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I came to the house in Florida to get away from everything to let my foot heal better.....FAIL... got here Fri night & so far I've installed a mini split, Pulled New wire for the range because the insulation was falling off the 80-year-old Al wire. it started sizzling & I saw little puffs of smoke when I was running the feed for the mini split. I installed an instant hot water faucet in the kitchen, which I also had to run power for and re- did the plumbing so the hot water dispenser, the cold side of the faucet & the feed to the refrigerator All come off a filter. ran coax to both bedrooms & connected them to the antenna. that was nice. I was able to watch MY Bills Beat the Pats in bed. smile


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Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
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get 'er done Jim..but don't over-do it and reinjure yourself..I have a hard time sitting still myself during times like those..enjoy that Florida weather aside from the tornadoes

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well yesterday I cut a tree down with a Ryobi 18v chain saw. Got a LOT done with one battery.
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I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
Life is what you make of it. So, why not make a working machine to make it easier.
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today I put up a powered retractable awning on the Florida getaway.
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looks great!


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Well catch-up time. On the 20th I set up the portable hot tub. I got this portable tankless water heater to fill it with so I could use it right away.
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I did jump in it & relax for a bit before retiring for the night


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21st... I finished cutting up that tree I cut down the other day. Still gotta haul off the brush.

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Over did it a bit so I soaked in the spa a LONG TIME. Probably longer than I should have. but it made the foot & leg feel better.


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Checked the cameras on the home front. Kinda wish I was there to clean the snow off the canopies. Don't think I could really maneuver in the snow very well right now though So I'm glad I'm NOT. I'm sure I would be out there trying and I would probably break something else.
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Got the auction stuff hauled home! 30' trailer staked full! --- Forgot to take pix!


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going to PA to pick up another Isuzu diesel engine for one of my forklifts, this new engine is to replace the one I rebuilt two years ago with a split cylinder liner,evidently the cyl head is now cracked on the old one or has cracked as it gets pressure in the cooling system enough to blow the rad cap off..ive redone the head and installed a new head gasket but it keeps blowing,so its easier to replace the whole engine with a new surplus one once I trade all the accessory drives over. This second forklift has chosen to be a really tough nut to crack,EVERYTHING has fought me tooth and nail on it. Patience and drive has always been a strong point of mine but this one is wearing me out

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kinda starting to sound like my 7.3 --- ALWAYS something wrong with it! lol! Anyway there comes a point where fix is not an option!


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Yes Sonny this second forklift has been a set of challenges,I'm way over the hump of repair and (financial profit if I ever go to sell it),but a diesel pneumatic 6000lb lift is hard to find used in good shape,most are worn out and this one was no exception.I'm too deep into it to give up. So the engine is a Isuzu C240 diesel,about 50hp hard to find in anything anymore because emissions pushed them out of the market,but the military still uses them in an older series of generators,this engine was one of two I purchased while they are available surplus. When they are gone they will get very hard to find,and only the engine brokers will have them at crazy prices.
Ive worked on older smaller 2KC Isuzu diesels before and the ones I worked on are now unavailable anywhere..as they wear out,thats it its scrap.So anyway I didnt do too bad

I watched a YT video of three guys rebuilding one on the side of the street in the Philippines in their bare feet..pulling cyl liners and all,,unbelieveable.

I got it unloaded yesterday when I got back and I got lucky on this one,its a unused new rebuild with the rebuilder stickers still on it..turns over smooth,should be a good runner.We'll see.


Your 7.3L just needs the right person to troubleshoot and repair it correctly; not just throw parts at it carelessly on YOUR dime. The only people I know that repair the 7.3L Ford International diesel are Powerstroke Specialty in Buford,GA

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Put the bucket truck back together yesterday. by the time I came in at the end of each day My foot had been too much of a distraction to get a good post up. I'll have to do a catch-up series of the boil down process. on the positive side, the boom stayed in the air all night, so I guess I my cylinder repair is a sucess. also, my foot is getting better. getting around without my crutch and only using a cane when I have to walk a good distance (just in case). My leg muscles still have a long way to go. going up stairs is OK but down is a bitch. stairs seem to be good physical therapy, stretching all the muscles & tendons.
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Yes Jim just keep moving, but not too much..easy to say hard to do for us doers who are used to getting a full day's work in.

I moved the Hyster 6000lb forklift into position on the pad for the engine pull, it starts right up and runs good, just blows pressure from the rad cap when you release it. Ran about 5minutes then when I turned the cap it blew pressure like an air tank. We have some sunny warm days ahead so I'll get it drained and pulled ASAP..try to get some pics of that.

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Well---- I loafed today! LOL! Actually I went to a sale yard, online auction tomorrow night starting at 4 pm---803 lots, so probably run til 3 am like the last one they had.
This time they have something like 200 old mowers and 300 small engines on the lot,--mostly parts stuff.
Also have several dozen leaf blowers, a few chainsaws, and a TON of odd parts for b&s, Kohler, Tech., etc. A couple gators,---one has a $5,200 bid on it so far.( out of my range)lol!
Anyway our neighbor took me down to the site.
Yesterday we had to go to his daughters place and dig a hole for 13 horses that burned up in her stable a couple nights ago along with 2 cats.
Her bubcat 650 skidloader and 6 tons of hay and several bags of ground corncob bedding was lost.
Building was post construction, 40' x 140' and it was totaled. Also damaged 3 trailers parked next to the barn.
Interesting few days around here to say the least! Stay safe guys!!


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Sonny those JD Gators go for big bucks even totalled they bring big money, I guess for the parts..I just did an install of a cab kit for a friend on a 4x4 XUV Gator- the 2 Cab doors with sliding tinted glass windows,glass windshield with wiper and cab heater kit all totalled around $6800..new the Gator goes about $18K..too rich for my blood, I'll stick to my golfcart thats for sure

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Odd job#1 today accomplished, went to local welding supply and exchanged two 231cuft argon welding gas cylinders, $51.00/ea..last time I exchanged them was Feb last year, $42.00/ea

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Hauled home the auction stuff that I bought last night! 11 small items including 4 chainsaws, 8 and 10 hp Tech. motors,---electric start on the 8,--- Earthquake cultivator, box o manuals for stuff I dont have LOL!


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Those manuals are desperately needed by SOMEONE somewhere.
I put gas in the tiller, aired up the tires & ran it out to the shop before the tires went flat again. Started 1st pull. That's the only Tech. engine I've ever had that has been great.


I know a lot about a lot of things BUT I still have a lot to learn.
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Tried out the $170 plasma cutter I got on amazon. 120VAC version..... I'm impressed... Perfect for in the field. doesn't weigh anything. I have another of these mounted to a HF air compressor for portability. have to plug them in to different circuits but I can do work in restaurants a LOT easier now. Only cut thin stuff until now. just wanted to see how good it would do.

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Now that I finally have the ends of that square tube dressed up, I can start building the Tank/Axle for the splitter. I have way too many projects started. I really need to finish a couple before I start any new ones. Yeah Right!!! something always comes up that requires immediate attention.


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I know how that goes --- I have 3 chainsaws apart waiting on parts,--then like a dummy go buy 4 more at the auction! LOL!!


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LAZY DAY... didn't do anything except cuddle with My Valentine.


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Doctor appointment today ------ they confirmed I got Parkinsons! --- guess that x'plains why I got feeling so shitty lately! Another referral to a hi-end doc. is on the books.
Other than that we sittin here waiting for that big storm that we S'POSED to get Wed. and Thursday! hope to get lucky and dodge this one! Gittin tired of this crapy weather cause most everything I gotta do is outside!


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got neck deep in the Isuzu diesel forklift engine, the original engine is toast, so I found another C240 Isuzu engine,brand new surplus from RitchieBros.auction. Luckily I pulled the original engine out of the forklift during the warm weather spell we just had here, so it's a good inside(toasty warm)shop job for the next few days.
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]

So the new engine is made for a genset with a different injection pump and governor and no provision for the forklift hydraulic pump to mount on the front of the engine.The head and block is the same,so I have to completely disassemble the front of the engine to swop over the accessory drive and keep everything in time..so far I have 6hrs in it today due to a pair of stubborn index pins that line up the accessory drive and front cover to the block. What a PITA.But I have to say these engines are built nice,they do last a good long time with proper care. Not really impossible to work on with basic tools and patience.
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]

I flipped the engine up on the rear bellhousing so everything is easy to get to when stripping the gear train off the front of the old engine and over to the new..

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spent the weekend cleaning up the yard. lots of leaves & gumballs. sent a bunch through the chipper vac & burned a bunch of it too. it'll be good in the garden


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Burned up some more stuff and watched tv on the Back yard theater while I was doing it.
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Did a bunch of raking in the garden today----burned a ton of dead plants and whatever I could rake up.
Love your outdoor tv Jim! lol!


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well time to finish rebuilding the hydraulic motor drive for my small articulated loader,the original setup used a Char-Lynn hydraulic motor side-driving a Suzuki Samurai 2-range transfer case with a morse chain and sprocket drive..this allowed me to tune the input rpm for max torque and ground speed of the loader..the morse chain drive was problematic and stretched a lot over time and use so improvements were necessary..I used the stock Suzuki driveshafts for input drive,they are smaller than most Spicer driveshafts but are strong enough for this machine. The Suzuki shaft yoke ends are soft,when pressing the u-joints out in a vice I bent one yoke and had to get a bit inventive to straighten it but its all slow speed no balancing required..

I turned the transfer case around in the loader frame to rear-drive it this time,with the input flange facing the rear of the loader..it made for easier connection to the hyd motor..only difference is in 2WD the front loader axle drives only,which is good,thats where the weight is with a load on it. The hydraulic motor has so much torque it ripped the transfer case clean off its mount brackets..so I made an aluminum sub-frame for it to strengthen it up and provide bigger mounting pads for it..I welded right to the aluminum transfer case itself,kinda risky to do so but it worked out OK to mount it into the machine frame. I had to replace the shifter bushing with a polyurethane one as this is a common problem with the Suzuki 4x4 transfer case. Shifts easy in/out of 4x4 and neutral now even after welding right to the case.

Looking down into the loader at transfer case input flange..I also had to cut out the old crossmember and add a 6"c-channel to provide for a hyd motor mount plate.pictured is the old crossmember with holes cut in it to clear the mount ears of the older Danfoss hyd motor. The hyd line in the forground is the steer cylinder rear line.
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]

So I changed hydraulic motors for a better speed/torque range and elimininated the morse chain drive altogether..direct drive the transfer case with a supershort driveshaft / cv setup.

Machining the 1-1/4 keyed drive coupler on the lathe to fit on the hyd motor and driveshaft end to weld together
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]

So then I made a flex CV type joint to allow flex between the hyd motor and the transfer case input as everything isnt perfect and if I need to change motors out again it will allow for some adaptability
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]

So the hyd motor had to be tipped down in the rear to clear the hyd pump input,kinda hokey in looking at it but the motor doesnt care what angle it's on..I made a strong mount out
of the old hyd motor mount,recycled it and turned it up on edge to bolt to the 6"channel crossmember. Shaft connects to the transfer case input..now just waiting on a 1/4"swivel for
the case drain line and she's back in action..at least 'till it breaks again LOL..this photo shows the motor being set into the new 6" channel crossmember and aligned as best I can while smoking a nice cigar.
The mount plate bolts to the crossmember with (3) 1/2"grade-8 bolts so I can remove it easy in the future for repair or adapting it.
You can see below the stub remains of the old 3"channel crossmember clamped to the new 6"wide one as I fit the motor mount to it..
[Linked Image from kuhnbros.com]

We'll see how long this drive setup lasts..it's always being modified so it works better..I'm not OCD about it but more functionality driven..so on to the next job for now.


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That was a lot of work!!! looks great!
I went on a road trip to get a couple wagons and a corn dump,---got soaked loading the stuff,---will un-load tomorrow ,--OR when rain stops!


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not really a LOT of work, just a bit here and there,couple hours at a time..that way I have time to think about it and change things as I go..drive parts are expensive,the Suzuki driveshafts are hard to find cheaply..10yrs ago I bought the Suzuki transfer case AND driveshafts together for $75.00..now just to find the transfer case alone is $1200.00 and up.. I used to make a lot of parts here on the lathe but have found that for $15.00 I can buy a keyed shaft coupler thats perfect and save hours of work on the lathe,wear and electricity making my own..FWIW

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Not just today but over the weekend .....
Finally got the mini hoe tore apart for proper repair.
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Sprayed some Paint.
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Loaded the Harley in the truck for my trip to Florida ( Yep another one ) foots healed enough to ride so.....

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Tight fit.
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And cleaned up a bunch of scrap Aluminum melted it down and poured into metal muffins.
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[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]


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a lot of rain here for the last 3 days,--BUT I got the motorgrader back home and almost have the hoist off the wagon gear. Put the onion plants in storage til the ground dries enough to plant, had the ground tilled before the rain so it should dry faster.
had to order a carb for the little earthquake cultivator motor,--waiting on that.
Got the 4 big pine trees out front cut/burned. They started dying a couple years ago for some reason, ( probably pine beetles).
Trying to fix the hyd. pipe on the 340 so I can till the rest of the gardens later on.


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odd jobs done? went to bank and paid off loan on car,now that its worn out its actually mine..put some electrical supplies away from a project, then tore apart some old sawhorses and made new legs for them..(2) 2x4-8's with tax $16.91 good gawd I havent bought lumber in a while..swept up the front shop floor and put tools away from the loader hyd motor refit job..got leaf raking/yard work to do today if it doesnt rain again..got bulbs to plant too

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Did an internet auction again,---this time I had to go haul home 2 loads of stuff. 4 more water pumps, 3 generators, 3 push mowers, 3 chainsaws, radial arm saw, old table saw, some other odds-n-ends! ( gotta stay away from internet auctions!--get in trouble REAL fast!)


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Back in Va. got started on the Mini hoe today. got too dark for pictures. I'll get some tomorrow.


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Got neighbors dump truck home,---then used it to haul 2 big loads of horse manure home! Moved some stuff around with the skidloader.


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Originally Posted by sonny
haul 2 big loads of horse manure home!


sounds like a shitty job again Sonny

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Ya,-- it kinda is,--BUT it grows some killer veggies!! The onions love it!
Rainin today. Got the Toro push mower runnin, seller said it ran, but you know how that goes! lol! anyway it does run and mow. The blade is sharp too! That is a first!
Getting some seed flats started since I cant do much outside right now.


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To enjoy a properly sharp blade, you must have decent soil and a good patch of grass.

Dad's was like that growing up, mostly kentucky bluegrass on river silt. You needed a sharp blade, and even then we couldn't keep up (he had two teenage boys and the dump guy used to sell mowers). He bought a rider when we moved out.

I have mostly thin grass on sand, and probably half weeds at that (hey, at least they are green). If you got rid of the switchgrass and sourgrass I'd have hardly any fescue showing until the crab grass comes in, in june. They all erode my blades like crazy, especially the sand...so if I dared sharpen them, which would have to be every time I mowed, I'd have nothing left before the season was over. As it is, I'm not terribly concerned with the health of the crabgrass so just let the mower club everything. Sad thing is the fescue looks vaguely happy this time of year before everything else takes off and laps it. At least everything that's there holds my sand from washing away.

We have a garden bed where my wife used creeping thyme as a ground cover, and turns out it is quite happy in sand. Can stand to be walked on occasionally as long as you don't beat down a path in it. Smells nice when you mow it, by intent or accident, some has spread into some parts of the back yard and I don't mind. Mowing it doesn't kill it. So when we put in the pool I moved a few clumps of thyme along the slope at one end, and it not only survived it spread and took over the whole thing. Looks nice as long as I keep the worst of the switchgrass and sourgrass pulled. Just have to warn swimmers not to step on them when in bloom, not a fun way to find a honeybee.

And there's always some fresh somewhere in the yard when you're making soup.

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