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expeatfarmer

Ransomes MG2 number 137

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I have done that myself a few times with 6ft wide tracks but the air tools make a huge difference.

Started on filling all the rust pits with Upol today not sure why but the filler goes off but retains a sticky surface which clogs the sandpaper.

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Got myself all excited today, looking at the MG2 parts book significant changes were made after the building of 252 suddenly thought that number is familiar as I have another T engined 2 ,went to have a check ,my other machine is 225 and not 252, never mind it is still special!

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I have done that myself a few times with 6ft wide tracks but the air tools make a huge difference.

Started on filling all the rust pits with Upol today not sure why but the filler goes off but retains a sticky surface which clogs the sandpaper.

 

Two pack high build primer, hardly thinned and applied with a brush or roller (no nasty vapours) , goes on thick and fills rust pits etc. Read about it in an article in Classic Tractor and tried it for the first time on some rust pitted handlebars two days ago  - brilliant.  Just need some cheap disposable paint brushes or rollers and not mix too much at a time for the job in hand or have something else on which to use up the left over.

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Yes you do, and apply more layers as required. Once you have filled any large areas of pitting I would try it as it may save skimming a whole side with filler.

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Are you painting everything with a rattle can? You get much better coverage and A better finish with a gun but you have to have everything hung ready to do it all in one go.

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I have both but choose small batches down on a bench to keep the spray drift under control, I have sprayed many parts outside but now it is too cold.

As I tend to work on a couple of components at a time repairing or restoring I take each one to primer stage and then put it away for later re assembly if I use a gun I would be forever cleaning it up.

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Reached a milestone today finally managed to complete the rebuild and paint of the drive wheels I seem to have been on with them for months. Having to be careful that I dont get carried away with finish I keep looking at other original machines to see what level of marks/gouges etc were sent out from the factory I do not want it to be better than original I just want original and that means defects. Skimming with filler to reduce the pitting is a chore but the effects are very pleasing.

 

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This week so far I have rebuilt the track load rollers with new bearings and seals,, final drive output shafts and hubs new bearings and seals, rebuilt the cooling fan, rubbed down filled and painted all the red bits, finished all the bolt on blue bits, made up some new track tensioners and generally made a mess of my workshop. Gradually sorting through the pile of rusty nuts and bolts that came with 137 matching what I need to the parts list, where practical I am re using clean existing nuts and bolts but any that are badly damaged by rust or past abuse I am replacing with new.

 

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Chris at vintage brass plates is making up a new set of id plates for the body and a new plate for the Sturmey Archer engine, Titch is making up a set of decals for the body. 137 had scroll decals on either side which I guess are from lawnmowers and sadly no decal on the tank front so tempting though it is to add a few more for looks I am currently sticking with what is shown in the period photos. The same goes for things like mudguards over the track rollers and wear plates protecting the final drive casings, both of which were added to the 1937 models.

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Today I have been restoring the carburettor which is a brass cast Amal nickel plated. Over the years it has been bruised and bashed and had a number of nasty vice marks. I polished these out with my Dremel but did not like the shiny finish as the original would have been peat flour sand cast. After a bit of thought I dug out some brass plumbing fittings and polished them up with the Dremel and then shot blasted them with glass beads to see what effect it produced. Very pleasing effect and by a strange coincidence the carb is stamped "JC 648" must be an omen! Next job is to Nickel plate it .

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Becoming quite frustrated with my painting, for some reason the areas of filler are showing through on the top coat despite rubbing down with 800 grit, high build primer coat rubbed down again and then top coated twice, anybody have any idea as to what I might be doing wrong? After spending the best part of two days solid on the cowling it is now looking half decent I have sprayed it with a guide coat tonight with a view to a final rub down fill and paint in the morning. I don't want the same to happen on the cowling or it will look awful.

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Thanks, it does the same thing on the red paint too and I have a de humidifier running 24/7, it may be because I am using a satin finish rather than a full gloss. I will ring the supplier today and see what they say .

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I've also had problems with delayed isolated reactions under Top Coats from Fillers and Hi build Primers. Never found a reason for it, or why it was so inconsistent.

Will be interesting if you get an answer.

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Finally managed to get back to the main tub today, welded up the scars caused by worn idler bearings final filler skimming and then the repaint. Studying the original handbook with a magnifying glass for the final details I discovered today that the straps holding the fuel tank have pin stripes of white across them so that is another challenge!

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