New garage time!

[EddieWalker]

I have a trencher that was in the way and I wasn't able to start. I spent an hour messing with it without results, so I dragged it out of the way, then pushed it back to it's new home. I have a couple big jobs for it, so I want to keep it, I just don't want to put any time or money into getting it going when I don't have any need for it this year, or next year.

Hope you can get it started, but if you just want it moved to another location, I'd focus on the moving part of it, and deal with the starting part of it when you need to use it.

 

[fatjay]

I have a trencher that was in the way and I wasn't able to start. I spent an hour messing with it without results, so I dragged it out of the way, then pushed it back to it's new home. I have a couple big jobs for it, so I want to keep it, I just don't want to put any time or money into getting it going when I don't have any need for it this year, or next year.

Hope you can get it started, but if you just want it moved to another location, I'd focus on the moving part of it, and deal with the starting part of it when you need to use it.

With the backhoe bit down and to the side, I'm not sure I can drag it. I don't have anything else remotely heavy duty enough to reposition the hoe. I wasn't planning on using it this year or next, but maybe if I get it running, I'll bang out some stuff that I had on the list for it. I think with a strong battery it'll be enough. Maybe I'll drain the fuel and put in fresh.

 

[civilian]

Can you run a portable gas tank to it maybe with an electric fuel pump? See that a lot on YT. Jon

 

[fatjay]

Can you run a portable gas tank to it maybe with an electric fuel pump? See that a lot on YT. Jon

You mean for fresh gas? It's getting fuel to the carb with gravity feed just fine. I thought about buying a 1 gallon fuel cell for that.

 

[fatjay]

She moves!

New fuel filter, new fuel, new battery, half a can of starting fluid, tires inflated. It sank pretty well over the years so I had to rock it back and forth a bit to get out of it's hole. It's really light on the front end, so heading up hill is moderately terrifying and there's no steering or brakes.

This is supposed to be gas.

 

[goeduck]

Good job getting it running!

 

[fatjay]

One of the main lift cylinders for the bucket sprung a leak. I really don't want to take it off. But it looks like the leak is coming from the base of the hose connection. I am terrified that this whole thing will crumble if I take a wrench to it.

But this isn't an issue for right now. Need to get the garden going first.

 

[fatjay]

Dug up the dirt that was saturated with hydraulic oil, put new dirt down, cleared some brush and a few tree's, then ran into the ferguson. Put the battery on the charger, put some gas in, spray some ether in the intake, cranked for about 30 seconds, and fired up after 9 years of sitting. Went to lift the bucket and nothing. Hydraulic oil had all drained out. Added hydraulic oil, and the bucket moved. So I started it and went to go and dug myself out.

I'm amazed how strong that engine runs, it didn't stall once even after that sitting. And it just spun the tires when it was sunken in trying to get over the hump.

https://imgur.com/cMWsGuL

 

[fatjay]

Finished clearing the area. Got my tiller ready last month and broke it out. Started right up, and hit that red clay hard. I'm going to need some fertilizer. Maybe something nitrogen based.

 

[EddieWalker]

From what I understand, fertilizer takes about 6 months to actually show any changes to the soil. It should be done twice a year, with a long term goal of achieving your desired NPK levels in five years.

To improve your soil for planting this Spring, you will have the best results by bringing in new garden soil and mixing it with your red clay.

I just had 8 yards delivered to my place and we're slowly getting it into our raised beds. My land is all red clay and iron ore. It's great for pine trees, pasture grass and roses, but not very good for growing veggies because of how acidic it is, and how hard it gets in Summer. Most common treatment is to add lime to lower it's acidity. I had it analyzed and I need one ton of lime per acre. I've done this a few times, and it seems to help, but it's a never ending process. It's much faster and cheaper to just buy better dirt.

 

[fatjay]

Finished tilling, smoked one belt, 2 bolts came loose holding the tiller on. Multiple huge rocks that it danced on and I had to dig out by hand.

But I did get a decent picture.

 

[airbiscuit]

I think you should give tours!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My garden grows rocks too. Cute baby there.

 

[dodge man]

Nice picture!

 

[BackRoad]

Always impressed with your "git'r done somehow" attitude...

 

[fatjay]

Got the fence up, posts, gate built. I've had chicken cleanout composting for 3 years now, 3 yards, so I think I'm going to spread it around, then make another pass at tilling.

I have to say my harbor freight post hole digger sat for 3 years since I last used it, and it fired up on the 3rd pull, gave me real nice clean holes powering through hard clay and rocks. I was wailing on those fence posts with a 3lb sledge and they barely moved when I hit them.

 

[KCTractors]

I'm about to get started on my new garage. It's going to be 24x44x35, interior finished and heated. I'm doing 24" wide by 36" deep footers, then 2 block up. On the 2 block will be 10' 2x8's making the first floor 12' high for a 2 post and 4 post lift. 2nd floor will have 14" manufacturered floor joists and 8' ceiling, 3rd floor will have 14" manufacturered floor joists and scissor trusses giving vaulted ceiling. I'll have a metal shop on the 2nd floor and an office for work, 3rd floor will be used half for storage and half for a man cave with bay window looking out over my property.

2 8x10' doors in the front, on the side will have 2 man doors. all 3 floors will have radiant floor heating, I haven't figured out how I'm going to heat the water yet though. Going between floors will have a 5x8' elevator. 2 windows per floor on the side and 2 windows on the front on 2nd and 3rd floor.

I have a friend who is a contractor and will be doing the bulk of the work but i'll be on site to help. I'm doing the excavation myself with my 1953 Oliver backhoe, old girl is still kicking and never misses a beat.

I would go with a 10'x10' door minimum. If you eventually get a cab tractor, you will have the height. I know, I have that problem now.

 

[fatjay]

I would go with a 10'x10' door minimum. If you eventually get a cab tractor, you will have the height. I know, I have that problem now.

I went with 2 doors, one 10x10, and one 8x10. It's all done and looking good!

 

[fatjay]

Another project. Solar roof. But not a normal one.

My back porch is south facing and gets full sun, it's basically fire all day and every day. I want to add a patio roof. So I'm going to build one out of solar panels.

I am going to start with a metal frame consisting of 2x2" square tube. The front will be 8' high and the rear will be 13', with a depth of about 16'. I'm only going to do half the house at first, but I'll be scaling it to the entire back of the house.

The total array will be ~11kw, so I'll be picking up a beefier inverter. With a 15kwh battery pack now, I'll definitely need to beef that up a bit. I already planned on packing it out to 90kwh over time, so that's ok.

But for now, most power is used during the day, most of the sun is during the day, so it'll be effective even if I don't have a ton of battery for overnight.

I already had 18 panels, I picked up 18 more on wednesday, and I'll be picking up 18 more on next wednesday. The price is $25 a panel for 240w. It's the cheapest price per watt i've seen so far, so I bought them all.

 

[slckeys]

Where are you getting panels at that price?