I asked because almost 30 years ago, I compared NG to propane costs for the first house we built, and it's was pretty even (we paid for the NG line because it was more convenient, but cost was a wash.) Propane cost more due to transportation and delivery costs (almost all trucking, no pipelines), but NG had about half the energy content, so that evened it out. I have long-forgotten the details, though. I saw you calcs showed NG at about half the cost of propane, which didn't make sense to me based on those foggy memories...
What did you do to / in your garage / shop today?
- Thread starter Zorba
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I asked because almost 30 years ago, I compared NG to propane costs for the first house we built, and it's was pretty even (we paid for the NG line because it was more convenient, but cost was a wash.) Propane cost more due to transportation and delivery costs (almost all trucking, no pipelines), but NG had about half the energy content, so that evened it out. I have long-forgotten the details, though. I saw you calcs showed NG at about half the cost of propane, which didn't make sense to me based on those foggy memories...
I reran the numbers and it didn't change, much.
You are correct that if comparing them in terms of energy content per unit volume propane gas is about 2.5x that of natural gas, at 2550 BTU/cf vs ~1000 BTU/cf.
The fact that propane is sold as a liquid and priced per gallon while NG is sold as a gas and priced either by volume in thousand cubic feet or directly by energy in therm or dekatherm makes the whole thing take more steps than it should. My last natural gas bill (January of 2023) was priced at $9.269/Dth, and running the math of having 91,330 BTU in a gallon of LPG, and having most recently paid $1.99/gal, it works out to $21.79/Dth, or just about double the $ per unit energy, though the gap closes when considering the $36/month fee just for being connected. There were months where I only used $16 worth of natural gas but paid a $52 bill.
I also learned a couple of other things through this exercise:
1. the rate per energy for natural gas was significantly less in Colorado than Oklahoma, as I have examples of using almost 20 Dth in a month and only having a $110 bill. Along with insurance and property tax, it ends up being another way living costs are hidden outside of the actual real estate value and ends up actually being very close despite both states contrasting reputations for cost of living.
2. that we're using about double the energy to cook and heat our water vs our 5 year summer average which I'm going to try not to let keep me up tonight thinking about our cooking habits (heating up the oven for evening snacks multiple times per week) and the wisdom of this fancy recirculating tankless water heater we put in. I'll try to justify it by acknowledging that our wintertime bill is slightly less even despite being 50% larger than the previous place and we're not paying a bill for water or sewer service.
I've been meaning to track down a slow leak and finally found time today. As I was backing off fittings this one broke.
I thought I was going to have to source a special fitting but it is simple iron pipe. It might be difficult to find the smaller pipe but I should be able to at least.
That looks like a failure from bending stress on that fitting from excess hose weight or external bending forces, so make sure you remedy that to prevent a recurrence (although, it could have been an issue at the previous shop that owned the lift that you already fixed.)
Back up and running. I have so much fluid everywhere it'll be difficult for me to see where the original leak was coming from. I suppose I might have been from the fitting I removed but think it is more likely a seal. I have a seal kit already on hand if needed.
I think for now I'll just spray a bunch of Zep and start wiping everything down the best I can and look at it another day when everything dries out or gets covered in dust.
I think for now I'll just spray a bunch of Zep and start wiping everything down the best I can and look at it another day when everything dries out or gets covered in dust.
I did the seals on my Rotary a year or two ago. It's a very messy job (like any hydraulic job), but it wasn't very difficult. I think it took about 4 hours start-to-finish to do both.
If you haven't ever replaced seals in a hydraulic cylinder before, be sure to pay very close attention to how the old seals are installed. There are three main types of seals (if I remember correctly). Rubber O-rings, plastic rectangular backers for the O-rings, and pressure seals that have an open and closed side. The open side usually goes towards the pressure source so they are forced inwards (to the rod) and/or outwards (to the cylinder) to seal under pressure. If you are in a hurry and disassemble without making note of the installation order and positioning (or taking pictures), you'll be scratching your head trying to figure out how everything goes back together (don't ask me how I know that
.)One more thing. Rotary had at least three different cylinder manufacturers over the years, so make sure you have the right seal kit and tool to disassemble (I have an old OTC 7463 gland wrench from rebuilding tractor cylinders over the years, and I think I used it on the Rotary cylinders, too, but I'm not sure). Depending on how often you use your lift, you don't want to discover you have the wrong seal kit after you get the old one apart!
Okay, two more things.
There's likely a rather large nut holding the piston on the rod, so you'll need the right-sized socket for that, along with a large impact gun (pneumatic or M18 1/2" should work). I have brass vice jaw liners that clamp the rod without scratching it, and the impact makes nut removal easy. If you don't have brass vice jaw liners, you'll have to get western and figure something out...
Okay, two more things.
There's likely a rather large nut holding the piston on the rod, so you'll need the right-sized socket for that, along with a large impact gun (pneumatic or M18 1/2" should work). I have brass vice jaw liners that clamp the rod without scratching it, and the impact makes nut removal easy. If you don't have brass vice jaw liners, you'll have to get western and figure something out...
One more thing. Rotary had at least three different cylinder manufacturers over the years, so make sure you have the right seal kit and tool to disassemble (I have an old OTC 7463 gland wrench from rebuilding tractor cylinders over the years, and I think I used it on the Rotary cylinders, too, but I'm not sure). Depending on how often you use your lift, you don't want to discover you have the wrong seal kit after you get the old one apart!
Okay, two more things.
Thanks for all the info. I searched pretty good when I got them. I do understand all that's involved ...probably why I put it off for so long
. And you know me, I record everything and take plenty of pictures.
Spent the day creating some designs and practicing different things with the Cameo 4. It's absolutely ridiculous what that machine is capable of. While I was at it, I made some ammo labels for my ammo cans. Trying to decide if it's worth the effort to do this for toolbox drawers or just go the label maker route again.
Came back to the shop this evening to find that a friend had left me 3500# or 300gal of sugared orange/sage honey that he had left over from this year’s harvest. The original offer was 2 5gal pails. Going to take 2 weeks to process and package this much. Good thing I finished my current TJ projects this morning. Trying not to spread honey all over my shop.
Personally I don’t like honey. My Son and I had a migratory beekeeping business which we shut down in 2021. I kept some of the processing equipment because I still keep some hives at the shop and at home. I do boutique processing for family and friends in the business. I had no idea 24 hrs ago that I would get this much honey. It’s about $6K wholesale in value and I get to keep half of it for my troubles.
Make some hot honey, great on pizza and ribs
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/reaper-hot-honey.290255/
Gained some space today. seems solid, doesn't seem like its gonna slip off & rolls easy. managed to fit perfectly in the basically narrow useless corner on the other side of the truck (dead space already). I always remove the rear glass when pulling the top as im afraid im gonna hit it, probably gonna move it into the unused basement root cellar room since its original spot was on top of the hardtop.
now onto figuring out how to roll the jeep around as it hasn't moved in about 2 months now other then pushing it forward and backward as I need the room during the winter.
now onto figuring out how to roll the jeep around as it hasn't moved in about 2 months now other then pushing it forward and backward as I need the room during the winter.
harbor freight success... 4 $12 18"x12" dollies. they do bow a little bit & rolls a bit rough though its not a issue for 1 person, but they are good enough for me. rolled the jeep from the back of the garage to the front and spun it sideways with no issue. 
cant even buy caster wheels for that price. wish the casters were a little larger in diameter, but even the application specific tire dollies from harbor freight were identically 3" in diameter and cost significantly more.
garage cleanup is a work in progress of course, moving the jeep was my first task to begin reorganizing clutter.
cant even buy caster wheels for that price. wish the casters were a little larger in diameter, but even the application specific tire dollies from harbor freight were identically 3" in diameter and cost significantly more.garage cleanup is a work in progress of course, moving the jeep was my first task to begin reorganizing clutter.