gap then load them in a wheelbarrow.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/culvertfill_lot224_110920.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625959477)
First trip in the spring, not a lot has changed although I'm stacking some more limbs around the pipe where I'll deliver some more fill from nearby with the wheelbarrow so I can develop just enough ramp to get up and over the pipe with my four wheeler. That will get me into a dirt source at the back of the lot and I can start adding it here with a small garden trailer behind the wheeler.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/culvertfill_lot224_040221.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625970676)
In May I moved my skid steer down here and did the grading leading up to the pipe with just enough fill to just eek over the pipe without getting stuck, then the same thing on the other side. Now crossing with the four wheeler was a breeze but I had some work to do to comfortably bring the skid steer out again.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/culvert_lot224_051621.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625972131)
Finally, it was a real milestone to be able to run the trail with my loader tractor. The lighter color is the sand and rock mix I've put down this month. Still plenty of fill to add, about 6" on top and a foot wider on either side. After working with a shovel and a wheelbarrow getting full size equipment in here makes all the difference.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/culvertfill_lot224_070421.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1625972473)
Thats a lotta butt bustin roundhouse. Nice job doin what ya can with what ya got.
I suggest finding truck chains to cut down for all 4 corners of the skid steer. Huge difference in the woods. Weld extra chain patterns into em if you need to.
Quote from: mike_belben on July 11, 2021, 07:57:38 PM
Thats a lotta butt bustin roundhouse. Nice job doin what ya can with what ya got.
Thanks, it's rewarding seeing it come together. I was getting ready to sell the F350 and replace with a dump trailer when this "one more job" came along. As happened when I did the road into my sawmill it's tempting to buy equipment for dirtwork but this job is the exception to the long term task of moving logs to the mill and sawmilling out here. I've resisted the urge to go shopping and gotten the work done with existing machines. I could probably buy and later sell a dozer but I like avoiding the hassle of arranging for transport, selling etc.
If you buy a dozer you wont wanna sell it.
Quote from: mike_belben on July 12, 2021, 01:34:52 PM
If you buy a dozer you wont wanna sell it.
That's probably the largest concern. I tend to take my time shopping and be careful about what I buy and how much I pay. As a result I tend to hang on to what I have for a long time. There seems to be a sweet spot where the machine isn't a basket case but also isn't so new that it's bleeding value if it sits most of the time. Or maybe I've been lucky most of the time. It's all still an elaborate hobby for me so if I can't pay cash out of the fun fund I don't buy. Since I don't smoke, drink or boat my vice is using old iron in the woods.
Mine too. It's unfortunate there isnt a good acronym for this. BOAPOHF just doesnt ring.
Thats bust out another pail of hydraulic fluid, of course.
Same spot i crimped, very hearty, early germination and establishment of cool season seeds in the dead of hot season. Im waiting to see if they survive august. My conclusion is a roller crimper is worth the effort to build. I only rolled one time and did nothing else. Did not seed it either, the roller caused a perennial crop. The spots i did not roll elsewhere only have unwanted oak and sassafrass seedlings coming up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0719211525_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626843416)
And this one isnt fab but i felt pretty clever. Spent maple tap for a right angle caulking applicator
I had to put a bead under the edge of some really flat tin to try to get a clean drip. Water has been clinging underneath and wicking up the underside. That tin and gutter are over a storage truckbody as if they were 3" off the ground. So I couldnt angle the gun to caulk this underside any other way
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0720211951_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626841575)
Tried it this morning and every drop falls clean off the edge into the gutter just right. Looks like no more wicking back up the framing lumber or pouring down the container doors and splashing my welder.
If you want to lay in flat bottom trenches, you want a bucket with a long flat bottom.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0806212036_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628307149)
That also helped make side swipe smoothing and backfilling much more precise and efficient. Very happy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0806211932_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628307138)
Root grubbers on the backside came in handy today.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0806211826_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628307131)
nice bucket mike, but the curl in geometry , brake out force is way off in such a extended bucket, i don't know if that matters on a backhoe though
Thats why the rippers are on back with their leverage ratio being much much higher than the front edge. It worked excellent on a septic repair yesterday.
a 6 inch wide bucket has enough PSI to do pretty well in clay even being super long. And besides its only a pin on tractor hoe, im not ripping ledge or filling articulated dumpers! It does dig differently though. You point it straight down and rake toward you like a garden hoe. Then roll under and strip off a straight line like a sod cutter or potato peeler, ice cream scoop etc. It digs linear strokes instead of arcs.
Makes it much much easier to get a flat trench floor. When you sweep the spoils away by swinging to the side, you also get flat clean ground instead of little crescents. I love it. But i would not want it for a GP bucket at all. Its only good at one thing. If you were going down to finished depth and trying to break out a foot deep of hard trench at a time it is definitely weaker at the breakout tip.
Finished up an emergencyish drainage repair for a neighbor today, bucket is excellent.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211432_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628657003)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211432a_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628657014)
It sidesweeps very clean and flat. Look at the grass where the dirtpile was. That was entirely by machine, no hand labor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211318_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628656857)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211401_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628656819)
A couple of months ago I picked up a 7-ton John Deere running gear for $350.00 CDN. There was a bend in the reach about 14 inches from one end, so I split the wagon and cut off the bent part. With that piece cut off, I am still able to get from 7' to 11' between the bunks.
The bunks are 6" x 3" x 1/4' rectangular channel steel 66' long; the bunks sit on 2 1/2" x 1/4" inch square tube vertical supports that are bolted to the original bolsters; and the braces that tie in the bunks to the frame are 1/4" x 3" flat steel stock.
The standards (upright posts) are 2 1/2" x 1/4" inch square tube, 4' long. I will be rigging up a one-pull lever/cable release on the right side (facing forward) that will simultaneously pull out 1 of the draw-pins at the bottom of each standard; the other 2 pins will be removed by hand prior to pulling the release. I drilled out the 4 holes on the bottom of the right side standards to 1" diameter and welded in a section of 1 " pipe to act as a bushing to reduce friction and binding when the draw-pins are yanked out by the release.
The chains running from standard to standard are flipped out of the way when loading, then snugged up by binders when loaded up. The chains remain in place when the trip lever is pulled. So the bottom of the right-side standards will kick out when the pins are pulled.
Patent Pending .... :D :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18202/log_trailer_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1628697151)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18202/log_trailer_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1628697108)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18202/log_trailer_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1628697151)
8)
@mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) that bucket does look dang handy. I'd love to design a slip on edge or bucket for my backhoe like that. Every once in a while I can swipe dirt from grass, like you did, with my big, normal bucket and boy is it satisfying to do, it'd be lovely to do it easily.
I guess this is the Fabrication thread...
I've got the need to infinite rocks and I have about 2 acres of land in which I'm not really disturbing much by digging it up, screening it, then pushing all the dirt back in the hole. I'm trying to figure out a good design for screening rocks. I've seen some examples of a pretty substantial wooden frame with chain link fence set at about 45 degrees, then a finer screen to catch smaller rocks. As usual I'm aiming to do it for a little money as possible.
I've also heard of folks that built a screen that would flip down over their loader buckets but I'm not sure if they were being used to screen rocks out or dirt out and rocks in... I think that's a bit more than I'm capable of with my current tools and supplies.
I can afford a bit of wood and fence or screen but there are certainly some engineering aspects I'm not thinking of...
aig, what is your skillset? For me the first thing I would consider is a drum separator. easy to build and easy to power. just dump a load of dirt in and let it spin till its empty. then repeat. If built properly you should end up with separate piles of different sizes.
Hmmm now that I think about it, easy build would involve using expanded metal. But multiple sorting stations would involve quite a bit more work.
Interesting, fun, and useful project.
X2 what Crusarius said. A trammel is pretty simple, but a second sort for size would still require a screen deck below. Screen deck(s) need some oscillation or shaker movement to get stuff through. If you've got really big rocks you'd need grizzly bars as the very first stage. It can get complicated - or fun, depending on how you look at it. Like Crusarius said, it depends on your fab skills - and your bone pile.
I saw a trammel setup that was driven by mounting a riding lawnmower on top of the trammel with the rear wheels providing rotation just by the friction of the back tires. Kinda simple but not the most dependable drive system. Then you still need something to shake the screen deck.
To check the screen concept you could make a thing like archeologists use in an hour or less. 2x4 frame with mesh across the bottom. Two 2x4 legs at the center. Needs to be fed by one person with shovel or bucket while the other person provides the motion to the screen.
Good luck. I look forward to watching the progress.
Picture in my head is a long tube starting with a fine mesh then about an 18" solid spot for pile separation then a slightly larger mesh and so on.
Would have to have a spot to dump dirt in, be able to access underneath to remove piles, and have it powered. Depending on how crazy you get you could sort everything in one shot and just have piles of different coarseness depending on the mesh.
I think the 18" smooth spot would be enough to leave a small separation and not have cross contamination.
This is something I would love to build but most of my soil is nasty clay. I doubt this will work well with clay. especially wet.
These folks (https://purelivingforlife.com/remove-rocks-from-soil/) built a couple versions of the wooden frame version I was talking about, and it looks like it'd work well enough without being motorized, for my uses. If allowed on this forum, you can see kind of what I'm talking about when searching, like here (https://www.google.com/search?q=homeade+rock+screening+&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi66c6U-avyAhWBqnIEHcj5CrUQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=homeade+rock+screening+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1DqyThY6sk4YIbLOGgAcAB4AIABAIgBAJIBAJgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=AVIVYfrkL4HVytMPyPOrqAs&bih=757&biw=1600&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS834US834).
My skillset is limited but I'm not afraid to try stuff, if I can motivate my way into getting out to do it. I like to learn and experiment with things and I'm not afraid to ask masterminds, like you all.
I completely understand what you mean by the trommel and I'd imagine I could find an old washing machine motor or something to connect that to, though I've never really done something like that before. I don't know if the scale would be correct as the amount of dirt I'd like to run through, I think, would overwhelm what I could build in a trommel sense. Let's call it around a yard of material, per loader dump, with very few rocks bigger than a basketball, but lots (used loosely, I don't think it'll really be "lots") between golf ball and softball, maybe? My first hole is about 15 feet deep and has made quite the pile of material to sort through. I can dig that hole in around an hour.
I know there are some rocks in the ground here and there. When my pond was dug up by the house's builder they pulled out a rock just a bit smaller than a VW Beetle, and I've dug up a few that are probably a quarter that big. My hope is to find a lot of the small stuff and, ideally, a couple hundred bigger ones between basketball size and golf cart size.
I like the concept. One long thing, one simple movement.
A search on "diy trammel" should turn up a lot of info on prior art.
The commercial stuff I've seen all sorts from big to small in successive stages. Maybe they're overlooking the better mousetrap. IDK, I'm just a casual observer.
Well my last reply relates to Crusarius post, if that's not obvious.
So aigheadish, you're already on the research path. No moving parts. The google thread you linked to brings up the whole range of possibilities. I'm already lost in a bunch of other rabbit holes, so I'm staying out of this one just watch.
My big problem with the first approach with 2x4's and chicken wire is that I'd much rather see some steel, motors, gears, belts, etc. getting tossed around. :D :D :D
I certainly like the "no moving parts" aspect to the frame and wire thing. And it's well within my skillset. I've seen and read of some folks who basically used chain link fence on the 45 degree then drop it down to maybe 1" openings in chicken wire or something. The 2x4s and chicken wire do leave some durability questions, without a doubt I'll use some beefier supplies, but I don't have the scrapyard to scrounge metal from, unfortunately. I do have an old tractor mower deck and a flail mower that I could possibly use parts from... I don't know, they may also be seized up for all I know.
I'll have to look to see if I can find expanded metal with bigger expansions than I've previously seen or paid attention to. I also like the no moving parts part because I should be able to easily pick the whole thing up with the backhoe and move it to the next spot, without dragging huge amounts of material all over the place.
There is the aspect with the trommel that it seems like it'd probably do a much better job but the complexity rises significantly.
Luckily the only deadline is my own desire to redo the pond so I can make it a nice swimming hole.
Roger that. It only needs to do a good enough job to suit the client (which is you).
Maybe Crusarius will jump into the trommel build.
Quote from: Kodiakmac on August 11, 2021, 12:35:57 PM
A couple of months ago I picked up a 7-ton John Deere running gear for $350.00 CDN. There was a bend in the reach about 14 inches from one end, so I split the wagon and cut off the bent part. With that piece cut off, I am still able to get from 7' to 11' between the bunks.
The bunks are 6" x 3" x 1/4' rectangular channel steel 66' long; the bunks sit on 2 1/2" x 1/4" inch square tube vertical supports that are bolted to the original bolsters; and the braces that tie in the bunks to the frame are 1/4" x 3" flat steel stock.
The standards (upright posts) are 2 1/2" x 1/4" inch square tube, 4' long. I will be rigging up a one-pull lever/cable release on the right side (facing forward) that will simultaneously pull out 1 of the draw-pins at the bottom of each standard; the other 2 pins will be removed by hand prior to pulling the release. I drilled out the 4 holes on the bottom of the right side standards to 1" diameter and welded in a section of 1 " pipe to act as a bushing to reduce friction and binding when the draw-pins are yanked out by the release.
The chains running from standard to standard are flipped out of the way when loading, then snugged up by binders when loaded up. The chains remain in place when the trip lever is pulled. So the bottom of the right-side standards will kick out when the pins are pulled.
Patent Pending .... :D :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18202/log_trailer_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1628697151)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18202/log_trailer_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1628697108)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18202/log_trailer_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1628697151)
Very nice. That should be really handy. I've got a frame like that . I think yours might be a tad heavier. I'm going to do the same thing but I ran out of steel on another project so I'm going to use some 6x6 in between and make some new brackets with some pipe for the side rails. Post some pictures of your trailer in action 👍
a fixed grate with appropriate sized mesh will work but could be a pain. If you do go that route and it doesn't work great you can just add a vibrator to that. It could be as simple as a 1" thick disk with an offset hole and a motor spinning it. Be just enough vibration it should work well.
Quote from: mike_belben on August 11, 2021, 12:53:06 AM
Finished up an emergencyish drainage repair for a neighbor today, bucket is excellent.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211432_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628657003)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211432a_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628657014)
It sidesweeps very clean and flat. Look at the grass where the dirtpile was. That was entirely by machine, no hand labor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211318_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628656857)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0810211401_Film1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1628656819)
There is your side business along with your brush clearing 👍
I did it with 2 chainlink gates at about a 45 on some sawn limbs that i literally pointed and pounded into the ground and shot some barn nails into for a frame. Staggered the gates and lashed with fence wire. Used it to sort fines out of 3 minus pile and it worked fine. Conveyance to carry the junk away is all it would need to have been productive. The box fills up and youll push fines back into the coarses when trying to get at it. Be better to stage ontop a jersey barrier or atleast heavy timbers so you can really drive into it.
I had to curl down and backdrag fines out of the bay and my mast would hit the frame.
So design the frame to clear your loader coming in curled down vertical and edge a foot off the ground. That would be a big help. The chainlink wasnt really an issue.
Rebar grill in a frame would be fine. Layed vertically. Build the main frame with coarse slat spacing. Build a second rebar grill rack that lays over the first to cut down smaller. Then lay wire mesh over both to get very fine. Go a bit over 45 so the material rolls right off. Too shallow a pitch and you can just crush the framework if it clogs up and you dump too fast. Shuffle the material off the the cutting edge easy so as not to overwhelm the screen.
Conduit or water pipe or smooth rod will slide better than rebar if ya got it, but the rebar is cheap.
Quote from: aigheadish on August 12, 2021, 12:37:06 PM
@mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) that bucket does look dang handy. I'd love to design a slip on edge or bucket for my backhoe like that. Every once in a while I can swipe dirt from grass, like you did, with my big, normal bucket and boy is it satisfying to do, it'd be lovely to do it easily.
I guess this is the Fabrication thread...
I've got the need to infinite rocks and I have about 2 acres of land in which I'm not really disturbing much by digging it up, screening it, then pushing all the dirt back in the hole. I'm trying to figure out a good design for screening rocks. I've seen some examples of a pretty substantial wooden frame with chain link fence set at about 45 degrees, then a finer screen to catch smaller rocks. As usual I'm aiming to do it for a little money as possible.
I've also heard of folks that built a screen that would flip down over their loader buckets but I'm not sure if they were being used to screen rocks out or dirt out and rocks in... I think that's a bit more than I'm capable of with my current tools and supplies.
I can afford a bit of wood and fence or screen but there are certainly some engineering aspects I'm not thinking of...
We have a skeleton bucket that goes on a backhoe or small excavator that works great for sifting dirt/ separating rocks. The shop built it from an old worn out 30" backhoe bucket. Next time I'm at the shop I'll get a picture and post it. It wasn't hard to build. You just need an old donor bucket, torches, welder and some 3/4" rebar.
I made a skeleton for the SS. Its pretty versatile, works well in dusty dry clay or straight rock but not muck. I shoulda doubled up the corner chisels.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0307181328.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1520453194)
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Plop on sides
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20180919_163036.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1537412314)
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Thanks guys! Mike, I'll have to read what you wrote several more times so I get the picture. I certainly understand that bobcat attachment. I was wondering if I could figure out something similar for the front of my loader bucket, as I don't have an extra loader or hoe bucket around, but could potentially rig something like that up. My thoughts are that a screener sticking out from the front of the loader wouldn't be strong enough to really do much but maybe I'm wrong about that...
My screener was stationary and was just a thin log frame that held chainlink fence wire at a steep slope.. As long as rock flows off and doesnt plug up the screen wont get crushed by a pile up. Vertical slats slide rocks down and side to side braces tend to hang rocks up. Then more pile on the hung ones. Too many and itll bend the screen into a bowl you need to manually drain.
The screen bucket is decent at sifting a pile of rock and removing large stuff from fines. A stationary screener splits one bucket load into two piles and the dividing line between those two piles needs to be stout.. Something you can really drive in to and spin the tires without budging, or else you re mix the piles you just worked to divide.
My wall was too short.. Just one log. So if i wanted 10 scoops of fines i had to put 20 or more scoops across the screen but the coarse pile will always add up faster and it got so tall it was staying on bottom of the grate and piling up on the screen to collapse it. So id have to then clear out the big rock to keep going and get enough small. Its more efficient to have a screen up high that you can just run 40 buckets through and leave the coarse piled up on that side until you need it. I was having to constantly clear the big stuff to have room to keep screening which meant rehandling twice.
If an excavator was digging out a bank into a rock truck and the rock truck was dumping all sizes in one pile at a sorting yard, a screen bucket on a wheel loader would work decent for taking the rip rap out of the pile first to go get either piled or processed. The smaller stuff would fall through so the super cheap bucket gives you a first major sort without the expense of putting all tonnage through a crusher. Why load rock into a cone or jaw crusher that it doesnt need to go through? Just burning fuel.
The hopper on a belt screening plant will have a big steel bar grate over it at a slope to shed rocks that are too big, but you dont want to be dropping boulders on that as youll just bend your grates and mangle steel, belts and crusher components by dumping boulders on it. So a screen bucket is good at raking the oversized material out of the pile first to send to a cone or jaw crusher for reduction, or sell straight off if you have a market for rip rap. What smaller stuff falls through can be sent to a conveyor belt screening plant.
Today they probably make machines that take it all and spit out 5 or 6 perfect sorts but i bet most small family pits are working with what old iron they got and a skeleton can really make sense there to help give your crushers and screens the diet they prefer. With hydraulic quick attach from the cab its 10 seconds to switch buckets.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/66985/DEADAD3B-9D0A-4B6D-9F8D-7841864DEAFC.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1628898498)
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This picture posting has got the best of me lol.This is a dozer winch mount.All I have is a cutting torch and stick welder so don't judge to hard haha.I think it'll hold,for some reason it looks smaller in the pics but it's 3/4 and 1" steel,weighs about 180-200 lb
you did great . i haven't managed to figure out how to post pictures ,tried once and I will try again someday maybe when i have my 8 yr old grandson's help
Looks real good. I spy komatsu.
Can you still get to your brake adjusters? While you have the seat out is a real good time to drill oversize and repin any of the worn metric yoke pins under the seat. Look ontop the center section where the hydraulic block with 2 steel rollers is. Wobble the rollers, i bet they have worn shafts and flat spots. All these things loosening up will make it very hard to steer.. If youre smashing a foot pedal or driving through the brake and its refusing to clutch either side, look deep there.
Thanks
I actually am going over the linkage here n there.The rod that runs through the top clutch housing on both sides for the brake both had worn out bearings.I took em out and they just fell apart.I need to reline or replace the left brake band but am having a hard time finding a lot or something
Ya I can get to the brake adjustment,made it a little tight but it'll work
I was wanting to make a arch for this winch but I don't think it'll work because of that top piece of flat stock.A regular dozer winch is usually open on top.I can't find a angle that would work for a full and empty drum
Yeah all my linkages were completely sloppy. The clevis pins were grooved almost to shearing. I reamed up to SAE sized and put soft bolts so the bolt takes all the wear. The roller bearing wheels that push the hydraulic vent spools to uncouple the drive power were my biggest issue. I cant remember if i sanded the flat spots down to make round again or if i made new rollers by drilling barstack pucks. Whatever i did that made a big difference. My brakes were coming on before my power was disengaged, but only sometimes, as the slack always changed. I could never have the right brake adjustment. Itll eat brakes up fast
This a d37 right? 6cyl non turbo, inline pump?
Yup 6d95l-1
D37e-2 to be specific
Do you know about the rock catcher screen in one of the banjo bolts .. I think its in the transfer pump inlet. The bolt has a tiny fuel filter inside and its usually to blame for any headscratcher low power situations.
Theres the roller tips that hit the clutching spools, reamed to next size to take snug fitting bolts. And if you have any leaks in back up in that area pull that block, its just Orings underneath iirc.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0814181650.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1534286000)
And i forgot to mention these. Look at the top of the trans where your shifter linkages attach to the direction and speed selector spools. Bet you theyre wallered out like this. Weld and grind them back to tolerance if needed. The pins that engage the slots too.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0328181153-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1522329273)
Thanks for the info!The main wear is on the arms with the rollers that engage the steering valve.I think if I drill oversized holes in the arms and rollers it will help tremendously.My biggest problem is on the left brake,the the rod that runs through the top of the housing was moving without bearings for a long time so it's got a pretty good groove in it,I got new bearings but am gonna have to see if I can find another rod or whatever you call it.It transfers the linkage from the pushrod to inside the housing
When you pull those hardpipes and that block with the spools you can get at all those parts.. I cant remember the exact details but i remember it took 2 days of scraping goo and grit and another of power washing before i could work back there.
Anything you can rebush or tighten up will help a lot.
I have have clamp-on forks for my backhoe (that I haven't used yet). How terrible do you guys think it'd be to try and build a skeleton around the forks (or that I drive into with the forks) and gently drive into my pile to screen out rocks?
If you do it right and be gentle it will work. But what kind of damage will it do long term? May make your forks unusable. plus, at that point how much more work is it to just make a rock separator bucket?
you mean make a screen insert that your forks carry around?
i think a screener frame is easer then just scoop and dump over it. it is not economical for a normal person to sort gravel rock out of clay dirt at all in my experience.
My experience with clamp on forks is they usually destroy the bucket they are clamped too.....
I was thinking something that looked like Mike's at the top of this page, but it sounds like that isn't a great idea.
My wife, to avoid spending a bunch of money, suggested using some of the logs around (or maybe some smallish green trees that are still standing) for the big frame screener, so I'll probably go that route.
I love my skeleton bucket for many reasons but its a very low efficiency sifter in my dirt. If you have dry glacial sandy soils or maybe sandy loams.. Stuff that breaks apart at a slight disturbance.. That will fall through and the fines will clear out with a little jostling. But with clays not at all, its as if there are no holes in the bucket with moist clays. It takes an aggressive flail hammering action to break up clay and that only works when its dry. If it cant be dry it needs to be done in complete saturation, like a pond or a jet sprayer conveyance line to wash the clay silts out of the rock. Our local sand pits use ponding and spray lines to get the sand and clay apart.
Timbers for the frame will work fine. Use hog panel, flat metal banding or 12.5g soft fence wire to make criss cross and up/down turnbuckles around the frame (with good fencing grade U nails so it wont slip down the log frame) and you can lay chainlink fence right over.. The grid will help hold it up.
2 chainlink gate panels overlapped and staggered a bit gives you a finer one but that will plug up easier.
Just build something cheap and fiddle with it from there as needed. Youll figure it out. Make it tall and with a stout dividing wall to drive into keep your sort from remixing. Atleast 2 feet tall barrier. But 4 is better!
I started checking out the linkage and it was like wow :o.There was 1 pin that was 7/8 the way worn thru and some of the holes where 2 times there size with about 1/16-1/8 metal holding on the edge yet.I filled them all in with weld and redrilled.Should make a big difference.The left brake band is about 4.7-8mm and the "service limit"is from 6 to 4.2mm.I don't think relining kits are available anymore for this dozer and a new side is around 2500.Think I'll try to get a couple hundred hr outta this one yet n maybe by then I'll have found a relining kit or just a new band or something
Thats how mine was too. With that price in mind i will stay ontop of my adjustments!
Just did some looking and found mine for under $650 per side aftermarket. Look a bit harder.
Break bands for drums? like on a winch? you can have them relined here and baked for about 80$, the heck it would be cheaper to take a flight down here, have the bands made, take a long weekend vacation and fly back, lol
No, dozer steering bands. Weekend off does sound nice though.
Quote from: mike_belben on August 21, 2021, 08:16:25 AMdozer steering bands.
but they are the same material? they also do clutch pads and stuff
I really dont know too much about friction linings but id bet someone with a can do attitude could find a way. Once upon a time we relined everything.
If you have them relined you have to be carful of the thickness. I had both the clutch and brake bands relined and the brake band is to thick. It's about 3/16 to thick so when I release the brake the band touches the frame casting and bends back a little and makes the band bend back against the drum and makes it hard to pull the cable out. It has to wear in before I get free spooling. I've been using a forked 1"x 2" to hold the lever about half way and that lets the cable free spool.
Why don't you just machine the thick part down to thin enough to work properly? Even if you just have to mildly "get after it" with a small but nimble grinder. I've seen it done before and it works good.
Mike, I have an old HD4 (now parked) loader that I took the steering brake bands out and relined myself using old automotive brake shoes with brass rivets and that worked ok.
Quote from: mike_belben on August 22, 2021, 08:21:57 AM
I really dont know too much about friction linings but id bet someone with a can do attitude could find a way. Once upon a time we relined everything.
There was a place in Nashville that used to do re-linings. They did some road grader brake shoes for me ages ago. I think that they were on the east side of Nolensville Rd just north of the inner bypass. If they are still in business, you might want to give them a call.
mine are still okay but i will try to remember that. thanks
Thanks for the advice @mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) your plan sounds like it'll work if I ever get off my butt in this heat.
While I'd like to timber frame it it's now looking like that may not happen. All the dead stuff in my yard is ash that looks to probably fall apart, in the sizes I'd need, as soon as it hits the ground, and I don't have enough of the green growing trees back there that I want to cut any of that down. Lumber prices seem to be coming down a bit and I think I can maybe sneak some 2x6s out with a big culvert pipe I need to get for a bridge over the creek for a delivery. I need to see what the budget is for that first though. Would there be value in treated 2x6? I figure this thing will stay outside it's whole life, but maybe I can save a few bucks and get only a handful of treated for the ones that touch the ground (except, now that I'm looking treated ones are cheaper than non...?).
I was wondering about 2 chain link fence gates. I saw some listed when I was looking for some smaller sections of fence for this project and it seemed like it may be a decent way to go.
My dirt is coming from pretty much exactly the dry glacial stuff, I think. The field was likely farmed at one point, as the first 3 feet or so down appears to be mostly rock free and pretty nice dirt, using it for fill for the wife's patio project. It all seems to break up very nicely and I'm encouraged by the amount of 1/2" plus rocks she's finding just by her hand grading of the patio area. Hopefully that means it'll screen nicely too.
if you want a lasting structure i suggest visiting the scrapyard, local junkpeddler or welding shop and just get metal. round pipe is fine if you can weld it.. if not you can put a big dent via punch and hammer to start a drill for some 3/8 bolts.
SPF lumber wont last long if a machine is loading it. youll bump it or dump too much on soon or later and a bolt tears through. mine was 4" limbs from scrub clearing, with barn nails. i actually burned it to get my nails back once it became in the way. if youre just shovel screening into a wheelbarrow i guess lumber would work but i would probably go buy rough sawn oak from a local sawyer and nail something up out of 1x planking. something with sidewalls so i could pile it up and hand rake back and forth through my screens into a wheelbarrow parked below. i dont remember if you have a loader or not.
if you can collect water off the gutter in a walmart kiddie pool, you will be well on your way to screening out the sand from clay or loam/muf for a top coat. nothing lays up better under pavers than sand in my opinion. it is also the last ingredient to pour ontop of gravels to make them lock up rock hard and tight, as the rain washes in the finest particles down to the very last of the void spaces within.
i water sorted the sand and clay years back for the kids to play pottery. took me a few days but they had fun with it for oh 15 minutes, as per normal with kids and new toys. :D
Thanks again @mike_belben (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=33722) the more I'm reading into it the more it looks like metal may be the smarter way to go. I've never shopped for metal in any way, so I'm not nearly as familiar... I do have a backhoe loader I'm using for material gathering and to apply to the screen.
I want to say that I really appreciate the knowledge you all have and thank you again for the advice you're giving. I'm not ignoring any of it, just doing what I'm more comfortable with, for now.
Well, I discussed my screener with my lovely wife last night and with my lack of knowledge of metal working she suggested I waste some money on a wooden screener, and if I have to build another later that'd be ok. It'll be a good learning experience and an opportunity to show my kids how to build something tangible. My plan is to build it pretty beefy and if I get a season or two out of it I can call it a success. After I get to messing around with it then I can start looking at some upgrades if needed. I also don't expect this screener to have to fight many rocks bigger than a volleyball, so it won't be heavy duty usage, I don't think.
I'll post as I go along. And, thanks again!
Pull your volleyballs out by hand before dumping on the screen, theyll put pockets in your chainlink fence to pool up or just pull it right off the gate frame.
At a 45 degree angle you should be okay lightly shuffling on material up to about 6 inch. Make whatever you can and just treat it kind enough to last the job. Youll be fine. I bet you can sell it when youre done if its not smashed.
Yup! I'm thinking I'll be able to see any of the bigger stuff as it's semi-rare and I usually notice it in the backhoe bucket. I'll pull it out then.
I sent a note to my FIL who is aware of all kinds of random piles of stuff, he may have some cheap or free supplies that may bring a metal screener back into a possibility.
Thanks again for your inventiveness and insight. I can't say it enough!
If you can rig up some grizzly bars above the screen to weed out the volleyballs and keep them from damaging your screen it'd be a good thing.
Fabricating a lifting boom in minutes using my Logrite arch - YouTube (https://youtu.be/xbGk0qRaqP4)
smiley_thumbsup
smiley_thumbsup
Do you have a snatch block you can hang on that shackle? That would save the cable from undo wear.
Yup I do, but it was 182 miles away during recording. :D
Squirrel proof bird feeders a buddy asked me to make him. Lucky i didnt charge him the john deere rate.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0908211752-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631151640)
This may not qualify as a tale of fabrication but since there isn't a daily refinishing thread I'll give it a shot.
The start of this story could be fodder for the carnage thread. I was doing some odd jobs with my "new" forklift when I blew a hydraulic line. In searching for the blown hose I started taking off some panels. In the process I realized the floor panel comes off with just four bolts. I didn't have the right size wrenches for the hydraulic fittings once I found them so that is still in the works and a whole 'nother story.
Back to the floor. It had plenty of dirt on it when I bought the machine and no paint. I wanted to redo it but thought I would have to work on it in place. With the machine down until I could complete the line replacement, I took off the floor and brought it home with me. I don't have a great before photo showing the condition of the floor pan but you can see it fairly well in this photo of the cab:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/770_floorboard_070221.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631157085)
The first step was cleaning off the floor then hitting it with a wire wheel on the drill. The floor was quite pitted but thanks to the heavy gauge of the metal nothing through the floor or close to that. The surprise for me was the that there wasn't a readily available yellow paint that was close enough to the right yellow for my purposes. I would ultimately mix some paints I had to get close to the factory yellow. I also have a couple cans of "traction grit" that I've never used and wanted to try some of that for this project. In the past I've tried the stickers/strips with grip on them but don't think I've found the right ones and haven't been happy with them. Anyway, after cleaning it up and priming the bare metal I put down the yellow, then another thick coat, as soon as I did that I put down a stencil I made and applied the grit. I put down plenty of grit to make sure I didn't miss any spots. Unfortunately the wind kicked up shortly after this and spread the extra grit around a bit. It took pretty well but was a little "unfocused" although having more traction on the floor isn't a bad thing. To clean it up a bit I put down another coat of yellow over the non-stencil areas a few hours after the thick coat set up:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/thumbnail_IMG_1152.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631157417)
It was shaping up nicely although I wasn't convinced of the durability where the white stencil sand hadn't been sealed down. I liked how stable the areas I had gone over with a coating of yellow felt so I decided to break out the black gloss and put a layer over the stencil stripes:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/thumbnail_IMG_1155.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631157530)
Once I'd gone over all the gritty areas with black the result looked pretty good. I'll be curious to see how this holds up long term, I don't think I'll track as much dirt inside as the previous owner but some is inevitable. The appearance reminds me of sticker strips but with no corners to peel up:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/thumbnail_IMG_1156.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631157627)
I'd be curious to hear if others have dabbled with this embedded grit. The instructions on the can talk about mixing this into the paint but I was dealing with a limited amount of yellow that I blended myself, besides I liked the idea of concentrating the grit into a pattern on the floor. Maybe there is a professional grade of the sticker style I haven't found yet that bonds really well, although with the pitting on this floor I can see adhesive having trouble eventually. The paint and grit has no trouble with the unevenness and hides a lot of sins.
That's a great job, Roundhouse!
Gave me an idea for our bathtub/shower floor! :D
Looks good. But , you know it's going to make the rest of the paint look bad.😂
Quote from: mike_belben on September 08, 2021, 09:42:11 PM
Squirrel proof bird feeders a buddy asked me to make him. Lucky i didnt charge him the john deere rate.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0908211752-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631151640)
Mike, did you flatten the tube with a hammer then bend it in a vice? or is there a more scientific approach on this one? :)
I would say he used a vice ;D
I just shoot the squirrels when they get so plentiful. Last year I killed 20 and they were still everywhere. I have 8 bird feeders I only keep 2 stocked at a time to keep the squirrels guessing. By the time they figure out the one the birds have depleted that one. I get tired of shooting them I guess lol
I have some mink and fishers that roam through the area. seems like about every 2-3 years our chipmunk and squirrel population disappear then slowly come back.
Quote from: Crusarius on September 09, 2021, 09:52:47 AM
Quote from: mike_belben on September 08, 2021, 09:42:11 PM
Squirrel proof bird feeders a buddy asked me to make him. Lucky i didnt charge him the john deere rate.
Mike, did you flatten the tube with a hammer then bend it in a vice? or is there a more scientific approach on this one? :)
home made press brake
hey, I have one of those to. got pics?
Will try remembering to take some tmrw
Sorry for the delay
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0910211722.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631586473)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0910211724.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631586471)
Those brackets are just industrial hinges with a window cut to hold the top die and free my hand up.
Mike, you are brilliant. I will have to post pics of mine but my top die has a sleeve that goes around the pusher that holds it. the bottom is very similar to yours. I have been trying to figure out a good way to guide it for a while. the hinges are perfect.
here are quick pics of mine.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20210914_102845.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631630215)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20210914_102854.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631630210)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20210914_102908.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631630226)
It works pretty good. the orange frame is an HF 12 ton press. I have been able to bend 3/8" x4" wide the jack bypasses a little with that material but it still bends where I need it to. I have been trying to find a better way to guide it than to just eyeball it. so far it has worked great. its 13" wide. I do have a set screw that holds it to the pusher.
Quote from: Crusarius on September 14, 2021, 10:42:35 AMthe jack bypasses a little
That's because you are forcing it! Replace the jack with a 20 ton ;) ...and then replace the bent cross arms...
honestly i like yours better and might add a holster tube to mine. dont know why i didnt think of that.
well actually yes i do. i built the thing at SW and the dake press there had a huge knob on it but my own is about the same chicom rinky dink as yours.
i also have a longer one with threaded posts guides and die block springs for up to 12" or so bends. here i am exploding the thing right next to 1 day old neighbor siding on a 3/16" thick 12 inch long bend for tractor fenders. i had the camera down low but was standing upright and did not see it leaning over as the weeny guide rods bent. note my legendary calm under fire. :D
home made pressbrake explosion DIY - YouTube (https://youtu.be/g1FF_2IbPjk)
a pile of people have cloned it and even sell it. when i made that i couldnt find anything like it.
i also have a sheetmetal type hand bender that goes in a truck receiver, and a 1" tube bender that will do a 180 around a soda can, in a bumper receiver. thats probably 20 years old now.
shoot i hafta eat some crow. the metal school online channel did one 3 yrs before me. i guess im one of the copy cats too.. never saw it before.
Mike, thats funny. I know that sound all to well. That is why you never stand in the crash path.
the base for mine started out as 1/4" angle legs up with the notched channel on the ends. after the first 3/8" piece I bent I bent the angle all up. so the next version was the same base but I added some 1.25" x 2" solid to both edges of the angle. full welded it. Has not been an issue since.
I did just get an idea about adding more vertical pieces to support the die better since I have had plenty of times that 1/2" x 4" die still bends enough that the bend is not consistent across.
I do also have designs in my head for a new press. like to be able to form 3' wide. The crappy little HF press works pretty good though so until I have extra time and materials I am not in a hurry to change it up. Plus I do not have any current projects going that need to bend sheet metal for. Next mill build I will though.
Quote from: ljohnsaw on September 14, 2021, 11:05:28 AM
Quote from: Crusarius on September 14, 2021, 10:42:35 AMthe jack bypasses a little
That's because you are forcing it! Replace the jack with a 20 ton ;) ...and then replace the bent cross arms...
Yup! :)
Or, build a new 36" press with 50 ton ram and don't spare anything :) be great to be able to bend a 36" wide piece of 1/4" plate. Still doubt I can do that with only 50 ton.
I purchased a press from a small one man fab shop that was closing, he had made it from manufactured home I beam frame rails with a 20 ton jack. works good but is about 24" wide, similar to the HF press only bigger, I think if a person doubled the uprights and cross pieces it could be widened to 36" with a larger jack. Mine has not bent yet with the 20 ton.
I thought about reinforcing this one, but its cheap enough that by the time I get it solid enough I can do what I want I would be better off starting fresh.
I also like the idea of a lever style press like shown here lever style press (https://www.plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?t=20017#p116178)
QuoteI know that sound all to well.
The steel will talk to you. It's like in the show about heavy tow trucks pulling out wrecks in the mountains western Canada in winter. The driver new the sound of a tight winch cable under load, and a cable that was ready to break and could get you seriously hurt or worse.
Only oppsie I had with a press was pressing a bearing off a pinion gear and when it finally went, ball bearings all over the shop! Always did have a hesitation after that when using a press. Also was the time I was using a ironworker(mild steel punch) and swapped the punch out but not the die, and sent the punch down through the die hole that was now 1/32 too small, forged hardened steel, not good, or exploded and sent a piece into the ceiling of the shop. Would of went right through me like a bullet probably
yup, ball bearing = bullets, hardened steel shattering = shrapnel!!!
Both typically = high probability of death and damage.
I love working with steel :)
I was up to no good in the dark at the first machine shop i worked at when all 3 lathe jaws went flying. One in the wall, one in the ceiling and one past my face. Maybe 14 yrs old
Many years ago when I was in high school, a kid in shop class a year ahead of me tried turning a 3' diameter wood disc on a lathe. He got a tough lesson of how slow rpm can still mean fast feet per minute when spinning large objects. :o
Lets just say when the wood exploded he had many bruises and walked away funny.
here is another one of my projects. I had a friend want me to build him a ditching bucket for his 3.5 ton excavator. I needed a way to roll steel to the desired shape. So I made this plateroll.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/IMAG0669.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631648230)
Found it also works with shapes. Not as nice as plate but still worked well for making some skiis for something.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/IMAG0674.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631648232)
This was my first bend with it. I ended up using the test piece for the crank
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/IMAG0670.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631648233)
Love it!
When I bought an old Bridgeport years ago this was my first project to learn how to use it. I used old scrap laying around. I had to put a sharp bend in a bunch of .06 brackets and this did the job using air logic to run a 12 ton jack. I learned a lot about machining by the time it was done and made good money off the custom brackets I made with it.
Home built 12 ton press brake - YouTube (https://youtu.be/WSIPn4JZjhQ)
I bought a 24 inch one for my 20 ton press and that will only bend about a foot of 1/4 inch crs or 2 inches of 1/2. Sure takes a lot of force to bend steel.
Wow that one takes the cake!
well I am just going to go back to my little hillbilly shop and play with my little toys... :)
21 that is pretty sweet. Very nice work as always. I really like the air logic idea. so much better than having to keep pumping.
Quote from: Crusarius on September 15, 2021, 05:52:01 PM
well I am just going to go back to my little hillbilly shop and play with my little toys... :)
21 that is pretty sweet. Very nice work as always. I really like the air logic idea. so much better than having to keep pumping.
Thanks. We have to have something to keep us out of our wives hair ;D. Using the cylinder also let me control the final bend angle very consistently with the pressure regulator. Actually it's not all air logic because the switches reverse the cylinder solenoid. Those jacks really require many pumps and this worked but now there are pneumatic operated jacks that could have saved me a lot of time back then. The dies are removable and I started making others for things like belling out a 1 inch hole but soon lost interest as other projects popped up.
When you are working on rusty junk (what's new?) and the wire wheel on angle grinder says "That's it! I've had enough! YOU be the porcupine for a while!"
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20210917_103316345.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631889351)
i know ive been grinding long enough when my sweatshirt lights on fire at the belly button.
Using a grinder is some of the dirtiest work , that grinder dust gets everywhere, makes me nauseous just thinking about breathing that stuff in, even with a dust mask. Should of used respirator really
Moving dump body from one rusty beater to another and trying to eliminate some of the "rusty" and "beater".. A fool's errand at best, which makes me feel right at home ;D
HK the clean steel dust tastes so much better in the back of your throat after a full day than rust. I am not the safest, bunch of ppe but often don't bother or remember while doing this kind of shop (outside in dirt) work. Ear plugs safety glasses and or face shield about it. Have been trying and sometimes succeeding to at least use a bandana. Some kind of dumb subconscious rebellion after 12hr shifts w/ respirator. At least this old shop jacket doesn't catch fire easy or the job would never get done.
Hey just thought I'd post a follow up about my dozer.I found a company to reline my brake bands for 300 each (Ceco friction products) and also replaced the fiber discs in the steering clutches for 250 each (from Kent Baugh equipment)Just thought I'd let y'all know in case somebody wants to know where to get parts for a small komatsu dozer 8)
Both local to you? Or have to send them out?
Quote from: mudfarmer on September 17, 2021, 01:49:51 PM
Moving dump body from one rusty beater to another and trying to eliminate some of the "rusty" and "beater".. A fool's errand at best, which makes me feel right at home ;D
HK the clean steel dust tastes so much better in the back of your throat after a full day than rust. I am not the safest, bunch of ppe but often don't bother or remember while doing this kind of shop (outside in dirt) work. Ear plugs safety glasses and or face shield about it. Have been trying and sometimes succeeding to at least use a bandana. Some kind of dumb subconscious rebellion after 12hr shifts w/ respirator. At least this old shop jacket doesn't catch fire easy or the job would never get done.
For the rusty frames on trucks I use POR15, seriously give it a google, stuff is wicked. Wire brush off the loose stuff and then slap the stuff on with a brush, take a hammer
To it after dry won't chip it. It is not UV stable so that's why I only use it on underbody a etc, you could clear coat though. It actually works best on rusty stuff as it bonds and sticks to it, neutralizes the rust, hence POR- paint on rust. Pricey though.
Quote from: beenthere on September 17, 2021, 04:10:54 PM
Both local to you? Or have to send them out?
Shipped brake bands but did clutches myself just ordered new fiber discs as the steel plates where still good.Saved some money as komatsu wanted like 2500 per side and I'm done for about 1200 for both
I figured I'd add a follow-up to the forklift floor project. Last weekend I was back at the forklift to finish removing the blown hose. With the machine still down I wrapped up the floor repaint. The forward portion of the floor needed freshening up to match the removable pan. I made sure to take a before picture showing the starting dirt, rust and grime.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/770floordirt_lot224_091221.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631926608)
On the plus side it is a small area so scraping out the dirt, wiping the grease, and wire brushing the floor didn't take all day to yield a nice result.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/770floorscrape_lot224_091221.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631926748)
Once it was good enough it was time for a coat of primer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/770floorprimer_lot224_091221.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631926966)
By afternoon I had put down a nice thick coat of yellow using up the rest of my "custom mix" paint. The following day I added the pieces I redid at home and put it all together.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/770floordone_lot224_091321.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631927081)
It may seem a little silly to put this sort of effort into the floor of an old piece of equipment. Overall the paint on the forklift is in really good original shape (I suspect it has always been inside/shedded). The lion's share of the wear was found inside the cab. As a machine I intend to keep for a long time I want to be able to climb in and feel good about it, if there's dirt on the floor it'll be my dirt. It doesn't help to have hesitation when the wallet has to be handy to keep the machine running. The hose I removed (connects the pump with the hydrostatic drive) set me back $148 when I had a new one made up this week. I've got a lot of work in mind for the Owatonna in the coming years.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/770cab_lot224_091321.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1631927228)
I also repainted the black brackets seen here that hold the floor plan in place.
buddy we wouldnt be in the shape we're in if everyone took care of their junk like you do. theres unknown costs to this throwaway society we've created.
Thanks Mike. When the crowd zigs it's time to zag. There's deals to be had for the patient and I hope I've found one here. I'm working on getting into a self-perpetuating cycle with this machine, I add a little value to it, in turn I see it as more valuable, then it is worth making a few more improvements, and it becomes more valuable, worth maintaining etc. I will need to love it and what it's capable of when it's time to start putting tires on it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0929211953.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1632975447)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0929212003-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1632975405)
Mini telescoping LED light tower on the quad
Got those same leds on my quad, talk about lighting up the night, you can even see the insects flying around
I hate most everything from China, except for those cheap LEDs. Man those things are awesome! The Ponsse cut to length machines have always been well lit, they used to use halogen bulbs. H7 are they? I can't remember. You had about 10 lights on the machine, and you were always replacing bulbs. Now they are equipped with LEDs, and they really light up the night👍🏻👍🏻 My buddy had an older Ponsse harvester with halogen lights, he retrofitted it with those Amazon LEDs (Ponsse was getting over $200 a light for theirs) they've held up well and he probably did the whole machine for less than $100.
Those ones pictured are $6 each shipped when you buy a 6pack. Ebay.
Trying to extend the wintertime chore window and get the quad rigged up for a fencing machine around all this tsi jive. Its gonna get a few more.
Nice, I installed a set on the tractor ROPS. I had nice NBB Xenon work lights, but they need so much juice from the electrical system they were not worth the effort.
LED all the way now! Cheap, durable and bright. Can't go wrong.
Make great house floodlights to.
Good idea Mike. I use them as tool lights also with an old power brick. You can get them on Amazon for about 4 bucks each if you catch a deal also.
Whats a power brick?
Quote from: barbender on September 30, 2021, 08:09:55 AM
I hate most everything from China, except for those cheap LEDs. Man those things are awesome! The Ponsse cut to length machines have always been well lit, they used to use halogen bulbs. H7 are they? I can't remember. You had about 10 lights on the machine, and you were always replacing bulbs. Now they are equipped with LEDs, and they really light up the night👍🏻👍🏻 My buddy had an older Ponsse harvester with halogen lights, he retrofitted it with those Amazon LEDs (Ponsse was getting over $200 a light for theirs) they've held up well and he probably did the whole machine for less than $100.
If you want the best and made in the USA. https://www.rigidindustries.com/why-rigid (https://www.rigidindustries.com/why-rigid).
The actual LEDs will be made in China, but Rigid will be insisting on (and paying for) better QC and materials.
Problem with Chinese gear is that's it's often made by the lowest bidder. That means cutting corners on materials and QC. Suspiciously cheap Chinese gear? It will be dodgy every time. They can build decent gear now, but it's not stupidly cheap to do that.
A $10 Chinese LED lamp is probably crap. A $50 one might be as good as a $100 Western one, but of course buyer beware. It could be a $10 one that someone is charging $50 for. :(
About two years ago I retrofitted my forwarder from halogen to LED and had two problems. The working lights on the side have to be flood lights to light up all the area on both sides and the back of the machine. I looked for and bought only flood lights but when I installed them they were narrow angle beam lights. I went back to Amazon and checked the specs and ratings and found other complaints about the lights not being flood lights. I entered a complaint and the seller sent me a new set of "flood" lights but the replacements are not much better. They are very bright but still too focused.
The other problem was the mounting. The manufacturers are insistent on base down mounting and on a forwarder the lights are mounted under an overhang on the roof of the machine for protection. So I had to make custom brackets for each light.
It was also a pain to make up connectors. Those Deutsch connectors are sure expensive.
Quote from: Ianab on October 01, 2021, 03:20:13 AM
The actual LEDs will be made in China, but Rigid will be insisting on (and paying for) better QC and materials.
Problem with Chinese gear is that's it's often made by the lowest bidder. That means cutting corners on materials and QC. Suspiciously cheap Chinese gear? It will be dodgy every time. They can build decent gear now, but it's not stupidly cheap to do that.
A $10 Chinese LED lamp is probably crap. A $50 one might be as good as a $100 Western one, but of course buyer beware. It could be a $10 one that someone is charging $50 for. :(
Old machines with play in them, sloppy over used dies, probably children working the equipment
Quote from: HemlockKing on October 01, 2021, 06:07:32 AMOld machines with play in them, sloppy over used dies, probably children working the equipment
That's the "lowest bidder". Buy from them and you are sure to get crap.
But a majority of Electronics, or at least some components now comes out of China. Like I said, Cheap and Chinese is still going to be crap. Same as cheap crap from any other place. They CAN manufacture decent stuff, but that costs $$.
Quote from: Ianab on October 01, 2021, 06:22:18 AM
Quote from: HemlockKing on October 01, 2021, 06:07:32 AMOld machines with play in them, sloppy over used dies, probably children working the equipment
That's the "lowest bidder". Buy from them and you are sure to get crap.
But a majority of Electronics, or at least some components now comes out of China. Like I said, Cheap and Chinese is still going to be crap. Same as cheap crap from any other place. They CAN manufacture decent stuff, but that costs $$.
Yeah I suppose they should be able to manufacture decent stuff, after all the designs they have stolen, and we buy right back
They all advertise as flood lights but are pretty much all spotlights unfortunately.
IMO the biggest benefit is low current. Dodge rams were known to melt the headlight switch once you hook up an incandescent trailer. LEDs solve it and are way brighter
Quote from: mike_belben on October 01, 2021, 12:41:16 AM
Whats a power brick?
Those black remote power supplies that look like a small brick and are used on things like PCs and monitors. Just make sure they are not ac output. These lights will run on 12 to 36 volts. Make amazing light for things like router tables when mounted on a old microphone arm. I also have one I made an adapter to use a dewalt 20 volt battery with a power wheels adapter from Amazon that is like a really bright flashlight for 12 bucks. The Chinese have really gotten these down with amazing quality and reliability. From my experience it's not worth spending extra on the US made LEDs. If something works properly and is in my budget I don't care where it comes from anymore. I used to push buy American but have had too many problems with American quality lately.
if you read the main page on that rigid site it says "designed and engineered in the US". Says nothing about where they were made. I guarantee they were made in china.
As many others have said, china is very capable of high quality goods. The reason there are so many low quality goods coming from there is they are built to a price point that their customers have set.
for example cheap americans wanting to make more money says you need to build this for $5. So you get a $5 product. a different company says I want you to make the same thing but the price point is $20. You will get a much better product from china with a higher price point.
Just like the lumber industry. Typically the more money, the better the product.
so I have learned from all the LED's I have bought for house flood lights that you are correct, most LED bars are not a very wide flood. The fix for this is instead of 1 20" bar you get 3 4" bars. and angle them. If I remember correctly 3 bars will be just a hair less power draw than 1 20". and will get you much better spread.
What I have been seeing lately things like these LEDs that look similar from different companies actually are the same. There are highly automated lines and they all have the same components. The Chinese ones come in plain cardboard boxes that cost pennies with no directions. The US ones get put in a $5.00 fancy box with instructions. The only thing designed in America is the box and instructions. It used to be worth the extra for support but that's not needed anymore. You have a problem and another will be at your door tomorrow with most sellers. Higher end products will have differences but in this low end market most of the time the only difference is the Logo, box, and a CEO making 10 million a year.
im gonna tell you right now for an absolute fact, the chinese communist party directs and subsidizes the planned cloning and targetting of identical western manufactured popular goods on purpose., i was a manufacturer and they were the biggest threat. it was a patent attorney who i went to for a pattent that said dont bother, china will copy this and america wont do a thing. make it as cheap as you can for as long as you can.
i think the first time i saw this was moroso oil pan clones for 1/5th the price. then it was quaife limited slip diffs, OBX made that. i dont have to tell you about honda small engines or fluke meters or chainsaw parts. i can buy a new saw part from china shipped for half of a used one from kentucky and i really do try to buy used locally then american nationally first if it is at all competitive. the problem is there is no way to compete with a targeted subsidy. i have a 50w solar panel and charge regulator that was $10 shipped and it was in $9 of box and bubbles, with a 3 identical, unidentified hand tigged and polished aluminum cold air intake tubes with brackets and sensor mounts. i did not order these. if i had to build them we are talking $300 each. another too good to be true, was the pole pruner head that i made my old weedwacker into a pruner with. it was the gear drive, the oil pump, a bar and a chain for $20 shipped.
what these items all have in common is they are coming out of unnamed little distribution centers in metro NJ. its china flooding america with really good free stuff so we cant make our livings making said stuff.
i was a manufacturer and saw that there was nothing they cant make cheaper. not simple metalwork, nor advanced technology so i got out. im switching to agriculture just to be sure they cant spike that punch too.
China don't care about dollars, they're playing our money game short term to accumulate power, make us $$offers we can't refuse and infiltrate our governments, especially us Canada, we sit on a good pot of resources and here we are selling them our land to mine minerals, make goods from stolen designs, then ship/sell it back to us lol also robbing our own of jobs. Greedy merchants, they want money, China will give them, once all the resources are taken up by China money won't matter much will it?
long story but im not gonna put it here. not because i care about staying on topic. i dont want to educate them on how to better deceive. they scour the interwebs measuring world opinion and response. no need for moles to get feedback anymore when you are the leading manufacturer of electronic devices and surveillance systems with backdoor software and factory passwords that the consumer seldom changes. those foscams and reolinks are cheap for a reason.
Here is how I use them as machine lights. Buy a $12.00 microphone arm and just mod the adapter to take a screw. This is the fully auto router table I built using one and it is the perfect amount of light. This is a flood pattern mounted to the moving fence. The 2 pin led connectors make wiring simple and keep things removable.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34694/IMG_0972.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1633128345)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34694/IMG_0971.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1633128344)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34694/IMG_0970.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1633128343)
Awesome!
Back to my rock screener build I decided, a few weeks ago, to purchase some used pallet racking. I bought 2- 15' tall uprights giving me my four corners, 8- 10' long beams giving me the frame for the screen and some lateral supports, and 12 decks giving me the screening. The 3 beams, in front, I'm thinking of slapping a piece of plywood on so I can drive into the pile of rocks a bit better with the loader. I'm not sure how much I'll end up pushing this monster around like that.
My design so far looks like the below but I'm certainly up for any ideas of why this wouldn't work the way I think (you'll have to pretend there's enough decking to cover the whole top frame, after this design I called the company back and doubled my decking order...). I've never gotten into this large of a metal project, so I'm pretty excited. The metal should be showing up in the next few days!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/screen.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1634904787)
That will work fine to screen. Youre gonna want a heavy solid barrier wall between the two piles or you will push the fines into the course and drive into the legs by accident eventually. Setting it on mafia blocks would be best for a permanent install, lagged in so you dont knock it off the pedestal. The vertical divider wall up high can be lumber to keep fines dropping into the fine side and not spilling into the coarse side when grab a scoop and it wants to spill forward. Efforts to maintain segregation will be well worth it. Id close in the sides too.
Thanks Mike. I think I'll end up moving it too frequently to tie it to some big concrete, but I may be able to dig a trench on the rock side, after each move, so the whole unit sits up a foot or two, then I should be able to drive into that, I think. Let me know if that seems unrealistic. Thanks again!
If you need it mobile just weld some loops near the base so you can stake it with rebar like a tent. Weld in some cheap framework enough to hold tin or plywood for a divider wall between sorts that isnt too heavy for portability by two people
Once the rock is really piled up itll stay by the rock weight but if it doesnt have resistance you cant really drive hard into it to get those last scoops in the bucket.. so you end chasing them around and swearing, or shovelling.
Man, well done. It'd taken me a long time to think of just staking it down!
Its good to be useful. smiley_idea
Almost done building my spray bar. Gonna see if the pump can handle 4 nozzles before i consider wings.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1022211837.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1634946065)
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Mike,
I have a 15 gallon unit mounted on my wheeler. It has a 1 GPM pump and I run 4 nozzles on it. It does a pretty good job for me.
Wud
yes, i got it running and it works pretty well. I put the discussion of it in the feed crop and soil health thread in general, seemed more relevant.
Thanks wud
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/2CE19979-3473-46B8-AAD8-C0E2AFC5E65E.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1635246877)
Log arch for the Beast with a combo trailer Gooseneck hitch for the rear of arch and also for the machine without the arch. More pictures to follow
Another entry in the world of backwoods fabrication. With the cabin moved it was time to put on the permanent roof. Last weekend I was ready to do the install. First step was putting together this platform to go on the forks. It provided the perfect platform to work from and hang the steel on the sides, then do the eave trim. Yet another task made much easier with the rough terrain forklift, latest in a series of "what did I do without this" moments.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/Owatonna770platform_lot224_102421.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1635389793)
3"x3" 3/16 square tubing doesn't cut it for my dual receiver hitches. Now they are a little beefier
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/C32A5D9E-E7EE-4874-B801-8D3ED8865D9A.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1635424859)
im trying to picture what that arch thing is gonna be. eager to see action shots.
Getting a little paint on 😂
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Working on making a little hay trailer into a log trailer
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Here is the heavy duty receivers for the log arch and the Gooseneck trailer/ log trailer hitch that will fit on the Beast and the log arch
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/EB712DBB-8FFE-426E-A988-5612E4C368FE.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1635842459)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/6063999F-DFD2-49BB-A39A-DD0C68F5916B.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1635842488)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/DD25E278-FB49-474A-A109-EA06841AEB78.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1635842502)
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looks really nice, but also looks like an anchor more than anything. We had an ASV Scout for our fire department offroad fire / rescue rig. it was a great rig but the biggest thing that killed us was always stuffing both ends in the ground. Originally the winch was mounted in the receiver on the front but it made it so the tiniest pebble would put the winch in the ground. We had to get a bracket to mount it in the bed till it was needed. Of course once its needed the receiver hitch is stuffed in the dirt so it was pointless.
been there done that crusarius.
Quote from: Crusarius on November 02, 2021, 01:36:14 PM
looks really nice, but also looks like an anchor more than anything. We had an ASV Scout for our fire department offroad fire / rescue rig. it was a great rig but the biggest thing that killed us was always stuffing both ends in the ground. Originally the winch was mounted in the receiver on the front but it made it so the tiniest pebble would put the winch in the ground. We had to get a bracket to mount it in the bed till it was needed. Of course once its needed the receiver hitch is stuffed in the dirt so it was pointless.
😂 I'll be fine with the 20" wide tracks. I'm well aware of the Scout that ASV made years ago. I had one ordered with a cab, dump box, snow plow and a bunch of other options but I cancelled the order because it was on order for over six months plus I spent more time driving around the lot on another occasion and after my friend/dealer told me he took one to the electric company and they all got it stuck fairly easy 😂 I said cancel it!! I didn't like the steering, rigid track system ( like a dozer when you drove over a log straight up in the air and when you pitched if it wasn't smooth you come straight down hard. They were a neat machine with the auxiliary hydraulics and so on but they needed changes on it for sure. Where they did seem to have the most success was on the oil pipelines in rugged mountain terrain of carrying heavy parts since the bed had like a 5k capacity
we had 160 gallon water tank on the back and all of our forest fire equipment along with a stokes basket and rescue trailer.
You guys have seen the evolution of my skidding/junk carrier attachment, which im pretty content with. It is good at anchoring the tractor and reeling stuff to the trail edge like a really slow, self propelled peewee yarder. A 2wd tractor with no cab or skid plates really cant go off the trail so this is probably as good as it gets.. i will be adding a second stage to this base for raising timber bents alone in the future.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0410211905_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618107986)
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1618107774972.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1618107766)
Then the limb trailer expanded into a small log trailer
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0803201742-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596494550)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0803201211.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1596493867)
Well heaving them on got old so a small log loader sprouted out of the front of it
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0515211953_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621133958)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0515211959_Film3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1621133896)
but i was not happy with how the winch was on the attachment and how much weight penalty the skidding attachment cost when using the trailer. So i built a bare bones 3pt trailer mover
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0531211921_Film3-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1622522786)
And used another winch direct on the crane this time. It slides into a reciever and can still be used on all my trucks and trailers if needed. Just wired up the new contactor and wireless remote tonight, so far so good.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/1102211758-1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1635908368)
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The comealong quickly adjusts the jib angle but most importantly is a cheap fuse that will hopefully snap before the mast pipe bends if i get carried away.
Now i can hook this trailer behind anything with a hitch and anderson connector, allowing me to load and unload without any other support equipment.
Feels like a step in the right direction.
Looks pretty wood warrior ready to me 👍
Thanks man. I just keep chippin away as i can. Tie logs are so high i might as well go cut a few.
GOOD JOB!!! smiley_clapping Just a rockin and a rollin on Mike. Keep doing what ya do.
Here is pictures of the log arch that is done. The wooden floor is to haul chainsaws and supplies and the trailer hitch to pull the log trailer or gooseneck trailer to the woods then take the floor out and trailer hitch off and install the rear hitch hooks on each side that go in about 12 " to give the arch some additional strength and from the end receiver being damaged. The rear hooks up high in the rear are to carry additional cable and chain and they can be taken off. Next photos of it will be on the Beast and in action
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Its hard to appreciate how valuable it is to have a place for all the gear.
You are the tidyest fabricator i have ever seen WB. Looking forward to seeing what it can do.
Thanks Mike. Definitely looking forward to putting it to work like your doing with your setup 👍
Nice fab job.
If I am seeing how it is attached to your machine right and thinking how my 3 point hitch logging winch is made and seeing the forces on it I am wondering how much strain will be applied to the unit at the attachment point I'm not seeing a top link to the machine, it looks to like the attachment tubes are going to take the brunt of the forces applied. Hoping things stay aligned for removal and reinstallation. I do see that the winch is attached to the machine directly so that should help. That being said it is hard to see the scale of things in a photo so I could be totally wrong.
mike is right, where are the piles of steel and steel dust? Man what I wouldn't give for a nice clean floor like that :)
Looks great, I really an excited to see it work.
He's gotta have a clean place to work in otherwise the paint job wouldn't come out so nice :D
Nice job WB
My metal got delivered and I started screwing around with the uprights. I cut them to a length I thought I'd like, 11' and 4' and it seems like the 11' is much too tall. Then I went out to line up the beams and screens and found that I wasn't prepared to cut the metal in case something went goofy. Thusly, I'm making a 1/32 scale model.
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All this brings me to a question... The uprights aren't as beefy as I expected and the beams are beefier. Would it be smarter to make the uprights out of the beefier material and use the uprights as the screen frame? I need to do some math to be sure that's really possible with what I have but cutting this metal is making me nervous, I can't afford to screw up too many times.
Under normal conditions a table top needs to be stronger than the legs if you think about it. Id make the horizontal members the stronger part personally. If your screen clogs a full scoop is on top of it.
You want the screen ribs below the screen surface oriented up down, not side/side imo.
Quote from: Crusarius on November 04, 2021, 11:19:39 AM
mike is right, where are the piles of steel and steel dust? Man what I wouldn't give for a nice clean floor like that :)
Looks great, I really an excited to see it work.
Yeah. I don't know how a floor can be that clean. Mine looked like that for about 12 hours the day it was finished. Then reality took over.
How do you achieve that? Commendable!
Well the big 4' mop head broom works extremely well on glass smooth concrete floors and a small broom with handle extension dust pan. It's amazing how much stuff you can get off the floor in a short time.
it helps to have a floor i guess. i just mash the grit into the gravel. free fines!
I have a floor but there's too much stuff sitting on it to allow the use of a push broom or dust mop. A Q-tip is about the largest thing I could use on the floor. I use the air gun and/or leaf blower. Clearly there's a flaw in my approach to organization.
Quote from: Hilltop366 on November 04, 2021, 10:54:32 AM
Nice fab job.
If I am seeing how it is attached to your machine right and thinking how my 3 point hitch logging winch is made and seeing the forces on it I am wondering how much strain will be applied to the unit at the attachment point I'm not seeing a top link to the machine, it looks to like the attachment tubes are going to take the brunt of the forces applied. Hoping things stay aligned for removal and reinstallation. I do see that the winch is attached to the machine directly so that should help. That being said it is hard to see the scale of things in a photo so I could be totally wrong.
Thanks. Your right. There will be some extreme forces. That's one reason I made the receiver hitches very heavy duty and kept the receivers on the arch fully seated in the machine receivers and kept the whole thing as short as possible. The frame work is made out of 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch tubing 1/4 inch thick tubing. I was going to double the corner points inside and a few other areas but I was working with the metal material I had and didn't want to buy another 24' stick of tubing that's the reason for the round tubing in areas instead of the square. All the other metal I had. I originally was going to make a pull behind arch but I couldn't see it working very well in the tight rugged locations. All of the monster black gold is in nasty locations on the creek. We will definitely going to see what this will be able to do. Probably most of the times I'm thinking of straight pulls with snatch blocks on other trees then when they are fairly close winch up and skid out of the woods and put the logs on the log trailer then put hitch on rear of arch and hook up and head for home. The camera in the rear will be extremely handy I'm thinking
i think youll be alright.. the log will slide or the machine will roll backwards before you bend those. the round tube additions are actually beneficial, round is better at torsion than square so the thing will stay plumb and square for sure. well, as long as it doesnt rip the machine apart are tear whatever tabs youve bolted it all to.
only reason i put the cable jammer boom on the bunk trailer was i blew up the bobcat motor. otherwise id still be using that with the grapple to load and move the trailer right to the tree.
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note the hitchball and middle tooth removed.
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Sounds good. Always like the ideas and pictures you put out there 👍. Definitely a good post on fabrication to exchange different ideas and setups to keep our wheels turning from everybody
Thanks Mike, so use the upright as legs as they were intended...
Also, do you think it matters that the ribs on the screens are U-shaped, meaning hollow, on the inside? I figured putting them facing up might break up some dirt clods and they may clog up if underneath. Underneath would be easier though, due to the ends of the screens having an 1.5" bend on either side (originally meant to hold the decks [screens] on the beams). My plan was to figure out how to unbend the ends but that doesn't sound like much fun either.
Welding vs. Bolting together? I have some 1/2" bolts that I think would work to hold the screen frame to the upright legs... I say that because my welding skills (and equipment) are lacking. My neighbor has said he can help with better welding equipment, but it's always nicer to do stuff on my own. I just have a small 110v mig welder but could invest in a 220v stick welder, which sounds like it'd be better for the stuff I have anyway...
Bolt in wear items are nice to replace when the time comes for them to go. Of course a grinder and cutoff wheel make quick work as well
If the U channels are above the screens the load may in time break the spotweld off the Uchannel and let the screens sag. Ive removed a bunch of them to make wood baskets out of the wire panels, the welds arent very strong.
I would probably set the screens into the frames as if it was still shelving so the registers that the U channels were designed to sit in remain intact. Theyre pretty strong as designed and then you wont have to bend the lips or anything, i think theyll sit flush. Anything the jams rock up is bad. Youd need a torch to unbend the lips nicely. Theyve got a lot of memory and will bend all wonky.
What machine are you using to move the material again? If you make it too deep you wont be able to reach into the back corner unless its also pretty tall to clear the machine. Then you will be lifting pretty high. Just things to consider. Dont make it so tall you can put it on a trailer and get under your power line.
Shelving is thin. A propane torch preheat and a 110 mig should be fine. If not confident in that the neighbor can touch it up with a bigger welder. One benefit of bolting is you can design it to tune the screen slope if bolted. Welded is one shot. Another benefit is with a swingarm type pivot bolt design, its easy to add a shaker. Just an eccentric shaft opposite the hinges with a motor.
I had no problem holding my screens in place with just fence wire.
Thanks, as always, for the tips Mike! I'll have to mess around with the screens to see what will work, I'd certainly rather not have to bend those lips.
I'm using a backhoe to run the dirt. 11' is too high and I think 10' is as well, but I probably will try bolting the deck to the legs, at least at first, to try to get the height right. If my math is correct (and it's likely it's not) at a 45 degree angle my short legs are only 3' tall and that seems short but it'll probably have to be something like that.
It was cold out, so I went to mess around with my scale model and wouldn't you know? As soon as I started moving stuff around all my glue broke. I guess I'll have to do it live and wing it.
The whole project appears to be a bit over-scaled so I think I will have a little wiggle room if I mess up, but I hate to learn lessons the hard way (regardless of pretty much every experience I've ever had) and I'm nervous to screw up too many times. not to mention this thing'll be heavy as it gets built.
I guess we'll see how it goes.
My entire life story is one of screwing up. Hasnt killed me yet. Youll be fine. Bolt first, weld later. That way you arent trapped if plan A B and C are duds.
Ive hoarded these I-beams for a long time and with how precious iron is out in the woods these days, it stung to cut them up. But ive also needed bunks for a long time so its for the best.
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First one finished
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I-beam is fine for uprights but big square tube woulda been better for the cross beam. I just didnt have any to part with.
so this thing landed on my woods truck yesterday, hard to say where things may go from here.
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its a challenger 4800 i got from my buddy in NH years ago for $250. he bought a rotted truck for the 12V and lost storage, i was passing by in someone elses semi and it all worked well. the winches are 10,000lb ramsey H400 hydraulic units with freewheel (and cost $2600 + tax and ship now!) they want 2800psi and 23GPM to move at 33ft per minute, so not fast but hey. boy can reel one cable in while i walk one out and thatll make it like 66ft/min in my mind. on a stock dually the cable guides can go up 18ft high. the boom raises and telescopes. the wheel lift has 3 cylinders. it telescopes out pretty far, raises in an arc and in parallel.
whats left of the framework is pretty crusty and i think i will be separating the two. i dont have any PTO option to run it off the engine and contemplate a chain and sprocket off the crank. it wants 41hp of hydraulic power. a single A belt isnt gonna cut it.
the wheel lift would be a LOT better as a hitch on attachment for my 2 ton IH. i wouldnt tow anything behind the ford. but its plenty good to drive from home to the woods with heat and wipers. anyways, this one will be on the backburner for some time. neither the truck nor the wrecker do me much good just sitting. i think with a few slides this would really help me pull several sticks at a time to the trail edge for loading on the cable jammer trailer. the truck is welded front and rear and i have great snow chains for those tires, which are a pretty dang tough tire despite sucky traction. the truck will go anywhere id try riding a 4wd quad out here if i can keep slash from coming through the floor.
Is there something wrong with me that the pics above warm my heart? Looking forward to seeing how that turns out.
according to the world, all that stuff was trash. everything i start with is something normal people have finished with, seeing it useless. including half my saws and powertools.
my heart will be warmer when i see how many sawlogs it takes to wheelie the truck.
That will make life easier!!
Quote from: mike_belben on November 25, 2021, 01:37:54 PM
so this thing landed on my woods truck yesterday, hard to say where things may go from here.
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its a challenger 4800 i got from my buddy in NH years ago for $250. he bought a rotted truck for the 12V and lost storage, i was passing by in someone elses semi and it all worked well. the winches are 10,000lb ramsey H400 hydraulic units with freewheel (and cost $2600 + tax and ship now!) they want 2800psi and 23GPM to move at 33ft per minute, so not fast but hey. boy can reel one cable in while i walk one out and thatll make it like 66ft/min in my mind. on a stock dually the cable guides can go up 18ft high. the boom raises and telescopes. the wheel lift has 3 cylinders. it telescopes out pretty far, raises in an arc and in parallel.
whats left of the framework is pretty crusty and i think i will be separating the two. i dont have any PTO option to run it off the engine and contemplate a chain and sprocket off the crank. it wants 41hp of hydraulic power. a single A belt isnt gonna cut it.
the wheel lift would be a LOT better as a hitch on attachment for my 2 ton IH. i wouldnt tow anything behind the ford. but its plenty good to drive from home to the woods with heat and wipers. anyways, this one will be on the backburner for some time. neither the truck nor the wrecker do me much good just sitting. i think with a few slides this would really help me pull several sticks at a time to the trail edge for loading on the cable jammer trailer. the truck is welded front and rear and i have great snow chains for those tires, which are a pretty dang tough tire despite sucky traction. the truck will go anywhere id try riding a 4wd quad out here if i can keep slash from coming through the floor.
Mike, that's nice. I wouldn't mount it to a truck, but hey! It's not mine!
Transmission wise, harley davidson final drive, from softails, well, at least two of the toothed belt pulleys out of the gearbox. That shouldn't be too expensive. And a short belt. That will take 41hp. And shorter belts are something easy to find i would think.
A number of years back now a local logger converted a skidder into a forwarder with bunk. I think it could be unhooked because he also had a short wood processor attachment for it, a grapple and a saw cutoff arrangement. It was in an Atlantic Forestry article that was more about his logging business than the machine build.
im still completely on the fence with how to set the woods truck up.
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since pallet wood loads need to be sorted by 44s and 51s to get top rate, i contemplated short bunks on the truck for one pile and the trailer for another, with the cable boom on the trailer swinging around to load both. my forklift doesnt sort logs. it picks whole loads off one thing and puts them on another so the sorting has to be done with the cable tongs and brought home to reload onto road trailers or pile.
i have to manually swing the boom and that means the boom post has to be vertical or it will swing downhill and stay there. i dont have any hydraulic stabilizers so getting the post vertical means i need a 3pt hitch to raise the trailer, manually repin the stabilizer leg and set back down on the legs until i get it right. the truck cant do that without another project i dont need. if the skid steer was back together i could see making a log bed to load with the bobcat but that means either moving two machines or leaving one in the woods. receiving trail cam footage of my bobcat get winched onto some pillheads rollback will cause me to kill someone, so thats out.
tried jockeying through the yard yesterday with the trailer and the turns ratio is terrible. if you have a steer axle, a drive axle, a ball pivot and a trailer axle, you have a very very limited woods machine that needs a really wide improved road. a truck may pull a forestry trailer out but it had better be going straight forward on a wide path and not jockeying back into tight and technical. a tractor with cutting brakes can do that pretty well but it doesnt take long for the trailer to jackknife into and rip a tire lug off. or you to sideslip into a corner you cant get out of. go forward into a tree our backward into ripping the tire.
forestry trailer behind a dozer or in front of a OTT or tracked skid steer is potent. im taking a fairly educated guess here that a dozer with full power turns (old case or newer hydrostatic bottom) would be really really capable with a forestry trailer that had a long hydraulic bending tongue to force steer the tongue out of the track in sharp turns.
if this truck had a manual trans and mechanical PTO i would absolutely put the twin line wrecker boom on, but without a good way to get 40HP of fluid to the valve i think its wasting time. be smarter to build an articulated diesel 4 wheel chassis on tractor rubber around the boom, with wheel lift cut off and a euro style back blade stabilizer.
the truck is powerful and fast and with 4 locked and chained tires it will go in stupid place. it would make a pretty good cable skidder if i just had the hydraulic power. ive gone around in circles on it. either i have the parts here but the machines to do the fab work are up there. or i i have the means to graft something but the parts are up there. i have the machinery and the parts. just not all on in place. eats me up.
Mike, you mentioned stabilizers. If you're ever passing through central VA I've got two hydraulic stabilizers from a bobcat skid steer you can have. Guy that I got them from said they just took them off and then got rid of the machine so they were gonna toss em. Been a while since I lifted them but I want to say maybe 100#s or so each as far as weight. They go straight down.
Mike, you need 4 wheel steer :)
Quote from: sumday on December 04, 2021, 12:11:41 PM
Mike, you mentioned stabilizers. If you're ever passing through central VA I've got two hydraulic stabilizers from a bobcat skid steer you can have. Guy that I got them from said they just took them off and then got rid of the machine so they were gonna toss em. Been a while since I lifted them but I want to say maybe 100#s or so each as far as weight. They go straight down.
I will kindly take you up on that offer if theyre still around on my next pass.. If anyone is allowed to cross a state border by then! Several projects in mind would enjoy stabilizers. Thank you very much.
Crusaries id rather articulating on 10 lug D80s but thats all up north too. As well as some 4wheel steer 5.88 spooled D30 trencher axles and drive motors.
Im gonna build them all to ride out to the mailbox with my oxygen tank beside me someday. Just enjoy it while im here.
Well just shoot me a message if you are traveling 81. I'm between Roanoke and Lexington about an hour off the highway. I could run over and meet you somewhere. I'd like to see them go to someone that might use them. I probably never will, too many other things to do.
Mike, consider a solution such as the one that I've come up with. How about a box tube receiver in the FRONT on your truck. That way you can easily choose (or make) whatever ever trailer accessories that you need for use in it, but with the tight spaces steering ability that a forklift gives you. And when you have 4 wheel pulling abilities at your fingertips as well, questionable traction is (usually) not the issue either. At least I've not ever found it to be one.
The big (potential) down side to doing it that way is suddenly you are exerting far greater loads up front than the springs were ever deemed capable for. I've just come to think of that limitation as joke and it's also reinforced in mind that most OE's want to sell vehicles so they make them ride "nice and comfortable", not like a working tool that will double as transportation. I've got the spring rate on mine almost doubled. Typically OE rate for my front units were 480lb per inch but I've got 800's on them. Mine were sold by Downey off road when he was still in business, but he's been out roughly 15yrs.
I've not had any undue problems with my unit, but a person always must see that there is potential for it to happen, even when a perfectly healthy person just wakes up from a nap (because he might NOT wake up). A person just has to be aware of the things that can go wrong at any step of life and then go through your mental risk/reward (quick) calculations and see if it's going to be a realistic win/loss and think for yourself, should I really do this. But that's on a per use basis of putting the trailer up in the front.
I even have a pic in my gallery that shows a vise on the front of my truck that's attached to the truck in the same manner. Slide into truck, then slide out. The only fasteners used is your 5/8" trailer towing pin.
Every since I made this additional receiver setup for the front of my truck imagination is ones only limiting challenge. I LIKE MINE thumbs-up
It would be helpful on occasion but then the crane on the trailer cant reach the bed of the truck to load logs on it. Without a jack on the trailer (and no room to put one without major cutting that may have to happen anyway) i cant lift the trailer unless totally empty and then just barely. The crane and winch werent part of the initial evolution. It had a hand winch to tip a little basket.
I have a 2 belt, electric clutched central hydraulic plow pump but the ear on the mount flange is cracked off from a drunk idiot in a machine ripping the truck apart and smashing all the accessories. If i can tig it and get an aftermarket 351W crank pulley that will work for the belts, that will give me a lot of hydraulic power and dictate what happens with the truck. Not gonna happen anytime soon, tig is up north. Thats an $800 pump today.
Would a 4 wheel hay wagon work? Must be a few down there for short money. Is there any room to add an extra power steering pump on the engine? Put the wrecker winches on the truck drop the hitch from the hay wagon go pull up some trees and load onto the trailer, hook back up and out the the road.
Quote from: mike_belben on December 05, 2021, 09:38:53 AM
It would be helpful on occasion but then the crane on the trailer cant reach the bed of the truck to load logs on it. Without a jack on the trailer (and no room to put one without major cutting that may have to happen anyway) i cant lift the trailer unless totally empty and then just barely. The crane and winch werent part of the initial evolution. It had a hand winch to tip a little basket.
I have a 2 belt, electric clutched central hydraulic plow pump but the ear on the mount flange is cracked off from a drunk idiot in a machine ripping the truck apart and smashing all the accessories. If i can tig it and get an aftermarket 351W crank pulley that will work for the belts, that will give me a lot of hydraulic power and dictate what happens with the truck. Not gonna happen anytime soon, tig is up north. Thats an $800 pump today.
There are 2 outfits that make belt drive central hydraulic set ups c w mill equipment and due eze
Baileys and surplus center sell new ones in serpentine or vee. They went up around $200 during covid to 800ish by the time you get it. I dont have that kinda money.
Have one of each type of pump though.
Building a custom excavator | Heavy Equipment Forums (https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/building-a-custom-excavator.68631/)
I thought the fodere was incredible until i saw this.
The Neuson he used at the end were neat thinning machines. The guy has great fab and design skills.
Yeah that machine is amazing. These folks your relatives, Mike?
thankfully no, id have a pretty serious inferiority complex if so ;D
if by some chance that is my kin, theyre the half with money!
Thanks for sharing that Mike. I spend a lot of time on HEF but that is in one of the sections I don't usually look at, so it was neat to see this beast! That guy does some mighty fine work.
a spencer is way too rich for my blood so a U-nail brazed to a chicom tape will have to do. works excellent and took about 2 minutes.
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Sell a couple logs and buy a real tape buddy! 50bux @ comstock. There are other things to scrimp on but I wouldn't be without mine at this point. I will duct tape and drywall screw my boots back together but will not ever go back to a carpenter's tape except at the mill yard
nope. not gonna happen. i hate floppy tape measures.
They're all floppy when you're trying to measure more than 3', Mike😁
Boy have I got the perfect thing for you guys :)
A little blue pill :)
You dont want my tape measure for that contest!
64ths are important to :)
well i'll be.
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it actually worked. 8)
did you just put an NPT reducer in the center of a sprocket? Hole to big?
Yeah. I used the big reducer bushing as a tap guide and threaded it npt. Now im gonna drill that little adapter bushing to 3/8s and tack weld it to an auger shaft that is to serve as the burn agitator for my sawdust stove. Its just barely gonna turn. Slaved to the feed hopper motor.
Im surprised the keyway didnt cause any trouble with tapping.
Sprockets are surprisingly soft.
Thats exactly what i said to myself too!
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Finally finished the 2nd bunk much faster once the first one was built to clone. I was pretty disappointed in the boingy torsion nature of the first one but it was built and i wasnt gonna change it.. Good enough to hold logs. Well when i bolted the rear one to the main rails that all changed. If i bump a fork into it the trailer will move, not the bunk even a little. Zero flex. I just have to measure the fork rack on the unload end to locate the front for final anchoring.
I ordered some stake pockets for C channel slip up extensions. 4 new rockers and hardware are on the way to get 8 springs and tires back under it. It tracked sideways and ate rubber. Will be ALL new bottom when done.
Gotta fix my big truck to move a real load first but i think this will do for quite a while. Bobca or tractor can drive over once i make some little ramp covers. 5 minutes to pop bunks off for dozer move until my other tag gets moved down here. I have 3 tags and the bunks fit the 2 here. Will adapt to the interstate tag or gooseneck as needed. Theyre up mass.
Small progress. Baby steps. Patience michael.
Nothing fancy here. Another Christmas gift but this one is not out of wood. One of my son in laws hunts quite a bit and in various places. I threw together a hitch mounted skinning rack. I'll probably add a hitch beneath it so that he can haul his small boat with the rack mounted. It was built out of stuff I had lying around except for the new winch and block.
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For skinning.. usually just pull the hide off (if deer).
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I skun a bison several weeks ago. I'll just say, those hides don't pull off!
Skuns out guns out! ;D
Last night i had to silver braze a critical stainless to copper plumbing joint that was not a designed fit at all. A straight copper pipe couple going onto mandrel bent curve on the stainless where there was just no way to get the clearance correct for capillary flow everywhere. 3 or 4 bad attempts before i finally googled and came up with "wide gap brazing technique" ... Pack the joint with copper powder.
So i used a hacksaw blade to make copper granules onto a piece of paper. The granules have to be large enough that there is space between them to wick the braze in. I rigged the joint for gravity flowing, painstakingly tapped the grit down the paper crease and into the joint for like an hour to get it perfect. Then watered my flux paste real thin and warmed it down into the joint. The joint HAD to be dry or the grit wouldnt fall into the joint so fluxing had to be done after and with gravity.
The rest went as normal and it seems to have worked really well.
Just figured someday it might help one of yall. saved my bacon.
would have loved to see pictures of that fiasco.
The bison skunning or the braze job?
I vote for both.
sure :)
Well it's not fabrication...I guess I was "makin' steaks"😁
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I had seen a CL ad for bison for butcher. Mentioned it to a cousin, and they were fired up about splitting one. I was hesitant, only because I'm short on time but dang I'm glad we went and got it. It was a small heifer, only 675 pounds live weight. I was under the impression that we were getting an animal that would be 1400-1500 on the hoof. I'm glad it turned out they were this size, it was enough of a wrestling match for a couple of guys that didn't know what they were doing😂 I've butchered lots of deer and hogs, but no beef, certainly not buffalo and this was definitely a first!😊 I wasn't sure what to expect for the meat, being grass fed I figured it might be a bit gamey but I'm happy to report it isn't at all. Some of the best meat I've ever had! The t-bone and other loin steaks, as well as the sirloin, can be cut with a fork. It's not marbled with fat like beef, but it's not dry like venison, either. The burger is excellent as well. Writing this, I just finished eating some hump roast my wife cooked in the pressure cooker. Eclxcellent as well. In fact, if I disappear from the Forum I likely died from bison poisoning. It will be a good death.😂
nice job. 8)
Getting the log arch ready for black gold. Pintle hitch ready. Now tires for the log trailer
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Another freezing rain day/ shop day. My shop is nowhere near as nice as Walnut Beast's :laugh: Hydraulic oil bath yesterday and put tractor chains on.
First today had to crawl under dash of super duty to tighten bolts on shift linkage, it had stopped engaging neutral safety switch when in park, had to start in neutral.
Even with 10" drop hitch the old home made double axle flat bed was too short for lifted dump truck hitch, only rode on rear tires! Cut the coupler off bottom of the tongue and weldered new one on top...
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Is it the torx head screws? I have to do that every few months or lose 1st and park.
That's it Mike. T30 I think? This is the first time and last truck never did it. I put some lock washers on to see if that fixes it ???
That's a common thing with super duties and excursions. I've done mine a few times in 455k + miles. Probably needs it again but I'm procrastinating.
Quote from: sumday on December 30, 2021, 05:38:50 PM
That's a common thing with super duties and excursions. I've done mine a few times in 455k + miles. Probably needs it again but I'm procrastinating.
Dang you got 455k on a super duty? Impressive
Actually on my 2000 7.3 excursion. Have two, one has 390k something and the other has 456+ actually. Still pulling dump trailers and the skid steer etc every day in my construction biz. Been great trucks so far.
Interesting, I wonder if it is only certain years? This one is a 99, last was 06.
Would like it to never happen again! The other day the wife took a load, it sucked directing her over the phone. "Ok so the master disconnect is over there, no not there, over there. Ok so you have to push the key in a little as you turn or it won't move. Ok now shift into neutral, that is why it won't start. The line won't match the N so watch the reverse lights in the mirror on the transfer tank behind the truck, when they go off you probably hit neutral. No, you have to step on the brake to shift. Have fun" ;D
Usually you can just lift up on the gear selector with the left hand while turning the key with the right
That worked for a while but I procrastinated too!
:D
Sad cuz its about 40 seconds once you got the flashlight and the tool. I didnt even look into it until the truck rolled in park.
Now if i knew what the rattle in the front left corner is. Seemed like headlight which is wobbly despite being completely mounted. but i wedged that with cardboard in the seam and no change.
Not sure what your truck is Mike but if it's a 99+ 250/350/excursion I've had many a rattle from the front locking hubs. Finally replaced them with Warn. No more rattle.
Mine is an 01 F250 SRW. sounds like bodywork rattle to me but i dunno.
Did the bad hub feel funny? What was the giveaway? Mine work fine
Your guys problem is your SD trucks don't have a 3rd pedal and the shifter on the floor where it needs to be. LoL
For what I paid it is amazing the thing had pedals at all!! 8)
Idea for some of you guys with a excavator. A guy had this made and splits logs like butter
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That thing is a beast Walnut!
I was wondering about splitting wood with my backhoe? I don't have huge use for it but I've got to imagine if I created something that looked similar to that and figured out a way to strap it to the bottom of the hoe bucket it'd work, but I'm not sure.
that thing is sweet!!!! I wonder if it could split tree stumps and make pulling them out easier.
I saw a similar one on youtube for a fixed thumb and more of a roller on the bucket pivot. Worked good in wood that pops but in stuff that binds on like gum i think pieces would get stuck on. The stroke is shorter than the piece and once you use it up thats it. Since that one is a live thumb it shouldnt have that issue.
Another approach, could be on a backhoe or excavator boom as well.
Wood processor - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldKYnctaTmg)
now that is the only way to make firewood!!! I think the bottom plate needs some reinforcing though!
Quote from: Crusarius on January 07, 2022, 11:46:05 AM
now that is the only way to make firewood!!!
I agree fully.
Want to make sure you always start on the big end.
Like that thumb idea too.
I wonder what the loop on the other side is for? maybe holding locks to buck to length?
or maybe something as simple as a stand?
Maybe a gauge? If It Fits, It Splits. :D
There are a few factory built ones too.
Klapikone | Pilkemaster SMART 1 | Helpointa klapien tekoa suoraan rankakasasta hytissä istuen - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=189KAR9qB-s)
Don't they have any big trees over there?
I know, the show is better with small wood. ;)
Log trailer is ready to go. New bearings, races, seals, new tires. It had 15" wheels and changed to some 16" Willys wheels I had with two new old stock tires on the rear so just needed to buy two.
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I'm not sure what's better your fab skills or your painting skills. Looks great.
thats the ticket for a skid steer to bring wood out, as long as you can set the brakes or chock it good enough. hills dont look like any sort of concern in your region. looks great.
The little log trailer seems to work good. Easy to load, unload, hookup and unhook with the pintle hitch. Handles the weight fine with some 28" 24' walnut logs
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I see someone else works in the dark.
I cut down the trees and twitch them out in the dark.
I had my boss call me one night when it was dark. Well he called the wife. She said he's outside working. Boss said, don't he know it's dark out? ::)
Ya just feel your way down the bog road by braille ray?
;D
Head lamps really help in the dark. ;D
The only time was a little scary was when it started to snow in the dark. I had no idea where I was at times coming out of the woods. :o
Absolutely! Give me a headlamp and I'm ready to go. Your hands are free and you can really get stuff done. 320 lumens in a led head lamp is like daylight
Ray can tell where he's at by individual rocks😊
He's got names for every one of them. ;D
"Ayup, there's Ethel. 8 more rocks and I'm home"😁
I think this counts as fabrication... I'm building my own golf putter!
I've been thinking about it for several months now, and I've seen some other folks do it. When I went and priced new putters last season they were in the $100-200 range, too much! Welp, I've got some fancy hardwoods sitting around awaiting a project so I grabbed what I believe to be Bubinga, which seems very dense and hard as can be, so I think it'll work well.
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I drew out the design after looking at all the rules and regulations for PGA spec'd putters (surprisingly complex!) and cut out my design to use as a template. Then, I bandsawed out the design and found that either that wood is incredibly hard, or I need a new bandsaw blade (maybe both), it was slow going.
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Next, after some premature sanding, I started removing wood. I wasn't smart enough to get the wood to good working dimensions (and squared up) prior to cutting it, so I had to remove about a half inch of wood from the top. To do that I decided to make my drill press into a mini-router sled, which turned out effective, but scary enough I went to a chisel.
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The chisel produced some pretty garbage results, so I got the guts to use the drill press as a mill to remove about 1/32" at a time to make the groove to scoop the ball up (when I miss those 6" putts), hopefully that works.
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I have lots of sanding to do to make it more pretty and curvy. I also plan to add some lead weights inside the putter and add a brass plate to the face and bottom, we'll see how that all goes. So far it seems to be going well, knowing my penchant for procrastination it'll likely be a while before it's done, and golf season is still several months out. I'll update as I go along.
Little off on the eight rocks, that's only about 100 feet. :(
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Quote from: logman81 on January 19, 2022, 07:39:28 PM
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can you explain how you built the conveyor?
All built from raw steel
I made this during the summer - worked great!
https://youtu.be/mnrOjxFh62g (https://youtu.be/mnrOjxFh62g)
Did you hold onto any of the big reds you had in your videos? IIRC I saw a video of you swamping on a 250 BR. My favorite bikes, 300 hondas are great too
No we moved onto the 300 fourtrax, needed the 4x4 for trapping. Thanks for watching!
I don't know if this really fits in this thread but here goes.
Have any of y'all ever added a return "hole" to a metal hydraulic tank?Im needing to run a case drain in and have no holes other than the return line which is not really recommended.It would definitely be best to filter the case drain to so I may add a filter head.How can I drill a hole with out filling the tank with shavings?Also is there weld on bungs?Do I need to run it in below the fluid level to avoid foaming/bubbles?Thanks
I may just take it to a machine shop and let them ha e the headache
get a filterhead from surplus center or JM ellsworth, agri supply, rural king etc.
get an NPT threaded black iron pipe nipple to match it. grind the entire weld area before drilling. use a hole saw that matches the nipple, grease it and place a magnet close by underneath on the tank. cut on slow speed and juuust before the saw breaks through, remove holesaw and use a drift pin through the pilot hole to twist and wrench the entire center puck out of the hole. that way theres no chips going inside. dont worry about the torn metal on the perimeter, just moosh it down, stuff the cut in half pipe nipple in there and welderup, itll melt any remaining chip.
thread on the filter head, install the case drain and off to the races.
Made the start of a mount adapter to hang my skidding attachment on the dozer today. Its goofy looking because it grew outside of its purpose by necessity.. The attachment that is. it still fits my deere 140 homemade front mount hitch and a cat1 three point in addition to the dozer.
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Its 1x4 solid steel arms and 3/8thick square 3-1/4 tube bolted where the hitch was. I need an m20x2.0 tap and bolts to use any more mount holes on the rear end
Was easy to get on there other than pushing wrong button and lowering a 400lb spike onto my foot yesterday.
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Hopefully get the rest figured out tomorrow. This is just to get me by for a while. 12v winches on a 24v system.
Mike-
The bolts on the back of a komatsu dozer are M20 X 2.5 NOT 2.0
Too bad you so far away, I have that size tap and die in my shop.
I know this cuz I have 3 of those dozers and 1 for parts. 8)
Really? I dont have a metric thread pitch gauge but my calipers landed right on 2mm thread peaks on the hitch bolt i pulled out. I will find a standard to calibrate them and try a few pairs.
Im glad i didnt have any money to order the wrong tap. Thanks for saying something!
Is your reverse sluggish to engage when cold?
Reverse is fine on the 3 dozers of mine that are running.
I think there is an adjustment for how fast the clutch packs lock up.
Do you have the service manual?
I have it if you need some info.
I do have the pdf on my phone. Thanks.
This is only when cold. If its running mine will always go forward immediately but reverse will not engage in any gear at any rpm until it wants to.. Generally once warmed. If it stays warm itll always work but i have to park for moving forward when cold. Going forward helps get reverse sooner.
Once it works its flawless and strong. Its not in the linkages or the gear/direction selector valve on top, ive been thru all that. Seems a servo piston or some spring loaded or pressure balanced control spool has leakage. Warming probably seals it up enough to function. I knowits some sort of shuttled control spool blocking fluid to the reverse planet until the spool shifts, not the actual reverse planetary. Itll pull a house backward once the planetary gets full pressure. You can feel it starting to tense the track while waiting for it to engage and then bang shes in gear and off to the races strong as ever.
Someday itll break all the way and force me to find it. Hopefully a long ways off!
Mike are you putting some braces on it also? Seems like you are asking a lot of that tubing, over time may twist?
yes, many. Thats just the initial mount to hold the thing so i can figure the rest out.
Quote from: mike_belben on February 08, 2022, 07:57:15 AM
I do have the pdf on my phone. Thanks.
This is only when cold. If its running mine will always go forward immediately but reverse will not engage in any gear at any rpm until it wants to.. Generally once warmed. If it stays warm itll always work but i have to park for moving forward when cold. Going forward helps get reverse sooner.
Once it works its flawless and strong. Its not in the linkages or the gear/direction selector valve on top, ive been thru all that. Seems a servo piston or some spring loaded or pressure balanced control spool has leakage. Warming probably seals it up enough to function. I knowits some sort of shuttled control spool blocking fluid to the reverse planet until the spool shifts, not the actual reverse planetary. Itll pull a house backward once the planetary gets full pressure. You can feel it starting to tense the track while waiting for it to engage and then bang shes in gear and off to the races strong as ever.
Someday itll break all the way and force me to find it. Hopefully a long ways off!
Maybe weak springs in the modulating valve?That wouldn't really make sense if it goes into forward gear fine though.
I've got my modulating valve apart right now as I was having some shock going into gear sometimes n thought maybe I had a blocked passage somewhere but it was all clear.Going to put in new springs and o-rings but I'm thinking now my trans pump is weak because of a clutch release problem I have.It'll release 1 side at a time 90%f the time but can't release both at once when you push both pedals
one of us has the system layout figured wrong and its been too long since i read the theory of operations for me to really say. i am under the impression the selector valve blocks the transmission pump's path back to tank and forces it with regulated pressure to the selected planetary direction and speed, and also pressurizes the friction clutches to clamp and turn the finals. i think that pressing the steer pedal moves the spool in the steer valve and opens a path to tank for that side, which unclamps the clutch and allows it to freewheel.
if im right, and if you cant uncouple a clutch its because you have a failure to route that pressurized oil to tank. not a case of a low pressure. its a high pressure.
i would be going over the linkages for the 20th time to see if they stroke. maybe rig up a camera to watch them while you operate and call out verbally when its messing up so that you can actually see if the spools have fully stroked or stopped short. that will tell you if its in the linkages or in the steer circuit.
I tried to post a screen shot of my manual but it's being rebellious :-[
I may be wrong but it says that when the steering control is not pulled,no oil enters the booster cylinder so the clutch is engaged.I rebuilt the clutches so I kinda have a idea how they work,they're held together by I think 6 springs so they are always engaged until the booster cylinder pushes the yoke over pushing the one flange out and thereby disengaging the clutch.I know,clear as mud but can't think how to describe it.
Maybe your dozer is different?
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Mine is a D31p-18 whats yours? I will see if i can find time after work tonight to look up the book again. Ive never been in the clutches so i trust your word on it. Either im wrong or theyre different.
D37e-2
ive been lugging these 3/4 x 6 inch metric threaded CNC transport plates around the country since i fished them out of a dumpster and their day finally came. just right.
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this is not finished, i have a hydraulic braden wormgear winch in mass that will probably live ontop this perch once i have all my stuff and i can plumb it and brace it for real pull. for now 12v electric is all i have to work with.
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the lower mount is the base for draft tools.. probably a root ripper i have already made the 1" hardfaced and toothed tines for years ago, and maybe a bog plow for firebreaking and runoff redirect. i welded on the 4x4 angle wings with about 3/16 clearance from the final housings so that if the thing gets too much sideload, it will touch them and stop bending.
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this is how i laid out the stabilization of the bottom structure, and linked the attachment to the top structure, using 3/4" bolts. the yellow brace tubes also capture the 1" trunnion and lock it in the quick hitch type saddles.
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once the brackets are unbolted piece by piece, its a one hand job to remove. put a beam or limb onto the roof, lash it to the limb risers up front, cable the winch over the expedient beam and just lift it out of the saddles. one hand on remote, one hand on attachment. swing it back, set on ground then stand back and let the cable lay it on the ground flat. its easier to put on the dozer than the tractor.
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the gear holding capability is the best part. it declutters the cab and saves my knees climbing up and down or losing stuff since there really isnt any great storage, like a tractor. the stupid hodgepodge attachment is on of the ugliest things i ever made but it has interestingly morphed from lawn mower to tractor to dozer attachment and still fits all 3. mostly it is a tool carrier with a lot of chain attachment points. (milk crates that go in the rectangle tray not shown)
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the electric winch situation not so great. i made an interesting discovery there yesterday. machine is a 24volt DC charging and starting system. obviously thats a pair of group 31 batteries in series. + - + -
for the lights and winch i have tapped into the plus and minus of just one battery. they are still in a parallel string with 26ish volts when charge is passing through the whole string, EXCEPT when i am using the winch because that shorts the string. i knew this. the winch is only seeing 12volts when contactor closes and works fine. but i wanted to balance the battery loads and set up 2 different anderson quick connectors, one on each battery. figured i would swap back and forth periodically to not drag down one battery ..which always ruins the partner.
well.. for some reason you can only do this with one of the two batteries. it may be the headlight lead or it may be the alternator feeding into the ground side.. i have to thing about that. anyway, when you switch over to the other battery, the ground voltage reference goes up to 12v and the winch gets 24s. there is only 12volts differential going into the winch but it turns the chassis into a resistive load by energizing the chassis metal and obviously itll drain the battery. id not have noticed if a little ground wire for the remote contactor hadnt melted in a fury of stink and smoke. which is the reason why i wanted anderson connector instead of hardwiring, so i could rip the plug off in an emergency instead of watching it burn.
cant have this toaster situation, so i can only use the one battery. and when winching, it gets zero alternator help. so this is not gonna last. i set up an anderson quick connect whip so that i can plug into my charging when i get back to rescue the working battery but its not a great setup. a 24 volt winch would be the solution but i dont have one and will not invest in such a silly method when i have a hydraulic winch i hope to retrieve and switch over to before long. in the meanwhile i will see if i can trade into a 24v. then the alternator would be carrying some of the load for the batteries instead of resupplying after the work is done.
so for now, i am gonna use the winch as simply a retractable chain. i will hook a choker, take up just the slack with the winch, then latch the mechanical hold brake, pull forward and backup then take the slack in again until i have the log right behind me. the tractor will do the hard work and the winch motor will only tend slack. this will be 100x better than me jumping out to shorten chains over and over like i have been, which only makes sense when you are desperate or bored.
Would it be simpler to change to 12v charging and use a Mack series-parallel solenoid switch for starting? Basically the two 12v batteries would be in parallel for charging and auxiliary 12v loads and temporarily connected in series by the activated solenoid for 24v starting.
I made a trade offer on a 15k# 24v winch. Will see what happens.. Im not gonna make it a bigger project.. If it just reels in slack and holds thats good enough for now.
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Tried it out for a bit today. Has its quirks but its a big improvement, im pretty happy overall. Top portion flexes a bit but the bottom that i drag logs from is rock solid, no movement in any direction pulling whole trees.
Dont think junior will be riding on the tank with me for much longer. Gotta savor the moment.
Now your talking 💪👍
Looks good Mike
Thank you guys. I put the saws inside over the hydraulic tank when theres logs or the cable/chains/logs would smash them. That was just to walk out to the job from my house.
The top structure will need braced a bit to the cage so it doesnt twist up sideways but with no fairlead on i dont sidepull anyway, it would wreck the cable dragging it over C channel. I need to get one.
Fortunately a dozer can just turn in place like a skid steer so it positions for strait winching so much better than the tractor.
I didnt anticipate how evenly i would be able to spool in. With the tractor it was positioned in the one good spot then the log starts coming in. As it turns or shifts the cable angle changes. cable starts piling up on one end of the spool, line pull drops, and the thick pile of line jams into the spreader bars that join the motor and planet ends. Id have to reel back out, flex the cable over to the empty side of the drum and start over several times.
From the dozer seat i just twitch the chassis angle as i go and its great. Not a real winch but so much better than what i had to do before with this on the tractor or chains on the dozer.
I pulled two sawlogs from across a ditch and up a bank last night. About 50 foot away from closest point i could get. maybe 12 foot elevation change. by driving forward with the drum hold brake engaged, then backing up to wind in the slack a few cycles. Took a few easy minutes but worked. No way on earth it coulda cabled those in as the noses plowed furrows up the bank dirt and caught other downed logs. I figured if the winch chassis is gonna explode i want to know now. Without the pawl brake i fabbed it woulda ruined the internal hold break again for certain.
It woulda been a much easier job if id felled them instead of this meth monkey thief who tangled ever tree into another 2 or 3. Salvage harvest is so slow and dangerous, i have to start remembering to say no.
Looks good Mike!
Your boy driving that or anything you've got? My kids are 15 and 13 and they haven't really even asked to drive or operate the backhoe, though I've encouraged it a few times.
he has in the yard.. not really pushed dirt or anything, just travelled. he can run dozer, bobcat, kubota, all the lawn tractors, big forktruck, 950 sized wheel loader, backhoe etc. excavator only thing i havent had him in. drove a loaded peterbilt on a backroad once. i did pedals and helped the shifting. trying to make my own little bargemonkey so he can fund my retirement someday! ;D
i did some research and put the 8k winch on 24volts to the motor, but only 12v to the control solenoids. the line speed doubled and it works fine, maybe at a little expense to the motor bushings but i accept that. the line speed compares to a PTO winch now. the solenoids still drain down that second battery by shorting the 24v charge i guess, so i ordered a $20 step down regulator to take the 24v down to 12v to power the control section and have the alternator at full output every time i click the remote. i also added a 2awg charge wire from alternator to battery.
last night i met a guy in knoxville, traded my way into a new in box, never used 15,500# electric winch. much deeper gear reduction, much bigger motor, better freewheel mechanism (those break often on chinese winches) and 2 more electrical horsepower. i actually think it will be too much load for the dozer electrical system and am gonna put it on the old ford, which i will have the option to put in as huge of an alternator as necessary. i will probably add another one to make the truck my mobile stick welder, it takes 2 alternators to do it right. i really really need a wheel skidder and the truck is gonna be it.
yesterday in 2 hours of piddling i pushed in a loop road through 10 acres of woods im harvesting. but itll take me 5 days of skidding at a snails pace to get it all out and i just dont wanna wear out a now $20k dozer when i could get a zillion turns out of a ratty $2k truck. the dozer can make the road and bunch the butts to the edge of the road where the truck can snatch them. once i build a mechanical brake into the drum i think this winch will take 3 slides.
so i guess thats next. think i have the details figured out.
I love it! He'll be helping all over the place with you in just a few years!
fingers crossed. trying to build a useful man for the workforce. i cant afford a classroom education for him so ive tried to create a real world learning environment.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0218221937.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1645248555)
Pie cuts from a 12" center line radius bent tube, press formed into cable slides.
Makeshift floating fairlead roller and cable retainer pin.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0219221245.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1645323513)
Experimenting with chokers. Made some up from cable and arborist rope to see how i like them. I made the rectangular aluminum crimp blocks on the chokers so that the terminal grab on the mainline would work for cables or chains. Im expecting the unbraided choker eyelets to pull out of the rectangular aluminum crimps or tear the crimp apart, but wanted to know what theyll take.
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Im pretty good at braiding eyelets into arborist rope but will never try wire braiding again. Lot of work. A real choker is well worth the money, i just dont know which system i want to invest in yet.
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Mike have you ever seen this - looks like you are making it to hard maybe ??
Flemish Eye | Thimble Loop Spacing - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q5mC2G0h_I)
OOPS that wasn't the one I thought - will look again
gg
That actually might work a lot better if i can come up with some crimps. The one i tried was the west coast 3 tuck loggers splice or something like that and it was a pain to keep track of the 6 wires plus core x 3 tucks each at different interval. I think the point was field spliceability without a press because it became a fingertrap braid.
This one is better - Still not what I was looking for. Take 3 strands in left hand and 3 strands plus core in right hand. Unwrap 7 loops to come even or more for a tag end like in the video. Wrap the left hand under when making the eye.
Flemish Eye | Thimble Loop Spacing - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q5mC2G0h_I)
another
3 different ways to make a Flemish Eye in wire rope - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PMIDXWI_2g)
Having problems tonite - This one
Wire eye splice. 6 strand wire eye splice. Flemish Eye splice. Captain Wild splicing eyes. - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRaMG2RyhvI)
gg
Actually I'm not drunk - yet.
I found the one I originally wanted. You probably don't need it now or are sick of Flemish Eyes.
Creating a flemish eye cable connection for use in pneumatic pipe bursting. - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFbkZ_wq78I)
gg
I saw a couple good ones.. Will try it soon. Thanks gman!
G_Man, nice video on the Flemish eye. I don't use a lot of big wire rope and with my small stuff rarely need clamps. I thought it was interesting that the young fella in the video did that bare handed. That always tears the skin off my hands.
One thing I could never do worth a hang is a Flemish eye over a thimble, it just never works for me.
Quote from: g_man on February 23, 2022, 07:41:28 PM
Having problems tonite - This one
Wire eye splice. 6 strand wire eye splice. Flemish Eye splice. Captain Wild splicing eyes. - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRaMG2RyhvI)
gg
I have 150' of 5/8 cable that I'm going to get two 50' foot ones made like that with the metal in there like that but I'm wondering if that's how they are going to do that or just run it through and swag ? Is it that much stronger doing it like that or what's the advantage ?
The twists of the wires interlocking is where all the strength is. Just putting an end in a crimp is only a fraction of the cable's strength compared to braided back into itself for a true splice.
Pretty much the same story in ropes at the knot vs a proper eye splice with a thimbal.
Used to braid cable around a thimble for cabling trees. Long time ago, and would rarely come up today it seems. Later on found to not be necessarily reasonable way to handle large trees on the street with poor and hazardous form. More likely basal cut nowadays...but yeah, guy showed me how to do that, and hard to believe used to do.
You are correct Mike, when one strand at a time is wound like that, strong connection.
Guys, wire splicing at 8 minutes!
Wire Splicing - YouTube (https://youtu.be/OWUbj1ZqxOc)
Game changer handy. Working on a all Black Walnut flatbed skid that can be taken on and off of the log trailer fast and easy. It will also except a 4x8 or 10 pallets for sticker stacking, work table, hauling shorter logs. and can also be moved around with the pallet jack inside. I don't like working off the ground. The chain is used to keep the front hitch up to move around by hand with ease. When it comes to putting in large torx screws in there is no comparison. The large impact gets it done ✅
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Most expensive skid ever huh ;) i guess you got to use what ya gots. But really? No other wood species to choose from lol
The all Walnut flatbed/skid is about done. Some metal stake pockets and a little side rack to finish up all the way around to keep stuff in.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/59695/2E1187A0-7FD6-4E20-B5A1-C2843EC8AA82.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1647000863)
I was originally going to post this back in November when I put this little project together. I didn't get to it and decided to post once I saw the results this spring. Pretty light fabrication compared to other things on here but it turned out OK and stood up to use.
I picked up an off-road forklift for my operation last summer. It was a busy fall, the forklift worked well but I didn't have time to build a shed for it. I knew I didn't want it completely unprotected so a hasty solution would be implemented. I've used an aluminum truck cap before and I had one available for this task. Last time it was for my skid steer before I built a nice roof over it. The truck cap was sacrificial in that instance as it was strapped to the ROPS top of the machine but largely unsupported on the overhangs. There are a couple hundred inches of snow each year at my mill site so a lot of weight up top by mid-winter. It defected the snow but the crossmembers bent and broke, the cladding damaged.
With another cap in good shape I set out to make it more durable. With a wooden framework fitted to the roof of the machine and extending out to support the full size of the cap from underneath I hoped it would support the crushing weight of the snow. Once the support frame and aluminum cap were in position I put on a couple ratchet straps to keep it all from blowing off before enough snow was on there to hold it down.
A look up from underneath at the front of the machine showing the support frame, of course there was a little snow before I got this installed:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/OwatonnaCap2_lot90_112721.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1649301630)
A side view showing the coverage provided by the 8' cap. It's not enough to keep all the weather off the machine but my goal was keeping the bulk of the lake effect snow off and preventing a steady stream of meltwater onto the cab and engine:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/OwatonnaCap1_lot90_112721.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1649301845)
Fast forward to April 1. I made my first trip of the year to see how things fared over the winter. There has been a little melting this spring but a lot of snow pack remains. I was happy to see the cover right where I left it with no damage from all the snow:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/Owatonna770_roof1_040122.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1649301978)
Another look at the rear of the roof showing how the overhang is reinforced from underneath:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/Owatonna770_roof2_040122.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1649302098)
With the sun shining down it was pretty easy to knock the snowpack off with a shovel. It's all over but the waiting for bare ground then milling season 2022 can begin:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/42799/Owatonna770_roof3_040122.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1649302175)
Well, that's pretty redneck. :D
Gets the job done. Now you need to find a way to make it a permanent thing.
Yeah, it does get the job done, but I would be afraid that in a good wind it would be airborne and end up at the neighbors. :D
Roundhouse, that's amazing!
Quote from: PoginyHill on April 07, 2022, 07:54:32 AM
Well, that's pretty redneck. :D
Ha! no doubt. The intersection of budget and schedule gets me there in situations like this.
Thankfully once there is a ton of snow up top wind is no problem. Any neighbors are at least a half mile through the woods (helps let the creativity run wild).
Here is the 3 point hitch skidding winch I made this winter for use on my 29 Hp Kubota L2550 tractor. The winch is a Braden LU4, all new seals and gaskets, cleaned out old grease and filled with proper oil, gears were all good. Power is a hydraulic motor which I mounted to the winch on oversize spreader bars so it would be a unit. Body of winch is some 6 X 6 wide flange beam and 2 X 2 tubing, which I had left over from other projects. One hook slider and 2 chain loop sliders. Line comes in through a snatch block. An extra snatch block for changing direction of pull. Had a chance to use it the first time yesterday, a bigger Norway (Red) Pine that was almost dead in my yard. It had 7 -100" bolts to an 8" top and two pulp sticks to a 4" top. Pulled the bolts all in one drag (they were not completely bucked here, two at 200" and one at 300", basically 2 16s and a 24).
I call it the Blue Ox, after Babe.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/67943/blue_pulley_to_winch.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1649523641)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/67943/cable_on_winch.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1649523709)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/67943/skidded_7_bolts_2-2-3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1649523811)
Nice job on that 👍
You will like it!!!
I wish I had 1/8 of the fabrication skills you guy have.
An old buzz box welder, grinder and some scrap steel mixed with a little imagination is all you need to get started.
The more you practice the better you'll get
I have 1/8 of the ability. Trust me, you need more! 8)
I can make it work, but it ain't pretty.
Also might have a, Oh No, I did not think of that!!
I've had this tractor for 35 years and have never had a good place to carry my chainsaw,gas,oil,snatch blocks.chains.cables etc.Today I decided to remedy this problem.Built a metal base which hangs on front bumper which is made to hang weighs on and built a box out of white oak.Now when I go out to cut wood maybe I will have what I need.
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Looks nice! You might want to add some bungee cords or tie down spots...please don't ask me how I know :(
Going to work on it a little more.I thought some sort of tie downs and maybe a piece of metal for a bumper to keep from busting wood if or when I bump into a tree :laugh:
One of my ag mech students texted me a picture the other night and asked if I'd help him build a golf ball retrieval disc to fetch golf balls out of lakes. I've known this kid since he was born. His dad is my teaching partner and one of my best friends.
We drew it up on the cnc machine and cut out a few discs to get the design and spacing figured out. After determining the spacing, we set up to cut standardized parts and built a frame. The first afternoon they pulled it, they got over 400 balls. This morning they got north of 800. He now wants to make a smaller one that is not so heavy when loaded with muck off of the bottom. I suggested he take a junker boat, add a small outboard, davit and a winch and go bigger or pull more.
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Good to see some young guys coming up with ideas. I agree with you , go big or go home :D
Good job! Seen a show where a guy was retrieving balls like that and reselling and making good money 💰
He's cleaning them, sorting them and selling them. Some of these are expensive balls. The cool thing is that this is like catching fish from a barrel that is constantly being restocked.
I gave him an idea on a how I would make a ball washer, but we'll see if he pursues that.
The first day they went, his dad took a bucket to put balls in. He assumed that would be a good haul. Within an hour, they had filled the bucket and the livewell on the boat.
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How about a old washer with a few towels in there and the balls
smiley_beertoast smiley_thumbsup
Quote from: Walnut Beast on January 21, 2023, 10:18:06 PMHow about a old washer with a few towels in there and the balls
Funny you should say that. I suggested buying a washing machine off of CL. They can be had for $35-$75 locally (I checked). I told them that I would try zip tying a few brushes to the agitator and a few more to the tub and putting the balls in small laundry bags. Both the dad and the boy thought that that would not work very well. They can keep hand scrubbing their balls. I do not see any reason why it would not work well with brushes or towels.
i was maintenance guy at a old time summer resort here with a 9 hole course and driving range.
I made up a ball washer out of a old ringer style washing machine by drilling the agitator putting in a couple pieces of re-bar in and lining the inside of the drum with fake green grass carpet.
you could wash a couple 5 gal pales of balls at a time but the noise was wild!
A golf course nearby had a guy pulling balls from the many ponds on it - and I mean pulling.. He looked like Popeye after years of pulling that contraption by rope through those ponds!
He obviously needed permission to do this - and I heard he also had to pay a sort of retrieval fee back to the course owner for the rights to do it.. but it must have been profitable enough because he worked at all 5 of the courses owned by the same guy, doing it..
I scavenged for golf balls by hand as a kid in a creek that traversed a golf course in Charlotte. Once one plopped nearby and I grabbed it quickly and stuffed it in my pants. Later the golfers appeared an asked if I had seen a ball land and I said, "no sir". Just then it fell out of my pants and plopped back in the water. "Oh, here it is" I said trying to save face and threw it up to them.
Had a guy I know give me a trailer jack and ask if I could turn it into something to lift the snowmobiles a little easier.
I use complete piles of scrap and slapped it together in about 4 hours. It is ugly but feels alot more stable than I expected. Now I just need to test it on a real snowmobile.
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Had a tire issue on my go to half ton. Went to get the spare up under the box . What a corker of a spot to put a spare. No risk of theft that thing was rust welded in there solid . Laying in the muck looking up at it did not make for a pleasant moment. Got it removed but its not going back under the truck . Nothing there to attach it to any more :-X . Just chucking it in the back would be fine but when the atv (ol ruby) is there not much room . So welded up a carrier of sorts and stuck it in the trailer hitch.
Seems to be a great spot ,adds nice weight to the rears ,blocks headlights from behind, lisence plate is visible and oddly enough do not seem to have anyone tail gating me anymore . :D If this works I will hinge it so it will just fold down to open the tailgate.
Just wondering if others have done this and if so did dot have anything to say about ???
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it is much nicer to hinge it to swing to the side. But it is alot more work to do that.
Thank you for your input Mr Crusarius . Similiar to what's on a jeep . I will take some measurements . There seem to be more vechicles with tow hitch add ons like bikes and lately I saw a snow blower . The tire does look a tad odd on there . Just don't want to interact with dot any more than I have to . 🫣
search for hitch mounted swing away tire carrier. will give you lots of ideas
I've been trying to clean up my empire, its amazing how much crap a boy drags home. So I started the day with a scrap run, which filled the gas tank for the return trip. And I uncovered a couple of transmission cases in my scrap. I decided to cast a few more post bases and figured someone else might get inspired to cast something cool. I've been debating some cast truss heels like old industrial timber trusses had, maybe next time.
Should probably wear a helmet and goggles if busting cases with a logsplitter. Luckily I have a hard head :D.
This is my high tech furnace towards the end of the melt, it was about full of charcoal when I lit it. A trash can with a tire rim in the bottom. I drilled a 2" hole in the lower part of the rim and can to accept a pipe I have hooked to a small fan. There is firebrick around the walls and then fireclay lining from an old furnace around the top. That 4" pipe with a couple of chain links welded to it is my crucible, one high and one low to hook and tip. Wouldn't work for high heat but sort of serviceable for aluminum. Make sure the pipe and fan are above the floor of the furnace. If the crucible leaks, say if you think an old plumbers propane cylinder would make a useable crucible, that molten AL is going somewhere. I looked in my crucible and it was empty ???. That was a few years ago, happily the blowing fan froze a long tongue of it and it stopped just before ruining it. A loose scrap of tin over the top of the can when not working helps to hold the heat in.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/melt5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1675895107)
Lightly damp sand, just enough to bind it, I've got a very little bit of clay and ash in it as well, just damp enough to hold a ball, steam explodes if it cannot escape fast enough, don't make more than you gotta. I ram fairly tight tap the form every way and remove. If it doesn't work, try again. Level it, liquid aluminum is just like liquid water, it will lay level. Anyway, fun stuff and sand cheap :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/melt3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1675895593)
Edit after da boss got home.
Not as hard as I thought, she said "check your hat". Off to da showers ::). Prolly throw a quilt over em next time I split chunks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/melt7.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1675898098)
All good, Could be the wrong thread :D
Man, I got so mad when I found the spare tire under the minivan when I had that thing. Welded on was right. I'm not sure I've ever been so mad at a crazy design and I think for mine it was the stupid cable thing that was welded.
Don that casting setup is nice! I had thought, with zero experience, that I would make a wedding ring for my wife before I proposed. I didn't get past the molding stage, even with purpose built casting sand and the like. I think I was aiming for much too intricate for the lack of experience. It's still fun to play around with the little forge. Mine is made out of one of those feed buckets that I lined with a concrete and vermiculite mix (if I recall properly), and heated with propane that I've never got adjusted just right. I can melt aluminum but that's about it with how it's setup now. I may need to add some air to it and my gas nozzle is just a pinched copper tube. I don't think the Venturi effect ever Venturi'd enough (is that the right word?).
With all the salt in NH, that's one of the first things I did to my 2500 truck. Drop the spare and grease the whole thing up.
Works find.
I'm good at keeping my stuff in working order, too much $$ otherwise.
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An 06 with just a little over 100,000 miles on it. And no rust
Checked out the swing away tire carrier some good concepts for sure. Working on a hitch mount to hold a vise now. I think i got my answer on the tire carrier yesterday. Had a RCMP cruiser pull up behind me on the TC, then paused by the back quarter and moved on . Check. ::)
That is quite the melting pot, a friend of mine melts wheel weights to make a great canoe anchor.
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Stephen if you really want to get crazy with the tire carrier and you have enough space on the hitch you should make one that slides on over your hitch and still allows for a hitch to be installed into the receiver. Then you would not have to remove it to use a trailer.
I like that idea. I am always working on some one private property so the atv in the back keeps things tight. But that idea would enable me to use the hitch d link insert.
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Got to say Mr Peter you have given me a bad case of man cave envy . Mine is a tad more rudimentary. :D
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We all do what we have to do to keep the rust away. :)
This "roof rake" may not be a candidate for "daily fab" as I built it 5+/- years ago, but I haven't used it in almost that long until yesterday.
I'm working up firewood and the snow just wasn't coming off the roof except by the drip, lots of them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230210_110554.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1676147081)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230210_111508.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1676147193)
What I couldn't reach slid off soon after. Actually the other side landed on me and the tractor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230210_115842.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1676147467)
I built the yellow jib pole probably 20 years ago. Very handy but the best fun was tying a rope to it at the edge of the pond for a rope swing. It'll reach 30' extended with the loader arms topped out.👍
Now that's a snow rake. Heh, in the photo, it even looks like a squirt boom!
Are you worried about the weight on the roof?
That's a dandy building 👍
I bet that V plow works like a dream 💪
It does extend around 9'!
I used to live near a guy that "scrapped" some very nice things from JLG/Grove crane. The place was full of top rate stuff. There were at least 3 20' containers full of cylinders! It was easy to spend 3-4 hours walking around the yard dreaming up uses for this "scrap"🥳
Quote from: Walnut Beast on February 11, 2023, 04:09:52 PM
Are you worried about the weight on the roof?
That's a dandy building 👍
I bet that V plow works like a dream 💪
No it was the constant dripping. That's my sawmill building but right now it's my firewood building. 😆
The splitter is inside and the small stuff that just needs cut to length is outside (under the eave) on my firewood table and my wood rack is in between.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20221130_094759~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1676150654)
This picture was early winter but if it's not raining or snowing it works better with that table on the other side of the rack outside. 👍
Nice scrap indeed!
I decided to try to mold and cast some scoops. I was on the vertical part of the curve today :D
I didn't trust my sand to stick well enough for this, although I should try one. I mixed a little plaster of paris in with sand and made a fair mold but wet. I was looking for something tapered to make the pour and vent holes and spotted a cheap bed frame i had drug home for the angle iron. The feet were perfect for the job. I should have made a bigger box, its too close the the edges. I've made the lower mold (cope?) and am making the upper (drag?)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/scoop1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1676777000)
The holes in the lower mold are an abandoned idea for filling, i didn't use them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/scoop2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1676777050)
While I fired up and melted I had the mold halves on bricks on the woodstove in the shop drying, but i rushed it and it was obvious as I started pouring, it wanted to spit and boil, 1000 degree metal meets too damp sand. I poured on the left, overfilled trying to pump it through the thin mold cavity to the 2 vents, that worked ok.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/scoop3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1676777486)
Really better than expected.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/scoop4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1676777518)
almost sculpture, nah, I need a scoop :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/scoop5.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1676777550)
I used it to scoop sand to make another mold. I'll stick that mold in the oven to dry and warm before the next attempt.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/scoop6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1676777586)
Nothing much, but it was fun ;D
Don, that is an impressive attempt and came very close.
I am sure you know all this but the challenges with that particular shape you have are formidable. Thin section for for the scoop that covers a large area and big changes in elevation are tough enough, but then you have the thick handle. For something that big, I think you really want a few more sprues. Also with aluminum, humidity matters, both the ambient, as well as the moisture in the molten aluminum. When hot molten material comes up against wet sand, the moisture is heated and the moisture will boil which separates the H from the O and the H turns to gas and settles in the molten aluminum (it's called precipitated hydrogen) as pockets (voids) so too much moisture is not good. Also for some reason I never understood, too little moisture in the aluminum is also no good. You can't add water to molten aluminum, it will cause a steam explosion. But ALL the the foundries I worked with had bins of potatoes (yes, I said potatoes, spuds, white tubars) at each casting station and they would shove a weighted fork into a good sized spud and put it in the melted aluminum where it would heat and release (slowly) whatever moisture was in it. The number of spuds depended on what they were casting. Things made from aluminum can be even lighter if they are filled with bubbles evenly spaced. Apparently that is desirable in some applications.
In your case I would say you want it just wet enough to hold the sand together and no more. But I know you know that and have said as much.
I haven't done a sand casting since high school (1972), but my grandfather made patterns for all kinds of castings for things he designed, particularly boat props, and built in his basement shop. It saved a lot of machining for him. He would bring the pattern and enough scrap material to cover the job, to the foundry and get his stuff cast. I wish I still had one or two of his patterns, they were all beauties.
As I said, the first attempt is impressive. The next one could be the home run. You do some amazing stuff.
Thanks Tom, I amazed Mom a time or two as well :D.
Well, it's gonna have to wait till I get to town again, I just broke the mold trying to get the pattern scoop out, it stuck. I used saran wrap as a mold release the first time, got froggy and tried wax this time for a nicer finish.
The original bottom mold is good I'll just need to remake the top. I'll pick up some salt substitute while
there and try a little to see if it noticeably degasses the metal. So far from my vast experience it seems more porous if I don't give it a good superheat right before pouring, it looks like a cold solder joint so I'm not sure of what I'm looking at. I used the rest of the heat yesterday to melt more of the scrap and pour it into pieces of angle iron as a form. This cleans it up and makes it easier to remelt. I have no real idea if I'm improving it or not but I think so, there is less dross later. I have a few pounds of high aluminum dross (skimmings) that I guess they will take at the scrapyard.
Looks like an attempt I made at pouring a babbit bearing without heating the shaft and box. Casting is something I know nothing about but I always wanted to do cast iron and i suppose that is not easy. If I lived closer to Don I would try to bribe him with Bellsaw parts to cast parts for me.
Don, What are you using for a furnace?
Care to share a pic or two?
Go back one page to reply 1115 and I put a pic up there. It is about full of charcoal when I start, that was towards the end. I just got back from the dentist and Lowes with some more plaster of paris... I'm not saying that is great mold making material but, ignorance is bliss :D. I do have a cement mold curing from yesterday. I put a half dozen small vents in it. I think Doug is onto something, I'm going to dry the mold in the oven and pour with it warm.
My wife's brother did this when he was young. One of his hobbies was lost wax casting. He would carve the wax, mold around it, melt the wax out and cast the piece in silver.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/Heron.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1676921496)
Sorry for the dust and patina, he did pretty much every feather.
I'll get better pics of the furnace set up next time I fire it. The furnace is just behind the truck in front of the barn in that pic. The high tunnel is the white blob to the right.
Meanwhile, Dad emailed that their shop was donated a Craftsman belt/disc sander with the 9" aluminum disc missing. He was asking me to do a parts search. Bupkus. Unless one of y'all is sitting on a parts one I might have another non paying family job to pour :D.
@NOCO Jim (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=58620)
I fired up and kinda melted again today. I need to make more charcoal. I learned today that damp, fine charcoal is about like trying to burn dirt :D. Ah well, the raw material grows on trees. Part of todays melt was Courage, a galled Kohler Courage to be exact ;D
For the blower and setup I have right now the chunks need to be about 1"+ and sifted of fines. I killed the draft with too tight a charcoal pack. I did get a few pics of the furnace.
This is the parts, firebrick and the lining of an old oil furnace, anything sort of refractory will work, for awhile;
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/Furnace1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1677455739)
Assembled;
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/Furnace2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1677455782)
I have the old pot over the crucible most of the time as well as a scrap of roofing tin loosely over the entire can, trying to hold heat in. Watch leaning over the furnace especially when the blower is on. If you smell burning fur, its you. With welding gloves on, don't touch stuff for any length of time, its hot enough to burn right through them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/Furnace3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1677455819)
I made a couple of molds and had them in front of the woodstove all week, which I think we had 2 fires this week, and baked them for about 3 hours this morning at 215°, still too wet!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/Furnace4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1677455860)
The molds were too cold, too much moisture, but both were a little better than last try. I'm going to try straight sand with sodium silicate solution in it next time I think. The plaster is just too wet for this. The cement was slightly better but still boiling which is not good!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/Furnace6.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1677455924)
I tried another melt to make Dad a sander disc. Between trying to melt quite a bit and the poor charcoal quality I froze and unfroze the crucible a couple of times and made a cold pour just to get it out of the crucible. So next up is to make more charcoal and sift it.
You look to be having fun, Don, and learning a fair bit.
Thanks for sharing pics of your efforts.
I have never melted with charcoal. I use a coal forge nearly daily and have, in the past, done lost wax and sand casting with a home built propane furnace.
It's clear you understand how basic the tools can be to achieve results. I think continuing to work with green sand methods might be beneficial for you. Cope and drag boxes, a sand box, a few hand tools. Pretty simple!
I noticed when I was casting regularly, as you are noticing now, that the pattern you are working with will tell you what it wants in order to get you the results you are looking for.
You may have heard of Dave Gingery but, if not, I believe there are vids to enjoy on the youtube.
Metal fatigue on the tractor snowplow lift cylinder mount.
That's a 5"×7" tube, 1/4" wall thicknesses.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230306_132305.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1678388773)
From the minor rust on the "tear", it didn't happen all at once, I figure at most it started to fail plowing the previous storm. Failure in this wasn't even a minor thought on my "radar" and it went unnoticed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230307_135746.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1678389215)
I find it amazing that the bolts didn't fail first. This setup is about 8 years old.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230306_200711.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1678389378)
I cut out a nice spot recessed so that the new 1/2" thick plate would finish off flush with the tube.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230309_125956.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1678389644)
I extended the repair plate forward to allow for gussets. This is the bottom.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230309_142018.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1678389662)
I like gussets!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230309_142031.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1678389680)
Now to the part I absolutely hate, painting!
The same reciever hitch will get bolted back on.
Nice work and better than new!
Looks great 711 👍
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25148/20230312_123242.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1678639009)
Don't look too closely at the paint job. 😆
We might have a whopper snow Tuesday - Thursday. Should be really fun, right now I need 4wd to get out to the road...not!
Looks pretty good to me 711! Nice job!
Fine work. Its always fulfilling to be able to handle these things yourself. Its not a problem. Its a design opportunity!
That looks sick!!!
Normally I log in the winter with my FEL off and use front weights. I had done this primarily for easier maneuvering in the woods. With my roads complete and my log loading trailer, that's not as much of an issue. I started leaving my front end loader with the bucket on. Overall I like the set-up, but it still makes for a very large turning radius and (me operating) the bucket doesn't do very well pushing logs/tree stems into a decent pile. So I decided to build a pusher plate to reduce the overhang of the bucket and a good place to put a vice for chainsaw sharpening.
The ATV plow and skid-steer quick attach plate came "at no additional cost" when I bought my used compact tractor. (B2401) I added two tines on the bottom to easier lift a log off the ground onto a pile. I've not attached it yet to my tractor, so I don't know if there will be interference when I curl the loader backward. But I don't anticipate needing to curl much, if at all.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_63865B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1678805564)
The extensions are 2X3 tube and are there to protect the vice and prevent logs from rolling over the plow and onto the FEL cylinders. The vice rotates, so I'll likely leave it 90deg when not in use to provide a bit more clearance from hitting logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_63875B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1678805685)
I didn't paint the SSQA plate - almost unused when I got it. Painted the fabricated stuff Caterpillar yellow just for fun.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/58760/IMG_63885B15D.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1678805631)
Nice work and looks like it will be a handy addition in the woods.
Looks great! Nice job 👍
I'm working on the motor for the gristmill. I needed a low speed motor and a speed reducing jackshaft and finally a flat belt pulley. I need to work on the shaft a little more to get rid of an upset 'shroom but I'm trying to figure out how to secure the old IHC LA tractor pulley to the 1-3/16" shaft.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/jackshaft.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1678822403)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/flat_pulley.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1678822442)
I suppose the pully is slightly loose on the shaft. If that is the case grind a slightly oversize key tapered one side to make a gib key to be hammered in. I would also use 609 locktite . If the clearance is not too much that will set up and hold. To remove it must be heated.
It'll slide on once I get the belled end smoothed down. The problem is there is no setscrew. I think this was from an International LA and I'm guessing it bolted to a drive plate with those 3 end holes which are tapped. I can drill a hole thru the surface of the pulley then a small hole in the hub and tap it for a setscrew but I'm hoping for something easier. Maybe a collar on the shaft on each end of the pulley. I picked up a belt at Lowes this evening. I'm hoping with the shaft spinning it won't take long to fix the end of the shaft.
That should help out on the front of the tractor.
How right you are about turning with a loader that sticks out about 6 feet in front.
But most times I have wood in it when I come out. Going in sometimes I have a load of rocks for a wet spot or an uneven place.
It is certainly a benefit to be able to leave the FEL on year-round. Used it couple times to push back snow. That wasn't an easy option before.
That looks like it will work good. When I took off my 6' SSQA bucket and put on a 29" wide FrostBite grapple I was amazed at how much maneuverability in the woods I gained.
gg
Haha Ray, "sometimes I have a load of rocks" that would be a good tagline for you😊
PG, is that vice permanently bolted on? I would have made it a receiver mount so I could pull a pin and remove/use elsewhere. Wouldn't be hard to convert.
Good idea but didn't think of it. It is mounted with 3 bolts. I already have a shop vice, so I don't think the portability would be a big benefit to me.
With the right adapter, it could be used on your truck receiver.
How about, Have rocks, will travel. ;D
I got the box truck to light today and moved it up to the barn shop where it'll be easier to work on it. It always helps to confirm connections ::) :D. I started staging the gristmill parts in the box, I think it'll fit. It'll all shift right more. I'll have about 2'8" to walk by it on the left, then there is room for a couple of rubbermade type totes of corn and supplies towards the front. I need a belt lacing tool, it's close but I need to shorten the flat belt a little. The belt should be 15' from center to center from the 1920's manual I have a scan of. It's a 12' box. I also need to find belt dressing, try to cover the sin with stikum. Still need to replace the back floor skin and probably paint it all with porch floor high gloss. Then a 3x5x~10" platform to set the mill on and lock it all down, it weighs half a ton. Because of the low ceiling the platform height is a compromise between scooping grain in the top and bagging meal out the bottom.
I'm trying to figure out some kind of mouseproof Norwegian grain house piers to drive up on to protect the grits. 2 cinder blocks and a scrap of roof tin under each tire :D.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/MillTruck.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1679008737)
That mill looks very much like the one my brothers and I used in the early 50's to grind up corn and oats for the chickens and pigs. Brings back memories of staking it to the ground, and belting up the H John Deere to grind feed. Think this was my fathers idea of giving us something to do around the farmette. Thinking back, it isn't something the kids nowadays could come near when they are 8 to 11 years old.
But good memories..
Months and months ago I had a post, on the front porch, crack and break apart. That spot of the front porch has been held up by a 2x4. We got a matching post months ago, but whoops, it's too short. So it sat, for months. Finally, I got off my butt and me and my boy have made a new porch post. There's a dowel between the connection and a ratchet strap is (hopefully) pulling everything together. I'll have to some shaping work to get everything to blend together but it should work fine, I think.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20230318_180938.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1679177809)
I opened up the mill and cleaned it up. Sammie had done a good job on the stones. He lined the case around them. It was eroding pretty heavily from time and use. You can see the angle iron paddles on the band around the runner stone for moving meal to the chute.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/insideMill1.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1680563240)
The feed auger on the shaft passes through the eye in the bed stone. The grain comes down to the eye from the hopper, the auger feeds it in to the center of the stones. The grain drops into a pair of passing furrows and is cut in half and rolled, and ground as it moves outward.
The auger itself appears to be square stock riveted to the shaft and coiled around it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/insideMill2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1680563278)
The shortened and relaced flat belt is back on. And I have the truck on blocks away from 240 power.
I got the new rear brake on the gristmill truck, amzing the spread in price for the parts, "Find it Parts" was about 1/2 the price of anyone else. That's the tommy lift solonoid and cylinder in the foreground.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/Brakes.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1681848977)
I'm trying to get the inside to health dept standards. I asked the nice lady at lowes to hook me up with a good washable high gloss white for food service. She mixed "just the thing". Well that gallon did 4 coats and at least it did build and in the general direction of the right color. I snuck back in yesterday and grabbed a gallon of gloss white Rustoleum... that's the finish I had in mind. I covered the seams and caulked everything. The roll up door still needs work, then the floor and platform on my way out.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/glossWhite.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1681849398)
I was reading some old county stuff over the weekend. In 1911 there was a mill in town that was capitalizing on the fact that they were not subject to the vagaries of weather, they had a newfangled solution "The Independence Electrical Milling Company". I think I might have a name :). A professor was walking with us around a water powered gristmill we were working on. He commented that it must have spent a good bit of time idle waiting for the pool to rebuild. I wonder how many water powered mills were that way.
Mills built along creeks were always dealing with water issues. Rivers not so much. Sometimes its related to the type of power system. There were undershoot or overshoot(the proper term is overshoot, not overshot) wheels and also turbines.
During good times, spring rains and snow melts the mill could run continuously. If you had an undershoot wheel and the creek was too low, you couldn't do a thing about it. Folks running an overshoot wheel usually had a dam to make a pool and then a mill race to carry water to the mill. You could have more than enough water, just enough water or not enough water. With not enough water, a miller would stop grinding and let the entire mill race fill with water. Then they would grind until the water ran out and do it all over again.
The real fun was when you had just enough water, you are grinding away and there is a heavy rain storm upcreek from you. Suddenly you have too much water and have to make some emergency adjustments.
A number of mills here installed turbines, it seems to have gone hand in hand with "upgrading" and installing a stand of steel roller mills. This was a stand of 3 roller mills I believe it took a minimum of 2 to do the "breaks" needed to grind flour. These were installed around 1917.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/rollermillsop.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1681869092)
The turbines can produce more power, but in a much narrower set of flow conditions, outside of that range they are much less efficient than a steel "overshoot" wheel. This is the mill that used to be at the end of our road, notice no waterwheel, it had a turbine. I know where there are still a couple in the remains of old mills, I'll try to remember when I'm near one of them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/CatronMill.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1681869209)
Contrary to my astute observation above, I don't think this mill ever had a roller mill. I know the garden near there where one of its regular stone grindstones is. That is a good sized creek that had a number of mills on it, I know of 7 just on that creek and I'm sure there were more. There were more than most people realize. That's why the grits were good, they were whole grain and had to be fresh ground or the ground whole grain would spoil. They were getting better ground grains by far than we do.
I got it all temporarily chocked in line and wired up, hit the switch... the mill spun up ... and the old belt is coming apart. It's canvas and rubber and there is rubber dust all over the floor, I guess it "dry rotted". I'm googling but everything seems to be India and China. Does anyone have a US source for flat power transmission belting? I came up to grab some cleaning supplies and corn. Might as well grind till it pops :D.
Quote from: Don P on April 23, 2023, 02:04:39 PM
I got it all temporarily chocked in line and wired up, hit the switch... the mill spun up ... and the old belt is coming apart. It's canvas and rubber and there is rubber dust all over the floor, I guess it "dry rotted". I'm googling but everything seems to be India and China. Does anyone have a US source for flat power transmission belting? I came up to grab some cleaning supplies and corn. Might as well grind till it pops :D.
I have 2 friends that are pretty big into the old gas engines and old tractors and the multitude of items that they can power. Both of them have belt "lacing" tools and don't seem to have a problem finding belting, even if it's a newer rubber type.
Check out these guys or groups. There's a pretty big show every year in PA that I believe is called "Rough and tumble".
One of these guys runs his Belsaw mill and a clapboard mill with belts and from an old old JD and the other an old mechanical log splitter from his old Willie's jeep with a rear pro driven belt!.
Mennonite and Amish machine shops can help you Don. There is one in Dayton but likely one closer to you outside Lynchburg. Anyhow they specialize in belts. You could call fair hill precision in Dayton to get their name and number.
Ahh, there's a group up near Bland, I'll call around and look better tonite. I think I'll go grind dinner ;D.
A layer of canvas came off the belt. I removed that and flipped it and it is starting to lose that layer. I ran out of that little sack full of corn as it was flapping. I'll cut that, grab some more corn and I think I've run enough thru that the chickens aren't getting the next batch. 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/IEM2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682281832)
Bolting (screening), this is 16 mesh, which happens to be window screen. I need to read up on grits bolters and meal bolters and make more screens. But its making nice meal 8). The floor is covered, I started wide open and it was a corn kernel batting machine running at 500 rpm :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/IEM3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682281886)
The shoe, stone and weevil screens, the drop thru the fan blast and into the stones is that square hole.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/IEM4.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682281935)
The bran, skin, of the kernel, on top of the screen, pericarp I think is the big word name.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/IEM6.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682281995)
corn meal and it looks like its grinding good. This batch cleaned it up the rest of the way from what I can see, or can't see, no bugs or mouse poop. I'll blow and vac and grind a sack to try for dinner. It's old whole corn but i think still fine in that form. It smelled good.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/IEM7.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682282028)
Looks pretty good DonP.
McMaster Carr has flat leather belts and they also offer made to order flat belts in different materials.
Reed Supply in st Johnsbury vt custom makes flat belts. They still use awesome old tools and punches and presses to do so. I'm sure there is someone closer to you. But if you need to talk to a pro they will at least chat.
I ground about 5 lbs for dinner and the fridge then broke down and cleaned up the truck and mill. I need a small battery vac and blower. i had it done in about 30 minutes. The trick will be keeping it bare bones. While Michelle made cornbread I sifted the cornmeal through what must be about an 18 mesh sifter up here. That yielded enough coarse grits for breakfast. Looking at that closely I think a light air blast to winnow the bits of bran from the coarse grits would be a good idea. Most of the remaining bran is in with the grits after that screening.
Fried chicken and cornbread with cornbread and honey for dessert :)
Don, what is your belt size? Width by length, and maybe thickness. Do you think a leather belt would work? I have some belting leather material and the lacing staples and tools, I might be able to make you one up, but I have limited leather stick. SO lets start with what you need first.
It's 4-1/2" wide canvas on there now, the pulleys are 5" wide. I believe the small one is 4" dia which might kill thick leather... and I don't know the length at the moment but its going to be around 15'-20' I think... in leather that is like $500 worth :o. I'd say save that for a higher use.
I have some more old 8" wide canvas belting, can this be ripped? Maybe the shop bandsaw?
I'm guessing my small pulley is smaller than what that old belt had been going around and between that and the goody being gone from the rubber, it just delammed.
Sorry, missed this last night. I don't have anything that wide sorry. I would check the McMaster catalog for that one. I bet there is a specialty outfit out there somewhere. Keep looking kid, it's out there.
I've got a "backup" one in case I'm stuck, not sure if it'll work. It is shorter and narrower than original but it would probably work at light feed. One will turn up.
I finished grinding the sack I had today, experimenting and figuring it out. I realized I should probably be using mineral oil in the bearings, just in case any oil goes in.
As to horsepower, belt size etc. I set up power and rpms from the manual, which was about production, so they were running a heavy feed rate which consumes maximum power. I believe what I ground today will saturate everyone I know for awhile, might have been a bushel... so speed is not so critical and that is the big factor on power and belt size. But, I learned first thing this morning, just like I can hang the saw by overfeeding it, I can hang the gristmill pretty much the same way.
I had removed the shoe, bolter and spout last night, blown them off away from the truck then stuck them up in the hopper on top for the night. I vacumed out everything from outside and stuffed old t shirts in the intake and outlet. (I think the box is secure but I need to set traps in there and watch them. I ordered a new door seal today).
This morning I reassembled everything, left the feed wide open ::). Hit the switch, it spun up, fed a big snootfull of corn and locked up. Happily my loose belt fell off rather than busting anything.
I shut off the feed, opened the gap and got going again throwing cracked corn around, then bringing the stones closer together. I think I made about 10 more pounds of fine cornmeal. dialing the stones closer. Sort of like "How thin of a board can I saw." So the first 3 big ziplocks in the freezer say "Fine".
I wanted coarse grits too, coarser than i sifted yesterday which I believe were 16-18 mesh.
I opened up the gap in the stones and began making cracked grain/ scratch. The bolter is 16 mesh but there were less fines from cracking. I was producing more corn starch through the bolter when grinding fine. This way I was making more 16's than superfines. There is a whole range possible in there and I suspect it all affects what the cook is looking for.
Anyway. I was cracking corn, bolting the 16's and finer and filled 3 more gallon bags marked "Coarse". I then winnowed the bran from the cracked corn in front of a fan and sifted thru about a 14 mesh sifter. The 2 gallons of grits are now the next grade coarser than the ones I sifted last night. There was probably 7-10 lbs of high grade cracked corn that way. Which I assume I could also regrind and bolt again.
Or, a picture :D,
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/cornmeals_001.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682391480)
I zoomed in on the cornmeals hoping to show the difference in those. There's more fines on the right, more grit on the left but both went through a 16 mesh /inch screen. I've realized when that old man is spreading, feeling and examining product, in this case it is the blend of sizes he is looking at. I'd say left would be good on fish or for breading something but is too lean for bread and right is tolerable but with some tuning is good cornbread meal. Everything is easy till you try it :D.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/cornmeals4_001.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682423662)
The roller mills I posted earlier was for flour. Now that you've seen the window screen I'm bolting though... Each of those roller mills does 2 "breaks", each a little finer. It drops the cracked grain down a chute to the basement where an elevator hoists it up to the 3rd floor and drops it to the bolter on the 2nd floor. So after every 2 breaks, every roller mill's output gets sifted to remove the fine flour and returns the rest to the next finer roller mill in the line and repeats the process of cracking and bolting.
This is the bolter above the stand of roller mills I posted earlier. The orange snake is the drive belt. It is stacks of silk screens of various meshes.Hanging from those bundles of wood rods and shaking enough to shake the whole building.
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Here's the eccentric belted drive for that, you can see the canvas flexible chutes connected to the wood chutes to send sifted product down to the correct machine for its next break or finished flour down, up and down to be cooled and sacked. My little bolter on steroids :D
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Stahl's logging and sawmill supplies in Pa. had flat belting last i was there.
I mentioned to my wife this morning that I'll need to go to some thresherees once they start up, she just rolled her eyes :D. I counted gristmills in the 1911 ledger, there were 33 listed in the county at that time, now there are none.
DonP cracked corn and I don't care! Actually I do.
What you got there Don is a plansifter, not a bolter. How do I know? I own a mill myself.
A bolter is a long cylinder mounted at an angle and rotated. It is fed through the top and grain or flour works its way downward, falling through the filtering screen. The bolter preceded the plansifter in milling.
Here is one of my bolters, circa 1810.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/67554/PIC02011.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1682434361)
Here is my plansifter setup, early 1920's
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/67554/IMG_3166.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682434994)
And my Bernard & Lees Roller Milling plants, circa 1920's
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/67554/IMG_3154.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682434912)
www.historiczirklemill.org (http://www.historiczirklemill.org)
I guess we should PM. I don't know many millers.
I see a Millers Project 2023 coming up. ;D
That's a hoot, I thought that was one of my pics of that bolter under the roof. The mill we worked on has one in the same place, it has a 20' Fitz wheel. That is Wolf Bros equipment from 1917.
I recall Ricky Cox calling it a swinging sifter. I like the term plansifter, it is operating in plan. On the label it is a Wolf Gyrator. I have Ricky's book "The Water Powered Mills of Floyd County, Virginia 1770-2010" if you have not read it. There are also some parts to a watermill for sale in Carrol County.
Do you own the pond, and is the dam and waterway there?
I do not own the area where the dam is. The dam is broken, the mill race is still there but crosses parts of seven different properties. Its nearly 1/4 mile long due to topography. Water rights were mentioned in a deed in the mid 1800's. I have talked to folks and they seem to be aware of its importance. Nobody has dug it up or filled it in.
Fitz water wheel, 20 1/2 feet dia, 2 feet wide, 54 buckets.
I have seen the book. You should find a copy of The young mill-wright and miller's guide by Oliver Evans, 1755-1819. He invented the grain elevator and the hopper-boy and revolutionized milling. He had his own mill which he constantly modified to run experiments. He was constantly in court suing to protect his inventions and ended up broke in the end.
The screen saver on the old computer here is the broken dam of that mill with water pouring through it. It failed in the early 60's and closed the mill. I think it was just using the hammermill in the basement to make feed by that time. That appeared to be the most modern thing there.
I've got Oliver Evans' saved on the computer. For those following along Evans patrons were a who's who of our founding fathers. Looking at your pics I was thinking, its a Evans mill, I don't think I would be lost for too long in there.
Do you think you'll be able to water power it?
The lake at RJReynolds Jr's estate had an electric generating turbine at the foot of the dam. The gristmill was up above, an electric powered Evans style mill. The shafts in the basement don't care what is turning them. The face of the elevators on the main floor had glass panel sections.
Yes the mill was converted to the Oliver Evans design and there is remaining evidence in the mill. A fella who owned the mill in the 1980's ran water to the mill and it flooded the basement of the general store in town. The ground is porous with limestone outcroppings everywhere. He put a liner in the mill race, long gone. He just badly patched the dam and built a really bad headgate. He got the mill to spin for a demonstration, but no grinding. The mill and the race need a full rehab right now.
George Washington hired the Evans brothers to build his mill at Mount Vernon. They have a recreated operating Oliver Evans style mill there now. The only known true Evans mill left is Kline's Mill in Frederick County Virginia.
Thanks for talking about this milling stuff guys. I only barely understand what it is but it's fascinating to see and read about. Yet another kind of contraption that I could sit and stare at for hours and hours.
I agree!
And before you know it somebody says "I know where there's one for sale" :D
Lemme tell ya, that would definitely be spending someone else's money. 8)
Speaking of... Is there any possibility of getting it going again? I know just doing the little stabilizing work we've done, being in a mill in "almost" condition tugs at me very hard, they want to run. The rollers, chutes and elevators require too much work but just to get the old stones turning and hand feed the hopper right there and into the bin... well, you can see where my mind has wandered :D
My sweet wife found my camera ahead of the rain on the railing, pretty much right where I set it while winnowing that last batch.
This was with the gap in the stones opened up a bit. A good bit of cracked corn and hopefully coarse grits was passing on top of the screen into the cardboard flat but the majority was still making 16 mesh cornmeal or finer
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/cracking.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1682617656)
The black knob holding the red arm supporting the sifter is adjustable. I've lowered the left side of the sifter just enough to let the meal dance toward the dropoff into the cardboard flat. when grinding properly all the endosperm drops thru the screen and only the bran, the seed coat, passes over the screen. So I guess technically that is scratch on the left and meal in the blue bucket.
I tried winnowing, this was after the first pass, most of the bran blew away, some is at the left end of the flat, mixed with the finer meal. I put that in a bag for a friends yardbirds. Last night I tried toasting that cleaned cracked corn in a dry frying pan over medium head till it browned and got nutty. I covered it with water a few times before bed as it soaked up water. I then cooked it like grits this morning. It is interesting, not bad, definite good starvation food. You're chewing and enjoying a spoonful for the best part of a minute before you can swallow it. Too much of a good thing :D. Toasting though, there might be something to play with.
Anyway, clean cracked corn on the right and the heaviest bran that didn't blow clear on the left. When you can't screen you can often separate stuff by fanning.
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Tuesday night I tried the grits I sifted from my fine grinding that first day. They are probably the worst texture/consistency/tooth grits either of us have ever crossed paths with :D. I cooked and stirred and sampled and added more water and cooked and stirred, an hour passed and they never crossed into or through the eating stage. Sometime about the middle of wrenching the next day it was occurring to me that bran would be excellent oil dry, about 5 minutes later it occurred to my why those grits sucked.
When I ground too fine, I also broke up more bran to a size that would drop through the 16 mesh/inch screen. I made those grits by then sifting through an ~18 mesh screen. In the process I also screened most of the remaining bran into my grits ... my grits were half sawdust ::). Well, oughta be regular for awhile.
The door seal arrived and I'm just back from Lowes. I need to replace at least the lower truck rollup door panel. A sheet of 3/4" form ply $75, $2.35/sf, have mercy.
We've had cornbread multiple ways, johnny cakes (journey cake) and I made grits with that last batch ground the other night, that was the ticket, they were very good.
I was kicking around sticking a pto powered on board generator under the box on the truck. I would need at least 10kw and that is getting out of underhood size. I was casually looking at what it would take when a pto for that transmission popped up on ebay at a good price with minutes to go. Yeah, they saw me coming, I won the bid. I was mowing this morning and the mail lady pulled over and handed me a box. So kind of on a whim, there's a pto under the gristmill truck
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There it is dangling on the right side of the "other" Muncie 4 speed :D. Forget racing, this is the SM465 rockcrusher. Granny 1st, its a low and slow indestructable transmission, this looks to be a rebuilt :D. It can take ptos left and right down there. I learned to drive on the one in Dad's 1 ton Chevy truck. That's the shaft parking brake at this end.
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It works, only took a dozen trips with a squeeze bottle to refill the tranny. It is not loud but it is not quiet. There were no shims but a thick metal plate gasket. Is it too thick? I've also never heard a "quiet" one but that might be the company I keep :D.
Uhh, and I did not mean to kill this thread, it is one of my favorites, y'all take it back!
My simple fabrication project for the day.
Piece of 1/2" plate, and one of 3/8" plate
A couple of press in wheel studs
A drop of 3x4" tubing.
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A few holes drilled and some welding, then paint.
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Bolted on
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In use.
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I drilled the top stud for an R pin. Just in case.
That looks nice. many times I have made a spare tire mount out of existing parts so I would have spares with me in case anything went wrong. but that is better than no spare or throwing it in the truck.
Most recent project cable drive log lifter off the side of the splitter, definitely makes dealing with large rounds less painful.
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Well she got tired again and laid down. I gave her a 20 minute nap and rolled her back to life. Hills and a light machine dont mix. Well and a full send operator 😂
Dang wrong thread. Anyway to move it to the carnage thread?
A rubber tire buncher taking a nap is by no means carnage. That's just standard operating procedure, isn't it?
Pretty much. Biggish but very tall oak. Hill side. I was backing down and turning in the bottom of a small valley. This head is terrible for dumping a tree. It will get caught in the top and bottom. Won't come out. You just grab on and enjoy the ride. It don't hurt anything. Smokes a little after lol
I've been plugging away on the gristmill truck trying to get it ready for a state inspection. I ground and bagged about 125 lbs over the weekend I'll take to the county fair which is exempt face to face sales. I'll be grinding there probaly minutes at a time but didn't want to be forced to bag or have someone wait. All of that is in the garden fridge.
This is the truck as it is now. There is a table/belt guard 8' long behind the mill that is very handy. I still need to work on the vertical part of the guard but i never bumped the belt while it was running and I was sorting or working at the table. There is a handwash sink behind the driver up there on the left. I need to find a lightweight wall mount fan and get it off the counter. (although it worked great there for winnowing grits and while I was sorting the grain )
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/milltruck2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1691368568)
I'm trying to sort of walk through what will be my HACCP plan, my food prep and safety "script" for them. So this is a pic of me sorting prior to loading the hopper on top of the grinder and also showing the PPE I'd have on there. Holler if you need a beard net, I own the small 300 pack ::). Gloves, hat, dust mask, beard net. Need to pick up a towel rack and put it on the side of the handwash sink. That's the drive belt under the table so I need a vertical probably 1/4" ply, wall.
My people don't glow, the bigger sanitation problem with me in non breathing gloves is the sweat was rolling. I'd have to ditch the pair before they sprung a leak or dripped, wash/dry/reglove. I went thru all my gloves. I guess it was my undress rehearsal. I'll swing by the bank and get a couple of new hats before the fair.
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This is the handwash station. That valve... i can probably stick a plug in it somewhere to reduce the flow, it works but too much flow. 100 degree plus water in VA at a handwash sink. No problem today, the water heater was working just fine.
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I sifted 50 lbs of the meal in a colander and got five 1.5 lb bags of grits, 70 equal sized bags of cornmeal, 2.5 lbs for us when I opened it up to clean it out. I always overfill a few tenths, never be under, so that was a pound or two. The rest was bran, spilled, initial dial in and purge to clean the stones or unground kernels, all that went into a box for Becky's chickens. Good yield IMO, ~90%. What sells, great, if I'm sitting on a fridge full, the food pantry has never cooled off this year I imagine they can move it while its fresh.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10017/milltruck6.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1691370486)
It poured for awhile this afternoon while I was grinding, which did cool it down, outside. For awhile I was propping the door open low, and finally had to stop and close it for a while. When I started back up the RH was 100%, it had cooled and was foggy. The fresh ground dry meal was looking for emc just like wood, well, its starch, halfway there. Cleanup was/ is gonna still be a bear, the dampish fines stuck to everything. I blew. vacced, wiped. hopefully the sun will cook the box and dry it tomorrow and I'll blow it again. Interesting stuff, in a cussed way :D
And the sweetest part of the deal, 150 lbs of grain , on the tommy lift ;D. A 30lb can holds 2 50 lb sacks. I'll see if they allow it, the Rubbermade Brute cans are listed for bulk storage in restaurant supply catalogs... they just didn't hve any at walmart when I went looking for something rodentproof, And I like metal for that.
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Dang to far you are so far away. We have a nice patch of Abenaki flint corn that's gonna need grinding this fall. Very cool project @Don P (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=17)
On the way to Rob's patch in CA, mobile milling, what could go wrong :D
The beer is cold and the BBQ is hot. 8)
We have a few projects going on at school. I made a table for our setter a few weeks ago and a few young students and I have been tinkering with a man lift lately. The bottom part, used as the platform was some piece of scrap that had been lying around for years. We added the expanded metal, sides, gate and fork tubes. It still needs paint, but it got a coat of tannic acid today.
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These sized oak stumps used to take me an hour to pop with just a blade and leave a huge crater to fill. Now its like 15 minutes and i can drag the stump off in any direction, then open the rake to fill the hole nicely with a straight blade. With a conventional rake flopping around you can only backdrag which means youre spending all day positioning. Removing and reinstalling a pin on rake can be nearly an hour. Now its about 8 seconds.
Tree spear works excellent. A D3 suddenly pushes over what a d5 is normally needed for. This thing grubs a fencerow or understory ridiculously fast and with incredible dexterity. You can easily pick one leader of a clump to segregate out and bust down with the spear on a 6 way. So glad i followed thru with this.
Holy Socks! Hey Mike! I was just thinking about you and this thread the other day! I don't know if you've been posting elsewhere but I haven't seen you forever, welcome back!
That tree spear looks like a beast!
Mike, i don't see it quite right on the fotos. do you have like a root rake and also a straight blade on at the same time?? or you need to change them out?
Thanks aig, i had to take a hiatus to free my attention for some intense medical stuff.
Ramon my friend you are correct.
I had a neighbor who wanted me to grub the understory from his back yard and with a straight blade that was terribly mess, dug big holes chasing little spindly saplings and lost a lot of topsoil so i built a bolt on semi U for one corner to grub precisely and went on the job. It worked exceptionally well but i blew a cylinder packing really bad and had to bring it home as all were leaking and costing tons of oil. Well i couldnt get half the cylinder pins out and had to pull the whole blade with rods on the blade and bodies still pinned to chassis. And thats when i found a bunch of stuff was shot, and corner force had started to buckle one angle cylinder rod bad enough to cant the piston in the bore and cause wear. I realized the machine was doomed unless the hardest forces were centered up between the steer cylinders and invented the spear rake to accomplish that. Its narrow on purpose to protect my 6 way components doing roughing work with a finishing machine.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0528221736.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1705083786)
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I dont know the hours but this thing has a reskinned blade and is on ATLEAST its 3rd trunion ball whic i had to put about 5lb of weld on after someone else already had. Thats a 4 bolt cat d4 trunion welded onto a komatsu in place of the 2 bolt.
The machine is too sloppy to make a living in dirt finishing. Without a winch and a huge quiver of other iron it has no real place in logging, and unless youre a highgrader logging here is riches to rags. My local market is dominated by dollars that want to subdivide old ratty farms into retirement homes. So i built it into a dedicated fencerow machine and also set the quad up to be a slick fencer until junior blew something up that i havent dug into yet. I will still log under the guise of dirtwork but i will buy the timber myself via discount on the job quote. Will put a winch on the machine, and the grapple can lift logs so i dont have to dig choker holes. I rent a parcel next door to me that is becoming a concentration yard with semi truck access, where my knuckleboom lives, and i have finally got a direct veneer buyer. The firewood business here sucks as bad as logging but that yard will probably also have a processing side when my son gets older.
I also am building a goat herd for rental clearing so that the same retirees that called me to do the fencerow, call me every year to give me money to feed my goats from within their fences i installed. Ideally my entire growing season will mean goats that never come home and me just moving them from check to check and looking at the "hey ive got another little job for you to look at"s. Thats where all my work comes from, the same people over and over.
I know you only asked about a root rake but it all ties together in one big web. That was all of my heaviest steel collection that id been preserving for something unknown but really important forever. Literally a pile of junk i always knew was gonna become the shovel that digs my whole life out of the hole. Just didnt know what itd look like for the decade i was sparing it.
Mike, i wish you all the best and hope your plan will all work out. good luck
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22883/IMG_7808.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352368)
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I'm still struggling with pictures a bit. This is a project one of my ag students did for his mother for Christmas. He cut out some different sized flowers on the plasma cutter, formed them and welded them to some round stock. He spent a good bit of time on it and it turned out pretty well.
It will likely get him an interview at an artistic metal shop in the area. He currently is the low man at a plant nursery, so he mixes a lot of potting soil and moves a lot of potted plants.
Guess what his mom's name is.
Rose will like it !!!
That looks like he's been doing that type of work for 20 years. :thumbsup:
WOW!!!!
I will take a guess Daisy? Maybe Rose?
In my welding class in school, we were split into 2 groups- with one going to the arc welders and one going to the gas welding table. I was in the gas welding group, and I'm glad I learned it that way. I think gas welding helps you to understand heat control better, and you can see and understand what is happening. Arc welding is a little violent and shocking at first😁
Nice to see a young guy with talent putting it towards a project like that.
My son has taken an interest in blacksmithing, I really enjoy seeing what young minds create when they're allowed to use the big boys toys.
Wasn't today, but not long ago I built a shingle bundler - based off the old Chase/Lane ones. The end plates unlatch when you lift them up and flop down so you can pull the bundle out. A scissor jack mounted below the table compresses the hooks when extended. The table has a large groove for a 1X3 to be placed below the bundle and a smaller groove within that for the strap to feed through.
Place the bottom 1X3, stack the shingles, place the top 1X3, compress, staple the strap around, release tension, flop the side down, and remove the bundle.
Crude, but effective.
Sweet! I've always wanted to run into a used one but never have. Good job!
Some of my ag mech kids and I are building JMoore a trailer for his family's cart. This is it upside down and tacked together. It is being mostly made out of stuff lying around the shop. He'll have to buy a coupler, jack and the metal to make the tongue.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22883/IMG_7944~0.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352477)
Nobody sitting down on that job... ffcheesy
I need to get Mike B. up here to weld a tooth bar on the head board of the rear mount log picker truck so I can scrape the loose bark off logs. Any one ever hear of this idea?
I dunno doug lately i been breakin a lotta welds off. Not sure if its the trees or the 80 hp im trying to shove up the trees ash thats the culprit. Maybe im losing my touch!
I bet a hinged half round with some scarifier plates could debark the loose stuff pretty well. Like a pull thru line scriber.
I always let myself get behind sawing. The logs that degrade fast like pine or maple get sawn first but oak and spruce get pushed aside and often get sawn when the bark is starting to come off. And then they bring in logs that have been saved awhile. It makes an awful mess in the mill and gets caught in the works on the carriage. All the logs get handled with one of the old picker trucks, a rear mount on the IH and a cab mount on the ford. Both are off the road these days so I can do what I want. Some kind of nasty rugged teeth sticking up like on the last bunk I think would allow Me to scrape a lot of loose bark off. I have never done anything someone else has not but always meet them after.
What about just droppin em ontop each other a few times?
Quote from: mike_belben on February 18, 2024, 02:32:06 AMI dunno doug lately i been breakin a lotta welds off. Not sure if its the trees or the 80 hp im trying to shove up the trees ash thats the culprit. Maybe im losing my touch!
I bet a hinged half round with some scarifier plates could debark the loose stuff pretty well. Like a pull thru line scriber.
Mike what rod are u using? I always used 7018 and 6011 but was busting welds. I stopped using 7018 and switched back to 7014. Problem quite. I think the 7018 really needs to be stored right and preheated to be right. 7014 and 6011 root pass seems to be a better solution for me.
I watched Mikes videos, I don't think there is much wrong with the welding and has a great concept for the pusher/stump rake/grapple for the dozer it just needs to be stepped up a bit in materials. The kind of forces going on there would require much heaver and larger section tubing and/or solid and with full depth welds to hold up in order to survive a long service life. In case its not clear Mike I'm cheering you on here not knocking you at all.
Thanks hilltop i didnt take it that way. The spear was bulletproof when it was just gravity hinged. Adding the hyd cylinder to open and close it added a host of versatile new ways to smoosh it into things and a massive new vector of unforseen forces from all those ways. It just wasnt braced in the right planes for the forces i overlooked and started cracking but i didnt have the option to stop and fix so i banged it out and just let the thing fold up. Either the stump moves, the dozer moves or the thing in between them breaks. But hey i got paid, the kids arent hungry and itll get a revamping when it comes home. Could still be a pile of steel laying in the dirt and i could just get on the dole but where is the fun in that? What would the boy learn if he didnt see me folding stuff up and showing him why it folded?
Joe its all er70s6 mig. I dont have a stick welder, i wish. The welds stayed put, the material next to the weld snapped off or just buckled in every case. 3/16 wall where it needs to be 3/8. Poor people fab, use whatever is in the pile cuz the wallet is empty and steel is at an all time high. 40ft goosenecks are approaching 30 grand now.
Quote from: moodnacreek on February 17, 2024, 07:39:39 PMI need to get Mike B. up here to weld a tooth bar on the head board of the rear mount log picker truck so I can scrape the loose bark off logs. Any one ever hear of this idea?
I got a junkpile solution for ya ol buddy. Get your bifocals on and zoom around a while.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/20240218_123129.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352497)
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Its a truck axle mounted vertical up against your headache rack so that the debarker can swing and let the log turn with the arc of your knuckleboom as you swing the carbody to pull logs through. The axle is just a big cheap serviceable stout pivot post to build onto.
The rims are bolted on. One welded to your main rail on bottom, then triangulated braces from your housing to your headache rack.
Now the top rim is the platform to build off of. A suitable spread bar gets welded across the rim, and then a pair of half rounds from a truck or tractor rim welded as uprights to cradle the log. Inside the rims you weld in steel scraps to hold the log up and rip the bark. But in between them you bolt in hay rake spring tines that stand an inch or so proud of the scarified teeth. The teeth hold the log up from crushing the spring tines.
The rake tines compress and follow the contours of the log helping clean it off. A chain prevents the thing from spinning too far, and some plywood or tin underneath direct the falling bark to collect mostly in a hopper or pile for scooping out. Hopefully you can find someone with a tub grinder/dye/bagger operation that wants your bark for mulch. Maybe even gives ya couple bucks or comes to fetch it atleast, saving you a trip.
Or you could put up a sign calling it some kinda miracle grow garden fertility enhancer and charge the citiots by the scoop. It does harbor a lotta good soil bugs.
Too complicated but I like the cartoon. Another idea was to weld teeth in the grapple jaws and grab the log loosely and twist. Problem there is that I don't like to puncture the bark on good fresh pine or cedar, it lets in the blue stain and scars what might be live edge. If I had not started this fummins project [spent the day needle scaling] I would start a tooth bar, thanks Mike, Doug
Mail me your fummims and i will mail you back a remote control hydraulic debarker!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/IMG_2650.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352537) Well the flue bug hit my house. So I was home with the kids. Went out and welded this old bucket up. It's actually in good shape has two bushings that need replaced but it's broken over the years. I think it's the standard duty version. But it's makes a good spare. Two hose and a few bolts and it's on the machine and can fix the other one up. (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/IMG_2641.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352532)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/IMG_2648.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352533)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/IMG_2647.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352536)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34659/IMG_2646.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352535)☝️The entire jaw broke off and has held up well after a years worth of work so I guess it's still worth my time to fix it. It really doesn't take long to weld these up. The steel is very good material in these. and I haven't welded one spot twice that's usually when the steel started getting really stressed and won't repair well. I should take the time to plate these jaws. Repairs will prolly almost stop.
I'm pretty sure that is an SG-S, which is the heavy duty version. Yes, they are a good steel. Be careful welding around the pins, they have nylon bushings that you can melt.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22883/IMG_8034.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=352868)
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I brought the trailer that we have been building home yesterday so that JMoore can paint it and we can add a deck. I may haul it back to school to wire it. The students could benefit from learning how to solder and run trailer lights. I was using a ball mounted on a tractor fork to roll the trailer up onto my trailer. It almost fit between my fenders, and I bent one of the new trailer's fenders a bit. I was able to get it mostly straightened out. Unloading it was quite a bit easier.
We will use 1" live oak to deck it with. Bigger wheels and tires are coming. These were some I had that we used to move it around on. A good portion of this trailer was made from scrap, but we did use a new coupler, jack and fenders.
I had to build a new box for my dump trailer, among other things on it.IMG_6106.jpegIMG_6108.jpegIMG_6110.jpegIMG_6111.jpeg
I still have to add wood sides, I guess they'll be rough sawn 😂.
First Time adding pictures to the new system, it seems I figured it out, now if I can remember how to do it next time.
Well, don't that look nice!!!
I am either in the market for a dump trailer or going to build one. that looks nice.