Major delinquency report...

So I've been absent for a while. I have an excuse: Holidays.

Also, there was the building of this Christmas gift for my nieces and nephews:

Happy?

No, me neither. Really, I've just been super busy projecting, and also I broke my camera so all I have is my (subpar) cell phone camera.

On to the good stuff.

First, there was the re-wiring of my air compressor for single phase:

 New GE Motor Starter and Circuit Breaker

 Cable whips to connect components

 And re-configured pressure switch to trigger contactor (no longer switching 27A motor load!)

Of course, the air compressor needs a home. So the new garage came into being:

 This building went up in 36 hours start to finish. Unreal.

 Then came the epic electrical trench saga. Keep in mind for the week prior to digging this it had been sub-zero at night.

First, the tractor stack broke, Again. Ooops

Got that welded up and all was well. Started trenching from the house and all things seemed fine. This picture taken about 4PM Thursday when electrician stopped by to take final measurements. He was planning to start 8AM Friday morning. I should note, this project was to install 220VAC / 100A service to my garage. About 100 feet of conduit plus wire across my basement to the fuse panel.

This picture taken at about 2AM when I ran out of diesel. 40% of trench dug. I had switched to digging by garage when frost got too thick at other end.

Friday, all day, I dug. And swung a pick. And then dug some more. About noon, at the suggestion of the electrician, I went and rented this awesome ground cutting machine. And then kept digging. This picture taken about 11AM Saturday morning. With three people working with a backhoe, the ground saw, shovels and picks, the trench was finally done at 1PM Saturday. I had to pay overtime to get the electrician to come back and finish the conduit. We also had to go around multiple large rocks which couldn't be pulled with my 25hp tractor. The frost at the center of the trench was 18"+ thick. Like digging in concrete.

I then went to Lowes to exchange the 5lbs pick I bought. They said they didn't figure I had the receipt. I told them I did, as I had just bought it the day before. The returns lady looked at me kinda funny. Kobalt does have a lifetime warranty and they did honor it without questions, so kudos for that.

Of course, I couldn't get an inspection until Monday. What did it do Sunday? Rain. And Rain. And RAIN. This photo taken Monday at 8AM. Inspector came and gave the all clear.

I begin to fill. It keeps raining. The top 6" of the ground is now 100% liquid mud, and underneath still frozen solid. The trench, as I filled, also was 100% liquid mud. Then, this happened.

And of course, at that angle there wasn't enough diesel in the tank to keep running. So after I got a good laugh at myself (and for most everyone else who saw this photo), I got more diesel and got it unstuck.