Wetland Construction: Day 1
Day one of construction turned out to be more of a test than anything else. It didn't take long to find some problems with the back hoe. The biggie was low quality Chinese cotter pins. As a result of their softness, I lost the pin that connects the hoe's boom to the tractor mount. That was nearly catastrophic because the boom almost came off the tractor and I would have had numerous broken hoses as a result. I managed to get the pin back in using the hydraulics to re-position the boom and align it well enough to get the pin half way in. Then I crept back to the garage and fixed it a little better.
Actually one of the pins on the bucket linkage failed first, but I saw it before the pin came out and fixed it. Later another bucket pin failed. (Note to self: Throw out all the Chinese cotter pins, spring pins, hairpin cotters, etc. Buy American.) I also found a couple of loose bolts after an hour's usage. That wasn't really significant. Another thing that I will definitely have to work on is the attachment of the back hoe at the tractor. I noticed the frame of the tractor was starting to bend a little, but nothing some additional steel won't cure.
I only got about an hour and a half of digging done today. It's taking me a while to get used to the controls. I'm not a back hoe operator by any stretch of the imagination.
It doesn't look like much, buts it's about three feet deep and maybe 20% done. I've got to dig up the pipe ahead of the pit and aim it off at 90 degrees so I won't be filling in the pit with effluent while I dig. I was avoiding the pipe today, but next time I'll have to move it.
So now I've done enough damage in the yard that I'm committed to finish. Next week I'll be getting gravel and sand delivered and my liner should be here, too.
Actually one of the pins on the bucket linkage failed first, but I saw it before the pin came out and fixed it. Later another bucket pin failed. (Note to self: Throw out all the Chinese cotter pins, spring pins, hairpin cotters, etc. Buy American.) I also found a couple of loose bolts after an hour's usage. That wasn't really significant. Another thing that I will definitely have to work on is the attachment of the back hoe at the tractor. I noticed the frame of the tractor was starting to bend a little, but nothing some additional steel won't cure.
I only got about an hour and a half of digging done today. It's taking me a while to get used to the controls. I'm not a back hoe operator by any stretch of the imagination.
It doesn't look like much, buts it's about three feet deep and maybe 20% done. I've got to dig up the pipe ahead of the pit and aim it off at 90 degrees so I won't be filling in the pit with effluent while I dig. I was avoiding the pipe today, but next time I'll have to move it.
So now I've done enough damage in the yard that I'm committed to finish. Next week I'll be getting gravel and sand delivered and my liner should be here, too.
Posted by TBF at 5/30/2009 7:33 PM 
Categories: Daily Life
Tags: Chinese products wetland shear pins problems back hoe
Categories: Daily Life
Tags: Chinese products wetland shear pins problems back hoe
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