Ian

I picked this bandsaw up yesterday for a rather cheap price, it works but needs a new blade..
You may also notice the legs are somewhat bent, twisted kicked about a bit..
 

 

 
 
Sooooo... Out came the grinder, "off with her legs"..
 

 
 
Not wanting to have a bench top bandsaw I thought I should give it some legs back made from only the finest scrap steel I could find
 

 
 

 
 
Back on the ground with the cutty bit bolted back on and a couple of wheels from a WH cutting deck to make moving it around easier..
 

 

 
 
Once I've rewired it and a new blade is fitted I can make a start building something with this lot... 64ft of pipe that came my way for free
 

 

Lifes too short be be constantly moaned at with regard to such mundane subjects as " But what good is it " or " Why do want another one " .
So i have taken steps to reduce the moans from the wife and purchased her her first authentic vintage hand tool .
My hopes were high but not for long .
The sudden realisation of the fact that i had given her the perfect ( and easily thrown ) means of anger management dawned .
"Let sleeping dogs lie" sprang to mind , even iff they snore whilst doing so .....
But it looks nice after a dip in the electrolosis tank , followed by a quick buff up then a coating of Liberon Iron Paste ( Grapite paste ) to bring it back to life .
 

Hi Guy's, not much of an update as I've been away on holiday recharging the battery's and getting away from Nigel's singing 
 
An expansion/overflow tank was needed, the trouble was there was not the space to fit a battery and the original CX expansion tank.. So I made my own
Yep, it's one of those paraffin engine cleaning things with the handle cut off that that you plug into an airline.. I have had it for 12 odd years and never used it, so I found a use for it
Water in at the top, breather/overflow pipe on the right and with a bit of clear pipe put between the two things at the front I will be able to see the water level..
 

 
 
A battery box/tray was needed so I quickly knocked this one up..
 

 
 
The next morning I looked at it and thought it was just too small... Battery tray 2.0 is much better but it will have to wait until MT is back on the bench and I don't have to get on my knees to fit it in the gap between the swing arm and carbs.
 

 

 
 
The time has come that I have been dreading... Sorting out this mess of a wiring loom and finding space to mount the coils, regulator etc.. Wish me luck!
 

 

 

 
 
 

The new bit of the rear frame has been sorted, I think your agree that "kick up" gives MadTrax an aggressive mean sort of look
 

 

 
 
Of course as soon as the frame had enough strength put back in to take the weight of a person.. I just had to have a seat
 

 

 

 
 
You know the saying of "A bad workman always blames he's tools".. Well in this case I can rightly blame my small Mig welder..

With the aid of a new welding mask and Nigel's 30+ year old heavy duty Mig I produced the best welds I have ever done This is the start of the lower rear engine mounts..
 

 

 
 
A couple of rear upper engine mounts..
 

 

 
 
MadTrax can now hold it's own weight up including engine
 

 

Hi Guy's, not much of an update as I've been away on holiday recharging the battery's and getting away from Nigel's singing 
 
An expansion/overflow tank was needed, the trouble was there was not the space to fit a battery and the original CX expansion tank.. So I made my own
Yep, it's one of those paraffin engine cleaning things with the handle cut off that that you plug into an airline.. I have had it for 12 odd years and never used it, so I found a use for it
Water in at the top, breather/overflow pipe on the right and with a bit of clear pipe put between the two things at the front I will be able to see the water level..
 

 
 
A battery box/tray was needed so I quickly knocked this one up..
 

 
 
The next morning I looked at it and thought it was just too small... Battery tray 2.0 is much better but it will have to wait until MT is back on the bench and I don't have to get on my knees to fit it in the gap between the swing arm and carbs.
 

 

 
 
The time has come that I have been dreading... Sorting out this mess of a wiring loom and finding space to mount the coils, regulator etc.. Wish me luck!
 

 

 

 
 
 

Hi Guy's, not much of an update as I've been away on holiday recharging the battery's and getting away from Nigel's singing 
 
An expansion/overflow tank was needed, the trouble was there was not the space to fit a battery and the original CX expansion tank.. So I made my own
Yep, it's one of those paraffin engine cleaning things with the handle cut off that that you plug into an airline.. I have had it for 12 odd years and never used it, so I found a use for it
Water in at the top, breather/overflow pipe on the right and with a bit of clear pipe put between the two things at the front I will be able to see the water level..
 

 
 
A battery box/tray was needed so I quickly knocked this one up..
 

 
 
The next morning I looked at it and thought it was just too small... Battery tray 2.0 is much better but it will have to wait until MT is back on the bench and I don't have to get on my knees to fit it in the gap between the swing arm and carbs.
 

 

 
 
The time has come that I have been dreading... Sorting out this mess of a wiring loom and finding space to mount the coils, regulator etc.. Wish me luck!
 

 

 

 
 
 

Hi Guy's, not much of an update as I've been away on holiday recharging the battery's and getting away from Nigel's singing 
 
An expansion/overflow tank was needed, the trouble was there was not the space to fit a battery and the original CX expansion tank.. So I made my own
Yep, it's one of those paraffin engine cleaning things with the handle cut off that that you plug into an airline.. I have had it for 12 odd years and never used it, so I found a use for it
Water in at the top, breather/overflow pipe on the right and with a bit of clear pipe put between the two things at the front I will be able to see the water level..
 

 
 
A battery box/tray was needed so I quickly knocked this one up..
 

 
 
The next morning I looked at it and thought it was just too small... Battery tray 2.0 is much better but it will have to wait until MT is back on the bench and I don't have to get on my knees to fit it in the gap between the swing arm and carbs.
 

 

 
 
The time has come that I have been dreading... Sorting out this mess of a wiring loom and finding space to mount the coils, regulator etc.. Wish me luck!
 

 

 

 
 
 

Not a great deal of progress, but I blame that on the heat as it's rather warm at the mo
 
A couple of extra tubes have gone in the frame just in front of the fuel tank. They partly add some extra strength to the back bone, but also divert the eyes from the engine mount under the tank.
 

 
 
We have been thinking about what to do about the exhaust and the lack of space to fit one in!
There is no space to run any pipes on the N/S without legs getting burnt, there isn't that much more space on the O/S but there is space to make some.. er... space
 
Anyway, to make the new system I needed to get some more pipe.. As the steel place is just over the road the GT came in handy
 

 
 
Where's the best place to start an exhaust system?  I trimmed down WN's 1st system till they were just stubbys sticking out the front of the engine (see the first photo) and then went straight to the back for a bit of exhaust box work.. 
 
To make them fit under the seat they needed a little trimming in length, so 2 1/2 inches came out.
 

 
 
Both cans welded up and welded together. They will go a tad more forward so just the pipes are sticking out the back..
 

 
 
I looked out the workshop door yesterday to see a gent looking at WN.. It tends to happen a lot so I didn't think anything of it..
But when the said Gent said, "It looks much better in real life" with a strong Irish accent the brain thought I'd better think something of this...
 
The said Gent was Noel who as you know is on holiday in the UK....
It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday Noel, sorry WN was not running for you to have a drive (pre book next time ).
And thank you for the humbling words yesterday, when I told my Wife we both got a bit choked up..
 
The hooligan on the left you know.. If you hadn't guessed (or are just not awake yet) the kindly Gent on the right is Noel..
 

It's a real shame to see it has gone, I've always liked the look and shape of the building..
 
 
Nigel and I had been chatting about it, I think if we had a place to put it and a way of moving it we would of done.

It's a real shame to see it has gone, I've always liked the look and shape of the building..
 
 
Nigel and I had been chatting about it, I think if we had a place to put it and a way of moving it we would of done.

That's fantastic work, up/recycling at it's finest..... It would be great to see a video of it in action 

CAN YOU TELL WHAT IT IS YET!!
Who can recognise the parts ??
After  I changed the engine on my Gutbrod 1032 I had a very heavy mower deck. I also had a small Murrey ride on with no deck.
I have several areas of grass which are right upto very large hedges so it has alot of suckers growing underneath. I made this trailed mower to get under the hedge and cope with the brush without getting scratched when mowing. it can be towed directly behind a machine or  to either side. 
It is the hole Gutbrod deck and the rear chassis mounting the engine from the Murry. Hight adjustable via old jocky wheel and solid rear tyres. It proves to be that successful I had to put flaps at the rear as it was throwing sticks 20ft out the back. 

Another exhausting update, but only a small one..
 
Working out how to get the down pipes into the big pipe without having any pipes in front of the radiator and making sure the down pipes are the same length has been fun!
 
It's still work in progress but it's heading in the right direction
 

 

 

 
 
The down pipes almost look like part of the chassis/frame from the front, but it may just be a slightly blurred photo that's creating the illusion
 

A few photo's of Nigel driving the Tonka Tojan, yes it really is that small
 

 

 

 

I'd like to see your wife's face when you say, "here's your new hoover darling"

My wife would have her steak as it is.. Still mooing!!         I like mine cooked!

Afternoon all, for one reason and another progress as been a bit slow again but as long as something is happening then the build is going in the right direction..
 
The frame now has a removable member to aid getting the engine out when needs be.
 

 
 
A close up of the joins that only need a little tidying up.
 

 

 
 
The plan was to get MadTrax off the bench so I could have a seat to feel how she felt at ground level, the pull the engine out so the frame could be fully welded in the places the engine wouldn't let me reach...
 
Well that was the plan..
 
Off the bench she came..
 

 

 
 
As you can see from the above photo's there is something missing from the front end to balance it out looks wise.
Nigel and I had been wondering what could be done to even it out until I dug out the big army type spot lamp, gave it a very quick coat of black and hung it off the front with a bit of welding wire...
 
Yep, just the ticket and about the right size compared to the fuel tank  
 

 

 

 
 
This bracket used to hold the front bodywork/bull bar but not only was it not needed it also looked ugly!
 

 
 
So it was cut out and replaced by some more steel tube.. That looks better
 

 
 
The front two tubes were left open from the factory which didn't look right, so I extended them down into a point.. Much better.. The welds will be ground down when MadTrax  goes back up on the bench.
 

 
 
The big lamp was mounted using a bracket at the top which bolts onto the head stock.
 

 
 
And a smaller one at the bottom which will look better with a little trimming to shape.
 

 
 
And that chaps brings this build thread up to date again other than I like the look from this angle sooo much I'm going to put the pic up again
 

For an event that's only four years old, that's fantastic Kev. Well done to all you organisers.

hi all , i have just received confirmation that the event had 10,000 visitors over the weekend

Earlier this week I got round to painting the wheel weights I bought off Charlie earlier this year, I have decided to put these wheel weights on because they are cub cadet ones, the ones that came with my tractor will be painted white so some one else in the family can use them on their tractor. 
 

Here are some photos from recent shows with the finished transport box.