The Descriptive Process

[northmanlogging]

Is it possible to drag up when you own the company? I’m about over the job I’m on right now. Silty clay garbage has turned the whole place into a mud pit Even after spreading 470 tons of DGA on the pad and another 175 of 3s on the short driveway, the place flooded over the weekend, and of course the new(ish) superintendent with supposedly seven years of experience didn’t bring any suction hose with the damn pump today.

Time to do Ron’s thing and go sit on a stump for a while.

Thrown hard hats are always a good time lol

though taking a time out and reassessing seems to work better lol, keeps the blood pressure lower too

Today's adventure started with good intentions of power warshing my machines, and then picking up a giant maple log... pics to follow

As I was greasing up the equipment trailer, got an SOS call from a buddies log truck... lost a piston... So disconnect the equipment trailer, and haul ass up the hill

first time loading off from another truck, and I was more then likely waayyyyy overweight, but all in all taint so bad

machines still need warshed btw

Seems like everyones stuff is breaking lately...

 

[northmanlogging]

Worked on 3 fire pumps today. First one needed a head gasket, done, runs great. Second needed a new pull cord, done, all's well. Third? Replaced/tested starter, solenoid, switch, and all interconnecting wiring for both the high and low current sides. Everything checks out good and yet it still won't run. It's a head scratcher.

Bad switch? Does it start if you jump the solenoid?

 

[northmanlogging]

took some persuasion, but I got it on there with only the trucks loader, plus a little straightening with a mini but only cause power lines in the damned way

 

[madhatte]

Bad switch? Does it start if you jump the solenoid?

Replaced both switch and solenoid. Changed nothing. Also -- compound symptoms -- the hosereel is run through the same model of solenoid. I sanded all of the contacts and the hosereel worked for a minute but stopped, and the juddering of the two is the same. New battery too. Smells like maybe the problem has to be between the battery and the 150a breaker before everything? It tested good but two parallel problems make it highly suspect.

 

[northmanlogging]

Breakers will lie to you on just a conductivity test, its amp load that sets em off, when they get old they can do some wonky stuff, almost like a brown out.

 

[madhatte]

Breakers will lie to you on just a conductivity test, its amp load that sets em off, when they get old they can do some wonky stuff, almost like a brown out.

Yep, and I have another to swap in so that's my next step.

 

[catbuster]

Nate, I had the pump’s starter not disengage on the volunteer department’s type six engine last week, which promptly blew a 30 amp (!) fuse and then shut the whole engine down when said starter locked itself up, which required serious disassembly upon arrival back to the station, only to find it was the fuse that was the source of the problem.

Said pump has been converted to pull start only. We also are considering buying a used tender from a department just down the road. Chevy C7500 with a 3126 Cat... The only problem is we will have the same problem as they have with theirs... It’s a heavy truck with a standard transmission. Aren’t that many people who are proficient with them, much less be safe with it running down the road in the emergency mode.

Matt, it seems like getting to that time of year where everybody’s running around with their head cut off trying to get work in before the winter comes in, and man is it hard on equipment. Then winter comes, a lot of stuff goes to the shop, gets parked up and waits its turn to be healed for another spring/summer/fall of abuse. It’s a never-ending cycle, really. Of course, your mileage may vary, yada yada.

 

[madhatte]

I pulled the starter, it's fine. Replaced it prophylactically even, and the second one is fine too. I think the big current breaker (there's also a small current breaker for the other half of the circuit) is my next replacement part.

 

[northmanlogging]

#PSA if you find yourself in a merge lane next to a Silver Log Truck, and you are matching its speed... The driver more then likely can't see you, even if they do see you its on you to speed up or slow down... merge lanes must yield.

Otherwise 1 of 2 things will happen you will either rearrange that lovely guard rail that is getting closer and closer, or you are buying me a new tire and fuel tank... choice is yours bud

In this case I did see him riding the bumper of the the truck that merged infront of me with very little room, he then swerved into my lane too? intimidate me? where I then laid on the horn until he then laid on his horn... still not figuring out that I wasn't about to stop for his dumb ass... Still 1/4 of the way into my lane...

Any way... eventually he came to a complete stop and got in line somewhere behind me.

And before the nancy's show up, no there was not another lane for me to turn into, no I can't just slow down and let him in, no I can't just speed up so he gets behind me. speed we're at is the speed we're at, trucks don't get to slam on the brakes to make you feel better. And I repeat merge lanes must yield, state law so go ahead, cut me off... I could use a new bumper and a new hood.

 

[catbuster]

And before the nancy's show up, no there was not another lane for me to turn into, no I can't just slow down and let him in, no I can't just speed up so he gets behind me. speed we're at is the speed we're at, trucks don't get to slam on the brakes to make you feel better. And I repeat merge lanes must yield, state law so go ahead, cut me off... I could use a new bumper and a new hood.

I feel like I shouldn’t have to be concerned with other motorists on the road, especially when driving truck. You’d think maritime rules for right of way would apply... Many experiences have proven otherwise.

Several years ago somebody decided they wanted to test just how good my Jake Brake with a D7 on. I was very pleased with how well the bumper of a T800 holds up when it makes contact with a half-ton Dodge. A 3406E does not do the best job with exhaust brake, for what it’s worth.

Seagrave Fire Apparatus builds a stout bumper, too. That, and the 14 liter Series 60’s Jake coupled to an Allison 4000 EVS that changes down when the operator actually tells it to is very impressive.

 

[northmanlogging]

I feel like I shouldn’t have to be concerned with other motorists on the road, especially when driving truck. You’d think maritime rules for right of way would apply... Many experiences have proven otherwise.

Several years ago somebody decided they wanted to test just how good my Jake Brake with a D7 on. I was very pleased with how well the bumper of a T800 holds up when it makes contact with a half-ton Dodge. A 3406E does not do the best job with exhaust brake, for what it’s worth.

Seagrave Fire Apparatus builds a stout bumper, too. That, and the 14 liter Series 60’s Jake coupled to an Allison 4000 EVS that changes down when the operator actually tells it to is very impressive.

3406b isnt much better, I do have the "engine brake/Brake Saver" option, but it is currently not working... but when it does boy howdy does it

 

[madhatte]

OH I forgot to check back in here when I found the problem

battery cable

<sad trombone>

 

[catbuster]

3406b isnt much better, I do have the "engine brake/Brake Saver" option, but it is currently not working... but when it does boy howdy does it

I love some hydraulic retarder... Until my coolant and oil temps start getting high.

Also, we’ve worked a grand total of 30 hours this week. I’m at 6 dig ins. I love it when locators can’t find anything. The 345 takes out six feet of whatever it hits, too.

 

[rwoods]

CAT 345 - the Ultimate Locator. Hope it wasn't a gas or HV electric line. I should add water main to the list of dangerous hazards.

Ron

 

[Jhenderson]

I love some hydraulic retarder... Until my coolant and oil temps start getting high.

Also, we’ve worked a grand total of 30 hours this week. I’m at 6 dig ins. I love it when locators can’t find anything. The 345 takes out six feet of whatever it hits, too.

When I worked for my town I called DigSafe for the only gas line in town. They marked the East lane breakdown lane. We dug up the whole lane from center line to the water, 6+ ft deep ( culvert replacement) and never found the line. Wonder how houses blow up?

 

[catbuster]

When I worked for my town I called DigSafe for the only gas line in town. They marked the East lane breakdown lane. We dug up the whole lane from center line to the water, 6+ ft deep ( culvert replacement) and never found the line. Wonder how houses blow up?

I’ve responded to a couple houses that burned or exploded from gas leaks. It’s never a good thing. I just hate calling 811 and then when they do show up, at their leisure, they’ll hook onto a tracer wire or something, then lose signal and give up. I mean, I get it, you can’t find it, I called you, and now I’m not at fault if I or my crew hits it. I still don’t want to take the time to fix it, shut it down, pressure test, then put it back in service. I also really, really don’t want to hook into a big high pressure gas main and then throw my excavator into orbit, take out the block and leave a big crater where it and my crew used to be.

At least nobody hit anything the last two days of the week and we’re not allowed to work weekends.

Ron, I’m equally adept at locating utilities with my 580 Case all the way up to my biggest, the 345. It doesn’t seem to matter what, when or how. If it’s not marked or even if it is marked and not close to where it’s marked, we find it. Murphy’s Law in full effect. Of course, we never seem to have the right mechanical flanges or gaskets at the shop to repair piping. We also usually manage to dig into these things before the supply house is open in the morning or after they close in the afternoon. And heaven forbid we get into buried electric. I turn into Bill Paxton’s character from Aliens.

I love what I do almost as much as being in the woods...

 

[northmanlogging]

 

[rwoods]

Another bad day at the office? King pin or axle? Ron

 

[catbuster]

Holy oh ****. Wow. God damn.

I bet that was a hell of a ride. King pin or axle the whole assembly probably needs replacement.

I sold half my business off, albeit nobody lost a job and I thought I was having a rough day...

 

[northmanlogging]

So far its just the tie rod.

Haven't dug deep enough to see any other damage, though I don't think any is likely pretty tough front end on there, and I wasn't going very fast, just in revers for the most part, pretty sure it broke going forward? Or at least thats when the tire let go, which I didn't catch right away and tried to revers out of it, which probably hoopa jooped the tie rod... Not real sure, all I do know is that I was asking it to turn, and she was wanting to go straight... then everything let go, and the **** got deep.

Its on my own site, so at least its not on the road again...

I'll get it dug out and start fixing it best I can tomorrow... at least enough to limp it out of the hole its in, had to have the War Dept come rescue me... She no happy...

got a full whack of logs on there too.