Fixing the auto-return on a hydraulic control valve usually is just a matter of tightening The bolt inside the detent cover assembly. This tutorial apply to the Energy control valve. This valve is the most prevalent valve used in the residential log splitter industry.
The detent cover on the hydraulic valve controls the auto-return
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Contents
What does the detent on a hydraulic control valve do?
How to adjust the detent.
How to replace the detent.
Where to buy a replacement detent part.
What does a detent on a hydraulic valve do?
The detent on a hydraulic valve controls automatic return features. For example, on a log splitter, it allows for the auto return of the hydraulic piston. This allows you to get the next log to be split ready while the piston is returning to the start position. If the detent isn’t working correctly you will have to hold the hydraulic control lever in the return position until the cylinder gets back to the start position. This is inconvenient and can nearly double the time it takes to split wood if you’re working alone.
How to adjust the detent.
To adjust the detent you must first remove the detent cover. It is held in place by 2 hex bolts.
The 2 hex bolts hold the detent cover in place
Once the detent cover is removed you’ll be able to access the detent assembly. At the top of the assembly, you can see a slotted cylinder. This is the adjustment bolt for the detent.
In this picture, the bearing at the top center of the slotted cylinder is missing. You will see a bearing when you remove the detent cover.
When you tighten this bolt the detent will hold the control valve lever in the return position more tightly. When you loosen this bolt the detent will hold the lever in position less tightly until it won’t hold it at all.
If you control lever won’t hold into the automatic return position 9 times out of 10 you just need to snug this bolt down with a couple 1/4 turns.
Replace the detent cover and give it a try. You are more than likely all fixed up at this point.
If tightening this bolt down doesn’ fix the problem then you’ll need to replace the detent and detent cover altogether. This is also very simple.
How to replace the detent
Here is a link to find the replacement detent and current prices on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2J7TeFg
Once again, you need to remove the detent cover. Then unscrew the adjustment bolt all the way. this will remove the detent assembly from the hydraulic control valve.
Be sure to wipe away all oil and debris from the detent base before installing the new detent. DO NOT use a scraper or anything that can gouge the base. This could cause a hydraulic leak.
When the new detent arrives it will be shipped with the detent assembly already assembled and set inside the new detent cover.
Detent cover assembly shipped preassembled.
The detent assembly will have to be removed from the detent cover.
CAUTION: Do this very carefully. When sliding the detent assembly out of the detent cover don’t allow the assembly to come apart. There are small bearings inside the detent assembly that are held in place by the detent sleeve
DO NOT allow the detent sleeve to slide up and out of place.
Thread the detent into the base threads of the control valve. Tighten it down all the way by hand making sure not to allow the threads to get crossed. Once in place snug down the assembly with a large slotted screwdriver.
New detent assembly installed. Pack the top bearing with grease if it wasn’t greased by the manufacture.
Now it’s time to screw on the new detent cover and try it out.
You may need to tighten down the slotted sleeve more if it isn’t holding the control lever into the return position.
Use the comment section below if you have any questions. I respond daily to comments.
This article is a primer about the use of the modern slingshot as a weapon for hunting small game.
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The modern slingshot has been around for nearly two centuries since the invention of vulcanized rubber by Charles Goodyear in 1838. It wasn’t until just after the second world war that they were seen as weapons and not just toys for little boys.
Contents:
How effective is a slingshot?
Types of slingshots.
Understanding a slingshot set up.
Slingshot ammo.
Advantages of hunting with a slingshot.
Practice Tips.
Hunting tips
How effective is a slingshot?
When talking about the effectiveness of a slingshot there are really 2 points to make. One, a correctly calibrated slingshot set up with the right ammo can kill a human if the shot is properly placed so, small game is no problem.
That being said, the second point is the one that really matters. Accuracy is what will have the most effect on effectiveness.
You can have the most expensive slingshot with all the latest technologies, but if you can’t hit a target the size of a golf ball your not going to be very effective with a slingshot.
Animals are killed by tissue damage. The goal is to deliver the most tissue damage to the most vulnerable area on the animal for immediate death.
Delivering a shot that only injures an animal and allows it to suffer until you can get to it and put it out of its misery, or worse allowing it to evade and die slowly somewhere is unacceptable as an ethical hunter.
Since a slingshot is a low power weapon placement of the shot to the most vulnerable place on the animal is critical. Therefore accuracy is paramount.
Types of Slingshots
Types of slingshots vary widely from simple inexpensive steel tube frame slingshots to modern composite materials with advanced technologies like extendable forks, line sites, laser sights, arrow knocks, anti-vibration bars and who knows what all else.
They can have tubular bands flat bands and multiple bands. It’s my opinion and the opinion of most slingshot experts that the simpler the better.
As a beginner, it’s best to start with a simple design and learn the fundamentals of good slingshot marksmanship. At some point, you may want to experiment with different designs, but I recommend starting with a simple, durable design with flat bands because making quick consistent improvement with accuracy is easier with flat bands.
And keep in mind, many tournaments have been won and much game has been taken with very simple slingshots.
A really good beginner slingshot is Ocularis.
The Ocularis is made of a durable, lightweight composite and has quick-change hardware for the bands. The bands can be adjusted for over the fork shooting or through the fork shooting. The design is very basic and conducive to learning accuracy fundamentals.
Click image for reviews and pricing on Amazon
The handle is also designed for a paracord wrap which is perfect for a go-bag or bug-out-bag.
If you’re a handy kind of person you can make your slingshot and purchase the bands by themselves. There are many Slingshot forums with printable patterns for different designs and plenty of YouTube videos about making your own slingshot.
A handmade slingshot can be an excellent weapon because it can be made to fit your hands and grip.
Understanding the slingshot set up
The slingshot setup is made up of three basic components. These components combine to deliver a specific amount of energy on impact. Energy is calculated with mass and velocity. Each setup will have its own set of advantages and disadvantages
The material used to make the bands and the style of the band(flat or tubular)
There are different types of rubber slingshot bands are made from. Some rubber is more durable but less elastic and some rubber is more elastic and less durable.
Therabond Gold is the industry standard for custom made bands. Click the picture below to check prices on Amazon.
Elasticity is good because it adds velocity, but the more elastic the band is the sooner it will have to be replaced.
The length and cut of the bands
Longer bands add velocity, but a draw length that extends past a good anchor point at the cheek or ear is harder to control thus lowers accuracy.
A tapered cut combined with a butterfly draw achieves the highest energy on impact but requires the most skill to be accurate.
Size and material of the ammunition
The size and material of the ammo determine it’s mass. The higher the mass of the projectile the more energy on impact until mass reaches a size where velocity is too low.
Most experts recommend steel ball ammo for beginners. Click the image below for a great deal on slingshot ammo.
There are other considerations to the setup. Your range will have an effect on your set up. As a beginner, your range will be shorter until your accuracy improves at longer distances.
Slingshot ammo
Ammo for slingshots can be anything that fits in the pouch. Stones, lug nuts, nuts or anything with sufficient weight can work, but today steel balls, lead balls, and glass marbles are most popular. A smooth round object provides less drag and more predictable aerodynamics.
The advantages of steel balls are that they can be retrieved easily with a magnet, they are less intrusive on the environment than lead and cheaper than lead.
The advantages of lead balls are that they pack more mass into a smaller package and they can slightly flatten on impact and create more tissue damage. With the right equipment, you can cast your own ammo.
Let’s start by saying slingshots are not the ideal choice for hunting. Riffles and bows are a far superior weapon for hunting. However, there are legitimate reasons for using a slingshot, especially in a survival situation.
Slingshots are compact and lightweight. They can be carried in backpacks, glove boxes, back pockets or just about any pocket for that matter.
Legal to carry in nearly all jurisdictions without any license.
Slingshots have very few parts. This makes maintenance and repair much easier than say a rifle or bow.
Hunting with a slingshot is one of the stealthiest ways to hunt.
Slingshots will attract much less attention than a rifle or bow.
A commercially retailed, high-quality slingshot will cost significantly less than any other weapon.
Ammunition can literally be found lying on the ground.
Practice tips
Becoming proficient with a slingshot doesn’t require any special talents, skills, strength. You don’t have to be physically fit or have Einstein level intellect. What it does require without exception is consistent practice.
If you practice regularly you will improve, period.
Zach’s video shows in very simple detail on how to immediately start getting more accurate results.
Take time regularly to practice. repetition is the key.
You can start practicing with a soda can on a fence post, but setting up a target with a backstop means you’re not going to waste ammo.
A simple backstop can be made by hanging a tarp between 2 trees just behind your target so when you shoot the ammo at the target it will hit the tarp and fall to the ground. Now you can just collect all the fallen ammo and reuse it over and over.
Practice with the ammo you will hunt with. Different types of ammo will have different trajectories and will require adjustments. these differences will be slight but they do exist.
Hunting with a slingshot causes blunt force tissue damage not piercing trauma. Because of this, the only reliable shot is a headshot. Shooting small game like a rabbit or squirrel in the body, the most likely outcome is that the prey gets away and suffers an inhumane death caused be internal tissue damage.
For this reason, headshots are the only ethical way to hunt with a slingshot.
This means if you can’t consistently hit a target the size of a golf ball at a certain distance then you shouldn’t take the shot.
Now that that’s out of the way here are some hunting tips for hunting small game with a slingshot.
Once you’ve become proficient with your slingshot the name of the game becomes the art of stalking. It’s one thing to be able to hit a quarter at 20 feet nine out of ten times, but it’s a whole other thing getting 20 feet from a wild animal that will sit still long enough for you to take a shot at it.
Here are a few tips.
Remove all noisy items from your pockets like keys and loose change. Gear such as knives, binoculars, compass, etc. shouldn’t be left dangling from the belt or a pack. Keep them stored snuggly somewhere so they won’t make noise when your walking.
Don’t hunt with any strong sends on your body like cologne or deodorant.
If possible, stay downwind from where you think your prey will be.
walk slowly and methodically stopping every few feet to look and listen.
Become familiar with the tracks of your prey
Learn how to spot a game trail. Most animals can have very predictable routines.
Always try to avoid stepping on twigs that can alert prey to your presence.
learn the habitats your specific prey prefers.
All else aside, Shooting slingshots can be fun and rewarding. It is one of the least expensive hobbies or means for hunting food out there.
There’s no doubt my wife and I, before we moved off grid, took for granted the automatic coffee pot. This marvel of human ingenuity that allows a person to wake up to the smell of brewed coffee, mmmmm.
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Contents
Cowboy Coffee
The Percolator
Instant Coffee
The French Press
The Best Coffee I’ve ever brewed at home
Living off grid is a great way to live, but it requires letting go of some of life’s conveniences. The automatic coffee maker is one of them, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up a good cup of coffee. I should also say this only applies to those living off grid with small energy systems or none at all.
If you’re still in the planning stage of moving off grid these are the kind of choices to think about now.’ How am I going to brew my coffee?’. It seems like a simple question, but as we found out when we moved off grid, there are dozens of these “simple” little dilemmas to solve.
Check out the article below if your still planning to move off grid
When we moved off grid we went through a few different ways to prepare coffee. Here are some options to consider. Most of these are great for camping also.
Cowboy coffee
Cowboy coffee has a bad rap. When done right it’s not so thick you can put spoon in it and it stands up. It should be a mild to weak coffee that’s smooth to drink black.
What’s needed for Cowboy coffee
All that’s needed for cowboy coffee is a pot, a fire, coffee, and water.
Click on the picture below to check out current prices of boiler pots on amazon
How to brew cowboy coffee
The process is pretty simple. First you need a pot with a lid and a spout.
Add 3/4 of the volume of the pot with water and set it on the fire or stove top. add in the amount of coffee you like then bring to a rolling boil. Immediately remove the pot from the heat and add 1/4 the volume of the pot with cold water.
Adding the cold water does two things. The cold water will help to sink the coffee grounds to the bottom of the pot so they don’t get poured into your cup. second, it stops the extraction process which gives the coffee a better taste .
This process doesn’t make a strong coffee, but if you do like a strong cup of coffee all you have to do is let the coffee boil for a couple of minutes before you remove the pot from the heat. Let the coffee stand for 1 minute before adding cold water.
This is also a great camp coffee. With a large boiler pot you can make a lot of coffee for a large group over a camp fire. It’s also important to remind everyone about the well known, scientifically proven, lab tested fact that everything tastes better when made on a campfire.
The Percolator
My stove top percolator on the wood stove
In my opinion a percolator makes a better cup of coffee than cowboy coffee. You control how weak or strong you want the coffee to be by the length of time you let it perk. The down side is the inconsistency. It will take some time to dial in the right amount of time to let it perk and how hot the fire is determines how fast it perks.
There are basically two types of percolators. One is designed to be used on a stove top and the other is designed to be used on a campfire.
Percolators have a pot with a spout and a lid(some lids will have a viewing port that allows you to see the percolating coffee). percolators also have a basket to hold the coffee grounds. This allows the water in the pot to travel up the tube in the basket and onto the coffee grounds draining down through the grounds and back into the pot. I make it a point to remember to remove the basket before I pour a cup of coffee. Forgetting to do this will result in a load of grounds in the first cup.
Percolators also have a place in the basket to put a filter to minimize the amount of grounds that end up in the coffee.
The stove top percolator
Stove top percolators tend to be more stylish and won’t have a hanging handle. On the stove top you will have more control over the heat therefore reducing some of the inconsistency inherent in percolating coffee.
Click any of the examples below to check out current prices on Amazon.
The campfire percolator
Campfire percolators will have a handle to hang the pot over an open flame. They are made to be light for hikers or they’re made to be durable for campers and off griders. Style seems to be second consideration to the first two design parameters. Campfire percolators will sometimes have a ring that is used to help pour the coffee while it’s still hanging over the fire.
Click any of the pictures below to check out current prices on Amazon.
Instant coffee
You can’t have a conversation about off grid coffee without talking about instant coffee. Now I know what most people think about instant coffee. “That’s not real coffee”, you might say. In my opinion most instant coffee doesn’t taste very good, but all you need to make it is hot water and a coffee cup. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to brew coffee.
Now, that being said I will admit that my wife and I have, and still do at times, drink instant coffee. We only drink one brand of instant coffee. It’s pretty good and almost tastes like brewed coffee. A few years ago we were at some friends house and they offered us coffee. We were surprised to find out it was instant.
Below is an Amazon link.
The French Press
Finally I would like to talk about the french press. This is the favorite at my house. For an off grid household this is the perfect solution. The coffee made in a french press is delicious. It’s very simple to use and you get a consistent taste every time once you dial in how you like it.
What you need
All you need is a french press, coffee grounds and hot water. The press is a glass pot that has a filtered plunger that presses all the grounds the bottom of the pot.
How to use the french press
There seems to be a lot of discussion about the “right” way to use a french press. I’m just a guy who lives in the woods of the Ozarks. I’m not going to pretend to know what the “right” way is. I’m going to tell you how we use our french press to make great coffee.
Process
Begin by heating up some water in a pot. We use a tea kettle. Then, when the water is really hot but not boiling fill the french press with the hot water. This warms up the french press so when you pour the boiling water into the french press it doesn’t crack the glass.
After letting the french press warm up for a few minutes pour the water back into the tea kettle to let it boil.
While you’re letting the water boil add the amount of coffee you like into the french press. Once the water has begun to boil fill the french press to within 1″ of the top of the french press and stir the grounds. Place the plunger and cap into the french press, but don’t press the plunger down yet.
Let the water with the coffee grounds stand for 4 to 5 minutes. Now, push the plunger down to press all the coffee grounds to the bottom of the french press.
That’s all there is to it.
Below is an Amazon link to the french press we use.
The Best Home Brew Coffee
I can’t talk about our off grid coffee experiences without talking about my favorite coffee. I can’t even come close to calling myself a coffee connoisseur, but I know what I like. I was given a specialty brand of coffee as a gift and I was excited to try it because this is the kind of thing I wouldn’t buy for myself. My wife brewed some up in our french press and WOW! It was really good. I mean I’ve never had coffee at home that was that good.
The coffee was Allegro brand coffee. The flavor was called Costa Lomas. It’s very flavorful, rich and bold. It’s a great coffee and it’s organic.
Thanks again Jeff for that great gift.
Click below to check out current prices on Amazon. Check out there other flavors also.
In today’s post I’m going to show you how to bring a rusted old cast Iron skillet back to cooking condition.
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Cast Iron cook ware seems to be a staple on any off grid homestead, but more and more people are choosing cast Iron for it’s many benefits. Picking up old cast iron at a swap meet, yard sale or estate sale is an inexpensive way to have some cast iron cook ware of your own, but many times these pieces may not be in ideal shape for cooking.
an old rusted cast iron skillet
There are many ways to remove rust from cast iron. This post isn’t a list of the different ways to do it. This is the process I’ve found to be the quickest and simplest. This process works great and can be done in a few hours depending on how much time you want to spend seasoning the skillet.
Removing the rust
The first step is removing the rust from the skillet. I use a wire wheel attachment on an angle grinder.
Cordless angle grinder with wire wheel attached
I use two different size wires when removing rust from cast iron. One has thick wires and I use it first to get the heaviest rust off then I switch to a wheel with smaller wires to finish the skillet.
Two types of wire wheels I use
Click the pic below to check current prices of wire wheel brushes for angle grinders
here are some wire wheel sets for drills to check out.
If you don’t have an angle grinder you can use a drill but it will take more time and more elbow grease because a drill doesn’t spin with the same rpm’s as an angle grinder. Check angle grinders on amazon below.
The trickiest part about removing the rust with an angle grinder can be getting into tight angles on the piece, but I’ve found that’s usually only a problem on the handle where there is a hole to hang the piece on a hook.
Removing rust from the skillet with my angle grinder
Once you’ve removed the rust with the wire wheels you will need to remove the light layer of rust dust from the piece. This is easily done with a rag and some white cleaning vinegar.
Seasoning
Once the piece is cleaned it’s time to heat it up. I clean cast iron in the winter so I can perform the seasoning process on the wood stove. This way I’m not using any propane or electricity. I’m already using the wood to heat the house. Now the wood stove is pulling double duty.
Cast iron skillet is now rust free
Set the cast iron on the wood stove and heat it up to the point witch you can lightly touch it without burning yourself, but you can’t leave your finger on the skillet (do this test on the upper edge of the skillet not in the bottom of the skillet).
Once the cast iron is hot enough add a 1/2 teaspoon of oil. I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will work. Remove the skillet from the heat and begin rubbing in the oil with a clean rag. Rub the oil in all over the piece making sure there is only a light layer of oil remaining. be sure to remove excess oil. Now let stand to cool.
First step of the cast iron seasoning process
Now heat the pan again until the layer of oil begins to smoke then add oil and rub it in again. Let it cool and repeat this last step at least three times.
Your cast Iron skillet is now ready to cook with.
Cast iron skillet is ready to start cooking with
You should make it a regular practice to perform the last step each time you clean your cast iron. Over time this will improve the seasoning of your cook ware.
