How'd it go today?

why?

Poker Face re: the Chip Truck

GP said:

The truck repair shop had replaced the high pressure oil pump and lines (a steal at $3K ) and it had ran fine on the way home from Kansas City, apart from the PTO incident.
...
They were sympathetic to our plight, got a tech out to the running truck within 10 min with his diagnostic laptop. Our foreman ran down the scenario with him and he checked the newly installed high pressure oil pump. He felt the sensor pigtail coming off the back, jiggled it and instantly cured the rough running problem! He unplugged it and looked at it -- sure enough, it was carbonized inside the contacts. He told us that should've been SOP -- whenever they change the pump, they should've changed the wiring harness. He got us right into the shop and had a new pigtail on it within another 15-20 mins...

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The implication here is that the truck repair shop needlessly replaced the high pressure oil pump -- it was the wiring harness all along. The low power and sputtering were completely tied into the electrical loss of current with the pigtail, not due to the oil pressure cutting out due to a bad pump. We are in discussions with the manager about the unnecessary repair -- whether they should just put our old one back in, or maybe meet halfway on the $3K bill. If they would've just done their standard procedure of changing out the wiring harness when installing the pump, we never would've known -- it would have appeared that the new oil pump fixed the problem. As it is, it was a giveaway that the oil pump itself was not the problem.

As for a trolley, it is on the table, but may be a bit down the list; unless we prioritize it over getting a Mini... Meanwhile, our Harbor Freight hand truck has a lifetime warranty with no question replacement, so it's time to cash that in and get a new one. Certainly got our $70 out of it, use-wise! They probably don't expect anyone to actually use it for 700lb. loads...

Sometimes you need to think inside the ?box? Sean

Speaking of, there was a pretty awful wreck on I-70 this morning, shortly before we passed by on our way into Kansas City. Semi went from our direction, through the concrete barrier, across 2 lanes of opposing traffic, then flipped in the berm/embankment. Traffic was a crawl on that side (down to one lane), but our side was still flowing. They were just getting it towed away tonight on our way back in -- finally had out a big enough wrecker and telescoping lift to flip the truck back over.

Rich

SeanKroll said:

why?

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Single spicey latin

"in the heart of every man lies a Mexican mistress"

Got it

flushcut said:

"in the heart of every man lies a Mexican mistress"

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I was slow on the uptake too. This quote explains it well.

Ur welcome!

Down to the main stick of the grand fir.

Pitch sucks. About to go get my gear to try to de-pitch it. Unfortunately, no Citra-solv (sp), or non-abrasive hand degreaser.

It was a slow start to the day. I have to get D to summer camp at 9, so I'm arriving to summer jobs at 945, often. Leaving for 4 pm pick-up by 330.

Have to engineer some protection from chunks going down the hill. Planning to make a little chips-in-tarps cushion deadening the impact. Will have some cedar limbs for cushion, too. Should be an adventure.

The 20 or so stairs to the lake are only hollow-wall cinder blocks, three of which broke under limb butts. Easily replaced. They're new homeowners with dollars, so I think that they might even be replacing the stairs in time.

Need to go to Canada!

Passport is not back yet.

Anyone know if it's possible to go to Canuckistan with out papers?

Not if you've ever smoked pot. Lol. That's the joke now about crossing south, they ask apparently and if you admit to ever having smoked they deny access.

Honestly I don't think the issue would be getting into Canada as much as it would be getting back into the USA. I know I need a passport to cross the line now.

I just read where a birth certificate and DL is enough.

Need to make some calls.

Headed to Golden Prairie. North east of the Hat.

I'm sure it's different for you as a US citizen. Up here you either have some fancy type of upgraded passport/license or all your regular ID and a passport is how I understand it to be for Canucks heading south.

"I can honestly say that I've never even tried pot, officer. What? My grow room conviction? That was for my ailing friend... I could never stand the smoke."

In the US you can also card get a passport card vs a passport book. Cheap and quick turnaround. My sister crosses all the time without her passport. If ur a citizen they won’t deny u back, they pull up all ur info on their computers anyway, but they might delay u a bit.

Got back from another week at logging camp.
I'll admit to getting a bit tired of it.
Killing trees 10 hours a day is hard work.
At least the temperatures have dropped a bit, makes it more bearable.
This makes a month of it and there is at least 3 more weeks to go

We had the new prospective apprentice with us this week.
After 4 days, he was completely beat, could hardly drag his ass around.

He did well, though.
Has a good aptitude for the work and doesn't hold a chainsaw like he is afraid it is either going to explode or bite his arm off.
After a couple of days I set him to falling a few easy trees after showing him how.
The picture of the stump shows his 3rd tree.
That stump has been bore cut from both sides and has the hinge gutted.
Not a bad result for a complete newbie.

He managed to drop both himself and the MS441 in a creek yesterday.
I had felled a beech tree across it, and while bucking it, he fell in.
Came over looking like a drowned rat and said he couldn't start the saw.
I pulled the filter, it was completely clogged in creek bottom mud and after some 20 pulls, she started right up.
Put a new filter in and told the kid to dry out while bucking and limbing the next tops.

Also told him that when Stihl adds a water sport division to their Timber sport competitions, I'd sign him up.
Got a big laugh for that one.

I think he is a keeper.

Tidy hinge, you enjoying it?

It?s been a good day so far. Slept in a bit. Took my oldest daughter fishing. Caught a decent amount of blue gill and a nice eating size bass. Got home later than anticipated, put them on ice and hurried to do the banking. Got back in time for the wife to make her appointment. I just finished filleting tomorrows dinner. All three children plus the puppy are being good. I lined up a babysitter so the wife and I can go on a date. Prolly just grab dinner and do the grocery shopping, but it?s time by ourselves. Now that I?ve put it in words, it?s been a perfect day. I should buy a lotto ticket to see if my luck can get any better

Livin

Another day, another Tesla spotting. I see one almost every day. Saw five different ones in one day this week. I'd like a ride in one.

Slated for stump grinding today -- we had a good 10 stumps stacked up after a busy week. Started off with some much needed maintenance, replaced the 2 Link-Belt carrier bearings, 2 drive belts, 2 pockets, and 4 teeth. Then I headed out in the chip truck (regular stump grinding pickup was unavailable due to a scheduling conflict). About 10 miles down I-70, warning light came on:

Coolant Level

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And I instantly smelled it -- coolant everywhere. I pulled off along a very tight shoulder, engine died and I coasted downhill past an overpass and found a gravel DOT access road that I managed to make it onto. Popped open the hood, found a small 6" elbow 1/2" line that connected the coolant pump to the main engine block was split, gushing fluid all over the engine block & pouring on the ground. (Hmm, right below the brand new high pressure oil pump -- perhaps the truck shop nicked the hose putting it in?)

Called back and got a crewmate to come out -- after awhile, at least allowing time for the pump & engine block to cool down. He made it out and we managed to get the hose off (very tight space) -- just simple spring hose clamps, but a pain due to how tight the access points were. He ran to the next town 10 more miles down the Interstate and picked up a new hose and 5 gallons of coolant. So 10 more miles back + 4 more past me to a turnaround spot +4 miles to get back to me -- all added up to quite another wait. Meanwhile a state trooper came and checked on me (doing great, officer!), as did a KTA roadside assistance truck a few minutes after that.

Fast forward 30 mins, back on the road again. Boogied down the road and tore through 2 ash stumps (12" and 16") in record time, then 1/4 mile to the next job -- dogwood, Bradford pear, & river birch stumps. Got the first two done, will have to come back out on Sunday for the birch since it was 5 pm, had to head home. At least traffic was light for a Friday at 5 pm. Back by 5:30 for shower & dinner with the family.

Dave Shepard said:

Another day, another Tesla spotting.

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I wanna ride the one in space.

Finished a lil tree... Top 5 most challenging, yet I have more experience than yesterday or the day before or...

Skills come strong from the house. Thanks for sharing. Standing on the shoulders of Giants.

Jerry, et al.