Druidic Dabblings and General Twaddle !!

[JD450A]

WPD are pretty good on the whole unless your mouthy.

 

[V8Druid]

WPD are pretty good on the whole unless your mouthy.

they were very nice guys Rory ... and got well looked after in the refreshments dept. ....... couldn't fault them TBH ....
They're always good as gold when they come here too ...... not as I've found any power cables here ......... yet! .....
but I do know exactly where they are ... have had 'em out and ID/locate them for me years ago

 

[V8Druid]

well said cable repair was a POP apparently ... big loop in the cable, so cut it and joined without any input, other than a single splice joint ... apparently a very unlucky 'catch' -- grazed through the armour and just scratched a single phase's insulating placcy skin .. bugger !!

That Russ does pick 'em .... middle of 'kin nowhere this morning .... 'least it felt like it ... miles of lanes ... didn't think I was ever getting there ... but beat him to it .. for a change ... he's usually 15 minutes early - not 'ce matin'

lanes're like a slurry run this morning - been a wet ol' night - car was brown
big old set up ... fella processing apple waste from Bulmers into leccy .... bloody gert genny running on gas from these two tanks .. says he's currently coining it, the way the wholesale prices are rising ..... some investment to 'coin it' with though

agitator knackered ... new one to go in .... old one stuck in 2m of tish with a serious crust on it, so new one had to be dropped on top and get it all back to slurry, 'fore t'other one can be extracted ... reality is it'll probably sit at the bottom of the column and rot.
found this while waiting for Russ to turn up

O&K beast, circa '86 with manual tranny and a high-rise cab ..... was running when it got tucked in there - some time ago i'd guess.. 5 tyne orange peel on it for handling tish
the boy arrived eventually .. blamed the traffic ... an' we slung the 'maintenance boys' platform into the tank for 'em to work off

a well niffy 'product' in there ... and then the new agitator, after an unsuccessful attempt to extricate t'other, from under 2m of solid tish ... getting it out wouldn't have been a problem, but leaving the column it travelled up and down on, would've been ... so stay put it did

some tankful ... some tank!!

guys attached the hoisting/level cable and took the tension on the hoisting/positioning winch and we let go the bite ....... spooling down to drop the sling off and there was this big - SPLOTCH! ... fella'd forgotten to tighten the bulldogs on the hoist cable and it'd tested gravity to 'vanishing point', for the agitator ...... bloody good job the sling was still attached .. so having recovered the unit from the depths of the tish tank and 'secured' it to its tether, whipped the work platform back out

and hung about whilst they powered it up .... 'twas time to get the flock out o' there ......and home by eleven ..... nice little morning's earner ... few more like that'd be nice to top up the funds with .... some drier weather'd be nice to go with it though ...

 

[V8Druid]

well despite being very communicative (initially) and getting paid on the nail, the seller of me 2" valve,.....

...... that I have now waited over two weeks for, turned out to be a right pr*ck .............. and a refund was issued last night, by Ebay.

New source sought and paid ... hopefully be here by Friday (heard that before, I know - hope they're not related ) ...

WTF do people do this sort of thing ... good feedback and only one -ve .... make that two now, with my missive on his performance - or lack of it .. will hopefully make folk think twice about dealing with the knob
Two three weeks behind on progress now though

 

[V8Druid]

this arrived this afternoon

quite a lump ...
that was 'proper service'

didn't quite make the same 'impression' as a certain small person did yesterday afternoon, after school

how to turn the house up side down in 10 minutes ... couldn't see the kiddy-tv from the 'dining table den' .. had to have a secondary outpost .... after she'd installed her washing line and hung out as many clean tea towels as she could find in the kitchen drawers .... tremendous imagination has our Clara

might get to play with some 2" plumbing tomorrow

 

[V8Druid]

so .... went to wee Jake to crank him up to handle the hydraulic tank ..... and .......... he no want to play WTF???
immobilizer doing its thing ... drop the key in and nada .... ?? ....
recalled Ollie saying it'd given him some issues a while ago .. and what it was -- so checked that .... looked fine - to a Druid who'd never seen one of these damned things before ??
Rang Ollie for any further ideas/things to try/whatever ... ansafone - it is now starting to become inclement, so stuck it all back together, 'fore it got 'proper wet' and came and consulted google, having established what it was
Wiring diagrams are non existent for it on Google/'net/etc.
did find a few sketchy details referencing the unit, but now't really helpful.

At some point in the afternoon, Ollie had responded to my msg ... and the phone'd not rung/I hadn't heard it - could've been either -- has a habit of turning the ringer off lately, on its own .... anyway ... thought i'd ring him today when i was at lil' jake.
Spoke to 'the man' this morning ... went through all I'd tried and he's at a loss too ... even had the destructions out and programmed a new fob in to no avail.
So it's delving time - again .. had had it apart to a degree yesterday .... proper delve today

rip it out - carefully ...

battery prevents access to lower screw .. so that had to come out .... and yes i'd checked that - 12.6v - but whacked it on the conditioner whilst I pee-ed about ... and didn't take long to turn itself down to maintenance level... so battery fine
I'd worked out what did what (which wasn't a lot) and it had to have it

took some wrestling out of its placcy box -- although i couldn't see any thing retaining it ... other than it's end cap which was a right little bar steward to extract, in its own right .....

replaced the battery and insulated the unit .... relays doing what they should ..... so a much closer inspection required .... with me oop close, 12" or less , vernier / tape measure reading glasses
and lo and behold ..... foooooooooked

water has obviously been tracking the cables and accumulated at the lowest point - eaten the PCB and eventually knackered all it's come into contact with .... at least I had an explanation
so ..... do i remove and return to std, or what??? ......... after delving even deeper, looking for the starter solenoid wire, which is now connected to said knackered box of electrickery, with zero sign of the original emanating from the loom .... or at least as much as i could see of it ...... without taking the canopy and bonnet/engine cover off ...... a new one seemed favorite .... everything else is relatively accessible
having determined exactly what it is .

it all got slung back in its 'home' and made it as weather proof as it's been all its life .... not as the unit's gonna worry at this point

came in and found a new one on Fleabay and pressed the BIN button - 70 quid wasn't as bad as i though it might be .... then went and did summat else, with what was left of the daylight

top off the oil tank to see what i was looking at, 'fore tackling some 2" BSP fittings, which Garth must've done up !! ...... broke me BIG adjustable on the one ... so stilys it was ......

interesting pick up filter .... bonded into a barrel nipple ...... was nice and clean though .... will get the air line through it tomorrow ...... if it isn't as pissy wet as the forecast is warning of ...
barrel bung in the tank

to keep what's left in there, put and drained the 2" flexi 'python' off, 'fore putting it all away for the night ... as, as you can tell from the pix ..... daylight was fast disappearing

turned this around earlier in the day and set it on the bench so I can 'mock up' some positions for a tank, cooler and other odds an' sods ......

and get the end of the bench back for working on ... 600kgs of engine's no match for a 6 ft bar ....... if lil' Jake'd been in a co-operative mood, would've had the tank up there with it, so's i can work out definitively, a materials shopping list and then find some ....... think it's going to be a major list of requirements for this and a couple of other jobs, plus a large stock up for future requirements ... they'll deliver me a tonne an' a half for sure .... heavy ol' tack - steel ... 'specially some of what I want

all sent to try us

 

[Smiffy]

That is a slightly different lay out to the newer 8014 as the one I drive has the battery under the bonnet on the right hand side but if the cab mountings are the same and you do want better access or to find the original started wire then undo the two big bolts by the pedals and a couple around the floor which will become apparent and the whole cab tilts up on gas struts.
5 minutes and you have perfect access to the engine bay and far better access to the underside of the dash than going in through the top will allow

 

[GazCro]

I'd do away with immobiliser tbh it's not like it spends time away from home on hire where it might vanish. While things are in bits give terminal on starter solenoid a nip with pliers, common for coming loose (that'll be your next starting problem if you don't).

 

[V8Druid]

That is a slightly different lay out to the newer 8014 as the one I drive has the battery under the bonnet on the right hand side but if the cab mountings are the same and you do want better access or to find the original started wire then undo the two big bolts by the pedals and a couple around the floor which will become apparent and the whole cab tilts up on gas struts.
5 minutes and you have perfect access to the engine bay and far better access to the underside of the dash than going in through the top will allow

cheers Boyo ...... it's a canopied 8015

canopy'd not be an issue to remove TBH..... panel behind the seat exposes the starter, but has very little in the way of movement to go looking for the original starter cable ......but it's going to get a new Thatcham jobbie ...... it's paid for and should be here Tuesday hopefully ... will get a serious dose of silicon in the appropriate places going back in ..... TBF to Ollie, it's lasted 11 years ... and he was very apologetic .... 's one of them things ... could've gone on him in the middle of a job .. and that would really have been a PITFA ... or me the other week ...... but I'd have just picked it up and slung it out the way

 

[V8Druid]

. While things are in bits give terminal on starter solenoid a nip with pliers, common for coming loose (that'll be your next starting problem if you don't). I'd do away with immobiliser tbh it's not like it spends time away from home on hire where it might vanish

cheers Gaz ...... sound advice ... it is just about accessible ..... might even fit a new spade

know what you're saying, but a new fit is the lesser of two evils ... finding the original loom lead could be very up hill and would then still have to make good everywhere else ...... if the new one is suitably weather proofed, I'll hopefully either be in my late 70s or a box, by the time it gives trouble again ...... I'll leave Clara instructions in case

 

[Smiffy]

cheers Boyo ...... it's a canopied 8015
View attachment 28844

canopy'd not be an issue to remove TBH..... panel behind the seat exposes the starter, but has very little in the way of movement to go looking for the original starter cable ......but it's going to get a new Thatcham jobbie ...... it's paid for and should be here Tuesday hopefully ... will get a serious dose of silicon in the appropriate places going back in ..... TBF to Ollie, it's lasted 11 years ... and he was very apologetic .... 's one of them things ... could've gone on him in the middle of a job .. and that would really have been a PITFA ... or me the other week ...... but I'd have just picked it up and slung it out the way

Sorry Canopies what I meant
The one I drive has the solid left hand console though so might be different I'm sure others can confirm. But with the canopy up it lifts the seat side console and everything completely exposing the engine

 

[GazCro]

Sorry Canopies what I meant
The one I drive has the solid left hand console though so might be different I'm sure others can confirm. But with the canopy up it lifts the seat side console and everything completely exposing the engine

No tip up cab/canopy on druids model. To be fair though its only 4 bolts, leccy connecter and clip on hyd filler and you can lift cab/canopy off. Was handiest thing about mine when i had it and wanted in somewhere low with summat bigger than micro.

 

[V8Druid]

Sorry Canopies what I meant
The one I drive has the solid left hand console though so might be different I'm sure others can confirm. But with the canopy up it lifts the seat side console and everything completely exposing the engine

sadly this is an unbolt it job .. lift it out the way (not an issue) then unbolt the engine cover ... if the plate behind the seat, covering the starter / engine bay had a slot instead of a hole for the throttle cable to pass through, life would be 200% easier .. if it does have to come out, it will get modified to make life a hell of a lot easier
's all a learning curve .... now i have my head around the imoby, 'tain't gonna be a biggy ..... compared to some of the leccy issues I have had with the 'Drema, this is a walk in the park and as simple as Lego.

 

[V8Druid]

I blame Ollie anyway for selling me a pup ... cheapest pooch I've ever bought though ... we're gonna grow old gracefully together

Apparently when i left him a message yesterday, he was in the pub, presumably still celebrating exporting the lil' jake

 

[V8Druid]

"that's the wrong sort of mouse Squeak"

sat watching it for a good ten minutes last night

trying to type with 16lbs of moggy on the desk is a bit of a challenge

seems to have adopted this as his go to spot for an evening's relaxation

he will run in front of me and jump up here, when I come to sit down ... has become a real 'lap cat' since we lost Sparty.

forgot to say last night .... was working on Lil' Jake when this came thundering over head, banking HARD! .... was well on its way by the time i got the phone out me pocket ... made me duck for cover

 

[Canal Navvy]

Looks like the bugger that flew really low over us in Malmesbury on Thursday, made us all jump with its noisy military ways

 

[Canal Navvy]

I was working under the bonnet of my little Terex Shaeff at the time ........... perhaps their favourite prey is poorly mini diggers

 

[V8Druid]

could well be Boyo .... think that was Friday, late afternoon looking at the pix prop.s .... was bloody low and loud, when he came over me, climbing, pulling hard ... been 'nap of the earthing' along the valley, I'd say ... do it a lot here ... jets're the worst .. just don't hear them until they're over you
the Chinooks look like they're coming in for a landing some days ... but'd need a bigger lawn
I like to see 'em up there ..... practicing their job

 

[Furniss]

That is a slightly different lay out to the newer 8014 as the one I drive has the battery under the bonnet on the right hand side but if the cab mountings are the same and you do want better access or to find the original started wire then undo the two big bolts by the pedals and a couple around the floor which will become apparent and the whole cab tilts up on gas struts.
5 minutes and you have perfect access to the engine bay and far better access to the underside of the dash than going in through the top will allow

perfect access is overdoing it à bit if its like the 8014 I had for a few years but its certainly better

 

[AusDave]

Druid, I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you can't put your equipment under cover it will deteriorate, especially the electrics.. At least put a temporary lean to off the side of your shipping containers and what you can't fit in there cover with a tarp.
All my machines are under cover except when out on a job. (That's 3 JCB 1CX's, small tractor, Haulotte Multijob, Hino 15 tonne tip truck, ride on and other mowers and stuff like a 3PL wooodchipper and some other attachments.) Even on a job if it's going to rain I'll cover them with a tarp. And I certainly don't have my diesel genny/welder or fabrication tools or benches out in the weather
It's not as permanently wet here as the UK but when it rains it can be measured in feet. And when it's hot and sunny it can be very hot and sunny, with plenty of UV to degrade paint, hydraulic hoses and plastics including those in sealed cabs.

One of my sheds is new but the rest are older but roofs don't leak and one is secondhand and reconstructed. One is a substantial lean to off a shipping container and it also covers the whole shipping container as well so it doesn't rust and lose paint in the weather.

I hate breakdowns with a passion, especially those which require extensive troubleshooting. I also hate seeing good machinery and other equipment degrade in the weather. (Should be the machine equivalent of the RSPCA to stop this suffering! I've seen the rust on close up photos of the 'Drema!) For a fabricator like yourself Druid, who has a lovely house and a lovely stone faced retaining wall, (I've read this whole thread), to have no shelter for your equipment is like locking your cat outdoors in the rain. If you wouldn't do it to your cat you shouldn't do it to your machinery.

No excuses Druid, start putting something up, no matter how temporary, and protect Clara's inheritance, everything else and stop the rust and corrosion on your equipment (Really needed a stern wagging finger emoji here.)