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Last of my grandfathers tractors to restore. Procrastinated on this although have been gathering parts for several years. I knew the tractor was modified but to what extent I had no clue. Ross steering boxed had been a problem for years luckily it was still there. Fuel tank and battery swapped positions and rock shaft and hydraulic lift was stripped long ago. Someone added a longer steering column and smaller steering wheel. Motor was swapped with a Briggs at some point. None of these original parts remained. Belt guards where thin tin type material. Toolbox rear sections was long gone replaced with plywood. Of course seat was missing along with frame so I began THE GOAL: for it to be close to factory as I could get it and function rebuilt Ross steering box and replaced column or tube with correct length one and remade toolbox to the best of my abilities

Battery box fabbed although with countless other holes and things welded up front axle pin was excessively worn. Luckily axle itself was ok. The pin and frame not so much. I machined a bushing with a through hole and used a 1/2” grade 8 bolt . The front axle and steering are now whisper smooth and tougher than it ever was

Some more great plowing today in Polo, IL. Hosted by John Boelens and a bunch of Cub Cadet guys. Still some good representation by Wheel Horse. My wife was able to come along and had a great time. I guess now I need a second plow tractor!

I've lived here in this same house for over 20 years. The Trina person has been here 10+... We've been out exploring the mountains across the street more times than I can begin to count. Most often, we walk uphill about a mile and turn right, into the forest. There are several old pathways of various sorts n sizes. Some are narrow game trails. Some are snowmobile trails. Some hiking only trails. A LOT of long unused twitch trails from logging. And a few actual Colonial Period cart roads that have been setting unused by most for over a century. Here's an example of that. This morning... all we did was go a few dozen extra yards up the road before the standard issue right turn. There's a break in the old stone wall there. Both of us have looked at it driving by many times. Both of us have been wanting to poke around there. That was this morning. Here's what it looks like from across the street. A few feet in. And here's what I figure for a 200 ish year old drover's pathway like we found up over the other side of the mountains years ago. Remember many thousands of square miles of New England was dedicated to raising merino sheep 🐑 Far more interesting... We accidentally found the graveyard of the original European family to the area. The family for which the area was once named. Tripp. We live in "Tripptown". This graveyard is nearly a quarter mile into the forest!!! This is the headstone 🪦 for Richard Tripp and his wife. Here's what we assume is a non identified grave, likely of a relative. Couple other views of the graveyard. There are several other odd set stones in spacing that would indicate graves. These last few pics show two very unique "stone dumps". The first is unusual because of the massive size of the rocks. These are WAY beyond capabilities of normal humans to move. Each one weighs several hundred pounds minimum. This other one is abnormally large in area. This would usually indicate a long term living and farming situation. Most folks up here would have just added to the corner (or whole side) of an existing wall. We've seen these excess dump piles a few times. Always in hill country. Likely that's because the hills and mountains have incredibly massive amounts of glacial emptying as the ice sheets retreated. Here's the track we took. The graveyard is just past the top corner turn around spot.

Navy Day on October 27 may be “unofficial” at headquarters, but it remains relevant to loyal Navy supporters who enthusiastically celebrate the day year after year. Navy Day appears on the calendar exactly two weeks after the United States Navy celebrates its officially observed birthday on October 13. With two days hailing the men and women of the U.S. Navy, the month of October is a big deal for members of the armed forces who serve in the naval warfare branch of the U.S. military. Navy Day was first celebrated in 1922 by the Navy League of the United States, a civilian nonprofit organization, as a day to pay tribute to the men and women we call sailors. At the time, October 27 was considered by many to be the birthday of the United States Navy, based on a document presented to the Continent Congress on this date in 1775 that supported the purchase of a fleet of merchant ships to form an American colonial navy. October 27 also happens to be the birthday of one of the Navy’s most ardent supporters, President Theodore Roosevelt, who once served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and had supported a Navy Day.

I used KBS three part sealer on a two piece round hood tank. It worked great and is holding up still since 2019. I highly recommend it!

I added a suspension to my zero turn seat, it was a nice improvement. Now if I had a standup mower I would need grease fittings installed in my aftermarket knees.

I like the 953s. Mine is an early model w/ross steering. s/n 62-613. My rear wheel weights are painted white also.

Wow, so impressed to see a David Bradley walk-behind on such a huge field! That fellow really got some exercise.

Trusting my memory here Chuck. I cut the hole in the seat pan to remove the tank for cleaning. Filled the tank with gravel and bungeed it to a spinning wheel for an hour for mechanical cleaning Pressure washed the inside and out. That's when I saw a crack around the pipe fitting which I soldered. Also coated the pitted areas on the bottom with epoxy. This fixed the leak, but In hind sight, I should have also coated the inside at this point. Can you determine if it is leaking around the fitting or from under the epoxy? From the bubbling of the paint in your pictiue, It appears one of the deep pits may have eaten thru.

Grader blade fun!

More plowing. We both had a great time in Polo, IL. Now I will need to build a second plow tractor!

You are correct, this was planned waste. I was out of state on a work trip when they poured, but they told me upfront that their would be a waste spot cause they have to clean out their trucks before they leave. This was a rather large pour (5" for a 40x60 -2,400 sq ft), so if you think that each truck washed out (think my son said there was 5-6 concrete trucks) it was probably not an excessive amount of waste considering the volume of the total job. I asked if they could use it to pour an apron or put an extension to the side door entrence and they shared that they really don't like to use the washout concrete for things like that because the amount of water to concrete ratio is off and they would not warrenty the washout. The builder said they would be back in a few weeks to clean it up, but we had really nice dry weather this weekend and I wanted to get the driveway cleaned up so I could put in some channel drain in fron the of the door due to the slope of the property (hopefully complete in the next few weeks). The washout was also making it challenging to back the trailer into the garage because it required to make a turn to get in the last bay. More importantly, I got to spend time with my college-aged son and have a great memory of using a Wheel Horse to move the rocks.

@Beap52 I have been fortunate enough to help build a few of those ramps. When sick or retired members of my fire department can no longer walk we have a small group of guys go to the house and build a ramp. The materials are paid for by the members of the department. The last one we built was not for a fire department member but a woman who has done a lot for the community. So we decided to surprise her one Saturday morning with all the materials and some genuine carpenters. When she answered the door and we told her of our plans she burst into tears. It didn’t take long and many of these tough old men were holding back tears themselves. I’m not good at holding back, so I gave her a hug to try to hide my tears. It didn’t work. The funny part is that this woman is known for being a tough old bird, in fact her nickname is “Sarge”! But a dozen guys showing up out of the blue to help her softened her right up. We recently purchased some long, wide aluminum ramps that we can install and then remove when no longer necessary to be used again for the next person in need. So yes, the feeling of being able to help someone in need is almost indescribable. Camaraderie, compassion and karma is another thing being built during these projects. ❤️

@lynnmor If this works out, I could use some grease fittings in my neck and lower back. Oh and maybe my hips and knees! I’d like to make an appointment now before all these old guys here try to jump ahead of me 🤣🤣🤣

Got part of the rear hitch work done. That being said, it's a bit odd... I despise trying to get my tiller mounted with those flip down locker cam things. Get one side in, but never both. I need a third hand. So I transferred a belly hitch to the back for my tiller. Now just flip the lever and she locks in place on both sides. I had to make the lock mechanism wider, but it works so far. It is 1/2 inch lower than the OEM rear hitch from the axle but I think that will be ok. The Deestones make it look lower as well. It's also an inch further back towards the rear than OEM, so I'll need a new belt. Mine was shot anyway... The other part of the hitch will be the lower pivot for the 3 point arms. More on that in a few days...

You did good work there, especially making sure to drill/pin were needed. I’ve seen contractors who would’ve just set the post on the ledge rock and said “well, that ain’t goin’ nowhere” while they piled up some dirt around the base of the post. We in the Northeast are quite familiar with rocks of all sizes generously contributed by Canada via glacier. That was just a few years before I was born, though.

I didn't complete this job today but this past week. I was asked to lead a team building a wheelchair ramp for a lady. Her husband is in a nursing home, she fell in June and broke a wrist and couple of bones in her neck. She wore a half body brace until a few weeks ago and now is wearing a neck brace--probably until mid November. She completely depends upon other to drive her until doctors release her to drive herself. Our church paid for material and I and a helper provided labor. It can be rather rocky here in the Ozarks so some posts are a foot in the ground and other up to 4". We drilled holes into the rock slabs and pinned them so we could pin the posts in place.

If I want a rock of a particular size all I have to do is get a plant with a pot the size of the rock am seeking and ask my wife where to plant it. There WILL be a rock the size of the pot right there, never fails.

Hey, this could be the idea that could earn you your next million! 😁

For the life of me I CAN NOT understand why people hack up these tractors the way they do

I.... Wow..... It's like you put words in a sentence but they're all in the wrong place.

Terry's fantastic decals came in today for both this 416 and the 42"RD deck I refurbished this past summer. My tractors would be so incomplete looking without Terry's decals. Thanks again Terry.

Given the fact that Trina and I are basically 10-year-olds, you can see why WE found it so interesting.

The mid-hitch mechanism really is versatile and this was a great idea for an application! I used one on the front lift I added to our 518-H++ oriented to handle heavy “down and back” loads. Here it is during the build.

522xi custom 4x4 I figure customs are allowed?

Keystone cops got nothin' on @Pullstart.

Here's my/my family camp. It's been in the family since the 60's. My Father built the current camp, the year he graduated from High School in the mid 70's. That was after the original camp had burned.

I guess when you're waiting on parts, you start tinkering with some of the smaller details. Installed a missing cigarette lighter and resolved a key that was constantly falling out. Replaced a broken battery tray (for later repair) with one I scavenged.

Today I started getting ready for winter.

Been a while since I was able to play around with some of the wheel horses. Been building a pole barn and after they poured the concrete floor they had an area where they washed out the concrete truck. Rented a jackharmmer and after about two hours it was all broken up. Moved the broken concrete around to the back of the barn until I have some more time before I donate it to the township to help washouts along culverts & waterways. IMG_3421.heic

Tony, that is an impressive transformation, your grandfather would be so proud to see his 953 looking better than new.

Ya gotta understand that @ebinmaine and I we get giddy when we find one full shovel of soil without hitting a rock.

That is some darn fine looking soil ya got there! I have a 1958 DB. Long straight runs no big deal. The turning around I do in my yard is a workout for certain. Thanks for the pictures!

When I was a kid we had a family camp in Limerick. Us kids would explore the land across the street and all the old logging roads. One day about a mile in, under the duff, we found 2 large Marble slabs in the ground near an old cellar hole inscribed with the names of the deceased. Can't remember the names. Pretty interesting to a couple 10 year olds!

The greatest satisfaction I have ever received is watching a homeowner be able to safely and securely leave their home on a ramp I helped build while I was a volunteer for Habitat for Humanities.

One common thread here are the farms. The older large farms all had their own grave yards. A few years back a close coworker lost his father. They used a local funeral home for the lay out and interment was at the farm. The coworker and brothers got ownership of the family farm prior to. The brothers used the farms backhoe for the hole. The seen was like something you see in an old western movie with the big oak tree and old grave markers. The whole thing was under the supervision of the director tho.

Hmmm... is the lifting paint caused by a gas leak at the elbow fitting, or is that from severe corrosion from the inside of the tank?? Two different approaches.... fitting, remove it clean both sets of threads, reinstail using blue teflon tape. Corrosion inside - use RedKote or a similar fuel proof coating - ask @Pullstart about this. Doing this, you may only be buying a bit of time if the corrosion has compromised the integrity of the tank.....

Imagine how crazy the world would be if we all thought we were sane.

Focusing on the task at hand, you’re nailing it! Keep up the good work, I know that home projects are tough and there are countless hours and obstacles in the way! Way to go!

I had previously convinced myself that I just don't need a loader. ...And now I'm back to thinking I do. Looks like fun! At least the driving part!

Tonight, I tried to convince my wife that this bat that attached itself to her Halloween decorations added authenticity! She was having none of it and ordered it removed! It was pretty lethargic as temps here are dipping close to freezing. I relocated it to some shrubs near one of the bat houses, but I doubt it will survive the night.

Unless you grow your own pie pumpkin for your traditional thanksgiving pie, there’s a 95% chance the canned pumpkin you’ll use will have come from a single processing facility in Morton, IL. Farms state and region-wide feed into that thing where pumpkins are cleaned, cooked, and puréed. Morton’s been dubbed the Pumpkin Capital of the World. Overall, Illinois accounts for almost half of the nation’s total pumpkin harvest and beats the combined total of the next four or five states. Apparently our soil and climate are tailor made for these things. On average, Illinois pumpkin fields can produce 40000 pounds of pumpkins per acre. This was apparently a banner year. We had a widespread drought in the late summer which is evidently ideal for pumpkin production. They love hot and dry during the maturing and ripening process. I’m not particularly curious or interested in pumpkins (In fact, I find pumpkin pie - and squash in general - unpalatable), but given our state’s prominence in this market it makes the news every fall like clockwork. more trivia for the day. Steve

Took a walk around the farm on this Bluebird fall day.

@Andy N. Nice job on the picks. I agree, Eric I was thinking the same thing how that looks like big sky country. Wow we don’t get that up here. Too many trees.

Thank you! I hope it works well. This will hopefully be the "go to" machine for all my gardening stuff.