The Projects Never End

[Toolslinger]

I should add that the climate here isn't really extreme. If we dropped well below freezing and stayed there for much longer periods, it would be a different situation. We see lots of upper 30s and 40s through the winter. Most years right along the path of the spring and stream the ferns stay green all winter due to that little bit of heat coming up from below.

[DavidBarkey]

I should add that the climate here isn't really extreme. If we dropped well below freezing and stayed there for much longer periods, it would be a different situation. We see lots of upper 30s and 40s through the winter. Most years right along the path of the spring and stream the ferns stay green all winter due to that little bit of heat coming up from below.

Ok , now I am super jealous . So whats the down side of living there . There has to be something or everyone would live there .

[Toolslinger]

Well, lessee...
I'm just far enough that a commute to NY, NJ, or Philly isn't realistic. I love my mountain for that)
There's basically no work north of the mountain I'm on, and pay sucks out here.
"Civilization" hasn't really moved in which is real nice, but there are now people here complaining about "those farmers and their cows" making it smell bad... So it's coming.
You have to drive a bit to get to stores. It's better than it used to be kinda, but nothing the suburbanites want to deal with.
The political situation here is very one sided and somewhat extreme. Me I don't like that as I'm centrist, other's may, still others may not be able to deal with it.

[DavidBarkey]

Well, lessee...
I'm just far enough that a commute to NY, NJ, or Philly isn't realistic. I love my mountain for that)
There's basically no work north of the mountain I'm on, and pay sucks out here.
"Civilization" hasn't really moved in which is real nice, but there are now people here complaining about "those farmers and their cows" making it smell bad... So it's coming.
You have to drive a bit to get to stores. It's better than it used to be kinda, but nothing the suburbanites want to deal with.
The political situation here is very one sided and somewhat extreme. Me I don't like that as I'm centrist, other's may, still others may not be able to deal with it.

Around here we call "those people " Citiots . Your political stance is like my driving . I like my half in the middle . The ones behind me don't mind so much , but the one coming towards me not so much .

[Toolslinger]

And then there was snow...
Nothing serious. 2-2.5" and it's going to warm up today, tomorrow, and Weds... Unfortunately I have a delivery coming today, so I can't just let it melt off on its own. Not enough to bother with the blower. I'm just about to head out to fire up the 8N and wait while the 90wt gear oil it uses for hydraulic fluid actually becomes liquid...

I did check the starter on the 444 yesterday. The bendix really didn't want to move. A little Liquid Wrench, and it moved by finger, but then it refused to return... Just perfect.
New starter will be here in a couple days. Need to do the battery too, but that explains the poor behavior the other day when it had more than enough volts and amps standing by...

[thebuildist]

What I know of welding I've mostly learned watching YouTube. The Fabrication Series channel is great for learning about TIG, ICWeld is great for creative and clever approaches to welding big heavy stuff (mostly 7018 stick welding) with essentially nothing more than a welding/service truck. And CuttingEdgeEngineering includes a lot of welding in his vids, mostly MIG, and he takes the time to point out which wire type, what kind of gas, amps and wire speed. He uses gas with flux core when he's welding the eye onto giant (6" and larger) hydraulic cylinder rods. The notch between the rod and eye is about 1.5" wide and the full depth of the rod, and it takes apparently hundreds of passes to fill in. I presume it produces a clean weld with minimal slag, so it's easy to clean in between weld passes.

Bob

[Toolslinger]

Well... I mentioned previously that I had put a surplus military generator on as a whole house unit. I don't recall if I mentioned that some time in the late summer/early fall something went wrong...

What happened? Not really sure. My best guess is simply that there was a high resistance connection there, and the 24v system was able to build enough heat to scorch things. Obviously that big plug is shot. The wires above it are part of the smaller plug harness too.

Took me a while to come up with a derelict machine to scrounge parts... I found a 10k unit that put out 400hz power rather than 60. No big deal, the wiring is the same for both. That's been sitting in the barn for a while now waiting for me to find the time. I was not going to rush, because this is a somewhat daunting task, and I knew I was going to have to just stick through it in one group of days.
This is what I'm up against...

So I found that with Christmas in between...

Out with the two burned harnesses in the top control box. Thankfully the third was ok. The military is very diligent about their labels... Every wire has a distinct number stenciled on it about every 3 inches. Makes this far easier than just a mess of wires, or playing with colors.
Front box done. Just need to clip the zip tie tails.

Yesterday, I dug in to the bottom of the machine. Just one harness there, but sadly half of it was cut by the prior owner of the parts machine. So, good crimps, and shrink tube, and I got that all put back in. Had to remove the whole front control box to get access to things.
Before

After with the splices feathered in that big bundle.

This afternoon, I put a little sheet metal back on the frame to support the control boxes, and finished up a little cleanup. Put the battery charger back in, and got most of a charge done. I'm hoping if the weather agrees with me I can try to start it again Friday. I need clear weather as I want it outside for this. I really don't want to burn my uncle's garage or my barn in the case something goes wrong... Going to take it in to the middle of a field.

[Toolslinger]

The weather was amazing today, so before getting back to the generator, I decided it was time to get my Christmas present to myself installed...

It's an Amulet HoeClamp. Basically a mechanical thumb, rather than a hydraulic one. Because I have an extendahoe, and it's the style with the extension being inside the upper, a regular hydraulic, or fixed thumb won't really work. This thing simply pins on the existing holes, and moves in relation to the bucket. It's a pretty neat system. It's going to take a little experience to get good with it, but it works ok moving logs to start. I want to drop some boulder along the road to absorb the energy from a car before it hits either my barn, or gristmill. We've been piling boulders for years, and now I can pick away at that stack without worry about coming face to face with the rock pile inhabitants...

[Spike188]

@Toolslinger your generator project realy tweets my interest. A phasequest unit that converts 208/240 volt to 3 phase with computer grade power on all thee legs is part of my tool box. It will handle a 5 horsepower 3 phase moter plus a bit more. When the new shop is complete a 3 phase generator is on the wish list. During the winter the generator engine heat could be captured for shop heat while powering an engine lathe, mill, compressor, and plasma cutter. 3 phase industrial equipment cast offs are cheap compared to single phase unites. Typical 3 phase equipment will have greater capabilities and options. Finding a suitable genset with clean windings and control wiring is one criteria that is high priority. Searching for browned wires is something to add to a checklist. After purchase checking that all connections are tight is a must.

I admire your tenacity and trouble shooting skills.

[Toolslinger]

This is an MEP-802a. The military considers it a 5k unit, but that's 80% capacity. It'll do 5k all day, every day, and not break a sweat with your choice of 120v single phase, 120/240 single phase, or 120/208 three phase. I'm hoping to be able to power a couple of my smaller 3 phase machines, but it can't handle the big stuff. Power is clean from the brushless generator head. Military uses this series to power absolutely everything. (or did, they're mostly on to the next version now)

10K is an MEP-803a. Same voltage flavors, same 80% rating.

For what you're looking at, I'd be looking at the next step up. MEP-804a or b, and then Mep-805 (don't know about letters) Once you hit this range they're 3 phase dedicated machines, but you can still pull 120. 15kw for 804, and I guess 20 or perhaps 25 for 805. I've seen the 804's for relatively low prices compared to the 802, and 803 since most folks aren't interested in the 3 phase. If I happened across an 804 for short money now, I'd likely be in, specifically to power my 3 phase machines that are just languishing in one of my shipping containers.

I saw at least one post looking in to using the heat from the coolant, and then scavenging some from the exhaust as well to heat a space, and also water. I didn't follow along, so no idea if they got anywhere... The generator section of Steelsoldiers.com is a wealth of info on these machines, and the guys there can for sure get these things up and running in a hurry.