What are you currently working on??

Cvans said:
Just pulled this into the shop this evening. Been setting unused inside for years. Neighbor wants to sell it and asked if I could get it running for him.
He brought it over last fall but I wasn't feeling well enough to work on it. Time to get it going so we can get it out by the road for sale. Hoping it doesn't take much as it was running (sort of) when he dropped it off. Gas smells terrible. :rolleyes:
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Nice open space to work on an old gem. Looking at your wood stove in the background. Is the top that looks like a blower an add on or is that factory. I have a Lincoln type stove & was thinking of something similar to collect the heat with a blower on it.
 
Sawdust said:
Nice open space to work on an old gem. Looking at your wood stove in the background. Is the top that looks like a blower an add on or is that factory. I have a Lincoln type stove & was thinking of something similar to collect the heat with a blower on it.
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I built the stove in the middle 70's as a wood stove. Originally it had only two air ducts on the front. A fan on the back of the stove pushes air up the back and out the front. That's the original shape of the stove and it's built out of the steel that was from the old water tower in Bryant SD. All the surfaces are curved except the doors and very top. Made getting the welded seams fitted tight interesting.
Sold the stove many years ago and then ended up buying it back to heat the shop. It's been converted to burning waist oil and the third air duct was added along with a larger blower. It puts out a lot of heat and most of the time runs on the lowest setting unless it gets below Zero. If the shop was insulated it would be too much.
The shop is not as big as it looks in the photo. Until last year it was only 18' X 20' and very crowded. Then was enlarged to 18' x 34'. Something that should have been done many years ago.
As a suggestion, you increase the surface area of your stove and you increase the heat it puts out.
 
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Been in the shop/garage working on the rear brakes on the Ranger. Got the left side done except for bleeding. Had to take a break as the heater is needing fuel so shut it off to let it cool a bit. Will head back out after a cup of java, fuel the heater up and start in on the right side. Pics later.

Update: Right side was more work which I was aware of. Brake rotor was gone and the hub had to be replaced. Got the hub with the replacement rotor on. Got the brake pads on the caliper but was tight. Piston on the caliper is seized and won't break loose with tapping on it. Might try a bigger C-clamp and see what happens. Otherwise have to remove the caliper,which means brake line removal and parking brake bracket has to come off. I don't like to remove brake lines if I don't have to as more often than not you ruin the nut or twist the line itself. Everything else has come apart without much trouble so hopefully the line will come off too. Both bleeders came loose with not much effort which surprised me.
 
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Got my kid's truck up on the lift, out put shaft bearing in trans howling, was gonna pull the tailshaft with the rest of the trans still in the truck, done that more than once. But pulled the pan and it was full of glitter,told him that we can do the overhaul now or when it dies on him in a couple of months, were doing it now. For a Dodge that is 3 years older than he is (truck is a 1990 3/4 ton 4 wd) and for all the firewood he has hauled and towing a bobcat all over with his tree buddy I'm surprised it has lasted as long as it has. He's had it 7 years and done nothing but a couple of fluid changes in that time. Drives it 50 miles a day for work besides. And it was shifting fine when I discovered the crap in the pan. Once he gets that back so I can put it back in, I get to push this damn Ford back in and on the lift for a starter. This thing just don't want to leave.
 
Took a short nap after dinner and about 1:15 looked at the weather station. Temp dropped 10° from 6 this morning. Was down to 13 and still dropping. Needed to take the charger off the battery in the Cub so went down to do that. Thought what the heck, will see if it will fire. Yep, had to turn it a bit but it fired and ran. Time to clear the drive and some paths to walk in. Spent the next 2 hours on the 1512 throwing snow. Got completely covered when going around buildings and the wind changed directions. Enough fun for today. Tractor back in the machine shed and I headed for the ouse to get the cloths off before it started to melt.
 
Run to town this morning and bought a $20 flair nut wrench. Been keeping the brake line flair, mounting bolts, etc. wet with PB Blaster for the last couple days. Piston was seized up and would not move. Flair wrench broke the nut loose without heat. Rest came apart OK. Worked the piston back and forth and got it out as well as the parking brake plunger. Cleaned everything up, little film of white grease on the piston and parking brake plunger. Work as free as they are supposed to now. All back together again. Forgot brake fluid so a trip to Orschelns for that and a few other things I need. Just might go for a ride in the ranger tomorrow and see if the heater works ok.
 
chieffan said:
Run to town this morning and bought a $20 flair nut wrench. Been keeping the brake line flair, mounting bolts, etc. wet with PB Blaster for the last couple days. Piston was seized up and would not move. Flair wrench broke the nut loose without heat. Rest came apart OK. Worked the piston back and forth and got it out as well as the parking brake plunger. Cleaned everything up, little film of white grease on the piston and parking brake plunger. Work as free as they are supposed to now. All back together again. Forgot brake fluid so a trip to Orschelns for that and a few other things I need. Just might go for a ride in the ranger tomorrow and see if the heater works ok.
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Brake lines can go from one problem to another. Glad it all worked out
 
Absolutely nothing for awhile this morning. 0 degrees in the shop, below zero chill factors outside, snow squals everywhere. I think I will do some planning for a drill press cabinet that would roll under the DP table. I recently started a drawer cabinet that will go under my welding table.
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Sawdust said:
Brake lines can go from one problem to another. Glad it all worked out
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You are so right - especially when they have been grossly neglected for a few years. When I bought this one the right rear disc was gone and the mounting tabs were broke up. Left rotor was broke in two places but was still working, I think. Front brakes need new pad but other than that I think they will be OK. Hoping the seals are OK on the calipers on the back. There was a piece of the rotor between the pads on the right side and the piston was stuck but when I got it to move and apart everything looked good and clean. Thin film of white grease on the piston and it went together with resistance like it should. Been to cold to work on it this week. Takes to much #1 in the heaters to get it warm enough to do anything. Maybe Friday. I need to get it going at least drive able as I need to haul some fire wood and next week another ton of wood pellets.
 
chieffan said:
You are so right - especially when they have been grossly neglected for a few years. When I bought this one the right rear disc was gone and the mounting tabs were broke up. Left rotor was broke in two places but was still working, I think. Front brakes need new pad but other than that I think they will be OK. Hoping the seals are OK on the calipers on the back. There was a piece of the rotor between the pads on the right side and the piston was stuck but when I got it to move and apart everything looked good and clean. Thin film of white grease on the piston and it went together with resistance like it should. Been to cold to work on it this week. Takes to much #1 in the heaters to get it warm enough to do anything. Maybe Friday. I need to get it going at least drive able as I need to haul some fire wood and next week another ton of wood pellets.
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"Thin coat of white grease on the Piston"
WHAAAAT? No way. Get that caliper off of there and trade it in as a core!!!!! white grease is petroleum, which doesn't play well with brake fluid. It doesn't matter how thin of a coat that you used, only so much will go between the Piston and bore but ANY petroleum in there will swell the seals in a brake system. And lock it up. Hopefully it doesn't migrate upstream.

On another note this thing you're working on sounds like the F-150 that I just did all that work to. Rear axle seals blown, e brake shoes soaked, brand new looking rear pads delaminating besides.... rotors pitted and rusty besides being under spec on the front, so I replaced them while I had bit apart.
Pads, just like the rear looked brand new. the very 1st time that I drove it the front calipers locked up on it. I'm glad to see that thing go away.
 
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No core trade in on these. Used is $100. New is clear out of sight. I do not agree with you at all. Used to put brake fluid, like 1/2 cup in hydraulic system on the old Farmall tractors when they started to leak past the spools. Will get you by for a year or so then rebuild them. Couple IH mechanics told me that. Now your saying that petroleum swells the seals and brake fluid don't ? ? ?

You can all my Ranger a "thing" or any other name you can come up with but at least it isn't a piece of crap Dodge.
 
Brakes are done and work good. Will haul some firewood this afternoon with it. Warmer weather comes around will put new front pads on since I have them.
 
chieffan said:
No core trade in on these. Used is $100. New is clear out of sight. I do not agree with you at all. Used to put brake fluid, like 1/2 cup in hydraulic system on the old Farmall tractors when they started to leak past the spools. Will get you by for a year or so then rebuild them. Couple IH mechanics told me that. Now your saying that petroleum swells the seals and brake fluid don't ? ? ?

You can all my Ranger a "thing" or any other name you can come up with but at least it isn't a piece of crap Dodge.
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say what you want about what I drive, but, except for 1 vehicle, I have had great service out of them, in 35 years of driving and owning nothing but Dodge.... though I agree about the newer ones not being built like they used to be, (NOT in a good way either) but that's every car/truck manufacturer. IDK where that "piece o' crap Dodge comment came from, based on what I wrote, I never said anything about degrading what you are working on at all....
but, yes, I have had to replace complete brake systems on vehicles (of all brands) over the years in my line of work, due to people putting the wrong fluid and lubricants in and around brake systems. These are different types of rubber used in brake systems,, just like different alloys of steel, different grades of gas, etc.
The rubber used in most hydraulic systems is OK with petroleum based hydraulic fluids (look at power steering for example, many actually spec out trans fluid, as the recommended fill) but the particular type of rubber used in brake systems will swell mightily, in contact with anything petroleum. and if it is inside of a cylinder, it will seize the parts together! I'm talking from the master cylinder to the calipers and wheel cylinders to metering/ proportioning valves, everything. You wouldn't put anything but brake fluid in your master cylinder of your car or truck would you? Back when we used to rebuild calipers and wheel cylinders we used brake fluid as assembly lube. Nothing else. That is unless what you are working on (I know it isn't a car or truck) specifies something other than "brake fluid" as the hydraulic media.

Take a seal from a caliper, or a cup from a wheel cylinder or dust boot from a wheel cylinder and stick it in oil or PS fluid or ATF... go look at it in a day or so and you will see what I mean. Trust me it's a different type of rubber!!!
 
2 quick projects in the shop this morning. Add another peg on the agitator for the corn stove. They want close to $100 for SS unit plus shipping. I use mild steel, 1/2" round to make my own for less than $1 each. Simple shaft 6" long with 5 round peg welded to the side. Used to stir the fuel in the corn/pellet stove. Have one in the stove (About burned in two in the center) and two for back up.
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Scanner antenna on the truck magnetic mount broke off right at the top of the mount. To many times knocking if off in and out of the garage. Got the stub out of the base and antenna back on. Will start laying it down before I go in now.
 
Stayed in the shop yesterday today, built three more Bluebird boxes. I use Cedar fence pickets, they last for years with no preservatives. These will go to the farm next trip out Pictures 2019 007.JPG

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Probably spend the day in the shop again today, as the weather isn't very good, 18* & going down with 1/4" of sleet on the ground!
 
Good looking houses. Granddaughter and I made 4 last spring but didn't have the cedar so used pine. Left them outside all summer and winter to "weather" will put them up this spring. Have a couple in the neighbors timber and probably where these will go. Had one land on the tree along side of me while on my deer stand last fall. Nothing like being out among nature and helping nature.
 
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