Today I was back at the Rocks By Rail Museum doing my grease monkey impression helping Rob grease and lubricate the drag line which we put a new steel rope on last week. Greasing involves uncovering the various grease nipples that are located all around the machine. Many were encrusted by old grease and dirt.
Some degreaser and rag uncovered many of the grease nipples.
No doubt we have missed some but Rob was on a mission searching underneath for those hidden grease points which ended up with grease pumped into them using a grease gun.
This is one area where you need to be careful with the grease and oil. These two drums are the winch and bucket spools over which the cables go. The drums wind in by power from the engine but wind out under gravity. The control of these is via large brake shoes that operate on the two drums controlled from within the cab by two pedals.. In effect it is almost like the old style drum brakes on a car.
Of course after hours of dirty work you have to test whether it has made any difference! Rob took the opportunity to not only test it but give me another training session.
It is all about co-ordination between the levers and pedals and a gentle touch! I need to work on all of that but I am getting there with the bucket at least going close to where I wanted it to!
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