Stormin

There was no way I was touching my camera, Chris. Not the state my hands were.

The exhaust on the Black Horse was a bit loud to say the least. Basically it is a 2" bore stainless tube with an 1-1/2" bore pipe, full of 3/8" holes and wrapped in wire wool with reducing mute, inside. A reducing mute is also inserted in the top of the outer tube. Today I decided to see if I could improve it's silencing qualities. At the top end of the inner tube, a ring is welded. This acts as a spacer between it and the outer tube. Four equally spaced tack welds hold it in place. First I cut out the ring between the welds and the end was blanked off instead of the mute. I only had enough wire wool to wrap the inner tube in, for half its length. Searching for something non-flamable/heatresistant, I found a box containing a roll of fine, stainless mesh. The type that is fitted to soffits on houses over ventilation holes/slots. This was wrapped in layers round the bottom half of the inner pipe and then all re-assembled. Lastly, the reducing mute was re-inserted into the top of the outer pipe and rain flap re-fitted. Idle and low rev running is a pleasant, low pitched beat. Also, when the flap is closed, the whistle it produced has gone. High revs, which had a rather ear shattering, strident pitch, now have a slightly subdued, mellower sound. I reckon if the whole length of the inner pipe, was wrapped in the stainless mesh, then it woud be even queiter at high revs.

They're cartridge cases for starting aero engines I think.

I'm sayin' nowt.

I used to have to mow the lawns with one of those as a young boy.

He'll have to let me have his ITW to look after, Rhys. To make room for it.

Decided to make a bit of space, so got the saw bench out and cut up a couple of trailer loads of logs. Hardly made a dent. Ready to go.

This afternoon got the C-125 out and put the deck on. Mowed the green and verges, but something was not quite right. I usually have the height adjuster set with about 1-5/8 of thread showing. The deck was not cutting well and to close to the ground. The adjuster ended up so the lift lever hardly moved from up to down. Back in the yard, deck off and started to clean the 125 down. It was then I noticed a damp patch on the concrete, just below the lift arm. Petrol! The fuel line passes very close to the steering quadrant. As in very close. When on full left hand lock, the quadrant had, over the years, been trapping the line between it and the chassis edge. This had finally sprung a leak. Bad bit cut out and a piece of copper tube used as a connector and no leak. Oh! I did slightly modify the tower where it joins the chassis. Bent it out a bit so fuel line lies in the gap out of harms way. Next job was to clean off the deck, To do this, and for storage, I've made a timber stand so it sits vertical on it's tail. Started to clean the underside and it was then' I saw why it was not performing as it should and adjustment was all to pot. After the last mowing session, someone decided to sharpen up the blades a bit. This was duly done and all re-assembled. Only problem was, Mr Richard Head doing the job had not got his brain engaged. THE BLADES WERE UPSIDE DOWN.

That is truly a labour of love Rhys. Well done.

Love the Matchless trials bike.

Clearing up done and last load. That's it for now. I need to finish felling the ones round the corner. Carol said, "The reeds need thinning out." "Be my guest", I said.

Definitely worth saving. Even the handles look good. Not worm eaten.

That's nice.

Beautiful job.

By 'eck! That looks like new stock. Some place closing down or having a clear out? You jammy so and so.

Strangely enough, though b****y hard work, a certain amount of satisfaction in it. I'm not passed it yet.

I guessed that.

Just because you now have two 4 bays, doesn't mean you have to fill them.

That's a nice little pump.

You have to buy petrol. Your clients electric is free.

Mine came from Machine Mart some years ago.

Hope you can remember how they fit together, Nigel.

Two different dogs, Andrew and both bitches. Just biding their time to pinch any bits of wood they can.

That's going to be one handy machine. I think I could do with one.

A bit more today. A little pull from the Disco and it's on it's way down. Another trailer full. Hard work this logging. Flamin' ivy.