Mechanical Challenge! Barn Fresh Oilfield Engine

You don't find many Barn Fresh engines nowadays, but this is a good one. Always undercover, and he has it running in short order.

 

Diesels In Death Throes

 There is some dramatic video here! These very likely are due to failure of seals in turbo or superchargers, allowing lubricating oil to be blown into the combustion chambers.

Phantom Doggie Mystery Solved

 

We have been getting nighttime photos of a canine for many months, and at first I thought it might be a coyote, but it's a dog. A coyote would not be so predictable. We finally got a daytime photo, courtesy of one of our hunters. It's a happy little fellow. Now we need to find the owner. He isn't causing any problems other than marking on the dog yard fence, which really sets of our dogs when they go out.

Tuesday Torque: Portland Tri-State Engine Show, 2022

 Thank You, Merle! This is a great look at a show that I have not been to!

Same Old Same Old

 Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam II: A4 Pacific Sir Nigel Gresley No. 4498 Leaving Grosmont

 Great stack talk, and plenty of smoke. Thank You, Merle!

Weekend Steam: Cumbres and Toltec 484

 Cumbres and Toltec 484! Thank You Merle!

 

How're Ya Fixed For Files/

 Tap your file down frequently and brush it to knock chips out, and replace it when it no longer cuts well. File straight, so your top edge is correct. Watch your side angle. You should be pressing straight into the gullet as you stroke. Run your file too high and your chain won't cut well. Run it too low and the teeth will be grabby. Check your depth gauges so you get a good bite. 

Forked Firewood: Think Before You Swing A Maul!

That wonky wood between the forks is a tough nut to crack if you split by hand. Work your way around it to save your breath and frustration. Better yet, get a hydraulic splitter before you wreck your elbows!

Makin' Wood!

 I am really shocked by the moisture content of these trees. We have been checking them after splitting and they are running 15%. We can put them right into the stove and they light and burn. We are hoping to store a bunch of this wood in the barn as a hedge against emergency wood cutting!

I am glad to have good weather for a few days. I was back in the woods to drop more ash trees. We got a load home, split it and stacked it, and checked the moisture. These trees are running 15% moisture right off the stump, so we are stacking at the house and saving the dry wood in the barn. The 359 began misbehaving, not wanting to idle down, and I found that a bunch of dust from these dry trees was under the cover. I blew it out and then the throttle would click back to idle.

Not Prevention, Not A Cure, Worse Than The Disease....

Tuesday Torque: Galloping Goose

 The Rio Grande Southern built these in the 1930s. Thanks for spotting, Merle!