Bad Day at Block Rock - errrr - Make it Bad Year.

[crash325]

Jim try some type of grease around tire rim . know there are experts on what type but plain axle grease has never eaten a tire of mine so far.
And maybe your dog knows who is boss around there. and just putting up with you.

Interesting about the slow shipment of your heater .in a few months there will not be a need what is your hurry.

I purchased a catalytic type heater . doesn't heat the air just the things in front of the heater. it will keep the room it is in warm.

Has the wind started to blow? It is one of the reasons I left that area. Feb. to July constant blowing made me irritable and hard to get along with . This Ozark region it is sit back and let the world go by. Front porches are for use not to look at.

ken

Hi Ken,
This has been the year of the wind. Use to be Feb & March were the bad months & some big blows in the summer. This year there has been more wind than any time I can think of. That is what tore up the flag & bent the rifle.

Have some oil & soap on the tire. It's almost on, left it with my tire spoon, a long metal rod in it. Now, in a little while will attack with 5' digging bar.

Little Boy is curious about everything, wants to be involved & / or wants to play. I'm trying to work & he puts a big old paw on my shoulder & looks at what I'm doing. If I lay my gloves down, he steals 1 & as much as says come & get it.

Have you ever been to Defalls Bluff on the White River? It is about 40 miles north of Little Rock. Had some friends there in 1957 named Treadway. The ran a 2 RR car dinner. He ran his own traut lines as well as cooked. Use to swim in the river along with the Alligator Gar. Great Cat fish U hush puppies. The bar-b-q, from the tin shacks along the high way was great.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Once again chiming in to say I really like reading your updates Crash!

And I can add something this time. I am also in the Ozarks, my place is actually in the
St. Francis Mountains near Fredericktown, Mo and I have roamed the hills and streams in our
region for most of my life.

Two favorites of mine are Hemmed in Hollow on the Buffalo in AR and the Upper Jacks Fork river in MO.
Check them out if you ever get the chance. The Ozarks rock!

 

[BKBrown]

We have a Chocolate Lab that is around 120# and NOT fat - he is just BIG and STRONG. He likes to bump and push. MAX can push me over a few inches while I am in my Lazy-Boy and I'm around 220# plus the chair. Max has a habit of running and jumping at whatever I'm ready to throw for him - I need to watch and pay attention or he will push me over.

I saw Stars today. Not stars like on the flag or in cartoons.
But dozens or 100s of bright lights flashing in my eyes.
Little Boy, eager to say hello jumped up & hit me under the chin with his head or nose. It came very close to knocking me out. Loosened a tooth & I think slightly dislocated my jaw. A lot more welcome or hello than I needed. Usually i can push him aside. just didn't see it coming.
I wrist has a 2" scratch & the other has a "V" shaped hunk out of it from him helping me.
Don't think I can stand much more of his helping me or his big hello's.
Will he ever realize he is not a cuddly little puppy any more??

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Have some oil & soap on the tire. It's almost on, left it with my tire spoon, a long metal rod in it. Now, in a little while will attack with 5' digging bar.

Crash, you've probably been mounting tires since before I was born, so you probably already know what a bear it is to get that last bit of bead over the rim if the bead on the opposite side isn't pushed down into the center of the rim to give more slack on the side that's still out. I've used a big C clamp to do that, and even run that side over with the truck (also works for breaking the bead loose to begin with). With small tires on ATVs and motorcycles, sometimes I can get away with just standing on them. But after years of those shenanigans I finally broke down and snagged a used Coats machine off Craig's List, and I haven't lost an argument with a tire bead since. :thumbsup:

Seems like the more FedEx and UPS charge for shipping, the worse the service gets. And I haven't noticed prices coming down with the drop in fuel prices, either. Why am I not surprised?

Good luck with that tire!

 

[Ken]

Hi Ken,
This has been the year of the wind. Use to be Feb & March were the bad months & some big blows in the summer. This year there has been more wind than any time I can think of. That is what tore up the flag & bent the rifle.

Have some oil & soap on the tire. It's almost on, left it with my tire spoon, a long metal rod in it. Now, in a little while will attack with 5' digging bar.

Little Boy is curious about everything, wants to be involved & / or wants to play. I'm trying to work & he puts a big old paw on my shoulder & looks at what I'm doing. If I lay my gloves down, he steals 1 & as much as says come & get it.

Have you ever been to Defalls Bluff on the White River? It is about 40 miles north of Little Rock. Had some friends there in 1957 named Treadway. The ran a 2 RR car dinner. He ran his own traut lines as well as cooked. Use to swim in the river along with the Alligator Gar. Great Cat fish U hush puppies. The bar-b-q, from the tin shacks along the high way was great.

Jim
Could this be on Hwy 70 East. DeValls bluff near Clarendon on the White River? Close to Peckerwood lake.
Not far from the Louisiana Purchase Marker that started the Western opening for U.S. territory ?
20 years ago would go through the area working for the power co. Not really large enough to be on map but just up the river the Civil War These rebels sank the U.S. gunboat Mound City.

The name Tread way is a commen name for the area.

Get the tire fixed. The wording may be why the dog keeps knocking you over .
ken

 

[crash325]

Thanks folks for staying tuned in & for your helpful advice & encouragement.

It has been 4 or maybe 5 years since I had to fix one of these tires. Didn't like it then either.
I mulled things over & over again. At last came to the conclusion that i should do it different.
First take the tire & rim off the tractor, yea I was trying to cheat & avoid that. It just was not working out. Instead of studs to put when on when done, I made to special bolts to slide rim onto the skinny little nub that holds the rim centered.

With tire & rim off the axle I can use the bucket to push the bead down in low spot on rim. Then with every thing well Greased maybe it will go on. Need 2 tire spoons, only had 1, Made a quickie today out of a piece of conduit. Should it prove to fragile, I'll fire up the forge & make a good one. 1/2" X 36" Cement form stake works well.

Have a BIG C clamp that opens over 12". Tire is too wide to get it on.
Don't think the Manual Coats would work with these tires. way to stiff & hard & maybe even too wide. Even the newer air & hydrolic might have a problem. Have fixed tires since early 1962, & even before on a limited basis. Done lots of split rims. big truck tires & most everything in between. Even put tires (shoes) on a horse or 2.

Tire & rim are too heavy for me to pick up, Even that is a two person job. Just standing it up to roll around is a pain. If push comes to shove & I have to have help, will get a friend to help.

Bad legs & back give me a limited life span when it comes to hard labor. So right now it is resting & tomorrow if I feel like it will attack again.

Little Boy was good today, after he & the girls got some petting they mostly watched & dosed. When I sat on the deck, to let my back settle down & have a beer Little Boy rubs against my leg & chair. He almost pushes me over at times.

Ken,
The highway that I was talking about runs from Little Rock to Memphis, Defalls Bluff is where it crosses the White River.
If memory is correct most sitting porches were screened in, due to mosquito's, air would turn black in the evenings.
My traveling days are pretty much over, don't even like going to town.

Thank all of you for your thoughts & hints.

More later
Jim

 

[crash325]

Didn't work on tire today. had plans to BUT!!

Decided the conduit spoon would be too wimpy.
So fire up the forge, simple enough right!!
Have some home made charcoal in a 20 gallon can & a few bricketts, put them in an old pan dump on some starter fluid & I'm good to go.

Well maybe not. Forge has not been fired up in several years. Fire grate plugged solid. Hammer crap out of the slots. That is after digging it out of the wet sand. OK now we're in business. Got the charcoal burning & looking good. Dump on some ( Old & Wet ) coal. OOPPS a little too much, puts everything out. Clear out things a little, more lighter fluid & we are good to go. Dann the old blower gear box needs oil, loud grinding noise. Another small set back, pouring oil through a 1/8" hole, but got er done. Fairly soon most of the wet coal is starting to burn, a Little.

Prop 3' by 1/2" cement form stake in the fire. & Crank & crank & crank. Wear out both arms, but making progress. Now hand cranking a forge, banking the fire, + keeping the metal in the right spot does keep one busy. Now a person would not want to do this without a little breeze. Of course it blows the smoke & heat right in your face as you crank. I Have to bend over to reach the crank, Dann my back is killing me. Hey that rod is turning red, not as hot as it should be, maybe the rust is hiding it's color. Time to try the hammer. Nope not a hot as it should be. Back to the fire with it. Fire is really going good now, most of the coal is coked up. Lets give the ole back & arms a rest, Sip a beer in let things simmer. Dogs need more petting anyway. at least that is what they think.

Back to cranking, more coal & the nice breeze. Ah the color is coming up, past red & starting to yellow. Crank a little faster. Hammer away, some progress. Repeat 5 or 6 times. Back is hurting & arms tired. Yes sir it's thin enough, a little grinding & I'm done.

Well maybe not, will look at it when pain is not telling me what to do.

For years I have planned to hook up a electric blower of some kind. Got to get that back on my "To Do" list.
Had my torch not been stolen, in less time than it took to get the forge burning I would have been done. Might have even worked on the tire a little.
The fun goes on.
Jim

 

[dragoneggs]

Dann... who's Dann? I thought you were alone with the dogs. You're killing me. Great read! Keep it going sir.

 

[crash325]

Dann... who's Dann? I thought you were alone with the dogs. You're killing me. Great read! Keep it going sir.

It's just me & the dog peoples.:laughing:
Just trying to be polite for the lady folks. Sort of short of Bolder Dam It.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

That's how it goes a lot of the time around here, too, Jim.

First figure out what's wrong then how to fix it.

Then find the right tools and parts.

Then fix the broken or worn out tool, or go get more fuel, oil, glue, etc.

Finally spend an hour to make the repair that has now taken three days.

But when it all finally comes together, it's very satisfying to see the dominoes fall at last.