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Still Cold!

Or maybe it's just the detail that counts!

I'm proud to be one of the many volunteers who as a group have been credited to a bonifided increase in our bluebird population. In our 15 years one brood is most memorable. Expecting to see them fledge, the next day brings an absent of actively. Disappointment turns to joy when we find the chicks perched in the backyard. We think this successful launch beat the odds but soon discover the mother bird gave her life for the chicks to escape an invader. The mortal enemy was either a House Sparrow or European Starling, both invasive species. Daddy Blue, now a single parent was going to be very busy. But we have him trained to come for our mealworms by ringing our chimes and all survive. In four years I have controlled over 500 of the invaders and as a result we have been rewarded with young Pileated Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers and other native cavity nesters. Our hawks also appreciate the bounty, especially during the winter.

One wouldn’t think I still need to buy new tools but once in a while I like to treat myself . Again that is. Paring chisel and corner chisel from our friends across the pond. As always incredible quality of finish and attention to detail from precisely machined blade to leather washer and boxwood handles. Steel quality still nearly unmatched today.

The sparrows are a problem here also. I usually watch the boxes during nesting time and dispatch the invaders that always try to take over the BB boxes. The BBs usually start building nests as soon as the invader hits the ground. Once thy have established the nest, they never have a problem driving off more sparrows. Of course I have a lot of starlings and crackles, but they are too large to enter the BB boxes, so they don't really pose a problem. I had one box being visited by a black snake. He never came back after I electrified the pole he was climbing to get in the box.

18 degrees here in the mountains of western NC. I guess that being a bit closer to our nation's capital all that hot air they spew out is keeping us relatively warm.

10 deg. below zero in upstate NY this morning.Hate to sound old,but those are the temps I remember when I was a kid.Anyone else here with a temp report?Can't wait til Spring.

We got three to four inches of wet snow tonight! used the B-80 and cleared off drive and curbs in front of the house! Still enjoy how well this setup works! It does the job!!

Okay, so today I finally painted the center of my 520H hubcaps...an idea I stole from @WVHillbilly520H...

I finally had enough of wires breaking in the original harness on my C-81! So I started gutting all the wires on the machine except the regulator harness and removed all the nanny devices designed to keep it from running! In the process I started making other discoveries: The rock hard original fuel hose was behaving more like a sponge and the prev owner had punched a hole through the inline fuel filter!!!! My gear shift boot was nothing more than a rubber band left on the shift handle. The muffler also had a couple holes blown out the end cap and a broken lower mounting tab. So she now has new wiring (minimal-no lights, horn etc), coil, condensor, fuel line, filter, shifter boot, and nicely welded up and solidly mounted exhaust! I was surprised how much quieter it is now.

The Paint Department is havin' a go today. @JCM these might look familiar to you.

Big thanks to Triple Jack in Sharpsburg and a 225 mile roundtrip right through Atlanta town, I was able to secure a very nice 520H so I have both the 48" deck AND the 1100 trans I've always wanted. The hydraulic lift is just a nice add - the front ags are sweet and will go onto the 125 ASAP. I'll strip it in the summer for a full restore. The 20 has to come apart for cylinder inspection but Jack says it will run. Everything appears to be there and I didn't even have to leave Georgia to get it! P216 gets its other head done today so might have it running next weekend. I actually have a couple pics! The old Ranger made it home with plenty of downshifting into the mountains. The old girl worked hard and burned about 3/4 of a tank.

I hate shopping But I can spend hours looking thru the Hillman trays for hardware I "might " be able to use some day. A lot of young people are working here now..........but I just realized anyone under 75 is young. Rick runs a tight ship and his customers are always right. ACE is definitely my place to shop.

Finished up the seat for the 854 today, I think it "panned" out pretty well.....nice and sturdy, doesn't flex, no more cracks, spot welds look like the factory put them there.

If you're drying linen beige wheels do you need to use a different type of wood?

A balmy 80 degrees here now. Downstairs by the wood stove that is. Brought in another load of firewood before the forecasted blizzard tomorrow.

Seems like a bunch of cranky old men here....

I think the TV weather guys get kick backs from grocery stores and hardware stores..

My new Amish neighbor that bought the farm next to me had a deer deterrent system that actually worked. The first year (3 years ago) he strung an electric single strand of fence around the farm where he plants sweet corn, cantaloupes, cabbage, broccoli , and pumpkins. The wire looked like a fiberglas tape, but it had two strands if fine wire on each edge. It was suspended on 3' high fiberglas poles and baited with a glob of peanut butter every four feet. He only had it up the first year and I have never seen a deer or a track in his fields since.

While waiting for it to get warm enough in here to paint I thought I would just screw around a bit. Considering this is a WWII era type build it probably should have a 6 volt battery. So this is my quick version of that. If it holds up, fine. If it doesnt, also fine. No love loss. A piece of dash from an old Murray mower and 3 oil quart caps and some Loctite mechanics grade adhesive. The battery had to be cleaned anyways.

Used to wood burn a lot in my free time, but haven’t picked up a burning tool in several years. It’s been too cold and nasty to work on any projects outside lately, so I dug out my stuff and give it another go. Picked up some 97 cent plaques from WalMart to start back out on until I got the feel of things again. Once I did a few of those I moved on to some bigger and better pieces. Here are those first ones

I know Ford 8Ns are plentiful, and about every other person has or had one. I have never own one though. I know about the non-live hydraulics and the non-live pto, so I'm aware of some of it's drawbacks. But, I still won't mind having one. I found this one at a dealer, which I may or may not be interested in (the wife lets me know how interested I'm in a tractor or not).

Here is my 520 I restored before the 2017 show. All the sheet metal was powder coated.

@WHX24, @ebinmaine, @PeacemakerJack, @JCM, @pullstart, Just for giggles the 520 plow next to the eMax plow before I did the cab and blower today.

On a good note for customer service... today I finally took in 2 Craftsman 3/8” ratchets and a couple Phillips head screw drivers to Lowe’s for warranty exchange. Both ratchets were intermittently failing to catch and both screw drivers were, shall we say, tired... Now, granted, all 4 items were well used and more than occasionally abused. I was not sure what to expect since Lowe’s took over craftsman’s warranty. Wow was I pleased. No hassle, no issues. I even got two slightly longer handled ratchets since they were out of the ones I returned. Again no hassle... Yea!

My oil burner stat is programmed at 70 from 6AM- 10PM and 50 from 10PM to 6AM. It never runs when I am firing the wood stove. The fan over the wood stove only forces heat to the living areas and keeps them at 70- 72 when the stove area is 75-80. The bedrooms are never heated they stay at 50 -55. The stove evaporates about 1.5 gallons of water / day keeping the humidity at a good level. The stove area is great for drying wet hunting cloths and Regal Red paint.

I went to a local hardware store, "Becker Hardware" in Colt's Neck, NJ. Family owned for generations. I needed a single grommet. I left the house without my cash. I told Danny l was sorry that I had to use my plastic for the 2 dollar purchase. "Don't worry about it, pay for it next time you come in". Of course I did! THAT was awful nice of him!

I had similar situation at ACE Hardware several years ago with a much better outcome. When the store went from being an independent hardware to ACE they had some old inventory on the shelf that wasn't in the system. I picked up a couple of shoulder bolts which didn't have part numbers or price on them. Cashier asked me what I figured they were worth, I said a couple bucks each and that was what he rang up.

Global warming...

Never heard such nonsense... Started working in a local party store at age 10. Sorting returnable bottles and taking out the trash. Worked there all the way through college. Owner taught me a lot about customer service. Back when we would put take your returnable bottles out and your pop and beer in your trunk for you at the curb... free... If a customer said they had a broken bottle in their case of Beer, etc. when they got home, we were instructed to give them a six pack for free with an apology. I can still hear him saying: “If one customer is happy with your service, one customer will know about it. If one customer is not happy with your service, 100 people (not customers) will know about it...”

I've worked in direct contact customer service for 30 years, this year. Different types of employment. Different types of customer bases in those fields. I have. NEVER. EVER. Told a customer they can't buy something I HAD FOR SALE !!!!!!!!! That is just ludicrous to the point of absolute. There's these things... Phones. Employees can: Call the manager. Call the owner. Call the Who cares who I'm calling just give me 3 bucks and I'll FRIGGIN figure it out later. That is complete utter outright invariably not acceptable. "ONLY" 3 dollars.....? Nope. It's the principle. Open a business to make money. Yes. But to do so you become THE customer support specialist. 1. Safety. 2. Service. 3. Everything else including profit will show up.... I'd be all over that like flies on 💩💩. AAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! Excuse me now whilst I "Exit.... Stage left, evennn....."

From these two: This was born:

I got the front rims cleaned up and painted, Tires mounted, front axle put back in along with the spindles. I cleaned the bearings and Repacked them. New bushing on the axle pivot pin. The center caps are painted and drying, along with the tierods and steering linkage tierod.

Ain't no "farm" tractor or "bull dozer" but been pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of this one and the bit bigger Kioti in WV.

You know we will want pictures/video when you blow the mess that we are supposed to get tomorrow. Nice snow eater.

I do. I know a guy that can make it out of toothpicks!

Cool stove 👍

Trina you're doing a great job. Keep it up. Glad to see some progress. Eric good supervisory skills 🙂. Looks like a Mossberg in the back ground?

Not sure what works best on the beige Bob, but hard maple works great for Regal Red on a fabbed up axle bracket/ weight support. Maybe try Shagbark Hickory or go with the Apple if you want them to smell nice. The side benefit is it covers the slight scent of paint thinner in the house.

That might not always be a desirable outcome!

Last one

Bbrrrrrrrrrr

BEFORE AFTER