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February 28, 1983 Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H" airs on CBS, a two-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"; a record 125 million viewers watch in the US, a record that remains unbroken over forty years later.

Rescued an orphaned snowplow today, guy threw in a set of tire chains (white bucket) as well. Was his father’s before he passed, his mom sold the tractor years ago, believed to be a 312-8, and the plow just collected dust. Today was the first time I drove since January 19th, day of my rotator cuff surgery, felt good to be back in the saddle.

They make back hoes too but that didn't stop me from building one.

That is in fact the original seat, but not the rear tires. The seat just needed a good cleaning and some love! At the Big Show last year I purchased those tires and rims from Brian Badman not even knowing what I was going to do with them. One of the original rear rims had some rust on it for some reason? When I rolled the wheels from Brian along side this tractor it was a no brainer. The paint was an exact match and the 23x8.50-12 ag tires were a factory option. I wasn’t sure if I was going to leave them on, but I now think I will. As far as the history from Sam, he basically told me everything that he knew about it. The tractor belonged to his coworkers grandfather. The coworker told Sam it had been in the back corner of the barn for as long as he could remember! To me it looks as if he purchased it and parked it. Nubs still on the tires and the paint on the muffler.

You meet all kinds of "Characters" at the Bus Stop!

Neighbor has one identical to @Ed Kennell and he brought it over to break tire beads. He set it up vertical and put a 6x6 against the grain under the wedge. Then he positioned the 6x6 on the tire next to the rim and the bead broke effortlessly. Thinking it could be used as a press with the right adapters?

I wish I had an hour meter on my Work Horse GT-1800, that Briggs and Stratton has thousands of hours on it. What I wouldn’t give to know that exact number. I will never say anything bad about the older Briggs engines. With proper maintenance they will last and last……….

Just to show that I haven't been slackin' off and it's my thread so I'm allowed to go off topic. Got part of the Scrub Cadet side project done. Not traditional colors, this one received a nice base coat clear coat black paint job. I have one more round of parts to spray on this one, as soon has the owner gets them to me.

I was watching a YT video about why todays small engines die after a year or so. @ 8:25 in there is one of my engines on my run in stand! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mmF3nc6wrg

It was warm enough to get out there and get that idler arm spring attached to its proper location. Changed the idler out too as it had some bearing wobble to it. I couldn't find a good spring so just used the old one for now but this will get revisited again since there are quite a few things on it which could use some attention

Great to finally have a day near 60 degrees. Had a few out for some fresh air. Cherry smoke smells great too. Smoked turkey sandwiches later.

I understand that especially if you are splitting smaller rounds. I burn my stove 24/7 so I don't split any rounds less than 8" diameter. I use the dozer blade to move the big rounds close to the splitter, then use one of the rounds as a seat while I operate the splitter.

My splitter can be positioned horizontally or vertically. I have never used it horizontally. It has auto return (about 5 seconds) which gives me time to position the next round. TSC 22 ton Made in the USA was $999 when I bought mine 30 years ago. Never failed yet.

Yep ... something we have known for years. I'm just glad they didn't show the bus stop pic ...

The not so famous unistrut engine stand ...

There was a car dealer near us who sold Rolls-Royce and was one of the biggest Corvette dealers in the country at that time. Palmyra Motors. Sold cars at $49 over invoice I worked with a couple of his former employees and they would tell this story of a guy who the owner brought in to pinstripe the cars. Guy was boozed up to the brim and they would send a plane to NYC to pick him up. They would have to carry him to the roller stool. When he was done, carry him back to the car to get him back to the airport. They called him " Shady Deal " because he started up his business selling cars at his house under a tree. Late in life I would see him riding around Newark NY in his Rolls. Had long hair a funky hat and a fur coat!

Friday February 27, 2026 at Florida Flywheelers Show in Avon Park, Florida. More pictures from the show today! Met Art Fontanes today at Florida Flywheelers! Art was Senior Test Engineer for Toro at their Tampa Test Facility at the University of South Florida from 1987 to when he retired. Who knew Toro had a test facility in Tampa, Florida! Art had previously worked for Wheel Horse as a test facility engineer for two years at the South Bend, Indiana plant! In 1986 and 1987, before Toro bought Wheel Horse! Art is now retired from Toro. IMG_8689.mov IMG_8690.mov

To stop the bleeding when you get cut on the poorly machined parts.

I saw Norm's post on FB -- encourging - including him landing on his feet -- Will be interesting the future evolution? Although i did routinely buy items from him -- frankly, the You Tube videos were probably as important value to me - he had a great informative touch on the YouTube "How To" videos and those posted in his video library on his site. I also liked being able to send him a email on occasion to ask a technical question.

After reading all the comments and discussion of the Special I have a new game plan. I have everything I need to put together a Frankenhorse but this must wait until the weather breaks and I can get out to the boneyard and take inventory. When the project has been defined I will start a topic and document the build. Lots of stuff will transfer from the Special. It's going to be the year of the horse around here. Soooo, Thank-You all for setting me in the right direction, and I look forward to spending some screen time here.

Yessir. It actually hit 64. Sun feels great.

I think the biggest "pro" of that log splitter is the fact that I'm not the guy doin the work!

Absolutely beautiful machine. Those tires look like they belong on that machine. Very nice! Those late 70s C series machines are my personal favorite style. Drives like a new one, looks like the older ones!

I don't burn wood but still wanted to build a cone splitter for the hoe when it was mine. Basically just poke the logs right on the ground one right after another

Best he learns that slang here Don but heed our advice Boy and use it in terms of getting a ATV out of the mud. In other words stick to your engines and crocheting. Much more healthy. A $natch block is a heavy-duty, opening pulley used in rigging and vehicle recovery to redirect winch lines and technically double pulling capacity by reducing load on the winch. By attaching to an anchor point, it allows for pulling from difficult angles,

I would check with @76c12091520h He has way more stuff than is listed in the vendor pages.

As I have some big tractors i have been using YT for many years lots of useful info on the targeted discussion boards and good source for parts

So I seem to have left y'all hangin' here. I found some time tonight to letter the hood & engine fan shroud. I wish that I had more to show but I've been dealing with O.P.S ( Other People's Sh..tuff). Got a Scrub Cadet that I'm painting this weekend and I also have a Simple-city paint job to get off my plate before I will get back to my own project. TTFN.

When I got my first horse, iSaveTractors' parts and some of their videos accelerated my success. I just saw this post on FB and thought it was worth sharing here.

You got the wheels turning Chuck.

Priming has begun.

Teflon tape? Where was the faucet manufactured, and where were the instructions and packaging printed? Maybe it's just a mistake in translation. I've encountered some very amusing translations over the years. I probably should have been writing them down; they would have made a good book.

I don't want to but Dan hid a bottle of captains in some bushes last year and now we gotta go get it.

That new universal thread sealing electrical tape.

Bought a new faucet for a utility sink today. Why would I need electrical tape?

Quick looks at motion industries had 1532 1542 1529 1531 I didn't look further Other than 1533 bearing the only WH tranny bearing I have not found is one needle bearing in a sunsrtand hydro transaxle .

The 5060 (and 5073) are different from 8-speeds that came after in only a couple of ways, the limit slip differential and the brake drum positions being the most noticeable, but I strongly suspect that the bearings are all the same as on any 1.125” axle 8-speed. Parts and more has the LSD spring, if needed. Replacing the LSD diff and axles with a standard 8-pinion diff and axle is pretty straightforward. @Achtodid one last year

Oh that too

You guys need to quit drooling on Don's tractor and help Tool Man out ... Where is it in IN? We are coming that way to the BS but I don't dare offer at this time we might already have a full load. Never know tho things change alot between now and then.

Me too! I don’t have a helper for splitting (like Thoreau weeding his garden) so I need the retract time to clear the splits and stage the next round. I’ll likely hire some teenaged help the next time, though!

I know I'm the young buck around here, but I don't see the lack of a vertical as a huge drawback. I find it easier to let the split pieces pile up around the splitter as I work in horizontal mode. I have the same splitter Ed does, and I've only used in vertical once, when I was working with 4ft diameter sections of oak. I'm not sure the dual action is going to be that useful. Like Don said, it will not be as strong in one direction, and I usually need the full retract time to reload.

I personally don't like the wedge on the piston, I'm not sure if it's just me but that's my take. I've only owned one splitter and I bought it used over thirty years ago. It has sat unused now for many years and I probably should sell it, but it took me so long to save for it I haven't been able to. I guess it's a reminder of earlier days when every purchase was debated and needed to be the thing needed most at the time. A time I miss and seems to have gone by way too fast.

Wow talk about a one track mind ... First I've seen of that style. Kinda of cool tho with the two way splitting. You could really split if you had younguns handling the pieces. You know the trays are a must have & usually they are "optional" .

Cons lifting the logs up to it, but that could be solved. No vertical positioning of it? Pros The 2 way split. That's a pretty good idea Those rims might fit on a round hood tractor

Oh Boy, where's that cartoon from years past?

I'm lost Truck ... I would think it would greatly decrease the force required? Kinda like a $natch block for a winch. No matter Joe that's using the old noggin for other than a hat rack. What I'm afraid of Richard. Oh well it's a experiment.

I tried this contraption a few years ago, worked pretty good.

If he finished that glass before getting it done. LOL

Yes @Ed Kennell does do that, but just watch him. He might try to keep it 😂😂😂. Just kidding, Ed was a huge help in getting my barn find all original C-101 to the Big Show for me! Thanks again Ed 👍🏻

If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy!