V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
better than 30 x 1t loadsYep and to think that when I drive bulkers it just about one load
In this case it was 10 x 3T. BUT it is doable on domestic premises and the job pays well
Routy56
Well-known member
The Navara didn’t even come with a tow bar so when I fitted it I ordered the 13 pin ISO kit from Nissan. Still had to run about a mile of heavy cable to the front fuse boxMy ranger has a factory fitted towbar with a 13 pin socket, that doesn't a 12v feed in it
Regarding the tipper I’m planning to fit a split charge kit to it. It’ll be in the workshop soon for the hydraulic leaking hose and other stuff
Routy56
Well-known member
Well spotted its what the customer wanted
Don’t think it’ll cause a problem its only 2 crates into well draining gravels
J
Jimoz
Well-known member
Love it. "As instructed". I've done a few things not how I'd like them done when subbing always make sure to mention that.Well spotted its what the customer wanted
doobin
Well-known member
If you ask me, it's absolutely pointless moving thirty tons for a veg patch, unless it was contaminated with oil or nuclear waste.
Would have been way less work to take off the top turf, then incorporate a few bulk bags of decent compost with a long toothed bucket. Maybe put the ripper through a few times to relieve any compaction too.
Would have been way less work to take off the top turf, then incorporate a few bulk bags of decent compost with a long toothed bucket. Maybe put the ripper through a few times to relieve any compaction too.
Routy56
Well-known member
Totally agree with you but the customer is always right
To be fair it was an area which had been covered over with crappy mainly clay subsoil. And he is arranging for it to be replaced with good topsoil
Will no doubt be going back for more work with this good customer
Routy56
Well-known member
So last week completed a small but complex (for me) foundation dig after receiving a phone call - "I was given your number my Alan, I've been let down and need some trenches dug out. We've cut the concrete, 450 wide about 850 deep"
R - "Can't do it today 'cos I'm already on a job, but I'll fit in next week. Meanwhile I'll pop over and have a look at the job"
"OK - great I've been told it's an easy job and should take about 4 hours"
Looks easy enough, but the cuts are done by a mate with a Paddy Motorbike AT 450mm - so no wriggle room there then AND the last cut across the drive is a grove after the blade run out of diamonds
Then there's digging UNDER 3 main services. House footings are just over 1m down and bricked up c1970. Building Control officer wanted this corner dug down to the depth of the bottom of the existing footings...
Then my Arrowhead S20 decided to leak out all of it's nitrogen. @Dr pecker - Nigel said, "Yeah they do that, bring it in and we'll sort it"
So plan B was my old Screwfix Titan white knuckle ride breaker
And yes that's ground water, "You're better get a pump sorted, because we are going much deeper by the house"...
Second day the customer got me a Groundworker after all my contacts were not available at short notice. Brian (from down under) - actually a great bloke and I now have his number
So after a few hours of 'safe digging' under the services we got lucky and the bottom of existing only another 200mm down. Stepped back up to a 1m dig after 1m from the footing.
Nice tidy corner, except for the usual 'cave ins' without shuttering
Job jobbed ready for concrete pour
This '4 hour job; took me 2 days with all the snags and care required
Had to encourage the customer to do stuff who was trying to 'project manage' it himself when out at work!
I wasn't required to help with the Muckaway or the concrete pour so hope it went well.
I'll find out when I pop back for my 110v TXFR
R - "Can't do it today 'cos I'm already on a job, but I'll fit in next week. Meanwhile I'll pop over and have a look at the job"
"OK - great I've been told it's an easy job and should take about 4 hours"
Looks easy enough, but the cuts are done by a mate with a Paddy Motorbike AT 450mm - so no wriggle room there then AND the last cut across the drive is a grove after the blade run out of diamonds
Then there's digging UNDER 3 main services. House footings are just over 1m down and bricked up c1970. Building Control officer wanted this corner dug down to the depth of the bottom of the existing footings...
Then my Arrowhead S20 decided to leak out all of it's nitrogen. @Dr pecker - Nigel said, "Yeah they do that, bring it in and we'll sort it"
So plan B was my old Screwfix Titan white knuckle ride breaker
And yes that's ground water, "You're better get a pump sorted, because we are going much deeper by the house"...
Second day the customer got me a Groundworker after all my contacts were not available at short notice. Brian (from down under) - actually a great bloke and I now have his number
So after a few hours of 'safe digging' under the services we got lucky and the bottom of existing only another 200mm down. Stepped back up to a 1m dig after 1m from the footing.
Nice tidy corner, except for the usual 'cave ins' without shuttering
Job jobbed ready for concrete pour
This '4 hour job; took me 2 days with all the snags and care required
Had to encourage the customer to do stuff who was trying to 'project manage' it himself when out at work!
I wasn't required to help with the Muckaway or the concrete pour so hope it went well.
I'll find out when I pop back for my 110v TXFR
pettsy
Well-known member
Are they intending to build over those services? 
Routy56
Well-known member
Yep - no idea how they are gonna protect them. No sign of builder to ask either. The BC officer even commented that it wasn’t a matter for himAre they intending to build over those services?
Routy56
Well-known member
Poxy weather - been heavy showers and high wind over the last week here in NE Essex.
So decided not to go out with the Neuson and turn everything to mud
Got a few jobs pending n the old white board but nothing that cant wait.
So have spend a few hours everyday on my son-in-laws old Ford Mondeo in the warm and dry of the barn
These Mondeos are now collectors cars after production ceased.
You will recall that the original problem causing him to breakdown was a major oil leak from the crankshaft seal.
The destroyed the auxiliary belt which let go and wrapped itself in a black sticky mess around the right side of the engine bay
So decided to get stuck in with sorting it out with upgrades and basic servicing along the way.
This car has the 'bullet proof' 1.8 TDCi Lynx engine fitted. As always the achilles heal is the cam belt system.
In 2007 the lower cam drive was changed from chain to 'wet belt'. So I decided to upgrade it with a cam chain kit........
So decided not to go out with the Neuson and turn everything to mud
Got a few jobs pending n the old white board but nothing that cant wait.
So have spend a few hours everyday on my son-in-laws old Ford Mondeo in the warm and dry of the barn
These Mondeos are now collectors cars after production ceased.
You will recall that the original problem causing him to breakdown was a major oil leak from the crankshaft seal.
The destroyed the auxiliary belt which let go and wrapped itself in a black sticky mess around the right side of the engine bay
So decided to get stuck in with sorting it out with upgrades and basic servicing along the way.
This car has the 'bullet proof' 1.8 TDCi Lynx engine fitted. As always the achilles heal is the cam belt system.
In 2007 the lower cam drive was changed from chain to 'wet belt'. So I decided to upgrade it with a cam chain kit........
Routy56
Well-known member
...only to discover that this upgrade has been done but not recorded in the service history 
Still at least I can now complete the job with replacing all the other stuff starting with the crankshaft seal
Top cam belt done and tensioned correctly - it was a bugger and had to be set about 3 times
Nice new auxiliary belt around about 50 pulleys
Still at least I can now complete the job with replacing all the other stuff starting with the crankshaft seal
Top cam belt done and tensioned correctly - it was a bugger and had to be set about 3 times
Nice new auxiliary belt around about 50 pulleys
Lancs Lad
Well-known member
Mondeo a collector's car?...only to discover that this upgrade has been done but not recorded in the service history
View attachment 24837
Still at least I can now complete the job with replacing all the other stuff starting with the crankshaft seal
View attachment 24838
Top cam belt done and tensioned correctly - it was a bugger and had to be set about 3 times
Nice new auxiliary belt around about 50 pulleys
GazCro
Well-known member
Was thinking the same tbh. I think because of the value of mk1 and 2 escorts and any cosworth badged fords people think they'll all be worth a fortune someday.
Lancs Lad
Well-known member
Not a bad thing if it gets em all off the roads
Routy56
Well-known member
We can only hope that it 'adds value'
This restoration is an 08 plate Mark 4 Titanium X - the dogs bollocks back in the day
To be honest it is the Mark 1 in the early 1990s that are now 'classic collectors cars'
Routy56
Well-known member
How rudeNot a bad thing if it gets em all off the roads
Wish I'd kept my Mk 1 Cortina - back in the day I upgraded it from 1200cc to 1500cc.
Transformed it into a real flyer
pettsy
Well-known member
Routy56
Well-known member
Nice little job in the country this week. My latest business contact owns various properties and plots of land all over the place. He get the big boys to do the big stuff and is now using me for the small detail and services etc
So rocked up with my mini to put ducts under the new footings.
These have been in in last month for an extension to the existing barn.
Note the left over concrete 'smeared' on the ground
First pair tucked under the 600mm footing
Last pair of 3 inserted
Note the 50mm pointed pipe with chain on the end. Used that to put nice neat holes through the clay under the concrete
Thing is I can guess who will be coming back to dig trenches down to where I've pocked through
"While you are there, can you just pull up the left over concrete and put it with the hardcore"
At least it got all sticky clay off my bucket
Job jobbed - a nice easy day now it has stopped raining here for a while
So rocked up with my mini to put ducts under the new footings.
These have been in in last month for an extension to the existing barn.
Note the left over concrete 'smeared' on the ground
First pair tucked under the 600mm footing
Last pair of 3 inserted
Note the 50mm pointed pipe with chain on the end. Used that to put nice neat holes through the clay under the concrete
Thing is I can guess who will be coming back to dig trenches down to where I've pocked through
"While you are there, can you just pull up the left over concrete and put it with the hardcore"
At least it got all sticky clay
off my bucketJob jobbed - a nice easy day now it has stopped raining here for a while
Routy56
Well-known member
Ryan has been staying with us over the half term holiday to earn some 'pocket money'
He's currently at 6th form studying Geology and Environmental Science and soaks up the stuff we do like a sponge
This week we had a nice little 2 day job cleaning out a very long ditch for a neighbour just 1/2 mile up the road.
About 180m long in total with a really good fall, but hasn't been cleaned out for many years
Preparation meant getting the local farmer (who I know very well) to:
1. allow us access from his field currently crop OSR. Track very hard and accessible.
2. flail cut back the overgrown hedge
First job was to make a 'bridge' over the shallow part of the pitch for Ryan's dumper. Bit of dirt topped with plywood sorted that out
And here's the reason why we had to clean out the ditch - this is the outfall from a failed septic tank
Binder have agreed to replace the septic tank with one of this new sewage treatment plants.
They simply require a clear ditch for the clean water outfall
"All contaminated black stuff will have to be removed"
Fortunately the neighbour has nearly 5 acres to play with so finding a compost site wasn't a problem.
Bloody smelly though and made Ryan's dumper skip black and stinky
Loads of silt and dirt was removed. Ryan loved the work and made a tidy pile...
Nearly done. Farmer and his lovely wife came over. More of a social chat. Very happy with what we was doing.
Confirmed that we was OK spreading the clean stuff against the brew.
This was what was knocked down and not from bottom of ditch
Last few loads to finish up. Few snags which we overcome. Tree roots for my little machine to deal with.
Then access around the bend behind some trees. Bit of hand digging for Ryan
Machines taken home before having a cuppa with our customers.
"I am so pleased that we found you could do the job, we was getting worried about getting it done in time"
This is one the best parts of the job.
"Can you come back soon and do the electric cable properly to my sheds?"
Another lesson for Ryan in customer care
So guys - who do you recommend for a deep dig cable bucket please?
He's currently at 6th form studying Geology and Environmental Science and soaks up the stuff we do like a sponge
This week we had a nice little 2 day job cleaning out a very long ditch for a neighbour just 1/2 mile up the road.
About 180m long in total with a really good fall, but hasn't been cleaned out for many years
Preparation meant getting the local farmer (who I know very well) to:
1. allow us access from his field currently crop OSR. Track very hard and accessible.
2. flail cut back the overgrown hedge
First job was to make a 'bridge' over the shallow part of the pitch for Ryan's dumper. Bit of dirt topped with plywood sorted that out
And here's the reason why we had to clean out the ditch - this is the outfall from a failed septic tank
Binder have agreed to replace the septic tank with one of this new sewage treatment plants.
They simply require a clear ditch for the clean water outfall
"All contaminated black stuff will have to be removed"
Fortunately the neighbour has nearly 5 acres to play with so finding a compost site wasn't a problem.
Bloody smelly though and made Ryan's dumper skip black and stinky
Loads of silt and dirt was removed. Ryan loved the work and made a tidy pile...
Nearly done. Farmer and his lovely wife came over. More of a social chat. Very happy with what we was doing.
Confirmed that we was OK spreading the clean stuff against the brew.
This was what was knocked down and not from bottom of ditch
Last few loads to finish up. Few snags which we overcome. Tree roots for my little machine to deal with.
Then access around the bend behind some trees. Bit of hand digging for Ryan
Machines taken home before having a cuppa with our customers.
"I am so pleased that we found you could do the job, we was getting worried about getting it done in time"
This is one the best parts of the job.
"Can you come back soon and do the electric cable properly to my sheds?"
Another lesson for Ryan in customer care
So guys - who do you recommend for a deep dig cable bucket please?
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