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This was recently purchased and once I saw the custom hitch, I was even more excited about it! This is supposed to be a self powered tiller that slides into the sleeve hitch of an RJ. The PO had built a mid mount draw bar for his C series machine, and the lift bar still slides into the sleeve hitch, but is on a shackle of sorts. Yesterday I cleaned the points and fuel system. I have fuel and spark. I think my points gap is off, it only fires when it wants to. I’ll get to that soon.

Purple Heart Day on August 7 is the kind of day created to give back. It’s a day for Americans to remember and honor the men and women who bravely represented their country and were wounded or killed whilst serving. These people are decorated with a Purple Heart in the name of the President, and this day is for remembering them and their sacrifice. Some states, counties, and cities pause in recognition, as do some sports and entertainment entities. Military and veteran organizations also hold meetings for remembrance. Join us as we honor those that have been given a Purple Heart. The original Purple Heart, designated as a Badge of Merit, was awarded by George Washington in 1782. There was a lack of funds in the Continental Army at the time so the award was a way to honor enlisted and deserving people. The honor is presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action.” It was designed with a piece of silk bound through it with a thin edge of silver. Washington only gave out three of the badges himself, and instead authorized subordinates to issue the badges as they saw fit. The Badge of Merit faded from use but was revived and relaunched in 1932, this time as the Purple Heart. As well as honoring those wounded in combat, this iteration of the Purple Heart recognized commendable action. It was in 1944 that the policy was tweaked slightly and the Purple Heart was given the purpose we know it for today, specifically to honor those who have been wounded or died. The first service member to be given the modern Purple Heart was General Douglas MacArthur for his service in the Pacific theater during World War II. In total there have been 1.8 million Purple Hearts awarded over the years.

Photo after one application of the Rustoleum Rust Removal GEL!

Well finally joined the revolver ranks. Been wanting one for a long time and picked up this S&W 65-3 with a Simply Rugged Holster. Will be mainly used for target fun and woods carry. This was a police service gun from the 80s. I like the no fuss fixed sights and the 357 magnum with some 180 hard cast bullets will be a nice upgrade over my 9mm's.

@ebinmaine @Sparky you guys sure know how to make a feller feel lucky! We have non-e fuel at the pump of 3 out of every 5 stations within 15 miles I bet. Maybe more than that!

Today like I said the plan for today was yesterday, progress was made. I took @Handy Dons and @953 nuts advice and built a brace for the exhaust on the C-141. I also drilled and tapped the Throttle and Choke handles to 1/4-20. All that has to be done now, is cutting the heads off the bolts and welding them to the levers. Definitely a job for tomorrow.

I have used this product several times and let me tell you it not only easily removes surface rust on wheels but also seems to protect them from reemergence of yhe rust for some time! i order this off of Amazon but it comes in a p bag that often leaks the gel as they send it with the sprayer nozzle installed instead of a solid cap! But I recommend this product for use on Wheel Horse tractors! The first wheel on the dump cart was sprayed with the gel and cleaned with a rag either moderate pressure on the surface rust. The second wheel pic shows the gel applied and working its magic! Spray with water after completion of an application!

It'll ..... smart..... Sorry. Too easy.

I'm thinking my next CC might be a "non-lethal". I'm really thinking about one of these: It won't kill anyone, but it will hurt the whole time they aren't dying, and I'm sure there will be a bit of "surprise factor".

Just for grins try setting the points at 18. Dan turned a hard starter into a two puller on the Mclean doing that.

@SylvanLakeWH’s eyes!

I have been shooting about 12-16 shots a day. I’ve only gotten my forearm bow slapped once that day, I couldn’t figure why my arrows kept slinging right. It’s a great reminder that my grip and my arm were off.

Farmworker Appreciation Day is celebrated on August 6 annually. This day aims to raise awareness about the importance of the work that people do on the farm. The truth is that farmworkers work even under the hot summer sun to bring in the harvest. Every year, you can see them as you are driving by the fields. Most of their work only happens during summer, and this means that many of these individuals return to their home country when the season is over. Farmworkers are usually forgotten and this day is special to honor and thank them for all they have done. California became a major agricultural center after the Civil War in the United States. In the aforementioned state, farm labor was mostly imported from Asia. The immigrant labor force had begun to shift to Mexico by the 1930s. During World War II, due to a labor shortage, the Bracero Program was initiated. This program allowed Mexicans to work temporarily on U.S. farms. It ended in 1964, although Latin American legal and illegal immigrants continue to make up the vast majority of the U.S. agricultural workforce.

There is something comforting about a Clint Eastwood magnum. My .357 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk. Much easier to carry a little plastic .32 auto K-Tel

Put the deck on the 314A project made a test run. She's not purdy, but she starts, runs, drives, and mows.-

No magnets on the flywheel. Points are powered by the battery and there for indirectly by the S/G

I like revolvers... miss-fire? Just pull the trigger again... never had one jam...

Not that wide but I think this still counts

Went and picked us up about 15 gallons of good usable gasoline that isn't laced with booze. Regular everyday 87 octane is running around $3, give or take. 90 octane non-ethanol was $4.31 and worth every single penny of the difference.

Posting today because the work was last week at my son and daughter’s extremely remote and off-the-grid camp. “Clyde” (the camp tractor) needed some attention—reports from the field declared it was hard-starting, had grown loud, and was running poorly, requiring some choke always. I brought a replacement muffler, carb, and other parts it might need. Muffler had a number of rust-through holes. Replaced it and gained a 5 or 6db drop in sound level. Fuel was draining back from carb to tank after only a couple days. Added a primer bulb and starts are instantaneous. Rough running cause was revealed during the muffler swap—the Welch plug on the carb had fallen out. Amazingly, it was still there on top of the engine and I was able to clean out its port, wrangle it back into place and secure it. Going forward, I’ll be adding ⅜” Welch plugs to my spares kit as a guarantee that I’ll never need another one! Greased everything in sight and a lot of stuff that wasn’t. Topped up the oil in the engine and transaxle My “shop away from home.” A step up from relying on a shade tree. The tarp was a lifesaver when I inevitably dropped a nut, bolt, or washer. I took some heat about bringing a shop stool but by the end of the week all the assistants were converts. Sharpening one of the 80 knives on the flail mower. Had to replace six knives broken or lost due to overly enthusiastic attacks on saplings—I had some words for the operators on that 😉. Milwaukee’s ¾” x 18” M12 Bandfile is exactly the right tool for this job. I made a removable boom to fit into the 2” receiver of the front lift to help with moving around some heavy and awkward things. Until now, the lift was only used for the flail. Hoist.mov

Here's the 400 I went and pickup in Florida just needs a little of TLC to get it going again

@Sparkythere’s just something about the glow of those yellowed bulbs…

I feel lucky. In Missouri it’s about $3.30 for 91 octane e free.

Having been raised on a farm that is still in the family I can appreciate your story. Farming is inherently dangerous but can be a very satisfying way of life. When my wife began meeting my family members she noticed one commonality, most were missing an appendage due to a farm accident. My grandfather started the farm with 100 acres and a team of horses, the fourth generation cousin who now operates the farm has 1,200 acres and all the modern machinery. He and two other multigenerational farmers combine their efforts and equipment farming over 4,000 acres. What took fifty to a hundred workers a few generation ago is now done by these three young men and the occasional hired man. My first cousin (third generation) and his wife operate the dairy portion of the farm with about 150 milking cows and one employee who operates the milking parlor.

And no brass to police afterwards.

Sorry Steve, I find it disturbing that no mention of lead in fuel advertisement was made for many years after it was banned in all road use fuel. Then when the E fuel was mandated, it alone was and still is the only fuel advertised as lead free. To me, this is a ploy to trick the unaware public that E fuel was the only safe fuel to use.

My dad was too dadgum tight to hire laborers. He was feeding three boys in his house so with hoes in hand, before herbicide use was as prevalent as it is today, we hit the corn or soybean rows cutting down unwanted weeds. Cockleburs was our main enemy. My brother and I got caught in a torrential downpour and water was running over the tops of shoes before we got the the Massy Ferguson 60 and 30 back to the machine shed. Dad died at age 62, in part, I believe due to using a bare arm mixing chemicals in his privative sprayer. Many of our more physical type of professions have been made safer, in some cases laws, but many in experience and education passed from one generation to another. I like to eat so I am thankful for all food producers.

Started to look at some stuff found out the motor oil was over full and mikey looking so I decided to drain it and found water in it so I will have clean it out and look at it and got to fix the exhaust on the motor too that's what I found so far

Agreed about the disturbing part. I didn’t know the reliability of these systems was that bad, but I have read lots of reports of failures. Our diesel Ford Transit van at work just got a new DPF a couple of weeks ago after the 400,000 mile original got plugged. We learned our van was an outlier as most of them fail much, much sooner. I got to spec out the new Transit and barely even considered the diesel model. Fuel economy is pretty close and the cheaper fuel and maintenance on gasoline put it over the top. Plus, it’s way easier to get the gas V6 serviced anywhere along the way in our St. Louis-Fulton-Buffalo triangle when we have a breakdown and need to get it towed. If the V6 blows at 200k and we need new engine we’ll likely still be money ahead compared to the 5-cyl diesel that broke down several times in the old one. Exhaust treatment in a diesel is wildly more complicated than in a gas engine. The huge amount of excess air (no throttle) and the soot are troublesome. Gas engines are tuned to be somewhat wasteful, running more gas than can be burned in each cycle. Diesels run hot and lean. 78% of each gulp of air the piston takes is nitrogen that’s eager to be oxidized up to NO2. With hardly any CO and unburned hydrocarbons to be reduced in the exhaust means there’s not much there to couple the Redox reactions needed to make a catalyst do its magic. So most engines must use a third party, urea, in the Diesel Exhaust Fluid to help the process along. That rolling chemistry set has a pretty narrow operating window. Throw in the hot environment, moisture, temperature cycling, vibration, and generally hostile automotive/truck environment and it’s a miracle of modern engineering these things work as long as they do. I suspect if the diesel infrastructure didn’t already exist for heavy trucks the industry wouldn’t have tolerated the cost and complexity as long as it has. I don’t know where the they fuel them, but there must be something close to me as I see a lot of heavy trucks running on compressed natural gas. The telltale is the giant pressure saddle tanks and chunks of ice hanging off of them in cool, damp weather. They must be powerful and torquey enough to get the job done. I’d bet if there were more gas stations along the highway that could accommodate an 18 wheeler at the regular unleaded pumps we’d see a natural transition take place. Gasoline probably makes more sense in this application than we realize at this point. of course that would no doubt also affect gas prices. Steve

The 1975 drawing should help clarify the PTO wiring. It has two drawings of the PTO switch, one with it ON and one with it OFF. Both halves of the PTO switch are normally open (NO). With the PTO in the OFF position the lever will apply pressure to the switch closing both pairs of contacts. With the PTO in the OFF position power will go to the ignition coil with the ignition switch in the run position. Also, power will go to the starter solenoid (via the brake switch) when the ignition switch is in the start position. With the PTO in the ON position both switches will open preventing the starter from operating and interupting the power to the ignition coil unless the seat switch is depressed. With a driver in the seat the ignition will continue to operate with the PTO on. Using an ohm meter you will find that two pairs of the PTO switch terminals will show continuity with the switch activated (pressure applied) and both of these pairs will have no continuity when pressure is released from the switch. It is not important which function is on a particular pair of terminals. The seat switch is also a NO (normally Open) switch and will be close when a driver is in the seat.

I run 3 wires, one about 4 inches off the ground. I also run a ground line to all the post between the two hot strands. making sure there is good ground. Had to put it on a timer, runs 9pm to 7am. Wife was concerned with grand kids. I said they won't touch it twice. That's how I learned. (keeps neighbors out too) lol

Another observation. If you move that throttle cable wire to the arm on the disc it will give it a much better throttle range and better control

Today was buttoning things up after work on the C-141. It’s coming together. The hood hinge was loose and the bolts didn’t stay tight. It was temporarily put together today I finalized it. The exhaust pipe was reattached. I also cut an unneeded bracket off the muffler and painted it. I also built a battery hold down. It’s safe now @ebinmaine no bungee cord here now. The last major thing is painting the bodywork. I also have to put the handles on the throttle and choke. Possibly more progress tomorrow.

A little maintenence on the "Sparky" tractor. @Sparky The new owner has decided that new more aggressive shoes are acceptable. Needed a new shifter boot. Also doing a transmission fluid change. Our workshop smells like old gear ⚙️ oil 🛢

Ive never messed with a vacuum fuel pump which I assume I have. This tubing pulled right out of nuts. That isnt normal right? Also the rubber inside those nuts looks pretty bad. What do I replace it with if anything. Thanks

If it's pretty minor you can compensate to some extent by settings. Certainly better to run a little rich if possible.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aK2s2TlSGAM heres a video

PM me wit' yer mailin's address. I'll send these.

Drove it across the garage and found out why the points cover has a gasket. On a totally unrelated note, what's a good source for a points cover gasket for a K181?

Looks good - but you may wish to rotate the angle on the bent idler tab. It should be touching the belt to stop it with the PTO not engaged as shown. Adjust it and check it when it is engaged that it is clear of the belt... Bill

General Douglas MacArthur changed the Purple Heart when he was 13th Army Chief of Staff from 1930 to 1935 to being given for being wounded in enemy action or for meritorious performance. Yes, General MacArthur was the receiver of the 1st Purple Heart given for wounds. But it was for a gas attack that happened to him in WWI that had nothing to do with his performance in WWII. By executive order In 1942 is when the Purple Heart was given for being wounded or killed in enemy action only( the executive order stopped it for being given for meritorious performance) . Prior to the Purple Heart, you received a wound chevron. given 1918 to 1932

Cool little machine.

If you don’t know what bow slap is, it’s a super aggressive rope burn/smack/what the sting just happened!?!?!? I’ve done this 6 or 7 times in a row, back when I was learning bow fundamentals. It’s been a while since I felt that.

Is there a belt wire supposed to be bolted in that hole? Supports the belt when de-clutched

Was the fellow in the red helmet there to help you find your way back to earth or is it cheaper if you double up? What a memorable birthday gift.

Oh no no no... The quantity of excrement spewing around the lunch table at the Annual Pullstart Acres Plow Day far exceeds the capacity of that little gem... Gonna need every square inch of capacity just to keep pace with them @Achto @WHX??Wisconsin fellers...

A tip I learned from my Amish neighbor. Put a dab of peanut butter every couple of feet on the wire. They stick their tongue on the wire one time and never return.

It can be like going crazy in a silo without a corner to poop in figuring out all the different trailering in different states. My size is 6x10 or 12. Not too big not too small. 10 by can easily get 4 short frames on ... 12 by 4 long frames on. Just right for hauling a single mowing tractor down the road or those quick midnight scores ... All gets back to Richard's post on what will you be using it for. Not a fan of renting... not around when you need it.

Seem like this question is asked nearly every week on here. The answers given quite often include buying expensive Bore Gauges or Inside Micrometers. I have an inexpensive down and dirty method of evaluating the cylinder's wear that uses a tool nearly everyone has or could buy for around $ 5.00. A set of feeler gauges and a ring from the piston you just removed will let you know without any other equipment. It won't tell you how much it should be bored (though you can get close) but it will tell you if it is beyond the point of being successfully honed. In the photo below you can see the first step, placing a ring at the very top of the cylinder above the ridge. The piston ring end gap in this case is 0.080. The cylinder at the ridge measured standard at 3.25" and the cylinder walls and ring edges were worn smooth. Next I used the piston to move the ring down to a point just below the ridge. The piston helps keep the ring square to the cylinder wall. At this point the piston ring end gap increased to 0.110" This step was repeated three more times at 3/4 inch intervals. The results were 0.117", 0.118" and 0.117" Next the ring was moved to the bottom of the cylinder where the piton rings would not have contacted the cylinder walls. The piston ring end gap returned to 0.080". The greatest deviation of the ring end gap was 0.038". Now we can do a little fuzzy math to figure out how much the cylinder need to be bored. Changes in the ring end gap will be a change to the circumference. Bore changes would be a change in diameter. So, 0.038" divided by 3.14159 will show that the greatest wear in the cylinder is 0.012" larger in diameter than standard and should be bored 0.020". This is a quick easy way to get the job done without spending a bunch of money on tools you will never use again. You are going to need the feeler gauges when you put the engine back together anyway.