Something just clicked…..

[bczygan]

Strouty,
I'm watching what you are doing right now.

You are in high gear. Don't worry about the things you aren't getting done. You can attack them later.

My take is that you are doing all you can, in every area of your life.

I'm also making mad progress. Been working on the dreaded basement for the last two days. That's a task I've avoided for many years. Just finished demolishing and disassembling a ruined upright piano down there, and bringing all the parts up to be put on the curb. See my blog for the latest.

http://czy1.blogspot.com/2015/10/introduction.html

Bill

 

[Strouty]

Thanks Bill.

This morning I got the rest of the antennas installed and the coax routed, so that job is done and I can bill it, that is a relief.

Later this afternoon Ben and I pulled down the compressor parts and removed the pulleys from the old 3 phase motors. Then we put the pumps on the tank and after Ben left I started fitting the motor up. I still have more to do, but at least it is a start. We also put away the pressure washer, it is now stored up in the area over my office for the winter.

 

[Strouty]

I spent about an hour in the office this morning and I got the computer working again. Perfect timing with the job done I needed to be able to invoice the customers. It took a little longer than I would have liked, but it is done and now I have a working office computer. The rest of the day I was helping my Brother out at one of his jobs, just finished that up and now I am headed to the MIL's house to wipe her hard drive and reinstall her OS. She apparently fell for the call from tech support and let them have remote access to her computer, I really wish people would be more smart about things like this, at least she did not give them her credit card info (at least not directly). We are going to change her passwords and she has canceled her credit card as well as notified her friends that her email may be hacked. I really think all they had time to do was install ransom ware or some other bug to make her call back for "removal with a fee". Hopefully that will go smooth, I am about done with computers right now, the last month has been nothing but problems.

Tomorrow I am going to be working at one of our towers, I need to remove some old coax and install new, not sure how far I will get with this, but I figure at least I will be starting the process. In the afternoon I hope to get a bit more done on the compressor, it would be really nice to get it all plumbed up, then this weekend I could actually try and make some CFM.

Friday I have a meeting with a customer, then I need to spend the rest of the day working in the office, I have been neglecting things because of the computer situation and now I can't really use that excuse.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Just got caught up on the past 50 pages (not all in one night!) and wow...it's really coming together. Love the Lista cabinets.

 

[nine4gmc]

If half of that compressor is badass, what is the whole thing, like badass x2?

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: i always wondered how those cable lines connected to a roof wouldnt pull out so thanks for the pics and write up. Hope you are able to get the big compressor working.

I need to wipe my old desktop computer with xp and put a new windows 7 in it that i bought a while ago. Can you pm me on how you wipe a computer because it also was full of viruses?

Hope your computer repairs and issues are behind you. Im still dealing with laptop issues since loading windows 8.1 and now windows 10 so hoping microsoft might have an update soon with a fix.

Cheers

 

[Strouty]

Thanks for taking the time Jeff, the Lista setup gets my vote, I think it is the best bang for the buck if someone is looking for a modular system that they can add on to later.

Nines, hopefully the compressor will work, that would be awesome x2!

Drives, I am probably no help on Windows, I have been with Macs for over 10 years now, sorry.

Tonight Ben and I got a few things done (I only had him here for an hour and a half), we have a good chunk of my fab table cleaned out and this weekend I may even be able to use it. I have to start going through tools and figuring out if I am selling them or keeping them. I have bins full of stuff that I either upgraded or were duplicates or triplicates from my utility truck. This is where the hoarder in me rears its ugly head, I have a hard time getting rid of tools unless I am selling them to buy more. I need to sort through my scrap stuff too, it is getting a bit out of hand, I have boxes of wire everywhere and for some reason I have not had a place to put my aluminum and copper, so they are getting mixed in with the regular iron. I may also have to help at the MIL's house again on Saturday, they are trying to get a bunch of trash removed and some other big items shuffled around. I did get her computer all fixed, so at least that is done.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: thanks and i'll maybe find out what i need by googling and reading up on how to wipe and replace the operating system in my desktop.

i hear you with the tools and supplies and i'm looking for a great way to have them where i can find them instead of buying something i already know i own.

take care

 

[Strouty]

My problem is trying to make broad categories. I like very specific ones and if that part of my brain doesn't get its way then it just ignores the stuff by having me pile it up or put it in boxes.

 

[ModClean]

My problem is trying to make broad categories. I like very specific ones and if that part of my brain doesn't get its way then it just ignores the stuff by having me pile it up or put it in boxes.

100%

 

[Strouty]

Well today is not going according to plan and I am looking at spending money that I shouldn't and wasting time that I don't have. I figure I will take a risk and see if it pays off, could be a big payoff or just a small one, pretty sure I can't lose, but I think that is what everyone that gambles says too.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I never met a gambler that didn't say that. keep your head up, things are improving. Rich

 

[Strouty]

Tomorrow I am going to buy another piece of equipment or possibly two. They are specific to the tower industry, but if it is as I hope and I can make the deal, it could be a long term profit maker through renting them out. I am 95% sure I can flip it if all else fails, but I prefer the long term benefit if possible. My financial exposure is low to start, timing is just off, but it will not be around when timing is good (why does it always work that way?). I will update after I make the deal, don't want anyone to beat me to the punch.

 

[nine4gmc]

I'm already on it, just got my funds allocated and contacted the seller, you are slipping.

 

[bczygan]

Well today is not going according to plan and I am looking at spending money that I shouldn't and wasting time that I don't have. I figure I will take a risk and see if it pays off, could be a big payoff or just a small one, pretty sure I can't lose, but I think that is what everyone that gambles says too.

Glad your day got flummoxed. Mine did too. Just laid about most of the day, then went out at 5PM and framed 2 walls of the shed addition rebuild and sheathed one. Got dark and quit. Will finish framing and sheathing and roofing tomorrow.

Wondering what kind of equipment you're talking about. A crane?

Manlift?

Waiting with bated breath to see.

Bill

 

[Strouty]

I will explain everything when it is on the truck. I don't want to jinx myself.

 

[Nursepeter1973]

Fingers crossed for you buddy

 

[Strouty]

Thanks NP, I am headed out soon. Got to go to the bank and get the truck fueled up.

 

[Strouty]

Now just waiting for the bank to open. I can't fit through the drive up area. Last time I tried to take this truck through an ATM area I ended up having to back out because the ramp body was too wide. That was interesting.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: unless it's snowing or pouring rain maybe the walk to the ATM will give you a little exercise and thinking time. It sounds like a good deal so we'll take your word for it and wish you the best.

cheers

 

[racer-john]

Stouty: Over the last couple of days I have read all of your "ups and downs" along with 86's 50HP shop, stories. You are both doing a great job and are an inspiration for the rest of us here on the GJ. Keep up the good work and be safe.

 

[Strouty]

Drives, no ATM, had to go to the teller, the ATM won't give up enough cashola for this transaction.

Racer, thanks for checking things out, 86 has been going at it hard too and I enjoy his updates. I know my shop is no showpiece, but I feel like it is more realistic for what most of us can have. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a fancy 4000 square foot shop, but mine is just that, mine.

So the back story on this is Thursday night my Brother calls me and says get on craigslist right now! So I take a look at what he was talking about and freak out a bit, I email the seller (no phone number) and then proceed to lose sleep all night. Luckily the seller actually called me the next morning, I would have been sleepless another night if I had not heard back. So we agreed on a time to meet (about 2.5 hour drive for me) and I got some sleep last night. All of this was over a double drum "skid winch", we use them to build towers. Currently I do not have my own, but I borrow my Father's, no big deal accept it seems to always have strings attached and his winch is home made and has about zero chance of ever becoming certified, the one I bought (yes I bought it) is manufactured and has specifications from a company that was top notch (they closed down in 2013), so I should have no problem with certification. The guy used to run a small tower company, but he got sick and closed things down, he still had a small outdoor space that he rented to store things and he wanted to get rid of the last of it. He also had an 80' Gin Pole, this is the other component to the winch used to build towers. After some discussion we agreed on a price and I not only bought the winch and gin pole, but also all of the remaining stock and hardware he had in the yard. Now I have to take a few trips to Massachusetts to load all of this junk so it can co mingle with my junk. At least it is all very useful and a lot of it I can sell with no problems at all. I am most excited about the galvanized racking, this is something that I have wanted for a while and now I have some! Here are the pictures and a link to a bit of reading on gin poles for those of you that are interested.

Gin Pole 101


Skid Winch after dragging it up on the ramp truck, I had to 2 part the cable because it was over 6000 pounds of dead weight.


This is the gin pole, four 20' sections and it is a smaller pole than any of the ones I currently have. I was hoping that it would be the same as one of our other ones, but now I am glad it is not, because it will serve a different purpose.


This is the racking and some of the materials, I didn't take pictures of all of it, but you get the idea.











Here is the winch after I unloaded it tonight, I will need to get it going as this price was fire sale style and all I got to do was make sure it turned over freely.

 

[racer-john]

Stouty, Great catch. I'm ashamed to show my shop (two car garage) jam packed have to twist my way through sometimes (with two total hip replacements). Hopefully this winter I can get it sorted out.

 

[Strouty]

I am pulling for you and you don't have to post pictures, as long as you can hold yourself accountable. I had to post pictures and air my dirty laundry or nothing would have ever been done, well it probably would have gotten worse.

As for the skid winch and gin pole, the guy bought them new in 1995/96 and built one tower, then put it away for 10 years, then built another tower, then put it away and now I have it. It has 84.7 hours on it, the engine is a Continental TMD27 diesel engine. It was a venture with Wisconsin and they were a fairly common engine for lots of off brand equipment and military equipment. I figure with that kind of hours as long as it turns over I can make it work. Total I paid for everything was $4500, this is why I was sleepless, he was asking $2000 for the winch and then I made the $4500 offer for all, probably could have gotten it for less, but I felt like he could use the money and I was still getting a great deal. When I had to rent a certified skid winch and gin pole, it cost me $5000 a month. I know it will still cost me money to get both units certified and up to snuff, but I can see renting them out to tother people and making all my money back and then some.

On another note, I was talking to a customer tonight and they would like to buy some of the materials. Then we got into a discussion about making some parts and I had another one of those "click" moments, I can fabricate brackets for the tower industry and sell to local companies, cut the shipping out, cut the middleman out, and make me some money. This may end up being something great and it is something that I can do with essentially no help.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: nice HAUL big guy. congrats on making the deal and I have faith it will work out for you.

 

[Strouty]

I will be honest, I would have paid $4500 for the gin pole, so I don't feel hurt at all. Since it was only used twice, it is almost new. This one was made by one of the best manufacturers and in 1996 it was over $11,000, today it would cost about $15,000 to replace with a similar yet off brand made one. I am sure in order to get everything up to specs I will have another $10k into all of it, but that includes a trailer, engineering, refurbishing the actual winch, and the certifications from a crane inspector. The best thing is I don't have to do it all at once, so it won't hurt so bad. Most customers do not care about the certifications, but the government jobs do, and I have done work for the FAA and the Coast Guard, who knows, it could become mandated in the future.

 

[nine4gmc]

Good score Strouty, IDK what half that stuff is but even I know a deal when I see one. YOU ****!!

 

[86turbodsl]

Congrats on your score Strouty! I love the hunt for stuff like that too. My pocketbook doesn't though. I'm sure you'll put it to good use.

 

[Strouty]

Nines I talked to another company and they paid $35k for a similar setup except the stuff they bought was older and the pole had a bend in it.

 

[nine4gmc]

Yeah, you scored! Love the galvanized racking too, I could definitely use that behind my shop!

 

[bczygan]

HEAVY METAL!

I like it!

I was thinking one time, about getting a 10' gin pole, but I'm afraid of heights.

Bill

 

[Richard Cranium]

Congrats, I don't understand most of it, but it looks like you got a hell of a deal.

 

[Strouty]

Thanks guys, I am excited but now I have another list of stuff to do.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Great score, Strouty! I'm confused. I thought you were trying to thin things out...

Tommy

 

[Strouty]

That was the dilemma, but those racks will help me a lot. Hopefully I can turn a buck with the materials.

 

[Strouty]

I am going to grab the tractor trailer today, I need to bring the excavator to the next job on Monday, figured might as well get it over to the shop today, then I can load it up Monday and head out. I actually wanted to try and do a little work with the machine before taking it away, but I don't know if I will. I really should install some new lights on it, since it is getting dark so early. I want to work on the air compressor, but I can do that after dark. I also wanted to get the skid winch running, but that is NOT a priority at all.

 

[drivesitfar]

Strouty: TO DO lists will never go away completely because life goes on and we keep pushing forward. your purchases might have added to the list and with all the trips to pick them up taken away from your time, but you did well.

as the others have said the racks i'm sure you and we could all use more of those and happy you have the ability to not only use them, but also good for you that you have the ability to move them.

have a great day and get done what you can and just work on time management so you don't burn yourself out.

cheers

 

[rmalkow2]

A fantastic score Strouty. This should really give your business a big boost in the future with minimal investment. Hey, don't forget to take your brother for a steak dinner for that first phone call!

 

[North Run Grader]

Is that a Tulsa winch? Great score, you ****, and you owe your brother a steak supper and a bottle of his favorite spirits.

 

[North Run Grader]

Oh, if you add lights to the hoe, check out Led work lamps at your local parts stores, Grote and Trucklite will run around $125 but if they carry the offshore ones will be around $40 - $50. Just make sure they run off 10 - 30 volts. I replaced 1/2 of the lights on my old 160H and they are all still working on the 3rd winter now. I was impressed with the quality for being offshore, and they cost me 1/4 of the Caterpillar halogen ones. For the limited use you'do need for night work, they'd still be working when the excavator had turned to a pile of rust.