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Got the 'new tread pattern' attached to the wheels this evening, having sourced what I'm reliably informed is the ultimate in sticky shite ..... we'll see .... time will tell on that one ..... pix to follow, when said sticky shite has set !!
Also fitted a 'sort of' cure for the jalopy's leccy earth drain problem .... battery isolator switch that arrived this afternoon along with the boss, courtesy of Postman Pat.
Don't yer just love an intermittent problem ..... NOT !!!!!
well, .... said sticky shite eventually set ..... gave it 48 hrs to be sure and added a few self tappers for belt and braces ....
if that's the ultimate in 'sticky' .... not impressed ... I hope it works better than it appears it might ...... got it off the bench for a test drive .... squeezed the go handle and ........... the fkn cable snapped .... so none the wiser!!!! ..... next job ... new cable !!
Be interesting to see how the cambelt tyres improve performance! Gotta be better than the racing slicks. as long as they stay attached
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
So , how far is it to the new dump site ?
Can you get it there with your Dumpy .
In a few words Ian ...... too bloody far !! 6+ miles ..... 'bout 8 minutes in the car and back lanes. Prob.s an hour round trip in the old Thwaites ..... but not legal anyway Traccy and big trailer ... better option but .... still ain't legal .
Back to me field tip BTLs, but seeing as it's pissed down here all night and half the day, the top is a swamp/cheesecake again .... it'll be a while, 'fore anything moves ...... Ferkin wevver
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
OK ..... mower front ..... as said, drive cable was well banjaxed
the prospect of shelling out 36 quid for a new piece of wire didn't appeal .... no matter how fancy the nipples on the ends were
A serious incentive to get creative with a roll of stainless spring steel 1mm wire that I used to use for VERY long crane throttle cable replacements!!
bit of selective manipulation on the ends and we had a new inner created, fitted and ready for a test drive.
The new cam belt tyres work a bloody treat ..... and stayed put .... for now at least ...... but Pam's not been let loose with it yet
So .... all green stuff massacred for another few days and 'she's had me busy ..... as usual, ... on anything other than what I'd had planned .......
yet more paving has bitten the dust ..... slabs were f***ed to be fair and this seemed an easier proposition than acquiring new ones and laying the damned things!!
that is apart from all the buggers that were loose and needed relaying
So, I've been rather pre-occupied with dealing with all of those, that the cowboys who laid 'em on shit, left for me to 'inherit'. Plus all the bloody grouting associated with 'em and all the other loose grout in need of sorting.
on a plus point........Pam actually enjoys the grouting side of it .... as long as she doesn't have to mix it, so that was a bit of a result.
Anyway .... by four o'clock Friday afternoon I'd gotten all bar one back down, which was waiting for the new bed to go off, having had to make up about 3" to sit said slab on. So 'twere time fora spot of .........
stockpile relocating.....
ten loads later and it was time for tea ..... two hours had made a significant dent in what was sat ......
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
Half hour after tea, to drag it back into a decent heap, in the one corner and it was ready for another go in the morning ..... reckoned another five trips'd clear what was heaped up ready to move, then it'd be time to rag some more out for 'export'
The counter's racking 'em up quietly ......
... and'd hopefully be showing a LOT more by the end of play Saturday
Slight issue for saturday morning .....
an unexpected Clara visit for a few hours apparently .....
I'd have to strap her car seat on't Thwaites for an hour or two ...
she's already able to say 'dumper' and loves sitting on it, rocking the wheel back and fore .......Might be a different story with that noisy lil' Perky sat under her bum, heading down the field, to tip a fully stuffed skip. !!!!!
That 4 ft / 850 ltr 'Drema bucket makes short work of skip stuffing ...... four of them and it's WELL stuffed!!!
Went to bed Friday night thinking "it'd better not ****ing rain tonight" ..... first time in ages it's all been dry enough at both ends to actually do summat !!
well it was showing a bit more by the end of play yesterday ...
but not as much as I'd have liked .... late kick off due to a certain lil' visitor, but did get going eventually ...
stockpile took another eight trips to shift .... started one end .....
got that cleared up ...
.....and moved me attentions to t'other end, taking the last bucketful with me .....
the other 5 loads got ripped out the back edge, which slowed proceedings a bit, having to 'generate' the dumper fill ... quick enough stuffing the Thwaites with pre-dug, de-stoned loose spoil ... different story having to rip it out first.....
and tidied it all up a bit .... back to where it was .....
.......plus a couple more feet advanced into the back edge ..... as far as I could reach anyway !!
accumulated a fair bit more rock and rubble in the process.... with some still to sort .....
.......got to the point where the top of the boulder layer's now at or dipping below where I want/need to be .... so the buggers can stay in there !! Also reached / found water too !! either a spring, or it's an aquifer, on top of said boulder layer
There is one mother though, that is borderline on height .... the biggest I've found to date BTLs of it !! The one I've been threatening to out since the last time I was at it .....
Had a scrat around it this afters with a spade looking for the edges ... got about 6" of clay all around it/between it and its neighbours ... I'm guessing, based on some of its previous neighbours, that it's probably a good 2+ ft in the deck .... be easier to leave it put if I can.
The grey line is a mark up for a drain, which realistically could do with going in sooner, rather than later, if I'm gonna be getting water accumulating .... it'll link to me land drain system that was draining the lake though the winter's monsoons.
Not a lot did today ... being Sunday an' all that shit !! Plus neighbours had a tribe of visitors, so thought it 'politic' to give their ears a rest.
Whole day to meself tomorrow though!!
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
I have tried to save the neighbours by not digging after 8pm and on Sundays. Last Saturday had 2 separare sessions with a decent silent peeiod in between to maintain peace. So far haven't got any notes and whenever a neighboir approaches to chat, I will put the engine to idle and chat with them. That is amazingly efficient
This is the culprit IMHDO .... vac / pressure powered from the rocker cover below it and am assuming that it's diaphragm has either gotten dry and hard over winter, or the vac/pressure 'supply' has an issue ... like blocked or whatever.
anyone had any experience of this type of pump?? It's a Kwaka twin which usually runs like a watch.
Hmm thats a heads up on that one .. My great dane uses the exact same motor, and has got a little harder to start over the years
Please don't PM me for plant advice.. thanks .. Post in the forum where I will gladly help, as will many of our contributors.. as the info and responses will help everyone else, which is why we exist
I have tried to save the neighbours by not digging after 8pm and on Sundays. Last Saturday had 2 separare sessions with a decent silent peeiod in between to maintain peace. So far haven't got any notes and whenever a neighboir approaches to chat, I will put the engine to idle and chat with them. That is amazingly efficient
Yeh got to be a little circumspect about the noise ..... we did tolerate a year of builders next door, kicking off at 07.00 everyday, so do have some latitude
Much after 7 pm ATM and the light's just not bright enough to see WTF you're doing really, unless it's just bulking out .... 'nother few weeks and I'll be back to my 8 pm shutdown too
At least when I'm 'exporting' up the drive, it's 5 minutes filling the dumper and then 10 minutes off, whilst it gets shipped up to the tip area and I get back behind the 'Drema, ..... for the next one
Bloody annoying on a Sunday though, when it's perfect digging weather
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
well the weather has been exceptionally kind for a few days earlier this week
Monday started with a fueling session .... Druid style .....
followed by lashing the VA-r back on't dipper .....
had some tidying to do.....
so's I could re-locate some pallets of ... all sorts, to get it out the way for an onslaught .... hell it takes time to get it mice and flat/level and shift it all !!
to a point that can still get about and get at what i want to remove ...but eventualy dropped the forks off and stuck a bucket on again for some spoil shifting.
got the areas where the pallets had been trimmed up and flat for a stand for some real shifting Tuesday.
Alex arrived late afternoon with .......
the HPX ......
that's developed an annoying leak !
these took some getting out ...... and even more getting back in after sussing they were in one piece !!!
eventually concluded that the cause was the 8.8s from Mr Kins ..... the head plate was far from the VFT it was, when it got fitted onto Matilda and I'm guessing that the slight movement was allowing/causing oil to bypass the push fit seals !!
So the 8.8s are now EFT .. any more and they'd snap .. and some 10.9s are required to replace 'em ... I reckon they're stretching allowing them to slack off, the head to move and hey presto .... leaky seals !!
'Course this is designed to hang off a rotater, vertically, not get man handled on the end of a dipper, in a quicky !! Pity there're no dowels to locate it, as the 17.5 mm holes the M16s pass through do not help the cause of keeping it stationary !!
So a shufty at that took care of Monday evening, after tea ....
Next morning was .... a late start ... Tuesday = (a) Clara day .... and an early finish, due to it being my fortnightly infusion night, so 5 o'clock bath-time!!
Did make full use of the sunshine though ... as much as I could, between waving to the lil' 'un, etc. ....... " digga digga Grand dad" .... she's got the interest anyway .... for more than just the Thwaites !!
Left the VA-r on thTuesday morning for dealing with the back batter and creating a new level to cut down to .... with a bigger bucket ....
but did manage to rack up some more on the counter ......
Also discovered a repair to get done .... again !! ..... this pin is obviously taking some serious stresses and may have to consider a floating capture for it, to try and overcome the break for the second time
Bit annoying, but 'tain't gonna fall apart ..... need to dig that drainage channel really, 'fore I drop it off, in favour of my favourite 3 ft edged Geith for some real ripping out down to the new level.
I like to try to maintain a usable set of levels, as yer never know when action is likely to be curtailed ..... by the bloody weather .. and that can happen anytime !! Gotta have summat to stand on!!
an 18"-ish reduction doesn't half create some loads too ......
Wanted to see this right across to the ramp and pull that down a bit too, hopefully, by end of play tomorrow ........
the pallets of 'stuff' can stay sat at their current levels now .... 'til I get this all down to where I want it and a surface on it ..... then I can pick said pallets down onto the bottom level ... as I'll have somewhere to stand the damned things
Lots more pix for the masochists amongst you in the usual place ...... click on any pic for a link to the Bucket ...... which has been a complete PITA lately .... they're ' experiencing issues ' apparently!!!
Not as many as I am, trying to upload!!!!!
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
had a good day Wednesday ... and a relatively early-ish start ....
once I'd got the car seat out of Pam's, sorted the headlight & brake light bulbs in Vicki's hubby's motor and parked the car seat in't back o't rangey ....
Vicki's nicked Pam's motor to go off to one of her Maguire lecture courses for 5 days and Pam's driving her hubby's .. God knows how long the headlight, etc., had been out !!!
Anyway .... I eventually got my bum in't 'Drema, whipped the VA-r off and stuck my fave spoon on the dipper .... had to resort to the odd 'leg' now and again, to get me slew ring somewhere near it !!
mission almost accomplished and got half way into the ramp, by close of play.....
and left it drive-able, so's I can get up on there next and attack the ramp from t'other direction ..... bloody difficult trying to get the cutting edge level on such a slope, off centre.
I have found some crap today, aside from the inevitable concrete blocks !!
found more of this last year .... wondered WTF it was?
who the hell buries carpet, old gas fires, copper pipe, gate posts, sheep hurdles, a five bar gate, a kiddies stair gate, old fencing wire - by the roll, a bloody big tree in several pieces, sleepers, a central heating boiler, .... er what else have I had ?
Nice to see it coming down though !
nearly forgot this 'un
Ain't stopped all day and seemed like more??? ... Pretty sure I remembered to click the counter for every load
oh and this one too .......
despite the forecast .. looked like it might be a decent day tomorrow
as per usual .... lots more digger/digging porn, etc., in me bucket ... link from any pic !!
Yesterday ... well ..... as the old saying goes ........ " That's f***ked it " ..... for at least a week, I'd guess, with a warm, dry and breezy week!!!
Hell was it torrential here from four o'clock on !!!
Morning completely knackered by 'requirements' from the ' executive decisions list ' keeper !!
Services required to collect and transport a dozen sleepers, from the local timber suppliers, to her son in law's place ..... after he'd arrived with Clara !!
the timber guys are close to my mate the fabby and I wanted some materials, so a quick detour .... that becomes an hour + and we're on our way back to Chris & Vicki's to offload said sleepers
It hadn't looked the greatest of days to start ... as in 'bout to piss down, at any second, so wasn't too worried, but by lunch time it was shaping up fine ....
So, .... saddled up the 'Drema and Thwaites and had 4 or 5 more skipfulls up to the tip field, as I'd been tidying up what had gotten done yesterday!
and got it all looking pretty decent and flat, sealing the surface as I came back out, .....
.....and watching this gert black cloud heading my way !!
amazing what a full stretch, over the side, with a full bucket, does to what looks like a pretty firm surface ..... 'til you start balancing a duck on it, on two wheels .... soon gets a bit squished ...
anyway ... it started as I was working me way back down the lower part the ramp, sealing it over, as I retreated .......
and had just got back on the hard when it opened up !!!!
And didn't it ever kick off .... full scale thunder storm .... impressive .... but horrendously wet .....
Bloody good job it'd all had the back edge of me cutting edge over it to iron it down and slick it over ..... would've been slurry otherwise.
was gonna be interesting to see what was stood there friday a.m.
the rate it's been coming down, although the ground is dry as a chip, it'll not've done much more, than just run off the surface.
Was really hoping I DID NOT have a lake again in the morning!!
Will take weeks to get this dry again!!
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
Little something different ....... sat at me fabby mate's place ..... the ultimate in 'Shepherd's Huts' ........
He's made quite a few o' these as they're the 'in vogue' thing round here for 'Glampers'.
More like a shepherd's mansion ..... 20+ feet long and 10ft+ wide ....
some very clever design ideas in it ...
take one axle off, after you've slotted in the draw bar and picked it up, with yer pick-up hitch, behind your traccy and drag it anywhere you like.
if you want to take it further afield ....
stick the road going axle under the back end ...
remove t'other wheels and away you go, up the black top
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
well ....... it has pee-ed down here, all night and as said .... "That's f***ked it" .........
didn't quite get the top level enough ... bout an inch low, at the back !!!
I let it all out last thing this afters .... just 'fore it pee-ed down again, for the umpteenth time today !!
I'd cut a drainage channel, at the bottom of the batter, up there, for such an eventuality .... hoping not to have to use it for a while and cut a run off into it, with Excalibur, to let that top drain ..... into the lake!!
Job in the morning ..... stick the VA-r back on and dig that drainage channel in the 'lake bed', to feed it all into the land drain, which I'd planned to do next ........ before having to !!!!!!
Only about 40mm of water in there, at the back, so it's all pretty much about the same sort of level, right through ... with the odd 'high bit' !! It's been a lot worse, but'll take while to get back to the Talcum it was, again !!
God knows what the tip field is like ...... haven't looked!
Been spending me time on/off today, between the deluges, modifying me mower ramps ... When I made 'em in 2010 I could handle 'em fine, but time seems to be taking its toll and they're now bloody hard work to shift about, so decided to split 'em in half .... hence the visit to Pete's, me fabby mate, yesterday, in anticipation of getting rained off/drowned out!!
thin disc rips 'em down fine and some new additional edges and ribs attached, plus an extra bearing plate.
whoever laid the patio originally had 3" plus overhang on the edge slabs and I wanted to get the bearing back behind that .... properly ... so added another 4" to the top bearing and canted it to bear only on the edge of it.
Didn't want to use these again, having sorted the patio slabs and re-bedded them, without altering the damned things and make 'em a lot easier to handle .....
plus I'll have 4 now ... instead of the two big un's and'll be spreadable to take the Dane's 5ft plus wheel base ..... they were 4ft wide, as they were ...
one down ...... one to go .....
got it cut and all the bits fettled up .... just as it decided to throw it down yet again ... so called it a day, looking at the huge black cloud heading my way
.... plus it was getting damned near time for tea and I wanted to drain that top level ......'fore it got any fuller ... Poxy weather!!!!!
Fresh coat of paint required on't ramps ..... once it dries up a bit.
I'll swear the grass has grown a good inch overnight, so that'll be first thing on the agenda, once it stops piddling !! __________________
If it's got tracks, wheels, t*ts, or an engine, at some point it's gonna give you trouble!!
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