14 January 2019

 Project 'DNF' -  No.5 Refit

Work continued on two main fronts.  The remaining bits and pieces left in the control cabin were removed leaving a large empty space ready for cleaning and later painting.

Some time was also spent un-crumpling the crumple zones on the cabin roof!  These had been bashed more than once by the boom.  The metal was quite difficult to flatten.
On the turret, the remaining 1.5 sheared bolts were finally extracted and threads re-tapped.  This meant that the process of replacing the boom could begin.  Àfter sourcing 20 new M18 nuts, we clamped the bearing ring in place, tightening all the bolts evenly. 
There then followed a very slow and careful exercise to lower the turret down.  Using a combiration of jack's and packing pieces, it gradually inched closer to its landing point.  Daylight ran out, so we will continue on Wednesday.   The original lift was done using a HIAB.  The ring gear has now been turned 180 degrees so that we wear a new bit!