BEEN TO THE CENTER OF HELL AND LIVED TO TALK ABOUT
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Construction and other equipment
Forum Description: everything else with orange (or yellow) paint
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=144145
Printed Date: 27 Apr 2024 at 12:37am
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Topic: BEEN TO THE CENTER OF HELL AND LIVED TO TALK ABOUT
Posted By: AC Mel
Subject: BEEN TO THE CENTER OF HELL AND LIVED TO TALK ABOUT
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2017 at 11:18pm
Ok..going to try to start a post and add to it. The house burned down but we saved the AC BBQ...I shouldn't have to explain how indestructible this old AC stuff is...we'll be moving a 5th wheel trailer here to live in sometime mid Dec. ...New house construction should start next summer. The scary part is that the US ARMY CORP OF ENG. is in charge of cleaning this up first...if they mess with me to long...they'll be looking at the business end of an HD21B dozer with a 14' blade that will have it buried over the bank in 30 minutes with a topping of hay for the cows and presto!!! it's gone. Here's the link to the original AC BBQ story http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/how-to-build-an-allis-chalmers-barbque-pit-fire-ri_topic41061.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/how-to-build-an-allis-chalmers-barbque-pit-fire-ri_topic41061.html Lots of pictures to add as I can. |
Replies:
Posted By: Ferdinand
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2017 at 11:35pm
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Mel, you and the Mrs. are made of some uncommon stuff. Your house burned down and both of you are smiling. *salute* ------------- Because narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. Mathew 7:14 |
Posted By: JC-WI
Date Posted: 04 Nov 2017 at 11:45pm
X2 to the 11th power ------------- He who says there is no evil has already deceived himself The truth is the truth, sugar coated or not. Trawler II says, "Remember that." |
Ferdinand wrote:Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 1:18am
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You guys are tough! Just curious, did you have enough warning to get valuables out of the house, etc. ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 3:54am
| Is good to know and see you and the wife are alright, house can be replaced. COE needs a little 'encouragement', may set the 41 close by and they get the message!! |
Posted By: jerbob
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 8:09am
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Wow Mel. You and Mrs are some kind of Amazing! Sorry for your losses Mel but your family being safe is the best news. I'd say stay strong but I believe you know no other way. |
Posted By: Dozer
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 9:00am
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Happy you are safe sorry about the house. We lost our house to a fire. Very strange next day knowing all our possessions were gone. Local newspaper wrote how the fire department saved my HD5G that was close to the house. Our fire was rather spectacular because the safety valve on a 100# propane cylinder let go and took the paint off one side of our car. The fire fighters didn't want to get close to to the house because of the guns and ammo inside. Our insurance adjuster found the house foundation was destroyed by the fire. We were told that if the foundation were salvageable the value of the foundation would be deductible from the payout amount. Why is the US ARMY CORP OF ENG. involved in the cleanup??? Good Luck |
Posted By: Tracy Martin TN
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 9:10am
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Mel, sorry for the loss of your house and possessions. Fires are no fun. Keep smiling and forge ahead! God Bless! ------------- No greater gift than healthy grandkids! |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 10:46am
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Mel and family, Cant imagine what your going through! Glad you are here to tell about it. I guess you give the wife a hug, shed a tear and get on with life. I agree that you could have the area cleared in a hour or so with you equipment. Is your shop close by? Was it damaged too? Hoping your new house gets there quick! Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 10:03pm
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Thanks guys for your support...John,my wife went to the gun safes first...got most of the important stuff...she also took the house plans and said good buy to the house. I actually cut out to get on the fire dozer and went to one of the daughters houses that I knew could use help. (we saved it). Chris....our shop is a mile a way from our houses...all of that survived..we lost a hay baler....30 tons of hay and a few misc. things..brother Dave was there and used one of the water trucks to suppress most of that. All of our cows and calves were down there and made it ok..fences took a big hit mostly from burned trees falling on fences. So today I took the excavator up to move a few things around...not supposed to do this...cause the army corp. is in charge of demolition here. Didn't have the conversation with them about "you don't know who I think I am" or whatever. So I thought we might open the gun safes with the excavator and see just how well they did.    So the excavator made the doors come open and there still is some stuff to sift through.  Also recovered the "welcome"sign...or ''go away" as it reads here....the dutch oven will still be ok for the AC BBQ  I'm not supposed to be doing this with the excavator...but I moved some of the metal roofing so we could dig around a little bit... (hoping somebody might confront me about this...cause I would like to tell them what I think) I will prevail in that conversation.  So tomorrow we will be signing the ROE "right of entry" for the Army Corp. to come and clean up this mess....it's very controversial here and not very popular...so we'll see...keep you posted |
Posted By: Mikez
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 10:54pm
| Wow sorry to hear what you did loose, glad you and family are ok. |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 12:11am
| i'm really glad ya'll is o-k. I can't imagine having to go thru that! |
Posted By: Mactractor
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 3:07am
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Very sorry for your loss Mel. Dont know why the hell they want the army to take over clean up unless folk request help. |
Posted By: Bob D. (La)
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 4:52am
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Sure hope all turns out well for you today Mel. I can't see why the coe could complain about your opening and going through your gun safes. Don't know what their plans are for cleanup, but I would sure be there to prevent them from trying to haul off, or bury things you have identified as keep. May God be with you and the Mrs. as you continue through this disaster. God Bless. ------------- When you find yourself in a hole,PUT DOWN THE SHOVEL!!! |
Posted By: dustydoo
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 5:26am
| Sorry to see all your loss ! I am glad to see you made it out of He77 unscathed . Good luck with the Corp. Givem He77 Best wishes <3 |
Posted By: ACcrazy
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 7:03am
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Again, sorry for your losses Mel but the most important things of all survived--you and your family. Yeah, there's something not right about bringing in the army to do clean up. Something fishy there..... A lot of theories on how and why these fires started....... Praying for you all for the days ahead. |
Posted By: darrel in ND
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 9:46am
| So sorry for your loss, Mel. Glad you and your family are OK. I do sincerely hope that clean up can go without it turning into a battle that you don't need piled onto your devastation. Darrel |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 11:42am
| were them 2 safes...sposed to be fire safes? |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 1:09pm
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Most Gun safes are not designed to survive a full house fire. They can stand a few hundred degrees for less than an hour but direct fire of a thousand degrees only a few minutes and the contents stand no chance. Want a fire proof safe, buy a vault, concrete and insulation lined, will last until the house caves in on them then the contents will still be salvageable. |
Posted By: michale34
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 4:07pm
| If you read up on gun safes and most safes they say there rated at 1400-1500 degees for 20-30 minnets . Im sure that fire lasted for hours even after the house was gone and smoldered |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 4:44pm
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Mel... I don't understand the situation... Was the HOUSE fire caused by a forest fire in the state and this is why the CORPS is involved ? Or are there different "rules" in California than other states for house fires .. Never heard of the CORPS being involved.
------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 4:49pm
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OK, typed in ROE in north Calif and got this....... ------------------------ https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/11/02/homeowners-weigh-options-for-wildfire-cleanup/" rel="nofollow - https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/11/02/homeowners-weigh-options-for-wildfire-cleanup/ The wildfires in Northern California burned through buildings, trees, washing machines, refrigerators, beds and TVs — leaving a giant hazardous mess in their wake. Cleaning up the mess is a massive project that could take months to complete and cost taxpayers upward of $180 million. And it is complicated by the potentially conflicting interests of the homeowners, insurers and government agencies involved. To handle this unprecedented cleanup project, the state turned to the federal government for help. The debris removal program for Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa counties is being run by the http://www.usace.army.mil/" rel="nofollow - - ECC , a contractor. Costs not covered by insurance will be paid for by https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/10/26/4344/october-2017-california-wildfires-household-hazardous-waste-and-debris" rel="nofollow - |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 8:03pm
| Dave's right...these safes were not anything special..other than nice safes. The one that belonged to the son in law was supposed to be a better rating... so we wanted to compare them to see if there was a difference..not noticeable. Did have a master key for both of them though...AKA a Caterpillar 312 excavator with a thumb...had to be careful not to dump stuff out. Les got most of the guns and important stuff out the fire night...left misc jewelry...gold nuggets mined from my father etc. It started raining yesterday..so I loaded it and brought it down to a warehouse to sift thru. So yes there not very fire proof....especially if there close to the center of hell fire. |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 8:32pm
| Mel as the Brits say--keep a stiff upper lip. Good luck to you and yours. Keeping our fingers crossed for you all. |
Posted By: michale34
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2017 at 8:07am
| Back after ww2 a lot of arsnel worker got the wooden crates and built houses out of them . They called them shell houses. They used stucco or asbestos siding on the outside. they were built in rows outside the arsnel fence. about 15 years ago most of the houses were rent houses or just left to the elements .A woods fire burned all of those old houses and the us army cleaned all those up . No one was allowed in the area until the mess was cleaned up. After the clean up and the arsnel burned off all it nurve rockets and gas . the land prices doubled |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2017 at 9:37am
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I see Steve was able to find the answer he ask for. We are today turning in an ROE for 2 different parcels. We held off until now ....not at all happy with what it looked like. David and I attended a meeting with the local county officials to see what other qualifications we would need to go with our A general engineering contractors license...mostly for the thought of cleaning our own property...not worth the effort at this stage. Between FEMA the CORP the STATE and the County...we've decided to take our chances...and yes the CORP can't seem to keep track of there water any where in the US...bet they don't do much better in the fire business Unofficially the fires started buy downed power lines from trees blown down buy record winds that have never been seen here before.....I know...I know...global warming...get over it. |
Posted By: Tad Wicks
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2017 at 12:33pm
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Hi Mel,So sorry for your loss, you are obviously made of the same stuff that made this country so great. I sure don't want to be negative at this trying time but dealing with government entities, now that will undoubtedly be the double whammy, be prepared for that, it will defy any explanation. I can speak from experience on this after condemnation of my property by the California Department of Water Resources so that Santa Barbara could water their lawns and golf courses. Ironically, there is very little difference between a wild fire and the government both will do what they please and you can't stop them Tad |
Posted By: Lazyts
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2017 at 1:22pm
Our thoughts and prayers with you and your family... and may you have the patience required... at least you still have the antique tractors for stress relief. When the going gets tough, etc, my hat's off to you and yours, hang in there
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Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2017 at 1:21am
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Mel, How's it going? Haven't seen an update, you aren't in jail are you? ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2017 at 9:43am
| Know you lost the house, just hoping you and the family had a Happy and thankful Thanksgiving. |
Posted By: R.KYLE
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2017 at 7:24pm
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MELL WE ARE ALL THINKING OF YOU AND YOURS |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 8:37pm
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Ok guys got news today that our cleanup crew has been assigned. They moved there equipment in today and will start tomorrow. As I said somewhere earlier each crew has certain equipment required...skid steer with grapple bucket...water truck or trailer  Excavator of a certain size  A light tower...a blue room...to start with. The crews only worked a half a day today. Yesterday this crew finished cleaning Davids mother-in-laws house....It actually is run by a step-nephew in charge of 4 or 5 of these Granite Construction crews. We had a discussion last night...he said he would put in a request for our address....said he had never tried that but there here!! I was actually running the grapple tractor up on the ranch ...so Leslie went and met with them to get them dialed in. I post as things go. The equipment is parked on our access rd still about a half mile from our house. |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 9:50pm
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Thanks for the update, Mel. Did the vineyard across the road get burned? ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 9:53pm
| No..It was ok...any place you see green grass was burned though. |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2017 at 10:23pm
Ok....so to follow up this is how it went....once they show up with the address and put it out then that means your getting close So in our case they started with the metal roofing first.     The skid steer guy organizes stuff...but all the loading is done by the excavator.  They have 3 different sorts....metal goes to a local recycle yard...concrete which they break up goes to a local recycle yard...and the fire debris goes to a local landfill.    So all these trucks get there own special label like this...all they use now is the super dump configuration...they were also using end dumps at the beginning...they spent to much time getting them out off the mud after the first 5 inches of rain.  They even went in and cleaned up the chicken pen....you know the one I posted up the racoon that met his untimely death in one night...shameless will remember.  They have there special little office for decontamination work  There getting down to the roadbase that I put down about 40 years ago.   So this is the final product....we're very pleased...got a clean slate! (LOL) will have to cook on the AC BBQ grill and camp out for a while  Met with the PG&E electric rep yesterday....have a plan for power...I'll keep you posted |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 1:20am
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Thanks for the pictures Mel. Do you plan on rebuilding in the same location? Now the folks down in So Cal are going through the same trauma, so sad ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 6:02am
| At least they didn't try to sneak that Priceless Allis Grill out of there, you probably kept eyes on them for that!! Looks really clean, can make a fresh start. |
Posted By: jerbob
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 6:31am
| This has to be heartbreaking for you and your family Mel. I had no idea it would be this involved in the cleanup process. Thank you for sharing the pics and your story. Stay strong |
Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 8:29am
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Seems after a disaster like this and the chance of fire again in Cal the idea of a buried or partial underground dwelling would be high on list - that along with large sprinkler system for fire suppression. doing a cleanup after a disaster is trying on both the owner and the cleanup crew - I have did some small ones and when one looks at someones lifetime, now in ashes, it makes one think of how lucky you yourself are to not be facing that loss. ------------- Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something. "Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 9:08am
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Here in MO it is highly recommended that a fire suppression water source(pond) be placed close to the home with a 'Dry' hydrant connection set so the fire department may draft from it even for neighboring properties. I know this does not help much in a drought region where ponds can dry up but provided they are deep enough and large enough(acre/ft. of water) the source may remain for quite awhile. I am going to situate one of these by our home this next spring/summer with the hydrant close to the fence on the house side so as to offer double duty as a animal water supply and quick access for fire. Could even set up a supply point for a water curtain or deluge system for a large structure if allowable by county codes. |
Posted By: jerbob
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 10:12am
| That will be quite a project DMiller |
Posted By: tadams(OH)
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 1:29pm
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Mel sad to see all this, glad you and your family are all ok. Thanks for the pictures. Tom
|
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 2:15pm
| All ours will have will be a dry hydrant and a filtered discharge to a livestock supply tank, currently no need for any auto or powered suppression systems. |
Posted By: Ray54
Date Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 7:00pm
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DMiller please don't talk so loud Snowflakes,Fruits,and Nuts that running this coast may hear you. Fire departments can already shut you down from building on your property you have owned for years. The big city folks that know what us country folks should be doing already want us to move to town and all live in a apartment. IF YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTRY YOU WILL HAVE RISKS YOU WOULD NOT IF YOU LIVE IN TOWN. Live with it or go to town. Not that some of your ideas do not make some since. But way to many that want to much control of what others do. Probably not what you where thinking when you wrote it. From my prospective most of the brush in California needs to be burned ever 20 to 30 years in a wetter time of year. After a 75 year no burn policy,Cal Fire has come to this reasoning. So now air pollution people come and say no burning of anything. Plus a few houses burning in a controlled burn back to no burn,I would bet. Some of the more built up areas need this controlled burn as topography makes it so if fuel is near the heat build up is so great the houses start from spontaneous combustion. The idea of more little ponds of water is great and federal Soil Conservation Service us to cost share on them out here for livestock and wildlife water sources.But not often anymore. And the state has added a "special fee" for having one. As well as most snowflake want nature left alone. Would not surprise me if Mel chooses to do some things to make his new house more fire proof.
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Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2017 at 2:26am
| thanks for the pics Mel. I still feel for you and the wife, still has to be heart breaking! be a good time to build under ground, for 2 reasons....any more fires, and that little fat kid across the pond. |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2017 at 6:15am
|
Morning Ray, I do understand the CA mentality as to 'No Burns', 'Air Purity', an for the life of me will never understand the political mentality of taxing someone to death if they are trying to avoid bad situations or adding a supply of water to a land site. All such mentality tends to be one sided, single sighted and very VERY narrow minded looking at a picture of today or yesterday and NOT the reasonably close distant future. MO Dept of Conservation along with the local Fire Departments do routine controlled burns so as to NOT allow the tinder to develop too far as they once did of the 40's and 50's when shutting down ALL fire seemed the thing to do. Our conservationists will even go as far as to log the regions of national forest not in public hands to remove tinder and old growth tree canopies so that fire once propagated does not expand so readily and rapidly. Out in the country we are penalized for not having a fire department within five miles, nor having a water source close by the distant Volunteer service can draft easily from by our insurers. Adddig a Pond for natural water supply adds nothing to our tax structure(Yet) but does reduce the effects of fires as to supply when needed and for livestock so can keep them out of the little side streams here. Then we have to look at these lovely large homes in CA, not so much Mel,s as his was by appearance an older well built and in the line of the fire, but these newer constructs with tons of laminated glued fiber man made materials, vinyl everything(petroleum based) or Styrofoam blocking for epoxy based(reduced algae effect) stucco's, then the asphaltic shingles. Our local fire department stated that newer homes will erupt into violent flame in less than 3 minutes where the old structures of the pre-60's will survive to 10 or twelve minutes allowing escape time. ONE THIRD the time is extremely scary. Then the nature lover's kind of like me that want to be closer to nature yet build inside tree canopies thinking they are saving money on utilities and picturesque settings only set themselves up for issues if there is a fire where the tinder box is too close. |
Posted By: Garlic Pete
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2017 at 10:48am
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That looked like a well coordinated, planned and executed clean up. I'm glad that you're back to the clean slate and ready to move in a positive direction. It is a credit to you and your family that you can maintain the positive, constructive and optimistic perspective as you go through this. Thank you for sharing the process and results with us. Pete.
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Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2017 at 11:10am
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Thanks guys, so John...yes.same house..same spot. I'll be moving in a compactor and bringing in some roadbase to bring it back to where we need it..somtime soon. My wife took the original house plans with her when we left that night. The house was 17 years old..so those plans will be retweaked as needed and used again. Dave, to follow on that earlier post...yes as you explained the federal agency's are here for all those reasons. We have a very heavy EPA presence monitoring asbestos. Ray's right on about the California govt.s attitude...but Dave's even closer with his...one sided..narrow minded....etc. (that would be the description of the liberals that govern the state of California) There is a Cal Fire requirement...4290 inspections for rural home owners to have certain width roads and 2500 gallon water storage for fire protection. We probably won't do much different this time though....are house was very defensible against a normal fire. This was like a hurricane with fire instead of water...if your house was in the way..all the water in the world wasn't going to help you. The underground bunker? Well my wife thinks we should get a 20' container for storage...so she can start shoppin sales and have everything we need when the house is done..so you can just move in. So I'm thinking maybe when were done with it I should bury it back in the mountain behind the garden with the excavator. Would work for root cellar..fireproof storage..etc. Would also work when Shameless Dudes..buddy "ROCKETMAN" starts lobbing bombs at us. |
Posted By: LouSWPA
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2017 at 12:49pm
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WOW Mel, looks like you live in Shangri-La, that is beautiful God's country. I sure hope you can get rebuilt and settled quickly. beautiful bride, beautiful home, a man can't ask for much more! In some respects, not that I am minimizing your loss, but in some respects you were fortunate, loosing the business could have been a lot more traumatic! Thank God you all are well. ------------- I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Ps 27 |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 10 Dec 2017 at 2:09pm
| Mel, if you do decide to bury a Conex, remember to completely seal the outside with a tar/plasticized coating, and weld all the corner vents shut then cast concrete around the sides and over the top(Around 3" for the top thick), set bracing inside to hold the roof up to pour the over roof, if need ask why, buddy of mine did this and was a concrete contractor, said he destroyed one Conex by Not supporting the roof while over pouring lightweight concrete. He used 1/2" rerod on the sides 2'OC, 3/4" across the roof, 1'OC and all cross tied. Underside had a 1"clean rock 2'thick drain platform with drain tile to the outside covered with sheet plastic vapor barrier. I bet you know where to get good drainage rock!! |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2018 at 10:59am
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Ok..here's an update. The PG&E rep. showed up to review the situation. The discussion finally ended with...we could relocate the service to a different location...using the same underground wire..if we could dig it up without damaging it and provide enough to reach a new location...also if we did not use a bigger service than the original one (200 AMP). The original service was direct burial...which I put in in 1976. They don't allow direct burial now...must be in conduit. But do to these circumstances...we could use it. We actually shortened the meter base by 60'. So we got a local contractor friend who does a lot of underground work to bring a vacuum truck to uncover it...went real well the second day after I uncovered the top of the trench with the backhoe about 1 foot down to the top of the sand in the ditch. We actually found that the last 40 feet went into some conduit originally...so we pulled out all of it that went to the original service. Had our contractor go to the County building department and procure a electrical permit for a new service...and with some guidance this is the way it looked.  The left side being the service side...goes into a 3'' sweep into the sand...the right side with the 3'' LB..goes into conduit to the house..which is stubbed off for now.  So this was signed of by the county inspector and "Hootie"...didn't get my call to the inspection desk in time...so we had to wait 4 days over Christmas. Once it;s approved a call to PG&E only takes a day.  Just so you know this was only temporary...but the AC BBQ turned into a work bench for the last couple of weeks...I did clean it off yesterday and build a warming fire though.  So we have a nice 5th wheel to use from some friends...they decided to loan us theirs...so they could go buy a new one.  "HOME SWEET HOME"....We'll be moving in..maybe today or within the next several days.  Next step will be to get an engineer to view the site so I can bring some material in and compact it back to grade..keep you posted. |
Posted By: Tad Wicks
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2018 at 11:23am
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Hi Mel, I am very pleased that you are making progress. Tad |
Posted By: jerbob
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2018 at 11:36am
| Glad to see your progress Mel. Keep trucking and thank you for sharing. |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2018 at 11:10pm
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Good that you are moving forward. Getting all the little things done before you can really start construction seems to take forever but then, yeah! I got a demo permit for a 20 X 48' cow shed built out of 6 x6 posts rough cut 2 bys and steel siding and and roof. No problem getting the permit but then got an email saying I needed to have it checked for asbestos. UH, no wires, floor, shingles, plumbing, paint but there might be asbestos! This inspection is required by the State health Dept., not the county so maybe it won't be looked at to carefully. ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: Bob D. (La)
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2018 at 5:45pm
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Been worried about you Mel. How have you made out with all the rain and mudslides. Sure hope it hasn't consumed all the gains yu have made. Keeping you and your family in my prayers. God bless. ------------- When you find yourself in a hole,PUT DOWN THE SHOVEL!!! |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 12 Jan 2018 at 7:36pm
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Mel, Thanks for the updates on your tragic situation! Hope things progress as quickly as they can for you and your family! Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2018 at 7:02am
| At least you have a home for the time being! Nice work on the meter base and supply system btw, here in MO they are still allowing direct burial while I decided to conduit from the main/meter all the way into the house and the shop and the barn when set the cables. Was told was overkill yet can still remember our first house when ants came up the conduit into the service box. Was a mess. |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2018 at 1:34am
| that's a mighty sweet looking place where your house was/will be again! glad you are making less painful progress than what I thought you would hafta go thru. keep us posted! |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2018 at 8:42am
| how are you coming along on your place Mel? |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2018 at 8:50am
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Dale, I think he's having trouble moving forward because he has yet to receive a picture of you wearing the hat he sent you....... ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2018 at 12:00pm
| if'n I sends him a pic, he'll just hangs it on that tree and use it for target practice! |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2018 at 12:01pm
| oooops...gotta go, gun smoke is on..... |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2018 at 6:01pm
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Speaking of Gunsmoke, I was at a meeting in Denver today where one of the guys was talking about another guy's grandfather, seems the Grandfathers last words were to his wife, "I'll betch ya that things not loaded". ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2018 at 1:12am
| LOL |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2018 at 10:00am
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Thanks guys....looks like your getting side tracked...new AC collection hats will be out soon...of course that would add more value to those that have already been issued...now we'll need a picture of Shameless with the hat on watching Marshall Dillon. So to answer the question we've got a portable building that is the laundry room. Has the new washer and dryer in it.  The permit application has been turned in to the county...we probably won't start anything until later this spring.  |
Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2018 at 10:08am
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So long as warm, dry and able to eat and bathe not a problem. You all been watching gunsmoke too? Question, how bad are the CARB rules affecting your AC's and other equipment Mel? |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2018 at 12:59pm
| Mel....that looks like that building needs to be a "man cave" the way it's positioned in front of your grill! |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2018 at 1:04pm
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He can cook and wash cloths at the same time, keeping his wife happy! ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: tadams(OH)
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2018 at 2:38pm
Happy Wife Happy Life 
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Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2018 at 10:11pm
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Dave...All the AC equipment by CARB standards would be "aganin the law" We have 2 CARB compliant septic tank delivery trucks that are the most important. We just keep a low profile. The CARB people are all pissed about how many tons of carbon went up in smoke when it burned 5500 homes this past October in N. Ca. let alone what happened in S.Ca....talk about some special interest attitudes. |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2018 at 12:46pm
| what do ya mean by "carb"? |
Posted By: Ray54
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2018 at 12:52pm
California Air Resources Board.....................Bureaucrats, That think they know Everything. Cause they where appointed by Moon Beam are loving governor.
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2018 at 6:50pm
| I find it so bureaucratic the CARB people are trying to find ways to offset the wildfire carbon releases. The tinder is allowed to sit untouched for years upon years as is 'Natural' yet sets that stage for severe fire storms and people in the Burbs insist on being close to nature in buildings that by evidence go up like matchsticks setting even more severe blaze conditions. And NO I am not even indicating Mel is one of those. |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2018 at 8:01pm
| whew...that was close! lol |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 25 Feb 2018 at 9:20pm
| well? how ya comin out there Mel? |
Posted By: AC Mel
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2018 at 11:39pm
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Well....we got enough fence fixed on the rangeland to put the cows back out on the mountain...been working on that since the fire was put out...Actually been selling a few septic tanks...cause it's so dry..almost drought conditions again. Been having 2 weeks of cold weather (for us)low 20s to highs in the 40s and 50s....I know.. I know ..that's a heat wave for some of you guys. Today began 6 days of annual fire safety awareness training for private fire contractors like us. It's an 8 hour refresher class...we have 55 people each day. I started helping as an instructor several years ago... Butttt.......Wednesday morning we are leaving for Phoenix for vacation to watch some spring training baseball. My wife's sister and brother-in-law have access to condos in the area...the trip was set up over a year ago. Haven't left the valley since we put the fire out. Apparently there having a cold snap in Arizona...locals are whining about 42 degree lows..bring it on I'm ready. So roadtrip I'll be looking for ACs on the way!! When I get back we'll be getting 4 of the restored dozers ready for display at the Redwood Region Logging Conference March 15-17. Somewhere there's a day job that has to continue too. |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2018 at 10:10pm
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Sounds like life is getting back to normal, finally. Heard on the radio that so Cal is going to get flooding rain again, telling people to evacuate again. Hope you get some rain but not too much at once. Are you selling any tanks for water storage? Hope you have a great time in Arizona! ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 3:58am
| I need more pics! |
Posted By: tadams(OH)
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 2:52pm
| That I need picks is from Shameless - WHAT - that should be from Mel |
Posted By: Dirt Biker
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 9:17pm
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Mel, on the Redding craigslist is a "Fermont generator 100 KW allis chalmers turbo diesel 11000 model" I've never seen that you owned one or might want to own one but check it out.The engine alone is worth his $700.00 asking price even if it doesn't run. I am a mental midget when it comes to pictures but they are in his ad, about 3 pages in on about 5 pages total. Jim
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Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 6:27pm
| how are things coming along out there buddy? |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 11:37pm
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He's still probably mad at you, Dale, for not sending a picture of you wearing the hat he sent you! ------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 2:17am
| that could be John, I wear that hat to special occasions to keep it nice! maybe i'll gits something figgered out on a pic sending thingy |
Posted By: Dirt Biker
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2018 at 3:14pm
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The ad on Redding craigslist is gone. I don't know if he sold it or if the time ran out. I will keep checking to see if it returns. I know that they don't tell you when your ad expires. Jim
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Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 07 May 2018 at 4:05pm
| I ain'ts fergots about you! how are you coming on the new place to hang yer hat(s)? been wait'in patiently for any updates and pics! |
Posted By: sandman2234
Date Posted: 07 May 2018 at 7:18pm
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BTT, David from jax ------------- A proud member of the Allis Express movement! Northeast Florida |
Posted By: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 07 May 2018 at 9:35pm
| Was wondering about that good looking young man Mel too? |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2018 at 1:28am
| MEL!!!! we needs updates buddy! |
Posted By: JC-WI
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2018 at 10:23am
Good Gosh, That man is prolly busier installin septic tanks and building his new house than some feller screamin that was hooked up to a blood pressure machine that was not set right.  ------------- He who says there is no evil has already deceived himself The truth is the truth, sugar coated or not. Trawler II says, "Remember that." |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2018 at 11:09pm
| JC.….you SHUSH! lol |