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Added another round hood to my herd. I've always liked the looks of the round hoods, but was not a big fan of the square aluminum gas tanks. For this reason I had been looking for a 704 to add to my herd. @WHX?? alerted me to one that for sale on Face Book close by and was willing to do the FB work to get me hooked up. Thanks Jim !! Pics of the newest addition. PTO does not look correct to me. The gas tank that is in it is not right, but I have the correct one. Anyone see any thing else out of place please let me know. I also got this deck with it. It looks in pretty good shape but is not on the implement list for the 704. Anyone know off hand what it should be mated to? One more of my bucket lister's obtained. Only ? more to go.

I added an additional 20 lb barbell weight plate to my existing Bolens 75 pounders, as there was enough room for it in the C81 wheel... the problem is they now weigh 95 pounds each and are a bear to install. Solution - adapt the floor jack to lift & center the weights..... works well.

Bought this tractor 38 years ago for mowing and snow removal mainly. At that time it came with a belly mount 3 blade mower and front plow blade. Over the years added a single moldboard and harrow that was used for a 25' x 75' garden deep with beautiful farm loam. After moving North it sat for sometime before I started to do a clean up and repaint. In October I was able to have help in splitting the A apart and replace clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing and original carb stripped rebuilt and clear coated. While waiting for parts to come in I cleaned out the bellhousing and tunnel full of mouse mess and sanded up anything that needed it. Up and running now and did it ever feel good to be sitting up high listening to that 4 cylinder purr at idle, almost a nice lope to it. Change oil & filter, greased and adjust the width of the front end. If it wasn't so late in the year I would use it this Winter for a little snow plowing. Working on the front grille trying to straighten the horizontal bars now and some painting to do. I was able to locate a nice set of tools to do it. Gave it a cleaning yesterday and moved some leaves to the pile. I will update as I progress along. Pictures are through the course of years since purchase with the rims painted all red and left rear tire on backwards. It's getting there.

Earlier this year I had to plant 3500 bare root pachysandra plants. I used a modified auger with long extension so as to keep my back straight . Proved quite effective even though wife was shaking her head watching me. Usually that means she thinks I lost my mind. Better my mind than my back I say.

Seen the steam train on the way to putting my truck in winter storage. I timed it well, only waiting a few minutes for it to arrive at each of the two locations I stopped at. IMG_4492.mov

Dragged my 1971 Rupp Roadster out of my fathers rotted and falling down shed. Last ridden summer of 1987, got caught riding it and it was permanently taken away... had it under a tarp but the moisture got to it. Plan to clean it up and combine it with a parts one I bought to make it as nice as I can. Im 54 and boy... had alot of good times on it driving all over the back roads of my country town. Used to grow alot of tobacco in town and the fields / service dirt roads made for awesome riding Never knew that RUPP Industries was this gentleman. Boy I bet Cecil and Mickey could've had a good conversation as each looked over the others product. Thanks Mickey Rupp for some very cool rides. Yes he was an Indy driver

Thank you to all the Veterans who have served our Country...

Another project going on here simultaneously with the yoke is another batch of hand planes .I just get bored with myself and am always looking at something else to start, always having at least two things going at the same time. This is a batch of 39 planes which are my signature tool and used to be carried many years ago by a prominent tool company in NYC. I have made quite a few of these in the past and it’s something I always enjoyed. Why 39 asked my oldest grandson. Well, I think 40 would put me over the edge and discourage me. With very few exceptions all the work is done with hand tools. The exceptions are due to the quantity being made so it expedites things a bit, otherwise ye olde shoppe gets backed up. I have been at it for a little while and I will demonstrate the process as I go along.

first year on my c145 had it on my 75' c120 last 2 years hydro work much better than gear drive tractor least i have hydro lift

Found a praying mantis on the shop floor today. I don't have much of a project going other than trying to solder some LED lights to make them blink or represent a campfire for the model train layout. I wrote "trying" because, it's getting harder to see where to solder and then my hands don't seem to be as steady as I need to solder these tiny connections. Thus I decided to take a break and that's when I found this praying mantis. It was probably 3~3 1/2" long. This bug entertained me off and on all afternoon. It didn't seem to have any place to go and spent most of the day on the spare folding chair in the shop. The most it moved was when I put it on the back of my hand and it would immediately crawl up the sleeve of my flannel shirt to which, up near my shoulder, I would allow it to crawl up onto the back of my other hand where it would start it's journey again. I killed a fly and a fed it to the mantis and a dying cricket as well. As I watched, it would use it front legs to hold the back legs and bring them to his face for grooming. It's days are numbered because we are expecting low twenties early next week. I zoomed in close and made a video of this creature so that the grandkids enjoyed at supper this evening. They were fascinated and so was I.

Earlier this Summer we renovated our bathroom. Had to make new jambs and casings for the new pocket doors to match rest of house, and of course all with hand tools. Vanity also matching the beaded details throughout house all made with my Grandfather’s 98 year old plane. Woodwork is to be painted so I used clear pine which is always a pleasure to work with. I don’t use door stops or nailed on casings but rather make split jambs and casings in one assembled piece with no fasteners visible. All edges jointed straight and square by hand. All faces dressed with hand plane Beads made with Grandpa’s plane . One full bead requires planing board from face and from edge . “Secret” to my signature corner detail on jambs is a hidden precisely cut rabbet on back of one of beaded boards. This is done with a moving filister plane. Lock side of jamb for pocket door is recessed for privacy. I almost never use nailed on stops. Recess is plowed using a shoulder plane riding against a guide. My signature detail on jambs Everything is dry fitted prior to gluing and assembling in one piece. Once finished there are no visible fasteners to deal with yet one side is completely removable to allow for to be removed if needed. It can then be reinstalled without any damage to it. All pieces hand cut for dry fitting prior to assembly. After cutting the miters with miter box they are trimmed perfectly with the “guillotine”. Vanity also with beaded panels.

I make these at home good for arthritis.

I got this one Sunday in Corcoran mn 250. I know i can make it sweet 😋

As I age and inevitably more things are found wrong or wearing out, I think lot about what is in the future for me. Watching my wife fighting the rapid deteriorating effects of Parkinson’s specially when coupled with effects of Arthritis is a sobering daily affair. If similar conditions will happen to me , what will I do and how will I cope with it. Particularly if I loose the ability to use my hands. I will lose essentially what keeps me grounded and probably with some normal degree of sanity. I will lose what is my shield against the undesirable effects of life. I am a firm believer in science but I also believe in the existence of certain energies, good and bad , some of them having had great benefits in my life. A simple bracelet is not going to harm anyone. It is also a craft obviously enjoyed by its creator, tastefully done making one at least taking a look at it and appreciating the craftsmanship and that went into it. Something I can definitely appreciate. So that along with my worries about what the future may be holding for me , looks like I may be getting a bracelet when available.

For International Tongue Twister Day, celebrated every second Sunday in November, don’t get your tongue tied this November 9. We’re not talking about rolling or curling your taste-tester. In fact, we’re looking at Peter Piper, the woodchuck, and all their friends. Tongue twisters are a silly way to pass the time or practice pronunciation. Shoot, you can even use them to practice a foreign language! It’s time to celebrate all the twisty things you can say with your tongue. Tongue twisters have technically been around since as early as the 19th century when John Harris published “Peter Piper’s Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation,” which included a twisty tongue tango for every letter of the alphabet. And while the book was meant to help children learn the fundamentals of speech mechanics, its titular twister garnered quite the attention and inspired a lot of lore about its namesake. Speculation aside, it turns out Peter Piper was based on French horticulturalist Pierre Poivre, whose last name actually means ‘pepper’ in French. Pierre was said to be exploring the viability of growing American spices in the French Mediterranean. Whether you’re trying to master Peter Piper, the woodchuck, or even “The Guinness Book of World Records’” most difficult recorded tongue twister, “The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick,” you’re sure to get your tongue endlessly tied.

Back home after spending 4 days in the BILs cabin. Notice the windmills on the far mountain above the roof. No electric or water in the cabin.

Yesterday, I reinstalled the rear fender assembly on the GT18 (more on that later), and I did another small job today: I cleaned and reinstalled the GT18's rubber foot rest mats. I had some plastic 'variable-depth push pins' that I thought would be a good match to the originals, but it turned out they weren't quite long enough to get a good grip, and I didn't want to pay the crazy price for OEM plastic push pins, so I used 7/8" OD stainless washers and 10-32 stainless truss-head screws, with stainless lock nuts. They were cheaper than the OEM plastic push pins. The washers fit perfectly down into the 7/8" diameter recesses in the rubber mats, and the truss-head screws are low-profile, so when they're all tightened down, the tops of the screws are at roughly the same level as the surface of the mat. They might not match the original black plastic push-pins, but I kind of like their heavy-duty appearance, and they're certainly stronger than the plastic pins.

Took the 60” off and cleaned/oiled it and wrestled my new to me 44” two stage on now just gotta weight the rear down and hope it wards off any snow lol

I know this is not Wheel Horse related but there are many veteran members here, so it is kinda Wheel Horse related. Happy Veterans Day to all the veterans out there!

Show us scientific study that it doesn't. My grandmothers wore them... they lived well into their 90s and didn't die of arthritis. I think they are cool Mark.

Or full blown?? Little story on the find ... saw it on FB MP and remembered something ... for once don't expect it again... Dan was snooping around at the BS for a 704 and narrowly missed out on one so I knew he had a hankerin for one. Texted him on this one and we kinda knew the guy. Cindy even says him and his dad were at our plow day one year and kinda met him at other shows and plow events. Younger kid who is a JD fan ... go figure ... and took forever to respond to my inquries. Turned out he works a lot so was excused. Did I mention I hate FB finds but sometimes one does stumble on local horse finds. Well we finally connect and get something setup up for a look see and pick up. I was gonna get it on my way home from deer camp since I had a empty trailer but just didn't work out. So I says to Dan hook up and take your trailer to work go get it Friday after work. Off he goes and I sit wondering on what mission from hell did I send him on! Gotta remember Achto doesn't FB ... smart man ... so never had any kind of contact with the seller. A blind date if you will and some of you might remember how those go... @Shynon sends me a alert PM on it when Dan's on his way to get it. Thanks Tom! Dan gets there and seller says picking it up for Jim? Nope He's tractor heavy...

702

Took my wife in for cataract surgery this morning, now that she has a patch over her eye she is going around the house saying ARGH Shiver my timbers Yarrr and the cats won't come near her.

Not exactly to my wheel horse but for it to do things to it. Made a set of back savers for the horses. Gets them up a bit higher so im not bent over working on them all the time. Made them out of just scrap wood had laying around I needed to use. ramps can be removed and tucked out of the way and when I get width where I need it for what im driving up on it I use 2 2x4 to lock them from sliding apart.

Mine was a three hole to begin with too. I drilled the two extra holes. It works great and as ri702bill said, I plow in the mid position a lot.

My other hobby (ok, obsession) is old flashlights. I’m kinda hot and cold with it though. I can easily go a year without buying one or even looking for one. Today the wife and I were in an antigue store and I wasn’t even looking for flashlights, but stumbled across this one so I picked it up to give it a once over and see what the price was. Bulb is missing and it’s not in great shade. Plus I like em older (this one is about a 1948 light). It was heavy, which usually means old dead batteries that have leaked out and corroded the inside. Yes it had old dead D cells inside, but they hadn’t leaked out. Check out the use-by date on them! Which means they were produced before that date. Bought this flashlight just for the batteries…. $7.00

Worked on daughters 522xi, oil change service and installed the snow plow. The deck has about 150 hours on sealed bearings. Still nice and smooth! Surprising how clean the deck is after cutting up the leaves. One other thing I keep an eye on is the right rear hub. It has one of those A to Z tapers hubs. The axle was about ten thousands under and I first had issues keeping it tight. That 1.125 taper is good to 5 under. With nothing to loose. I drove the taper in as deep as it would go, tightening and tapping on the taper while the out hub was blocked. I gauge it by the axle stick out. Has ran 95 hours on loaded tire and chains. Hanging tough!

Too much wind today to do leave patrol again so decided to clean up the B80 and to finally put on the anti skid I had laying around . She cleans up pretty nice I think

Weatherman says there may be snow this weekend. Not sure I believe hime, but figured since it was close to 60 degrees today, it was a good day to clean the snow pusher!

Straight from the back burner, I have been tinkering with this 520H. I bought an orbital steering valve from 19richie66 and decides to modify the 520 to power steering. I seen a thread a while ago were someone added steering to a 518. Figured that would be a nice side project if I came across a reasonably priced steering valve. I wanted to keep it looking the same and tucked in the column. It was a little tricky with a mix of face seal and jic piping. Picked up some face seal fitting from MMC and silver soldered to the steel pipe. For now it is on ice, next will be the front axle mod to accept the steering cylinder. Absolutely don't need a 520H with power steering but I like to build things and keeps me out of the Mrs. cross-hairs. Used the c120 and old deck belt to test run. front view

Great job. I will do that to mine some day. Similar to what I did for my deck rollers

Sharpened some mower deck blades before putting it away for winter! First time using this style blade fixture and it worked great. It's supposed to be bench mounted, but I just C clamped it to a saw horse and it worked great! Here's the link if anyone is interested: https://a.co/d/9IHreoA IMG_8403.mp4

Yup - just like my old Engineering days... Access the problem.. Define the weights and forces required.. Sketch up at least two possible solutions.. Pick the "better" choice & streamline it to be as simple as possible.. Utilize suitable existing resources & materials... Source & purchase what is needed.. (Two muffler clamps & flat stock) Fabricate & evaluate. Note any required changes. I would call this a "2 beer job"!

Wrong PTO and deck, Wrong rear tires and wheels, Should be 6-12's Loved my 704 until @clueless pried it away. I'll never forget that day. It felt like I sold one of my beloved pets!

swapped some Deestone 8.50's for some Carlisle 8.50's raised rear of tractor a little over an inch.

Hope she didn't marry you for looks cause you may be in trouble after she got her vision fixed.

Of all the years making videos, I let one rip while on camera the other night. First time ever, believe it or not. Editing the footage, I was falling over laughing!

Did someone say Rupp ? I've had my Black Widow since 1984, best $30.00 ( yes $30) I ever spent. I probably put several thousand miles on that thing....been rebuilt numerous times, last time it got a complete top to bottom restoration, engine has every possible modification you can do to a Tecumseh and keep it looking stock.

@SylvanLakeWH Same. I recently thanked my father for to two and four Wheel contraptions he made for us older kids.Looking back, super duper unsafe. But hey I'm still here Had a go cart with no brakes once. Sister and I drove it together. Meaning we were really young. You just slowed down and an adult would grab the back bumper

I guess there are a lot of things that have no scientific basis but that show positive effects in people. Whether thats a placebo effect or something we dont fully understand yet I'm not sure. I do yoga and aside from the physical benefits of stretching there is also a lot of "spiritual" or emotional benefit that can't be explained. The old yoga texts talk about energy pathways and chakras which can't be found by modern medicine. But you can feel the effects alright. So if copper wire worn next to the skin can make your joints feel better then give it a go, who are we to say its nonsense. Im cold water swimming and it definitely gives me benefits contrary to what everyone thinks. Mick

All gave some, some gave all. Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11, is a tribute to military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who died while in service, Veterans Day honors all military veterans, including those still with us. Veterans Day, originally celebrated as Armistice Day, was first issued on November 11, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson a year after the end of World War I. The purpose of Armistice Day was to honor the fallen soldiers of the Great War for their sacrifice and bravery. Seven years later, in 1926, Congress adopted a resolution requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue annual proclamations on November 11, making Armistice Day a legal holiday. In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans rather than just the ones who died in World War I. He led a delegation to General Dwight Eisenhower, who was all for the idea. Weeks then organized the first Veterans Day celebration in 1945 in Alabama and every year since, until he died in 1985. In 1982, he was honored by President Reagan with the Presidential Citizenship Medal. Weeks was also named the ‘Father of Veterans Day’ by Elizabeth Dole. In 1954, Ed Rees, the U.S. Representative from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill to establish the holiday to Congress. Eisenhower, who was then the president and also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954, eight and a half years after Raymond Weeks held the first Veterans Day. After having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the urge of the veterans’ service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word ‘Armistice’ and inserting the word ‘Veterans.’ With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. The National Veterans Award was also created in 1954, first received by Congressman Rees for his support in making Veterans Day a federal holiday. Though the holiday is currently and was originally celebrated on November 11, the day was moved to the fourth Monday of October in 1971 due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Finally, on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law that returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. Remembrance Day is observed in Canada (and other Commonwealth nations, which include 53 member states, nearly all of them former territories of the British Empire) on November 11. It carries much of the same meaning as America’s Veterans Day. Celebrated since the end of WWI, Remembrance Day marks Armistice Day — the day on which the hostilities between the Allies and Germany ceased on the Western Front.

The Marine Corps Birthday is observed on November 10. It was created on November 10, 1921 by the U.S. Government to show appreciation for the United States Marines. Having taken part in nearly every U.S. conflict, the Marine Corps has defended our country since America’s inception. The Corps, with over 186,000 active duty members and 38,500 reserves as of 2017, continues its proud tradition as protectors of the U.S. and its people. On November 10, 1775, just eight months shy of the Declaration of Independence, a new corps was formed following the introduction of the Continental Marine Act. At the time, an official plan was developed by the Continental Congress to oversee a mission intercepting ammunition cargo from Britain, using Marines. As suggested by the title, the group was known as the Continental Marines. While this group held several different duties, their core purpose was to provide additional security and support for the recently formed Continental Navy. First led by Commandant Samuel Nicholas, this branch of the burgeoning U.S. armed forces would culminate at just over 2,100 servicemen. In contrast, the number of active troops in the Continental Army at one time would reach a peak of approximately 80,000. This, along with a resolution made in November to create a stand-in official Marine Corps force, was essential to the formation and modernization of the now U.S Marine Corps. The reason for this resolution – the planning of an attack on Nova Scotia to annex it, never took place. However, the Marines remained. After participating in a host of actions and battles throughout the Revolutionary War, the Continental Marines would be disbanded upon the end of the conflict. Eventually, due to the overall neglect of the whole Naval Service and lack of necessary and proper legislation, the department temporarily altogether went out of existence and ceased to exist. This remained so until 1794 when the first legislation was issued by the Congress, addressing the requirement for Marine and Navy Corps since the Revolutionary War. In the late 1700s, the need for naval warfare to exude the military presence of the United States was looked at from another angle; to deal with piracy. The Marines were still running under the Navy at this time, with the latter itself operating under the Secretary of War. In 1798, the legislation to separate the U.S Navy to make its own department was passed; with further legislation to form the U.S Marines as a separate branch of service later in the same year. The Marine Corps would be established on July 11, 1798, and throughout the 19th century (and a portion of the next), this would be the date upon which marines would celebrate the founding of the Corps as an official entity. The birthday was officially recognized in 1921. Major Edwin North McClellan of the Marine Corps History Division submitted a proposition to the ranking commandant which advocated for the anniversary to instead be designated on November 10. A series of standardizations as to how celebrations of the Marine Corps Birthday would be executed would follow in the 1950s. Since then, Marines have been encouraged to treat the anniversary with greater importance.

Reminds me of my new Canopy tie downs. After this year's show near debacle, I got some auger tie downs you drive into the ground with a cordless impact gun. Worked great at the next show.

I recenty gave The Pullstart a set of weights because they are too heavy for my 66 yo back. I want em back Kev ...

Picked up a model that I've been wanting for a while. Better pics tomorrow in the day light.

Finished fitting new to me front blade on the C-125. With back blade it's my secondary and touch up snow rig.