expeatfarmer 591 #101 Posted November 30, 2015 Plan is to have it finished this month so that I have time to get the sand Skimmer and the ITW mobile for February. 2 nigel and hpearce reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #102 Posted December 1, 2015 Yesterday I sandblasted the kettle because it was black and very dull. Today I set up my nickel plating kit and spent a lovely time sitting in a comfy armchair watching molecules swap over. Chuffed with the results the sand blasted fuel filler bowl from the carb has come out a dull finish ( what I wanted ) and the de compressor lever has come out shiny ( also what I wanted ) I tried to buy a new lever but could not find one identical. My ethos has been if I could recover an original part then I would, this lever was corroded to B -------ery but after an hour with my power file dremel and some 1200 wet and dry it looked half decent. The main carb. is in the tank as I write. Both parts bear scars of history which I could have polished out but then there is more to life than absolute perfection ! 2 S1g and Stormin reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #103 Posted December 1, 2015 If you want a nice finish like you have on the lever, Jonathan, then you must polish first. I used to work on ejection moulds. They were polished up like chrome, before chroming. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #104 Posted December 1, 2015 Not looking for a nice finish on the carb it was sand cast so would never have been shiny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #105 Posted December 2, 2015 The plating instructions advise agitating the mix whilst plating with something like a fish tank aerator, I dont have one but I just happened to have a vibrating fret saw on the bench next to the tanks, I switched it on and it worked a treat just enough to jiggle all the bits in the tanks without shaking it all on to the floor. 3 Stormin, S1g and nigel reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #106 Posted December 3, 2015 Todays tasks have been plating the carburettor parts, throttle lever,rebuilding fuel tap and reassembling carb. The slides of the carb were originall quite worn and a sloppy fit in the body, by plating the body and main slide with Nickel it has now restored the slide function to a neat sliding fit in fact I had to rub the slide down a bit with 1200 grit. Useful tip if you have a worn carb. loose fitting slides give rise to lumpy tick over or poor slow running. I am very pleased with the results of my nickel kit, I have tried to achieve a sensible balance between retaining an element of the patina of age whilst restoring the original finish so nothing is too shiny and some of the dings and scratches remain. 4 nigel, S1g, Stormin and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #107 Posted December 8, 2015 Spurred on by a visit this weekend by Ransomes enthusiast Anthony Brennan and Laura, I have cracked on and at last have the first blue coat on the body well 70% of it. Very pleased with the finish although stupidly I have some runs in the paint which resulted from not having enough light on the job. I am sure they will flat out for the next coat. Also managed to reclaim a couple of petrol caps, I dismantled them and put them in the lathe to polish out all the rust pits finished off with wire wool and then nickel plated for some reason one of them has some bald spots with no plate despite degreasing and etching not sure what I have done wrong so will buff it all off again and try again. 4 Stormin, S1g, nigel and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocboni 257 #108 Posted December 8, 2015 Looks good, is it a Matt finish? Are you going to finish the bottom then paint the inside and sides in one go on the final coat? if not how do you avoid overspray on the painted sides other than a lot of masking. Was going to pop down at the weekend but decided against due to weather. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #109 Posted December 8, 2015 Change of plan it was going to be satin then a flash over with gloss now it is gloss to be flashed with satin. You are welcome anytime.; Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #110 Posted December 13, 2015 Finally managed to put a coat of blue on the whole tub, had a disaster yesterday primed one side and top coated another only to find that both paints came up in little blisters due to moisture on the surface, the primer settled back but the blue dried with a surface like sandpaper which required half a day rubbing back to smooth. Increased thge workshop temperature and upped the speed on the de humidifier also went over both sides with a heat gun before I started any painting today. Bolted on the pto shaft and gearbox plus a few other bits and bobs ad then spent a couple of happy hours cleaning up nuts and bolts to bolt back the other major components. 2 Rocboni and nigel reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocboni 257 #111 Posted December 13, 2015 That PTO looks good! Where can I get one? 😛 1 Cub Cadet reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #112 Posted December 13, 2015 I don't know what the chap in the second photo did wrong to get his head knocked off. Coming on nicely Jonathan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #113 Posted December 13, 2015 There is some bloke in Jedburgh that makes them but they cost a fortune !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocboni 257 #114 Posted December 13, 2015 Think i know him... Says he's skint all the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #115 Posted December 14, 2015 Come over and fit some engines for me and earn some pocket money!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #116 Posted December 14, 2015 Come over and fit some engines for me and earn some pocket money!!! Rhys or me? 1 Rocboni reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocboni 257 #117 Posted December 14, 2015 Come over and fit some engines for me and earn some pocket money!!! If only you were closer and I had the time.... need to get making more PTO's and latch levers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #118 Posted December 14, 2015 Made further progress today , Lift fitted, one final drive, floor board mount and drawbar. all final painted. 2 S1g and nigel reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #119 Posted December 15, 2015 A bit more progress today, fitted the rebuilt brake bands, gearbox cover and steering levers and then struck a problem, when I was dismantling the tractor the one thing that needed extreme force to remove was the gear lever, I had not realised that the threaded part of the lever shaft has been mushroomed by the force of the puller I used to remove the lever off the taper and keyway, try as I might I could not get the nut to fit back on and unfortunately I do not have a 9/16" 20 tpi thread die, I filed at it with a thread file and fortunately I did have some spare nuts so using grinding paste and hacksaw cuts in a spare nut I eventually managed to restore a thread and get the nut back on but that was three hours later! 3 Stormin, nigel and S1g reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #120 Posted December 16, 2015 Second final drive fitted today , just waiting on some 1/4" bsf bolts for the bottom of the casing. Lost the chain for the starting mechanism , sure I put it to soak somewhere but no idea where no doubt it will show up when a new one arrives.Luckily Sturmey Archer used bike chain! Next job will be the second track, then the floorboards and then fit the engine! I am leaving this as long as I can so that the paintwork has max time to harden off. Painted the fuel tank today with last coat, it has taken many hours of preparation to remove the rust and pitting but the results are good so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #121 Posted December 19, 2015 Made a very stupid mistake yesterday, I masked up the pinstripes on one side and painted them in only to realise that the side I had masked up was only final painted the night before as I peeled of the making tape it removed the topcoat down to the grey primer! Managed to redeem the error with the amazing cellulose putty I have which filled the removed paint.l137 is now turned around and the right way up ready to accept the engine! I have protected the vulnerable parts for onward restoration using pipe lagging rescued from the mice in the loft that seem to thrive on it. next step is engine back in. Rebuilt the second track today, I set out all the various parts on the bench and then using a 2x 2 aluminium extrusion I happened to have I set about reasssembly the two by two is invaluaable in that it kicks up the pads enough to make fitting the rubbers and washers without hassle. I used an air wrench to take up the slack in the bolts up to the Nylock. I find that if you tension the tracks to final spec at this stage the tracks are un manageable in terms of wrapping them around sprockets and making a join I leave them loose to the Nylock until after final fitting and then tighten them to spec once fitted and joined up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #122 Posted December 19, 2015 left off the photos 2 nigel and C-101plowerpower reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #123 Posted December 19, 2015 Looks better than when I saw it Thursday. I think it's because it's the right way up. Good idea with the insulation, but what are the mice going to eat now? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hpearce 40 #124 Posted December 19, 2015 Love the roll top Ransome. It's looking very good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #125 Posted December 19, 2015 Engine back in today, bolted gearbox top back on with new studs, fuel tank mounted with leather cushions as per spec. Can't fit drive wheels until I have completed pin-striping, waiting as long as I can to make sure paint is dried through. 4 nigel, Alan, C-101plowerpower and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
