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What's your hoe doing?

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,985
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
I have been known to decide the risk is too great, get a professional.
I chose that route with a sugar maple hanging over my garage. The arborist was in his seventies. He said: "You don't live to my age climbing every tree. I only climb the few I absolutely have to."
He walked around the tree using a steel tape rule as a handy plumb bob. tree was leaning 90 degrees away from where it needed to fall. He cut it successfully without wedges, cable, any other tools, only a chainsaw.

Another was a big soft maple leaning hard over the 7200 volt power line. I didn't dare touch it. A crew came with both a bucket truck & a crane. I'd guess it took an hour. $850. & nobody got killed, no damage, I called it a good day.
 

casey518

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2020
Messages
205
Location
adirondacks ny
Yeah, I wasn't really loving the idea of doing much of anything with the dead trees. I don't have any rope or chain long enough to get into these trees, but I've got one more big cherry tree to get rid of that scares me a bit. I'm considering either rope and snatch block or hiring it and another next to the barn out. I hate to spend a bunch of money hiring someone to do what I can do, but I also like the idea of a pro pointing these trees away from buildings. I can clean it all up.
I bought a 90 meter rope many years ago. I have used it with a winch or the backhoe to pull on trees on many occasions. If they are leaning the wrong way I will use the wedges too. I have several 80/90 ft pines next to my house though. I would never risk it with those. If I take them down I'll pay a legit outfit with the right tools. Better safe than sorry.
 

HarleyHappy

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
3,420
Location
So NH
Occupation
Welder/Mechanic
Doesn’t look to bad to me. Not really seeing the risk.
Use loader bucket to protect your head, cut wedge, leave 40% hinge and push over.
 

aighead

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
3,424
Location
Dayton, OH
Harley, I haven't posted the two I'm worried about. The one by the barn I may have posted many months ago. I got both of the ones above.
 

NH575E

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
1,579
Location
North, FL
Occupation
Retired Machinist
I had one of my boom cylinder bust my balls. The piston bolt would not come off. A friend works at a heavy truck/equipment shop. Took a 1-1/2" impact and the big trailer compressor you tow with an 18 wheeler. The 1" impact on the regular road service trailer did not touch it.
I couldn't get the piston bolt loose on my crowd cylinder. I took it to a yellow JD dealer and the guy there used the same 1" HF impact I had but on a large hose and compressor and zapped it right out.

The last cylinder I did I bought a 1/2" hose and fittings and tapped into the tank fitting on a small compressor. HF 1" wrench took the bolt right out with the extra volumn.
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,985
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
I bought a 90 meter rope many years ago. I have used it with a winch or the backhoe to pull on trees on many occasions. If they are leaning the wrong way I will use the wedges too. I have several 80/90 ft pines next to my house though. I would never risk it with those. If I take them down I'll pay a legit outfit with the right tools. Better safe than sorry.
I've told the story too many times. Fellow I worked for was 40 years old when he built a small house in the center of a tall stand of white pine. One by one the trees declined, and died. He always climbed a ladder to tie a rope in a tree, recruited his wife to pull to direct the fall when he cut a tree.
At some point he noticed his wife, 16 years older than he, was slowing. For her birthday he bought her a longer rope.
This man was a real romantic!
 

eKretz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2023
Messages
151
Location
NW Indiana
I have had a few leaners near the house. I like to climb up with some spikes and remove all the branches on the side I want it to fall away from, then cut it down. Has worked very well for me so far.
 

AU.CASE

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
239
Location
NSW Australia
Occupation
Grazier // Rancher remote NSW
"What's your hoe doing?" Not much when urgently needed just now !

After rebuilding the stabiliser feet and testing one for fit, I could smell oil and all was revealed when a lake formed next to me. :mad:

Seems to be the supply hose to the rear spool, so seat and floor at least to start with, boss not happy.



DSC09098.JPG



DSC09099.JPG
 

AU.CASE

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
239
Location
NSW Australia
Occupation
Grazier // Rancher remote NSW
"What's your hoe doing?" Not much when urgently needed just now !
Well its a day later and bruised an battered we are a 'runner' again, more expensive oil on the ground oh well.

Yes it was the main hose (E49776) to the rear spool tower and having wondered why the original was still in place, I am now informed. :rolleyes:


DSC09124.JPG
This 5/16 x 3/4" UNC bolt is in the RHS chassis (hyd tank) and about a foot back under the floor, so CASE didn't remove the old hose because it is hard to access this bolt, realising this I had the replacement hose copied from the original, after I removed this clamp (leaving the faulted hose in place to keep the tide of oil back).

This fastener required over an hour to fit back in and tighten which is unusual for these machines but it is essential to prevent hose throb, because that is what crippled both previous hoses as they shouldering the transaxle due to poor placement and lack of guarding.


DSC09142.JPG
To guard the new hose I wound a metre of spiral wrap over it, from the clamp down to free space and trialled some ties to hold it away from housings, to see how it goes.


DSC09104.JPG
Did some general cleaning and tidying of cables to keep them in place, repositioned the diff lock spring (was just thrown over the lug, not through the purpose made hole and if it came off, differential might be no longer?).

This is the backhoe spool end of the new hose made on the spot by
BB's Hydraulics this morning: The best in the West.

Now, where was I?

Oh yes fitting the stabiliser feet and getting out around the stock now that our first cold snap has landed from Antarctica.
 

casey518

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2020
Messages
205
Location
adirondacks ny
AU.CASE,
There are days I feel like i should have forked over the cash for a machine 20 years newer with fewer hrs, but i feel like I'd still be fixing broken stuff, maybe just not quite as often.
 

Swetz

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2019
Messages
1,792
Location
NJ/PA
Occupation
Retired :-)
There are days I feel like i should have forked over the cash for a machine 20 years newer with fewer hrs, but i feel like I'd still be fixing broken stuff,

And in 20 years you wouldn't have a machine that you could use. The old stuff is more generic than the new stuff and was made to last. No computer problems either, that would be obsolete when they took down the machine!
 

AU.CASE

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
239
Location
NSW Australia
Occupation
Grazier // Rancher remote NSW
AU.CASE, There are days I feel like i should have forked over the cash for a machine 20 years newer with fewer hrs, but i feel like I'd still be fixing broken stuff, maybe just not quite as often.
Yes, had that one yesterday, what frustrates me is being pedantic, how much the lack of maintenance wore out the 580SK when it was in the Government railways and parked near the coast which rusted one side badly. Also operator abuse shows, which all of us here wouldn't do, so machines last and look pretty always.

And in 20 years you wouldn't have a machine that you could use. The old stuff is more generic than the new stuff and was made to last. No computer problems either, that would be obsolete when they took down the machine!
So true, the later stuff could just be turned off by a 'built in obsolescence' and where I live and work there isn't time or money to get in an advanced technician whom cares enough to resolve those sort of faults.

When we went to buy sixteen years ago, the dealer had me look at an '580SK old banger' which had virtually no glass [cab was rusted out], big thump in the Cummins, low tyres, a ton of oil leaks, but was $16K [AUD] less, nevertheless the boss said 'there's a nicer one in the shed' so we bought there, thank goodness we did as the cheaper was scrap really.
 

casey518

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2020
Messages
205
Location
adirondacks ny
I am amazed how much wear a machine can have and luckily still have a good running engine. My extradig was worn completely through the slider plate welds and 1/4 inch into the support beneath it. I cut that section out and welded in two1/4" plates to build it back up and take much of that 1" of slack out. (Dont be laughing at my stick welds now) Built up the rails with some 1/8 steel strips too while I was at it. Good n tight now!
 

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Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,985
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
AU.CASE,
There are days I feel like i should have forked over the cash for a machine 20 years newer with fewer hrs, but i feel like I'd still be fixing broken stuff, maybe just not quite as often.
I've had a number of backhoes. All until recently were not operated by their owners. An owner cares about lubrication, an employee might not. I hate a sloppy hoe. My first was already 25 years old when I got it. Paint was better than average, but original. Joints were tight. Hours were low. I didn't make it home driving it. It leaked hydraulic / transmission oil bad! Got it home, fixed the leak, only got an hour use before it lost nearly all hydraulic power. That's when I learned no one was still available knew how to fix John Deere hydraulics. Eventually I talked to a mechanic several states away, told me: "Oil is flowing somewhere it shouldn't. Get an infrared camera, start it up cold, figure out where oil is flowing.
Took months to diagnose, then 6 months to get a new valve. I ultimately fixed it. It hadn't worn out because it didn't work, probably since new.
Others I've bought were victims of no lubrication.
The one I have now still had paint inside the hoe bucket, really hadn't been used as a hoe hardly at all. I think it had only seen loader duty, cutting edge was worn both edges. The mechanic had labelled date, his initials & oil variety on each component.
Makes a big difference when lubrication is not neglected.
 

Swetz

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2019
Messages
1,792
Location
NJ/PA
Occupation
Retired :-)
Pole Barn Update

I haven't had a chance to update my progress in a while, so I figured it was a good time.

Not sure If I mentioned it, but last fall before the snow fell I was able to burry the 4" drainage pipe up against 1 side of the building. Once it dries up enough to get a truck near the building, I will purchase the stone in order to finish the other side.
20251018_140754.jpg

During the winter I spent a lot of hours installing the 1 1/2" foam on the walls and spray foaming it in. This took a good while and it was a really cold winter, so there were times I had no interest in going down the the building to work. Additionally, my mom had a hip replacement and I was one of the caregivers. This happened in NJ, so I needed to stay in NJ instead of going to my place in PA during her operation and recovery. She is 89 years old and it is amazing how great this worked. She has already walked a mile in an afternoon since the operation...incredible! Anyhow, here are some pics of the foam.
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I also calked the area around the floor where the concrete meets the wood. I was surprised at how much gap there was. I assure the pressure treaded wood dried up.
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Continued in another post. Reached my limit on pic uploads.
 

Swetz

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2019
Messages
1,792
Location
NJ/PA
Occupation
Retired :-)
Pole Barn Update (continued)

In order to facilitate the insulation installation, I purchased a manlift. The one I purchased is in excellent condition for its age (~1990). The reason I like it is no computers!! just good old fashioned hydraulics. This thing is a godsend. It goes up 19'. In the center of the room, my celling height is 19', so this thing is perfect. Once I am 100% done, I will most probably sell it. Id love to keep it, but room may bean issue.
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As of last week, I have purchased all of the rockwool that I will be installing. This stuff aint cheap! I did find a guy on Marketplace that saved me 2 grand plus tax, so that was good. Still steep tho. I do expect it will pay dividends tho.
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I have spent several days installing the rockwool. Not as easy as I thought, but I am making progress.
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Hoping to purchase the 2x4's that I need next. Then Wire, and steel for the walls. Fingers are crossed that I get the inside done this year. I have the 12k lift that I purchased to install as well...A little at a time.
 
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