Leaderboard

May 21, 1980 The Empire Strikes Back premiered in the USA with a special showing at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on May 17, 1980, followed by its wide theatrical release across the United States on May 21, 1980, becoming the highest-grossing film of that year.

Put some black tape over the holes in the instrument panel and forget it. Never understood why I need a light to tell me I have my foot on the brake or stood up. That is why I only have one modern horse and much prefer old simple designs.

That's what I do for a living. Mass RADON You can find information online and at massradon.com about radon mitigation. Most states would have someone in their Dept of Health which can answer local specific questions. Look through some stuff and give me a call with your questions. Happy to answer them

$450-$600 I would think. That gray motor is a replacement, so that’s actually a plus in my book.

Yep. Burning brush when it is safe to do it is legal outside any town or city limits. That is where I live. Trimming bushes and trees around my property accumulates a fair amount of brush that I burn once every couple years. For the past several months it has been far too dry, so the current pile has to wait until wetter weather comes. I should have done it over the winter but I knew that several different members of the local wild life had taken up residency until spring. By the time it was warmer it had also been dry for a very long time. I had a neighbor once who liked to build a fire in his back yard occasionally. We lived in town at that time. He would always bring out a pack of hot dogs, and place them beside his chair. If the police showed up he would claim he was cooking his dinner. Not my choice but it worked for him on more than one occasion.

I have been behind a few days just due to the yard work around here. The (I really need to pick a model name/ number for this machine) best worker got some mowing in. The Vanguard and the modified 48SD really work well together.

Happy Birthday @Wishin4a416, we are glad you were born.

@Newbie only a suggestion , would add rislone zinc oil additive to your oil change , ? reason , is its varnish cutting ability, add 4 oz to my 2 plus quarts of 10-30 valvoline oil , bottle specs , as soon as it heats up its cleaning ring glands and valve stem sealant areas , helping ensure solid engine function . this and a carb bowl clean , will help you off to a good start . would also get a penetrating oil spray down going / soaking on that paint ? let it sit a few days in the hot sun ? retaining original PATINA , wipe it down , with a clean oiled cloth , NO SCRATCH PADS OR PAINT REMOVAL , buffed mine out with a 6" electric palm buffer , cleaner wax , amazing paint depth , also do a trans oil . front elevated , drainage , new shift boot , this is basic recovery stuff , grease every fitting , would also get after the deck , service , hot sun oil soak , cleaning , done a lot of this , thanks for a reply , pete

What's your point?

Brings back memories of my spring bear hunts in Northern Quebec. The flys were deadly. I spent many nights in the woods with several cans of DEET in my sleeping bag and with a head net over my face. Before leaving the sleeping bag, you had to lay down a cloud of DEET to clear the flys long enough to jump in your cloths. One year we had a new hunter that failed to keep covered and was bitten around his neck so badly he had difficulty breathing. We had to rush him South to the Maniwaki Hospital. The strange thing was, the little Indian school children stood by the road every morning in shorts and T shirts waiting for the school bus. Seemed they were not bothered by the flys???

In North Carolina, the golden rule is "if it doesn’t grow, don’t burn it." State law strictly forbids burning man-made materials like trash, plastics, and construction debris. Yard waste can only be burned where local laws permit it, and open burning is entirely prohibited during statewide burn bans or Code Orange/Red air quality days. When we built our house in the forest nothing was burned. The larger logs went to a saw mill and the smaller pieces went to a mulch company.

Good point, I question even the cardboard and it's coatings not to mention plastics now. Our trash now goes through a transfer station, from what I understand it is the first step in sorting and recycling of trash before it goes to the dump. And I see the local dump siphons off methane as a byproduct. No issue with burning brush. Made me think about when my next door neighbors were at their other house in FLA and the smoke detectors went off. It triggered an automatic call to the VFD. They showed up, (I had the keys to let them in) and I must say they did not have axes but some sophisticated air sampling detectors. All donned air bottles and was very gentle on the house. Very impressive.

I sold mine for $50. It was in pretty good condition. Probably could have gotten more but the guy that made the offers was likeable enough, so I hooked him up.

@Ed Kennell I’m glad to hear that you made a good stop on the fire, but I agree with Mrs. K and you should have called the FD. Never in my 38 years as an active volunteer fireman have I gone to a call and heard “You shouldn’t have called the fire department” We as firefighters are there to help our community in a time of need no questions asked. Thermo cameras help us find hidden hot spots to prevent rekindling of fire. Also happy to hear that you didn’t get hurt and have no major damage.

Hi Joe! The Chucker is` doing great... we use it all the time, we'd be lost without that thing. Those forks you fabbed up for me worked out perfect. We should rebrand it a "manure horse". So, heres a good example. That 312A I got at the auction that somebody puled the steering wheel and shaft out of the dash (another thread) I took apart and beat it back into shape, reset the shaft and now it steers fine, but its not "perfect". Its useable. I know, I'm gonna be hard pressed to find anyone to buy this one, I'll be lucky to get $300 out if it, probably less. It fires right up and drives real nice, it has a mule drive on it, but no rear hitch and no deck. I might be able to put a hitch on it off one of the rollers. Even so, my point being.... this engine is perfectly intact, no smoke, looks unmolested. The engine is probably worth $300 then add on all the other fiddly bits that can be sold off. Its worth more in pieces. But... there aint nothing wrong with it. Why chop it? But if it wont sell, then it sits and sits does no machine any good. And as ya say Joe, selling parts only a niche market wants is a pain. Maybe I can trade it whole for something useful. Another option is, find a deck that fits it. Mowers here sell in the spring easy. Drawback is, thats going to cost @ $100 bucks, and it still wont be worth more than 400 so, factor in time lost in labor and..... well you see why selling the engine and a few choice bits is the quick easy dirty way to make it pay. These things are made like tanks, you'd think theyd be worth more.

Exactly my point. Controlled burns prevent forest fires from getting out of hand. No underbrush, nothing to burn.

Burning trash might be a problem since we have no idea what chemicals are in our garbage. I will defer only due to that. But until the Forestry Service stops doing controlled burns all over my state, I'm still gonna burn brush as long as it's safe to do so. Right now it's too dry, but that will eventually change.

I do like how you didn't cut up the hood for the diesel engine

There were a couple of important variations on the gear decks to consider when parts swapping. On the ’68 deck, the cast iron bearing holder had raised shoulders around the eight holes where the gear holders attached through slightly larger holes in the shell to ensure proper alignment of shell to bearings/blades. On later models (’66 onward?) the spindles were ⅛” longer to accommodate thrust bearings (instead of only thrust washers) below the spindle gear increasing the longevity and smoothness of the deck. Hardest bits to find in good condition are the gears so if you have a decent set, hang onto them Keeping them excessively greased is the best practice (it needn’t be expensive grease). If you DO choose to dismantle the deck for parts, be sure to mark both face and spindle gears with the side of the deck they came from and the spindle gears with which side was up. When putting them on another deck, put each gear set on the OTHER SIDE since they will be less worn in that direction!

They probably don't want to work on it, or they don't know how, or its just a shop that does that to everyone. Its not a rocket ship, you can fix it.

Why? If they haven't done anything in nine months and haven't kept you informed then I don't think YOU should feel any obligation to that shop. Bring it home and let us diagnose the problem with you. Even if you need to rent or buy a tool or two it will be less expensive and quicker than having those keep it.

My suggestion would be to get that thing home and away from that abuse. An easy check of the ignition timing is described in the service manual.

Maybe if you would clean it up and take a photo of the mating part we could get an idea of what you need. Digi-Key might be a good place to search.

Yes, u shaped flat springs that seat tracks are bolted to.

Replaced seal behind brake drum(I just noticed when I posted pics I put brake drum on backwards ), and changed oil in rear of the 312-8 I been working. Also got to try out my new headlight, and before anyone ask, no thats not a professional model in last pic just me.

Similar no-burn regulations in my vicinity. Our trash goes to waste-to-energy facility a few miles away (the residue from it is slowly filling a nearby quarry pit 😉).

I agree to that Eric. I have seen your vid,s. You have a lot of clearing to do.

Hopefully they never do. The hippie tree huggers got their way in California and pretty much all forestry, including controlled burns, stopped. It is estimated that at the time the Spanish first made it to California a few million acres were lost to wild fires every year. By the 1970s is was under 200K acres. Since the controlled burns stopped it is creeping back above 1 million acres a year again.

Just tripped over the 701 motor I got from you at last years show. Still in the same place where I unloaded it last year . I really needed it, oh well it aint eating nothing. Hoping you might share some shade again this year if I'm able to make it? Just Remember I make a good canopy ⚓.

Here’s what I did WITH my WH today. Put down some lawn stripes! “ 414-8 with a 42” RD “

A bargain. And since it doesn’t come out of the caller’s pocket, developing separation will be a challenge! Is a competent “heir” to the role in the wings?

I finally got to have some plowing time

After a relaxing day yesterday, I worked on the 42” RD deck today. I figured since it was 90% apart I’d paint the pulleys, springs and the parts you could see. It was in the 80’s and 90’s today so perfect painting weather. With the exception of a small rainstorm which then the painted parts went under cover, the weather was great. I’ll let it dry and put it together later or tomorrow once it dries. The plan is to get it working good, and put it back under the 308 for now. The goal is for my parents to use the 308 for now as my parents Cub Cadet lawn mower went to the great lawn in the sky over the weekend.

I don't even look at the speedometer on the way up the grades, just keep the tachometer below 4,000. On the way down the friendly officers are waiting, sort of like spearing fish in a barrel. On I-26 going 75 will get you a flashing blue light reminder, anything over that will get you the opportunity to see the judge. On Cowee Mountain there are enough curves that the speed limit is policed by gravity.

You better add a big one.

That is a beautiful EXPERIANCED work of art. It took a long time to develop that much character. Show it a bit of respect.

I'm thinking the flywheel key sheared and threw the ignition rotor out of time.

No better response than that Uncle Jim!

I take Bella for a walk at one of the many state parks within a few miles from home every morning when I'm not working. Yesterday was Dean's Cove on Cayuga lake and today Seneca Lake St.Park.

Absolutely not. Sometimes she has a camera handy but not often at home. Seriously though... My physical health issues prevent me from being in go mode all day. Anyone who knows Trina personally can vouch. She has incredible energy. More than anyone I've ever seen. She just goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and goes.....

Am I the only one that has noticed that it is always BBT working in pics and @ebinmaine is taking said pics.....

Gear oil change today.

It was in the 60’s so the group came out for a triple side shot. The 308 got salt cleaned out, the 312 did a test mow as the front yard needed it. I also took a ride on the C-141 too. I got some seat time on them all.

Took the 418-8 out today with 50” mid-mount grader blade to fix my neighbors driveway. It was really just an excuse to get a little seat time and make them happy at the same time. Forgot to take pictures during the job so I snapped a few when I got back home.

Still looking for tire chains but the 875 is ready and waiting.