jjrbus Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 I have an inner child that the outer adult must keep in check. The child can be irritating, he can be fun, he can be interesting. It is the inner village Idiot that can really ruin my day! If you can't laugh at yourself you may be missing the best joke in the neighborhood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 I've done that more then once. On a side-note - I never use the cheap non-forged flare-nuts anymore (like you have in the photo). I've had too many crack. The much stronger forged flare-nuts only cost around 50 cents more. My bad day (yesterday) beats your bad day. I'm getting ready to move a bunch of old equipment to a very rural property I got in the Michigan UP. So I drug out my 1948 Cletrac bulldozer (had not been run in 2 years). My plan was to go all through it. Make sure it's ready to leave somewhere very rural where I have few tools to work on it. It had a weak magneto. Note -for those not fully aware of old ignition systems - the magneto is a self-contained complete ignition system. No battery hookup. Just uses internal magnets to make a spark and sends it through its own distributor. The mag on it was original from 1948 and would lose spark once good and hot (maybe two hours run time). I splurged and bought a brand-new replacement for $400! Not something I usually do with anything. Call it a weak moment. Engine is a four-cylinder, 141 cubic inch Hercules IXB3 for anyone that cares. So, yesterday, I spent the morning, very carefully taking off the old magneto and putting on the new one. Engine started right up and sounded great. Then did some rewiring, and when NOT wearing my glasses - I hooked up a power lead from the 6 volt starting battery to the shut-off connection on the magneto. It went up in smoke. Magneto is NEVER supposed to have any battery power hooked to it - ever. So last night - I tore off my brand new $400 mag and have it on my work-bench now. I melted part of the ignition coil and have ordered a new one. Absolutely one of the "stoopidest" things I've done this week, so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 That's a nice looking dozer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted May 5, 2016 Author Share Posted May 5, 2016 Cool dozer! Good catch on the nuts, like many things I did not notice. Interestingly I bought them at the hardware store instead of the big box place. Big box only sells rolls and I needed less than a foot of copper line. I like wandering around hardware stores, I'm like a kid in a candy store. Last time I was there was to buy a galvanized bucket, nobody sells steel buckets anymore. I was in Wal Mart looking at plastic buckets and though, I would buy a gallon bucket of ice cream and use that instead! My ability to make mistakes even amazes me, I have to remember the only people that do not make mistakes are those that don't do anything! I had a closet light leaking water, being a rocket scientist I knew we have a coal fired plant and not hydro power so that was not the issue. I knew the AC unit was about where the light is so decided to investigate. A look see and a bit of time on the web turned up a plugged AC drain line, a simple fix might be in order by vacuuming out the overflow pain and vacuuming out the drain line. All sounds very simple, however I had to turn off the breaker to the light. Don't want to be working in water with the electric on. That in turn shut off every light on that end of the house including the outside lights and garage lights and the attic where the AC is. I only have one Ryobi light, does not matter I could have 10 as I do not have a charged battery. The vacuum is full and I need to empty that and find the foam filter for it. Drag a light and extension cords and vacuum up into the attic. Where is the rule that these things must happen at night? I managed to get through all this without making any disastrous mistakes, but it always leave me wondering, what do people do that do not know how to do anything! So now I sit here after carefully measuring a piece of oak plywood and cutting it on the wrong side of the line! Fortunately I had left a skosh for sanding to fit, but now will not be able to sand. It will be off a wee tad however 98% of people will not even notice. Jim SW FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payaso del mar Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 (edited) ah, the cascading chain of gumption traps, I know it well......... and I want you to know that the only reason i'm not wanting to arm wrestle you for the rights to the title is that you live in a different village than I do. 3 hours ago, jjrbus said: what do people do that do not know how to do anything! they pull out the charge card and spend lots of their disposable $ that could have funded their next camping trip? trim hides all sins. I often use trim designed for acoustic guitar edge binding (look on ebay) to cover small gaps....it's usually about 3/32 thick and maybe 5/16 wide, and comes in all kinds of beautiful exotic woods. nice way to turn a booboo into classing the job up! Edited May 5, 2016 by payaso del mar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted May 5, 2016 Author Share Posted May 5, 2016 Some think that I do really nice work, nope. What I am is a world classed expert on hiding boo boo's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 9 hours ago, jdemaris said: That seems vastly more manageable than the 59 Cat D6 I purchased to clear my lot some 25 years ago. I got mine cheap as the gas pony motor gave the previous owner fits. Big toys can be pretty affordable if you are resourceful enough to fix them yourself. After I built the house I sold it and bought a skid steer. Same situation, needed a "little" work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 I had a Cat D6 for years, along with an Allis Chalmers HD6. One big pain was they were both too heavy for me to truck myself. I don't have any trucks or trailers big enough. It got so that it would cost me $200 just to move one of my big dozers from one end of town to the other and I finally sold them both. At least this little Cletrac, I can tow with my pickup and a 10,000 lb. GVWR trailer. It's going to be a trail-making machine and may never leave the camp where I am putting it again (at least in my lifetime). I still have a somewhat bigger Case 310G dozer here at my main place. Substantially bigger then the little Cletrac but still only weighs around 6500 lbs., so I can still truck it myself. The Case has a 6-way blade and a 188 cubic inch diesel. Handy little machine and the parts are not so huge that I am going to kill myself when I have to work on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 (edited) We had a TD6 the only one that could get it started was me it was a had thing to grasp a diesel with spark plugs no one could figure out how to decompress and get it going on gas.A neighbor has a 720 JD it had a V4 gas engine to start a 2 cylinder diesel. I'm so glad all my gear is modern now. Edited May 7, 2016 by Maineah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Modern stuff is nice to operate, that if for sure. Not so nice to pay for. By today's standards, some of those old systems were pretty convoluted, but they worked. And a guy (or gal I guess) could often fix without taking it to a shop. Not much complexity. The V4 pony motor in the Deere 2-banger diesel always perplexed me a bit. It had replaceable cylinder sleeves, unlike any other Deere engine at the time. One advantage was starting in cold weather. That V4 was water-cooled and shared coolant with the main engine - so got it warmed up a bit before trying to start. The IH TD6 and Farmall Super MD were also a work of genius for the time with the engine that started on gas and then switched to diesel mode. In the 70s and 80s, we had logger customers that put kits on their pickup trucks so their cooling systems could be plugged into their dozer or log-skidder that was parked in the woods at 20 below zero F . They show up in the morning, plug in the heater hoses, hang out for half an hour drinking coffee (or booze), and then start the diesel dozer or skidder up that was pre-warmed. I'm not in the business anymore but I assume the newest stuff either starts better in severe cold, or has an on-board diesel engine-block heater like a Webasto. I know Ford offered those heaters for diesel pickup trucks to warm up the engine block when parked in severe cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payaso del mar Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 On 05/05/2016 at 3:02 PM, jjrbus said: Some think that I do really nice work, nope. What I am is a world classed expert on hiding boo boo's! I suspect the same could be applied to lots of well regarded surgeons........it damn sure could to lots of well regarded lawyers! and more than a few luthiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Burger Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 On 5/5/2016 at 4:24 AM, jjrbus said: I have an inner child that the outer adult must keep in check. The child can be irritating, he can be fun, he can be interesting. It is the inner village Idiot that can really ruin my day! If you can't laugh at yourself you may be missing the best joke in the neighborhood. That's what compression couplings are for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 (edited) My Village Idiot story, This little old 1976 "Morrison Trailblazer" trail maker has an (C) Onan engine with old fashion point ignition that is placed where you can't get at the points very well. So I found a very rare and expensive electronic ignition that would replace the points, from ONAN about $160. Hooking up the last wire and turned the ignition key a poof of $160 special smoke arose from the little magic ignition box... I now have a $30 "point saver" ignition. This is "DINO" the trail hoe This is Dino's Chariot behind my 86 Toyota 4x4 Edited February 6, 2017 by Lee & Joan add note Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Man that's just what I need. Need to excavate in a hard to get to place. I didn't know they made anything that small. You have a lot of cool stuff Lee Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 1 hour ago, linda s said: Man that's just what I need. Need to excavate in a hard to get to place. I didn't know they made anything that small. You have a lot of cool stuff Lee Linda S There are a bunch of mini's available, can even be rented. Easy to find with the help of Google. http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/332090619596?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I rented a mini bobcat for some of the work and I will probably have to do it again once the rain stops. Lee's is just so little though. Bet it turns on a dime. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Lee, That looks like a kick to operate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 These were made one at a time by Jerry Morrison over in Talent Oregon. Mine is # 276, each was different, an improvement on the one built before. Mine was made in 1973 and sold to the East Bay (Oakland Cal) recreation dept with a custom tilt trailer. They sued Jerry when "It rolled over on its operator" (they had it adjusted all wrong) and I got it from a guy who got it at the auction. I spent a few years rebuilding it, new tracks, undercarriage, roll bar, seat, blade, all hydraulic hoses (about 25 hoses), track motors, zerks, roll pins, ect. I went over to meet Jerry Morrison and his son in law, Jerry is about 90 years old and was still building trails for the USFS with his son in law. He had a couple of these that were different than mine. He had a Yamaha big wheel 350 motorcycle with a tractor tire on the back that 'Dad" rode on and son in law was hitched behind it on a wide plow that screeded off the rough trail. They had a little trail sized asphalt laying machine they had built, and a mini "dump truck" for hauling gravel that was only trail wide. They had stuff to blow up boulders, drill through rocks,build bridges, and I was like a kid in a candy store. I like to build trails and then ride them on my XR250 motorcycle. Before I got this we did it all with a McCloud fire tool, chainsaw and a weed eater with a carbide skill saw blade on it, this is so much nicer than the McCloud. You can put 5 gallons of gas in it, work 8 hours and only have to put 4 gallons back in. You might of noticed that it has 6 control handles plus 2 more. The top 6 run the backhoe and tilt blade, the bottom 2 run the forward / backward tracks, so there is a lot going on at once with the hands, the tilt blade is also your backhoe stabilizer, and a lot of exposed plumbing. That is where the new version (shown below) is much more modern These are currently now being made by a guy up in Oregon with a diesel engine and can be run by remote control, you can actually get off the thing when it gets scary and keep on working,but they cost $100,000 plus. He is also a great guy and that's where I got my new tracks. Some fun videos of this mini beast in action lookie here ~> http://www.singletracktools.com/?sec=videos .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 That is the ultimate Remote control toy. I'm just a big kid too. Like I said you have a lot of cool stuff. If I come up there sometime can I play with some of your toys? Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee & Joan Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 You sure can. Bring some toy along with you. Here are some other interesting mini excavators Bud on the Morrison trailblazer Another trailblazer at work Toro Dingo Kobelco SS Mini Excavator Mini pelle / mini digger The problem with the real little ones is that you have to have some weight in the machine to be able to apply force against that which you wish to move. If the machine is too light it can not exert enough force against a stump, instead the machine moves and not the stump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nam Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 There are no mistakes but lessons learned that''s what I think when I screw things up hahahha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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