Rocboni

Going to get you to drive it for me, I know how good you are at it....

Frame back on along with 3 speed and forward/reverse lever. Need to fit up brake pedals with springs ect, fit fuel tank and see if engine runs (been over a year, but is a fully rebuilt engine) after a test drive it will be time for the front auger and rear conveyor frame, I don't think the latter will fit in the shed though....

Frame reconstructive surgery! Putting back what the last owner cut out with a gas torch, why?

So do I, but I want his seat and he wants my skimmer!

That press has been the best thing I've made. Wish I could find a seat, probably going to have to make one as well.

I needed to put a curve on the back of a 3mm sheet 20inches long, after a bit of thought in the press and 10Tones or so, I had a nice curve!

What's left of the old seat runners.....the NOS ones still fits on the rails!

Engine finally on, now to start on the frame.

I'll let you know how it performs in the winter!

In the uk our drinking water is collected in reservoirs, the water is filtered through large sand filter beds, these can be larger than football pitches in size. After a period of time the top layer becomes dirty and is required to be removed, originally this was done by hand, Ransomes developed this machine to skim off this layer and load it into a following dumper. Diff cover fitted and brakes set up, clutch relined and fitted today, I was unhappy with the strength of the engine bay floor, even though it is thicker than original at 5mm, I have added a peice of angle iron to stop it flexing.

An early start this morning seen me trial fit the engine, and decide on packer thickness this allowed me to fully weld in the floor, also cut side and patched that in aswell. Just waiting on a package today so I can rebuild Clutch and fit engine permanently.

It does, although when your skinning you knuckles and burning yourself with the plasma cutter, the pub seems much more appealing!

I should really slow down a bit but once I get started I can't stop! Keeps me busy on my holidays.

New floor pieced in, tacked ready to try engine on. Someone has also cut away the side for the kohler oil drain pipe, I think I'll have to replace the cardboard with steel though.....

New top plate fabricated

Tracks back on, one track snapped as I was freeing them up, hopefully no more will snap when driving as bolts are in unknown condition as the are covered with the rubber pads. Off to get some steel today so I can move forward with engine and brakes.

That's what I'm doing, don't have the energy to completly strip and paint ect.

Oh no, wheres the floor gone!

Second side cleaned and reassembled. I have refitted the belt drive roller and gearbox, weighs an absolute ton, the engine crane was priceless for this job. I do not like to think about how much this machine weighs all together! Not sure why gearbox is yellow, must have stole it from Jonathan's skimmer!

Having wire brushed off the flaking paint and rust and chipping off all the hard sand/grease I could reassemble. All seal and bearings appear to be in good condition which is good as aim is to spend as little as possible. I Spent ages freeing up all the rollers on the drive wheels, all I could do is hit them with a hammer and twist with a set of vice grips the ones which have been nearest the ground are quite bad but will do. I've still got the other wheel to do! At least it is getting to the point where I can touch it without bits falling off!

I skimmed the worn drum and it still looks ok so may re fit it.

Good brake drum skimmed

I have recently been informed by a fellow collector Alastar Holt that this machine is one of a pair originally supplied to the South Essex Waterworks Co. On the 7/3/1966 According to the royalty legend there were about 76 skimmers but I'm not sure if this includes every machine.

All that work to to get to this! Brake drum not as worn as I originally though but will still replace it, this was the side which the brake would always be applied to turn in the pit.

Close up on the final drives, this is the key to the slow speed of the skimmer, underneath the second case is a set of the same gears, usually this is where a normal crawler bolts it wheels but the skimmer has extra gearing.