expeatfarmer

I think if you were ploughing for real as opposed to show/competition then you would go much faster and not worry too much about leaving perfect furrows. Throwing the furrow over and breaking it up by ploughing faster would certainly cut down on secondary cultivation.

Fascinating afterwards looking at all the ploughs with high performance modifications and adjusters for just about everything and more, clearly a real science. The MG40 N was working away at half throttle pulling easily, I even tried it in second without any problem but too fast to watch what was happening, might try and find a two furrow plough just to see how it performs.

The gentleman with the tartan Tammy who's name I have forgotten. Using a mounted plough on a Wheel Horse. Did you take any pics of the Countax ploughing?

Tam beat me Norm he was second and I was third twenty points behind him .

Depends on the ground you are ploughing Rhys people were using both today the skim coulter is very good for burying stubble.

Certainly was it's been freezing wind all week until today.

The weather was superb today prompting a turn out of some 65 tractors to compete. 6 machines in the horticultural class I went along for fun with the MG40N and a trailed plough just to keep Stormin happy, I really enjoyed it once I had sorted a seized disc swivel. Thanks to Tam Tweedie for the tuition. His MG6 and TS42 plough looked really tidy. Prize for best turn out must go to Norm though the black horse looked spotless and performed really well shame Norman was poorly. The small tractors attracted a lot of interest and showed that they were well able to keep up with the big boys. I was really pleased that I managed to achieve a last furrow for the finish that was straight, parallel and 12" wide but when I tried to plough it out the plough kicked over sideways and missed a bit in the middle.

Just need to find some forks.

Anytime. I will dig my plough out tomorrow and give it a good service.

Bournville is in the south or at least it was when I left 48 years ago !

£1500 including the shipping. Then cost me another £300 in storage fees at the dock because they messed around trying to get an invoice for something I bought off E Bay. I think it was a con as they originally wanted £600 and I told them to p off. The loader is brand new old stock. I think it was held in a warehouse because the two operating levers had broken off.

Fitted dual wheels to the back to increase stability and a bit more weight. Just tested it with a bucketful of soil and it lifts well without tipping with me on the seat not sure what it would do if I got off though. I am waiting for a weight bar to come from Florida along with a bit that is missing from the front dual wheels. I have a 1cwt weight which I will hang off the back meantime.

Finally got back to the loader, the delay turned out to be a good thing because after a lot of thunking I decide that all I needed to do to make it fit properly was to drill two new holes in the 3/8" plate that the rear mount rod goes through, 30mm holes so it took me a while last night but got there in the end. Fitted it up today and off we go all works a treat. Needs substantial ballast weight on the rear if I stand in the bucket the back wheels leave the ground ( yes I know I need to diet ).

Ok make sure it is nice and warm please.

Still not sure exactly where it is Norm, is it signposted off the Durdar Brisco road? Which tractor shall I bring?

Looks like a handy machine. Yet another case of Ransomes either being too soon with technology and failing to follow through or lacking in sales drive to make the machinery profitable. I spoke to the lad that had the skimmer in Farnborough last night, he told me that he cut it up in 1995/6 as it had no engine and due to the very low clearance under the front he was unable to move it anywhere for shows etc. He did say that he had seen others in the past mostly fitted with Ford 1600 cross flow engines !

How does £60 plus carriage sound? I will dig it out and post some pics. Did you not say that there were two more where that came from, would it be worth getting another with hopefully better engine and breaking it for spares or are the others in a worse state?

I have a spare spare barrel and head in better condition. That one looks like hard work and expense, you could braze a piece in to the exhaust to try and stop it blowing.

By chance I came across these people who still make a modern version of the Ransomes sand skimming tractor. have a look at www.morrishengineering.co.uk, based in Tiverton.

I use a long thin grindstone on a Dremel and flappy sanding wheels.

Norman I am struggling for a trailer on Sunday as Chris is off to a 4x4 trial.

Not heard of one in that area before do you think it will come up for grabs, we are struggling for some bits to finish mine. Is it complete? I bought one of my dumpers ( ex Headingley ) off a guy called Andrew who worked out of an ex tram shed in Wells lane leeds LS 20.

Saturday would be good unless you fancy ploughing on Sunday and then load up the blade after ?

Has anyone built a triple D version of a wheel horse ?

I might do Rhys is coming over but not sure which day.