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Found me a 1045 with attachments today. All original. Lights were added but are a early design believe from trucks. Receipt shows it was sold on June 13 1964. One owner until today.

I probably shouldn’t get involved in this, but here I go… I’m not comfortable when we generalize and say “The Chinese” are just building junk. I don’t dispute that they are building junk, but the implication is that they build junk because they can’t NOT build junk. On the contrary, there is zero doubt in my mind that they are only building to the specifications and price targets WE have asked for. Our western societies have slowly confirmed that price and margins mean more to us than durable products that have a long life cycle. Over thousands of years, the Chinese have proven how resourceful, innovative, and hard-charging they can be. In the last decades, they’ve happily and competently provided exactly what we’ve asked them to provide. if you back up 40 or more years ago and look at just about any product, things were so much more expensive then (in real dollars) than they are now. There was a time a pair of shoes, or a TV, or an electric drill, or a lawnmower was a serious investment. Now, most of these things end up being in the noise level of the budgets for many of us and we systematically gravitate toward the cheap. We opened the door to this place we find ourselves in very slowly. As consumers, we kept purchasing the cheaper alternatives and prices slowly dropped over the years. This probably started in the 1970’s back when “made in Japan” carried about the same cachet as “made in China” does today. We drove out our established - expensive - retailers like Sears very slowly as we saw better values (more accurately, cheaper prices) elsewhere. We gravitated to Walmart and the dollar stores, eBay, then Amazon. Like in so many other aspects of our modern lives, we’ve decided that we can only look at a single variable - in these cases it’s price - when we make decisions. Retailers constantly adjusted their product mix to match our tastes. The incremental cheapening took decades to get where we are today; a place where we don’t even think twice about throwing things away. There are still a handful of products out there that cost more and aren’t made with the cheapest planetary labor rates, but these items tend to not find their way into the common persons’ hands. These are the Snap Ons, Festools, Speed Queens, Allen Edmonds, and the like. We now tend to look at an above-average price as being a prestige purchase for the elite when - in adjusted dollars - these are the sorts of products that have parity with the prices we were paying in the 1970’s. We have SO MUCH stuff these days. Big houses, two cars, cell phones, multiple TV’s, lots of clothes, plastic patio furniture…probably thanks to cheap imported goods and cheap oil. We know we are drowning in this mess but we keep piling it on deeper and deeper. We do still have some alternatives available to the cheap, disposable wares but they are getting harder to find with each passing day. As an example, you can go buy a 100% made in the USA lawnmower from Honda (yes, I see the irony) for $800, or you can spend third less and get a mostly made in USA Toro, or you can spend a fifth as much and get an imported one from China. For most, the choice is pretty easy since there is also food to buy, car payments to make, sports TV subscriptions to pay, and so on. There is some amount of chicken-and-egg to this cycle of demanding cheap products and I don’t know the chronology. Did we buy cheap products because that’s what was available, or are cheap products available because that’s what we buy? Either way, I think the bulk of the problem comes from the guys looking back at us from our mirrors, not the providers of the cheap junk on the other side of the globe. My point here is that “The Chinese” are selling us exactly what we are asking for. We found a place with copious cheap labor, lax environmental standards, no protection for intellectual property, and suspect human rights and hired them to race our manufacturers to the bottom. I’m not sure who the winner is in these races, but I can pretty easily identify the losers. They CAN build quality products - they just safely sent another crew to their space station for Pete’s sake - but that’s not what we are typically asking them to do. It’s not what we’re hiring them to do. Again, it comes down to the specifications. And as a generality, the fault lies on our side of the ocean. It’s sad to hear it’s the same in Europe too. How does this end? No idea. But as our cultural differences and disagreements over global property and resources mount, it seems inevitable that “The Chinese” will turn off the spigot for the latest gadgets, toys, addictions, and necessities and (perhaps) make us finally realize how we got here. It doesn’t even need to be an act of aggression to stop the flow, instead it could be because homegrown demand there for higher-value products will outpace our needs for cheap plastic junk and they’ll find they can make more money servicing their own growing and hungry population. Regardless, I think these are self-inflicted wounds. Steve

Women notice the things you don't want them to. Like the extra tractor or two. Had some electrical trouble with my car Thursday. Garage took it away Friday and I got it back yesterday afternoon with a new starter motor fitted. This morning as I was about to go to Carlisle, SWMBO said, "Call in the garage to see if your cars ready". WHAT?? I replied ever so nicely, "What's that standing outside?" "And what did we go out in last night?"

Took a little roadtrip and picked up this 312 classic for Terrie @Goldnboy It's a nice tractor that he should be arrested for stealing! Haven't made up my mind if I am gonna give it to him yet!!

Still plugging away on these. Beautiful scenery @JPWH I love it up there. Wish we could have moved to that side of the state. 😎

I have owned this 953 without a trace of paint on it for about twenty years and have no intention of ever changing a thing.

Starts 9 AM, both ag and L&G tractors. Multiple fields. See facebook post. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2030215010488006&set=gm.2959570247621063 26299 Cumberland Church Rd. Wooldridge, Mo (near Columbia, Mo).

Had good results using this stuff. Found on the shelf a Wal-Mart. Pushed a good sized puddle of the gel... all over the rusted area, just keeping it wet with product for 20 or so minutes. Wiped the product off, then finished it with a quick wet sanding with 800 grit. Pretty pleased with my half hours worth putzing around.

Rebuilding the carburetor for the monster splitter.

finally got them all together for a photo.

Here's the end result.

Dawn went to paint my son's bedroom with one of those Wagner paint stick rollers. She hates directions. So she's trying to use it and the roller isn't rolling too good. She looks at the instructions and they are in French. So she watches a YT video. Can't figure it out. Finally she notices wound up in the roller are the English instructions.

Finally got my new shoes and repainted wheels back on my 310, just need to paint the rear wheels and a wash and wax and she will look new again! New spindle caps too. I made a weight rack from an old cast steel receiver hitch, had to drill a new hole for the pin and weld some tubing on to hold the weights. Just the hitch weighs a good 15 pounds, it's heavy. I have more weight at home I need to round up yet and get the blade mounted.

I was bored between the girls and home preparing for homecoming and football games. So I did some cleaning and painting to many excess parts.

Put the finishing touches on today

Changed my name back… took a family tractor ride, had a lot of smiles!

S'pose Millie wants out?

I was struck by luck. My father came first since it was impossible to make a living there and due to certain circumstances there was also a certain degree of persecution. I followed along with my mother about four years later. Country was a strict dictatorship . Unknown to us then since keeping people essentially enslaved was the norm, we were essentially living at least 50 years behind the US and some other European countries. Still today when I talk about certain experiences to people here, they ask me exactly how old I am. That is how behind we were. You have no idea what went through my head when I took my first step onto this blessed place. In those first minutes I might as well have been on Mars , that is how foreign and strange everything was. As much as I sometimes criticize things here, it is the same as when I criticize my children. It is because I love them and want them to be better. I love the place I was born in and my culture, but make no mistake as to whom my heart belongs and where my allegiance lies. I cannot even imagine what my life would have been like had I not been here.

I receiver the new drive pin from @Lane Ranger this morning. I had fears that the female threads might be buggered some but that wasn't the case. The new pin threads in smoothly and snugs up nicely. For those of you who have a sickle bar I could see where having one of these on the shelf might be a good idea. I got this mounted under the 854. I thought I was going to have to take a grinder the the yoke where is bolts to the back of the frame. I installed a reinforcing plate mounting the frame to the transmission back when I got the tractor. If it would have been even a 16th thicker the holes wouldn't have lined up. It should be smooth sailing here on. I'll have to get a drive belt. Supposedly it's a 6573 which is 38" but I'm not certain the lower pulley is the stock diameter. Getting close!

I have been trying to figure a better way to clean up this mess on a regular basis without it getting ahead of me. Resorted to mulching and blowing into the woods instead of raking and loading into the dump cart and hauling off to my designated area. Give the WH tractors a bit of a break.

Hasn't ran in few years, will go through it pump, carb, etc. A couple of my tractors are 1 owners. Right place Right time. Some were from just because of my showing and telling the WH and Speedex story and folks remember they have a gem just sitting. They appreciate one that will preserve and not part it out. This is one that will be left patina and a Show tractor for sure.

One owner for nearly six decades, that is a treasure. Any of us would love to make a find like that.

Acid farts!!! caution backfire may occur!

I think I'm glad I didn't read that book.

Yeah, I do something similar --- works pretty good till they really get to falling, then I get the 'Cyclone Rake' out for some SERIOUS leaf pickup! I scrounged around in my ... 'junk' pile ands found a piece of light wt sheet metal - little bending/shaping and drill a couple holes and "Viola" a mulcher!

Is that your rig Plunge? Geez and I get hammered for taking a ride on a not even mine JD plow rig! My idea is of easy leaf removal is me handing the missus a rake when her bagger is broke and she sasses me about who her mechanic is!

In my in-laws house, screw from wine press. It was used until about 30 years ago when it was then dismantled to make “ improvements” . It is dated from 1772. It is about 12 feet long. Made from one entire tree. This type of setup dates back from the Romans and was prevalent in this part of country. This is what would look like . Still quite a few around totally intact.

Spent the week in the Smokey Mountains. And drove the 6 hour trip home today.

Hi just signed up, Hi I an Bob and have been fixing cars (mostly body work) for almost 50 years. I am semi retired and like tinkering and have found garden tractors fun to tinker with due to their simplicity and they take up little room. I brought an old Craftsman back from the dead a couple years ago just to mow my yard and my mothers. Mom's neighbor had an old 67 John Deere in his yard for a few months and since he helped my mother out I took his tractor home and got it up and running for him. A friend of mine saw that and said he had a Wheel Horse he inherited and it has been sitting for over 10 years. I brought it in last week cleaned out the mice nests cleaned the fuel system, rebuilt the carb cleaned the points and put in a new battery. I got it running great but it shut off whenever I engaged the PTO. This site gave me wiring diagrams that steered me to an unplugged seat switch. I mowed my lawn with it today and am ready to negotiate a purchase as I love this thing Oh forgot to add it is a 312 A I believe an 86

Keep 'er waitin' and you may see a puddle on the floor!

In the 1940s when my father In law was in his early 20s he was a butcher. However to supplement his income in those hard times he also had a business where he would go in a horse carriage selling goods through the local towns. He would sell stuff such as bar soap, kerosene, olive oil and other items of local necessity. He managed to preserve that carriage totally intact with all the accessories in it down to the actual horse whip. I always admired it all of these years and now I am the happy heir to it. He gave it to me today.

This Sanctuary is from the 14th century. Pink marble is prominent in this area some even being used as cobblestones on the road. Not one of the most elaborate interiors but beautifully executed combination of gilded carvings and “ marbled” woodwork. It has always been a source of inspiration for my work on the yokes elements of which can be recognized on them. Not so fancy is the hardware on the doors that kept the riches from being stolen but nevertheless pretty impressive. The attire on display is actually all embroidered in gold. One of many in display.

This is where the world’s largest waves have been recorded and surfing records have bee set. Today of course was just a beautiful calm day.

Starting fluid is OK for big engines, but it is capable of damaging small engines. You are better off using carb cleaner or gas as a starting fluid.

Marvel Mystery oil

Almost ruined a perfectly good desk monitor over that one. I gotta be careful when drinking or eating at the same time I am reading these posts...

I live on a heavily wooded parcel and have a lot of hardscape where the mulcher won't be the preferred method. I fabricated a leaf blower attachment to move the accumulation of leaves to the lawn area and then mulch them with a 42" rear discharge mulcher. I tow a 42" sweeper behind the mulcher to pick up the ground up leaves. With the variety of trees we have it takes four rounds of pick up so I get a lot of autumn seat time.

Those tanks are made from polyethylene. It cannot be glued. Plastic welding is the only way to mend that kind of tank.

I have plastic welded my raider's tank. It leaked in the same spot as yours. I used a soldering iron and zipties. be prepared for the smell.

Oh no, that pic was taken right after I got "clearance" to use the space. Definitely looks a bit more normal now...

Well, Maybe not correct, but, I think they look OK, A friend had some 4.00/4.80-8.00 tires on an old welding cart........BUT.....I took a likening to them so...Here they are...My new front tires. I think the flat black looks good against the flat finish left on the tractor. The seat sorta tells a story as well......pretty rusted but Im gonna try to leave it !!

Keith Is the belt guard on? Not real familiar with a 656 but a few 856's in my harem. Belt guard needs to be on to properly clutch and stop the drive belt. No.... do not grind them gears a pound for me or you will be splitting the tranny. Other things to check as well but let's make sure that guard is on proper first.

I got my foot caught on barbed wire whilst 3 wheeling 35 years ago. It's still not leaking.

With winter being right around the corner, it's going to be too cold and dark after work to work on many projects around here, but I know me well enough to know that I would go nuts not being able to tinker on something. So this weekend was spent cleaning out a corner in the basement and setting up a work area. Can't work on large projects down here, but I've got a couple Maytag 92s and a 19 that need to rebuilt, as well as tackling the 8 speed out of Ray's C141. Should keep me occupied and out of the nut house until spring, when I can get back to working on the larger projects outside

red dawn

It is not a chain drive...belt driven. The BF in the model number stands for "B" Briggs & Stratton...the "F" stands for Foote transmission. They do not make Foote transmissions any more, but I have one in the garage. It does have a bad gear in it, and I was going to take it apart and see what makes it tick. Hopefully yours is OK...I may have parts if you need them.

Rube Goldberg would be proud

Yeah, never let them know that you understand how an engine works. Been there, done that.

Looks like Communism has won the long fought war. And without firing a shot. Just thoushands of shipping containers filled with stink bugs, lantern flys, ash borers, snakeheads,asian flu, covid virus, and cheap junk.