I need to break out dads Coleman lanterns and clean them up. We used them a lot when I was a kid! Dad has a cook stove too that would be useful. I usually just cook on the kerosene heater or plug the air fryer into the generator.
What are you currently working on??
- Thread starter backwoods
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I once had a nice collection of the old Coleman products. The oldest one was a little single mantel lantern all the way up to the silver ones that burned unleaded gas. I only had four stoves used them a lot camping when the kids were little. I think Carol held on to one of the old water jugs. The Coleman stuff is fun to collect.
Carolyn picked up a collapsible Christmas tree earlier this fall. About 2' across at the base and 5' high. Has a light rod the spirals the tree from bottom to top supported by the center post. Ornaments and lights are all on the tree. Lights don't work. 
Spent an hour with a light checker or some such gadget that is supposed to tell you where the bad bulb is. No instructions with it, just loose in a box of stuff. Has green and red LED's. Put the point on the wires at the plug and get a red light. turn it over and you get a green light. So what the H%!! is that telling me? Get the same reading at the top of the tree. Everything I found on the internet has one led. When it lites is good. When it don't lite it is bad. At this point the tree is not going to have working lights. Or maybe a LED flashlight on the mantel pointing at the tree.
Spent an hour with a light checker or some such gadget that is supposed to tell you where the bad bulb is. No instructions with it, just loose in a box of stuff. Has green and red LED's. Put the point on the wires at the plug and get a red light. turn it over and you get a green light. So what the H%!! is that telling me? Get the same reading at the top of the tree. Everything I found on the internet has one led. When it lites is good. When it don't lite it is bad. At this point the tree is not going to have working lights. Or maybe a LED flashlight on the mantel pointing at the tree.
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I have Dads old Coleman dual mantle lantern and another one i picked up at an auction. Both have been rebuilt and are in working condition. Had a stove we sued for camping for several years. When we moved out here only place we had to stor much stuff was in an open side low pole building and loft in the corn crib. Stove was hung in the pole building and for got about. Moisture and mud dabbers kid of did it in. Tried to do some clean up on it a few years ago but to far gone. Might replace it some day.
When I go camp I take 2-3 stoves and 3 lanterns.
I've had people walk by my site and say (to each other, but I could hear) "people still USE those?* Or something like "I got one in the garage that I haven't used in 20 years, maybe I oughta get it down"...
I've had as many as 14 of them out and lit at once....
I have one that is from 73 and never been lit and I have a couple that need a little work.
My most recent one is actually a Bernz O Matic from the 60s, looks like it might have been lit once or twice ... That one is the only propane one I have, the rest are plain old white gas ones.
I've had people walk by my site and say (to each other, but I could hear) "people still USE those?* Or something like "I got one in the garage that I haven't used in 20 years, maybe I oughta get it down"...
I've had as many as 14 of them out and lit at once....
I have one that is from 73 and never been lit and I have a couple that need a little work.
My most recent one is actually a Bernz O Matic from the 60s, looks like it might have been lit once or twice ... That one is the only propane one I have, the rest are plain old white gas ones.
Our camping days are restricted to the bedroom where a switch controls the light. 
Spent many hours laying on the shore cat fishing with Dad, older brother and the Watkins dealer, Marvin Johnson with a Cooleman lantern lgihting up the "flags" on the end of the poles. .
Spent many hours laying on the shore cat fishing with Dad, older brother and the Watkins dealer, Marvin Johnson with a Cooleman lantern lgihting up the "flags" on the end of the poles. .Hopefully never get to that point. I don't get out near as often as when I was a kid living at home, but the worst thing about camping is that I can't get out to do that as often as I'd like to. Down to around 3 times a year, im hoping that next year I can double that at least.Our camping days are restricted to the bedroom where a switch controls the light.
Age changes things, if we want them to or not. Over 80 a lot of things change and slows way down.
We lived camping for many years. When first married, we would head to the races after work Friday night, then when they were over, head up into the Black Hills with the '72 GMC (had a topper on it back then) and not come home until Sunday night almost every summer weekend. Sometimes we even camped in the back end of that truck with no topper and never got rained on somehow---LOL! We had a little tent for awhile too and a couple different slide in cabover campers.
Available time and age changes all that. Then, every place that used to be kind of remote, is mobbed now. Camping is no fun when there are mobs of kids and drunks all over the place. My wife's sister has a cabin at a lake about 50 miles south with a "bunkhouse" we could sleep in, but that bunkhouse is usually got 10 other folks in it too.
Can't bring those days back so I guess it's just all memories.
DAC
Available time and age changes all that. Then, every place that used to be kind of remote, is mobbed now. Camping is no fun when there are mobs of kids and drunks all over the place. My wife's sister has a cabin at a lake about 50 miles south with a "bunkhouse" we could sleep in, but that bunkhouse is usually got 10 other folks in it too.
Can't bring those days back so I guess it's just all memories.
DAC
Last night I got the plows and chains on my 882 and 125. I got the Sears set up last week. I still might put a plow on the 149 too, but I don’t have another set of chains for it. The fleets all ready now, let it snow!
That looks like a County prepared snow fleet…nice looking!
I don’t drink anymore but I’d like to be working on a 6 pack lol
Thanks!
Working on a couple of snow blowers, one certainly to be for sale in a couple of days, and one for here/to drag back n forth to the mother in law's. I have the one for here and to drag to the mother in law's done, the one that will be for sale has a couple of things left to do to.
I didn't thing I was getting another one to drag home when I sold that lawn boy one last weekend. But I did. One that actually runs, in spite of the POs valiant attempts.
It's old, like a 1978 crapsman 5/22. 2 stage.
It has been very Jerry rigged since I last saw it, I have about all of that undone. He thought it would need the carb rebuild (again) or replaced but no.
He just had it way out of adjustment. People like this are probably why they did away with adjustable carburetors. He had it stored under his deck, which has open slats like an old corn dryer barn.... Might as well have been out in the middle of the front yard. He did have a storage tote bungeed over the engine....
Things like the plunger for the primer extended and hanging down about 8", the gas tank moved over 1 hole, and rigged with a piece of angle iron used for a makeshift hanger bracket of sorts, while blocking the pull starter so he could get to the fuel shut off... And a piece of old air compressor hose duct taped to the handle to hold a homemade tool for that shutoff.... Think of an enlarged version of a tire valve core tool.....
Nothing that couldn't be undone, but shouldn't have had to be undone. And the belts he attempted to replace, said the auger wouldn't quit spinning on its own since the belt change... Everything was way out of adjustment, and there were plenty of those available. He even marked where the belt keepers were pointed to originally but they were nowhere close/ that was the biggest in issue in the shafts not stopping when the controls were released....
I hope it sells pretty quick, I hope"patina" is as much of a selling feature as it is in a '40s/50s pickup truck.
I sold the one I did, to gain some space back, I didn't expect one to take it's place.
The biggest time taker I had to fix was to pull the shroud and flywheel so I could replace the butchered gas line.
I need to pull the tiller off of my ariens GT19 and find someone with a little time, a strong back and weak mind, to ride out with me to go grab the snow blower attachment for it /and get that back here... Then maybe I can leave my bob-cat walk behind (which I also worked on today) up at the mother in law's for the season so I don't have to haul it back n forth like I have done the last couple of years, and just toss the 2 cycle paddle wheel one in, when I have to go up there.....
I didn't thing I was getting another one to drag home when I sold that lawn boy one last weekend. But I did. One that actually runs, in spite of the POs valiant attempts.
It's old, like a 1978 crapsman 5/22. 2 stage.
It has been very Jerry rigged since I last saw it, I have about all of that undone. He thought it would need the carb rebuild (again) or replaced but no.
He just had it way out of adjustment. People like this are probably why they did away with adjustable carburetors. He had it stored under his deck, which has open slats like an old corn dryer barn.... Might as well have been out in the middle of the front yard. He did have a storage tote bungeed over the engine....
Things like the plunger for the primer extended and hanging down about 8", the gas tank moved over 1 hole, and rigged with a piece of angle iron used for a makeshift hanger bracket of sorts, while blocking the pull starter so he could get to the fuel shut off... And a piece of old air compressor hose duct taped to the handle to hold a homemade tool for that shutoff.... Think of an enlarged version of a tire valve core tool.....
Nothing that couldn't be undone, but shouldn't have had to be undone. And the belts he attempted to replace, said the auger wouldn't quit spinning on its own since the belt change... Everything was way out of adjustment, and there were plenty of those available. He even marked where the belt keepers were pointed to originally but they were nowhere close/ that was the biggest in issue in the shafts not stopping when the controls were released....
I hope it sells pretty quick, I hope"patina" is as much of a selling feature as it is in a '40s/50s pickup truck.
I sold the one I did, to gain some space back, I didn't expect one to take it's place.
The biggest time taker I had to fix was to pull the shroud and flywheel so I could replace the butchered gas line.
I need to pull the tiller off of my ariens GT19 and find someone with a little time, a strong back and weak mind, to ride out with me to go grab the snow blower attachment for it /and get that back here... Then maybe I can leave my bob-cat walk behind (which I also worked on today) up at the mother in law's for the season so I don't have to haul it back n forth like I have done the last couple of years, and just toss the 2 cycle paddle wheel one in, when I have to go up there.....
Got a free snowblower from my sister on Saturday, been sitting a couple years not used. Thankfully no gas in it, but there was some water in carb and tank, but little to no rust or debris. Cleaned carb and tank, but then no spark. Changed plug and unhooked the ground wire from block but no go. Sure wished I had a garage to work in. Looks like maybe a snow storm coming in later this week.
Then grabbed my snow blade for the Sears, it's a newer blade with adapter mule drive. PO did some welding but it all broke lose. Today I hope to repair the broken mount and add new locking plates. I'll try to remember to take pics.
Gotta get it done so one person can't call me a lazy couch potatoe...
Then grabbed my snow blade for the Sears, it's a newer blade with adapter mule drive. PO did some welding but it all broke lose. Today I hope to repair the broken mount and add new locking plates. I'll try to remember to take pics.
Gotta get it done so one person can't call me a lazy couch potatoe...
Stayed after work today and did some repair on my Sears mule drive adapter that allows me to use the newer craftsman snow blades on the older Sears. Someone had jacked it up before me, they welded/brazed eye bolts on the side to hold in the lower pins. The blade itself is twisted also.
I ended up cutting/grinding off all the old stuff, cut the old broken ears off then cut a couple new pieces and welded them on. Once I got home, I used a small grinding stone in my die grinder and cleaned out the inside slot and fitted it. I got it mounted after some beating on it. Took some at work pics, but it was too dark and raining after I finished at home. Hope I do not need it tomorrow.
I ended up cutting/grinding off all the old stuff, cut the old broken ears off then cut a couple new pieces and welded them on. Once I got home, I used a small grinding stone in my die grinder and cleaned out the inside slot and fitted it. I got it mounted after some beating on it. Took some at work pics, but it was too dark and raining after I finished at home. Hope I do not need it tomorrow.
I had to replace the radiator in my 96 Dakota yesterday. I'd been noticing puddles last week in an area that could only have come from the radiator.
I put the pressure tester on it and yup it leaked from the aluminum to plastic seam, before I got it to 7 psi on the tester. Cap says 16 psi...
I have been driving this truck a bunch lately again, for it's 4wd-ness. I had the radiator out of my 92 Dakota that I no longer have, up in the attic/ which is what I put in.
Then I went back to O'Reilly's since I had bought the one that now leaks there, and it has a life time warranty on it. I'm glad I had one that I could stick in there, as a new one is a couple of days out.
But the new one is on the way.
The screwy part? When I bought the one that I took out yesterday (back in 2016) I paid $114. Now that same radiator costs $248!!!!
I'm just glad I won't have to buy it again.
I put the pressure tester on it and yup it leaked from the aluminum to plastic seam, before I got it to 7 psi on the tester. Cap says 16 psi...
I have been driving this truck a bunch lately again, for it's 4wd-ness. I had the radiator out of my 92 Dakota that I no longer have, up in the attic/ which is what I put in.
Then I went back to O'Reilly's since I had bought the one that now leaks there, and it has a life time warranty on it. I'm glad I had one that I could stick in there, as a new one is a couple of days out.
But the new one is on the way.
The screwy part? When I bought the one that I took out yesterday (back in 2016) I paid $114. Now that same radiator costs $248!!!!
I'm just glad I won't have to buy it again.
First time working outside yesterday in a long time. I tried to burn a couple of burn piles but it was too wet. I even tried the propane blow torch but wouldn’t burn very long. I wasted a couple of hours playing with that.
I added a couple of shelves in my shop extension. I made two shelves from some scrap about 14’ long total and 2’ deep. I had some 16’ 2x4’s but I didn’t want to waste them on shelves. It got a lot of stuff up off the floor. I wasn’t to worried about organizing because I have a whole lot of kitchen cabinets stored on the other side hopefully they will go in the house come spring. I’m excited about the space I’ll have once it gets empty. Anything in the shop I don’t touch on a regular basis will be stored in there.
I added a couple of shelves in my shop extension. I made two shelves from some scrap about 14’ long total and 2’ deep. I had some 16’ 2x4’s but I didn’t want to waste them on shelves. It got a lot of stuff up off the floor. I wasn’t to worried about organizing because I have a whole lot of kitchen cabinets stored on the other side hopefully they will go in the house come spring. I’m excited about the space I’ll have once it gets empty. Anything in the shop I don’t touch on a regular basis will be stored in there.