For various reasons, the workforce was somewhat depleted today with just 1.5 person days recorded.
Nevertheless, progress was made. All the parts for the gas installation arrived last week and a couple of hours was spent assembling the plumbing from the outside gas bottle enclosure sown into the facilities cabin to the cooker. A 3.9kg bottle fits the box.
Some painting was also achieved. The black metalwork around the control chair was rubbed and scraped down and then given a coat of red oxide. When this is complete the actual JCB seat can go back in.
Up on the roof, the facilities cabin hatch was opened fully and the inside given a coat of white paint from the outside as the inside area was something of a hot oven temperature.
We were also honoured with two visits from our hydraulics man. Drawings of the bits needed to do the extensions down to the clam shell bucket and the rotator were made. It is planned that these bits will come together on Wednesday. We need to shift the cylinder that swung the drag bucket. The pin gave every indication that it was not going to go without a fight. It will lose! More ideas have been formulated for the coupling of the clam shell bucket to the jib.
There is a small fracture on the flexible joint between the engine exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipe. It blows a bit. Another will need to be sourced - not sure how common a part this is yet. The heat insulation tape for the pipe has now arrived.
