2016 at the Hammond Barn

[Hanno Spoelstra]

While doing a bit of database cleaning here at MLU I noted 2015 was the tenth installment of the "at the Hammond Barn" threads

Looking forward to 2016 as the 11th consecutive year of the activities of the Hammond Barn Crew.

Thanks guys!

Hanno

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

While doing a bit of database cleaning here at MLU I noted 2015 was the tenth installment of the "at the Hammond Barn" threads. Looking forward to 2016 as the 11th consecutive year of the activities of the Hammond Barn Crew. Thanks guys! Hanno

Wow! I had no idea that we had been at this for such a long period of time. We got a lot of small projects done, but as Guy, the Steam Guy says, what do you have on the road? Maybe this year we will have some trucks legally registered, insured and on the road. Maybe...we will see.

[RHClarke]

Bob asked me to post some tire photos, so here they are.

Photos:
1 - Deuce and a half tire for a future project.
2 - Comparison deuce tire vs CMP 16 inch tire.

[RHClarke]

We experienced a very soggy and wet Saturday. The temps were well above zero and the rain really helped make a mess of things. Lucifer was fired up to drive off the humidity inside the barn so that Bob could continue his work on the sewing machines. Later on Grant and Bob demounted a Michelin military tire from a civvy rim and remounted it on a CMP rim using the Hammond Barn special tool that turns a fight into a casual chore (see the applicable thread). I spent the day removing grease, crud and rust from two hubs belonging to the 42 HUP Pilot model. While one hub had considerable brake wear on the inside, the other was in pristine shape. Both will have to be milled and fitted for shoes in the near future.

After lunch Bob took his truck for a ride to the back 40. It wasn't hard to tell where he went as the ground (mud) under the snow is still not frozen. Later we removed snow and ice from the shelters and spend a good amount of time digging out doorways. The boys found that Bob's shelter needed a new tarp, so they played at that task. All of this outdoor work was done in anticipation of the rain on Sunday and the cold snap that was forecasted to follow on Monday. For three of four seasons we spend as much time preparing for the weather events as we do actual CMP work. Part of the charm at the barn.

Photos:
1 - The slush on the barn just waiting for an unsuspecting denizen to walk through the door (it still had not let go when we departed).
2 - Bob's jacket hanging by the fireplace with care after a good soaking outside (Pilot model water pump hangs in the foreground).
3 - Evidence of CMP life at the barn.
4 - Pilot model hubs after the initial cleaning.

[RHClarke]

It was very cold at the barn early this morning. I chose the coldest day of the year so far to sneak out of the house early to get in some quality barn time. It took a few minutes to spark up Lucifer, but true to its name, it was glowing about 20 minutes later. While Lucifer was thawing out the mosquitoes, I did the usual clean up of the shelters and doorways. The rest of the morning was spent cleaning the Pilot Model hubs in prep for painting in the afternoon.

Bob and Grant made their appearance later on in the morning and set about their usual chores. Bob fiddled with his sewing machine and did some door measurements. Grant worked on his trailer suspension and dismantled a old Ford CMP spring pack that still had some life in it - particularly when the nut from the center pin was removed... After the spring surprise, a but more caution was used and a good number of C clamps as well.

Following lunch, we got back to the chores at hand. Later, Bob surprised us with a small treat - a ration can that he surmised came from an army ration pack from the 1950s. To me it looked like the old US ration can that always left green flecks in the food when you opened it. Bob decided to taste test the contents and did not seem worse for wear, so I guess the rats were OK.
It can never be said that we are not willing to try out different things at the barn.

The end of the day was marked by a sit down session to discuss the characteristics and dimensions of Ford and Chev springs. This was all too exciting for me, so I headed home just as it was getting dark.

Photos:
1 - Grant safely removing spring leafs
2 - Really old rats anyone?
3 - Adventurous Bob biting a biscuit
4 - CMP nerds at play

[George McKenzie]

I got a military mechanic, box for a CMP this summer and it has benches in side like the ones I see you are using in your garage em me and I'll send you pictures geomck@wispernet.ca George Mckenzie

[Bob Carriere]

Curious to see what kind of benches you have....... what size truck???

The table you see in the background was purchased at a scrap yard..... they were originally used for lazer research and had to be very accurate flat.... they are built with a 5/8 solid stainless steel top and weights about 1500 pounds.... legs are 1/4 thick 4x6 steel tubes...... paid about $400 for it..... sorry now I did now buy 2 or 3......

Great as a set up table or as an anvil for hammering bent steel into submission.

Cheers

Bob C