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Arrived at the farm on Friday afternoon and just managed to get the caravan set up before the rain started. saturday was bright and sunny so after unloading the van and setting up my display i took the Raider 12 over to the field to start ploughing, the ground was long stubble matted with hay although the plough went straight in the ground with good depth after ten or fifteen feet the plough was bunged up with big clump of hay. I watched the bigger tractors and they were all having problems with the conditions only worst than me as they had more ploughs to clean. Saturday evening there was a seven mile tractor road run ( some off road ), there were twenty tractors with trailers and lots of people, half way round we stopped at the village pub and then the rain started, we all got a soaking on the way back to the club bbq. The food was good and plenty of it, although we were all very wet it was very enjoyable and the atmosphere was great. sunday i got some seat time with the graderblade and harrows. the rain held off and we loaded up about four and arrived home at five thirty. A very enjoyable weekend and in good company. heres some photos I managed to take while it wasn't raining

Did a bit of multi skilling today. Gave the blade four coats of paint and finished the base for Carols new studio. Job done.

Hi just bought a ST160 with 174 hrs on it never seen one so clean before has deck with grass reduction system it came from a bereavment sale PO had it in an air conditioned barn

Over the last month or so, I have spent a bit of time working on the 1050. To date, I fitted a used air filter assembly plus new filter sourced from the States, cleaned up the plug and removed one of the front tyres to get a new inner tube which I hope to get fitted this week prior to getting it back to my house so I can do a service on it and give it a thorough clean. The previous owner, a mechanic, have obviously looked after it to a point as all the nipples have been religiously greased and to date everything have been easy to undo. I am in the process of taking offt the metal fuel tank as there is a bit of crap at the bottom. I think I will replace the fuel line to the carb and perhaps install a fuel filter as well. My plan is to spend a good day tinkering with it next Saturday. I will post up some photos of the 1050 after it been washed and serviced and hopefully a video of it running.... I am also thinking of buying that red seat cover from the US that's on eBay USA.

Some pics from Brimfield working day

Cheers, Doug. Chris will probably use his extras as hair brushes.

I took 137 and the digger to Hesket Newmarket Show on Saturday it is only 3 miles from where I live and so I literally took the two machines a can pf petrol and a couple of spare spark plugs. 137 behaved admirably but the digger started playing up and being hard to start, the solenoid failed a while ago and as yet i have not replaced it so it was on manual start which is usually no problem. Fortunately I had my two stroke Stihl drill starter with me. The digger cut out when lined up for the grand parade, i changed the plug and all seemed well, completed a lap of honor with my first rosette for best machine and parked up until the end of the day. came to load up and just would not run above tickover checked the fuel filters drained down the carb blew through the emulsion tube and gained a slight improvement but as soon as you increased throttle it cut out. With the aid of a couple of exhibitors we managed to load it on my trailer on tickover ( in the pouring rain ) and eventually I got home. Every symptom was of fuel starvation so today I stripped cleaned and rebuilt the carb, removed the fuel pump filter, inline filter and blew through the tank filter, no change started ok but would not increase revs, spark tell tale told me there was a spark, fitted a new plug checked the gap still no change. Confident that the carb and fuel system were spotless I checked the float level, no problem. Finally I removed the magneto, checked the points, perfect ! Fitted my strobe checked static and dynamic timing, spot on. Removed the mag again changed the condensor and off it went perfect tickover like a watch! How on earth can a condensor simulate fuel starvation problems ! Long winded as usual but thought it might help someone else with a similar problem in the future.

That is unbelievable, I would be concerned about using it in case I scratched it Iain

Some days you're the bug, some days you're the windscreen. Sorry to hear about this day, but man, have had far worse. I know that doesn't help.

Making good progress Norm. I attach some photos of a grader attached to a Bolens 1000 that I lifted off GTT so you can see the design of the blade though the brackets to attach it to the chassis will be naturally be irrelevant. Looking at the photos it can be angled too.

Earlier this week I got round to painting the wheel weights I bought off Charlie earlier this year, I have decided to put these wheel weights on because they are cub cadet ones, the ones that came with my tractor will be painted white so some one else in the family can use them on their tractor.

A friend of mine bought a Bolens 1700G with a Bolens snow plow and snow blower that had a blown KT17 in it (in boxes) for 250.00. He said I could have the tractor, if I would travel the 200 miles to get the whole lot and sell the KT17 engine parts on eBay so he is able to defer the 250.00 outlay. I jumped on that deal. The owner also had a set of chains and Bolens weights that went with it so I got to keep those as well. The KT17 engine was a lemon from the get go, and I don't know why this one had a Series one KT17, it was a 1985, tractor, way past the series one exploding engines. It should have been a Series two. I have a John Deere 314 engine, 16hp Kohler k341 single cylinder, that will fit right in without any modifications, this has a beautiful 48" shaft drive deck and will be my new mowing tractor. This model is a 4 speed, 1st gear having lockout. the wheel weights will get Bolens Regal Red paint and go on the 1476. Long drive, lots of disassembly, now to take pictures of the engine parts and list them on eBay.

Chris hasn't enough hair to need a hair brush. Off to ................................................. now.

Many happy returns of the day Andrew, hope you had a good day.

To busy getting Birthday wishes from someone else I'm sure.

Sorry Lads for the late acknowledgment for my birthday wishes; didn't see the post! Many thanks to you all. Cheers Andrew

I'm going to fit them as a double to make it more like a broom

On their way Norm.

Growbag came on Sunday with his Mountfield so i let him use my harrows to get some seat time driving up and down the field

A good collection of very nice machinery there. Thanks for posting.

Look like a good show and pleased that the weather held for you on Saturday as here it was wet all day. Were you the only one with garden tractors on show?

Yes Chris. I gave it a test with good results.

I like the Rollo Crotmaster. Thanks for the photo's.

Sounds like a typical day when you own a ransomes crawler!

I really like your 1050, I wish mine were anywhere near this good. Good call on the fuel system, tank clean, new pipe and inline filter is the way to go. Now just get your finger out and buy that seat cover, we all want to know what they are like Iain

Hi Andrew,nice 1050. I can't wait to see your photos and video.

That's an amazingly clean ST Nick; you done well to score that.

Earlier tractors however I thought it was interesting to note that the wheel weights for my Bolens ride-a-matic's are identical to those on my Cub Cadet Original. I will have to check them for markings Iain

I believe the foundry was the E. Rowe Co. they made the exact wheel weight for Bolens. early MTD garden tractors, and several brands of walk behinds.They may have made other styles, but I don't know. However I do not think they made any wheels.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I'm with Andrew on this one. I hope its not to difficult or expensive to fix. Iain

How did a flint get thrown up there? Are you sure that fan blade wasn't damaged before?

Good day then.

We all have one of those days Nigel. Hope you you get the Holder sorted soon.

You'll need replacements for when you wear the first two out

Ahh, the Armstrong option. My left arm stays in good shape fending off attacks caused by quick wit and slow judgment. BTW, some lifts are on the right I believe, CASE 224 is. You can get one and even out the exercise.

Happy birthday Andrew

Happy Birthday Andrew. I hope you get a really nice birthday present, one with four wheel. Really nice to see another Bolens collector saving more of these great machines. It seems once you own a Bolens a love affair and addiction begin.

Happy birthday Andrew, all the best

Have a good day I have a feeling hes stuffing his face in some posh gaff in Dorset

Happy birthday Andrew

All the Best, Andrew.

Happy Birthday Andrew. Have fun.

Happy birthday Andrew (Bolens buddy), I hope you had a good one. Best wishes Iain

Well it arrived at lunch time today. Luckily I was working locally so when I got his text I rushed back to my house. We unloaded the 1050 together and I could not believe it that when I turned the key, it fired up straight away. I let it ran for about a minute. It was smokey from the exhaust but I think a good service will cure that or if not, some new rings. A good grease up and clean I think will make it look even better. I need a new tyre or inner tube for the front. One of the headlights worked and I was once again struck how solid the Bolens is. The courier, a mate of the seller, was absolutely taken with the Bolens. As far as I could tell, all the levers worked but I will need a need a throttle cable at some point. i think it's very a working tractor that have been maintained to a point,