Marshall Henderson
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2006
- Location
- Dallas Center, Iowa
Warning!!!
This story is true and if you have "Old Iron" disease you too will have stories like this to tell anyone that wants to listen. If by chance you don't know what "Old Iron" disease is don't read any further. Save yourself!
Dave K asked for my help and this is my story. And I am sticking to it.
On a stormy and dark night our heroes were getting ready to do battle with the baddest of the bad, sand and old iron that hadn't moved for a day or two. OK, so it wasn't night, but it was raining.
Our mission was to rescue an older generator set. Now this generator was about a 1/16 of a mile off pavement, accessable on a sand/dirt driveway that would have been rough when it was dry. Of course there was a building in the way, so the trip also included a swing around that obstacle. Did I mention that it was also raining?
We had a small JD front loader with no reverse and dragster type slick tires, my old Dodge 4X4, some chains, 4X6 timbers and a high lift jack. McGauver would have been proud!
The loader was able to get the gen set moved a little ways when we figured out that some genius in the past had welded a couple of steel tubes to the bottom of the skids. Of course they were crossways to the direction of travel and now were acting like grader blades.
Move loader out of way and try the PU, it dropped, digging holes. Jacked up first one side of the gen set and then the other, added two 4X6 timbers to act as skids. Took two shovels and started to dig out all the sand, grass and weeds that we had bunched up under the gen set. Did I mention that it was raining???
Hooked up the chains to the gen set, wrapped them around the timbers to help keep them from shooting out, hooked up the loader again. Moved a little further, hooked PU to front of loader.
As we passed some onlookers with the train, I thought that I would have to go back and help them get their jaws off the ground. Sure wish I had pictures of that.
Went thru a "puddle" that I swear was up to the running boards of the PU, finally hit dry land and pavement. Just before we stopped one of the 4X6 snapped in two, no time to stop, keep this train a moving.
On dry land, it quit raining just as we reached pavement, we un hitched everything and looked over Daves prize. Then came the moment of truth, the forklift wouldn't pick it up! I suspect that it weighed just a smiggen over the 2000 pounds that I had been told.
No problem! I called my buddy with the wrecker service and went in the hole for another favor. His son Jarod came over and pretty soon we had the gen set on the trailer.
3 Hours of working in the sand and weeds and rain, did I mention that it was raining?
Would I do this type of work for a living? probably not.
But, that 3 hours was the highlight of my week!
And I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks Dave for inviting me to the party!
I have the pics ready to post, will add them later this evening.
Marshall
This story is true and if you have "Old Iron" disease you too will have stories like this to tell anyone that wants to listen. If by chance you don't know what "Old Iron" disease is don't read any further. Save yourself!
Dave K asked for my help and this is my story. And I am sticking to it.
On a stormy and dark night our heroes were getting ready to do battle with the baddest of the bad, sand and old iron that hadn't moved for a day or two. OK, so it wasn't night, but it was raining.
Our mission was to rescue an older generator set. Now this generator was about a 1/16 of a mile off pavement, accessable on a sand/dirt driveway that would have been rough when it was dry. Of course there was a building in the way, so the trip also included a swing around that obstacle. Did I mention that it was also raining?
We had a small JD front loader with no reverse and dragster type slick tires, my old Dodge 4X4, some chains, 4X6 timbers and a high lift jack. McGauver would have been proud!
The loader was able to get the gen set moved a little ways when we figured out that some genius in the past had welded a couple of steel tubes to the bottom of the skids. Of course they were crossways to the direction of travel and now were acting like grader blades.
Move loader out of way and try the PU, it dropped, digging holes. Jacked up first one side of the gen set and then the other, added two 4X6 timbers to act as skids. Took two shovels and started to dig out all the sand, grass and weeds that we had bunched up under the gen set. Did I mention that it was raining???
Hooked up the chains to the gen set, wrapped them around the timbers to help keep them from shooting out, hooked up the loader again. Moved a little further, hooked PU to front of loader.
As we passed some onlookers with the train, I thought that I would have to go back and help them get their jaws off the ground. Sure wish I had pictures of that.
Went thru a "puddle" that I swear was up to the running boards of the PU, finally hit dry land and pavement. Just before we stopped one of the 4X6 snapped in two, no time to stop, keep this train a moving.
On dry land, it quit raining just as we reached pavement, we un hitched everything and looked over Daves prize. Then came the moment of truth, the forklift wouldn't pick it up! I suspect that it weighed just a smiggen over the 2000 pounds that I had been told.
No problem! I called my buddy with the wrecker service and went in the hole for another favor. His son Jarod came over and pretty soon we had the gen set on the trailer.
3 Hours of working in the sand and weeds and rain, did I mention that it was raining?
Would I do this type of work for a living? probably not.
But, that 3 hours was the highlight of my week!
And I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks Dave for inviting me to the party!
I have the pics ready to post, will add them later this evening.
Marshall