Ian

Having seen some of those type of machine at work at Tractorfest I have a new found appreciation for them.. And for the owner/operators, they look like very hard work to use.. Thanks for the photo's George

And Biddenden I hope

A very nice machine Iain, I'd love a "D" in my herd at some point.

"Within 30 mins" Where do you find the energy Mark? I'd be shattered after your long drive back home!

This should make you smile Ben

Add "big rear end jokes" to taste Thanks James, I'm eager to see how I'm going to narrow the axles too It will be a 1st for me.. What are you trying to say about my welding Norm?? Point not only taken but also thought about before hand In my defense a large part of my welds breaking on the 6x6 is down to the welder I have been using.. My arc welder just can't produce enough heat for the weld to really take hold! If all goes well I hope to have the welding problems sorted today once and for all... If I can't make my welds safe them maybe I shouldn't be building something like this project that has rather a high chance of serious injury or worse should anything break at speed! That's an interesting solution but it could cause problems should the axle bearing ever need changing. If today goes like it should do then I will be doing all the welding myself James Thanks mate, yep a picture would be great

Hi Kev, this years show may of been quite a challenge for you, but you certainly rose to the challenge It was a fantastic weekend, roll on next years show A bigger working area sounds great (don't forget to fill Noddy's tank up Nigel ), if all goes well I hope to have another go at ploughing without breaking anything

Well, I didn't need a spare chain for the show but as some of you will know I did manage to break a weld again... Not the same one as normal but a 3 inch long circular weld that held the sprocket onto the steel bush!! Boy is this machine pushing out some power!! So once again Karl the master welder did his "melting metal in a strong and controlled way" trick yesterday and 6 wheel drive was restored Only one thing left to do.. Test the 6x6 out by pulling it's heaviest load to date.. Yep the big trailer I will get video footage when the trailer goes back out at the end of the week, the Kohler twin sounded sooo good under load roaring away

Your right there, Ben looked so happy to be able to drive the Merlin about

What a great machine.. I like the way that nothing is hidden under any bodywork, you get to see the "raw" machine and how it works.. Thanks for posting Rolloman, I'm looking forward to seeing the show pic's

If at first you don't succeed in starting your Merlin.. Try Try again.. Until finally A few displays. Veg anyone? A fine selection.. Back in the working area the race was on!! Until a flying cup gave Steve the advantage.. And he crossed the end of the ploughing line first And then did a victory lap row More to come later.

Back in the arena on Sunday, and here's Ethan and machine not being towed Only kidding mate, I know the machines fought you a bit over the weekend.. Why does this one remind me of the alien out of er... Aliens? The Weeks without the water leak..... I think it was scared of fingers The sound of this engine was just fantastic.. You could feel the rumbles through the ground. Lot's of chattering going on in the arena.. The Wheel Horse spinning display team entertain the crowds while trying not to hit each other It's the Wacky Racers

Evening all, what a busy, hectic and fantastic weekend Tractorfest has been.. It has left me feeling shattered but I can't wait for next years show Anyway, my brain has been awake enough today to grab a few stills from my video footage for you all, I might of got a little carried away So let's start with Kev and his finger chasing a water leak on the Weeks.. One of those "Gulp" moments as I do my first ever talk over a PA system to the crowds! While the Showman ran off and hid from the microphone Steve made a valiant start on turning the soil in the working area with the Jobber.. But due to the show only being on for 2 days the reinforcements were called in Nigel and Noddy ploughing. This was Nigel's first time ploughing, by the end of the weekend he had it down to a fine art. Chris on his Trachorse doing a bit of leveling.. But even though he tried he didn't manage to bury the cameraman A Colbey doing it's soil turning stuff. I can't remember this chaps name (sorry of your reading this ), but he is a top chap, always willing to help and give advice about ploughing etc And this photo just because I like it.. Stay tuned as there is loads more to come.... I did say I got a little carried away grabbing screen shots

A fantastic display as always Chris

And one of the Jobbers was seen in action

I will 2nd that.. Thanks Kev and Ethan for making it a great weekend, you both made us all feel at home Your going to have to wait a while for the video though Ben, rather a lot of footage to go through

What a fantastic weekend that was.. And rather fun as well I didn't take may photos at the show but I do have a lot of video footage to go through when my brains awake enough..

It does indeed Yeah the double door will come in handy for sure Not sure about the drag chute Richard, but a set of wheelie bars would be sensible Interesting thinking Doug, but the axle would still be way too wide.. Which is why yesterday I cracked the Reliant axle open to see what was involved in the narrowing process The diff is in good condition but the bearings have seen better days and will need replacing. The actual axles are quite meaty bit's of kit's, 27mm diameter.. For some reason I was expecting them to be a little smaller (Well it is Reliant after all), so I was happy to see the actual size of the axles I don't really need to take the rear hubs off, but while the axle is apart I should really fit new hubs bearings so off the hubs must come.. Even with the brake shoes etc removed it's still going to interesting getting the axle and hub under my 10 ton press.

I was thinking that taking some spare chain was a little OTT.. Not so sure now I think I'm going to have to book Karl in for some welding lessons

Yep, I'm welding on full tilt.. 6013 cheap welding rods. The bushes are steel one's Mark. I turned them up on the lathe as I didn't like the chances of welds holding on to the cast bushes! I should of just tried it, It may of worked better I will also add that my welding isn't at it's est when I'm having to lay on the ground to do it.. If I could put the axle and sprocket on the bench to weld it up all would be fine..

Thanks Mark, chatting with Nigel about the problem we thin it's all down to my arc welded not being able to produce enough heat to really get a hold on the axle! At some point very soon I'm going to take my Mig welder to Nigel's and try it out with gas and proper welding wire.. If it does what we hope it will then the time to ditch the arc welder will come

We do like it George If it were mine I'd not restore it, I think it looks great as it is

Just a thought on the key way Mark, do you remember when I found the knackered key way on the GT's hydro pump and I started making a "key" that would fit out of brass stuff so I could stick it in the key way and weld around it? Would that work on your axle?

That's quite a transformation Charlie... You have done a fantastic job

Er... Too late Ben, it broke twice today!! Backing it out the shack to load it onto the trailer and a sprocket sheered off an axle again!! So, I welded it up again, drove it up to the yard at the top and drove it onto the trailer with no problems.. 20 min's driving later and Nigel and I arrived at the show site... I unloaded the 6x6 and guess what.. Yes my welds sheered again :banghead: So back on the trailer the 6x6 went and off to Nigel's workshop we trundled where Nigel's son Carl who knows how to weld and has the bit's of paper to prove it welded to sprocket back on again.. And a rather good job Carl made of it too Back at the show site once again and the 6x6 was unloaded and given a test thrashing by Nigel...... Nothing broke