Soldering

Soldering small gauge wire with a soldering gun. I have a fair amount of soldering history with a probe style soldering iron, but limited experience with a gun.

I learned that prefer a probe, but also that a gun would be more appropriate with large power cable, as the tip on a probe style iron could be over heated.

Crimping

Crimping of small gauge wire and larger battery cable, including heat shrink.

I learned how important stripping the right amount of insulation is, and to make sure not to use too small setting on strippers, so I wouldn't cut into the actual wire and damage it. I also learned over crimping can damage the wire and/or cause a bad connection, as will a loose crimp.

 WestherPac, Deutch, blade

Slugger

A couple weeks ago I drilled some holes in truck frame using a Slugger magnetic drill.

I learned how important it is that the electromagnet is clean when mounting the slugger, or it won't stay put. It drills very nice, clean holes.

Rigging and Lifting

I'm a little behind in my blog posts, this is from a few weeks ago.

I learned how to safely rig and lifts loads of various weights and sizes, and how to place rigging so load is balanced. I also learned how to find weights of materials, how to closely calculate weights of unusually shaped objects, and specific weights of engines. As a group we rigged and lifted 2 engines, a forklift mast w/forks attached, a concrete block, and a partial semi tractor.

Turbo Dis-assembly

Last week another student and myself got to disassemble a turbo. We were told it was brought in because it was not boosting as much as it should have been. The turbo is a Mitsubishi type TD08H-31M. It took a little patience, though it wasn't too difficult. We discovered some coking, and the shaft appeared to have experienced some high extra heat. We believe it may have been worked hard and then shut down without being allowed to cool down first.

I learned that excess heat can and will destroy a turbo, in this case it caused coking and may have been responsible for bearing and shaft damage.

Breaking bolts

I'm a little late posting this blog, as I did this project a few ago. I was experimenting with the feel of a bolt as it would yield, to know how it would feel before breaking. The idea is to get the feel so not to torque bolts to the actual breaking point, and would be able to remove said bolt more easily, especially if bolt is in a blind hole.

I torqued this one to just before it's breaking point

Torquing bolt

This one stripped the threads, we had to cut the nut off

Handmade wrench

I learned how to cut with an oxy-fuel torch, and cut out a wrench I designed from 1/4 inch plate steel.I then started hand filing the edges and the mill scale. I also learned that keeping the files clean is important if you want them to do their job properly.

Day of grading wrenches with rest of class. Mine is on far left, #12.