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And this one has been mine for 60 years. And Mrs.Ks for 80 years. She vacationed here as a 2 yo toddler. We usually spend several weeks here every year. Just got back home after a great week with our two sons and thier wives. VID_20261009_064926134~2.mp4 We had cold and wind the first couple days so we stayed on shore to crab while the Ladies shopped. First crab of the week. This guy watched my traps all day waiting for a handout. The weather really improved and we got out to do some serious crabbing. Crab omelets for breakfast, steamed for lunch, and cakes for dinner. Feeling blessed to have a family that loves it here and keeps me in the game. Blue skies and calm seas to all.

For years I've let my electrical parts float around a large tool box. Every time I needed something I had to hunt and dig. Used scraps of plywood and 1x4's. Components that require crimping on bottom and wire nuts on top. I suspect I'll never have to purchase some of them ever again.

Back in January or February of 2019 my inlaw’s house burned down, 5 days after my MIL was struck by a pickup checking her mail in a polar vortex. She was heavily sedated with lots of broken ribs and bruises so my FIL wept in silence next to her as his childhood home burned down. It’s been a tough rebuild on the inside, though their new home has been finished for some time. They have been going through some of the recovered items finally and found this match book. It’s art work I don’t recall seeing before. Pretty cool!

The boss wanted the front porch/deck spruced up since it was getting pretty ratty and she's getting tired of restaining it every year. She wanted composite so we bit the bullet and after much research went with Trex. If the cost of the actual decking doesn't kill you the additional odds and ends will do the job. Started with this. As with most projects preparation is key and often time consuming. Composite requires a minimum of 16" c/c joists and we had 24" so I added a joist in between the existing. Looking in the window you'll see that I was closely supervised along the way. Some (many) of the existing joists were marginal so I replaced them. I should have just torn is all off and started from scratch. I ladder back from each post to the house so I could 'picture frame' the new decking. I'm thinking it was a step that was more work than it was worth. Finally got it done, coated and ready for the new planks. I didn't take many pictures along the way so I just fast forwarded to the final project. Railing, post wraps and redesigned steps. I didn't expect this to take as long as it did between the weather, a host of other projects and the fact that I don't get the mileage that I used to it consumed a large part of the summer. Next summer the rear deck gets the same treatment. It will be even more involved as it is larger and I want to tear down or move that funky structure.

Prepping some wheels I picked up from @Retired Wrencher for this winters plow tractor. Kinda neat that they were made by Firestone. Just grey primer went on tonight. I’ve had these never mounted Carlisle All-Trails on the shelf for a few years, will be nice to put em to work!

Checked the trail cam this afternoon. First time I've caught them going at it. Seems like a bit of a mismatch though.

I was gone all afternoon. Got home and headed for the shop. Much to my surprise there was a snowplow sitting in front of the small overhead door. While I was looking it over a neighbor lady came and gave me a description of the person and his truck who was here. Said she knew I wasn’t home but since he was dropping off she wasn’t too concerned. It was from a friend who felt he owed me something. Told me it was a payback. I just sold two with brackets. Now I have to scrounge some or fabricate some.

I put a different Schnacke recoil on my patina 1958 RJ today! i had Joe Papke replace a spring and stainless steel cable in my spare Schnacke recoil! This old motor with the Schancke starts on the first pull! I changed oil in the oil bath air cleaner and motor! Still smokes a bit but runs best of any Kohler I own! I also changed air filter in my 314-8 today!

The boss found this blade on FB for our daughters Commando 800. I made a trip to South Bend and brought it home. It came with the weights. It was dirty so I pressure washed it and also the 48" deck since mowing is done this year. Not bad for a 50+ year old deck.

Update time. Because my better half has horses the one of the first things we had to do is get the fencing up around the pastures. We put up around hundred fence posts in one day with a couple of people. Simultaneously we had someone come in with an excavator to "rotate" some soil for making a riding arena. Not bad for a day of work. The following day the piles of dirt got flattened spread out and compacted to get a nice base for the riding arena. After that, in the following week(s) we could also put up the fencing around this part of the horse accomodation. First ride in the new riding arena. And in Dutch we have a saying that translates to something like "after hard work it's more enjoyable to rest"... Next update: working on a roof or two.. Greetings from the Netherlands, Mark

Replaced front axle pivot pin/bolt, drilled drag link out and made a couple bushings on lathe for drag link on 701. I didnt relize how wore everything was until I really got to looking closer at front end. My niece was driving it around the other day and I could see it better watching it go by I guess .

I have been having fuel issues with my 1054. I have changed the fuel pump to electric and have not gotten over a year out of three different Amazon pumps. I ordered a Facet pump and installed it and also changed my fuel line, fuel filter and removed the sediment bowl. The sediment bowl would catch some trash in the tube and not allow fuel into the bowl at times. I rode it today for about 10 minutes and the issues are gone, runs great, starts quickly and not starving for gas. I think this new setup has taken care of the fuel issues.

I've done this before just to see if I could- but will just spend the money next time on a wide set of wheels. It is alot of work. But yes I used a side grinder with cutoff wheels and a narrow strip of steel to align both sides when finished. I also used the tractor itself to both mark and cut the wheels. Just jacked up the rear and let the wheel spin in low range and don't try to cut much. Just let the grinder do what it does. The good thing was because of where my cuts were, the leftover parts make up some nice 6 inch wide spares.

@BPEisenhower @WHX?? @ebinmaine Did someone say something about collecting C-Series tractors? 😂 I just happen to have a few! And a few other models as well !!!

Found on local FB Marketplace. And of course, not running, no surprise there. Small block Chevy engine, exhaust in the face, what more can you want?

In full disclosure, I took these pictures the other day to post in this thread. I had the 418-8 and 70’s vintage Cyclone spreader out to spread some lime. Last year before putting it away and giving it its usual cleaning, I put tire shine on the tires. Then I started to think? I wonder if anyone else is wacky enough to do that? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Another shot of 701 but I was feeling pretty patriotic after making a new front axle pivot pin and making bushings for the wore drag link. Using my homegrown flag bracket and the bestest flag in the world. A special thanks to my shop fan for helping with the shot.

On Tuesday we were able to snag a 6 speed for a Ulysses S Grant

I've made several pairs over the years using 3/8"-24 threaded rod with 3/8" ID steel tube over it. Also made them with heims.

First coat of finished color is on…

Started some physical therapy today. Started out by turning the ends down on some 5/8" rod in order to make a new tie rod with replaceable ends for my 953. Changed the sediment bulb and gave it an oil change. Next I made a bracket so I can hang dumb bell weights on the front. Finished off by preparing some 7" x 5/8" round plate to use as my dumb bell weights. These weight about 6lbs each. I have enough room to hang 13 of these on the front. The 78lbs should help hold it down.

This afternoon Trina and I finished up the bridge and installed it. The last two vinyl boards to be added were the ends. That'll prevent the aggregate from going down in between the beams. After having the little stream cleaned out and reshaped by the excavator we decided to move the pathway upstream a bit. The old bridge was located just to the right of the hemlock tree at picture left. We'll now curve the path to the right more before crossing the stream. We had already set the bridge in place and were making adjustments to its base. Trina went to get the garden hoe while I held the bridge up. We dug out the dirt and rocks from under the bridge even more than the excavator had done. Once we got a good stable set, we added some of the rocks and dirt we'd taken from the bottom of the channel to the sides of the bridge. These next two pics show the channel we added and the overall set up from each side. We'll continue to add stones to both sides along with creating the approach pathway from each direction.

I marked each rim where I wanted to cut them. Bolted the rim on to a tractor, spun the rim in high gear full throttle, & cut through it with a 4 1/2" grinder After all 4 rims were cut, I cut the center out of the outside rims and welded them together. Finished product.

October 10, 1966, The Beach Boys' iconic song "Good Vibrations" was released as a single on October 10, 1966, becoming an instant success and one of the band's biggest hits, known for its innovative studio production and unique sound. It revolutionized pop recording, incorporating unusual instruments and fragmented recording techniques.

Did some work on the wagon yesterday and today. Made a framework high enough to clear the rear tires. Got all the welding and grinding done yesterday. Today was cleaning and painting. The only paint colors I had enough of were orange and blue. Two different oranges. The lighter orange was close to University of Tennessee orange. I used it on the bottom of the chassis and both sides of the bed. The other orange and the blue are University of Illinois colors. That orange was used for the top of everything except the bed and framework for the bed. The bed framework and wheels are blue. I will probably put wood sides on it at some point. Any other pieces for maybe bed sides will be blue and or stained wood . The last two pictures show the difference in the two oranges.

Last few days was very productive, I made clevis hitch along with rockshaft and other small pieces. I can't take credit of this version completely because I found many ideas on this forum . Unfortunately clevis hitch is not perfect, my tools are basic and mechanical skills too, but everything works well. I don't have any hitch attachements but that will probably change. I think about some kind of rakes and weeder/ cultivator. I don't need plow or tiller. Clevis hitch is slightly bigger, measurements are little bit different (slightly longer and wider at trans shaft) - I adjusted it to my homemade receiver hitch. Receiver hitch had to be improved too. Shaft is not moving (7/8- 22 mm diameter),secured to side plate by nut, washers and spring cotter pin. Other spring cotter pins secure moving arm at one side and shaft itself. That arm is moving freely

New tires and wider rims on the 314H. Used VHT wheel paint. Not a fan of it. Turned out really rough. Re-sand and paint in the spring. Now to paint the wheel weights. Plan on using the 314 as my plow tractor this winter. Just had the driveway repaved, so going to try a poly edge on the blade and no chains.

New drag link on 701 and made a little weight bracket out of a old repurposed mule drive. Its on the C160 but can use it on any tractor with mule drive hitch up front. Hood has about 1/2” clearance when fully tilted open.

I have made a few improvements to mine. 18 HP Vanguard, 5 lug front wheels, transmission frame brace, tie rods with heims joints. and rebuilt the axle pivot, Added brass bushing at clutch and PTO shafts.

I got all coked up today ... the evaporator fan wires were brittle and cracked and a short waiting to happen. Unit bearing motors are not meant to be taken apart and this one was hardwired. I was up for the challenge and replaced the cable. Rewired the rest of the cooler while I was at it. I dated this thing around early 50s.

Just replaced the stator on my 520-HC Vanguard swap because it wasn't charging. One of the stator wires had insulation missing by the flywheel. After replacing, voltage was still not much more than 12 VDC. I replaced the regulator and then it jumped up to 14.03 VDC. I also adjusted the valves. They were between 0.011 and 0.014. Specs are .005. Now it runs great and the tach moves but I don't think it's accurate because of the Vanguard having only 8 poles on the stator.

"Another topic!?" I hear you think.. yes.. this thing has been sitting in my yard for way to long. Now with the darker, colder and wetter weather coming up I would like to get it going. The idea is to use it around the house and for the better half to use it to rid the paddocks of horse crêpe.. Bought it off my neighbour a few years ago where it had been sitting long enough a small tree grew through it. "It" in this case is what started it's life as a walk behind Toro Greens Aerator. Kind of a coring machine specifically for golf courses. Somewhere in it's previous life somebody deleted the aerating part of the machine and put a dumping bed on the frame along with a seat. What you see below remains. Lots of stuff to do. Started to clean up the rims, ordered new tires, valve stems and a bit of paint yesterday. Took the fueltank which was full of water off along with the improvised hydraulic oil tank which was also full of water. I'm hoping the pump has survived, if not I might have to order one for it. Good news is that it has a Kohler 16hp engine which seems to be in good condition. Carbs' clean, airfilter Ok-ish, oil on the dipstick. Only thing is the starter does turn when connected directly to a battery however does nog engage the flywheel gear thingamabob.. might be a solenoid issue?? Stripped down a bit for cleaning/inspecting Other side. Note the hydraulic pump is driven off the flywheel side of the engine. New rubbah.. Quite a wide load. Thanks for reading! Greetings from the Netherlands, Mark

Here it is running. Next up are oil/filter changes for the engine and transmission, and change the fuel lines and filter. Then I’ll button it up and put the loader back on and put it back to work! IMG_6029.mov

Agreed Pete, Ive made a few tie rods up for some of my other tractors but don't believe the Heim joints would look right on the 701. here is a couple/3 pics. The bottom pic is the 701 and they are different design than the later models.

Excellent visit with PT and Med Doc today. Ankle movement is Excellent. Strength is top notch. Ankle joint stiffness and pain are very minimal. I am "released from care" and back on Regular Duty.

October 6, 2023 American Simone Biles wins all-around gold at the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, becoming the most decorated gymnast with 34 World and Olympic medals.

Now this is definitely a “side shot”!! I posted this elsewhere on the forum but just realized how perfect it is for this topic

Lowering the standards Ed Dog? Yes Sir. My days of sitting in a tree dawn to dusk for weeks waiting for a Pope & Young is over. The first legal mature buck that presents a standing 20 yd broadside shot goes home with me. No room on the wall anyway and I luv venison. Last year I was only in my stand one day for 45 minutes when this guy followed me home.

October 8, 1956, the nation’s first fully enclosed, climate-controlled shopping mall opens in a Minneapolis suburb. Southdale Mall, located in Edina, Minnesota, was created to lure shoppers during frigid winters. Southdale Mall opened with 72 tenants. The $20 million, 80,000-square-foot mall included a skating rink, a giant bird cage and a post office. The complex also included an auto showroom, a playground and a grocery store.

I tried a couple $10 pimps. They both died the first season. Now have the $30 Carbole pumps on three tractors for several years with no problems. I mount them as low as possible and have good filters before the pumps. Also remove the in tank screens from the petcocks. Do not let the e-pumps run dry.

When you put the pullies and spacers be sure they are in the correct order .

#41 off the assembly line