Cub Cadet

While i was having a cuppa and a mince pie i came up with another idea, I borrowed the rear fender kit off my Suburban to  see how it looks.
Now i only have one original fender so do i make 4 8inch wheels, or 2 tool trays and 4 fenders. How hard can that be .

Brakes all  fitted and working so a bit more done.

I’ve got some brake linings from a Morris marina ( i think ) that i will bond to the band.



All bonded up with high power adhesive so will fit them all tomorrow.

Had a look at the brakes today or lack of them now I’ve got some skip metal.

First job to  cut 2 strips, had to use the jig saw then drill to holes and bolt it on.


Then bend  it  round the pulley and weld the piece of angle on.

looking at the rear wheels, I think there Knackered as they’ve rusted through the bolt holes and I don’t have anymore although I have some narrow 12 inch wheels that would fit on the tranny with hubs.
That raises another problem with the rear fender that i found when i offered it all up. Uuummmm.

Looking in skips as i do, I found some sheets of tin I thought would come in handy and they were free. 

Now Bill and Ben have their front axles fitted with spindles and track-rods.
Steering feels nice and positive so I’m pleased with that.

Early update as I’m going out tonight, I managed to get the other 2 track-rods done this afternoon so another tick of the list.

Today I’ve been looking at track-rods, all the ones i have seem to have play in them and as ive got a few ends in stock I thought I’d make some new ones without buying anything.
Started with a length of rod cut into 4 lengths and machined down in the lathe and threads cut.
Done two to see if they work which they do so I’ll make another pair tomorrow.

Small update as it’s a day of rest.
Ive sanded off the steering parts and given them a primer fitted together and fitted them in the chassis’s.
Ive noticed the Lawn Ranger  doesn’t have the bush at the end of the lower rod and its not listed in the parts manual but as i have a few in stock I’ve fitted them. 

Not a lot done today but i did get them both on the lift so that will make it easier.
After the success with the bush Ive made another, the one on the left in the photo is the original plastic / nylon one.

Looking at the hood stand and noticed there’s a bush where the steering column go’s through made from plastic type stuff, i think it must of melted when I heated the wheel up.
Had a look and found a load of bushes and luckily had some with a 3/4” hole in just to fat to fit.
I’m not a machinist but thought I’d have a play, I found a bit of 3/4” bar and drilled a hole to hold the bush and clamped it  in  the lathe.
After a play i got what I wanted, maybe not the right way to do it but very pleased with the end result and only used one bush.
All fits with no play so might even do the other one. 

With the new workshop finally 95% water tight the time had come to start moving stuff.
A big thank you to Nigel for helping me move all the big stuff
 

 
 
The new pad starting to fill up.
 

 
 
As the old place get's more empty..
When one of the most important tools get's packed away, you just know you are done at the place..
 

 
 
Padlock going on...
 

 
 
And clamped up.....
It's been a fun 5 odd years with lot's of good builds and fun times
 

 
 
All of which means my new workshop looks like this!!!
 

 
 
A quick bench has been built, not quite at the "working kettle" stage yet, but getting there..
 

 
 
Some space has been made inside, but I can't really sort out where things are going (I do have some idea) until the rest of the inside is clad.

Ahhh, the bit that I hadn't got around to cutting off yet... Asd it happens it finally got trimmed down yesterday.
 
 
 
Thanks Alan 
When the cladding was still attached to the demo cabin, no one ever saw the log cabin effect as it was tight against the hedge for years.
It's nice to give it some light after years in a hedge..
 
 
Thanks mate, even if it is a corny joke
 
 
 
The gap above the door is no more Norm as you will see shortly.
 
 
Thanks Ewan, it will be a while before any projects start, but I'm looking forward to building something that's not made of wood
 
 
Quite a lot has happened since I last updated this thread..
The smallest wall now reaches the ground apart from a small gap at the base so it doesn't rot with damp grass, a corner trim has been added and of course something to keep the roofing felt in place at the edges.
 

 
 
It's really hard to get a good photo down the side as it's so narrow, you can see most of the "shed bit" door, and the two types of cladding used.
 

 
 
A better view of things from the back garden.. The final bit at the base will be boarded up when the deep mud drys out and goes away.
 

 
 
A view through the door.
 

 
 
The inside has been clad around the window, apart from the bit below the window it looks rather fetching with some more log effect wood.
Below the window won't be seen once a desk and bit's are put in place.
 

 
 
Some more cladding going up.
 

 
 
And of course the all important coat hook
 

Hi.
I sent it on 2019-12-09 09:57:25
Maybe it was spamming?
 
Tomas

Thanks Ewan.
                       I fancied a change last few weeks, as it has been a bit cold.
So I turned my hand to learning to steam bend and shape some hardwood for the shafts, even though I'm making a steel framed drawbar to connect to the T/Engine.
The shafts came out well as a matched pair and have nearly finished all the 'Ironwork' fittings which were a bit fiddlely to shape in a small size-

 

 
I'm a bit slow on the tank work, as I need to plan the stages before I begin to rivet/solder up the sections......then there is Xmas!.

Outstanding work as ever!

Good job Ian, look forward to seeing some wacky projects come out of the shed! 

Hi again Norm, just for you I had a quick measure one boot in front of the other style..
Part of the construction is just for normal "shed use", garden tools, garden chairs etc, but....
The part that will be workshop if it was square (a bungalow is in the way) it would be about 13/14 ft per wall inside measurement.
 
Well, this workshop building lark is taking far longer that I first thought!
I can fairly blame it on the weather as last week and this week has just been a total wash-out!
That and I have just had to have a small op which means I need to rest for a few days..
 
But all being well I hope to be back on it Monday, and maybe (just maybe) have it water tight by the end of the week..
 
We shall see.
 
A few more progress snaps for you all.
 
Working out the roofing panels, here you can see two shed panels and a shed floor roughly in place..
This is all just to work out if I had enough sheets of osb to do the entire roof...
As it happens I don't so I will have to order a couple of 8 x 4 sheets today for delivery Monday.
 

 
 
 
We has window
 

 
 
A couple of snaps from slightly different angles.
 

 

 
 
Another inside shot, but this time with added cladding.
 

 
 
The log cabin effect
Yes the board on the left side does need to be trimmed down a tad.
 

 
 
Although it's hard to tell from the above photo all that's left to do "wall wise" is fit a door in the right hand opening and clad the bit on the left..
Might finish the bit above the double doors as well

Hi Norm, not sure on the size, I will have to have a measure though the odd shape will make it intersting to work out.
I should point out that a small part of this will be a shed for all that garden stuff, so I will be losing a bit of space.....  But it will keep my Wife happy, so worth it
 
 
Thanks mate, I hope to be in long before silly season, but that depends on the weather and how much energy I have!
 
 
 
Hi Alan, yeah you can't beat a wooden shack, without heating they feel much warmer than a brick/concrete garage..
A few more photo's coming. 
 
 
A small update..
The next bit of frame has gone up, the opening with the two planks fixed accross is where the shed (not workshop) door will go.. well, it will once I've cut a couple of inches off the base and fixed the rotten door bottom.
The last remaining open bit of the small end wall has been clad filling in that gap, but I've not taken a pic of that.
 

 
 
Rob roughly putting the next door post in place to have a look..
 

 
 
Speaking of doors... Here are the two workshop doors roughly in place..
One door isn't quite wide enough, and as there isn't a long enough bit of wall to get the doors side by side without loosing a window, round the corner they have to go
 

 
 
It's amazing what you can get find after a quick chat with the local builder who happened to be walking past.. 
On the off chance your reading this Sam, thanks for the window
This window will go in the back wall at the top to let the sun and heat in.. Free light and warmth.. Worth the agro of taking the wall panel out to fit the window..
 

 

Back wall and small end wall up..
Rob is enjoying a much deserved mug of coffee..
If your reading this Rob, thanks for all your help mate
 

 

 
 
As you will of noticed on the inside the workshop looks a mish-mash of panels..
 

 
 
But on the outside it looks a lot more presentable
 

 
 
The next "bit of fun"! is to sort the wall closest to the house out..
4 different angled walls, 1 window, 1 single door and 1 double door will make the next stage rather interesting!
 
Wish us luck

Shed No 3 I actually had already in the garden, but it was showing it's age with a rotten back panel, and load of rot else where..
Still, a lot of usasble panels on it
 
As it tradition, no photo's of it complete, but here's most of it leaning against the bungalow.
 

 
 
Under the shed was this mess, the concrete post did come in handy for resting pallets on though
 

 
 
Pallets????
Yep the base of the new workshop will be pallets with a layer of OSB Board.
 

 
 
Lyla in pallet watch
 

 
 
The weather has been against us with this build, lot's of rain most of the time it felt!
Eventually the cabin frame came down, here it is along with the posh door that needs some rot sorting out.
 

 
 
Best get it all home then.. And before you ask... No I didn't transport this lot on the roof of a car
 

 

 
 
Loads more to follow, but not tonight.. I need to relax with a cider

Hi all, as most of you will know I'm moving on to pastures er.. smaller, which means a new workshop in my garden.
This is really a tale of 2 sheds and a demo-cabin as you will see..
 
As this is a budget build I needed to find/use as much recycled wood as possible, which is where shed No 1 comes in.
 
A big thank you to my Wife's daughter Lisa for letting me have a shed that wasn't going to be used..
No photo's of it before it was taken down, but here's one showing how it arrived at my place
 

 
 
This is where the demo-cabin comes into things.
There used to be a company trading at the end of the nursery (when my current workshop is) that sold posh wooden cabins..
To show their wares they had a demo cabin built that had different cladding on each side ond inside!
Companys come and go, and this one went leaving the demo cabin behind for at least 5 years, maybe longer....
 
HHmm... Look at all that usable wood thinks me...
One chat later and I had bought it for the amazing price of £50
Of course no photo's of the cabin before Rob and I started taking it apart, but here's a couple of the naked frame.
 

 

 
 
The only problem using used materials is they tend to have lot's of nails/screws/big staples holding them together which means a lot of the timber came off looking like this!
 

 
 
All the wood and tools were transported about the site on this trolley thingy.
 

 
 
Having taken the timber off it needed to be stored somewhere.. yep the workshop!
This will give you a clue as to the vast amount of wood came off the cabin and this is only the ouside, inside and roof cladding!
 

 

 

 

 
 
The cabin also coame with this funky double glazed window that opens both ways!
 

 
 
 

Bit more done 

Slow progress today, after a struggle to get the brake pulley off and then hours with a drill and an assortment of wire brushes to remove all the rust and paint.
I finally got it done and gave it a coat of primer outside in the sunshine.