What's Paul up to?

[PaulL]

I haven't reported my progress: I left this part sit fallow for a bit while working on a couple of others. Working up my nerve again, and thinking about @thestelster's one-cut technique and how to incorporate it intelligently in the order of operations. I'll come back to it.
Meanwhile, after a bit of swearing at my knurling tool:

And then mid-way through this little support arm:

The taper came out fine, though slightly off-center. I must have mis-aligned my hole centers fractionally, which might mean I wasn't fastidious enough setting up to drill them, or that I really do need a set of gauge pins.
Next will be to bore those out larger, one 3/8" clearance, and one for 1/2"x20tpi threads.

 

[PaulL]

Ok, I got the pin "done enough". First step was the fat end:

I was worried about this, but I guess I shouldn't have. Trammed it in easily, and then it cut directly on radius.
Next was running @thestelster's procedure, for which I had a ton of extra stick-out to test diameter with. It was clear that this part is flimsy enough that a second pass wouldn't work.
But even after adjustment it still wound up 10 thou under sized. I don't think it will affect the application:

If I need to, I now have all the know-how to make it again.

 

[PaulL]

@Dabbler - found this very short video of a low-tech blanchard grinder:

Darned near to what I've been rigging up for my acorn table, without the automation.

 

[PaulL]

And got some more time in the shop in between electical trenching and septic installation on the neighboring lot at the cabin.
So I got to complete the indexing plunger and its supporting arms and brackets. The plunger tip will get timmed back once I have the main gear drilled.

A few bits of the work. The bracket was fun rotary table work - a 3/8 centering pin to work one radius, then a 1 3/8 disk to sit on the same 3/8 pin to index the larger hole.

I got one surprise when tapping the closing screw. At least it had the good taste to stick out enough to grab it with vise grips:

The rest of the plunger assembly held no surprises at least:

I'm not in love with my surface finishes. I'm going to have to become more patient there.

Pauil

 

[Susquatch]

I'm not in love with my surface finishes. I'm going to have to become more patient there.

Just give up and go buy a nice surface grinder. Everything needs a final pass on an SG for precision (and er um looks.... Roll Eyeballs here).

Besides, isn't it high time you added another shop toy (I mean machine)?

 

[RobinHood]

+1 on a surface grinder…

Not going to hijack your thread Paul. I will start my own in due time with what I am working on.

Some teaser pictures: base turned and 1. partially ground & 2. finished ground. (Material is “metal” - no idea what kind; not hardened).

(not yet Mitutoyo quality, but getting better…)

 

[jcdammeyer]

Just give up and go buy a nice surface grinder. Everything needs a final pass on an SG for precision (and er um looks.... Roll Eyeballs here).

Besides, isn't it high time you added another shop toy (I mean machine)?

@Susquatch Get it right eh? It's spelled TOOL but pronounced TOY. Or is it spelled TOY and pronounced TOOL. Crap. Now I can't remember. I'm so confused...

 

[Susquatch]

@Susquatch Get it right eh? It's spelled TOOL but pronounced TOY. Or is it spelled TOY and pronounced TOOL. Crap. Now I can't remember. I'm so confused...

It's really simple. Since you don't communicate with SWMBO in writing, it's pronounced "Tool" and spelled "Toy".

And before you get any ideas @140mower, we are not talking about stuff that comes in brown paper packages!

 

[140mower]

And before you get any ideas @140mower, we are not talking about stuff that comes in brown paper packages!

Jesus...... I had no idea how those things shipped...

 

[PaulL]

All the tool/toy efforts have been at the cottage lately - look for some induction forge stuff over the next couple of weeks (I hope, good lord I hope).
I also added a ripper blade to the little backhoe, which has been great for stump pulling and for sinking irrigation/irritation lines just below the surface.
And finally got a 50amp 220v plug for the welders, and cabinets for the VFDs.
Also decommissioned the solar inverter on the cabin to drive everything from the new service in the workshop. Seems that I can now run the house for 24 hours on 20% of my battery capacity and even overcast days are shoving at least as much back in.
I should take more.pictures.

 

[140mower]

I should take more.pictures

Yes, yes you should....

 

[Susquatch]

I also added a ripper blade to the little backhoe, which has been great for stump pulling and for sinking irrigation/irritation lines just below the surface.

I always wanted to do this. What size is it? Pictures? Did you make it or buy it?

 

[Susquatch]

I also added a ripper blade to the little backhoe,

I assume you mean for the end of the backhoe boom to replace the bucket.

 

[PaulL]

I assume you mean for the end of the backhoe boom to replace the bucket.

Exactly. 1" thick blade, somewhat serrated, jam it in the earth and rip it forward. Tears up roots pretty well, and opens a nice narrow trench in grass to drop irrigation line into.

 

[PaulL]

Did you make it or buy it?

Bought it. My welds are nowhere up to making this thing sturdy enough. I'll snap some shots of it in action later this week.

 

[Susquatch]

Bought it. My welds are nowhere up to making this thing sturdy enough. I'll snap some shots of it in action later this week.

Where did you buy it?

I first wanted one to pry limestone layers apart. But tree roots seem like another great application.

I have a ripper plow that is 3pt hitch based. It is way stronger than a backhoe ripper tooth, but the agility sucks.

 

[PaulL]

Where did you buy it?

I first wanted one to pry limestone layers apart. But tree roots seem like another great application.

I have a ripper plow that is 3pt hitch based. It is way stronger than a backhoe ripper tooth, but the agility sucks.

® Kubota Ripper - Tractor Attachments

The most robust ripper on the market! Ripper for Kubota

tractorattachments.ca

It's just a wee thing, to go on a wee tractor. The Kubota BX23S is fabulous, but knowing what I know now I'd have bought a couple of sizes larger.
Though I've been getting a ton of use - just got a septic tank in and septic field cleared, and 100' of 4" trench between them. And ever since I added the grapple on the front I've been getting more and more of the brush cleared to tidy.

 

[Susquatch]

The Kubota BX23S is fabulous,

That's odd. Seems like everything they sell is for Kubota tractors......

 

[PaulL]

That's odd. Seems like everything they sell is for Kubota tractors......

Yes, that's their market. There's a lot of these little guys out there - the price is good, the accessories are plentiful, and if you're running 2-5 acres it's also a handy mower. Very much a "first machine for a city guy who now has land". [I resemble that statement].
Seriously - these attachments are tiny - they ship Canada Post for most of them, and can be put together by a competent welder in a small shop. A far cry from what it takes to handle larger equipment. So I suspect there's a micro-niche on the production side as well.

 

[Susquatch]

A far cry from what it takes to handle larger equipment. So I suspect there's a micro-niche on the production side as well.

I certainly agree that the full size stuff is a different market. But the majority of the big equipment manufacturers also sell to the yard and garden market. Around here at least, Deere, Case IH, and Kubota each have a third of that market. I've also noticed that Kubota is trying to sell into the big equipment market too.

But I'm not asking about the OEM's. I'm asking about rippers which are mostly part of the accessory market. I doubt any of the OEM's make one like that. From that perspective, it's just a matter of adapting the ripper tooth to the various backhoe booms that are available. I'm like you, I ain't welding that together. If I can't buy it, it ain't happening. Mine is a Woods BH-90X which has a 9ft digging depth. I think it's a fairly common adapter hookup because there are literally hundreds of different buckets available. Mine has the optional thumb but it's manual, not hydraulic.