Christmas Present: Upgrading to a 30,000lb Compactor & Shop Update

New Compactor Acquisition

• 🎁 On Christmas Eve, a 5-hour excursion resulted in the purchase of a 30,000lb compactor, a significant upgrade from the previous 10,000lb model.
• 🎯 This new roller was acquired from Facebook Marketplace to handle larger pond and lake projects, addressing the bottleneck of waiting for compaction.
• 💡 The compactor is a 2013 model with 3,000 hours, featuring a cab with heat, air conditioning, and a radio, and importantly, it is pre-emissions.
• 🛠️ A custom-built cowbar on the hood, a repair from a previous incident, is noted as a valuable addition that could save significant replacement cost.

Compactor Features and Testing

• 💨 The new compactor boasts a cab with heat and AC, though the AC requires charging; it currently has 3,394 hours.
• ⚙️ Operational features include high and low vibration settings, travel speed controls, a horn, parking brake, and different engine modes (idle, economy, wide open).
• 🚀 Initial testing involved packing the ground, demonstrating its power and effectiveness, with the operator noting it "stabs the ground down" and "mashes it in there."
• 🔊 The radio needs repair, but the operator plans to get it fixed to improve the working environment.

"Betty" Restoration Update

• ✅ "Betty," a piece of equipment that has been under repair for 6-7 months, is finally back together.
• 🔧 Repairs included repacking cylinders, working on the bucket, and replacing all hoses, with significant challenges in sourcing correct seals.
• 🚜 The restored "Betty" is now functional and ready to work on the farm again.

New Shop Construction Progress

• 🏗️ The shop is now enclosed, with all concrete work completed and sealed, and gutters installed.
• 💡 Plywood has been delivered for interior walls, intended for easier hanging of equipment and tools.
• ⚡ Electrical rough-ins are complete, insulation was added, and the ceiling is up.
• 🔌 The electrical setup includes two lights per bay, six lights in total, wiring for a garage door opener, a fan, a mini-split, a 200-amp service, and outlets every five to six feet.
• 🚪 A large 16-foot by 16-foot garage door was ordered and is awaiting installation.

AC System Recharge and Operation

• ❄️ An attempt was made to recharge the compactor's AC system using Freon cans, with some success in cooling.
• ⚠️ The system appears to have a small Freon leak, but the operator prefers to add a couple of cans annually over a costly repair.
• 💨 The cooling is described as "cold" and improving, making the cab significantly more comfortable.
• 💺 The compactor's seat is noted as being able to swivel and adjust, providing good legroom and comfort.