Wandering Tank repair

Remember that black water tank that decided to take a trip this winter?  It left home from behind the shop and ended up in first one field and then another?

Well, all that rolling around caused some damage that needed to be repaired before we could once again fill it with water and use it this spring.

I took a few photos of the repair work.  But, before I got myself over to the shop to help, I was distracted by spring!

It was such a lovely day, that I moved these few plants outside so that they could get used to being out.  The four little oak trees came from acorns I collected last fall in Boston!

My cousin started these rose plants from cuttings that she took last spring.  I have planted several already. These guys are waiting for a little warmer weather to find a permanent home.

Daffodils with swollen buds!

And crocus blooming happily in the sun.  

So, here's the wandering tank, back at home, but full of dirt from traveling! We tipped it up so that we could rinse it out.

This is a piece of the broken fill valve.

Reynald is surveying and evaluating what to do next.

Remove the damaged piece,

And put the new one on....

Now attach the fill valve.

Rinse out the tank and everything is as good as new!

A few days ago one of my farm projects was to change the tips on the Flexicoil sprayer.  These tips are some kind of new, low drift, technology.  They were kind of expensive, and honestly, I can't see much, if any difference between these and the old ones.  But, someone thinks they are a good idea, so we are trying them.

Here's Indy hooked up to the 114 foot Flexicoil sprayer.

These are the tips that I replaced.

A much easier process than in the "old days".  Now you just twist them on.

This is a pretty cool invention.  There are actually three different tips on this one manifold.  If you want to change the rate of product that you are applying, you can just twist the manifold and get a different size tip!

There were 67 tips to change out!

Here's Bertha, ready to go to work! 

And look!  She has a new Honda engine and water pump!

And the best thing is, this electric start!  The old engine and pump gave us a good long run.  It had a rope pull, which, for the last two years, was rather finicky!  

We also did a little repair work on the harrow.  Last year we bought and installed these new drag harrows.  There's a bit of a design flaw on how they are attached to the main harrow. so we decided to fix it before it's time to use it in a few short days.

The fix required the tonner and the welder and someone that knew how to use it!

So here's the design flaw.  If you can make out the hook that has a clevis attached.  Then on the hook there is a floppy piece of metal that was supposed to seal off the hook and not allow the clevis from bounding off the hook.  Seemed like a good idea, but it didn't work.

Last year I spent almost as much time re-attaching the drag harrow, as I did harrowing!  So, here's the fix.  You can see that I am holding a thin piece of metal with the pliers and Reynald is getting ready to tack weld that piece of metal in the opening of the hook.  

Here is is finished!  I shouldn't have any trouble this year, with that clevis hopping out of the hook!

Reynald insisted that I take a photo while he was welding!  Looks kind of ominous!  

It's too early for it to be this nice, but we're taking advantage of the gloriously warm days and brightly shining sun, while it's here!  It feels so good to be outside in the fresh air.