Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Students in training Bobs Shop


Here at The Links at Brunello Chris has been taking in students from a school program for job experiences. Hats off to the school teachers involved and screening process. Great bunch of student passed through our doors the past few years to either move on to their goals or get summer employment with us . 
I was approached to see if I'd be interested in taking on a student interested in mechanical field . We have a shortage of techs in our field and we can be a hard breed to replace at times . I thought about it for a while and was glad to take on a student and maybe entice them into this trade .  
Lucky for my first experience as a teacher to have a great quick start student .


 
Chris's giving us some pointers on his second week here . You can tell by the chuckles on our faces . Lol 
We tackled an oil change and full brake service on one of our TX gators


Hands on here at Bobs Shop . Not going to be twiddling your thumbs or sweeping floors all day . 


Keeping an eye out during the seasons you can see problem areas to streamline to make things better for the guys ( and gals ) and also save you a little extra work during the season .

In the pic above is how some of the guys go out with these trailers . For use guys that have done this for many years know more works coming our way . 


Would like to see them be towed this way and this weeks we're going to make that happen . Well actually my student will . Remember it's all hands on here .

Our double flex trailer ( not what we use them for ) are a little short . 

  Today we're going to fix that using left over scrap steel . For safety reasons he won't be using the 4.5" cut off wheels on grinder . 



Had removed tailgate and cut and fabricated a few ideas before he arrived . 


Showing how to use different items in the shop to help you do your job . 

 Started of with some basic welding tips . And running beads and making adjustments to the MIG welder  to show how different the beads look etc.  


A little bit of practice and heat range and wire speed adjustments and we are good to go with our project of the day .


Showing a not so good to good weld on butt joints . 


Doing some table top welding to start him of. 


Quick learner . Hard to believe his just in grade 11.



Showing him how I lay stuff and my thought process during a build . 



A little welding video . Good crackle = good weld .  


Half done 

  
Welding in the trailer extension 

Looks Great . All the welds were done by my helper . 


Finishing of welding the tailgate hinge on . 




A few more pics of the build .


Chain latch system was all his idea . Kids got potential .


Your not having fun till you spark up the cutting torch . 




Welding in some wheel stops 


Prime and painted . Should be rolling out tomorrow for a test run with the staff . 

Good day .lots learned . and we had a great time . 

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Sometimes the # don't line up . Toro MDX park brake cables

    

Our back up ball picker is a 2009 Toro MDX we purchased it used for Ball range . 

When we first received this machine the park brake wasn't very good . No adjustments left .With new cables we were able to get some adjustment for a while . Recently having the same no adjustment left issue again . After ordering the new cables the part # and cable changed up . My delima below 



112-3209 changed up to 127-8684   nicer cable for sure 

serial # of machine 




new cable maxed out adjustments lots of slack


After installing new cables to maximum adjustments , shoes scrapping on drum and hand pull maxed out  it was still an inch away from even starting to pull . So after going back and forth with dealer / Toro . They say it will work . Ah NO it won't in my case . I had to drill a hole in mount bracket to lengthen the slot .


 Then cut it out with hand grinder and file to fit . 


 Like so.


Going to extend mounting bracket to get adjustment I need ."Since it's a direct fit "


And now I have brand new cables at minimum adjustments . Work out great. Now there is lots of adjustment at lever and still full adjustment left at wheels too.

   
Looking for shoe adjustment as suggested by dealer . 


 Another mod pick before paint.


Oh here it is a cam for adjusting shoe to drum . 


Little video in action .