And more junk.

[MFDAC]

Made a bushing and installed the pulley today. Still will have to modify the belt guide.

Found a 1/2" brass nipple in some junk.


Don't have a lathe so had to improvise. It was still not quite 1'2" I.D. Screwed it into a tee and clamped it in the drill press vise. Had to stick a 1/2" drill bit in the drill doctor. Didn't have a sharp one.


Found another oddball fitting that I could chuck into the press and file on the outside. The nipple O.D. was a bit too big to fit the bearing.




Cut and deburred with a tubing cutter.


Pressed into the pulley.


It fit perfectly on the tensioner, but the O.D. of this pulley is a quarter inch bigger. That's why I have to modify the belt guide. It rubs the pulley.
Hopefully will get some more done tomorrow afternoon. The carb needs a cleaning on that piece of junk Murray also. It doesn't want to rev up past half throttle.

DAC

 

[Sawdust]

Making do with what you have Doug at its best. I had to make some bushings for a 1/2” and 3/4” OD shaft or axle last year. To do this the bushings have to be slightly larger. There’s a supplier on eBay that I like and I bought two oversized bits, I think they were 1/64” over. These made it so much nice making bushings.

 

[chieffan]

Poor man's milling machine.

 

[MFDAC]

Making do with what you have Doug at its best. I had to make some bushings for a 1/2” and 3/4” OD shaft or axle last year. To do this the bushings have to be slightly larger. There’s a supplier on eBay that I like and I bought two oversized bits, I think they were 1/64” over. These made it so much nice making bushings.

Yeah, can only do what you're equipped to do. Redneck engineering here---LOL! Sounds like you have a good system for bushing building, Jim!

Poor man's milling machine.

Truth, Roger! I didn't even have a decent drill press until about 5 years ago. Had a little benchtop form HF before that. Think it is still around here somewhere---LOL!

Got that junker Murray running great today, took the carb off and cleaned it out. The o-ring on the bowl was broken up pretty bad. Don't have any of course. Dug around in some tractor parts and found one that fit. Although it was out of a Honda clone carb, it fit the Walbro! Soaked it in carb cleaner for an hour or so, then sprayed brake cleaner through all the ports. Assembled that and added a fuel filter to the line too.
Still is the original B/S Walbro.




Raised the tractor and was able to bend the guide on the tensioner some more to keep the belt in the new flat pulley. Went to start it and it fired up fast for being an empty line and carb. Got on the tractor and the darn thing still won't shift well. Got it to back up but there was a screech when I lifted the pedal. Tried to get it into neutral and it fought but finally went in. Put it in a forward gear and it moved well, no noise. Couldn't get it back into neutral so just idled it down and shut it off.

About all I can think of is the belt or the transaxle is junk. Belt is a bit twisty so maybe it won't let the transaxle stop spinning when I press the pedal. Probably the belt got deformed when it was melting the plastic tensioner pulley. This is already becoming more work than I wanted for a weed sprayer---LOL! I may check the price of a belt but if it is more than I want to spend, I wonder if that 12HP B/S engine has a similar footprint as a JD 160 Kawasaki 11HP? Maybe be better to put a good engine on that tractor. I also have a hydro LT that works fine but I don't have 3 hands to steer, hang on to the weed sprayer and pull the hand hydro lever all at once---LOL! There's also a MTD/Bolens out back that was running fine but the gas tank was broken up badly. It has pretty fresh belts on it too. That one may be the best bet. Now alls I have to do is make up my mind!!!

Will have to decide something soon. Weeds are getting bad!

DAC

 

[MFDAC]

I decided what to do in my sleep last night I think---LOL!

Yup, you are seeing it right, a whole different LT! Drug it from around back with the MF1450.


I did get it started and made sure it backed up and went forward first. Engine was running well. Had to replace the fuel filter and the shutoff valve as both had decomposed from the UV rays. Leaking gas. The filter was one of those red ones. Faded to pink and crumbled when I went to remove it. On the gas tank leak, it looks like if I run it half tank or less it won't leak through the weather cracks in it. Drove it outside while the deck was still on it and ran it around in the yard for awhile. Seemed to do ok but there is some adjusting needed to coordinate the shifter position and the brake pedal position. It has a variable speed pulley and it still will try to move slightly when it is locked into the "park" position. Stops if I push the brake pedal further than the lock position.

Backed it into the shop, robbed a seat from another LT, and pulled the deck. Ready to try out tomorrow.


Should have done this in the first place---LOL!

DAC

 

[MFDAC]

I just went back out into the lift bay to get a beverage and noticed that there is a resident that must be living in that hollow stamped steel front axle of the Bolens/MTD!


Of course soon as I turned my back to put the phone down, he was gone before I could grab him and put him outside!

DAC

 

[chieffan]

He will help keep the spiders, bugs, etc. out of the shop. I went to get Carolyn's mower out the other day and found on crawling out of a hole in the seat cushion of the yard donkey tractor Carolyn seldom uses. Garter snake so no problem. Couple day ago I went to turn pull string light on in the feed room in the critter bar and there was a nice big bull snake laying on the shelf about 2 ft from my hand. Nice sized on as he was about 10 inches long folded back 3 times. I let him lay there and next morning he had moved on.

 

[Sawdust]

Sorry guys the only good snake is a dead one to me

 

[Toomanytoys84]

Sorry guys the only good snake is a dead one to me

As long as they aren’t going to hurt anyone I leave them alone. We don’t have many poisonous snakes in the valley. Copperheads mainly. But I haven’t saw a copperhead since I was a kid.

My buddy on the other hand is absolutely terrified of snakes. We were cleaning out an old barn 10 years ago. He flipped clean out when a little gater snake came out from under a pile of hay. He ran out screaming then ran back and with a shovel
And proceeded to beat it into a paste. He got mad at me when I said I’m glad you took care of the terrifying snake!

 

[IHCubCadet147]

Sorry guys the only good snake is a dead one to me

You sound like my dad. One time I found a snake skin and hid it behind his toolbox, sticking out just enough so he would see it when he went over to turn the radio on. My mom was in on it too. It took him a couple weeks, but one day he went out and saw it, and immediately came back in the house and said “That’s it, I’m burning the garage down”. He wouldn’t go back in there until I told him I put it there.

As long as they are harmless, they don’t bother me. We mostly see garter snakes and milk snakes around here. I know there’s rattle snakes around too, but I have never seen one.

 

[MFDAC]

Sorry guys the only good snake is a dead one to me

The only "good" snake I run across then Jim, is a rattler---LOL! I've never seen one here at the house, but 1.7 miles away where I used to work we had them, bullsnakes, garter snakes, you name it. Rattlers were the only ones that could be harmful. I killed a few rattlers there, but now and then I would catch a bullsnake and bring it home to help control rodents.

Only got one pic of a rattler after I killed it. In water with it's head, on land without!



Bullsnake I brought home.

He will help keep the spiders, bugs, etc. out of the shop. I went to get Carolyn's mower out the other day and found on crawling out of a hole in the seat cushion of the yard donkey tractor Carolyn seldom uses. Garter snake so no problem. Couple day ago I went to turn pull string light on in the feed room in the critter bar and there was a nice big bull snake laying on the shelf about 2 ft from my hand. Nice sized on as he was about 10 inches long folded back 3 times. I let him lay there and next morning he had moved on.

I left the overhead door open about a half inch last night in case the snake preferred to go out since I rudely stole his home---LOL! If it is still in the shop there's plenty of crickets to eat! The only good thing I can think of about going deaf is I can't hear those annoying bugs anymore!

I kind of doubt the snake rode along with me today to spray weeds, but it went well! My back isn't hurting much and I should be able to sleep tonight rather than lay there hurting! Tractor ran well and the operator did ok. Went through 2 gallons of Spectracide. Walking I could only do a half gallon or so before I would have to go sit for awhile.




Weeds already are showing signs of death!

DAC

 

[chieffan]

Never ending job this year with all the rain we been getting. Need to do some more as I noticed today around the iron pile and the building that hasn't got cleaned up yet.

 

[MFDAC]

Never ending job this year with all the rain we been getting. Need to do some more as I noticed today around the iron pile and the building that hasn't got cleaned up yet.

Weeds can be hard to keep up with, Roger, especially when they get plenty to drink. Makes it hard to decide to spray even, when the weed killer might get rained on 5 minutes after a person gets done.

I ordered four more gallons so I can keep the assault up on them now. When they dry up I will put the drag on the MF1450 3 point and try to scrape them off some.

DAC

 

[Sawdust]

That sprayer rig turned out nice Doug. We have copperheads and timber rattlers. The TR can be hid so well and strike before you know it. I just don’t like any of them.

 

[chieffan]

There is an area to the NE of us about 45 miles around Winterset, John Waynes hometown, that has Timber Rattlers. Pamel State Park is located in the hills there. Many years ago, the Rangers house was not modern, used a 2 hole out house. Rangers' wife got trapped inside the outhouse once for several hours. Rattler moved onto the sunny path near the door to warm himself and forgot to move on. Everyone that works out of town wears 10" boots.

 

[Sawdust]

I don’t know what it is I’ve just never had no mercy for a snake. Other wildlife is totally different, I’ll swerve to miss a squirrel, get out to set a turtle on the other side of the road safely of coarse but not a snake. I made a post several years ago about crawling out from under a tractor and seeing a black snake inside laying stretched out just a few feet from me. I actually couldn’t hardly stand up my knees were so weak from fear. I really think I scared it even more. Lol

 

[chieffan]

I look ever time I go in the feed rom in the barn for that big Bull Snake, just in case he happens to show back up again. We have picked several up off the drive and from the lawn. Transfer the Bull Snakes to the barn for rodent control. Got bit by one once. Usually wear at least one glove, but not this time. He got me right in the web between my thumb and finger. Just a good pinch, didn't even draw blood or leave a mark.

 

[MFDAC]

That sprayer rig turned out nice Doug. We have copperheads and timber rattlers. The TR can be hid so well and strike before you know it. I just don’t like any of them.

Thank-you Jim, think I will add to it to haul the weed trimmer around too. Not going to trim from the tractor---LOL! Just will drive from place to place where I want to work. There are timber rattlers up in the Black Hills, but I suppose the ones out here are prairie rattlers. Don't really know if there is any difference. It's ok not to like snakes, as a lot of folks are the same way as you! I don't like them particularly, but some are useful. I do know people that have snakes for pets! Nope, not me!

I look ever time I go in the feed rom in the barn for that big Bull Snake, just in case he happens to show back up again. We have picked several up off the drive and from the lawn. Transfer the Bull Snakes to the barn for rodent control. Got bit by one once. Usually wear at least one glove, but not this time. He got me right in the web between my thumb and finger. Just a good pinch, didn't even draw blood or leave a mark.

I bet if the woman in your other post would have opened the outhouse door and made a little noise that snake would have hightailed it for the brush. There was a fence contractor at my former job who got bit while building a chain link fence in tall grass not far from where I had killed the one in the pics. He got to the hospital and received the anti-venom without getting too sick.

I always wear gloves when I grab a snake as they are going to try to bite, harmless as it may be. Another reason is one time I picked up a garter snake bare handed, it wrapped itself around my had and $h!t some foul-smelling substance all over my hand! That stink took several washings to get off!

Did a tractor report in the "What did you do with your tractor today" thread.

DAC

 

[MFDAC]

I cobbled together a couple of more pieces of junk to carry the weed trimmer on the sprayer LT. Looks like it will work ok. Bolted it to the tractor and did a test fit. Took it back off to spray some satin black on it.




Didn't get to bolt it back on. Severe thunderstorms in the area and I took the LT outside to put Loree's car in since there is hail in the area. I managed to get soaked as the rain cut loose right at that time!

DAC

 

[MFDAC]

Got that painted bracket bolted on that LT. Holds the trimmer nice. Used a small bungee cord to strap an extra battery and spare reels under the seat.




Drove it around behind the shop to chop down some tall grass and weeds where this and the Murray had been sitting before being drug out. Believe it or not, that little trimmer will take down mature thistle. Just have to let it work for a moment. That string is very tough too. Will not break right away trimming around the wire fence.

Anyway, then came back around and used the MF1450 crane to haul a mower deck and the old Murray around back and drop in the area that got cut. Not super hot today, but it sure is humid!

And now for a shocker! I actually got rid of 3 pieces of junk taking up room in the shop! Last night I listed my old air compressor and a 25' hose reel on FB for $25. Just wanted to move the stuff without and bull$h!t so put a cheap price on them.

I had to go to a meeting this morning but there was a guy that messaged me that I must have mistyped the price. I said no, want it gone.


He said he will gladly give me 40 bucks if I can hang on to it until afternoon. He had to take his wife to the airport for a flight at 1:15. Told him ok, but bring your truck to the airport as you will drive right by my place! He was the only one that answered the ad. Thought he might be a no show, but a very new looking MERCEDES SUV pulled in the driveway! I had told him to back his truck to the overhead door earlier, and he complied with the suv. Soon as I opened the overhead door I knew this wasn't going to go well. An old greybeard got out and said we'll make it fit! Lifted it and nope! Sure bothered me to be shoving that dirty old compressor into that Mercedes! We ended up taking a wheel off and it angled in. Sure hope the oil stayed in it! He gave me 40 bucks and asked if I had more stuff. Told him I had a old HF benchtop drill press. He wanted that. Dug it out and I told him I would throw it in with the deal. He handed me 10 more bucks. Told him to load it up!

Got a couple of small holes to put more junk in now---LOL!

DAC