2011 at the Hammond Barn

[RHClarke]

I ran into my "Manitoba spy" at the airport today. While his progress report on potential border raiding opportunities was less than encouraging, he is still willing to conduct covert ops on my behalf. On the positive side, his list of potential SMP kidnap victims continues to grow...I hear that Winnipeg is nice in the fall. Just might have to find out.

[RHClarke]

This morning started off a bit cold (-21oC with a wind-chill of -32oC), so Lucifer had to earn its keep today. While Lucifer warmed up, the doorways were shoveled and snow was removed from a few of the shelters. While this was going on, the frigid air was disturbed by the sound of an unfamiliar diesel engine. Gilles, from Cantly, brought one of his "small" trucks to the barn to give us a first hand look at one of his latest projects. After firing up the onboard generator (which came to life within seconds), the tour of the many storage spaces began. This truck will make any future MV convoys a little less challenging as it is kitted out with spares to beat the band. The tour of the truck included some tasty treats. No sooner had we opened the box of Tim Horton's doughnuts, Guy Vapeur showed up - I guess old habits die hard... Grant made his entrance and claimed the last treat and the group retired to the barn to bask in Lucifer's hellish glow.

The conversations ranged from various jokes, to sewing jobs and the S&P Rally to be held in July of this year. After chewing the fat for the best part of an hour, Guy parted company and the rest of us headed out for a bite to eat. Our newest favourite eatery is called Boboul, located in nearby Limoges. Hopefully this eatery will keep itself from burning down…

Upon return to the barn, there were more jokes and kidding around. As usual, MLU was discussed in great detail. Eventually, we decided to do some work. The wood crib used to feed Lucifer needed filling. After shoveling out the back doors to the barn, we brought in some wood that we had cut and split last fall. Bob speculated that the load of wood should take us into the warm weather without resupply. Hopefully, he is right, but the cold weather we have been having in January does not auger well…It must be noted that we have had very little snow to date – both a good and bad thing. Good in that shelter maintenance and snow removal has been quite easy, bad because the lack of snow may impact the fire season in the late spring. There is still plenty of winter to come…

After restocking Lucifer’s larder, Bob broke out his spot welder and with Grant’s help, we welded up a new set of hatch lips for the 45 and Prototype HUPs. In both cases, the original hatch lips had rusted to a state of non-repair. So, both sets of lips were ripped off and replacement lips got made up today. The new lips consist of two pieces of 18 ga metal. The first piece has a 90o bend that forms an “L” shape along its length. The long part of the “L” is about an inch and the other part is about ¼ of an inch. The second piece is just a long strip of one inch 1 and 1/4 inch flat 18 ga metal. The short side of the first piece was welded along the length of the second piece forming the necessary “lips” and mounting flanges for the large hatch opening. The lips of course engage the foam rubber seal on the sliding hatch thus keeping the rain and dust out.

Bob and Grant were graceful enough to finish the last piece for me, as once again, time had expired. It was a nice, but cold day at the barn.


Photo 1-Tour of Gilles' truck
Photo 2-The Hammond Sewing Circle - discussing Jeep seat replacement
Photo 3-Spot welding - we are now "experts"...
Photo 4-Destructive testing - Bob hammers the stuffing out of test sample of the lips
Photo 5-Busted Lip...

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Rob

Your package of cold Canadian air arrive this AM -7 to -13 F ( -20 -25 C) in the local area with colder expected for tonight, as soon as we can figure out how to box it up we'll send it back. Nice and bracing but a little to cold for our southern blood.

Interesting to see the contact maintenance truck, they have become very popular with MV collectors in our club. Very useful critters particularly when the owners have re-equipped them with complete tool sets. Does make club convoying more reassuring. Interesting to see the different generator/welder units that they were equipped with.

Cheers Phil

[Bob Carriere]

Some observations.....

It takes a few pictures before you finally get a good one of the sparks.....

Cleaning the joining surfaces help the quality of the weld and reduces sparks.
We used brake cleaner degreasing solution.

New tips are a pain until they wear down to a larger contact area..... next time will file them down to larger size before starting.

The only way (for me) to really test a weld is to break it apart... read destroy... to check of strength and penetration.....

Cleaning up the tip after 24+ welds helps in consistency and quality... dress with a file.... readjust alignment and pressure setting.

Good penetration leaves the metal hot...very hot..... wear gloves.

When wearing gloves..... wear good leather ones..... drops of flying molten metal will burn through them....ouch..... or fall into the top opening of the gloves..double ouch!!!!!

Spot welds every 3 inches on two pieces of 18 gauge steel will distort the metal into a long curve on 6 foot pieces..... not noticeable until after you hold it straight....... next time stagger spot welds... set up better so parts are supported and held flat to spot welder.....

Have fun !!!!!

[RHClarke]

Phil, There is more cold air to come, but at least we have the hobby to keep us warm. I am beginning to suspect that there is a growing awareness of, and a keeness among the olive drab truck crowd in Canada to get more of the modern US military vehicles. Gilles is a case in point.

Speaking of trucks, the rumour mill has it that the Chrysler prototype from across the river has a new home. Not too many details are known, but I am sure that we will get the skinny on this sale and the fate of the truck in the near future.

Bob, Thanks for the welding session, We learned so much: clean your work, take your time, adjust your tools, keep glove openings away from the beaten zone of the welder, and of course, a new dance (resulting from hot slag falling down one's glove...).

[Wpns 421]

Yes there is a growing interest in the US CUCV and the larger trucks M35 etc. In Canada no modern vehicles are available and if you do get them you cannot drive them on the roads because of not be able to get a tiltle.
The contact maintenance truck we have has 12,925 miles. It originally came with a generator welder which we removed because it was very hard and expensive getting parts. We installed a 903C 10kw generator from a Humvee and this summer we will use it to power our tools and to provide lights for events.
Right now the truck is equipped with all sorts of POL products, fan belts, 24v fuel pumps, tire repair kits and everything needed it perform minor repairs.
Our collection of vehicles is oriented towards combat service support and are vehicles are equipped to help others, this goes from the M816 wrecker to my wife's M1010 ambulance. This is what we do, and we do what we like. Gilles

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Wpns 421

Yes there is a growing interest in the US CUCV and the larger trucks M35 etc...This is what we do, and we do what we like. Gilles

Bonjour Gilles,

Take a look up the hill from your garage and tell us if the Chrysler Prototype has moved. Curious minds want to know...