Fortress Trail Clark Michigan 275ADC & JD 890

The Mountain Trail to the fortress is now open! Also I do some repairs to the Clark Michigan 275ADC Loader and the John Deere 890 Excavator. There is a lot to fix on them but, I need them ready for work!

[@apollorobb]

Drill holes at the ends of the cracks to stop them from running and Braze it dont weld it. Ive fixed dozens of old oil pans for tractors and never had one crack or leak. When your done with the braze cover it with a welding blanket so it cools slowly

[@GaisaSanktejo]

That is exactly what I thought when he said it was cast iron and I agree with drilling the ends of the cracks, I tried that one myself after someone mentioned it to me and it saved quite a few projects

[@Elvis20101]

Always a good day when a MtnFortress video shows up. Thanks for the update.

[@mkepler5861]

awesome to see you hit 100K, TOTALLY WIZARD,, YOU ARE DA MAN!!!

[@WBuj-db2wx]

Alan, the road needs a better water drainage management. Especially on the mountain side. There needs to be a water collection swell with the outflow to the valley every 100 feet or less, depending on the slope. This woul keep the road much drier and prevent erosion during a washout. Good luck!!!

[@asbestomolesto]

I think the John Deere must be a priority because it can be very useful to fix the road to the top of the mountain. BTW, thank you for all the inspirations! I'm fixing my house for good and I started when I saw your first videos about the fortress. My house was a mess and now I can see improvements. You are the main reason I'm finally doing it and having success in it, so THANK YOU :)

[@vickiepeek2279]

Alan is the best !

[@steventaylor681]

I have made repairs like this grinding "valleys" along the cracks and then used JB Weld for the entire job. No heat/welding.

[@mp194801]

YOU'RE A PERFECTIONIST WIZARD - great job done with that container thingy. It's really good to see you doing a "man's" job getting that old loader & crane fixed. My motto is if you look after them, they will look after you - doing work where it need doing.

[@r8421]

Congrats on 100k subs Allan. Keep on smashing out the Wizardly content.🧙

[@MUSEMENT]

Really like JB Weld. Have done quite a few repairs with it.

[@18twilliams]

A trick we used is to stop drill the cracks! at the end of a crack drill a tiny hole 1/16" is all it takes, and the cracking will be stopped at the hole! It works!

[@braxpeace]

ditto

[@remraf72]

Good Morning Alan First and foremost a giant freaking CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 100,000 subscribers ! Man, thats huge ! I'm very happy for you and all of your endeavors surrounding any and all topics regarding your mountain fortress lab. You constantly amaze me with the amount of applied knowledge and skills you have. You are a WIZARD ! LOVE the channel and the content. Keep doing what you're doing as it's all very entertaining and very interesting. 500,000 subscribers is much closer than you think ! May the Good Lord continue to Bless you and your family. Big Time Regards from Arizona!

[@papawheelie5835]

Congratulations on reaching 100k subscribers! I just had to chime in and say that I probably would've just gone ahead and fabricated a replacement pan from mild steel. Should be pretty easy and straightforward with the original one as your pattern.

[@f.k.burnham8491]

An old blacksmiths trick is to bury the piece in sand to let it slowly cool. Sometimes I heated the sand then buried the piece in the hot sand. You can let it set for 2-3 days to very slowly cool if you really want to be overly cautious. Good job on the welding.

[@richarddaul9831]

we used sand or wood ashes

[@richarddaul9831]

nickel rod with stick welder

[@derekstarkjr5128]

I taught this cast/black rod . Heat blanket ,keep cold air away , let cool covered up for hrs. Then relive the crystal structure with a 1800 degree crayon mark with the rose bud and cover with heat blanket again for 2 to 3 hrs. Do any less and it WILL recrack .😎

[@neilstandish455]

Glad to see someone isn't afraid to turn the amp's up on the mig welder 👍

[@Dan-oj5rm]

Have fixed a cast iron vice with brass, and have seen a lath that had been fixed with brass

[@Tclans]

100k in little over a years time I quite the feat. Congratulations Alan! 👏🏼🎉

[@georgedreisch2662]

Used to weld cylinder heads, pre-heating the entire head in a charcoal fire, and welding in the fire, with oxy-acetylene, pure cast iron rod and ferro-flux. After welding, covered the head in additional charcoal, and let it burn out overnight, to cool. Red Glyptal 1201 armature coating / paint on the inside makes a good sealing film.

[@wesman7837]

Most of that idea sounds great except the paint on the inside. I don't think you want paint flakes to end up getting stuck in valve orffice's and causing malfunctions.

[@georgedreisch2662]

@@wesman7837 been pretty common practice to paint the inside of race / performance engine blocks with Glyptal for decades.

[@johnlove5715]

consider adding a scrape blade or bucket to fork lift. use it for keeping the road cleaned up.

[@Tomcroese]

Yes, it is nice to follow you work! Good welding there!

[@alanpurdy703]

I don't weld myself, but I watched a lad ,he put a very bright inside pan and it showed through all the tiny cracks n holes.

[@TheGeoffmcmullin]

You mentioned JB Weld... honestly that or an epoxy may be the best fix. If that pan can't be replaced perhaps a 2 part deal after super cleaning will work. I have never successfully welded any cast material. It can be done but sometimes quick and dirty works too. I hope you win!

[@larion3296]

For cast iron welding. Heat the area with propane for about 20 minutes before welding. Knock repeatedly with a ballpoint hammer at the same time at the area, to resolve tensions. Then weld using specific cast iron welding sticks. Do the same procedure with propane and knocking again. Followed by wrapping the iron piece in insulation (glass fibre or stone fibre insulation) for slow cooling. Sometimes this procedure works well.

[@rrp1127]

I'm curious if brazing would be a better option here ? Or does anyone even braze anymore ?

[@jonathanschrader7881]

​@@rrp1127 you a genus... I was wondering the same thing why he didn't brazed it w bronze rod. It would be a better more permanent solution... Given it's an oil pan.. My thought too

[@tommyfree4736]

I'd of used brazing wire and brazed the cast iron. Lower heat and brass sticks well to cast iron

[@tommyfree4736]

​@@rrp1127 I agreed. Brazing would be loads better

[@muddawgkomm9642]

@@rrp1127 yes, I was going to just suggest that actually!! But for cast steel I'd have used stainless rod especially where Alan ground and welded on the radius of the bottom to the side. I'll be really suprised if the welds hold up with the amount of impurities. He really needed a second person their to heat it while he was welding.

[@ryandelaney4657]

I ran one of those old 890's back when I was young, a lot different from normal excavators but very strong and very tuff, also very hard on fuel, great video

[@shirleyallen6072]

Alan: great job; thank you for the super commentary, explaining and taking us with you!

[@edwardwestley115]

The way the sparks were coming off the grinder I would have thought it was cast steel, but I think they were from the previous welding. Cast steel does not usually crack from welding it. My suspicions are that it is cast iron, and a poor quality casting. It may have been better to braise it.Time will tell if you were successful. Your vids are great content Alan, keep up the great work.

[@Dan-oj5rm]

You can use brass on cast iron

[@edithdavis2848]

Congratulations on 100k. Always enjoy your work at the citadel.

[@Moppemannen_mattias]

Congratulations to 100k And nice welds. I always peen the welds too los the tension with the welding hammer.

[@kevinterry9731]

I used arc welding nickel rods, a ,400 degree welding stick.drill the ends of all the cracks.And I had some problems with very old castings also.Yes, you can hear the cracks popping and running across the rest of the casting.

[@TheOffroadCamper]

Hey Alan I think it was me I would cut that road in a little wider so it’s easier to get your big equipment up and down and then plant a line of windbreak trees along the inside edge of the bank on the road something it’s real hard and fast growing would stabilize the bank and give you a wind break

[@wesman7837]

I would think you would want tree's on the outside of the road, and shrubs on the hillside to prevent washout and erosion.

[@TheOffroadCamper]

Love the Oregon made loc-line On the safety clean solvent tank.

[@dawncornwall6268]

It’s like a cheesecake - put it in a low oven, turn oven off, open door slightly and let slowly cool so it doesn’t crack.

[@muddawgkomm9642]

Yep, U got it! Knew a field mechanic who would keep a toaster oven in his service truck just for that and warming up rubber seals to make pliable in winter.

[@pgsharrow3714]

Allen,when welding cast, your rosebud heat up is a good start, I use Nickel rod, use short welds not too deep and the grind out the weld and reweld. The first weld is to burn out the oils in the metal and anneal the area, then weld full. important weld over and over in short welds between welds use a slag breaker hammer to stress relieve the welded area. Your JBweld follow up is a good Idea. to make sure that the case is oil tite.

[@edwardwestley115]

I used to bury castings in vermiculite and allow them to cool down to ambient temperature.

[@Sattracer]

I used to repair old engine heads that were cracked because you couldn't get a replacement. I used a welding rod, knocked the flux off with a hammer and used paste flux and a torch and brazed the crack. If it's really bad you can use a brass rod to seal the crack(s) where there is no pressure.

[@simplysimon9868]

Congratulations on 100k subs Alan!! That's awesome to see. Spring now looking good for cleaning. Trans sump a real pain to weld. Good job 👍

[@richspillman4191]

The straw colored sparks flying off says that it is cast iron. Rule of thumb is 100 degrees preheat per point of carbon, 300 degrees I would guess, second rule of thumb is one hour of soak per inch of thickness, at least 30 minutes of preheat. 3rd rule of thumb is peening, short stringer beads stress relieved by beating the hell out of it, fourth rule of thumb, slow cool, preheat a bed of vermiculite or sand set the weldment on it and cover it with a fire blanket to keep the draft off of it.

[@bluikkso]

Really hoping he sees this and other similar messages for the future. My personal opinion is that it might've been easier to just fabricate a new piece from steel because that shop is like a wonderland for fabrication.

[@richspillman4191]

@@bluikkso They do have some really cool stuff in there. Yeah, making it out of steel would eliminate problems going forward.

[@stellacatfish]

With that castle coming along slowly, Allen has the world by the short hairs!!

[@nada7.077]

Hi Alan!! Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers! How great is that! Of course it isn’t going to leak after you fix it, after all you know what you’re doing and take your time to do it right! Your patience is amazing. That is a massive machine, it will be a great help up on the mountain! I so admire your dedication to saving all these old machines. It has been the longest, coldest, wettest winter I can remember ever. It’s crazy!! ❤️🙏

[@wesman7837]

Yeah it's amazing! We have had over 800 inches of snow up at Alta Ski Resort, that's definitely a record for several decades! I think that's even more than we had in '83 when we had all the flooding. I was just a kid then, but I remember being up on the sand piles that the city dump trucks dumped in our neighborhood. All of the kids were filling sandbags while our parents were stacking them up. We lived on Fort Union Blvd. and the road was turned into a raging river! I remember down in Provo by East Bay where my dad worked the water was going across I-15, it was insane! I think we are going to have severe flooding like we've never seen before especially if it gets hot really fast, and we're already in April and it's still snowing so we are probably in big trouble!

[@nada7.077]

@@wesman7837 I’m afraid I tend to agree with you, we’re in for some nasty flooding and especially if it warms up too fast.

[@airtek4809]

The pan came out nice.

[@jsimm4587]

Good job on that it’s hard to not get cracks or get a seal !

[@ftbrip]

My Dad used to weld the axles on those loaders back in the 70's. They made some massive machines for open pit mining. He worked in Buchanan, Michigan not too far from Benton Harbor. I have actually done contract work at the facility where the loader you have was final assembled. Of course, it is not Clark anymore for a long time now.

[@clarencewiles963]

Congratulations 100K Thumbs up 👍

[@billsrq1788]

Congratulations on 100k Hello from Siesta Key Florida

[@mikemathis3936]

Ive only ever had much luck repairing cracked cast iron by brazing.with a torch ,pre-heating and post heating and slow cooling

[@richardford4570]

Heat and braze weld with brass rod and flux usually works well on those jobs as it's not structural and only sealing up cracks .

[@jodyhoughton7341]

Nicely done sir!

[@brucechapman1946]

Alan, next time your buying welding supplies get some Weldall electrodes, I have been able to weld cast iro to mild steel for a custom exhaust manifold and it has not cracked so I think it would have been easier than mig for your sump. Just a suggestion.

[@wesman7837]

Welding rods for the stick welder?

[@brucechapman1946]

@@wesman7837 Yep

[@TheOffroadCamper]

I’m pretty sure that Allen has a lot of heavy duty equipment but I suspect that he doesn’t have the budget to update and restore all of it at one time therefore he’s trying to make the best of what he has running at the time.

[@steveknight4090]

It's never gonna cool down slowly when you have it on that great big heat sink table. Leaving the sump covered in sand would have allowed it to cool gradually and avoid the risk of cracking. I would have used a bit of cardboard or thin plastic to spread that JB Weld. Should have taped a refuse bag to the transmission to prevent dirt ingress.

[@justchriswilldo...7179]

100k subs,,, congratulations wizard... Well deserved❤... one day I will come to wizard world and I will know how it was built!.. Keep up the great work ...✌

[@emerson2you]

You got a arc welder order about 20 cast rod’s when I took welding back in my younger Days we welded cast not much yes it’s hard to weld some people don’t think so but if they weld cast everyday yes it’s easy great job JB weld a fix it

[@bisket2003]

Really happy to see you investing your time into these massive machines to help you on your mission to make the compound as cool as you dream it to be Alan! Great stuff my man! Smart play. All these tool you have that you can really benefit from having at your disposal.

[@NotmeGK123]

here's farmers trick i done for welding cast iron put in oven at 500 degrees preheat it weld with nickel rod put back in oven at 500 and let cool really slow thats the key!!!

[@emerson2you]

I really enjoy your Videos I’m a outdoor person that I’d enjoy the vehicles you have I’d just enjoy making them run again ❤❤❤❤❤ ❤❤❤ ❤ ❤

[@Ted_E_Bear]

The Wizard is the best ! Love watching the Wizard work !

[@muddawgkomm9642]

Same! Alan is like a dictionary,,,, packed full of usefulness.

[@dogcreek8547]

You sure bring a lot of old school knowledge to the table. Dave is fortunate and you are to. Be careful you don't fall over your guardian angel.

[@lwwarren]

You gotta throw a blanket over it to slow the cooling process. High nickel stick welding rods work really well on cast iron/steel.

[@4speed3pedals]

You should make a conical dust extractor for the blasting cabinet. It will help reduce the dust as well as save the bag on the collector from filling so often. You will have to dump the bucket under the cyclonic extractor. They definitely increase filter and vacuum lift. I am also a huge fan of brazing cracks in cast iron vs welding - less issues and no leaks and flux makes life easy.

[@FransvandenBergeMuziekschuur]

Soon you can improve the road up the mountain so It can be reached in wintertime too. You have two enormous machines and some this and that now allmost ready to fire up. Then you will burn through fuel like you won't believe (2000 liters of fuel will be easily burned away). But then by fall your road will be ready. And hopefully a shed for the machines.

[@bradley3549]

That sort of repair is a great job for something that wets out, either a solder or braze of some sort. It's real tough to chase your tail welding it.

[@tommyfree4736]

I'd of brazed it. Cast and brass take really well

[@kizzmiaz]

100k subs. Congratulations Alan.

[@IKnopp]

Hey Man, about the 890. You gotta watch those bc the battery banks look like they are set up to run 24v but they are actually 12v bc they used to have John Deere 6v batteries in them. However I have a 690 similar era and it sat for 15 years and fired up no problem. They never quit

[@avalonbear61]

Congratulations on reaching 100k subscribers! And I agree with MrAr15 1 day ago Drill holes at the ends of the cracks to stop them from running and Braze it dont weld it.

[@lamarzimmermanmennonitefar5269]

I'd get some bronze brazing rod and braze it. Vee out the cracks and keep heating it till the bronze bonds.. You have the correct torch for it.

[@philltatham4732]

Congrats on the 100k Al

[@nwliving]

Ya, preheat for an hour in a regular oven at 500, or even a propane BBQ that's clean, use nickel rod for welding, then throw back in the preheater and bake. Drilling out ends of cracks is also beneficial.

[@tracymakovec3301]

Congratulations reaching 100k, Alan!!

[@TheGeoffmcmullin]

Also once again, I admire your drive and wish I could muster up a tenth of your energy. I want to do so much but ADHD ruins most of my time.

[@JohnViinalass-lc1ow]

...an old Case 404 diesel bought for a song because of a cracked hytrans resevoir needed the same treatment, minus sandblasting, which you worked here, our Allan...our fix worked and off to a race across the field against the Case 404 gas job went the diesel job...to win the contest!...good times!...your Michigan is huge compared to ours but those big axle-tip bulbs sure look familiar...but our were chronically caked with manure!...

[@chuckmiller5763]

You should "stop drill" the cracks, about a 1/4 inch away from the ends of the cracks. heat it like you did, weld it, then keep heat on it and slowly cool it down by using less and less heat. Edit, use a stick rod made by Harris called Harris Super Missileweld. It welds dissimilar metals, cast steel, cast iron etc. Better than nickel rod.

[@mikekuhnkey7231]

"Sparks"...My guess is cast iron? Old School would be to "drill" (little round hole) at each end of crack to stop the "run"? Maybe try bronze instead of shocking with MIG? (broader heat transfer and flow)....just spitballing and 2nd guessing 🤓...heat would (maybe) burn the "ATF" out of the crack as part of the process 🤔....."ductility"....freeze rod...and cast...OhMy??

[@jgentry7201]

100,000. Nicely done!

[@Olvir_Richardsson]

Congrats on the 100k Alan! You're the man!

[@EverywhereAtOnce801]

200k here we come!

[@muddawgkomm9642]

🤘👍👏

[@robjchristopher]

Probably too late by now, but make sure you take that pan off and turn it through 180 degrees before you fill it back up, or you won't be able to drain the fluid out!

[@popilirol]

Long live the Michigan 275A Series II.

[@dennisrcole]

* * * * Always drill the ends of any crack , it stops the crack from traveling . Use Brass to flow into all the voids .

[@ronoblinsky]

Allen you could have painted the inside with some GLIPTOL paint. Its used inside electrical transformers for sealing in the oil. THANKS Ron

[@calvincheney7405]

Awesome! Congratulations on 100 K subscribers!

[@bigcountry5045]

before you did your welds you should have put water in it to see exactly where it was leaking !!!!!!! also instead of doing big long welds .... do a series of spot welds ... it takes longer but it reduces the probability of cracking ALOT !!!!

[@epnuzuluaga766]

Congrats on 100K subscribers wizard.

[@Ktgsvtrdg66]

Good to see you putting the time in on the equipment in your property! Can't wait to see how much you can get done with the john deer once shes running and that Michigan loader is gonna move soo much material and anything else that needs lifting. I hope you are getting all the support you need up there. When I come down to Utah I wanna stop by SM and drop you some cherry coke!👍

[@danssmokintreasures]

Congrats on your 100K bud.

[@Kathy98363]

Congratulations on reaching 100k subscribers. Keep Smiling. Stay Safe. God Bless You. ❤🙏

[@MrAnderson4509]

Looks like the kind of soil you'll be planning on growing your food in.

[@DJRustla]

Congrats on 100K Alan the wizard man!

[@No_t_hing]

Congratulations 100 K ❤

[@finpainter1]

Nickel rod on cast works well.

[@thanoschermerhorn4864]

Have you ever heard of anyone liking or subscribing cuz they were told to???? Everyone says it, but all of us know the drill… save your breath, no need to be so redundant…. Great videos…..Great work….I watch them all….God Bless You in Jesus’ name….

[@AndrewJDixon]

Tough man with no gloves welding. Keep rockin man

[@chriscampbell8149]

Congratulations dude!

[@ravgup1]

Normally nickel electrode for cast iron. It’s not easy. Plastic putty from the inside may help.

[@wesman7837]

Nickel rod for a stick weld?

[@johnkirby6547]

Alan Congrats on the 100k subscribers 👏. Get the John deer running so you can fix the road and drainage..

[@bazz4697]

Congratulations Alan on 100k subscriber's love the watching the repair work on the hevey vehicles 👍😎

[@js2743]

If you can braze it's the best way to fix cast like that.

[@dogcreek8547]

So much going on at Happy Mountain. Nice!

[@geraldscully5239]

Just discovered your channel Alan. Love the videos! Keep up the great work!

[@dragonslayer19695]

Congratulations on the 100K

[@ronnydowdy7432]

Waiting for the next episode