Could of been, she was of laying age. 

I thought about an autopsy, but I skipped it.

Part 1:

You want to know what is awesome? I'll tell you what is awesome: I am getting a skidsteer! 

OK, its just a little one, about the same footprint of the 316. My uncle used to use it for cleaning the barn, and he said I could have it. The thing is small enough to drive through stall doors.

Bonus: I get the custom made snow blower (blower chopped down and its own 16hp gas engine) and grapple bucket as well! 

Catch: It isn't "done" yet. The engine was no good, so he threw an older 3 cyl kubota? diesel from a reefer in it. The radiator still needs some fab work to fit, and it needs an alternator and electric fan. Should be no big deal. My brother had the engine running last summer, but it was smoking pretty good. Could be a stuck injector, he only ran it briefly before they dropped it in the skidsteer, since it had no radiator attached. Just ran it to make sure the engine was usable. Some seafoam and diesel cleaner may take care of it.

It comes middle June, hopefully have it going in a couple weeks. Has a lift capacity of about 600 pounds before it nose dives. Should be extremely useful around here. Can't wait!

ETA: I actually WANTED a really small unit, since I have built our mini homestead around my 316. I have access to the large skidsteers from the farm if/when needed for big projects (like the hoe attachment), but this one should handle my day-to-day needs. My wife said when I told her the news: "My poor lawn " 

Congrats!  Should come in very handy!

I used to have a little New Holland for cleaning in the barn. Be careful, they tip over easy

So, we finally decided. No big veggie garden this year. Going to let the pea/oat cover crop go for a grain harvest this fall, and some small container gardening on the patio for some summer treats. We have a TON of projects going on this year, most of them focusing on protein production, which is where we really save money. Have to have time to live life and spend time with the family too . Next year, should be back up to full steam veggie production for people use.

Going to plant some of my potatoes (just for seed for next year), and turn one small patch over and plant sunflowers (again, for animal feed). Other than that, the Mrs will take over container gardening, and I get to just watch peas/oats grow.

Has nothing to do with homesteading, just proud of my boy. 

He spends his days in my office with me, we do school in-between phone calls/work. Attached File

So I'm sitting here, looking at a Bobcat 440B skidsteer sitting in my driveway . My uncle dropped off Christmas gifts early this year 

The original engine was a Kohler 16hp air cooled twin. That engine blew, and a Kubota 3 cyl liquid cooled diesel was installed . That is a bit where the issue is yet, the radiator was never installed, and I have to do some fab work to make it all fit. Get the rad on, wire in the fan (going to buy a thermostat switch instead of fan on all the time during key on), and then an alternator needs to be installed. 

The manure grapple bucket isn't finished, and is honestly begging for a re-design. I think I will have to add my own touch to that one. The blower is interesting, has its own 16hp Wisconsin? engine on it .

There HAS to be vids on this project! I'm super stoked to finally have my own skidsteer!

ETA: According to the specs on this machine, the aux hydros are high flow. That means I get get a stump grinder!!!!

Look forward to seeing pictures and video!

Does that 440 take the standard quick attach accessories?

Sort of. Smaller plate.

Pic Attached File

That thing will be downright handy.  Something tells me the Kubota engine was a TIGHT fit 

Yeah, its kind of shoved in there. No room for the alternator or radiator, so I'm going to make the back door deeper I think 

So I never did fully install the automatic chicken door daylight-sensing opener/closer . 

I went to finish putting it together and installing it, and I noticed it did something that I don't like. Right at the point of enough light to open or close the door, it will flutter back and fourth between open and close until the light changes enough to keep it going in one direction. NOT GOOD. 

So, I scrapped my previous design using op-amps as a comparative circuit and grabbed an ATTINY microcontroller. 

Really should have done that from the beginning.....

The software is arduino based, but you can program a simple sketch to an ATTINY if the functions are simple enough, in this case it is. I'm using an ATTINY85, which is perfect for this setup.

I wrote a very simple sketch for the ATTINY to sense light with an LDR (light dependent resistor), and a delay and a 'dead zone' between fully dark (initiate door close) and fully light (initiate door open) to prevent any fluttering. 

I have it working on the bench perfectly, but I need to take the arduino and laptop out to the chicken coop in an evening where it isn't raining to get the light level reading when the chickens are in the coop to close the door, and then burn the final values into the ATTINY before final install.

Instead of an ATTINY, you could also leave the project on an arduino uno, but that kind of controller is over-kill in both capability and size for this project. Would work though.

Here are the sketches, in case anybody wants to make one:

For running on the arduino uno (notice serial monitoring enabled so you can read the LDR reading on the laptop):
What ended up on the ATTINY85:
const int dooropen=1; // variable which stores pin number
const int doorclose=0;  //variable which stores pin number
void setup() 
{
  pinMode(dooropen, OUTPUT);  //configures pin as OUTPUT
  pinMode(doorclose, OUTPUT);  //configures pin as OUTPUT
  pinMode(A3, INPUT); //configures pin as input to read LDR
 
}
void loop() 
{
    int sensor_value = analogRead(A3);
  if (sensor_value > 600) // the point at which the state of LEDs change 
    { digitalWrite(dooropen, LOW);
      digitalWrite(doorclose, HIGH);
      delay(2000);
      
    }
  if (sensor_value < 400)
    {
      digitalWrite(dooropen,HIGH);
      digitalWrite(doorclose, LOW);
      delay(2000);
      
    }
    
}
//written by Rat_Patrol for Minnesotahomesteading.com
//you have permission to copy/use/distribute this material in any legal way.  
}

Oh, the other issue. I had built the system around 12 volts DC circuitry previously, and I am re-using the circuit board. Since I am now signaling with 5 volts instead of 12 volts (still a 12VDC power supply, using a linear voltage regulator to get 5vdc for the ATTINY), I ordered 5 volt relays that are the same form factor as what I was using, so I can just replace instead of re-work the board. Mouser should have them here tomorrow.


ETA: Once I'm happy with the sensor tip values and everything is working as it should, I'm going to stretch out the delay from 2 seconds to more like a minute or more. It doesn't need, nor is it desirable, to be taking constant readings in this case.

Neat!  One of these days I need to get an Arduino controller to play around with.

Tuned the variables tonight, here is the new code for the ATTINY85:

const int dooropen=1; // variable which stores pin number
const int doorclose=0;  //variable which stores pin number
void setup() 
{
  pinMode(dooropen, OUTPUT);  //configures pin as OUTPUT
  pinMode(doorclose, OUTPUT);  //configures pin as OUTPUT
  pinMode(A3, INPUT); //configures pin as input to read LDR sensor
 
}
void loop() 
{
    int sensor_value = analogRead(A3);
  if (sensor_value > 400) // the point at which the outputs change
    { digitalWrite(dooropen, LOW); //low means low voltage or power off to this pin. Power stays off until the other "if" happens
      digitalWrite(doorclose, HIGH); //high means high voltage, or power on to this pin. Power stays on until the other "if" happens
      delay(2000); //delays for 2 seconds (every 1000 is 1 second). Should change to at least 60000 (1 minute delay) once settings final to prevent fluttering of outputs
    
    }
  if (sensor_value < 300)
   
    { digitalWrite(dooropen,HIGH);
      digitalWrite(doorclose, LOW);
      delay(2000); //change to at least 60000 once settings final for 1 minute delay
      
    }
    
}
//written by Rat_Patrol for Minnesotahomesteading.com
//you have permission to copy/use/distribute this material in any legal way.

I did it again...

Attached File



These are a new batch of layers, Novogen Brown chicks. No worries Kitties, these will live full, long free-ranging lives 

Dunno, just figured I'd try something new.
Brown eggs, large to xl.

Will definitely post when it comes time to butcher. Doing 80+ should get interesting.

Will make sure to give you a heads-up 

2017 July update:

Overview of the skidsteer I got. 

I already have the machine running, just got back from town with more parts to finish a lot of it up. If we don't go anywhere tonight, I may have everything done but the electrical.

Nice!  That thing have pilot operated valves?

Don't follow, be pilot operated?

Nothing really. A red oak, elm are uphill, sumac downhill about 20' away.

So I'm working on the Bobcat and I either lost the injection pump or one or more injectors.

Started pouring out white smoke and filled the crankcase with diesel.

Pilot operated hydraulic valve.  Not sure what kind of valves that came with.

Damn, sounds like you lost an injector.

I guess I'm not sure what type of hydraulic valves. I always just replace part 4 part what doesn't work 

We injection pump on this one is kind of sort of almost the injector too since it's indirect injection so they're all easy to change out just a matter of which one it is.

Injection pump...

Looks like used ones are about $300.

Well, just dropped $450 for a reman pump from fleabay with a 1 year warranty. Kubota wanted $900, so that wasn't going to happen..

Something had failed in the pump, and a little pin decided to gouge a trench in the pump cylinder sidewall, making the lower o-ring worthless. That was allowing high pressure diesel to pour into the oil pan, which filled up with diesel fuel (good thing I decided to check the oil after it went crazy, which you should always do with a diesel).

On the plus side, the engine internals are very clean now 

Pump should be here sometime next week. Will give me time to finish the electrical and coolant systems, and maybe figure out how to fix the mounting plate, which is locked up TIGHT.

I also took apart all the injectors, and they looked fine. I will clean them thoroughly later, as my hands were a bit gritty from the engine when i was playing with them. 

This may postpone new tires for the bobcat (another $450), but I was figuring on spending around $1000 on the mini loader for my 316 this year, so I am still under budget and with a far superior machine. I'm worried that the mounting plate is gone, and I may have to help my brother fabricate a new one, which would be standard universal skidsteer compatible. 

All in all that's not terrible.

Puttinf a quart of diesel in with the oil in an engine gen letting it idle always gives it a good cleaning 

Looks like I'll be able to salvage the bucket hookup plate. I can get the pins in with a hammer and somewhat light "persuasions" and with only a few inches longer lever I can set them back out. 

Its been a routine of soaking it down with PB Blaster every day and working the mechanism as much as I can. 

Assuming the pump comes on time, should be up and going next week unless something else comes up.

I always named my BFH "Gentle Persuasion" 

I call it "The Enforcer"

Pump slated Tuesday via FedEx. In theory, be running that evening!

Pump just arrived about an hour ago. I stopped at Napa to get fresh oil filters for the oil change when after my appointment with the surgeon this morning. Hopefully, if storms hold off, I may have the Bobcat running tonight! 

Pump on, all put back together. Bled the fuel lines. Still runs rough, diesel knock, white smoke. 

Feels like the timing is off. I know timing is set basically by the pump on these, have NO IDEA how its done. 

Off to Google for a service manual...

At least it doesn't seem to be pouring diesel into the oil anymore 

Well, this one may be above my pay grade. I can't find a manual for this engine anywhere (I don't need a service manual that tells me how to change oil, but a shop manual). 

I still think it needs to be timed, but it uses some convoluted scheme of shims under the fuel pump. It had 3 shims under the old pump, and I took one out for diagnostics, and it did seem to run with less severe knock.

In the interest of time, I think I will pony up my monies and have it fixed for me. Just worried about something more serious from it going full ape shit crazy on a crank case FULL of diesel fuel.

Thanks, only if convenient. I'm still scouring the interwebs to find one.

I played with it some more, and when I cracked the fuel line for inj #1, the knock went away. Still smoked and slowed down in RPMs, but the knock went away.