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Today I, Bollocks.....


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In Cornwall at present, North Helford. Spotted this out walking this morning. Mint, original and unmolested. Lovely. Saw it again this afternoon on the move with the driver and realised I’d had a conversation with the owner before we even saw the car. Nice older gent with an expensive taste in cameras an excellent taste in cars.

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Glendurgan Gardens

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Maze full of kids on a school trip. Ankle-biter sized and noisy, but very polite.

 

In Falmouth this afternoon on Pendennis Point. Very pleasant.  IMG_4627.jpeg

Was just about to sit on this bench when I spotted this

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I knew him….. SWW operator at Falmouth STW (about 800m from the bench), with whom I’ve drunk many a cup of tea.  Thoroughly nice man. Found dead in a tank at the works in 2013. I did know he’d died, but it was still a shock to see this. Makes you think.  Fine view from his bench though.

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A satisfying repair!

No.1 grandson has a wonderful toy digger, tracked and controlled  by wired joysticks:

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One of the tracks wouldnt work. Previously,we dismantled it, and diagnosed a stripped cog in the reduction train  between motor and track on that side.   The stripped cog is only  5mm wide, while the driving cog is 15mm.  

I found that you can buy such cogs on eBay!  So this visit, I had a bagful: 

 

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And one fits! (Just one!)

Digger back in service!   Kurtis at Cutting Edge could not have done better!

John

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34 minutes ago, JohnD said:

A satisfying repair!

No.1 grandson has a wonderful toy digger, tracked and controlled  by wired joysticks:

20240421_125217.thumb.jpg.1d07cd3a5183a0a9601d7feeb297e301.jpg

One of the tracks wouldnt work. Previously,we dismantled it, and diagnosed a stripped cog in the reduction train  between motor and track on that side.   The stripped cog is only  5mm wide, while the driving cog is 15mm.  

I found that you can buy such cogs on eBay!  So this visit, I had a bagful: 

 

20240421_125118.thumb.jpg.9fd2f135b93fc9d68a594ea482285c2b.jpg

And one fits! (Just one!)

Digger back in service!   Kurtis at Cutting Edge could not have done better!

John

Nothing better :biggrin:

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But, it gets better ....

Last time I visited, it was to watch No.1 Grandson play in the County Hockey Championships, in the Under 10s team for his club.  They won, and entered for the Regional Championships, today.

This wasn't as before, a knockout series, but a round Robin, everyone plays everyone else, and the 'league leaders win.   And, the runners up.to the Countty champs were included, so it's needle-match time!

First game, was like the final.in the first, nil-all at time, but again Bowdon won the penalty shoot-out! After that they just stepped up.their skill and pace, in defeating all their rivals including their previous rivals!

And Bowdon Under 10s are Regional.champs.  even more so are the Under 12s Boys AND the Girls Teams!  Virtual whitewash to Bowdon!

But no one could be prouder of their grandson than me!

John

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Vitesse took me to work today and on to a pub classic car meet this evening. 
 

Decent turn out of Triumphs at least

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3 Stags, (2 in magenta), two Vitesses, a Herald, a TR6 and Mk1 GT6.

Pleasant evening.

Less pleasant was the discovery that one of my headlights had a “bullet hole” in it. Flying stone at some point today I suppose. Poo!

The clutch isn’t working very well either. Very high biting point, which I can live with, but also gets snatchy and juddery when hot. Which I can’t.  This is not a problem I’ve had before with this setup……

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My 1Ton Clarke engine crane has developed a couple of nasty habits. First the crane jib will drop over night if left high and one of the cylinder used to pump up the pressure is leaking. Have contacted Clarke to see if I can get some new seals for it. Some comments I have read say that  the seals are unique to Clarke cranes...
I had never thought about this before but where is the reserve for the oil? If the jib is down where does the oil from the main cylinder go?

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Edited by mpbarrett
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I doubt the parts are unique to Clarke. These things are churned out in large numbers in various colours and with various stickers.

I’ve not seen the “double-pumper” version before, but looks like the actual pumps are the same as the singles and these can be bought cheaply from various places. Probably actually only need seals but these are harder to find. Simple O-rings sort of work but the proper ones are basic pressure activated lip seals.

The droop might be the ram seal or possibly lowering valve is leaking (the tapered end can get chewed if over-tightened). Is it drooping loaded or unloaded?

The oil reservoir is in the jacket around the ram itself. The ram is a tube within a tube. There will be a bung of some kind somewhere on the casing which is the fill/drain.

Be interesting to see whether Clarke do spares.

 

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That double-acting pump is unusual.   Even Google Image Search finds only one similar example, that leads to an Amazon ad for a "Honhill" replacement ram, that only has one pump, but one 'review' from 2022 complains about a double pumper that leaked after one use.     The ram is "Currently unavailable" anyway.

Clarke do offer online manuals for all their cranes at Clarke Engine Cranes - Download Manuals and User Guides (clarkeservice.co.uk)   and the CFC1000B shows a double acting pump in the exploded diagram, with a parts list.   And they have a customer support line: Technical - Clarke International

Hope that helps!

JOhn

Edited by JohnD
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Meanwhile, crunching and scraping in the ceiling/sofit above our bed this morning, after a fairly long period of quiet, prompted a visit to the loft…..

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Oh….. it really is squirrels then……. (Was only 80% sure)

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This one has stopped working though.

Presumably the reason for the temporary quiet. Seems another has moved in though. Cheeky little sod was scratching around in the soffit even while I was in the loft. Lobbed a few “sweeties” through the gap. Don’t think I hit it though. Also re-baited (peanut butter) and set the traps. Two others had been sprung. Smeared peanut butter on the actual trigger bar this time - because I’m a nasty bastard…..

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9 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

I doubt the parts are unique to Clarke. These things are churned out in large numbers in various colours and with various stickers.

I’ve not seen the “double-pumper” version before, but looks like the actual pumps are the same as the singles and these can be bought cheaply from various places. Probably actually only need seals but these are harder to find. Simple O-rings sort of work but the proper ones are basic pressure activated lip seals.

The droop might be the ram seal or possibly lowering valve is leaking (the tapered end can get chewed if over-tightened). Is it drooping loaded or unloaded?

The oil reservoir is in the jacket around the ram itself. The ram is a tube within a tube. There will be a bung of some kind somewhere on the casing which is the fill/drain.

Be interesting to see whether Clarke do spares.

 

thanks Nick, didnt think about it being a concentric cylinder, neat idea!

Clarke have got back to me £24.75 for a set of seals for one small cylinder! It seems a lot of money for a small set of seals but I might buy them and see what's special about them. Its that or buying a new cylinder from Ebay.... The double pumper design seems to be unusual but means it goes up more quickly.

Mike
 

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Is that a full seal set for the whole ram assembly or just the two relating to one plunger? If the former then I think it’s fair value. If the latter, it’s robbery 

Full double pump ram here…. Though dimensions not checked and not in stock ….

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12 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

Is that a full seal set for the whole ram assembly or just the two relating to one plunger? If the former then I think it’s fair value. If the latter, it’s robbery 

Full double pump ram here…. Though dimensions not checked and not in stock ….

agree, it not clear from the email. I have to phone them and talk a real person to order it/them so will ask.

is there a link missing from your post?

Mike

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