my one man repair shop

[got2boostit2]

Easy money, good story and glad for you. Much success, wish I had followed my machining training and opened a machine shop specializing in cylinder heads. I like them. have a two hoist, one tech (me) shop but can afford to do it part time. Love your sticktoitness in spite of the roadblocks.

 

[lugnut71]

I bet your kids will never forgot the day you yanked the tractor in half.

 

[DynoDave]

Very sorry to see that.

 

[1Garageman]

Is there seriously no way to fix it? Weld it back together or something??

 

[Dmoen]

yes it is fixable, along with virtually everything else broken in the world. but where does one consider time over value of said repair? i am going to fix the stupid thing, and probably sell it. i posted it on FB for $600 broken, clearly too cheap as i had over 50 messages within 24 hours. instantly after the listing, a tractor salvage and parts sales guy called me and spoke for it. i have now removed the adds, and spoke with Wade, fron the salvage yard and told him i cant really afford to replace it, so i am going to attemot a repair on it. He offered to sell me the parts i may find ill need. That was curtous of him i think, as i basically short cutted him outta deal i agreed to already. Then he surpised me and said if i deem it unworthy to fix, hell take it in on a trade for another machine, and hes interested in an enclosed trailer i have. hes going to look around and see what hes got in for inventory. i told him a small dozer would be great for now, then ill trae it back into him for another tractor when im done with the heavy work. well see what he comes up with. In the meantime, and spart time im going to build a jig of some 3/3 plate and ready rod, and try to pull this tractor frame back together where in needs to be. V it out, do my best welding it, or call in a favor from a welding buddy to do it. Then fish plate it on the outside. that will be the easy part i think. i can use the loader a bit to possibly help move the front half of tractor where it needs to be. problem is its still in the mud pit, with no good way to take it out withouut causing further damage.
looks like i broke the steering shaft mount, bellhousing, possibly bent the clutch lever, throttle shaft is messed up.

 

[Dmoen]

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[Dmoen]

Well I was out at my little piece of property last night again cutting some more trees. Sure ***** making such a big mess, and no way to move anything. I’m just chipping as many trees as I can right now, and sectioning them into a bit smaller pieces for when I finally get another loader or tractor to come push it all out into a burn pile. I’ve told a few guys there welcome to come take as much firewood as they want, but so far no ones showed. I’ll save some for myself. A lot of it is almost like foam. Soft and crumbling so would t make real good firewood. Sure would burn fast though! I probably downed 15 good sized trees last night. I’m afraid there won’t be many left by the time I’m actually done. Though the dead trees look bad, and are only killing the remaining healthy trees. So it’s best I believe. Once all the brush and **** is pushed out I will pull a small drag through there for a while, and plant grass seed.





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[Bogdan M.]

Your shop is looking better and better. What are your plans with the lathe?

 

[Spareparts]

Hate to say it because I hate to give up on classic tractors but to many castings are broke. They don't weld easily and won't be nearly as strong, especially if you work them hard. My advice is ::find another Massy 44 and switch the loader over, or take the $600. and find another tractor and DON'T yank it so hard.

 

[Spareparts]

And BTW the shop is taking shape, looking good

 

[Dmoen]

Well the shop cat Riley is finally starting to be friendly, months later and I can finally pet her occasionally.
Haven’t said much on the lathe, as it hasn’t been used for much in she shop except me screwing around with it like a kid with a new toy! But I have used it, multiple times that it has saved my ***, or got things moving in the right direction. Last thing I made with today, made just a basic driver. It fits on a front wheel drive bearing to press it apart using a posi lock puller. I’m sure it will be used else where, as it will live by my press.
What does everyone use to store all the random stuff for their presses? My stuffs kinda just scattered around. Would really like to find a tool box with all 2” drawers, or a flat file cabinet. Most of my stuff ends up going to the scrap pile due to being a mess, then I need it again and have to find something else laying around that fits. Most of it IS junk, old bearing races, prices of round metal, junk sockets, but I hate to keep throwing it away.






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[Dmoen]

That yellow home built is the loader that’s supposed to be coming anyway now. Called him yesterday and he claims he’ll be here in the next couple days, although I sort of have my doubts he’ll show up. I have a 4.8 truck motor I’ll put in it. The 327 it had was junk apparently.




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[Dmoen]

Well as I expected the payloader guy never got back to me as of that weekend. Found out my Ex’s father was selling his bobcat 444 on the cheap as the hydraulics stopped working. Bought it for $800. He claims it ran great up until it quit lifting the bucket back in February when we got hammered with snow. And I know he was using it then too.
Got it to the shop and got it to start. Man o man. This is a bigger turd then I expected. It runs like dog ****. Unbelievable. Leaks so much oil. Burns it too. Actually, it runs out the muffler. The exhaust is quite literally the worst welding job I’ve seen, and I suspect snowbike got blown in and rusted up the cylinders enough to seize the rings the last 3 months. On to the hydraulics, he claimed it was a valve issue to the loader part. But the variable speed wasn’t working, and neither the lift or pivot of the bucket was working. So, everything hydraulic into I shot to the pump immediately. Found traces of ground up metal in the area. Removed the pump and the problem was easy to spot! The adapter that clamps on to the spline shaft was left loose at one point, and had been spinning on it. So the engine side coupler was just grinding away at the pump shaft. Seeing as it’s an old bobcat, and I wanted to use it that day, I simple welded the coupler to the pump, and put it all back together. Viola easy beans. Now back to the engine. It’s not usable. After I drove it out of the shop it became clear it’s going to seize up if I don’t do something about it leaking oil so bad, and that it will only run on 1 cylinder most times due to oil in the front cylinder so bad. Damn it I wanted to use it that weekend to clear the tree row at the farm.

On to FB as usual, and I found a 1977 international 3200B Skidsteer for a deal. Talked to him, we settled on a bit of a trade. He wanted a 16’ enclosed trailer I hardly use, and some cash. Deal. So now I have 2 skidders, and a broken in half tractor. Then a guy on FB messaged me about the tractor, and he drove 3 hours and took the loader off it, but couldn’t get the tractor loaded. He managed to get it chained back into
Perfect alignment, would be a super easy job now to just weld it up and plate it, but it’s his now lol. He’ll be back this weekend to try loading it.

Also, my dads been helping out quite a bit too clearing brush, he sure can’t wait till I get that little bobcat going, in the mean time I think he is enjoying the international.



















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[1Garageman]

I bet that will be one handy machine you have for a long time! Nice deal!

 

[Spareparts]

Havent heard from you in a while,hope you are just busy. Enjoy hearing about your adventures. Jim.

 

[Dmoen]

Well lifes still going! Been a while for me off here, but not a lots changed. still struggling to figure this whole thing out, some things are improving, others are falling behind. bought some more new tools, and bought 2 more hoists. havent insstalled the hoists yet. A few walls need to come out in the building before they will fit.

were supposed to get HAMMERED with snow tonight through the weekend. there talking up to 24". so i finally got the international skid steer fixed. it quite running a few weeks after i purchased it. valve guides were extremely wore out. cooling fins were packed with years and yeard of accumulated dirt and debris, and had a few sticky valves. ended up getting it all cleaned up, pressed in new guides, all new valves, springs, keepers and got them adjusted. new head gaskets, bolts, fuel pump, new exhaust. runs great now. going to keep a bit of 2 stroke oil in the fuel. these are apparently noted for sticking valves, like this one did. gave it a quick pressure washing, and coated with 2 layers of impliment paint. not pretty, but better then before. easy touch ups.

the bobcat 444 NEEDS to get into the shop hopefully tonight before the snow starts. otherwise it will be **** on the farm all winter im afraid.

 

[Dmoen]

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[protegeV]

Good work by the kiddo

 

[Dmoen]

Well we got officially 30” of snow the since friday afternoon. Thankfully I had the skid steer done and ready for work! And it did great, very impressed with it. Although today I’ve been going around helping people clear there driveways and what not. Shut it off to fix a pin on the bucket that had lost the retaining clip and fell out. Got it fixed, fired up and throttled up and she’s knocking HARD. Lotsa blow by out the breather. I am now looking for a 30-35 HP Diesel engine. Air cooled or water cooled is fine. But I prefer water, just so I have a heater core option in the future. But I’m looking for cheap, and I see some military surplus HATZ diesels on eBay for a round a grand or a bit cheaper. Any diesel guys have input on something good? Kubota, yanmar, hatz, Kohler. Open minded on about anything. NOT FIXING THE WISCONSIN... want diesel


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[Dmoen]

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[protegeV]

Sweet baby JESUS

 

[Dmoen]

Been a while since I’ve been round here. Where TF to start lol.
First of all. The international skid steer died that weekend of pushing snow in the last posts. When I did the valve work there was a chunk of paper towel that fell in the sump I didn’t know about. I had to plug up the block to keep the valve keepers from falling down. Anyways, got about 20HRS on it in just 3 days and it lost oil pressure and knocked like a rod was coming through. Finally found a replacement engine, tore it down to find out it’s junk. Needed pistons, valves, guides, and one cylinder jug. Waited and found the big brother VG4D and heard it run before buying. Had some excessive blow by but winters here. Put it in and it worked for about 3 hours and blew a HG. Tore it down, had the head trued up and put back together. Made it about 45 minutes and I heard a few loud pops and shut down. Not sure if I blew the other head gasket or an exhaust gasket. F these Wisconsin motors. I love the skidsteer, it works exceptionally well, just a piss poor power plant. I’d love to completely overhaul one but man parts are spendy to do it right. May just have to.

Next, not in any order. I bought some new tools. I finally bought the snap on vantage lab scope. I haven’t gotten to use it nearly as much as I want to yet, but it’s been a slow learning process.
Bought a mill a couple weeks ago also. It’s a 1940 #2 Cincinnati with a series 1 BP head. Came with minimal tooling, and no vices. I bought it specifically for one job. And that job completely paid for the machine, and the trip to get it. I’ve wanted one for a long time, just needed a good excuse to buy it. Great buy I think. Cleaned up an otherwise useless corner of the shop. That will be the “machine” corner. I have still yet to buy a cylinder head and block machine. I am in the market still. Waiting for a good deal.

We also moved! I bought a trailer house, and moved it to the land I had bought. Got power, sewer and water in. Did most of that work ourselves except a little bit the companies required them to do themself. We repainted the entire inside, all new flooring, new sinks, toilets, and 100% new pet plumbing. On demand water heater, wood stove, 1000 gallon propane tank, 3” spray foam underneath on the skirting. It’s been a real nice deal living out of town. Quiet and peaceful.

 

[Dmoen]

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