Too fat/lazy/old to unlock your SSQA?????……..Then follow me ;)

[Chanceywd]

When I added those 2 double split shat collars I was trying to do what these things do.

Small Hydraulic Cylinder Stroke Control Segment Kit

Speeco Small Hydraulic Cylinder Stroke Control Segment Kit

www.sloanex.com

I had a passing thought of opening the cylinder and putting a spacer inside but decided I might mess up a seal taking it apart.

Pulled the Kubota out early this morning intending to do some grade work but got sidetracked doing some overhead light rewiring and then some general cleaning.

So no project on or with that today, except mentally.

Bill

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Similar but just little blocks. Easy to clamp in the vice and rotate on center. Up to 3/4 you can feed through the center of one. 7/8 and 1" collets require 2 blocks for long parts clamped to the table. Also tapers can be accurately located using a different collet on each end with 2 blocks. I have made many bolt heads with the hex one quickly.
View attachment 178386 View attachment 178385 View attachment 178384

Thank you sir!



Your pics reminded me that I have a set of those.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

We are getting close fellas………..

I went and had the hoses made today.

I got it “mostly right”…..(One hose is a wee-bit long, and one is “clocked” a smidge off (but is was long enough that a slight twist took care of it )














I think I am going to use a “lighted switch” like this.




Gotta decide where to put the switch….I am trying to figure out the best place to put it, so that DAMN RED LIGHT hits me in the eye,….This way I won’t forget to turn it off.

I used that sme switch on my DRO, for my mini mill, and I had to put tape over it cause it was blinding me.



EDIT: Not sure how bad I “got stroked”, but They made them while I waited and I got some personalized service, so hey….everyone has to eat right?





Plus this from the other day





So somewhere close to 300 bucks.

 

[Chanceywd]

Looks good RWS but could you move your mouse, there is a few more things I need like a land plane!

I have put a couple switches in that black loader control cover. The one I used was a momentary one that I had for the linear actuator so no light needed. But the one for my 3rd function is a rocker with a red led.
My second try fittings are out for delivery today, USPS.

Bill

Edit, I finished my fitting do over. Before and after!

 

[Chanceywd]

We are getting close fellas………..

I went and had the hoses made today.

I got it “mostly right”…..(One hose is a wee-bit long, and one is “clocked” a smidge off (but is was long enough that a slight twist took care of it )


View attachment 178517



View attachment 178518


View attachment 178519


View attachment 178520

I think I am going to use a “lighted switch” like this.

View attachment 178521


Gotta decide where to put the switch….I am trying to figure out the best place to put it, so that DAMN RED LIGHT hits me in the eye,….This way I won’t forget to turn it off.

I used that sme switch on my DRO, for my mini mill, and I had to put tape over it cause it was blinding me.



EDIT: Not sure how bad I “got stroked”, but They made them while I waited and I got some personalized service, so hey….everyone has to eat right?

View attachment 178523

View attachment 178524

Plus this from the other day


View attachment 178525


So somewhere close to 300 bucks.

So unless I missed it, you didn't say, is your system done and up and working now?
I know I am liking mine and thank you for getting me motivated!


Bill

 

[Runs With Scissors]

So unless I missed it, you didn't say, is your system done and up and working now?
I know I am liking mine and thank you for getting me motivated!


Bill

No sir, I got sidetracked for a few days.(as per normal)

I have the hydraulics and electrical all done, but just need to finish up the actuating bar/mechanism.

Hopefully I will have it done by the end of the week

Then I can start the "Hydraulic Thumb" project

I will post pics when I get a chance

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Ok...... well..........

One thing my dad used to say was that "sometimes you have to make a decision, even if it turns out to be wrong, at least you did the best you could"

I have been doing mental gymnastics for over a week now trying to figure out some "amazingly impressive" way to get this system to work.....

I have/had visions of gears and springs and cool widgets, and gadgets......BUT......

In the end, nothing came of any of it...It was all shitty ideas that either did not work, or I scraped the idea because of one thing or another.......


This was the best idea I had, that ALMOST worked.

I made it so that the one end "slides" by capturing a homemade nut with a homemade plug.

here it is at full extension.


and at full retraction




But alas, in the end it would not close properly.....

So I defaulted to a simple "parlor trick" of sorts.....After much thought and mental debate, I gave up and decided to make a "internal plug" to take up the 5/8" of space.

Not very "cool" nor "elegant" but I gotta move on with life.


So I tried opening up my new cylinder without a "spanner wrench"



and when that failed, I defaulted to "Cro-Magnon" methods.....




here are the "guts"




So it's off to the lathe to make a "Low-IQ spacer"



After 2 attempts...(cause I F'd the 1st one up)

I dropped her in.










So now my cylinder stops at the plug and only closes to what I believe is the correct amount. (7 3/8" )

 

[Runs With Scissors]

At some point the other day, I decided that I do not like the length of the SSQA handles.

The tip always seems to "catch" on something or get in the way.

And since I "Jacked up" one of mine already by trying to modify it, I basically have nothing to lose at this point.

So I "designed" this.



Now I fully understand that 3/8' mild steel was "pushing the limits" of my CNC machine, so it took a little work with the grinder and some filing.



Most of the "slag" chipped right off, so it wasn't too bad.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now for what I hope is the "Final Kick in the JUNK".......

When I went to hook everything up and give it a "final run down" I realized that I have/had completely forgotten about the "tilting" of the SSQA when I had my hydraulic hoses made?!!!!! and now they are too short!!!!!!

And "YES" I am looking back on it in utter amazement of how "Uttlery and completley F-ing stupid" that mistake was/is. I am actually having a somewhat "difficult" time thinking about how F'ing stupid that was/is........

Well a "loud-ass cursing session of epic proportions" ensued that turned out to be so bad, my wife actually stuck her head out and said that if I don't stop, the neighbors are going to call the cops.

I was/am furious.....So now I commence on formulating Plan M (Plans A thru L have been used and discarded)

Well, as it turns out, it's possible that being a "cheap ass" may have "saved my bacon"......I had decided that instead of having new, shorter "main hoses" made....I would just put a "loop" in them to save money.

Well, as I sit here this morning, I think that decision may have worked out.

So it appears that if I move my diverter valve forward and by "un-looping" them, those hoses will/maybe/hopefully work.

Here I am drilling the 'new and improved" mounting holes for a "more forward" position.





ASIDE: I am not a "neat freak" by any stretch of anyones imagination....But the Damn hydraulic fluid getting everywhere is getting ridiculous.









Oh well, The best I can say is that yesterday ended "with hope".......We will see......

I am painting things today, going to clean up a bit, and possibly finish this thing???????

 

[Paul Allwood]

Ok...... well..........

One thing my dad used to say was that "sometimes you have to make a decision, even if it turns out to be wrong, at least you did the best you could"

I have been doing mental gymnastics for over a week now trying to figure out some "amazingly impressive" way to get this system to work.....

I have/had visions of gears and springs and cool widgets, and gadgets......BUT......

In the end, nothing came of any of it...It was all shitty ideas that either did not work, or I scraped the idea because of one thing or another.......


This was the best idea I had, that ALMOST worked.

I made it so that the one end "slides" by capturing a homemade nut with a homemade plug.

here it is at full extension.
View attachment 178936

and at full retraction

View attachment 178937


But alas, in the end it would not close properly.....

So I defaulted to a simple "parlor trick" of sorts.....After much thought and mental debate, I gave up and decided to make a "internal plug" to take up the 5/8" of space.

Not very "cool" nor "elegant" but I gotta move on with life.


So I tried opening up my new cylinder without a "spanner wrench"
View attachment 178938


and when that failed, I defaulted to "Cro-Magnon" methods.....

View attachment 178939


here are the "guts"

View attachment 178940


So it's off to the lathe to make a "Low-IQ spacer"
View attachment 178941


After 2 attempts...(cause I F'd the 1st one up)

I dropped her in.





View attachment 178942




So now my cylinder stops at the plug and only closes to what I believe is the correct amount. (7 3/8" )

Mental gymnastics and 5,000 ideas in a week that didn't work all sounds familiar.

 

[Paul Allwood]

At some point the other day, I decided that I do not like the length of the SSQA handles.

The tip always seems to "catch" on something or get in the way.

And since I "Jacked up" one of mine already by trying to modify it, I basically have nothing to lose at this point.

So I "designed" this.

View attachment 178944

Now I fully understand that 3/8' mild steel was "pushing the limits" of my CNC machine, so it took a little work with the grinder and some filing.

View attachment 178945

Most of the "slag" chipped right off, so it wasn't too bad.

Forgetting the dross, the edge finish looks great. Way better than I get by hand.

 

[Sidekick]

Designing on Alibre first can save many headaches in the end. Napkins are old school and provide more surprises along with rework . Either way usually takes the same time investment in the project. Napkins provide us with more entertainment though .

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Designing on Alibre first can save many headaches in the end. Napkins are old school and provide more surprises along with rework . Either way usually takes the same time investment in the project. Napkins provide us with more entertainment though .

Yes sir, Alibre has come in very handy, and I am getting better with it.

What used to take me hours to draw, now takes minutes in most cases, and only a few seconds in some cases....

But the whole forgetting about the tilting feature of the SSQA was just foolish on my part.

Gotta just "chalk it up" to ...........






Getting back to the project though....

I got everything "squared away", sans the bracket for the grapple hydraulics.

I think I have a piece of SS in the "scrap pile" that should work for it.

Here are some pics of the assemllely in it's "nearly finished state"

First though, I decided to "clean up" the SSQA region.

Before:





After:








Now some "money shots" of the new device....












My "humorous" switch.......







As per normal, not everything worked out, but in the end, I would say that I am "pretty OK" with how it worked out.

Looking back, there are some things that I "take away".

1. There is a sometimes a fine line between "thinking about it" and just plain "procrastination due to laziness"

I find that sometimes I think I tell myself to "think about it" in order to justify being lazy. Especially when I have to take something apart for the damn 403rd time......

2. I should have retired when I was 25

3. I should have bought a "hydraulic hose machine" before I retired. (I'm thinking about a cheap one....but when does the "madness" end????)

 

[Runs With Scissors]

So I decided to make a bracket for my front couplers yesterday.

I had some SS set aside for the bracket, and decided to "mock one up" out of cardboard.









Then a few minutes on the computer, and it was down to the plasma cutter to cut it out.


But I did not secure it properly, and it "moved" while the machine was cutting it out.

It was "severely lopsided" (no pics)

So instead of scrapping it, I decided that there was enough "meat" left on it to trim it up, to somewhat square.




Then it was back upstairs to bend her up.





But now I gotta "locate and drill" 2 holes (3/8').....So trying to drill these 2 holes properly seems a little difficult especially given the size.....

So after some thought, I decide to make a "drill bushing" (kind of an "old trick" from my A&P days doing sheetmetal work on Gulfstreams)

So it's back downstairs to the lathe.

I then remember I have some "O1 Drill rod" that I bought and since I have never "intentionally" hardened anything, today is the perfect opportunity.

So a few minutes on the lathe




then I heated them up with the torch and quenched them in some "Spare trans fluid" I had laying around.

ASIDE: It scared the sh1t out of me when I dunked the first one in.....I had no idea that the damn fluid would catch fire.......Luckily it was only a "brief fire"....

Now I have 2 "hardend drill bushings" to help locate and drill the holes with. (I did not like the first one, so I made the "larger one")



Gonna install it today.