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Still dark outside and miserable--three degrees and a goodly amount of snow for southwest Missouri. If it's that cold, I'm sure it's even colder in Hell--Hell, Michigan that is. I'll bet it's froze over! It's also breakfast time. Wife made ham and beans yesterday along with cornbread. Cornbread means.... Cush for breakfast. I'm sure I've mentioned this before but Cush is a meal my grandma would make. It's crumbled cornbread, plenty of pepper and water added to give it body. Grandma would heat the cornbread mixture in a skillet but we use microwave. The gravy has some of my double smoked bacon. I cook the bacon so it's just a little crunchy and we make the gravy somewhat thin so it mixes with the cornbread. Mercy it's good eating.

My boss said I'm not allowed to go out till it's over. Time to fry up some deer scrapple then watch some football.

Present situation, neighbor has already made one pass with his walk behind snowblower. The stable is confused why they are still bedded down with their horse blankets. The reasoning behind this, calcium deposit removal with rotator cuff repair surgery this past Monday. I will be wearing this thing for 6 weeks, completely restricted left arm use for that time, no driving, nothing… Grateful for helping neighbors. Never take your health for granted.

Same here. Sleet and freezing rain is forecast after the snow. I want the ice on top of the snow so I can plow it off.

My 520-8 with a Magnum 10 gettin it done!

Turfs, rubber chains, and weight works for me on my steep paved driveway.

I'm sure shoveling snow would be a pleasure with a couple of Wheel Horse Jr. snow shovels.

Have around 6 inces on the ground now - not even starting a tractor until the sleet and freezing rain is over - good day for TV scrambled eggs and a nap

The snow is going to continue until after midnight. It will be undisturbed by me until day light tomorrow....

Lynn, If you need transportation or anything, you know where I'm at.

January 25, 1924, the first Winter Olympics take off in style at Chamonix in the French Alps. Spectators were thrilled by the ski jump and bobsled as well as 12 other events involving a total of six sports. The “International Winter Sports Week,” as it was known, was a great success, and in 1928 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially designated the Winter Games, staged in St. Moritz, Switzerland, as the second Winter Olympics.

Should be a fluffy/light 12-20” snowfall here in Central Connecticut (that’s what we’ve been told) so clearing it will be easy enough. No rush to clear it, do some on Sunday and again on Monday. Company already said we could work from home so I won’t have to venture out in it. Might even be fun dealing with it

It has been a few years since I got a storm that we’re gonna have that last two days. So hope everybody that is affected by this stay safe get plenty of warm-ups hot chocolate whatever keeps you moving. Here’s a couple pics that I just took.

yes that first pass jump start needs some good runway if you are not using chains. We had about 6 or 7 inches on the ground of the dry fluffy stuff at 1:30 pm. No ice or rain. i decided to get out and make a first effort cleanup as we are supposed to continue getting this fine snow until about 5 pm tonight. i had my B-800 just outside the garage door covered. She started right up ( after i changed a ⚡️ spark plug yesterday) . But i had to struggle a bit at first to clear a six to eight foot pathway for the plow. No chains and my 8 hp Kohler kept moving. For a fifty year old Wheel Horse I was still impressed with the performance! I grab about a 1/3 of the blade down to the concrete after making a pass with the blade about two inches off the ground. Lower the blade at the last clean up passes. I dump the snow about two or three feet off the side of the dive into the yard. Always careful to avoid digging up the grass! IMG_7594.mov IMG_7605.mov

Over night we got about 1” a mix of very fine icy sleet and snow. +17 and windy here this morning in the Texas Hill Country. Too cold for this Texas guy! We’ve had at least a mild snow or ice the last 4 out of 5 years. Last night my daughter in law originally from New Jersey finally owned up to bringing this stuff with her when they moved here 5 years ago Currently significant statewide problems with the electric system. Far NE Texas in the piney woods (Oklahoma Arkansas Lousiana corner) got a lot more ice early last night and had areas of larger outage's Lots of small localized outages across the states probably due ice/tree limbs. The utilities have done a huge amount of neighborhood tree trimming since the last freezemageton.

We're all battened down here. Equipment gassed up. ⛽️ Cars 🚗 in the barn 🚪 Started snowing several hours ahead of supposed schedule. Around 12:30 pm. Th Ugly Bruce tractor has the Kats heater on. Both that and Millie the 856/66 are connected to battery maintainers. Snowblower wouldn't fire so we changed the spark plug. All good.

Well it is still coming down this am. Last night we got about 31/2 inches but it has been snowing now since about 5:30 am. I have a video of the early morning snow. Not very big flakes and dry , powdery snow. I have not been out yet as the dressing routine will take a lot longer today with long johns, heavy socks, heavy lined pants and boots! I took a photo just a few minutes ago of the snow height at the bottom of the front step. Probably six or 7 inches so far. IMG_7575.mov

The rain began about 2:00 PM yesterday with temperatures jus a bit above freezing. Woke up this morning with about four inches of rain and 36*. We needed the rain and so far we are doing well. hope everyone is staying safe.

+9F with a stiff 15MPH East wind that is drifting the fine snow. Just on the leading edge of the storm now. As it moves Northeast the wind will shift from the North and pile up some snow. About 3"s down now.

So that's what you look like...

Update; it appeared that there won't be much more so I did my driveway and opened the one across the road enough that he can get two vehicles in. This stuff didn't clog the snowblower at all but it really worked it, my gas gauge didn't even bounce when I came in. I might do my driveway next door after the tractor thaws.

I don't switch oil. I switch tractors. Winter tractors use 10w30 and summer tractors use 30w.

I have a blacktop driveway I don't want to scar up, so I run Ags and wheel weights. I don't have much of a problem with traction. I have a couple sets of chains but haven't had the need to use them.

Weights would probably help, but yeah, can’t beat chains.

5½” so far, started snowing about 7:00am, but in the last hour or so it’s picked up in intensity. Holding off clearing anything out, but once it reaches 15” or so will probably have to make a pass at the driveway.

I sure hope this ol’ girl fires up later when it’s time to plow out . Was there a heated seat option ??

Next time I have to shovel I will have to remind myself of the fact that snow on average is 90% air.

Due to the fact that I am renting my side of the garage to my grandson this winter, the 416-H had to sit out in the weather last night. 9 degrees when I attempted to start it this morning. I had to give it a shot starter fluid to encourage it to fire. But it did and as always, the Eaton 1100 was ready to go as well. Pushed about 5" of accumulated snow with no problem. Two hours later I can't see the driveway. Oh well, round number 2 is going to have some ice.

Well ready as I can be... That time of year in this soft state. Grab a few buds, some suds, and a sharpened stick and you could overturn this entire state. half inch of ice so far here.

Ready to go in SE Ohio! Since the last post: --fabricated new drag links with adjustable heim-style rod ends --ballasted both fronts --added from tire chains --replaced shifter boot --replaced clutch/brake spring Should be ready for this latest storm 🦾🦾

Got a pane of glass, 180 & 220 sandpaper @ HD, 24 bucks. I laid a sheet on the glass and used painters' tape to hold it. Sprayed water and sanded. Took 3 sheets of 180 & 3 sheets of 220. Too cold to do anything else.

Last night I replaced the transmission drive belt with what I believe is the proper one P/N 7473 on my 417-A. Today I took it out to blow the driveway and it worked fine for about 15 minutes. Then I heard a noise and knew something wasn’t right, so I headed back to the garage. I found the belt had jumped off the pulley and was wedged between the transmission and the pulley. I’ve never had this happen before? There’s two different part numbers given for that belt, I want to confirm this is the correct one? As I was investigating this problem my pager went off for a mutual aid fire call. This was in the height of the storm, to a neighboring department. A department that rarely calls for our help, stating a garage and multiple structures on fire. I am one of the senior members and truck drivers so I was the operator for this alarm. We actually had to follow the town snowplow to get there. The young man in the passenger seat got on the siren, so I yelled at him and said you idiot do you want me to pass him so we can get stuck and not get there? He apologized and I told him in this case slow and steady wins the race. We didn’t get done until dark so my driveway will have to wait until tomorrow, I wasn’t going to have trouble with the tractor in the dark with it still snowing and sleeting. That’s me in the blue coat, I don’t wear turnout gear when I’m driving as I find those big clunky boots unsafe to drive with. IMG_4058.mov

Sorry, I keep posting the same tractor…first pic was sometime this morning, last pic was this evening. Snow is still coming down

Could not handle another day of boredom so I decided to warm the shop up & do something. Took a bit to get it from 7F to 60F but once there I was able to get the sheet metal blasted. Started the filler work on the hood. It was littered with several dings.

I got lucky, I had the cab already and then found the glass with the frame and wiper motor. It was laying in the woods behind the local Ford New-Holland dealer. I was snooping around back there where I wasn’t supposed to be and came across it. So I went inside and talked to one of the salesman about selling it. He said sure how about a hundred bucks, I said you are crazy. Someday when someone cleans up back there they are just going to throw it in a dumpster. He looked at me like he was agreeing, so I handed him twenty bucks and said “Here, get yourself some lunch. I’m driving around back to load that thing in my truck” He kinda laughed and said fine, go get it! I got the wiper arm and blade from the auto parts store. It popped right in place of the plastic windshield with no modifications, and boy was I happy. After using both I would definitely recommend spending the extra money and getting the glass and wiper.

Here in northern Indiana we probably got 3-4 inches but I get drifting bad on my place so got drifts up to about 16 inches I have a snowblower but I just don't use it because it's always windy whenever I have snow to clear. So right now using this back blade.

I have plowed twice so far with the 416. About 4 inches each time. The SIL showed up a bit ago from 10 miles away and took a freah 3 inches off. He is young and enjoying it.He did 4 drives in his area first. I will hit it one more time around 4. Then R&R time.

Maybe??? Look for a shiny spot on the edge of the auger blade. It's possible there's a dent into the housing somewhere so the auger will hit and catch on it. The shiny spot will lead you to the dent when you turn it and watch where it goes.

With enough gasoline and matches I can even get you a heated steering wheel.

I just watched my neighbor pushing one of those tiny blowers. He made one path to the road then disappeared into the garage. His is one of the 7 driveways I usually plow. I called all the neighbors that I had numbers for to let them know I will not be plowing until Monday morning. It is sleeting here now and I want to keep all the ice on top of the snow so I can plow it off.

That was 2019, the feature that year was snowmobiles and snow removal equipment. Took me a couple minutes to dig that picture up but knew it was there.

Blueberry French Toast for me, sorrrrrry, no pictures so @rjg854 probably won't believe it happened.

A little update to this; I saw the neighbor drop off an itty, bitty gas powered snowblower yesterday, I wish them well. They haven't moved in yet so It will be a learning experience. I may still be needed and will help if wanted but with my surgery tomorrow I may not be able.

Ok ... Big Unit it is The Plunge sent me this shirt a couple of years ago. How did he know all I wear in the winter is long sleeve shirts!

This is more of a mess than I anticipated. Blower is not working. Any time it gets into anything the auger locks up, new belt is already smoke. The snow is almost too light for the plow. It's moving it, but it's leaving a lot behind, so we moved a lot by hand. I'm going to warm up and go make some adjustments to the plow and try again.

Spindles and washers ready to install. Spindle washers and retaining rings ready to install. At the top you see 4 0.01" thin shim washers and 2 1/32" teflon washers Then you see the retaining rings and 2 thicker shim washers (I forgot to measure the thickness of these). Thin shim washer slid onto spindle. Teflon washer slid onto spindle. Second shim washer slid onto spindle. Stack of shim and teflon washers. This will be the thrust bearing to make steering easier. Spindle ready to install into front axle. Spindle lightly greased then installed into front axle. Top thicker shim washer slid onto spindle (you use whatever thickness is required to eliminate excess vertical play once retaining ring is installed). Retaining ring installed onto spindle. Spindle installed. Spindle installed onto other side exactly the same way. Spindles installed.

When and why the oil capacity was increased

The moderators have issued a one time, emergency, dire-need waiver of the Redsquare "no pictures didn't happen" rule. The collective sigh of relief is palpable...

diggin the new gloves ya got on Spark....

Today I got the 414-8 ready to move the snow and sleet that is forecast for tonight and tomorrow. Have chains if needed and the rear tires are filled with rv antifreeze and have a mule drive weight bracket with twenty pounds. Hopefully all is ready. Be safe!