HeadExam

These Bolens tube frames are a fairly easy restoration. The simplicity of design lends well to the novice or the experienced Bolens owner. Before restoration pictures of every angle and conceivable part must be taken and more as dis-assembly progresses. By numbering the pictures in sequence you can reassemble by going backwards. If you strip and sand the paint off, great care will be required to remove sanding scratches. Lots of fine paper or extra coats of sanding primer will do this, but realize that when the paint is applied you attention to detail will show. I don't go real crazy about it, because my tractors are intended for use, and I will not spend 90 percent of the restoration on 10 percent of the work. The hood and fender pan is about the only critical area, frame and other parts are usually made of a material that is not nearly as smooth anyway.

The color in my last picture is a true representation, but the other pictures in the late afternoon light made the color very beige, almost ivory. That is why you cannot use pictures for color samples as there are to many variances in the camera, light, and age of the picture. I'm happy with the picture with the wheels on as that really looks like the Bolens off white of the day, more than that I know its the right color because I had it matched from inside the frame rail cover.

Well the price seems high, BUT it depends on what it includes, many 85-100 dollar kits don't include the red strip, or the decal for starting on the dash tower, or the lift gauge decal. I'm not sure if Sam makes his decals or gets them from Click it-and-Stick it. I got my last set from Maple Hunter and was very pleased, but they do not have the small FMC logo on the bottom left side of the dash decal like the original decal and I think and Sams and Click it do. The logo is less than 2 centimeters across, so not a real big deal. If you buy a 85 dollar kit from another outfit then add the decals they don't include or you have to buy elsewhere, you go past 200 pretty quick.

Yes Sam's does have the decal kit, and I understand it is very complete and of good quality, however it is almost 200.00 US with shipping

Thanks to all. I have the engine decals, now I have to order the tractor decals, I'm really hoping to find a complete kit, also need both sets of belts and rebuilt kit for the PTO, everything that needs fixed, repaired or replaced is going to be attended too.

Thanks Andrew, it seems a mess to me, hopefully one day I will get it where I want it. I ended up putting three coats on the 1556, evening light makes it look more beige than it really is.

First and second coats are done, I'm putting on more for good measure

Please post pictures for all to enjoy!

These parts are fairly hilly, water runs off quickly, but has to go somewhere, when that somewhere gets full is when big problems start. We can have 6 inches of rain and 4 days later the ground can be parched dry a foot down

looks like mid to late 60s International Harvester commercial rig, like 2424 with a backhoe/loader TLB

Have the crank built up and turned?

Some of the older Bolens Vers-a-Matics had a 22 or 25 inch front sickle bar that could walk through grass pretty fast, Simplidcit made a model and as you said Oxford-Allen, and Allen Simmons might also be a good choice. Something that has a greater availability of spares,

Massey tractor looks to be from the late 70's or early 80s as well

More pictures of the dig site and a few points and scrapers I found, we find lots of points and tools every day. A group of kids from St. Ignatius Catholic School in Cleveland Ohio came out for a couple weeks as part of a exploration class

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/

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.

As I said, I think our advanced communications and access to the internet by the whole world has caused the real problem. Nigel mentioned trolls, they are the narcissistic and bigoted people that in times past only effected a small group of people that they were in direct contact with, however now the world is their stage and they inhabit every forum and have their own websites that spew hate which attract other like minded imbalanced people, like bugs to the porch light. The result is that open civil conversation has been denied to all for the transgressions of a few, albeit a few too many.

I sincerely apologize if any statements I made on the forum offended anyone, I never want to do that. Thanks to the Mods for editing my post, that is why I include the statement "please edit my post". After reading other post I made where I use the reference to a God I thought it best to edit those words out of any post as well so as not to offend any others. Since I do not own guns any longer for personal reasons I thought it best to remove the video concerning the shooting pastor as this might be the cause of others to commit mass murder or think about those that do, something I would not want either, I will be more careful in the future so others might not be offended or influenced adversely by my opinions. Life's a minefield anymore, its not the fault of the people, but of communications so advanced that every time we post we communicate with the world, not just friends or family.

Oh my gosh, That's horrible, around here they get the signs on the right side of the streets, but they don't always spell them correctly

Use OSPHO, It neutralizes rust and leaves a clear flat coat, similar to a thin varnish. I clean my stuff with oven cleaner then spritz it down with OSPHO, lightly burnish or wire brush or sand the next day and another light squirt with the OSPHO spritzer. I just use an old Windex bottle to spritz. Be sure to have gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection, it is caustic

That is a beautiful machine Neil, your better half will appreciate it when she sees it, I'm sure. BTW, take care in driving from now one, it appears you are in the wrong lane from the photo

I also saw the 1929 Allis in deep snow not long ago. That may be where he got the idea.That is an awesome machine

They have in the yard, the rivers, lakes, and pods are still being filled from run off

crazy

Very nice stable Paul, very nice. They appreciate the nice shed