Friday, February 11, 2022

We’ve been having some warmer days this week.  We have entered that time when the snow is melting and the ground is thawing out.  Most nights get below freezing, but last night it only got down to 36ºF (2c).  The snow is nearly gone.

This was a view of the snow cover on the wheat back on Monday the 7th.

Same view, but this morning, the 11th. Just little patches of snow left.

Brandon has been busy with hauling corn to ADM in Newburgh, Indiana.  John has been working in the shop.  He has been working on repacking the seals on a cylinder of the Case 580K backhoe.  One of the stabilizers was leaking too much, so he undertook the project to repair it.  It was a really difficult thing to get the outer pin removed.  He had to use the cutting torch to get that pin out.  Once that was removed, it was a normal task to put new o-rings and packing on the ram and the outer cap.  He is reinstalling the cylinder today.

This is the stabilizer cylinder that John is repairing. It was very difficult just to get the cylinder outer pin removed, so that he could take out the piston and refurbish it. Going back together is not quite as difficult as getting it apart.

Here, John has the piston and outer seal on the workbench, replacing the seals.

… and when he finished…it works!  No leaks!

I had to stay up a little later to watch my Boilermakers play last night.  Games that start at 9pm are a bit of a stretch.  Purdue took a tough loss at Michigan last night.  I’m hopeful Coach Painter will get them turned around from that pounding they took in Ann Arbor.  They will be back in the friendly confines of Mackey Arena on Sunday afternoon to face Maryland.  If they do their best, they will be just fine.

Have a pleasant weekend everyone!