Junkyard's work thread.....maybe haha

[Junkyard]

Did some work on a buddy's rolloff truck. Service, motor mounts, cab shocks, hood pins and bushings etc.

Every time I leave there he drags something out and asks if I can use it or if I have something it will fit. Several guys I work for do that. Anybody else experience this phenomenon? Because we can fix stuff and make something out of nothing do they think we can use it? Hope the value is removed from their bill? Just want to keep us happy because they like how many times we've saved their butts? Lol. Thoughts?

Junkyard

 

[Birken Vogt]

Most of the stuff I get offered I already have sitting on my junk pile in one form or other...I just tell them this fact and say I don't really need another "whatever" to keep it company...then they understand.

 

[Camshawn]

I find that because I collect, fix and build stuff, that stuff falls my way. Some comes with obligation, most does not. We have a small property and have even been offered a surplus building. Bits of steel for the pile are most common.
Cam

 

[Junkyard]

Sometimes it is useful stuff. Sometimes you're thinking wtf do I need that for? Saving yourself a trip to the dump? Lol. Then there are the "gifts" that turn into money pits. You can have it, it was running when I parked it...... On the other hand a year or two ago I was given a go cart frame. My son and I have spent quality time building it. He's learned a lot. He will be 7 in April. By 10 I think he will know more than me!

Junkyard

 

[Camshawn]

Have had a few of those money pits. Worst gift giver was my Dad, " you can use this" so being a good son, I took it home and most went to the dump.
Cam

 

[old-iron-habit]

You guys are lucky that you can use the word give. People offer me a good deal on old iron that for some reason I think I need, have to save it from the scrapyard, but they usually need more work than was thought and the project list just gets longer and longer. He whoms widow has the biggest estate auction wins?

 

[hvy 1ton]

You guys are lucky that you can use the word give. People offer me a good deal on old iron that for some reason I think I need, have to save it from the scrapyard, but they usually need more work than was thought and the project list just gets longer and longer. He whoms widow has the biggest estate auction wins?

Pretty close to my Dad's motto.

 

[Junkyard]

Fairly quiet week. Mostly shop work which consists of loading/unloading tools, repair of casing, core barrels, augers etc. did some wheel bearing work on a couple trailers, ran up north of the federal pen in KS to bring a load of tools back, spent half a day cleaning and lubing ratchet binders (that was a sloooooow day). We have a Watson 3100 that needs tilt cylinders rebuilt. I see no reason to send them out, shop is split 50/50 on doing in house and sending out. They wouldn't be bad to do. They generally send em out.

We had a driver leave dunnage on a job and they had some nails sticking out. I guess another contractor stepped on a nail and supposedly it made it through his boot into his foot. So we also spent half a day pulling nails from all the dunnage on the yard. Felt like a carpenter that day. We chock and chain every single piece on every single load so some of them you feel like you framed a house when you're done. I know it's the calm before the storm but I'd prefer something a little more challenging than what we're gotten into so far. I know I know. Be careful what you wish for!!

Still loving the variety and how well I'm taken care of.

Junkyard

 

[crane operator]

I've had a crane operator painting on my lowboy trailer for the last week, he's no happy camper either, but I like to get the guys their 40 hours, and it needs done, so painting trailer it is.

 

[Junkyard]

Yes sir. Same here. I also think it's a way to weed out a guy or two if they complain too much. The driver that pulls all the floats hauling tools is very much a "I'm a driver not a x, y, z". He asked me what I thought about pulling nails and cleaning binders. I laughed and said it's easy work and I make the same wage. I'd clean the toilets if they asked. All in a days work.

 

[kshansen]

Yes sir. Same here. I also think it's a way to weed out a guy or two if they complain too much. The driver that pulls all the floats hauling tools is very much a "I'm a driver not a x, y, z". He asked me what I thought about pulling nails and cleaning binders. I laughed and said it's easy work and I make the same wage. I'd clean the toilets if they asked. All in a days work.

Well it's like one of my old bosses would say from his days in the Army, "You get paid the same for marching or fighting!" Some day the marching can be a little boring but then that seems good when the option is laying under an excavator in a mud puddle with a couple of inches of hydraulic oil floating on the top trying to change a hose and not contaminate the whole system!

 

[Junkyard]

Fairly busy week. Couple days on one job with two IMT's looking them over while they were idle. Simple things, fuel leak, grease, change kelly bars on one, move some tools around. Ran up to KC and swapped bars in Lodril. Serviced a few machines. Normal stuff.

Started building my personal service truck in my head. When I start building it I may start a new thread. I'm either gonna use a W900 I have or a 379 Pete a friend is wanting to trade for a lowboy I have. It'll be a shop on wheels for me so it's gonna be big, something like Tom has. I hope the only thing I have to buy is the crane. The rest I have or will build. I have several ideas for it I haven't seen done. There might be a reason for that! Lol.

 

[f311fr1]

How about a small pony engine to power a hydraulic circuit to run air compressor, generator, and provide remote hydraulics for tools/testing cylinders ect. I do not understand the logic of high idle the main truck engine for hours to run a PTO like Vanair ect.

 

[Junkyard]

I plan to do something like that. Hopefully it ends up with a small self contained power pack to run crane, compressor etc. I'd much rather have a little diesel quietly running than the whole truck. I've got a freshly rebuilt Perkins 4.236 sitting in the shop I could use as a matter of fact. Have a radiator out of a small RT crane that would be close to right. I wonder if anybody has an old twin disc PTO laying in their boneyard that fits it....? endless possibilities!

 

[old-iron-habit]

I have three different Twin disc clutches in the machine shed. What is the bolt spacing on the top two bolts and size of bolts. I will see if one will fiit. I don't have a Perkins to measure.

 

[Junkyard]

I'll measure tomorrow when I'm at the the shop. I've actually got a selection of available motors. Most are just too darn big though. 180 cummins, 250 and 350 cummins. I may have to buy a traditional SAE bellhousing for that Perkins as I think it's bare and originally had a MF setup for use in an old forklift. I wonder what's on the back of the 4.236 I have in my SAE400. It's another project waiting in the wings too!

I'll get back with info hopefully tomorrow. Thanks OIH.

 

[Junkyard]

Here's a bellhousing reference chart I found. Should help determine what you have.

SAE BELL HOUSINGS MADE EASY
No. Diameter No. Bolts Hole Diameter Size
1 20.875 12 .469 7/16
2 18.375 12 . .433 3/8
3 16.875 12 .433 3/8
4 15.00 12 .433 3/8
5 13.125 8 .406 3/8

 

[Junkyard]

Found a 180 Cummins with a twin disc PTO sitting in the boneyard at work. Negotiating its release.....

Funny thing today, I was at Walmart doing my weekly truck supply restock which means I was buying junk food. A lady stopped while I was loading it in my truck and observed how I had it all stacked in there. She laughed and said "how much junk can one man eat?" I told her I'd be back next week at the same time to restock. Her eyes about popped out of her head. I guess people don't realize what it takes to be out there for who knows how long and it what kind of conditions. I like to graze rather than eat big meals anyway. I wish I could have caught her reaction on video!

A funny note is all the guys know where the "Scooby snacks" are and that's the first place they go when I pull up to fix their rig.

Junkyard.

 

[old-iron-habit]

Found a 180 Cummins with a twin disc PTO sitting in the boneyard at work. Negotiating its release.....

Funny thing today, I was at Walmart doing my weekly truck supply restock which means I was buying junk food. A lady stopped while I was loading it in my truck and observed how I had it all stacked in there. She laughed and said "how much junk can one man eat?" I told her I'd be back next week at the same time to restock. Her eyes about popped out of her head. I guess people don't realize what it takes to be out there for who knows how long and it what kind of conditions. I like to graze rather than eat big meals anyway. I wish I could have caught her reaction on video!

A funny note is all the guys know where the "Scooby snacks" are and that's the first place they go when I pull up to fix their rig.


Junkyard.

Are you talking 180 as in a 1950s something precurser to the 220 Cummings. Wonder what that was used for in its first life. Pump maybe? I can't remember ever seeing a Cummings on a Kelly but then I forget a lot. I've been way busy for a retired guy and have not got to the shed to measure my Twin Discs. That is a cool chart. I am fishing tomorrow as my wife promised some fish to the old ladies in a local assisted living and today they asked where the fish was. The honeydo list never ends. I will try to get out and measure my clutches on Thursday.

 

[Junkyard]

Haha I know all about the honeydo's. Add my five kids and it's a wonder I get anything done at all! This one is in the upper of an old military crane. Yes it's old cummins like a 220. I may not use the motor but there's tons of parts laying around that would be handy. They used to have an LDH drill that was a 180 or 220. It's funny that I'm the only young hand there that knew what the motor or clutch even was. One of the 30+ year employees came out and said I'll be darn that's a 180 it came from blah blah blah. I know as much or more about old stuff than I do current. There's a 555 cummins but it's stuck. I may see if I can free it up or how bad it is. I see all kinds of projects there. The only reason I think they save those old cummins is for their Bucyrus Erie crawler crane and the old truck mounted LDH. Everything else is later model Cat, Cummins or Deere.

Gotta keep those ladies happy!

Junkyard