There's that 1/2 day thing again. My neighbour who owns a plastic extrusion company (called High Precision Profiles) had some dies made in Italy, from where most of his machines come, which attach to his machines by means of a spigot with a 3.5mm pitch thread 120mm in diam. . I made about 8 attachment collars 300mm in diam. and 50mm thick with an internal threaded hole to match the dies.
For some reason the dies don't seem to have all been threaded the same and there are minute variations which cause them to bind in the collars. Of course this was not discovered until it was time to use the dies - like right NOW!! Emergency. Emergency.
"Can you please true up the threads on the dies so they all match?"
"There goes the morning again. . ." (Sotto voce of course).
Thursday afternoon . . .
While looking at the guards I realised I had suffered a bit of brain fade the other day when I ordered the pipe rolled to match the guards and had specified a size to match the mounting fittings (40nb) which was way larger than needed to act as supports (25nb). Better ring Allbend and get them to use a smaller size pipe.
"No trouble. We haven't started that job yet."
"OK Thanks."
Now let's try and tidy up some details. I ordered some push fittings the other day for the breather hoses from the diff's and transfer case etc. so off to pick them up and a fuel filter to plug into the outlet to keep it all clean. Works beautifully and there is even a convenient little spot to put it out of the way. Nice. (These fittings and pipe are amazing - you can reuse them - and you just use them by pushing the pipe into the fitting. This variety for air can take about 15bar/215psi but you can get hydraulic versions up to about 700bar/10000psi!! All for about $10/fitting and $2/m for hose!)
The horns were finally located hanging off the lower radiator support but not a really nice place to put the air-trumpets so off with the grill and front trim where I remember some space from fitting the central locking and power windows. Yes - looks like they will go in there very nicely.
Even a spot for the air pump.
The fitting instructions say to put in a 20amp relay and 30amp fuse but that is going to entail running more power wires from somewhere and there is no convenient spot other than right back to the battery again! It's not like I am going to camp on the horn (or even use it unless necessary) so I think that's a bit of overkill. There is a 15amp fuse in the horn circuit already and there is separate wiring to each of two horns so I will just couple both circuits together and use them for the air pump. A couple of lengths of 8mm air hose to the trumpets and . . . I just love 120db air horns. If you don't pay attention to them you deserve to get 11 tonne of truck tyre tread pattern across your bonnet (hood I guess for our US citizens).
The tilt-cab and height of the chassis off the ground does make life a little easier - you can just climb right in there.
Friday morning . . .
The order came through for 10 new oil-coolers for the power station "up north" so I had better get my finger out and make all the arrangements.
There goes a couple of hours, ordering all the material in and making sure all the other trades will not be closing up too early around Xmas time so that this job can get finished and delivered.
Better check on my pipe rolling too while I am at it.
"The boss only just gave me the job"
"Will it get done today? I would like it for working over the weekend."
"Shouldn't be a problem. I will phone when it is finished."
"Thanks."
Then the phone rings. Who can that be - nobody rings me anymore - now that I am "retired". Another friend of mine (who is building a bus motorhome - The journey begins when the bus is finished).
"Can you machine that bunch of door lock components I need for my storage lockers?"
I had volunteered this service earlier so I really don't mind.
"Sure. Bring them over. I'll set them up and you can push the green button."
Friday afternoon . .
I need t0 get these fuel tanks in. I have just remembered that the new tanks and filter have different fittings to the old one so I have to strip out the old lines to take them over to Couplers so that they can tell me what fittings to use. There are a bunch of young girls (about 20 something I suppose) over there and it would be a mistake to think they don't know what they are doing. I have seen some severely embarrassed males leaving from there from time to time.
Sure enough -
"Hmm. A JIS end flare with a metric thread. We don't keep them in stock but I can have them here on Monday. If you are in a hurry you can just cut off a short piece of the pipe from the end with the fitting, put a flare on the pipe and use the flexible hose directly onto that."
See what I mean. It's embarrassing!
I have been a little disappointed in having to change from these JIS fittings to hoses and hose-clamps - seems a little more primitive - a backward step - until I came to this point in the exercise.
Chassis Engineer :
"Tank fitting. Hmm. Better use a JIS fitting there. Make the tank fitting out of copper - solder it in place. That way the steel pipe fitting will tighten up really well and get a good seal."
"Oh Yes. When you cross from the chassis to the motor you better put in a couple if reinforced flexible hoses for the input and return pipes with JIS fittings both ends to take up engine/chassis flex. The power guys can take it from there."
Powerplant engineer:
"Hmm. How will we fit the fuel inlet hose to the injector system? Put the hose onto a bit of pipe and use a hose clamp. That ought to do it!"
Makes you wonder at times!!
Back to the real world.
Ring Allbend as it's getting late and I haven't heard from them yet.
"Oh Yeah. I meant to call you. Our machine broke down and we have had to swap the job to another machine. I will have it ready first thing Monday."
"Right!!!"
Better make up that bracket for the new filter in a different position to leave more room for the tank. Trial fit it - needs a few mod's! It's made like this to avoid drilling new holes in the chassis by using existing holes. Everything I read (casually and in the VSB's say don't do it)! Better go and check with the very helpful workshop foreman at Major Motors.
" Hi Achmed. (Name changed to protect the (not so) innocent.) When I fit those new tanks and filter etc. I dont have holes in the right positions in the chassis. I am a bit concerned about drilling a whole bunch of new ones."
" I wouldn't worry. Just drill them. We do it all the time and haven't had a problem yet!"
"Thanks Achmed."
( ?????? Well that helped - I think!)
Whoops. There's another day gone. Time to get ready to go and teach my dance class.
No comments:
Post a Comment