Plasma Cutter

Today's generation of welders prefer a plasma cutter to a cutting torch whenever possible. I'd have to agree. If it's near by, it is generally worth the effort of hooking up and using when you are looking for a precision cut. 

My brother Luke bought me this Hypertherm 45 when I graduated from seminary. There are other good brands out there, but Hypertherm has plasma cutters dialed in. 

They take a pretty good air compressor to run. It's also best to run a regulator keeping it under 150psi and a filter to ensure for clean air. 

Our project this was to build two flanges for Dad's new irrigation pump. I had some 3/8 plate around so we went to work.

Anytime you can scribe the holes and perimeter for accuracy go for it. Here we used a bent nail to get a basic template. 

The marks were super faint so we then outlined them with soap stone. 

Ready to cut. 

Often it takes a quick second for the arc to penetrate the metal. But if the sparks keep flying in your face you might have a bad tip. 

When you change a tip on a plasma cutter you have to change the electrode dilly at the same time. 

Money.

Here's a little tip: when I blow holes I start the arc in the middle of the marked hole, so that if you loose your chalk line you always have a reference point to work around. 

The cool thing about a plasma cutter is you can cut any kind of metal that will conduct electricity. Here we cut this 4" steel nipple in half to weld on to our plate. 

When your working with something that is going to involve pressure I always prep the surfaces as best I can. Of course, remove the paint from the nipple, but also the new metal sheen that comes on the plate. 

Tack weld it in four corners, but not right where the holes are, because they are already gonna be close to the bolt head. 

Then go for it. I don't start or stop a weld on top of a tack weld or a hole. And when I overlap the other end of the weld, I always run over the top of it to ensure a good seal. 

One beauty of plasma cutters is that they don't produce a lot of slag, and what they do produce is easy to remove. I don't run the grinder on top of the slag, but just underneath it so that it, more or less, pops off. 

One of the greatest features of plasma cutters is their low heat. In a project like this where the mating surface is important, you really have to watch for warping. The little curling that occurred here will not impact our final application.

Time to install. We built two of these threaded flanges, one 3" and the other 4". We then placed a gasket in between the surfaces as we bolted it up. 

Giddy up. 

Mission accomplished. This could have been done with a cutting torch and I suppose we could have ordered some new flanges on Amazon and had them delivered to the ranch. But what fun would that have been.  With the right tools and a little bit of savvy, we had a couple of pump flanges built in no time. It would have been hard to do as smoothly, though, without a plasma cutter. They may not get used everyday. But when you need them, they are great to have on hand. Hopefully Dad will come around to this modern means of welding. But you know what they say, it's hard to teach old cowboys new tricks. 

Forgiveness

Our sins and the sins others have inflicted upon us, cripple us. Forgiveness sets us free.

           https://youtu.be/NosoFp5GxvM         

Bob the Builder

Bob Olson has built over 200 log homes in his day. Each one is unique and has the imprint of a man who's love for God and love for building go hand in hand. I've had the joy of knowing Bob over the past four years and today he gave me a grand tour around his job sites. 

Bob has the character of a log home: rugged, genuine, unique, and unrepeatable. Here he stands in front of one of his favorite, recent creations. 

Bob is a hard guy to keep up with. He's always one step ahead of the game. And with several houses under construction at the same time, he's got to be. 

Bob has built all the homes on Hulett's private golf course. And with his quality construction, he's the owners’ contractor of choice. 

Currently he has five guys working for him. Their jobs stem from remodeling to new construction. 

Most of the homes they build are full-log construction. However they do build some stick frame houses with log siding. 

They are start to finish contractors. Here they've laid out the composite rock siding that will skirt the base of this new home.

The views from this hilltop are outstanding. Devil's Tower is visible from about every deck they build.

Most of the logs they get have a swedish cope to them so they set right down on top of the bottom one, creating a good seal. The logs are not part of a kit. Bob is a dealer for these logs that come out of Idaho. Each one they tailor cut to fit their needs. 

The entryway of a home says it all. Here you can see the attention to detail that goes into fitting each log. They also save these decorative logs to give the home added character. 

Well done, Bob. You've helped bring a lot of joy to people's lives.

Bob and I are cut from the same cloth. Neither of us are content unless our fire is full of irons. The more projects we have going, the more efficient we are at our work. Bob is an artist. From his architectural designing to the construction of his creation, Bob glorifies God with his life. Keep up the Good work, brother. The world could use a few more men like Bob Olson. 

Dependent

True independence is dependance upon God.

           https://youtu.be/Hf3AYWTIBIQ         

.454 & .45

My buddy Dcn. Joe said I could shoot a .45 long colt through my .454 casull. Guess there's only one way to find out.

My rifle is a .454 and the revolver is a .45. It'd be great to use the same ammo for both. 

Turns out they are the same caliber. The only difference is the .454, on the right, has a bigger casing and packs more powder. 

Giddy up.

They're both fun to shoot. The .45 is a bit gentler and loads in my lever action better. I'll probably stick to my heavy round .454 for shooting cows. But I think I'll have Joe load me up some hot .45s to have on hand for both my cowboy sidekicks. 

Father Focused

Through our baptism we are brothers and sisters. 

           https://youtu.be/xRvMcOGZb7M         

 

Oatmeal

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Though I like to mix it up on special occasions, oatmeal is my standard breakfast of choice. I learned this art in seminary. Bacon and eggs are great when you're out fixing fence. But for intellectual and spiritual endeavors, oatmeal will carry you until lunch. 

I'm not an instant oatmeal guy. Give me the 100% whole grain oats. It's also got to be Quaker. 

I start with a cup and half or so. I like these blue and white bowls because they remind me of Mother Teresa's habit. 

Fill it up with water 1/8" or so above the oats. Then stick it in the microwave for around 1:45 minutes. 

By this time your coffee has already been on. But this is a good opportunity to give a plug to my friends in Pennsylvania for sending me some local grounds. Good joe! 

I like to keep the oats cooking until they start to well up in the bowl. Then they're ready. 

Here's the kicker: a spoon full of peanut butter. Oatmeal by itself is hard to choke down. But adding a little pb gives it some texture and taste. It also makes for a complex protein, which sticks to your ribs. 

Breakfast for champions. 

I can see why horses like oats. They may not taste so good, but they sure do get you through the morning. Oatmeal is my standard issue breakfast. The only other way to top off this meal is with a phone conversation with Grandma, which happens once a week. If you want to have a good day, you better get started on the right foot. Breakfast is key. I've tried this and that over the years. But in the end, oatmeal is a surefire way to keep your belly burning until lunchtime.  

Fixing Fence

With a little window of opportunity, Kelly and I grabbed the horses and headed for the Hills. The mission: fix some fence and push the cows into Joe's mountain pasture. 

This corner was the main problem. The wild game had a thoroughfare going through here. 

So we outfitted the horses with supplies and went to work

You can't get a lot of fencing done off a horse. But when the terrain is tough, they are the vehicle of choice. 

Kelly's old-hand at patching fence. 

Occasionally a guy will come across a wire that just needs tightened. If there's enough slack, a stretcher splice will do the trick. 

Just pull it tight, cut the wires, and loop them together. More often than not though, you come up short on wire. Best to choose your battles wisely. 

Clipping wire to T-posts is a common occurrence. They make it pretty handy anymore. Just grab the clip with your pliers.

And give it a twist. Boy, the sweet clover is thick this year. 

Stapling wires back up is standard issue as well. 

Looks good to me.

After the fencing fixing escapade, we set off to push the cows.

Our fly tags seem to be working. Anymore, the cows are grazing out in the open and not shaded up under the trees. 

Through the gate and up to water. Enjoy the mountain, girls. 

The horses deserved a drink.

And the cowboys as well. 

Life is good. Men of the cloth don't get many breaks. But when we do, we take advantage of them. Some guys golf. I like to cowboy. Can't beat it with a stick. Cows are happy and we're on to the next one!

Faithfulness

To be faithful to Church teaching is the sign of a good tree.

           https://youtu.be/09LESZ6Zh_A         

Out and About

You have to take advantage of the summers in Wyoming because they don't last long. Today the clouds parted and it was so beautiful that I had to get out and about. Soon the temps will be hot enough that we'll be looking for shade. So, with a break in between my morning and evening Masses, I grabbed the horses and headed for John's ranch north of Wright. 

There's a cool ridge line that parallels Hwy 59 that I wanted to check out.

Crazy little rock formations up there. 

My trusty steed Mollie took me everywhere I wanted to go. 

Down below there are some free flowing springs that never run dry. 

There's also plenty of sandy banks that the buffalo like to scratch their backs on. 

And of course, a Wyoming state forest. 

Tough to beat a Sunday afternoon walk in the park. The weather was ideal. One never knows what tomorrow might bring so you better take advantage of today. It's days like today that make up for the the long cold winters. On to the next one...