2022...

[Moneybox]

Mrs M has finished work for the year so my time will get split up a bit. She won 2nd prize in the Christmas lights judging so that was a good start to her couple of weeks off.



I got a bit more of my little project knocked off. It doesn't look like much but it takes time to put bits and pieces together nice and square and straight.



Later in the afternoon we walked over to the freight yard to bring China home. When we got there the guy told me we need to jump start it so we walked home again. I went back with the truck but when I got there all I had to do was throw the isolation switch and it fired up.

There's no bucket or dog-bone link so there's another little project waiting for me

 

[Moneybox]

On Thursday afternoon I took a quick trip to Perth. The WCM dealer quoted me a decent price for a new loader bucket, it was better value than building it myself.

I got there late that night and slept right there in the industrial area. I should have taken a look at the map because the train line was only about 100m away. I woke at the usual time with about three hours to burn before the business opened. I decided to take a walk and find a geocache or two.

View attachment Rail crossing.MOV

Don't you just love the city first I had to get across the railway line.

View attachment Crossing.MOV

I only just cleared that obstacle and they placed another one about 10m away. Anyway I made my way around three geocaches, found two and couldn't find the other, then got back to the machinery yard at opening time.

First look at the bucket and I realised it wouldn't fit. It was designed to fit with a quick hitch and that's missing off China. Then I had to make the decision, do I go back to the idea of building a bucket or do I burn more than the bucket price and buy a quick hitch, I weakened and peeled out the credit card.



From there I had to go and buy some used form ply for my unfinished project. I got there and realised I didn't have enough cash, I just don't use that stuff anymore. It meant a trip to the local shopping centre on the Friday afternoon before Christmas. Even the cars were double parked and jammed into places where they shouldn't be and I'm towing a trailer.

Never mind, they put a spot aside just for me. I did a quick check that the angle grinder had plenty of charge and ran off to find an automatic teller machine. I was only gone about five minutes so no wheel clamps and no need for the grinder.



Next it was a quick stop at Stratco for some sheets of iron and a few steel posts and then just the usual Bunnings thing. I didn't hit the road until 3pm and with the ply and steel inside I had nowhere to sleep so it was a long drive home.

 

[Moneybox]

I've been busy trying to get on with my work between heatwaves and Mrs M has been busy as well. A week or so back I lost a few tools while making some adjustments on Goldilocks out on site. I think seeing the replacements turn up might have spurred her interest in my tools because she's spent the last couple of days trying to collect them together



She started by working on some shadow boards but I think she's going to run out of wall or wood

Then she got the bright idea to go hunting for some of the lost ones.

View attachment Finding tools.mp4

And she found the first one.



It's a punch so now there are just two 13mm spanners amongst the rusty metal, horse shoes, nails and wire.

 

[Simmo]

No offense to you Mrs M, but..................

 

[user 22230]

You are not alone MB Many members would have also swung a coil on this blokes well known station
WARNING Some course language not for young children

 

[Moneybox]

You are not alone MB Many members would have also swung a coil on this blokes well known station
WARNING Some course language not for young children

I think I know what happened to his original one, Santa dropped it here and I can't work out how to lay my hands on it.

 

[Mackka]

I've been busy trying to get on with my work between heatwaves and Mrs M has been busy as well. A week or so back I lost a few tools while making some adjustments on Goldilocks out on site. I think seeing the replacements turn up might have spurred her interest in my tools because she's spent the last couple of days trying to collect them together

View attachment 6893

She started by working on some shadow boards but I think she's going to run out of wall or wood

Then she got the bright idea to go hunting for some of the lost ones.

View attachment 6892

And she found the first one.

View attachment 6894

It's a punch so now there are just two 13mm spanners amongst the rusty metal, horse shoes, nails and wire.

Very nice mate and i can see where her skills are used in the museum. Bottom row of spanners , number 19 is a mismatch for the rest. Great work Sandra and well done on finding the pinch.

 

[Moneybox]

This morning I managed to get most of the heavy welding on my little project knocked off. The plan was to disassemble it at this point so that it could be painted but it's awful heavy and difficult to handle so it's safer to leave it in one piece.



This afternoon I gave it a quick wash with the pressure cleaner and a splash of colour.



Tomorrow I might just about be finished

 

[Moneybox]

Today started with Mrs M wanting another crack at finding the lost tools.



We took the Whites GMT this time. Unlike the PI detectors it talks to you and gives you a good indication of what the target is. Unfortunately we never found the tools but from here she disclosed her other reason for wanting to go out to the minesite



Mrs M has decided to build a rock garden with desert type plants so where better to find rocks but that little project will have to wait for a bit.



She's still busy hanging my tools up and I have a feeling she's not done yet....



Meanwhile I got my little project finished.



Of course it's just what Diginit guessed on day 1. It's a Grizzly to classify my dirt pile down to a maximum 50mm before it gets to the dryblower. Hopefully I'll have no more big rocks tumbling off the top smashing Tonka in the nose.

 

[Simmo]

Maybe a bit of flat bar or something to stop any spreading Phil??

 

[Mackka]

Looks great or grate and pardon my ignorance but why such a steep angle? Mackka

 

[user 22230]

MB it's to pretty to scratch

 

[grubstake]

Looks great or grate and pardon my ignorance but why such a steep angle? Mackka

Isn't that to allow for clearance, because the loader has to be able to drive in under the grating, scoop up the material and carry it back out?

 

[Moneybox]

Looks great or grate and pardon my ignorance but why such a steep angle? Mackka

Mackka, the angle is to prevent the material staying on the grate. I have it set at 35° with the option of changing it up to 45

Maybe a bit of flat bar or something to stop any spreading Phil??
View attachment 6960

Simmo, I think the main impact will be near the existing pipe support. It's actually in that spot because I'm guessing it's in the right spot to hook the top of the bucket to carry it out to the site and move it about. The tubes are all drill casing and pretty rigid so hopefully will keep their form as the rocks tumble down. Too late to consider change, what do you think Mrs M would say about me stuffing up that paint?

 

[Moneybox]

Looks great or grate and pardon my ignorance but why such a steep angle? Mackka

Mackka, the angle is so that the loaded material will easily slide off without vibration. I have it set at 35° with the option of changing it up to 45° or 55°. Most are fixed at either 45° or 60° but with my loose dry material I think I'll get away with it a bit flatter.

 

[Moneybox]

Isn't that to allow for clearance, because the loader has to be able to drive in under the grating, scoop up the material and carry it back out?

Yes you're right there grubstake. I'll load from the high side then just reverse, lower the bucket and scoop up the finer material for the dryblower. After the course material builds up on the lower side I can either push it aside or raise the grizzly and move it back a few metres onto clear ground.

 

[Mackka]

Thanks Grubstake and Moneybox now it all makes sense. Cheers Mackka

 

[Moneybox]

She says "Did you measure the gate?"


Well I did actually, after it was built. It fitted through with 100mm to spare but keeping it heading in the right direction was a little bit difficult. Anybody a little smarter would have built it the other way around so that Tonka could come in to help out.

View attachment Tonka doing the lifting.mp4

We managed to get it outside but in the end Tonka came home to do the heavy lifting.

 

[Moneybox]

Maybe a bit of flat bar or something to stop any spreading Phil??
View attachment 6960

Oh, Ok I got it, I just spotted the black line on the photo and couldn't work out what would throw that shadow

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/attachments/6916-ab96306a35b7ae415c84f8c880e54d66-jpg.6960/

I'm hoping I don't have to tie this end but I didn't consider that it could spread. It's and easy fix if necessary but anything there would be picked up with the bucket when I'm cleaning up and it would be a problem when I tried to carry it about.

 

[Simmo]

Oh, Ok I got it, I just spotted the black line on the photo and couldn't work out what would throw that shadow

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/attachments/6916-ab96306a35b7ae415c84f8c880e54d66-jpg.6960/

I'm hoping I don't have to tie this end but I didn't consider that it could spread. It's and easy fix if necessary but anything there would be picked up with the bucket when I'm cleaning up and it would be a problem when I tried to carry it about.

That's why I suggested flat bar mate, laying flat on or slightly under the surface, as long as you remember that it's there yoiu should skim right over it with the bucket??