What did you do today?

[Stormin 9,981]

On ‎4‎/‎20‎/‎2021 at 4:28 PM, Mickwhitt said:

Next question is should I take off the fixed axle and fit rubber suspension arms so I can used it with my car? 

 

  I think you'll find, even with the Indespension units, such a light trailer will bounce unless well loaded. Certainly if your roads are anything like the ones up here. Also with the axle right a the back like that it will swing quite a bit.

[formariz 11,987]

Spring . It’s time to start planting the flowers.

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

I found a driveway find 1981 Ford F250 Diesel with many of the "go to Town" options. in real nice shape, but it was a no start no crank truck that is very nice for a northern truck. not knowing a thing about these trucks, i put two new- ish batteries in Still no crank no start. Put two new batteries in that will crank over a 5.9 Cummins with authority. No crank no start. I finally shorted the firewall solenoid. Got crank and no fuel.at the high pressure fuel pump, but the fuel flooded the fuel filter. Nice

  So I reasoned that the start circuit and possibly whatever thingamabopper whirlymagoo that shut off/turned on the fuel was not working.After researching for hours, I kept  coming up with broken pot metal linkage inside the steering column that operated the ignigtion/start switch under the dash board and mounted to the steering column. It wasn't that, but the switch itself needs replaced.

 The batteries are a little low and am charging them up, but after installing the switch, there is fuel going to the injectors. Woo Hoo!! This may be an old truck without a turbo, but without a computer [I think] has me pretty excited.  My next trip should be a success with four batteries to get it started. You just can't figure this kind of stuff out on new equipment.

[8ntruck 7,016]

 @formariz - my first thought at seeing the picture was that somebody was playing with their new 3d wood carving machine.  Then I looked at the avatar and saw it was you - nope, this is hand work!  Very nice! 

 

I see that the top flower is still a sketch....

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

Woke up this morning to a broken refrigerator.  The freezer was still below freezing, about 25° (normally 0-10) and the fridge was around 45° (normally 35-40),

 

The compressor was trying to start every minute or so but it could not / did not.  I thought, probably the starting cap.  I have several in my junque boxe (sometimes it pays to hoard!).  Swapped it out... nope.  OK, must be the start relay.

 

YUP!  popped the cover off the side of the compressor and out fell the burnt charred remains of the relay.  It's an OLD fridge!  The relay is no longer available.  What to do...

 

I was able to salvage enough of the old relay to make a 'plug' onto which I soldered a couple wires, one for the RUN and one for the START.  With a couple well placed clip leads I was able to start and run the compressor.

 

I put on my McGyver cap and set to designing my own start relay with parts from my junque boxe.  I had a P&B KRPA DPDT relay and socket with 120V coil.  Of course I've got gobs of resistors and capacitors and diodes and transistors and yes, even VACUUM TUBES!

 

So I rigged up a circuit that would 'pulse' the relay for about a half second and release it.  IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM!

 

Here it is before I cleaned it all up, got rid of the clip leads, applied heat shrink tubing and electrical tape and put it inside a small metal enclosure to tuck inside the control area:

 

The whole ordeal took most of the day designing, prototyping, finalizing.

 

 

Basically I rectified the 120V RUN signal, filtered with the caps on the right, fed the resulting DC in SERIES with the silver starting cap (12 MFD) to the relay coil.

 

When the RUN signal goes high, the rectified DC sends a pulse through the silver capacitor and the coil pulls in.  Once the cap is charged, no more current flow, the relay drops out.  The resistors you see serve to discharge the capacitor after the relay drops out so it's ready for the next cycle.

 

It was a fun exercise and took my mind off feeling 'punky' after my 2nd Moderna yesterday.

 

Wife still wants a new fridge and that's fine.  I said you can get your fridge if I can get the driveway paved.  She said FINE!  GO AHEAD! 

No more worry about rocks in the snow thrower!  Easy to plow!  At least now she can shop at her leisure for exactly what she wants.

 

Started as a bad day, ended as a very good one!

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[formariz 11,987]

1 hour ago, 8ntruck said:

I see that the top flower is still a sketch...

Got to give them a little time to grow.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

2 hours ago, formariz said:

planting the flowers.

 

I can't describe how absolutely in awe I am of your mad skills!  Breathtaking!

[Pullstart 62,912]

@ohiofarmer did you buy the truck yet, or is this all in anticipation of making it purchase worthy?

[EricF 589]

13 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

Of course I've got gobs of resistors and capacitors and diodes and transistors and yes, even VACUUM TUBES!

Hey, I think we've got the same junk box! 

 

I've lost count of how many times I've been able to fix something urgent thanks to hanging on to useful parts stripped off of old stuff before it went to the dumpster. Helps to have the know-how, too. Not enough of that being taught these days -- In spite of the fact that there's so much info out on the internet if you only have the patience to search a bit...

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

Red hot day here today so I decided I needed to make a fire pit.

Honestly, the honourable Mrs.W is having her girlfriends round this evening and it will drop very cold.

So I cut down an oil drum and did some modifying so it should work as a wood burner. 

Kind of a nice shape to it and a raised steel grate so she can burn logs. 

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

2 hours ago, pullstart said:

@ohiofarmer did you buy the truck yet, or is this all in anticipation of making it purchase worthy?

 

 Gonna buy it anyway. A one thousand dollar truck that would part out if nothing else. I only have pictures on my cell phone which my computer does not like or i could show how nice and solid it is.What is driving us nuts is it has to be towed to the license bureau to verify VIN and mileage before they can title it to me.Because it"s out of state title. Working on that. if I can drive it away from the title bureau, i won't have to pay for the livery service to wait around for the standing around and waiting part. Local law enforcement won't give me a guarantee that one of their officers will not arrest me for driving a truck with expired or no plates to the inspection site only four miles from where the truck sits, and the owner is risk adverse as well.

  I am looking have  to fuss about with this truck. Research indicates that any leak in any fuel connection adds air to the system and then the injectors need bled out. i am so close to it starting it that it would be a shame not to get that accomplished. Anything that can get a feller this excited at my age either makes me live longer or promotes heart failure, I guess. 

  Even then, i will need to repair the rear axle on the Mighty Cummins and decide which truck to sell..

Thanks for asking, @pullstart

Edited April 22, 2021 by ohiofarmer

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

Once it burns the paint off it will be fine. Then some stove black on it and it will look great.

 

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

Only trouble is its a girls only club so im stuck indoors all night while they drink gin. 

 

[ebinmaine 67,623]

Just now, Mickwhitt said:

Only trouble is its a girls only club so im stuck indoors all night while they drink gin. 

 

You're better off mister man. 

Add all those words up and they spell "man trubble". 

 

[squonk 41,155]

17 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

Woke up this morning to a broken refrigerator.  The freezer was still below freezing, about 25° (normally 0-10) and the fridge was around 45° (normally 35-40),

 

 

 

 

Had the same thing happen to me last year. Just a couple days after knee surgery. Big ol GE. You can't find anything like this in a retail store anymore. Big pancake compressor. The condenser fan motor took a dump.  I'm thinking no big deal. Unit brg. Motor. I go to the local supplier thru work. Nothing in stock but a $200 ECM motor. 2 local appliance stores closed. I have motors in my work van but I'm off on workman's compensation so I can't get them. I need a 2 watt motor. A store 25 miles away has a 9 watt.I take it. Refrigerator sounds like a B-17 bomber starting up but it cools like a mohambie. Real fun trying to replace it without bending my leg. Wife has to help me get up off of the floor a bunch of times. I got a 2 watter on the shelf now. 

Edited April 22, 2021 by squonk

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

I need a 2 watt motor.

 

I'm sure I have what you need!  Shoulda took a road trip! 

[squonk 41,155]

Most of the commercial units I worked on took a 9 watter. I'm told the bigger watt motor won't last long. Well it's been a year and since I have a spare on the shelf it will never die! 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

3 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

Once it burns the paint off it will be fine. Then some stove black on it and it will look great.

 

You mean you aren't going to weld 1/4" rod along the cut edge?  or at least roll it over?  Maybe better yet, roll the edge over 1/4"  (ooops, sorry 6mm) rod and weld? 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

a spare

 

Right about that!  We're keeping the old fridge.  I've always wanted a Kegerator!

 

And a freezer above to keep my ice cream in.  I must be pregnant... Beer and ice cream sounds really good right now!

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

4 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

a nice shape

 

An especially nice shape for cutting piece out to patch rusted mower decks!  Already curved, you're halfway there!

[Tractorhead 9,064]

4 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Right about that!  We're keeping the old fridge.  I've always wanted a Kegerator!

 

And a freezer above to keep my ice cream in.  I must be pregnant... Beer and ice cream sounds really good right now!

 

A male pregnant can handle that... 😂

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

I cut it with my new toy, plasma cutter. Brilliant for steel and even does aluminimum and brass.

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

3 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

I cut it with my new toy, plasma cutter. Brilliant for steel and even does aluminimum and brass.

 

 

Bet you've got an English Wheel too!

[ebinmaine 67,623]

3 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Bet you've got an English Wheel too!

There's something I wouldn't mind learning how to use

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

9 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

There's something I wouldn't mind learning how to use

 

I had a friend with one years back but he moved.  Was nice to have access to it.  He used to make custom chopper tanks.  I made a bunch of replacement body panels when I was restoring the '63 Nova.