1
General Discussion / Re: otherpower
« on: February 16, 2012, 01:23:35 AM »they have been upgrading for about a day now, still having problems...... some can get on some can't
Home of the Listeroid - Since 2005
News:
Don't forget to check out the LEF Gallery! Exclusively for LEF members, an ideal alternative to Photobucket, Flickr, etc. It's FREE, and best of all totally AD FREE! Just click the link!
Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
they have been upgrading for about a day now, still having problems...... some can get on some can't
2
Everything else / Re: Lister Forum Gathering/Engine show
« on: February 06, 2012, 03:09:25 AM »No - OH NO - The 11th of Aug (when the Oblong show starts) I haven't been to Alaska in the wintertime in 43 years and it still chills me to the bone to think
of it. This summer we're meeting friends for a trip to Denali Park. Haven't seen some of them in 30 years or better and the logistics were hard enough to work out this time.
3
Everything else / Re: Lister Forum Gathering/Engine show
« on: February 06, 2012, 02:42:28 AM »Drat! I have to be in Fairbanks on the 11th. OK, maybe next year.
Dave
4
Everything else / Re: Lister Forum Gathering/Engine show
« on: February 06, 2012, 12:43:58 AM »What are the dates for the show? I had planned on being in Olney to visit family the first week of the month but then I have to be
in Alaska the middle of the month. Would be nice to take in the engine show and meet with you all.
5
Other Slow Speed Diesels / Re: Oil field engines
« on: December 07, 2010, 02:17:16 PM »
Sorry guys, been mostly out of touch for a long while, peek in when I can to see what is happening in the world. We bought a place at the far east side of the county this last summer. Lady lived there 18 years after her husband passed, nothing done, nothing trimmed, nothing mowed. But my wife loved the trees and hills. So I have been cutting and mowing to find what is on the property, removing an old building to make room for a new shop, fight the deer, turkey and coons for the pecans and pears. And thinning the rattlesnake population. The hills my wife likes means that I have to cut into a hillside and move and pack it to make a level spot big enough for a shop. Got it trenched and rebar welded, fighting to get concrete poured before cold weather hits.
As to engines, I bought two of the FM Z 1 1/2 hp but they sit in a corner of the barn with the rest of the stuff waiting for attention. I dug my Lincoln welder, my Lister and one Wisconsin out of storage to power tools and weld as needed. Meanwhile, I've pulled 18 sub boxes from three buildings, not a mains in the lot. Rewired the house with modern service and proper mains box, rewired the barn to spec, and am ready to get the local coop to add a meter.
More later.
As to engines, I bought two of the FM Z 1 1/2 hp but they sit in a corner of the barn with the rest of the stuff waiting for attention. I dug my Lincoln welder, my Lister and one Wisconsin out of storage to power tools and weld as needed. Meanwhile, I've pulled 18 sub boxes from three buildings, not a mains in the lot. Rewired the house with modern service and proper mains box, rewired the barn to spec, and am ready to get the local coop to add a meter.
More later.
6
Original Lister Cs Engines / Re: Very Interested Newb
« on: February 09, 2010, 07:26:46 PM »
cwood3 -
There are lots of local clubs that are into the old stuff, the members are a treasure trove of info and potential sourcing. When hunting leads it is best to talk to the old geezers that have been around this stuff all their lives. I would recommend :
Home Metal Shop and Old Engine Club of Houston
South Texas Old Iron Club
South Texas Wheel Spinners and Crank Twisters
Texas Early Day Tractor and Engine Association
and a little further afield something like La Grange Engine Club
Zube Park in Hockley Texas is a great place to be when the club meets, I think the first Tuesday of the month, but check that before you go. Plus there are engine clubs all over Texas. Don't pass up a hit n' miss show because you're looking for a diesel, some of them passed on a diesel to get to their treasure and they don't mind pointing the way. I got my 2 cylinder Lister that way, it was a seized wreck when I found it and took 2 1/2 years to make it run, but I found it for $20 and hauling it off. Talk to the right people about what you want and have patience.
Dave at 1960 and the freeway
There are lots of local clubs that are into the old stuff, the members are a treasure trove of info and potential sourcing. When hunting leads it is best to talk to the old geezers that have been around this stuff all their lives. I would recommend :
Home Metal Shop and Old Engine Club of Houston
South Texas Old Iron Club
South Texas Wheel Spinners and Crank Twisters
Texas Early Day Tractor and Engine Association
and a little further afield something like La Grange Engine Club
Zube Park in Hockley Texas is a great place to be when the club meets, I think the first Tuesday of the month, but check that before you go. Plus there are engine clubs all over Texas. Don't pass up a hit n' miss show because you're looking for a diesel, some of them passed on a diesel to get to their treasure and they don't mind pointing the way. I got my 2 cylinder Lister that way, it was a seized wreck when I found it and took 2 1/2 years to make it run, but I found it for $20 and hauling it off. Talk to the right people about what you want and have patience.
Dave at 1960 and the freeway
7
General Discussion / Re: New Chat Room
« on: November 19, 2009, 02:18:21 PM »
I logged on too, but was the only one home. Granted, I talk to myself, but even so it seemed a little boring with no answers.
8
General Discussion / Re: if you are seeing this you are on the new webserver
« on: November 19, 2009, 02:16:25 PM »Amazing! Now my coffee doesn"t get cold waiting for a page to load.
9
General Discussion / Re: i once again apologize for this site being down
« on: November 13, 2009, 09:54:00 PM »
admin -
Good to see the site back, hope this time the problems are solved. It will be interesting to see how many old friends return........
Good to see the site back, hope this time the problems are solved. It will be interesting to see how many old friends return........
10
General Discussion / Re: Interesting Article on Flywheel Energy
« on: September 25, 2009, 12:34:54 PM »An interesting idea if it works as planned. I remember about 45 years ago the high speed drum memories used in computers of the day. A few pounds of drum ran on air bearings at a few thousand rpm. Each track had its own head, a true plumbers nightmare. Worked great so long as nothing touched. But when something went wrong - when, not if - it went wrong in a hurry. The thing would shed data and parts in the blink of an eye.
The thought of a ton of mass rotating at 16K rpm makes me wince. One can only hope they included a lot of strong struts and braces in the design. Oh, and really concentrated on balance on balance of the drum. Otherwise the scenes of industrial disasters from the 1800s might come around again.
But if it works out well it might mitigate the problem of having so many spare generators on hand to to handle the few times a day when grid power demand peaks.
11
Lister Based Generators / Re: Polar Power...
« on: July 25, 2009, 11:22:03 PM »
apogee-man -
Why not drift on over to otherpower.com and learn how to build one for yourself? You can control your voltage out, rpm needs, current out and just about everything else. I have built two just for my 48 volt batteries and am happy with the results. One gives me bulk charge when the sun and wind won't cooperate and the other is used to do my equalizing charge about once a month.
The others I have made are for different speeds, for wind generators. The biggest hurdle for me was learning to weld so that I could trust the thing to stay in the air. But if I can do it at my age anyone should be able to.
I have made a 2500 watt 48 volt dc generator for about $600 in parts, not counting my labor. It has pushed over 45 amps into the batteries for half a day at a time without overheating.
(Note: I am not a welder and cannot claim to be one. So my brothers have told me and so I believe. But if you paint it well and hang it 60 feet in the air, not many people can see the welds, and after 5 years nothing has fallen off yet.)
Why not drift on over to otherpower.com and learn how to build one for yourself? You can control your voltage out, rpm needs, current out and just about everything else. I have built two just for my 48 volt batteries and am happy with the results. One gives me bulk charge when the sun and wind won't cooperate and the other is used to do my equalizing charge about once a month.
The others I have made are for different speeds, for wind generators. The biggest hurdle for me was learning to weld so that I could trust the thing to stay in the air. But if I can do it at my age anyone should be able to.
I have made a 2500 watt 48 volt dc generator for about $600 in parts, not counting my labor. It has pushed over 45 amps into the batteries for half a day at a time without overheating.
(Note: I am not a welder and cannot claim to be one. So my brothers have told me and so I believe. But if you paint it well and hang it 60 feet in the air, not many people can see the welds, and after 5 years nothing has fallen off yet.)
12
General Discussion / Re: Engines At Work Video
« on: April 30, 2009, 07:10:35 PM »
Stan -
Back 50 years or so ago they were called buzz saws. In the middle 60's the boys in the family ganged together and added central air and heat to the homestead and made the thing less needful. My youngest brother grabbed it up and still uses it now and again to buzz mesquite for his woodshop. Nothing like a wood fire and a pot of coffee on a cool fall day - though sometimes not much work gets done.
It is now waiting for a new tralier and cradle. I've used it without the cradle, but we are all too old now to lift and slide the logs.
Anytime it gets fired up, a small crowd gathers, the sound brings back memories for many.
Back 50 years or so ago they were called buzz saws. In the middle 60's the boys in the family ganged together and added central air and heat to the homestead and made the thing less needful. My youngest brother grabbed it up and still uses it now and again to buzz mesquite for his woodshop. Nothing like a wood fire and a pot of coffee on a cool fall day - though sometimes not much work gets done.
It is now waiting for a new tralier and cradle. I've used it without the cradle, but we are all too old now to lift and slide the logs.
Anytime it gets fired up, a small crowd gathers, the sound brings back memories for many.
13
Engines / Re: Interesting Caterpillar Document
« on: January 25, 2009, 02:51:21 AM »
Table?
Sounds like a good idea. One of my neighbors suggested adding more to the base and casting a slab over the top - instant barbeque table. And since I bolted the walls and ceiling and roof in to make the sound proofing work better, I can take the building apart and haul it with me. Then all I would have to do is add a low rail around it to disguise the wood and foam that partitioned the walls from the floor. If you can't hide it, make it stand out and call it something else.
A back yard barbeque table would surely sell better in south Texas than a building built to hold a 2 cylinder Lister with all the trimmings. And it would save me a lot of the cost of another engine room out west.
Sounds like a good idea. One of my neighbors suggested adding more to the base and casting a slab over the top - instant barbeque table. And since I bolted the walls and ceiling and roof in to make the sound proofing work better, I can take the building apart and haul it with me. Then all I would have to do is add a low rail around it to disguise the wood and foam that partitioned the walls from the floor. If you can't hide it, make it stand out and call it something else.
A back yard barbeque table would surely sell better in south Texas than a building built to hold a 2 cylinder Lister with all the trimmings. And it would save me a lot of the cost of another engine room out west.
14
Engines / Re: Interesting Caterpillar Document
« on: January 24, 2009, 01:55:03 PM »
Mobile Bob -
I can add one more arrow to your arsenal in discussing resilient mount versus concrete, as if you needed it. As you might remember, I have retired and am moving out west. So now back of my garage there is this nice building sitting empty, with double sound insulated walls, double roof, concrete floor, and workbench across the back.
And owning pride of place right smack in the center of it all is a 16 inch high, 2 1/2 ton lump of concrete isolated from the rest of the floor, with enough steel imbedded in it to make removing it a job I have no interest in. Stops the real estate people dead in their tracks every time. What was my nice quiet (read expensive) engine room and workshop has become an impediment on the market. Now I can only hope that another motor head will be interested in buying in this neighborhood
I can add one more arrow to your arsenal in discussing resilient mount versus concrete, as if you needed it. As you might remember, I have retired and am moving out west. So now back of my garage there is this nice building sitting empty, with double sound insulated walls, double roof, concrete floor, and workbench across the back.
And owning pride of place right smack in the center of it all is a 16 inch high, 2 1/2 ton lump of concrete isolated from the rest of the floor, with enough steel imbedded in it to make removing it a job I have no interest in. Stops the real estate people dead in their tracks every time. What was my nice quiet (read expensive) engine room and workshop has become an impediment on the market. Now I can only hope that another motor head will be interested in buying in this neighborhood
15
Other Slow Speed Diesels / Re: Oil field engines
« on: January 13, 2009, 04:11:33 PM »Sorry I've been out of touch lately. My brother, a quadriplegic, has been in a bad way and I have spent most of the past few weeks in Lubbock at the hospital. He is now a lot better and with the addition of a pacemaker has a regular heartbeat again. So needless to say my hunt for toys has been curtailed considerably. My brother should be home in the next week so maybe life can return to some level of normal.
The oil field engines around Big Spring are mostly for wells in the 5,000 to 7,000 and deeper range. These beasts are usually in the 50 to 100 hp class, several tons in weight, most are in the 200 to 280 rpm range. Not what the average person wants for home use. As well, most are propane, well gas, or butane. About one out of a hundred were actually diesel, and those bring a premium with the cost of propane (or butane) these days.
But for those interested, a good rebuilt Arrow, Ajax, or FM single can be had for from about 8,000 to about 12,000. The twins are much higher, but I for one have no real interest in several tons of engine at over 100 hp. A single flywheel from one of these weighs more than a 6 hp Lister engine.
The man I have been talking to in Big Spring knows people further north towards the Cap Rock with smaller engines. The wells are shallower up there so 12 hp or so is more the norm. I am not interested in a rebuilt, but would rather do it myself and learn the engine in the process. But he did mention a rebuilt FM 12 hp in the $2800 range, so that may be my next buy.