Welding a 2" pin

[F.J.]

The bloke from the manufacturer has turned up and told them the boom arm needs to be moved out of the way (I suggested this but they know best until told by someone of authority! !!). At least if the jack doesnt work then we can cut the pin although now im here and set up id like to see it come out with the jack

 

[MattF]

Good luck with it. Sounds like you're stuck in the middle of an ******** convention there though. The office blokes should stick to what they're used to doing and keep their nebs out of the real side of the business.

How come the manufacturers engineer is there. Just an advisory role?

 

[F.J.]

Good luck with it. Sounds like you're stuck in the middle of an ******** convention there though. The office blokes should stick to what they're used to doing and keep their nebs out of the real side of the business.

How come the manufacturers engineer is there. Just an advisory role?

The H+S exec has just asked me if I can guarantee that my weld wont tear when under tension and can I have it in writing!!! Obviously I told him that as its the first time ive done it then I cant guarantee but he insisted I get some information to state that I know what um doing! I called the place where I did my codings and even they said hes being an **** and that no one coyld guarantee a weld on something that hasnt been done before. Not without replicating the set up in test environments. Any way ive juzt welded it on and were bow setting the jack up. The guy from the manufacturer is here solely for passing on his experience although he admitted before that he cant weld but he can stick metal together and never had a problem doing this job before!!! The place seems to be full of jokers if it wasnt for the fact I put in an over the top day rate I would've walked by now

 

[zzr1200]

Hi FJ, ask the H&S Bod if he can supply all the spec/test certs for the for the threaded bar, the hydraulic cylinder they've supplied when he answers no, tell him to supply them or go forth and multiply. If the puller doesn't work, cut the pin drop the box out of the way remove push the pin ends by porta-power from the inside out probably with help from a gas axe if required or a combination of drilling/gas axe.

Thinking about it you will be able to reduce the fiction/increase the pulling power by welding the threaded bush to the pivot pin then cutting the pivot pin on one side of the boom section, this way you'll only be pulling on one seized side of the pin, which when you remove the 2nd part should bring the remainder with it,

Those jobs are a real bitch to do out on site, at least you have a covered workshop.

Good luck hope it coming out, watch your fingers to easy to lose them, think twice act once.

Tell the office bods to go back in the warm...and leave you to it....

 

[F.J.]

All is well and the pin is moving........just. but now ive got to cut the pin and weld the boss back on because the stupid b*****ds didnt get enough extension collars for the jack. Theyve ordered some now so at the next job wont take so long. I told the h+s bod to leave me to my work, it came to a point when he asked if I had ever heard of ear muffs because I was using the sledge with no ear protection

 

[wyn]

Looks like it's coming along nicely.
The way you've done it with the threaded boss looks much better then welding threaded bar onto the pin.

What size threaded bar are you using ...it looks 30mm or more?

 

[zzr1200]

FJ, having an overhead crane to lift the puller is totally cheating.

A tip before totally removing the pin and allowing the boom section to move (if you haven't already), get another porta-power under the boom section to lift/lower to re-align the pin hole and a lever type chain hoist to pull the section horizontally for hole alignment.

 

[F.J.]

Looks like it's coming along nicely.
The way you've done it with the threaded boss looks much better then welding threaded bar onto the pin.

What size threaded bar are you using ...it looks 30mm or more?

Your right it was a 30mm threaded bar. There were quite a few creeks before the pun actually shifted and at one point I actually thought that maybe weld weld was tearing but it was just the rusted pin breaking free. The first whack with the sledge saw it move probably 3mm but then it was an arduous task getting it the rest of the way through the first boss. All the while being watched by the expert in the pristine high vis vest (because it never leaves the office)!!

 

[F.J.]

FJ, having an overhead crane to lift the puller is totally cheating.

A tip before totally removing the pin and allowing the boom section to move (if you haven't already), get another porta-power under the boom section to lift/lower to re-align the pin hole and a lever type chain hoist to pull the section horizontally for hole alignment.

One of the lads was going to hold the jack but the H+S guy insisted on no one being near it as the tension was applied.

Once the pin was out the boom was rested on a piece of timber while the pin from the other end was removed. A block and tackle was then used to pull the boom forward to gain access to the bushes.

All in all it was a good day and I enjoyed the graft and the knowledge that I have done another job that ive never done before. off the back of this I now have 5 more machines to do and they have 60 odd in their fleet so I could be a busy chap this year.

Thanks for the info guys

 

[wyn]

Can you cut the threaded boss off and reuse it for the others?

 

[F.J.]

I don't see why not but they have had a load made so will just use them as they will probably just bin the others

 

[zzr1200]

FJ, doing working for "Access For Idiots", there's member of the top management who's made a living "pi**ing people off" he doesn't care who he upsets, just a warning.

Well done with the H&S bod, most are just jumped up desk jockeys that don't know/understand the job in hand.

I'II bet they ask you to travel around their depots doing the repairs, another word of warning not all depots have the same level of workshop equipment...so I'm lead to believe.

 

[Windy Miller]

Very interesting thread. Keep em coming when you get more jobs like this!

 

[Pete.]

Good luck with it. Sounds like you're stuck in the middle of an ******** convention there though. The office blokes should stick to what they're used to doing and keep their nebs out of the real side of the business.

Must be something in the water. I had the end come off a leg ram yesterday, they got screw-in ends and the thread sheared. Had a spare end so I went to fit that but the pin was frozen in solid. So I call the fitter and get him to come over with his big F hammer and burning plant and bring some spares. He gets to site and they want him to do a mini-induction. No big deal until they asked for his card, he got CSCS site ops and machine operator but they want to see his fitter's qualifications. No such thing for this trade so they said they would let him on just this once to fix the machine but that's it until he gets some official paperwork. The pair of us worked on that ram pin, but we weren't allowed to use the gas axe and finally we gave up and removed the whole leg. He came back today to fit a replacement leg and guess what - he's not allowed back onto site.

 

[zzr1200]

He came back today to fit a replacement leg and guess what - he's not allowed back onto site.

I've been in the same position before, some guy saying "No", ask the guy to sign a job sheet stating he's not allowing you on site to repair the machine, inform your customer that they will have to remove the machine from site for repair and you'll be leaving site in 10 minutes if the problem not sorted.

Traffic marshal's/security think they are gods, they soon eat humble pie when when your taken on site with no induction and they're told to find a parking space for your van on site...

 

[F.J.]

FJ, doing working for "Access For Idiots", there's member of the top management who's made a living "pi**ing people off" he doesn't care who he upsets, just a warning.

Well done with the H&S bod, most are just jumped up desk jockeys that don't know/understand the job in hand.

I'II bet they ask you to travel around their depots doing the repairs, another word of warning not all depots have the same level of workshop equipment...so I'm lead to believe.

Ive heard a few things About the hierarchy in the firm but tbh ive yet to encounter any issues. I cover all the north west depots and if any work from further a field needs doing then it gets brought up to the Manchester depot for me to work on.

Occasionally ive had to chase up invoices but who doesnt? Just the other week though my wife called to say there was a truck outside the house with a basket for me to repair!!! I raced home to find a 40ft trailer down my road, I live on a small culdisac, and the driver had a right job reversing out. I had no idea where the basket had come from because I work for a few access firms but it turned out to be from the west mids depot. They had got my house address off an invoice as thats where my registered office is. If they had called to tell me I could of given them my workshop address!

 

[zzr1200]

They had got my house address off an invoice as thats where my registered office is. If they had called to tell me I could of given them my workshop address!

Dont you love access companies they always have some interesting address, generally because the address has been passed on by 6 office type bods before you get it.

One of the companies I used to work for had an address of " 5th Floor, London." not even a post code.

I've personally had sent to me by text, " Machine dead 19E-***, Sam at the O2 , with a phone number that has a number missing"....

Now for those that knew the O2 London when it was being converted in to the events center it is now, rocking up at security and saying Sam's sent for you didn't help much....

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I am a partner in a telecoms installation company and clients will often leave messages telling us that their phone is dead giving no other information than their name (even sometimes just a first name) and the dead telephone number!

 

[MattF]

The place seems to be full of jokers if it wasnt for the fact I put in an over the top day rate I would've walked by now

I'm sure that charging them slightly more for the next few jobs will appease your annoyance at the numpties. They generally tend to learn that way too. When they see the slight variations, and when it's costing them, caused by whether they've ****** you off or not, it always seems to make them calm things down a bit. Lot subtler than telling them to feck off too.

Good to hear you sorted it.

 

[zzr1200]

FJ, those old pivot pins make wonderful blanks for special tools if you have a lathe to turn them, if you were closer I'd be first in line for a few, no point in letting the scrap man have them....

Unless you can get a few shipped down to AFI's Brentwood Depot, then I'II get my mate who works there to bring them home for me....