24 February 2018

Bomba

Holey Chit!!
It's been almost 3 months!!!
Had a few hiccups this year,
writing had some difficulty flowing.
However pics and projects haven't stopped.
Let's start with a semi-recent work project...
This was a super-leaky and almost seized 
berkeley water pump.
A dozen years ago they simply replaced it,
but the not-too-local shop wanted almost $2800!!
I'm sure a rebuild woulda been cheaper,
if it wasn't for the "lets hit it with a hammer to loosen it" situation.
The broken packing gland/housing is cast iron.
I tried stick welding with the special rod,
but access was limited.

The easiest solution was brazing.
Not the prettiest but it's dang strong.
The previous dissassembly was a pita.
I ended up cutting the shaft in pieces,
welded a bolt to the impeller section,
and used an impact gun to twist it out.
I couldn't resist some rattlecan wonder.
At the time it was in the 30's,
so the stockroom was heated up as a spray booth.
The assembly was a piece of cake.
The new shaft is stainless steel,
so it should last forever compared to the original.
The rebuild kit was about $600,
after time and materials,
this saved over half the rebuild estimate.
And I was able to fix a broken impact gun
while the paint dried.
The guys at work will never get new equipment!
The worst was yet to come.
Before installation,
a 5-gallon bucket of rust was scooped out of the tank.
I was trying to get out of this type of work,
by going to a cushy city job.
Oh well!
The plate shield had deteriorated to dust.
I hammered out a bolt-in screen,
hopefully this keeps the pump healthy.
The tank already had some rust through holes,
the thickness probably half in most places.
An experiment with a couple boat zincs
may stall any electrolysis from the mineral rich well water.
All wrapped up!
Let's see how long it lasts...
More soon!
TP

1 comment:

  1. great to see a new post! I'd actually given up from waiting so long, as now it's been a month since you posted, I can hope for another soon! Those guys you work with, are lucky to see you in action, and terribly wrong to think they might ever see new gear again!

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