Cub Cadet

Well I’ve sanded the few coats of paint and rust of the transmission now ive got the pulleys off and ordered a set of oil seals from Bearingboys, they are so helpful and should have them Tuesday or Wednesday.
Ive put a few coats of primer on just to  protect it while I’m putting them together.

Another issue is claimed CFM from the manufacturer, don't believe any of the new ones. Try to find a 1960's or 1970s petrol station compressor, They are big and even if you have to build a doghouse for it outside its worth it and probably cheaper. You can get by with 10 CFM with a 80-100 gallon tank

Thought I’d have a look at one of the  transmissions.
First job was to cut off the tow hitch and drill out the 3/4 pin as it was rusted solid.
The brake lining  was missing and the band is gonna need replacing once I got the brake pulley off i found the lining.
The hubs were solid as well, I managed to get one off with a puller but the second one wasn’t gonna move although I soaked it and heated it up it broke !

Looking at the chassis this afternoon and noticed a few differences, The 3/4 rod that holds the pedals is 3 inches short, the idler pulley bracket is at the wrong angle, the small flat plate that rubs on the belt is wrong, the tags that hold the belt cover on are in the wrong place and holes in the wrong place 
I think I’ve sorted now, I’m not putting the bendy bit on the pedal bar as i think its for the drive belt to the deck and I’ve only got one deck.If you look at the photos you can see what I’ve done.

Managed a bit of time in the shed today, first job to find a 3 speed transmission luckily the first one i came across was a good one, all free and everything’s turning as it should even has the hubs on’
The towbar pin is rusted in as usual so that will need a little attention.

Got a bit done this afternoon, what a task to get the axle mounts out of a chassis lots of sawing and grinding.
All done now, at least I’ve got 2 chassis’s the same length with  the same mounts.

Bought this the other day had a crap Tecumseh engine in with carb and governed problems
 
 

So ime stuffing a Briggs in it, but it didn’t fit so had to raise it up 1 inch , cut the air filter in half and make another exhaust
 

Thanks Expeatfarmer (and Alan). Glad to say the Wheels are finished  . Lots of time spent shaping the Hubs to represent castings like the originals.
Glad I made a few riveting tools many years ago. Shown here is one I made especially to suit the Traction Engine Wheels with tight spaces to get into.
Worked a treat on 1/16" dia copper rivets-

 
Even more detail with the Oiler Tubes with screw on caps-

 
Barely a perceptible wobble in these, but will ream the bores again to run perfectly true.
Back to working on the Tank and fittings. An example of pics I use as reference (courtesy of a T/engine Forum user)-

 
Helps me with scale and detail. I'm making the outlet valve and lever exactly the same as an original, so hope works ok.
 
 

Forgot how so very complicated it is to build wheels in this manner. Last lot were 35 years ago!. Happy with progress though.
With the spokes secured in the hubs in the right places, the covers were soldered in place first, then I began meticulously setting each brass letter in place around the Hubs
to replicate the 'Cast In' lettering. I had planned it out way back when I first made the hub parts-

 
I used a dirty steel washer to hold the letters in place and bolting it all up to keep the hub parts lined up while I 'cooked' it to sweat the letters into a thin bed of solder.
After removing the retaining bolt/washer-
   
 
After an initial clean up and bonding check-
 

 
Still more machining to do before finally riveting them up 
 
 
 

Wheels are taking shape. Lot of monotonous work machining 20 spokes 1/8" (3.175mm) wide from 1.2mm sheet, then bending to two different shapes to fit-
  
 
Spokes are fixed to hubs with 10BA c/sunk screws. Still lots of work before these are riveted to the rims and finished-
 

Just to bump this topic to say that this engine has been dismantled for more jobs to be finished prior to painting and running.
I have also decided to make something to accompany it in 1 inch scale.
Over the last 3 months, I've been researching Water Carts as well  as referring to my old Model Engineer magazines from 1980's.
So I've got enough info and images to reproduce an example of a Wallis and Steevens Ltd of Basingstoke Cart of the late 1890s.
Wary of copyright issues, so here is a link to google search results. The black and white image is mainly what I'm working to-
Wallis & Steevens Water Bowser
Want to get these two models done so I can set up for painting at the same time and am making good progress. A few pics of what I've done so far-
Machining the 'T' section wheel rims fron thick walled steel tube 4 1/2" dia x 1/4" thick (114mm x 6.3mm)-

 
Finished 'T' rings with the hubs-
 
 
 
............and the wheel building jig  with the finished axle/hubs  -

 
Side plates with associated parts ready for silver soldering-
 
The side plates silver soldered up and trial fitted along with the lifting pump-

 
 

 
Happy with the progress.
Regards
  

Got a couple of bicycle brake levers from a scrap farm bike.
 

 
  Bit of a mod to were it fitted to the handle bar and connected it up. After drilling a hole through a 6mm set screw to thread the bicycle cable through.
 

 

 
 Hit a snag here. The lever not being straight fouled the handle when pulled right back. So I shortened the lever.
 

 
 Finally I did away with the R clip that held the chain to the location pin. Threaded the hole 6mm and secured the chain.
 

 
    Might throw some paint at it sometime. Also see if I can find a straight steel lever to fit.
 
         Maybe not pretty but it works and it cost me nowt.

One thing the plough/dozer blade is missing, is the handle and linkage to pivot the blade, left, right and centre. So the handle I made has been gathering dust on a shelf.
  Yesterday I fitted it then had a scrat about for parts for the linkage. The results are in the following photos.
 

 

 

 
 That  section works.  Now to find or make a lever to operate the fulcrum, to pull the chain, to operate the locating pin.

I built this out of what I had lying around, in anticipation of snow last winter. I'm still waiting.
 First a frame was made using some 1-5/8 bore pipe and box section.
 

 
 Then the front end put together
 

 
The blade was made at the local smithy. No rollers big enough, so it was curved in stages on a folder.
 
I made my own tach-o-matic for the rear.
 

 
Then this dodgy character nicked it.
 

 
 

.As I couldn’t find the original chassis ( must have used it on something else) I’ve had to use a later type.
Ive 5 chassis’s hanging in the store all the same and are 5 inches longer than the Ranger and the front axle mount is different so a bit of head scratching and a cuppa out came the chop saw.

As its been raining most of the day I had some time in the shed and found some parts.
The red one checks out as 1968 and I’ve had it since 2014 and the blue one is 1969 think i bought that in 2007/8 

Dug this out from the storage shed and thought it would make a little winter project, I’ve got another one somewhere in bits so more rummaging when time permits.
A little challenge to build the pair together for next year’s shows.

Latest improvement to the Orange beast. Auxiliary Hydraulics.
I wanted to make a hydraulic top link and a snow plough so I have made a tapping for the hydraulic line ,Made and mounted a bracket to mount the twin spool valves up out of the way . I am going to improve the pluming to keep it nearer the spool. 
Currently all fitted and not leaking. 

My mate and I picked up a rather sorry looking C-125 today. I forgot to take my camera with me,  so no photo's. I'll take it when I go over to his place to try and sort it out. First job will to get it running. Spins over with ease but getting no spark at the plug.
  It's certainly no show girl. But it's for towing a trailer in the woods of the property that's just been bought. So an out and out worker.
 Paintwork is pretty rough, but tin ware is straight. Plastic type fender is broken at the back and seat is badly worn/torn. Steering wheel wobbles and that may be because the split dowel is not all the way through. One end is sticking out. Battery needs a clamp and one of the rubber hood catches is missing the hook.
 It will get a set of ags on the back, as the woods are quite steep.
  I'll update as things progress.

This is my latest project an RC ride on mower built from scratch

VID_20191013_135114.mp4 Added some more of the electrics last week and ran some more tests

VID_20191015_205255.mp4 VID_20191015_205255.mp4 VID_20191015_205255.mp4

I started on the blades this week check them to see how balanced I had them just need to file some of one of them the other to seem ok 
VID_20191017_202811.mp4

Happy birthday chaps
 
Have a good one !
 

Happy Birthday to you and Jake, Ewan. Have a good day.

Happy Birthday men, I sure at your age you are having a very good time