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A friend of mine inspired me to do this. Since I haven’t been in the game very long and haven’t had the chance to go to any tractor shows let alone a Wheel Horse tractor show I’d do my own little tractor show. These are all my current running horses catching a breath of fresh air. Thanks Eric! Gitty up and cheers!

Been back here for a couple of weeks now due to in-laws illness. Spend a lot of time walking around and admiring nature specially things not seen in the States. One tree species that has always been my favorite, is the Cork Oak. They are relatively exclusive to here, country being the largest producer and exporter of cork in the world. Although not in any danger they are a strictly protected species. Even cutting a sapling or trimming a branch on one without the proper authorities taking a look at it first can bring rather severe penalties. Even though not really used for lumber, it’s wood is rock hard and extremely hard to work. It was prized for use in wooden bearings for windmills and oxen carts . Trees with cork harvested Bark( cork) already forming on bottom Branches will event be harvested also.

I put this here because I saw discussion in a different thread about cheap hose reel headaches and thought I’d share my solution with you all… After being frustrated and fed up with plastic hose reels that fell apart, broke, turned over, and just did not work well I decided I would try to build my “dream hose reel.” Now I did start out by going to Lowes and buying the best reel they had… a cast aluminum one I believe it is. Then I sent my welder buddy a drawing with dimensions and a description of what I was wanting. I had already built one using treated lumber but the post split and it did not “swivel” so that I could roll/ unroll hose 360 degrees. He welded two cross bars 1 x 1/4 x what length they needed to be, on a piece of square tubing ( 2 or 2.25 x 1/4 inch wall ). He cut it to the length needed to give me my desired height of the reel. He then cut a piece of round pipe ( probably 1.5 inch SCH 40 ) for the vertical square tubing to slide down over. I concreted the round pipe into the ground. He used a golf ball as a bearing that sits on top of the round pipe as a bearing and it allows for easy swiveling of the reel in any direction. He also fabbed up a locking lever out of a bolt and nut, the nut being welded to the back of the reel support piece. Now I can grab the end of the hose and go and it unreels smoothly without catching on the side of the reel without me having to “whip” it to free the hose. Also I can lock the swivel down in whatever direction the hose is stretched out and reel it back in with ease. I REALLY LIKE IT after fussing for years over cheap hose reels… Here are some pics so you can build your own if you’re tired of wrazzlin’ garden hoses…

So my brother shows up at our family reunion today and he has this 1966 Wheel Horse 856 in the back of his truck. He tells me he is looking for a good home for it and drops his tailgate and parks it in my driveway. It’s in really nice shape and fires right up and runs great. Can anyone tell me anything interesting about this model?

Trina's been working on getting the Cinnamon Horse C160 and her Pony 657 ready to go to @JCM Jim's Meet n Greet this weekend. She changed all 4 tires on Cinnamon and gave it a bath. I Installed the battery in Pony and washed it up as well. Now to load em up on the trailer.

Lookin’ good Rob! I lined them up during the pandemic for a drive by show. A few people stopped, asking how much We did have some friends over for plowing demonstrations…

Nice! Your hoses are way luckier than mine… I’m way cheaper… The ground is always there, right under the faucet. Never moves, rusts or breaks… No matter how long the hose, it always fits…Won’t need any lubricant, paint, or maintenance… my hoses all know where and how to lay there… trained them well…

If you don’t like those answers, hat rack, coat rack, sock drier, real good nose picker, back scratcher, and the list goes on

This one is documented to be over 300 years old. It is in a family members property. A few years ago a branch needed to be cut since lightning had broken it and it was dangerous. It literally took an act of congress to do so. There were so many inspectors observing the whole affair that one would think they were inspecting a nuclear reactor.

Got a second coat of primer on the trans, almost done with the prep for all the other wheel and frame related portions. Trans got brushed, seemed easier then trying to plug the openings, and it turned out really well. The rest will be sprayed hopefully by the weekend. My son asked me where I put the tractor. Well… there is some here, and there and over there and up there… Maybe another month and I’ll be picking up leaves with it.

The counter guy at my local store could not find a cross to match in the NAPA system, so he didn't offer. I found several sources on line, but, I'm going to need to mow in the next day or two. The immediate availability of a bearing at the Toro dealer, plus a 25% discount he gave me, and supporting the local brick and mortar store was why I went that way.

You guys are absolutely amazing !!! I thank you all from my heart for all of your well wishes. You guys have truly kept me young through these years and I truly value all of your friendships. There is a few shows that I truly miss...Kelly's show in Michigan & Scott's M&G in Indiana. I met a lot of you guys at these shows. @ztnoo Steve...always a pleasure. Glad you are still hanging around my friend. I wish those 2 shows were still active...there is a void in the Midwest because they are gone. I am looking to do the Big Show next year...I've missed seeing you guys also.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTORS TO RED SQUARE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELPFUL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TRANSMISSIONS YOU READILY SHARE AND THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE BEHIND THE CURTAIN TO MAKE RED SQUARE WHAT IT IS TODAY. AND FOR THE EFFORT YOU PUT FORWARD AS A MODERATOR THAT SEEMS TO ALWAYS GO UN REWARDED. HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY TODAY AND MANY MORE TO COME IN THE FUTURE MY FRIEND!

Are these like the crop circles of wondrous fame?

I finally got a working proper ignition switch to the house, as well as a regulator, air filter and 1.25 exhaust clamps for the repowered 314-8 Everything is now working well, starts and charging properly. I did some fiddly stuff with headlights and taillights. I need to get tires on and do a bit of welding on a tear at mowing deck adjusting bracket.

Well the road I live on isn’t traveled much but a few people did drive by and “gawked” and a neighbor guy drove by on his Montgomery Ward and stopped and took a few pictures. I mainly do this to impress myself. It’s cool if others enjoy my joy though. I’ll talk your damn ear off so it’s prolly better I live on an untraveled road. 😂

Additional photos:

Only the bark. Wood itself is a rather fierce thing to work with.

The metal part that saddles over the steering arm keeps the nut from coming loose. The shoulder bolt passes through the tie rod and steering arm and the saddle acts as a washer.

I think the problem may be that your wheel is on inside out. The valve stem and grease zert should be towards the inside not towards the out side. On some front rims the bearing tube sticks out further on one side of the rim than the other.

Was home as well yesterday and with it raining I figured it was a great time to clean up the garage workbench…a job I hate doing when it’s nice out! And of course took plenty of breaks to surf Redsquare

I purchased the Mighty Conrad Weiser Wheel Horse from my son's marching band when they decided it was no longer suiting their needs. My beautiful wife's first question was "What are you going to do with that?". A few weeks ago, our water heater, that was only 15 years old, burst and I replaced it. After draining the old water heater, it still weighed 180 lbs and was in the basement. We strapped it to a handcart and tried dragging it up the 15 steps of the casement stairs, but were unable. Me, being a thinking man, tied several lengths of parachute cord to the handcart and the other end to the back of the Wheel Horse. With my youngest son at the wheel, the water heater didn't stand a chance. Now the Mrs no longer asks what I am going to do with "that"

This picture says it all.

I’m in Rehoboth. I have about 60 machines in stock this 312-8 is one of them. Turn key runs drives and mows. I just serviced it. I have many more to choose from aswell. Here’s my number shoot me a message or call me 774-225-9111.

Today the boys and I mowed our 2 1/2 acres of lawn. This is the second time in a week and a half that it’s needed it after not mowing it for close to 6 weeks. It’s amazing what a little rain will do. Alex tackled the biggest piece of it which is around 1 1/2 acres with my 416H with 48” deck, Aiden tackled the side piece which is probably 3/4 of an acre with his 856 and the 36” deck on that and I pulled my trusty 753 out of hibernation and mowed the front yard with it. After I had to go over the front and wind row it with the 416 because it was so thick and a huge mess. Then shockingly my bronco 14 with the Briggs conversion on it fired up (it’s been giving me some trouble and I haven’t had time to fix it) and only gave me 2 quick hiccups and then ran perfect for half an hour while I raked up the windrow and tossed it in the trailer. For those who have been looking for more pictures of my trailer I will be attaching them to my bumps and bruises post from yesterday. way to much grass for just over a week. Guess I should ease up on “borrowing” fertilizer from work.

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Actually, Don, not that bad. The hardest thing is getting the plow frame squared and centered under the tractor mount - once you lift the frame, you can"rock" it front to back a small amount to engage it, close the levers, and pin them. Then move to the lift mechanism...

So a royal PITA to mount the plow having to hold it up in the slots while closing a lever. Or I guess one could attach the lift and hoist it up into the slots.

Hood:

Had a group of parts sand blasted that were too much work to sand by hand:

@davem1111 said the same thing a couple of months ago... Just wait... about... I dunno... a month or two... She'll be breaking out the shot gun... Don

Did the same recently on the transaxle, the frame, and hidden parts of the tins. No dealing with overspray, able to work the primer/paint into all the rough surfaces. Used Rustoleum and the brushstrokes mostly leveled out anyway.

@stevasaurus hope you get some grease on your day , pete

Happy Happy Steve!

1045 was short frame. Long frames started in 66 I think with the 1276

Don't forget about your B80. 1974 and 1975 only those were referred to as a mid-length frame. They weren't short or long. I'd be curious to see what the answers here are myself. Particularly around 1963 to 1965. And what frame did the 1045 model use?

Happy Birthday DINO , missed seeing you at the show this year. Had to hang around with your brother from another mother.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVASAURUS!!!!! " TANKS" FOR BEING A FRIEND!!!!!

Ingenuity at its best, Greasy Pete will probably stop by with son lubrication recommendations.

Great idea Tim! I happened to find 17 golf balls last night waiting for the group in front of us… maybe I should build me 17 hose reels!

I believe that translates to "Maine, in the sticks, NO indoor plumbing"....

I have one too. Came from grampa's barn. We always called it a Hay rake. I'd like to know if it had a specific purpose.

Two confessions... I have a B-100 in the warehouse at work that I just keep forgetting to tell her about. She's in bed now and I don't want to wake her so maybe it will occur to me again later. But not tomorrow, because I have to go pick up a pair of front spindles which she's cool with and since she'll already be at work when I leave, she won't see that I'm taking the trailer because they're coming on a 310-8 that I just can't pass up for the price.

Me n the BBT and Meeha Mirror finished up the Wheel Horse wheel party by removing the masking and airing them up. 14 lbs in the rears. We also mounted the tri rib tires on the 8" 5 hole rims I got the other day. Here's the HF manual tire changer with a rubber inner tube wheel protector. It kinda worked ok. Not perfect... Dog. Helping. The fronts are now pressurized to 35 or so. Yes that's high. These are trailer wheels. All four spinners and sneakers ready for Trina to get them on Cinnamon Horse C160 tomorrow. That'll be my steed at @JCM Jim's Meet n Greet in N Berwick Maine Saturday.

In one rainy day? I would need a two week monsooon to get my shop that clean.

Oh your doing donuts.

My 953 (48" long frame) has a short plow frame( the true "A" shape) and the axle bracket with the notch in front of the axle. See the above pic. I don't see any reason this arrangement would not work on any long frame tractor except the forward swept 520s.

So did anyone stop by? Maybe ask if they were for sale? Or at least a curious driver maybe slowed down for a better look?

@Wild Bill in VA agree to a point , lawn / garden tractors made back in the day , shared a number of build up ideas and opportunities , wheel horse / john deere / gravley / bolens , cub cadet , all had the chance to build up from basically the same parts / equipment build up stash . it was time that made the biggest difference , wheel horse hung on as long as it could , toro obviousely was , the killing final stage , to a long era designed yard tractor. it was almost shocking to me to watch J/D go total plastic , pressed metal parts . loved the gravely units , truly a work beast , similar bolens build ups . think today , refreshing a horse , is a great opportunity to integrate improvements to it to make it live on . just my own 2 cents , along with regular thorough maintenance , when these are gone , thats it , like a covered wagon . been enjoying my stuff 40 + years . pete