Next...

[machinist@large]

While I have to agree on the off topic aspect Fowler, it does tie in as we try to sort out how Tonys' mower came to be in the world....

Quick as I can, here's some answers as I think they might be (did I fail to mention that my initials are P.A.H., not G.O.D.? If I'm wrong, I apologize in advance....).

A stripped F250; I haven't gone looking at anything new in the last couple of years, but the adds for commercial sales seem to indicate that you could find one starting in the upper $20,000 to mid $30,000's; most likely just gas engines, 2wd or 4wd, the major price differential being the trim level for the cab. The basic trim pack should be pretty nice, the only question I have is about AC. GM made it standard across the entire NA lineup back in the early 2000's; at that time it was still an option for Ford. That was also the last time I looked for a new vehicle.

Combines; I know that CNH is an integrated company, but here in the midwest, it seems to be just single rotor Axial Flows in red fighting it out with the green menace; judging by the new and used advertizing in the farm trade papers (I'm still on a few mailing lists) after the red and green teams, it seems to mostly come down to new and used galvanized Gleaners as the scrappy second string. Only older (pre CNH) New Holland machines with a smattering of Claas machines. Switch to forage harvesters, though, and Claas is the one to beat.

As for me, the newest combine I personally own is a 1969 Gleaner K Corn & Soybean special, next is the remains of the 1965 model F that we've almost totally stripped of all common parts, and lastly the Deere model 30 pull type that I inherited with my Farmall 350....

As for lawn equipment, I've got a generic 22" push mower with a Tecumseh on it, a 48" Exmark commercial walk behind with a 14 HP Kohler, and a worn out 60" JD brush hog.. Oh, and an Echo commercial grade weed wacker...

Now that I know about the commercial equipment MFR's, I won't even waste my time on the likes of JD, CC, Husquavarna, et al; they are catering to the homeowner market, and want to sell me a whole lot of stuff I do not need, with a price tag to match.

 

[OzFab]

Ah, FIAT, one of the bigger auto giants, a bit like VW, the own a bit of everything including (but not limited to) Ferrari &, one of their lastest aquisitions, Chrysler...

 

[fowler]

Yea dad got a pic of a board in the new holland

The company's numbered in the hundreds
And 30 or so were house hold names

 

[zbuck]

Mighty fine work there fabroman. Hows the ankle doing?

 

[OzFab]

It's still a bit weak, I wear a neoprene brace almost permanently but, it's bearable; thanks for asking

 

[Oxymoron]

More proof that I need a lathe.

Looks good man. You're a fixaholic.

 

[OzFab]

More proof that I need a lathe.

I scored mine for $600 used, about half retail. I've since spent more thanhalf that much again on tooling...

Next on my list is a mill...

You're a fixaholic.

Indeed I am

 

[rocketkart]

i have a old lathe and a newer mill at my shop. i had got mine both for $500 at a yard sale. also at the sale i had got a what still look new was a 24 drawer mac tool chest 41'' that was marked at $300 and saw it was a elderly woman that was saleing her husbands stuff and he had passed away. anyway i offerd her $1000 for the tool chest and another $3000 for all the tools and she gave me a look like i was crazy but i told her what she really had. turns out her husband was a diesel truck mechanic and had all older but good name brand tools snap on blue point mack S&K and craftsman. she had me walking all over the place asking me how much is this worth and how much is that worth.

 

[ak99]

Looks like the mower is coming together nicely!

Looking forward to seeing the end result

Projects like this are easier when you have the right equipment on hand, eg: lathe, sand blasting cabinet.

I envy you guys (in a nice way) having this equipment at home, unfortunately I don't have the space at present and the other challenge for me is a lack of spare time!

Fortunately I have a good friend who lives close by and works in a fabrication shop - very handy but not quite the same as doing it yourself..

 

[zbuck]

It's still a bit weak, I wear a neoprene brace almost permanently but, it's bearable; thanks for asking

You are Welcome. An injury like that takes time. Hang in there.

 

[OzFab]

Looks like the mower is coming together nicely!

Looking forward to seeing the end result

Me too Almost there...

I envy you guys (in a nice way) having this equipment at home, unfortunately I don't have the space at present and the other challenge for me is a lack of spare time!

If I lived anywhere else, I doubt I'd have the required space...

Fortunately I have a good friend who lives close by and works in a fabrication shop - very handy but not quite the same as doing it yourself..

True, it's not exactly DIY if someone else is doing it for you...

I had that problem before I bought my welder & lathe; I had the knowledge & experience to do the job but, not the tools/equipment, it's so frustrating...

Anyhoo, the temp here today hit 40°C &, of course, stupid me was out working not just in the in the heat but in the sun However, due to the heat & working outside, my brain was a bit fried so, I neglected to take many pics but, I will get some first thing tomorrow (which is actually today... it's currently 1am & it's still 28°C)

First thing I had to do is put the side (or, in this case, bottom) cover back on; I took it off to see if I could mod the governor dome which turned out to be a waste of time...

Once that was done, I bolted the engine in, machined down one of the bolts to make it clear the clutch arm, welded the spacer to the pulley assembly & fitted it to the engine, fitting the belts as I went.

After that, I had to get out of the sun so, I started repairing the engine cover/seat; a bit of bending, beating & welding & it's done; a quick squirt of primer, followed by some generic red paint & you'd barely notice it.

Some time ago, I bought a bulk lot of wheels similar to those on the front of my daughters kart, you know, the little $5 4" dolly wheels you get from HF that we tell everyone not to use; they just happen to be the same size as the solid wheels (& I mean solid, they've gone hard with age) on the front. The best part is they only use locking collars to hold them on so, switching wheels took a whole 5 minutes...

Pics coming ASAP but, in the meantime, here's a few screenshot I took today...

 

[OzFab]

Once everything was back together, the engine was difficult to start & I couldn't figure out why; it had fuel, spark & compression but, just wouldn't kick.

After leaving it overnight, I tried again this morning, still to no avail. I started to pull it down to clean the carb & when I removed the air filter I found it soaked in fuel & oil; maybe it wasn't a good idea to have the engine sitting upside down for a week.

With the filter off, I checked to see that the primer was working & decided to give it another go; it started but, it was revving its nut off... A quick governor adjustment got it to a usable level but, it's still too high; I did manage to drive it around the back yard though

So, still to do:
-set governor/throttle correctly
-attach throttle cable
-reattach cutting deck
-source new bolts & reattach engine cover/seat
-general check to make sure everything is tight &/or secure

As promised, here's some pics

 

[Oxymoron]

Pesky air.

Coming along there. Before you know it, you'll be cruisin' your finely manicured lawn with a root beer by your side.

 

[OzFab]

Pesky air.

Coming along there. Before you know it, you'll be cruisin' your finely manicured lawn with a root beer by your side.

Is it too much to hope that my lawn will be done before christmas?

 

[machinist@large]

Pesky air.

Coming along there. Before you know it, you'll be cruisin' your finely manicured lawn with a root beer by your side.

Filter on, no fire. Filter off......

Is it too much to hope that my lawn will be done before christmas?

Does anyone in your neighborhood have a herd of goats to rent? Just an idea......

Pat

 

[Oxymoron]

Yeah, just saying that air was the one thing missing from that fuel/compression/spark formula.

Not just fuel... oxygen mixed with fuel.

I know you know that... just explaining my "joke" about pesky air.

Pesky = troublesome, vexatious

Meaning... it became troublesome, by its elusiveness in this particular application.

Too many words.

You know what I mean.

Is it too much to hope that my lawn will be done before christmas?

I wish there was enough grass to even be mowed around here right now! Not that I'd mow it (HOA takes care of it), but it'd mean it were warm.

I love warm.

'Tis currently the opposite of warm. Though, this weekend is looking up.... apart from the rain.

Kids are begging to ride a kart. I NEED warm

EDIT: How many freaking times did I edit this post? Wow... too many posts before beering to the forum, I guess.

 

[OzFab]

Filter on, no fire. Filter off......

Yeah, just saying that air was the one thing missing from that fuel/compression/spark formula.

Not just fuel... oxygen mixed with fuel.

I know you know that... just explaining my "joke" about pesky air.

Pesky = troublesome, vexatious

Meaning... it became troublesome, by its elusiveness in this particular application.

Too many words.

You know what I mean.

Ah, ok, I get it

Does anyone in your neighborhood have a herd of goats to rent? Just an idea......

Pat

Sadly, no... well... not that I know of

I wish there was enough grass to even be mowed around here right now! Not that I'd mow it (HOA takes care of it), but it'd mean it were warm.

Yeah, it's like that here in winter; last winter I didn't cut the grass for three months...

I love warm.

'Tis currently the opposite of warm. Though, this weekend is looking up.... apart from the rain.

Kids are begging to ride a kart. I NEED warm

You can have some of ours, we have an excess ATM...

 

[OzFab]

Major update!!!

All I have to say is watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9wg5XpE4Mc&feature=youtu.be

 

[Oxymoron]

It lives!

****, you knocked that job out pretty fast. Good work, man.

 

[OzFab]

There wasn't really much of a choice, I had to get the grass cut & wasn't looking forward to walking back & forth pushing a 19" cut mower for almost an hour in this heat. Once I got going, I think it took me about 15 minutes...

You can't really hear it in the vid but, it was making a horrible noise, like something was rubbing metal on metal; turns out it was the P/A rotating back & forth on the shaft, it seems the plug was a bit too long & was hitting the shaft before it grabbed the P/A.

I pulled it out, machined it down about 2mm, put it back in & the noise is gone