Stormin

Well done Richard. It'll soon be purring like a kitten. As near as a two stroke sounds to a kitten anyway.

Tractors all ready to go. Got camping gear out of storage. Just got to fill up the Disco with diesel. Get petrol for the tractors. Food. And last but not least a few bob. Load up tomorrow and good to go early Friday morning.

Google Mole Hand Grinder. Some info there.

No idea as to it's age, but I assume it's for sharpening knives etc?

Get it done then and don't call him Shortly.

Set too on the deck today. What a nightmare. While cleaning off the underneath with scraper and stiff brush, I found the spindles wouldn't turn. Bearings seized solid. It's been sitting in a shed for a couple of years and just put away after use. Judging by the grass wrapped round above the blades, (and that that was wrapped round the tractor axles), was last used to cut long grass. One pulley is refusing to come off, so it'll be taken to the farm for a warm up. I'll see if I can get the use of a press to push the spindles and bearings out. I'll warm those up beforehand as well. One good thing and the only one, is the shell is good and solid.

Tanks Nigel, but after taking the quadrant of it is ok. Just the gear needed and Kris has ordered one. £20 and his boss was going to scrap it. Just wondering what a should charge him for labour? Got it dated off the bar code and it was manufactured 08/7/2004.

I'll probably just give him a scraper and brush. That's how I clean mine after mowing. Save making a mess in my yard.

Youngest Son-in-Law asked if I could collect a ride on mower, the owner of the holiday site he works at had given him. Also could I sort it out for him. Somethings not right with the steering he said. Not right was an understatement. It didn't. Anyway we picked it up this morning. Westwood S1300. B&S 12-1/2hp with mowing deck. Age as yet unknown and in need of a good clean. On investigation I found the gear that engages the steering quadrant was badly worn. So worn it was not engaging the quadrant. New gear and quadrant needed. £80 off that site. Engine runs sweet as a nut and the oil is clean. Needs a battery clamp and that's about it. Deck needs a good pressure wash underneath e seems sound. Not bad for free.

Finally got it finished today. It's probably take something like 5hrs total. Worst bit was the patch in the first photo'. With a straightedge across you could see daylight. The second photo' is how it looks now. I decided to temporary fit the head just to keep things together, till I get the parts I need. That is when I found another PO's bodge. One of the head bolt holes by the exhaust valve, has been tapped out the 3/8th UNC. Plus the bolt used is slightly longer with a longer shank. Not much I can do about the hole, but the bolt I will cut down to the length of the others and run a die down the shank, to get the same amount of thread. I get any parts from Meetens, Preston, Lancs. I've found them very good and help full.

About 3yrs ago I acquired a rather sorry '75 Raider 10. A none runner but complete. I got it going but it only ran briefly before stopping and refused to restart. After the usual spark and fuel test, and having no cover on the flywheel I tried to turn it over by hand. Turned one way but locked up the other. Off with the head and the piston was at the top of the bore. Pressed down on the piston and down it went with no resistance. Yes, you've guessed it, broken rod. On stripping the engine I found the sump had quite a lot of sludge in it. When the oil was last change is anyone's guess. So most likely that was why the rod broke. Anyway, the engine has been sitting completely stripped on a shelf and the rest of the tractor stripped and in a heap in a corner. This morning I thought it was about time I did something about the engine. The crankshaft has been checked and is fine. So is the bore. So I did the valves and started cleaning up other parts. Finally the turn of the head. The gasket was still attached and had to be pried off with a scraper. No wonder really, as it was stuck to the head with SILICONE. So out with a piece of plate glass and sheet of 180 grit. The first photo shows the start of fattening the head. The second after about 2hrs.   I did bit more after the last photo' and it looks a bit better. There's still a bad patch at the bottom between the two bolts holes, but most of the rest is mainly clear. I'll finish it of tomorrow and order rod, rings, seals and gaskets next week.

Is an optical allusion, or is where the wheel is attached to the bar off centre?

Had a run over to a little classic car show held near Penrith, Cumbria. This is held every year and usually has a good turn out. Unfortunately the weather this morning was very wet and windy. So I expect more than a few cars didn't leave their cosy garages. Anyway a few photos of some exhibits there. 

Passes arrived today. But why send me four vehicle passes? I'm not driving the tractors down.

No excuse for not taking it to Newby now.

Ok Alan. Just pop up with some.

Park bench is now finished and back in it's place on the green. It could do with three more slats in the seat, but that was all the wood I had. One day it may get some if I come across some suitable wood. 

I agree. That's something that gets neglected.

While the heads off, be an idea to check it for flatness.

In the back of the workshop I've had some iron garden seat ends, that I painted a few years ago. Finally decided to do something with them. So some beech beams from a ship I've also had lying around, (The beams not the ship), found their way to a neighbours who's a joiner. There they were cut into strips to make seat slats. I then gave them three coats of yacht varnish. Today I put everything to gether. Carol is well pleased as she likes a variety of places to sit. Next on the list was the bench we have out on the green. It was an old park bench that was given to us some years back. About 20 I think. I'd done it up then, but the years have taken their toll. That soon ended up like below with the aid of the chainsaw. So it looked like this. After a couple of hours it is now ready for some paint.  To be continued. 

Entries posted off this morning. Three Wheel Horses and the Sears/Roper. Nothing from Biddenden yet.

Bingo!

Trial fit. Chainsaw, fuel, chain oil, toolbox and hard hat. All done and dusted. For some reason I can't upload the final photo. But it's on Red Square if anyone wants to see it.

Looks good, Mark. Taking it to Newby?