2013 at the Hammond Barn

[RHClarke]

Today was one of the best weather days we had in a long time. It was sunny and about 10oC with a slight wind blowing. One could labour away without instantly working up a sweat, and one did not have to worry about the billions of annoying flying insects that usually plague the barn.

We were short one of the crew (Grant was away), but we managed to get some more maintenance done before the snow flies, which by all accounts is due sooner than later this year. Bob headed off to Rockland to pick up some hydraulic fluid for the tractor. He and Grant swapped out a diverter valve on the wood splitter and as usual, needed more fluid than what was at hand.

I cleaned out my sea can and set up a winching system to put the HUP to bed. This is necessary as I will not be able to drive nose first into the box after I put in the divider. So, the plan is to hook up the winch system, back the HUP into the box far enough so that I can open the door, shut down and get out. After retrieving the hand winch and hooking it to the front bumper (design still being considered at this point), the idea is to hand wind the truck into the box until its rear wheels hit a cleat. Then it will be chocked.

Since we had no brilliant ideas about how to attach the hand winch to the front bumper, I decided to take the HUP for a spin. Bob decided to roto-till his garden and the small field behind the wagon lines. I met him at the field and he asked if I would like to take a few circuits of the freshly tilled field. Yessir! I had a blast pushing the HUP in both two and four wheel drive. The truck got really loose in two wheel drive, but tracked wonderfully at speed in four wheel drive.

After that fun, we cleaned up and headed home. Nothing like a CMP ride in the cool fall air to raise ones spirits!


Photos:
1 - Bob's pet project - any ideas?
2 - More of the same
3 - Grant's handiwork
4 - The HUP resting after a hard run

[RHClarke]

We have been busy at the barn, but mostly with the same old thing - preparing for winter and working on CMP things. As part of the winter prep, Bob put up a small snow shelter by Lucifer's outside chimney - see photos one and two above. The shelter is to prevent the build up of snow and ice around the chimney. In the past, ice has formed, melted when the furnace was on, and then, as the chimney cooled, built up more ice. This ice was pushing against the chimney and exposed a gap that allowed the weather in.

On a less-exciting note, the HUP in the Box problem was sorted out. The issue had to do with driver access when the truck is put away in the sea container. Recently, the HUP was driven front first into the box and egress was via the back door. This egress is no longer available with the installation of the full floor to wall divider.

Now, the HUP is backed up to the lip of the container and is hooked up to a winch system. A cable is secured to a cleat inside the container and this cable runs to a pulley block that is attached to the rear frame rail of the HUP. The cable continues to another pulley block on the same floor-mounted cleat and then runs outside the box under the HUP to a hand winch.

The hand winch is set up like a tow hitch, where it plugs into a receiver mounted on a purpose-built frame that attaches to the front bumper of the HUP. After the HUP is hooked in, it is reversed into the box to the point where the driver's door can still be opened. The engine is shut off and the truck is left out of gear with the front wheels chocked. The winching mount assembly is then attached to the front bumper. The hand winch is then fetched from underneath the truck and then placed into the receiver. The hand cranking begins.

The first attempt at this system proved a failure as the bar that was set between the frame rails parted company under the load put on it by the pulley block. Thus, the second attempt had the pulley block attached to the hole in the driver's side rear frame rail. The second attempt worked quite nicely. When the front wheels hit the frame of the sea container, there is some effort required during the winding, but once the wheels clear the threshold, the HUP moves quite effortlessly into position - there is a cleat nailed to the floor to stop the rear wheels at the correct location to allow the closing of the front doors.

I chose to go with the hand winch because I am not only a cheap son of a gun (I didn't want to pay for an electric winch), but I don't like running electrical extension cords in wet environments. The cost of materials was minimal: $25.00 for a 2500 lb rated hand winch, $20.00 for the steel, $30.00 for supplies etc...

Photos:
1 - General set up
2 - More of the same
3 - Shot of the hand winch
4 - Clearance achieved

[RHClarke]

No less than two border raids were conducted by the Hammond Barn crew in the past few weeks. Recently, Grant and Bob headed into the Kingston CMP Region and found two candidates suitable for barn use. Bob or Grant can provide details.

This Saturday morning past, I left the confines of the Ottawa CMP Zone (-21 oC) and headed south west. I successfully entered the tropical (+3 oC) Southern Ontario CMP Region undetected and unmolested to pick up 216 engine that eventually will go into my HU Ambulance (yes, another project!). After loading the engine into my van, I headed east but was intercepted by Brian and Mel of the Oshawa mob. After an intense interrogation that involved torture with hot liquids (Tim's coffee), I eluded these two ruffians and headed back to the frozen north east.

The trip home was a little longer than the trip south - the van was riding a bit lower than normal, but there was no issues with traction! Photos later after the off-load at the barn.

[RHClarke]

Some pics of the treasures found down south:

1 - Aiming circle stand - these were in service when I joined the artillery in 1975
2 - Stand and Aiming circle - I still know the drills...says something for army training
3 - My van with an in-line 6 installed - two six cylinder engines did not make the van go any faster...
4 - 216 engine being prepped for presevation - it eventually will go into my HU-Ambulance project vehicle

[RHClarke]

Hi Bob! Here is a video that we might find useful in the future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43KdDUX4eRw

[Bob Carriere]

....life is cheap out there......

I am waiting for the sequel clip ....... when the driver's foot slips off the clutch

[Grant Bowker]

For snow removal (just don't aim them at the shelters), here are another couple of Russsian trucks, clearly one is military pattern - the other is green.

[hrpearce]

Originally Posted by RHClarke

Hi Bob! Here is a video that we might find useful in the future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43KdDUX4eRw

Is it covered by patent or can anyone use it?

[maple_leaf_eh]

The idea of slipping the clutch pedal and then flailing that arm to a sudden stop doesn't exactly excite me. But, it does show the typical Russian internet creativity.