JANUARY 9 - A DATE THAT WILL REMAIN IN INFAMY

Tuesday, January 9^th began as any other winter January day in western Maine.   We had a snow storm that morning dropping about four inches of snow.   I went out about noon to clear the driveway with my 19-year-old Craftsman snow blower.

  

The snow kicked up again in the afternoon and the forecast was for a mixture of rain and snow overnight, so just before nightfall I went out again and removed another three inches of snow from the drive and cleared the roof over the front door where snow tends to build up.

Shortly after dark we lost power.  This is not a big thing for us as we have a wood stove for heat and gas lamps for lighting – our cabin was originally built as a camp and so is self-sufficient.   Since we are on a well we also lose water when the power is out, but we keep a number of gallon jugs stored to allow us to flush the toilet in such an outage.

 

The main inconvenience is that I have to get up a number of times during the night and feed the wood stove.

It snowed all night: a worst-case scenario with temperatures at 33 degrees and a six-inch heavy wet snow that clung to trees and power lines, and is difficult to move with the snow blower.

 

At seven-o-clock Wednesday morning I drank a glass of Ovaltine and headed out to move snow.  It took me well over an hour, slow going, and just as I was about to finish it began raining.   One last pass with the snow blower and when I hit the berm at the mouth of the drive the snow blower began shaking and banging.   The right auger blade had snapped into at the shaft.

 

BUGGER ##**#% !

The power is still off at in the house, our road hasn’t been plowed, the snow blower is broken with another snow forecast for next week and I’m soaking wet.  

I take a few deep breaths and focus: Shit Happens.

Nothing I can do until the light’s come back on; which happened about 3:30 that afternoon.

PART 2

I called Sears to see about a replacement for the right-hand auger for the snow blower and their price was $200 plus shipping, “I don’t want a gold one: it is just a piece of spiral steel.” 

I bring up U-tube (now my go to for any maintenance) to see how to replace an auger in my Craftsman machine.  

The man on U-tube had great difficulty just dismantling the machine.  It seems like a bearing on that holds the differential for the auger drive was damaged and had worn the differential shaft, so the whole unit would need replacement; he ended his video with some expletive without finishing the repair. 

   

Since my machine is 19 years old it is likely I will find the same problem:  differential is $550 dollars, bearing and washer $125, two auger blades $450 – it seems that a seven hundred dollar snow blower is made up of five thousand dollars’ worth of individual parts: Thanks for the support Sears!

Fuck it!   Home Depot has a Troy Bilt snow blower for $600 with $50 dollars off if you take out a Home Depot credit card, so Monday I will have a new snowblower: 

BRING IT ON NORTH-EASTERS I’LL BE READY FOR YOU!

 the Ol'Buzzard

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

One week ago I published a blog post complaining that throughout the month of January we had so little snow here in Maine that I wasn't able to bank the house.  

One week later and three major snow storms, the Goddess whose job it is to keep men humble has bestowed her satirical blessing.

We now have about thirty inches of standing snow and drifts that are deeper.   I normally wouldn't complain; but Her benevolence didn't stop there.

This morning I got up at daybreak to clear the driveway of the ten inches that had fallen over night.   The temperature was four below.   I pulled the snow blower out of the shed and tried to start it, but the engine would barely turn over.   I was not overly concerned, as the little nine horse has an electric starter.   I ran an extension cord from the back porch to the shed, pumped the primer, set full choke and hit the start button.    The starter motor spun, the engine caught immediately, but then a loud bang…   I shifted into gear, held down the auger handle and drove into a snow bank: the drive worked fine but the snow blower wouldn't blow snow.  

Back in the shed, at four below zero, I disassemble the fan belt cover and the bottom plate exposing the pulleys.    Sure enough, the auger belt had broken. 
 

By this time it’s after eight, so I call Sears to see if they have the belt in stock: no, but they can order one – which will take a week to ten days to deliver.  That would be no problem in July, but another snow storm is predicted for Thursday. 

I have to find a belt.  

In order to get the car out of the driveway I have to shovel a path to the road.    I make the seven mile ride on slushy, icy road to the auto parts store with the broken belt.   The young man at the store measures the belt with a tape measure and sells me a belt guaranteed to fit – except when I get home it doesn't; so, back to the auto parts store for a larger belt.

It is approaching noon by the time I get home, and I have skipped breakfast, so I decide it is time for a break.  My wife makes me cereal, toast and tea.  


An hour later I am back outside trying to mount the belt.   This time it fits.

 

I remount all the panels and everything seems to be working.  I still have the driveway to clear, and by the time I put the snow blower away it is four-o-clock and I am beat.   

As I stamp back to the house I think I hear faint laughter – a woman’s voice; but it has to be just the wind blowing through the trees. 



the Ol'Buzzard