If you don't use it you lose it.

I used to weld for a living but now that I only strike an arc every once in a great while I always have to weld 6 or 8 inches before I get back in the swing of welding.

When I was a kid making go-carts with my first welder I found that what we called bird s**t welds were caused by not having enough amps to melt the rod. The rod would stick and melt off but left the welds on the surface with no penetration. It looked like a bird dropping. I learned to increase the amps to ...... wait for it.....the settings on the box of rod and then it worked a lot better. 

In the garage there is a 120 amp wire welder, a 200 amp stick welder, an acetylene torch, a propane lead melting pot, propane torches, and enough blow torches to burn down Chicago. I haven't struck an arc in the year and a half since we moved.
I installed a new service in the garage last summer. Got to get the garage wired up for 220 volts to the welders soon.

Best laid plans.

The intent was to move and unload the truck, move the tractor into the garage, and replace the ignition switch on the tractor.
So much for planning. The truck won't start so I put on the charger. No truck means I can't jump the tractor so that won't move. I don't want to change the switch outside in the rain so I'll have to wait until tomorrow.
When the truck wouldn't start I went to Plan B. After straightening out the garage I cut down 2 scrub white maple trees in the front yard next to the driveway. After bucking them into 6 foot lengths I drug them around to the back yard near the compost pile by hand. Right no truck and no tractor.
Went shopping with SWMBO and when I got back it was raining.
Went out to the truck and closed the hood down to keep it dry while the battery charges.
There's always tomorrow. 

Plan for the day.

January 11, 2013 4:14 am.

It's supposed to be 55 degrees today.
The plan is to unload the 1/2 ton of crushed limestone from the back of my old pickup. The last 1 ton load I picked up in Richland sat just a little too long and ended up frozen to the bed of the truck.
Since I usually go to work at 5:30 am. I'm sitting here planning my day for when the sun comes up. Sadie is planning her day also. She thinks I should be playing with her instead of typing.
She's right.

Hand Crank Grinders

Posted to Youtube and elaborated on here.

Hand grinders are cool. When I was a kid our neighbor Mr. Russel had one on his work bench. I loved to crank the grinder every time my Dad and I went to visit. Now I have a few of my own.
One of my hand grinders had lash in the spindle that let the wheel rattle back and forth. A couple of quick adjustments and a little oil and it's working like a champ.I recently purchased a little hand crank grinder because of it's unique design.

After posting a quick repair vid on Youtube  http://youtu.be/FFpl-vYX8Oc I received a comment from McQualude (yes that's the name) that it was a Luther 51 grinder. While researching the name I came across this thread on Sawmill Creek  http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?169813-Luther-Grinder-resurrected-Thanks-George!   In addition I found this catalog on Toolemera http://toolemera.com/catpdf/luther1920CAT.pdf
This is a really cool little grinder. Until I read the catalog I had no idea that it could be set up as a tool grinder, milk separator, and even a breast drill. I especially liked the foot treadle on page 19.
The inventor must be Luther McGiver. 

One of the things people comment on in most of the articles and videos I've seen is that the wheels are out of balance. Most think they need to install a new wheel.
If you dress the wheel by holding a diamond point, star wheel, or even a piece of grindstone as a dresser, against the wheel so that it just touches the high spot as it turns then slowly advance the dresser until as the high spot wears down it ends up touching the whole surface of the wheel it can be brought back round.
The other advantage is, the wheel will be sharp and square so it will cut much quicker and not heat the part as much.

Just about Christmas

I'm going to be a man of leisure for the next 9 days.
Christmas shutdown at work and I'm looking forward to getting caught up on all the things that slide away at the end of the work day.
I have a:
              pegboard panel to install over the basement workbench
              new kitchen sink faucet
             sparkplugs to install in the truck
             new shut off  switch to install in the tractor
             finish installing the power panel repairs in the basement
             post to this blog.
One done :-)

Training the future people who get things done.

 Starting on a new quest. Learning how to train people with videos.




http://youtu.be/Zmo8xPX_zKo

Rant alert.

For the past month I've been driving home from work down Cedar Street in Lansing. I pass the corner of Saginaw and Cedar and there is usually one or two people standing there with a sign. "Unemployed need help"
Hell I even gave one of the guys a couple bucks. Then I thought what the hell am I doing.
I'm concerned about you poor people who can't get a job because the Boss won't hire you. How am I helping you to improve yourself. I give you 2 dollars. You learn to stand there and beg for a living.
You now work for the government. You get government food, you live in government housing, you drive a government car, your kids are in government daycare, now you use a government phone to call your friends back at home and send money back to your family so they can move here.
What will happen when we decide we can't afford to support you anymore. Since we are the government we will shut down the mill. No food, no house, no car, no daycare, no phone. Wait a minute no phone to call home? Might as well go home now.
I don't mean South America either. Move back to the little hick towns that everyone moved to the city to get away from. Your welfare checks will still keep coming. Raise chickens and hogs, they'll eat anything and the first two make 10 more. Then you can feed yourself. Sell what you don't eat. Houses in the country are falling down everyone moved to town. Save up 10 welfare checks and buy or rent one. Get a 1000 dollar beater on payments and use it. Home school the kids if you can, they ride the bus if you can't. You'll be too busy to call anyone and you won't want another mouth to feed.
Problem solved.
Your food is right there for the fixing. The house is as good as your willing to make it. You're supporting yourself and your family.
Congratulations you're now a Republican.