slf-uk

I'm using a one quart cup gun with a compressor. My compressor has a 20 gallon tank, but these smaller compressors don't always keep up, so I use another 20 gallon tank from a dead compressor to have a extra storage of air. I'm priming with Rustoleum White Clean Metal Primer in their Professional Series (silver can) with a mixture of lacquer thinner and synthetic paint thinner, at a 3 parts paint one part thinner ratio, with a 25 percent lacquer thinner and 75 percent synthetic thinner mix, with a small amount of poly converter (hardener). This makes the paint mix really hot and allows it to burn or melt into the old finish, but not too hot as to pull or wrinkle it. I spent considerable amount of time testing these ratios and this works, without the hardener it is a little easier to sand, but it isn't as durable of a primer. For a top coat I will be using Anchor Alkyd Saf-T-Guard enamel #500, custom mix to the Bolens color, it is what is used on industrial coating and equipment all around here. It is a local company and the sons of the original owners still run the plant. Anchor developed the first rubberized latex paint that came premixed in a can in the early 1950's and have had their plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma ever since and sell coatings world wide. They make many different types of architectural and industrial coatings, their exterior house paint is the best I have ever used, their interior paint is okay, but it is also half the price of anyone elses paint. For some time their main business has been Industrial Coatings. I like to use their black tower paint on blades and plows, it is the hardest paint I have ever used, no thinner needed shoot it straight and clean up the equipment immediately with lacquer thinner or Methyl Ethyl Ketone. on my painting of the Bolens with the hot mix and the gun set at 30PSi, I did not have one speck of over spray on my hands, arms, or clothes, look close, not much on the paper either, it shoots and drys quick. I laid on my back on a rug to shoot the bottom side, no over spray on my glasses either. It took 2 quarts to shoot everything, some things were shot twice. That's alot of paint on the metal. The gallons of Rustoleum primer are about 27.00 US and gallons of the Anchor finish gloss paint are around 32.00 US. I can paint two tractors with a gallon of primer and a gallon of finish. It all took one hour including mixing and cleanup 
 
http://anchorpaint.com/industrial/products-for/maintenance/saf-t-gard/

Alain,
Looks like you are making great progress and it is looking good.
 
I assume you are painting it with a gun on a compressor and that by reducer it is what we (well me anyway) would call thinner. I would be really interest to know more about the types of paint, reducer and spray equipment you are using.
 
Iain

Thanks Iain; that's my thoughts too on having a backup as well!
I have just been looking at some of the YT videos on the Allen scythe; look very capable. The trick to cutting wildflower meadows is to cut when it is dry and then leave the brash for a few days to die off prior to raking it. The rake to use is a curved grass rake from Shelwoods which make life a lot easier to use as when the grass inevitably stick to the tines you push the grass rake away from you on the ground and the grass falls away. Also rake in the direction of the cut and do it in sections. At the end of the session a good pint of Real Ale will set you up nicely!
The other way to do this is to cut the grass and then get someone to bale it up for hay using a small compact baler producing square bales if it's free from ragworts and dog mess. Usually you can get someone to do it for nothing if they can have the hay themselves, particularly if it's organic. Indeed we had contractors taking our hay away for nothing in exchange for cutting and baling it.
Here's a close photo of the curved tines.

What I've been playing with for the last couple of days. And a few more days to come.
 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Its been some time since I was able to get on with the restoration on the 1556, but yesterday was a good day. I removed the wiring harness for a rewrapped of tape and removed the PTO to rebuild and paint black, I also lifted the engine to paint separtly. I sanded everything with fine sandpaper then rewashed with the power washer, After drying, (did not take long, a little over 35C here yesterday) I sprayed the OSPHO on rusty and bare areas while I prepared my primer. I used a Alkyd clean metal primer with a hot reducer and a small amount of hardener, applying liberally, many pieces getting multiple coats. Next i will sand and power wash again, then use two top coats of Alkyd Industrial enamel with a hot reducer and hardener. Decals will come after tractor is put together. Its a start, still many weeks to go. Attention to detail is very important to get these back to original.

Andrew,
I have a couple of Oxford Allen Scythe's and they worked really well for me clearing overgrown land. I found it handy to have two as one would work really well one day and be temperamental the next. Left in the barn for a couple of days to think about it's behaviour, it then worked well again. I just alternated between the two.
 
I have been thinking about creating a wild flower meadow and was thinking of using the Allen Scythe's for cutting but I have not worked out an easy way to pick up the cuttings once the seeds have dropped. It will be very interesting to hear about how you approach this.
 
I was given one of my Allen Scythe's and picked the other one up cheap at our local auction, they are really good value and great machines to own.
 
Iain

Chris, I expect it is the colour that makes it more attractive to you  Bolens tractors with Wisconsin engines like that one, are very nice. 
 
 
The Bolens is a 1054 and it is in reasonable condition. Hopefully Alan will not forget that it has my name on it once they have finished with it.
 
Iain

Great haul and always good to see a Bolens in the pictures
 
Iain

Took the misses out today for a forage looking for goodies, it turned into an all day thing but at least she saw what got put into van, i think she enjoyed the day so here's a couple of photos

Hi Max, the will be some surgery but not that much.. A change of plan again
 
 
 
 
Thank Iain, working brakes certainly inspires a bit more confidence knowing your going to stop again
 
 
Well chaps, a change of plan again. the steering rack won't be fitted as it just wouldn't look right..
Also Nigel and I were playing with the current set up yesterday, with a few tweaks and some shims the steering lightened up and even started to self center..  So with a better steering box the steering should be quite good
 
No photo's but have a short vid of Mark, Matt the garden center manager and myself giving WN a thrashing up the car park
 

Been making steady but slow progress with 137, mostly de rusting and shot blasting parts with a few restoration jobs.
The final drive gears were absolutely solid with old grease that had gone hard as were the front hubs. I managed to remove it from the final drives by using a hot air gun and some degreaser on a stiff brush it still took about an hour each side. The front hubs were harder as there is a big reservoir are inside which was solid. The biggest mistake Ransomes made was to fit oil nipples that look like grease nipples, there is no part of an MG Tractor that should be greased all the hubs etc use 140 oil, if you use grease a) it blows the seals and it goes solid after time and lubrication stops. To remove the grease from inside the hubs I had to resort to placing each hub on a shallow tray covered in foil and place them in the hot oven of the Aga for an hour. It was like watching a volcano erupt as all the grease melted and belched out through the bearing seats. ( I even got permission!!!)Our Aga oven has a built in extractor fan that vented all the smoke to the garden.
I have cleaned up the barrel  and head off the engine sand blasted them and then fine ground the fins to take out the worst pitting applied a few coats of black engine enamel looking quite tidy now.
In between shot blasting ( letting the compressor have a rest ) I have started to weld up the scars in the side of the body where the worn hubs have allowed the tracks to rub against it. They must have been shot for a long time as in some places the side is worn right through. I ground out the rust and then MIg welded the scars. 

I am pleased you have resolved the issue with the rear brakes. Good luck with the steering column that looks like a very big challenge.
 
Iain

As some may know, we have a Triumph Spitfire 1500. It's sat in the workshop since the end of 2013. SWMBO keeps getting at me to get it back on the road.
  Yesterday, I thought I'd see if it would start. Battery has been kept topped up, but the same petrol was in the tank from the day it was laid up.
  Turned the key and around went the engine. Nothing! Try again and nothing.   Several more attempts, then I remembered the choke.
  Out with the choke knob and instant start. Runs nice and sweet as the day it was put away and all lights etc work.
  So Carol's off to book an m.o.t. and get a servo fitted.
 

I went on a journey to Oxfordshire on Friday to collect my latest purchase .
Had to drive like a bat out of hell to get back sharpish so that , er in doors , didn't see another tractor arrive at the ranch.
The guy that I bought this from also had an awesome collection of Wheelhorse tractors including a suburban 401 , lawn ranger, and many c series tractors along with some awesome implements.
Luckily I sneaked the latest member of the Heard into the barn with minutes to spare

I'm a bit stumped now, i was going to restore it and lower it to carry the Trachorse make like a low loader type 4 wheeler now I'm thinking to leave it as is. The only problem is where I live here on the coast it will deteriorate quick as there's very little paint on it

Hi all,
 
I'm sure many of you saw I have acquired a new lathe from Alan and John. I didn't intend on buying a lathe from them but after seeing it there and some light persuasion from Iain I agreed a price with Alan and John and brought it home. After some fiddling with the wiring I got the motor working. Both gearboxes were quite low with oil so I filled them up and the gearboxes sound much nicer now. I am very happy with it and it has already proved useful as my dad needed a pulley bored out and it did it no problem. John had soaked it in grease to prevent it from rusting which has kept it very well, although it has been a pain cleaning it up! 
 
This picture was of it at Johns:
 

 
Back in it's new home:
 

 

 
 
After a good clean up and I put some carpet in the storage area to tidy it up:
 

 

 

 

 
Tom
 
 

So you should Iain, we had to pull it out to get my G14 out the barn  

I can picture that trailer, all painted up and full of plant pots with a vast array of flowers. I'm sure Pam would agree.

crazy

 

I have just caught up with this post.
 
I seem to spend a lot of time playing musical tractors (including today) and not really thought of it before as musical tractors. It is good to spend some time with each of them but frustrating not having one big storage shed. I am equally sure that if I did have spare space I would just buy some more to fill it.
 
Your Cub's looks great altogether.
 
Iain

Congratulations Alain. What are you plans for your new status?
 
Iain

Alain, I am pleased that you are safe and managed to escape the flooding without any damage to your property. Nature has a habit of bringing on some nasty surprises, usually when we are least expecting it.

Very nice trailer, it looks very well made. I particularly like the metal covering on the top of the sides. I remember seeing that on my last visit.
 
Iain

Been after one of these for a while and was lucky enough to find this on my latest haul.
Its made by W D Stubbs of Nottingham who are still in business making carts and trailers, it measures 5 foot x 2' 6" and has lift out sides, ive spent a bit of time on it today and got the wheels to go round and the turn table to work, it needs 4 tyres and tubes, it has 1" axles so a bit restricted on swapping wheels.
The wheels are 8" and the tyres are marked 14x3 , ive got a few 400x8 but all different tread patterns.
Anyway heres some photos

I have just caught up with this post.
 
I seem to spend a lot of time playing musical tractors (including today) and not really thought of it before as musical tractors. It is good to spend some time with each of them but frustrating not having one big storage shed. I am equally sure that if I did have spare space I would just buy some more to fill it.
 
Your Cub's looks great altogether.
 
Iain